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[
"Anggun",
"1974-1993: Early life and career in Indonesia",
"Where was Anggun born?",
"Anggun was born and raised in Jakarta",
"Did she have any siblings?",
"She is the second child",
"When did she start singing?",
"At the age of seven, Anggun began receiving highly disciplined instruction in singing from her father."
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Where was her first performance?
| 4 |
Where was Anggun's first music performance?
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Anggun
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Anggun was born and raised in Jakarta to a native Indonesian family. She is the second child and first daughter of Darto Singo, a Javanese writer, and Dien Herdina, a housewife from the Yogyakartan royal family. Her full name means "grace born of a dream" in Balinese. Despite being a Muslim, Anggun was sent to a Catholic school to receive a better elementary education. At the age of seven, Anggun began receiving highly disciplined instruction in singing from her father. She trained daily, learning various vocal techniques. To help further develop her career, her mother began serving as her manager, accepting singing offers and handling business concerns. At the age of nine, Anggun began to write her own songs and recorded her first children's album. As a preteen, Anggun was influenced by Western rock music artists. At the age of twelve, she released her first official studio album, Dunia Aku Punya (1986). The album was produced by Ian Antono, an Indonesian rock musician. However, the album failed to establish her popularity. Three years later, Anggun achieved some fame after the release of the single "Mimpi"; the song was later ranked by the Rolling Stone Indonesia magazine as one of the 150 Greatest Indonesian Songs of All Time. Anggun's fame continued to increase with the release of subsequent singles, most notably "Tua Tua Keladi" (1990), which became her most popular hit in Indonesia. After a string of successful singles, Anggun released the studio albums Anak Putih Abu Abu (1991) and Nocturno (1992). The former earned her the Most Popular Indonesian Artist 1990-1991 award. In 1992, Anggun began a relationship with Michel de Gea, a French engineer, whom she had met the year before in Kalimantan while touring. The couple married, despite a rumoured objection by Anggun's family, reportedly because they felt Anggun was too young . Georgea later became Anggun's manager. The following year, Anggun became the youngest Indonesian singer to found her own record company, Bali Cipta Records, and took complete creative control over her work. She produced her final Indonesian studio album, Anggun C. Sasmi... Lah!!! (1993), which yielded the number-one single "Kembalilah Kasih (Kita Harus Bicara)". By age nineteen, Anggun had sold over four million albums in Indonesia. She began to feel dissatisfied with her success in her country and began considering an international music career. Anggun later recalled: "[By the time] I was 20, I'd made five albums. I'd built my own record company. I'd produced my last album and produced some Indonesian acts as well. And I said to myself: 'I'm tired! I cannot achieve more than I already have. There's no challenge anymore'." CANNOTANSWER
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CANNOTANSWER
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Anggun Cipta Sasmi (), Anggun C. Sasmi or known mononymously as Anggun, is an Indonesian-born French singer-songwriter and television personality. Born in Jakarta, she began performing at the age of seven and recorded a children's album two years later. With the help of Indonesian producer Ian Antono, Anggun released her first rock-influenced studio album, Dunia Aku Punya in 1986. She became further well known with the single "Mimpi" (1989), which was listed as one of the 150 Greatest Indonesian Songs of All Time by Rolling Stone. She followed it with a series of singles and three more studio albums, which established her as one of the most prominent Indonesian female rock stars of the early 1990s.
Anggun left Indonesia in 1994 to pursue an international career. After two years struggling in London and Paris, she met French producer Erick Benzi, who produced her first international album, Snow on the Sahara (1997). Released in 33 countries, it became the best-selling album by an Asian artist outside Asia. Since then, Anggun has released another six studio albums as well as a soundtrack album to the Danish film Open Hearts (2002). Her singles, "Snow on the Sahara", "What We Remember", and "The Good Is Back", entered the Billboard charts in the United States, while "In Your Mind", "Saviour" and "I'll Be Alright" charted on the Billboard European Hot 100 Singles. France in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 in Baku, Azerbaijan, with the song "Echo (You and I)". Anggun also ventured into television, becoming the judge for the pancontinental Asia's Got Talent, the French version of Masked Singer, as well as the Indonesian versions of The X Factor, Got Talent, and The Voice.
Anggun is one of the Asian artists with the highest album sales outside Asia, with her releases being certified gold and platinum in some European countries. She is the first Indonesian artist to have success in European and American record charts. She has received a number of accolades for her achievements, including the Chevalier des Arts et Lettres from the Government of France, the World Music Award for World's Best-Selling Indonesian Artist, and the Asian Television Award for Outstanding Contribution to Asian Television Performing Arts. She also became the first Indonesian woman to be immortalized in wax by Madame Tussauds. Aside from her musical career, Anggun has been appointed as the global ambassador of the United Nations twice, first for the International Year of Microcredit in 2005 and then for the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 2009 onwards.
Life and career
1974–1993: Early life and career in Indonesia
Anggun was born and raised in Jakarta. She is the second child and first daughter of Darto Singo, a Javanese writer, and Dien Herdina, a housewife from the Yogyakartan royal family. Her full name means "grace born of a dream" in Balinese. Despite being a Muslim, Anggun was sent to a Catholic school to receive a better elementary education. At the age of seven, Anggun began receiving highly disciplined instruction in singing from her father. She trained daily, learning various vocal techniques. To help further develop her career, her mother began serving as her manager, accepting singing offers and handling business concerns. At the age of eleven, Anggun began to write her own songs and recorded her first children's album.
As a preteen, Anggun was influenced by Western rock music artists. At the age of fourteen, she released her first official studio album, Dunia Aku Punya (1986). The album was produced by Ian Antono, an Indonesian rock musician. However, the album failed to establish her popularity. Three years later, Anggun achieved some fame after the release of the single "Mimpi"; the song was later ranked by the Rolling Stone Indonesia magazine as one of the 150 Greatest Indonesian Songs of All Time. Anggun's fame continued to increase with the release of subsequent singles, most notably "Tua Tua Keladi" (1990), which became her most popular hit in Indonesia. After a string of successful singles, Anggun released the studio albums Anak Putih Abu Abu (1991) and Nocturno (1992). The former earned her the Most Popular Indonesian Artist 1990–1991 award.
In 1992, Anggun began a relationship with Michel Georgea, a French engineer, whom she had met the year before in Kalimantan while touring. The couple married, despite a rumoured objection by Anggun's family, reportedly because they felt Anggun was too young . Georgea later became Anggun's manager. The following year, Anggun became the youngest Indonesian singer to found her own record company, Bali Cipta Records, and took complete creative control over her work. She produced her final Indonesian studio album, Anggun C. Sasmi... Lah!!! (1993), which yielded the number-one single "Kembalilah Kasih (Kita Harus Bicara)". By age nineteen, Anggun had sold over four million albums in Indonesia. She began to feel dissatisfied with her success in her country and began considering an international music career. Anggun later recalled: "[By the time] I was 20, I'd made five albums. I'd built my own record company. I'd produced my last album and produced some Indonesian acts as well. And I said to myself: 'I'm tired! I cannot achieve more than I already have. There's no challenge anymore'."
1994–1996: Beginnings in Europe
In 1994, Anggun released Yang Hilang, a greatest hits album of her Indonesian hits. She later sold her record company to fund her move to Europe, and moved to London for about a year. In a 2006 interview with Trax magazine, Anggun admitted to experiencing "culture shock" and having some serious financial problems while trying to start her new life in Europe, saying "I thought the money that I got by selling my record company was enough [to sustain life in London], but I began to lose money, little by little. I had to spend so much on taking cabs and eating! So I ended up taking buses everywhere and going to clubs to introduce myself as a singer." She also admitted that she "had to convert from being a shy, introverted, 'real' Javanese woman to being an unabashed, fearless, 'fake' Javanese woman."
She began writing songs and recording demos, but after a few months, all the demos she had sent to record companies around the UK were returned with negative replies. She began thinking about moving to another country, and initially considered moving to the Netherlands, but later decided on France. In 1996, her international career began to advance; she was introduced to producer Erick Benzi, who had previously worked with Celine Dion, Jean-Jacques Goldman and Johnny Hallyday, by one of music legends in France named Florent Pagny. Later, Anggun learned from Florent Pagny about how a French artist acted on stage and communicated with audiences by accompanied him on his concerts and shows. Instantly, he became Anggun's mentor. Impressed by Anggun's talent, Benzi immediately offered her a recording deal. Later that year, Anggun was signed to Columbia France and Sony Music Entertainment. After a brief French course at Alliance Française, Anggun began working on her debut album with Benzi, alongside Jacques Veneruso, Gildas Arzel and Nikki Matheson.
1997–1999: Snow on the Sahara and international success
Erick Benzi wrote her a first song, "La Rose des vents", then an album called Anggun whose flagship title, La Neige au Sahara, was chosen as the first single. This launched his career and allowed him to become known to the general public. The album was first released in Japan in 1997 by Columbia, a subsidiary of Sony Music. This version includes nineteen songs, three of which are in French. It was published in France in 1998 with sixteen songs including fifteen in French. Finally in 1999, it was released in the United States under the title Snow on the Sahara with only eleven songs, all in English. The album is marketed in 35 countries and Anggun ensures the promotion (United States, Indonesia, Italy, etc.) for three years. She is accompanied by a group of French musicians composed of Patrick Buchmann (drums, percussion, vocals), Nicolas-Yvan Mingot (guitar), Yannick Hardouin (bass) and Patrice Clémentin (keyboards). Worldwide sales of the record exceed 900,000 copies and it is certified as a "double gold record".
Following in June 1997, Anggun released her first French-language album, entitled Au nom de la lune. The album was a huge artistic departure from Anggun's earlier rock style, experimenting with world music and more adult contemporary sounds. Anggun described the album as "a concentration of all the musical influences of my life. I want to introduce Indonesia, but in a progressive way, in a lyric, in a sound, and mainly through me." The album's first single, "La neige au Sahara", quickly became a hit in France, peaking at number 1 on the French Airplay Chart and number 16 on the French Singles Chart. It became the most played single in France of 1997, with a total of 7,900 radio airplays, and was certified gold for shipment of 250,000 copies. Two more commercial singles, "La rose des vents" and "Au nom de la lune", were released to modest chart success. The album peaked at number 34 on the French Albums Chart and sold over 150,000 copies in France and Belgium. Anggun received a nomination for the La révélation de l'année award (Revelation of the Year/Best New Artist) in Victoires de la Musique (a Grammy Award-equivalent in the French music scene). She attended and performed her song on French TV show, Tapis rouge, and Céline Dion also attended as guest. They met each other in person for the first time and they sang Aretha Franklin's hits, Chain of Fools and (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman together alongside other guest stars.
The English version of the album, Snow on the Sahara, was released internationally in 33 countries throughout Asia, Europe, and America between late 1997 and early 1999. The album contained the songs on Au nom de la lune, adapted to English by songwriter Nikki Matheson, and a cover version of the David Bowie hit "Life on Mars?". For the Southeast Asian market, Anggun included an Indonesian song, "Kembali", which became a huge hit in the region. American music critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic called the album "a promising debut effort" because "she illustrates enough full-formed talent on the disc". According to Erlewine, Anggun "tackles polished ballads, Latin-pop and dance-pop on Snow on the Sahara, demonstrating that she can sing all the styles quite well." The album's first single, "Snow on the Sahara" was a commercial success, reaching number one in Italy, Spain and several countries in Asia, and the top five on the UK Club Chart. The song was also used as the soundtrack for an international marketing campaign launched by the Swiss watchmaker Swatch. Snow on the Sahara has sold over 1.5 million copies worldwide and received the Diamond Export Sales Award.
In North America, Snow on the Sahara was released in May 1998 by Epic Records. Anggun went on an extensive tour for nine months in the United States to promote the album, including as a supporting act for several artists such as The Corrs and Toni Braxton, as well as participating at the Lilith Fair (performing with Sarah McLachlan and Erykah Badu on stage). She also appeared on American television programs such as The Rosie O'Donnell Show, Sessions at West 54th, Penn & Teller's Sin City Spectacular, and received a CNN WorldBeat interview; she was also given coverage in printed media like Rolling Stone and Billboard. However, Snow on the Sahara was not much of a commercial success in the United States. The album peaked at number 23 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums Chart and shipped 200,000 units. The single reached number 16 on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play and number 22 on the Billboard Adult Top 40. Nevertheless, Sarah Brightman did a cover version of "Snow on the Sahara" song on her The Harem World Tour: Live from Las Vegas album in 2004. Also in 2008, Italian singer Ilaria Porceddu covered that song on her debut album called Suono naturale. The album track "On the Breath of an Angel" was later used as the soundtrack of American television series Passions and television film The Princess and the Marine, both of which aired on NBC.
2000–2003: Chrysalis, Open Hearts, and collaborations
In 1999, Anggun ended her seven-year marriage to Michel Georgea; this inspired her to record another studio album. Her second French album, Désirs contraires, was released in September 1999. It was an artistic departure from Au nom de la lune, experimenting with electropop and ambient elements as well as R&B music. The album was again produced by Erick Benzi, but it featured some of Anggun's compositions. Désirs contraires failed to repeat the success of the previous album. It peaked at number 48 on the French Albums Chart and sold about 30,000 copies in France. Only two singles were released off the album: the tropical-sounding "Un geste d'amour" and the R&B-influenced "Derrière la porte". Both singles failed to achieve commercial success, although "Un geste d'amour" reached number 62 on the French Singles Chart.
It was the English version of the album that enjoyed more success. Chrysalis was released at the same time as Désirs contraires and represented a huge artistic growth for Anggun, who had co-written the entire album. Distributed simultaneously in 15 countries, the album was never released in the United States due to the lackluster sales of her first album. The album spawned the hit single "Still Reminds Me", which received high airplay across Asia and Europe. It became her third number-one hit in Indonesia since her international career and her third top 20 single in Italy (peaking at number 17). It also reached the top five on the Music & Media European Border Breakers Chart. She released a single especially for the Indonesian and Malaysian market, "Yang 'Ku Tunggu" (the Indonesian version of "Un geste d'amour"), which became another number-one hit for Anggun in the region.
In 2000, Anggun presented her second album, still under the aegis of Erick Benzi, Desires Contraires. The record received little promotion and went relatively unnoticed in France. It has exported well, especially to Indonesia (platinum record) and Italy (gold record). The album was released under the name Chrysalis in fifteen Asian countries simultaneously, including Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Japan. The song Tu nages on the track list of Désirs Contraires was also performed by Céline Dion on her album Une fille et quatre types in 2003. She then made a mini-tour of ten dates inaugurated at La Cigale on February 1, 2001, her first French stage. She announced her departure from her first label in January 2003, then moved to Montreal, Canada, to meet up with her then fiancé. She toured Indonesia and chose to accompany her the young Julian Cely, who had become her musical godson. At the end of 2000 Anggun received an invitation from the Vatican, asking her to appear at a special Christmas concert alongside Bryan Adams and Dionne Warwick. For the event, she gave her renditions of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" as well as "Still Reminds Me". Her performance was also included on the Noël au Vatican disc compilation. The following month, she started a tour across Asia and Europe, including her first-ever concert in France at Le Bataclan on 1 February 2001. The tour ended on 30 April 2001 at Kallang Theatre, Singapore. In 2002, Anggun received the Women Inspire Award from Singapore's Beacon of Light award ceremony for "her achievements as a role model for many young women in Asia." On 2 April 2002, she held her Russia concert at State Concert Hall of the Tchaikovsky. The next year, she was honored with Cosmopolitan Indonesias Fun Fearless Female of the Year Award. Anggun had an interview with VOGUE Deutsch, Germany edition of VOGUE for a rubric called Vogue Trifft.
During this period, Anggun also did a string of collaborations, soundtrack projects, and charity albums. These included a mixed French-English song with DJ Cam entitled "Summer in Paris" (which later became a club hit in Europe and Asia for both artists) on his 2001 album, Soulshine; an Indonesian-English song with Deep Forest entitled "Deep Blue Sea" on their 2002 album, Music Detected; and three collaborations in 2003, including with Italian rock singers Piero Pelù, Serge Lama and Tri Yann. Her duet with Piero Pelù on an Italian-English song entitled "Amore immaginato" became a hit in Italy, spending over two months at the top of Italian Airplay Chart, and sung it at Italian Music Awards in 2003. Anggun also collaborated with Bryan Adams in writing a song entitled "Walking Away" which remains unreleased for unknown reason. The same year, her song On the Breath of an Angel, composed by her with Jacques Veneruso, Nikki Matheson was interpreted and adapted in Vietnamese by Mỹ Tâm in 2001. This title is engraved on the first album of the latter Mãi Yêu. In 2002, Anggun performed Open Hearts, the soundtrack of the film Open Hearts by Susanne Bier, released in 2003 in Scandinavian theaters. Previously, she has appeared in other soundtracks, Anastasia with Gildas Arzel in 1997, Gloups! je suis un poisson and Anja & Victor in 2001. Later on, her songs have chosen to be the soundtrack of Transporter 2 (Cesse la rain) in 2005 and the documentary series Genesis II et l'homme créa la nature by Frédéric Lepage which was broadcast in 2004 on France 5. Anggun participated in two Scandinavian movies: contributing the song "Rain (Here Without You)" for Anja & Viktor in 2001, and the entire soundtrack album for Open Hearts in 2002. For Open Hearts, Anggun worked with two Danish producers, Jesper Winge Leisner and Niels Brinck. "Open Your Heart" was released as a commercial single from the soundtrack album and charted at number 51 on the Norwegian Singles Chart. It also earned Anggun a nomination for Best Original Song at the Danish Film Academy's Robert Awards in 2003. "Counting Down" was also released as a single and became a top-ten airplay hit in Indonesia. Anggun's work with Sony Music ended in 2003 due to the company's structural change after a merger with BMG Music. She later moved to Montreal, Canada where she met Olivier Maury, a law school graduate, who became Anggun's manager. In 2004, Anggun and Maury were married in a private ceremony in Bali.
2004–2006: Luminescence
In 2004, Anggun returned to Paris and landed a new record deal with Heben Music, a French independent label. She began working on her next album with several producers, including Jean-Pierre Taieb and Frederic Jaffre. Anggun, who composed mainly in English, enlisted the help of several well-known French songwriters, such as Jean Fauque, Lionel Florence, Tété and Evelyn Kral to adapt her English songs into French. In late 2004, Anggun released her first solo French single in nearly four years, "Être une femme", a song about woman empowerment and rights. The single was available in two versions: one solo version for commercial release and a duet with Diam's for radio release. It became Anggun's second top-20 hit in France, peaking at number 16 on the French Singles Chart. It also became Anggun's first French single to chart on the Swiss Singles Chart, peaking at number 58. Released in February 2005, Anggun's third French album, Luminescence, entered the French Albums Chart at number 30 and was later certified gold for selling 100,000 copies. The second single, "Cesse la pluie" also became a hit, peaking at number 10 in Belgium, 22 in France and 65 in Switzerland. According to Francophonie Diffusion, "Être une femme" and "Cesse la pluie" were the second and the fifth most-played French singles of 2005 worldwide, respectively. In 2005, Anggun also took part in the compilation album Ma quando dici amore, released by the Italian singer Ron. Anggun and Ron performed in the Italian-English song "Catch You (Il coraggio di chiedere aiuto)".
The English version of Luminescence—sharing the same title with its French counterpart—was released in Europe under Sony BMG and in Asia under Universal Music. "Undress Me" was chosen as the first single from the English version. Although it was not accompanied by a music video, it debuted at number 13 in Italy, becoming her fifth top 20 single there. It also provided Anggun with her first hit in the Middle East & Balkans, where the song topped the charts in Lebanon and Turkey. "In Your Mind" was released as the second single and it became a huge hit in Asia. "In Your Mind" got positive acclaimed in Mediterranean countries and Eastern Europe, including Armenia. The third single, "Saviour", was used as the soundtrack for the U.S. box office number-one film Transporter 2. Russian electronic music space composer Andrey Klimkovsky reviewed her album and he quoted in his blog that the album was successful and "Saviour" become huge hit in Russia.
Anggun was awarded with the prestigious distinction Chevalier des Arts et Lettres (Knight of Arts and Letters) by the French Minister of Culture for her worldwide achievements and her support of French culture. She was appointed as the ambassadress for a Swiss watch brand, Audemars Piguet. Anggun did a duet with Julio Iglesias on a reworked version of "All of You" in Bahasa version for his album Romantic Classics (2006). On 25 May 2006, Anggun performed on her sold-out solo concert at the Jakarta Convention Center, entitled Konser Untuk Negeri. She later on toured to few cities in Indonesia, such as Medan and Bandung.
In August 2006, Anggun released the special edition of both the French and English versions of Luminescence with three new songs. She made a large jump on the French Albums Chart from number 119 to number 16 (a total of 103 positions) with the re-release, making Luminescence her best-charting album in France. "Juste avant toi", the new single from the special edition, became Anggun's fourth Top 40 hit, peaking at number 28 on the French Singles Chart. Meanwhile, its English version, "I'll Be Alright", became her most popular hit in with over 43,000 airplay from more than 350 Russophone radios across the region. Luminescence was re-issued in February 2007 and peaked at number three on the French Back Catalogue Chart. In September 2006, Anggun performed with her song, "Cesse la pluie" at Sopot Music Festival Grand Prix in Sopot, Poland.
In December 2006, Anggun received the special recognition Best International Artist at Anugerah Musik Indonesia, the most prestigious music award ceremony in Indonesia. The award was given for her role in introducing Indonesian music to the international recording industry. Subsequently, Anggun released her Best-Of album in Indonesia and Malaysia, which compiled singles during the first decade of her international career, including three re-recorded versions of her early Indonesian hits. The new version of "Mimpi" was released as a radio single and became a huge hit in Indonesia in late 2006 to early 2007. Anggun later released Best-Of for Italian market with different track listing and "I'll Be Alright" as its lead single. She was also featured on German band Reamonn's single "Tonight". In the end of 2006, She released her music video for the last single in her album, called "A Crime" for English version and "Garde-moi" for French version. "Garde-moi" is co-written by David Hallyday and joined Anggun to be featuring artist in this particular song. This single reached number 3 in Ukrainian Pop Single Charts. In December 2006, she has been invited to perform this song at an ice skating competition, called Les étoiles de la glace, in Switzerland. She sang "Garde-moi" on the ice rink and was accompanied by two professional ice skaters who performed spectacular ice dancing in the background.
2007–2010: Elevation
Anggun did a performance Over The Hill Of Secrets and Panorama on music by François Moity and Nicolas Yvan-Mingot for the Gaz de France advertisement. Anggun was awarded Le grand cœur de l'année (The Great Heart of the Year) by French television network Filles TV for her contribution to social and environmental events. In February 2007, Anggun was invited as the guest star on one episode of the fourth season of Star Academy Arab World in Lebanon. She returned to another episode of the show's fifth season in the following year. She did a duet with Italian singer Roby Facchinetti and his son, Francesco Facchinetti in a song, titled Vivere Normale. Then, she has been invited to sing it in Italian music festival, called 57th Sanremo Music Festival (Festival di Sanremo). In March 2007, she did a number performance with Nicole Croisille and sang Croisille's hit "Une femme avec toi" on Symphonic Show for Sidaction. In December 2007, she received her second invitation from the Vatican to perform in the Christmas concert in Verona, Italy, along with Michael Bolton. She covered Bruce Springsteen's "Streets of Philadelphia" with Corsican group I Muvrini for their album I Muvrini et les 500 choristes (2007). She was also featured on the remix version of DJ Laurent Wolf's number-one hit "No Stress" for the deluxe edition of his album Wash My World. Anggun and Wolf performed the song at the 2008 World Music Awards in Monaco. Anggun joined Make A Wish Belgium foundation to help children with life-threatening medical conditions.
In late 2008, Anggun released her fourth international studio album, Elevation, which shares the same title in both English and French. A departure from the style of her previous efforts, the album experimented with urban music and hip hop. Elevation was produced by hip hop producer pair Tefa & Masta who produced and managed many artists, such as Diam's, Kery James, etc. This album features collaboration with rappers Pras Michel from the Fugees, Sinik, and Big Ali. "Crazy" was released as the lead single from the album, with its French and Indonesian versions, "Si tu l'avoues" and "Jadi Milikmu", serving as the first single in the respective territories. Canadian cinematographer Ivan Grbovic was the director for its music videos. This song is charted at number 6 on Francophonie Diffusion Chart. Another single from this album, called "My Man" or in the French version, "Si je t'emmène" topped to number 11 on the same chart. This song featured rappers Pras Michel from the Fugees. The music video for its versions was directed by Jean-Baptiste Erreca. Anggun, with this album, had made her music traveled to Russia with positive reactions there. In Russia, Elevation was released with an additional song, "О нас с тобой (O Nas S Toboyu)", which was recorded as a duet with Russian singer Max Lorens. Later on, she remake the song to English version, called "No Song", and Indonesian version, called "Berganti Hati". For "Berganti Hati", she got helped by Indonesian renowned director and artistic arranger Jay Subiyakto to make the music video. Prior to its official release, the album had already been certified double platinum, making it the fastest-selling album of her career in Indonesia. In France, the album debuted at number 36 on the French Albums Chart. Later on, one of her song in this album, called "Stronger" which collaborated with Big Ali, get chosen to be Anlene's advertisement soundtrack for Southeast Asia territory. For the Asian Edition album, she included a song which written by Morgan Visconti and Rosi Golan, "Shine". Then, Pantene used this song to be the soundtrack of its short movie commercial. On 6 December 2008, Anggun joined the panel of jury for Miss France 2009 election. Other celebrities alongside her were singer, actress and AIDS activist Line Renaud as president of the jury, film director Patrice Leconte, Miss France 2007 Rachel Legrain-Trapani, Belgian actor-comedian Benoît Poelvoorde, journalist Henri-Jean Servat and fashion designer Kenzo Takada. Chloé Mortaud was elected to be Miss France 2009 who become a finalist on Miss World 2009.
Anggun's four-year ambassadress contract with Audemars Piguet was subsequently extended. She was also chosen by international hair care brand, Pantene, and New Zealand-based dairy product, Anlene, as their ambassador. In 2009, Italian singer Mina did a cover from one of Anggun's song, "A Rose in the Wind", in her album
Riassunti d'amore - Mina Cover. Anggun made a promo tour called Anggun Elevation Acoustic Showcase and served only 200 guest seats on 24 & 27 March 2009 at Hotel Istana, Kuala Lumpur. She also made concerts in Indonesia and toured five big cities, including Bandung, Yogyakarta, Denpasar, Surabaya and Medan. In August 2009, she was invited as musical guest to perform her song "Saviour" at New Wave 2009 in Jūrmala, Latvia where she met her Indonesian singer colleague Sandhy Sondoro competing at that show.
In early 2010, Anggun recorded a duet with Portuguese singer Mickael Carreira on the song "Chama por me (Call My Name)", as well as performing at his concert in Lisbon, Portugal on 26 February 2010. She collaborated with German electronica musician Schiller, co-writing and contributing lead vocals to two tracks, "Always You" and "Blind", for his album Atemlos (2010). Anggun was also featured on Schiller's concert series, Atemlos Tour, in 14 cities in Germany during May 2010. Anggun did a cameo for 2010 French drama film Ces amours-là directed by Claude Lelouch.
2011–2013: Echoes, Eurovision, and The X Factor
Anggun's fifth international studio album—Echoes for the English version and Échos for the French version—saw her collaboration with composers Gioacchino Maurici, Pierre Jaconelli, Jean-Pierre Pilot, and William Rousseau. It became her first self-produced international album and was released under her own record label, April Earth. The English version was first released in Indonesia in May 2011. It topped the Indonesian Albums Chart and was certified platinum in the first week. It eventually became the best-selling pop album of 2011, with quadruple platinum certification. On this stage, Anggun had won 56 platinum records in 26 different countries, from "Snow on the Sahara" to "Echo (You and I)". "Only Love" and its Indonesian version "Hanyalah Cinta" were released as the lead singles and became number-one radio hits. The French version was released in November 2011 and reached number 48 on the French Albums Chart. "Je partirai", the first single for the French version, reached number five in Belgium. Anggun held her second major concert at the Jakarta Convention Center, Konser Kilau Anggun, on 27 November 2011. She later appeared for the third time at the Christmas concert in the Vatican. This time, she performed "Only Love" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas", the latter in a duet with Ronan Keating.
Anggun was chosen by France Télévisions to represent France in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012. She co-wrote the entry, "Echo (You and I)", with William Rousseau and Jean-Pierre Pilot. Anggun held an extensive tour to more than 15 countries in Europe to promote the song. For the promotional intentions, Keo, Claudia Faniello, Niels Brinck, and Varga Viktor are featuring in this song for special edition albums, each for Romania, Malta, Denmark, and Hungary. She performed the song at the Eurovision grand final in Baku, Azerbaijan on 26 May 2012, wearing a shiny metallic dress sponsored by designer Jean Paul Gaultier. The song finished in 22nd place with 21 points. Anggun later told the press that she had originally hoped to reach a place within the top 10 and was deeply disappointed with the final result.
In March 2012, Anggun released the international edition of Echoes with "Echo (You and I)" as the lead single. A special edition of Échos was also released in France, featuring three additional tracks. Following the completion of the Eurovision, she continued the promotion of the album.
Anggun embarked on a concert tour in several cities across France, Switzerland and New Caledonia, including her sold-out concert in Le Trianon, Paris, on 13 June 2012. Anggun joined United Nation campaign, Earth Day: Save the Forest in Italy. On Valentine's Day of that year, she appeared as the guest artist at Lara Fabian's concert special on MTV Lebanon, where they sang the duet "Tu es mon autre". Anggun also toured 10 cities in Germany with Schiller in late 2012. Anggun performed at Les Fous Chantants festival in Alès, France. In this event, she was accompanied by 1,000 choirs. Theme event for the event was the most beautiful songs of the films (plus belles chansons de films). Anggun sang three soundtracks, "Golden Eye" from 1995 James Bond series, "Calling You" from 1987 film Bagdad Cafe and, with Patrick Fiori, "La Chanson d'Hélène" from 1970 film The Things of Life (Les Choses de la vie). At the end of 2012, she was appointed by Director & Chief Commercial Officer of Indosat, Erik Meijer, to be the brand ambassador of Indosat Mentari Paket Smartphone (Indosat Mentari Smartphone Package).
In 2013, Anggun served as the international judge for the first season of the Indonesian version of The X Factor, which reportedly made her the highest-paid judge in Indonesian television history. It became the year's highest-rated talent show in Indonesia. Anggun's involvement was also lauded by public and critics, with Bintang Indonesia praising her for "setting high standard [for a judge] on talent shows." She subsequently joined the judging panel of the television special X Factor Around the World, alongside Paula Abdul, Louis Walsh, Daniel Bedingfield, and Ahmad Dhani, on 24 August 2013. She participated on the concept album entitled Thérèse – Vivre d'amour, for which she recorded two duets—"Vivre d'amour" and "La fiancée"—with Canadian singer Natasha St-Pier. Released in April 2013, the project topped the French Physical Albums Chart with platinum record (sold 100,000 copies). In May 2013, Anggun released a greatest hits album entitled Best-Of: Design of a Decade 2003–2013. A new version of "Snow on the Sahara" produced by Lebanese-Canadian musician K.Maro was sent to Indonesian radio to promote the album. In this year, Olay management and Procter & Gamble chose Anggun to be ambassador of Olay Total Effect. She and Natasha St-Pier were invited to sing in front of Pope Francis on 7 December 2013 at Concerto di Natale XXI edizione in Auditorium della Conciliazione, Rome. They sang songs from Thérèse – Vivre d'amour. Anggun did a duet with Italian singer Luca Barbarossa and performed Christmas carol's, "White Christmas".
At the 2013 Taormina Film Fest in Italy, Anggun was presented with the Taormina Special Award for her humanitarian works as the FAO Goodwill Ambassador. Anggun with David Foster, alongside Ruben Studdard, Michael Johns, David Cook, and Nicole Scherzinger performed on David Foster & Friends Private Concert in Jakarta. She sang three songs, including Whitney Houston's hits, "I Will Always Love You", "I Have Nothing" and her own song, "Snow on the Sahara". She did a photoshoot with VOGUE Italia in November 2013 and had an interview with Vogue's journalist, Stefania Cubello. She wore Azzaro's and Louis Vuitton's stellar. Also in November 2013, she was appointed by President of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) Nasser Al-Khelaifi to be the ambassador of the club. On 22 November 2013, she joined French General Manager and Marketing Executive of PSG Jean-Claude Blanc and Ambassador of Republic of Indonesia to France (2010-2014) Rezlan Ishar Jenie to launch the club official site with Bahasa for Indonesian Les Parisiens which Anggun was the icon of this site. She received the number 10 jersey which is the same number jersey of PSG famous striker Zlatan Ibrahimović.
2014–2016: Got Talent and Toujours un ailleurs
Following the success of X Factor Indonesia, Anggun was recruited to judge the other Syco's franchise, Indonesia's Got Talent, alongside artistic director and photographer Jay Subyakto, radio personality and actress Indy Barends, singer Ari Lasso, in 2014. To prepare for the program, she received instruction from Simon Cowell during the set of Britain's Got Talent. Anggun re-recorded her debut international single as a French-Portuguese duet with Tony Carreira, retitled "La neige au Sahara (Faço Chover No Deserto)", for Carreira's album Nos fiançailles, France/Portugal.
The duo performed the song at the 2014 World Music Awards in Monaco, where Anggun was awarded the World's Best-Selling Indonesian Artist. In June, Anggun launched her first fragrance, Grace, named after her name in English. Grace, eau de parfume, production was under BEL Perfumes label, Thailand-based of finest French and International cosmetics & perfumes creator. She and her management had the chance to visited Grasse, one of the city in France where produces best quality elixir for perfumery. It took two years to produces this fragrance. It distributed to Indonesia, Thailand, China-region and France. She did a collaboration a young Dutch DJ Indyana on a song titled "Right Place Right Time". Later on, this song was chosen to be the anthem of Dreamfields Festival on 16 August 2014 at Garuda Wisnu Kencana, Bali. In late 2014, Anggun recorded two duets: "Who Wants to Live Forever" with Il Divo for their album A Musical Affair and "Pour une fois" with Vincent Niclo for his album Ce que je suis. Anggun also released "Fly My Eagle" as an original soundtrack for the commercially and critically acclaimed film Pendekar Tongkat Emas. On 10 July 2014, Anggun was invited by Air France to perform at Air France Inauguration of Jakarta-Paris Travel Route. Anggun performed in Africa twice during 2014, for Roberto Cavalli's Casa Fashion Show in Casablanca, Morocco, and for the 15th annual French-speaking World Summit in Dakar, Senegal. She was invited by Pope Francis to attended at Concerto di Natale where located at Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi on 25 December 2014. She sang "Malam Kudus", an Indonesian-version of "Silent Night" gospel, and Christmas carols "O Little Town of Bethlehem".
In 2015, Anggun, alongside David Foster, Melanie C (Spice Girls) and Vanness Wu (F4), was announced as a judge on the debut of Asia's Got Talent. Joined by contestants from 15 countries in Asia, the show premiered on AXN Asia on 12 March 2015. The Asian Academy of Music Arts and Sciences (AAMAS) also announced Anggun among its board of governors, as well as becoming the academy's first ambassador. At the 2015 Anugerah Planet Muzik in Singapore, Anggun received the International Breakthrough Artist Award for becoming the first internationally successful act from Malay-speaking countries. SK-II and Harper's Bazaar Indonesia honored Anggun as one of 15 Most Inspiring Women. She joined the "SK-II's Change Destiny" campaign and became a spokesperson alongside actress Cate Blanchett and Michelle Phan for its event in Los Angeles and she was chosen by SK-II management to be the ambassador of SK-II. Later on, Anggun with make-up stylist Lizzie Para and social media personality Chandra Liow sit on the panel as judges for SK-II Beauty Bound Indonesia in 2016. The winner of this show was beauty influencer, Mega Gumelar, and she with Anggun traveled to Tokyo, Japan, in order to compete with other beauty creators from across the globe in SK-II Beauty Bound Asia 2016. In exact same year, Anggun was appointed to be the ambassador of Aviation Sans Frontières (Aviation Without Borders). In June 2015, she was invited by Michael Bolton to perform a duet and as an opening act at his concert in Kasablanka Concert Hall, Jakarta, Indonesia. Anggun also recorded Frozen's "Let It Go" in Indonesian language, called "Lepaskan" with Regina Ivanova, Cindy Bernadette, Nowela, and Chilla Kiana. Disney Music Asia also makes an Indonesian language song "Warna Angin" and sung by Anggun. It is the interpretation from Pocahontas movie soundtrack, "Colors of the Wind". She joined panel of jury for Miss France 2016 on 19 December 2015 alongside fashion designer Jean-Paul Gaultier as president of the jury, singer Patrick Fiori, singer Kendji Girac, Miss France 2009 & model Chloé Mortaud, actress, model & author Laëtitia Milot and Rugby athlete Frédéric Michalak. Iris Mittenaere was elected to be Miss France 2016 who become the winner of Miss Universe 2016.
Anggun's sixth French-language studio album, Toujours un ailleurs, was released in November 2015 by TF1 Musique under Universal Music Group with her lead single, "A nos enfants". Produced by Frédéric Chateau and Grammy Award-winning producer Brian Rawling, the album revisited the world music direction of her debut international album with diverse cultures ambiance, such as Japanese, Colombian, Samoan, Spanish, and English. Toujours un ailleurs became Anggun's most successful album in France since Luminescence (2005), charting for 24 weeks on the French Albums Chart (peaking at number 43) and sold over 50,000 copies. It also became her best-charting album in Belgium, debuting at number 43 and remaining on the chart for 31 weeks (making 5 re-enters). The album's single, "Nos vies parallèles" peaked at number 47 on the French Singles Chart and number 39 on the Belgian Ultratop Singles Chart (her first top-40 hit since "Être une femme"). This single featured one of French musical legends Florent Pagny as he helped Anggun to pursue her career in France years ago and Columbian singer Yuri Buenaventura. According to Francophonie Diffusion, "Nos vies parallèles" was the third-most played French song worldwide during March 2016. Both Anggun and Florent Pagny traveled to Havana, Cuba, for music video shooting which directed by Igreco. Maxime Le Forestier's song, "Née quelque part", being rearranged by Anggun and her team, alongside Grammy Award-winning singer and UN Goodwill Ambassador Angélique Kidjo as she featured in this single. "Face au vent" was the third lead single of this album after "A nos enfants" and "Nos vies parallèles". In this single's music video, actor and dancer Benoît Maréchal being featured again after he did great performance on "A Crime" and "Garde-moi" music videos in 2006. Darius Salimi was chosen to direct six music videos for this album,including "A nos enfants", "Face au vent", "Toujours un ailleurs", "Est-ce que tu viendras?", "Mon capitaine", and "Née quelque part". To promote the album, Anggun embarked on a 23-date concert tour across France and Belgium.
She performed as a guest singer at Siti Nurhaliza's concert titled Dato' Siti Nurhaliza & Friends Concert on April 2, 2016 in Stadium Negara. She and Siti did duet for two songs, Anggun's hit "Snow on the Sahara" and Siti's hit "Bukan Cinta Biasa". In July 2016, she became second most influent person on Twitter in France. She being invited to have a role as a columnist and guest radio host on Europe 1 radio show, called Les Pieds dans le plat, by Cyril Hanouna with another French celebrities, such as Valérie Benaïm, Jean-Luc Lemoine, Jérôme Commandeur, Estelle Denis and Bertrand Chameroy. On 23–25 September 2016, Anggun attended Festival Film Indonesia (Indonesia Film Festival) at Cinema Spazio Alfieri, Florence. Anggun sang the acoustic version of "Snow on the Sahara". This event was collaborated with Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Rome and Indonesia Meets Italy Association as the part of Settimane della Cultura Indonesiana in Italia to reflects the progress of the increasingly dynamic Indonesian film industry. Anggun received the Key to the City award from Dario Nardella, the Mayor of Florence, Italy. Anggun was featured on new-age music group Enigma's eight studio album The Fall of a Rebel Angel (2016), providing lead vocals for three songs, including the lead single "Sadeness (Part II)", which is the sequel to the 1990 number-one hit "Sadeness (Part I)". The Album topped US Top Dance/Electronic Album charts in United States. Kotak invited Anggun to did a duet with them in a song titled "Teka-Teki" in October 2016. Anggun joined Belgian-francophone charity show Télévie to raise funds to support scientific research in the fight against cancer and leukemia in children and adults. She sang her song "Nos vies parallèles" and a duet with Christophe Maé on his song, called "Charly". They raised over EU€10 millions. Azerbaijan-Russian singer-songwriter Emin make a duet song with Anggun, called "If You Go Away" for his newest album Love is A Deadly Game. The song was a cover from original song by Jacques Brel, called "Ne me quitte pas". Anggun was invited to be a guest performer and did a duet with Lara Fabian at Lara's concert Ma vie dans la tienne Tour 2016 in Brussels, Belgium. Anggun and Lara sang a ballad song from Lara's album Nue, "J'y crois encore". Anggun was invited by Indonesian television network SCTV as guest performer at Long Live The Biggest Concert Kotak x Anggun feat NAFF on 23 November 2016 in Jakarta. She sang "Yang 'Ku Tunggu" as an opening act and "Teka-Teki" as a duet with Kotak. She was invited to performed on 24 December 2016 at Christmas concert in Parco della Musica, Rome. She sang two Christmas carols as soloist, "The Christmas Song" and, accompanied by flutist Andrea Griminelli, "La Vita è Bella". Anggun, alongside Rebecca Ferguson, Anna Tatangelo and Deborah Iurato, performed Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah". For the encore, she with another guest performers sang "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" as assemble.
2017–2019: Television projects, 8 and Asian Games 2018
She have done more than 60 showcases on France & Belgium tours to promote her French album, Toujours un ailleurs and finalized her performance on Festival international des métiers d'art (FIMA) 2017 in Baccarat, France. She returned as judge on the second season of Asia's Got Talent with David Foster, also American-Korean rapper, songwriter, and dancer Jay Park as the new judge on the panel.
On 12 October 2017, Anggun released a lyric video for "What We Remember" on YouTube as the first single of her new album "8". On 7 December 2017, An official music video of "What We Remember" was released on YouTube and she held the first performance of this song on Grand Finale of Asia's Got Talent stage. Anggun released her lead single "What We Remember" in December 2017. It was directed by Roy Raz and had to make the video in Ukraine. The album 8 was produced and distributed by Universal Music with other French composers and songwriters collaboration, such as Tiborg, Nazim Khaled, Nicolas Loconte, and many more including her husband. On 8 December 2017, she released her new album 8 and a release party was held at the Apple Store on Orchard Road, Singapore. The album "8" was distributed under exclusive license to Universal Music Asia and the album was released digitally worldwide on major streaming platforms, including Spotify and also released physically in some Asian countries. This album reached no. 1 in Indonesia, no. 5 in Malaysia, no. 18 in Singapore on iTunes. On Apple Music, this album got the highest peak on no. 7 in Indonesia, no. 21 in Malaysia, no. 30 in Vietnam, Top 60 in Singapore, Top 100 in Philippines, and Top 200 in Sri Lanka. Coincidentally, its lead single "What We Remember" was played in the background of the café scene on Korean drama series Two Cops episode 8. Throughout December 2017, Anggun and Universal Music Asia held a promotional tour throughout Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines. The tour consisted of listening parties, showcases, and meet & greet sessions. In the Philippines, she did several performances in Eastwood Open Park Mall with Edray Teodoro as the opening act, in Uptown Bonifacio with The Voice Teens star Isabela Vinzon as the opening act and on Wish 107.5 Bus showcase. She was being a guest star on ASAP and 24 Oras interview. In Malaysia, she held Meet & Greet with High Tea Session for her fans to promote the album in St. Regis Hotel, Kuala Lumpur. The first single "What We Remember" was released by dance label Citrusonic and serviced to US clubs including remixes by DJ Lynnwood (DJLW) Ralphi Rosario, Antoine Cortez, Craig C, Dirty Disco, Sted-E & Hybrid Heights, Love to Infinity, Offer Nissim, and more. On 20 April 2018, she announced and release duet version for her brand new singles from her latest album, called "The Good Is Back" with Rossa and Fazura. Shane Filan collaborated with her on one of the singles, "Need You Now", on the deluxe version of his latest album, Love Always, that releases only for United States and UK regions. Her songs, "What We Remember" and "The Good is Back" from her recent album charted on US Billboard Dance Club Chart. "What We Remember" reached no. 8 on that chart for about 16 weeks long and no. 15 on Asia Pop 40 throughout 2018. This single became reached the Top 10 of the charts in UK, US, Spain, Germany, and also Indonesia. "The Good is Back" got in to the US Billboard Dance Club Chart and topped to no. 20 for 9 weeks. American blogger and media personality Perez Hilton wrote on his blog that Anggun's "What We Remember" could be compared with Sade's and Dido's songs.
She was invited for the seventh time by Pope Francis & Vatican to performed on 4 January 2018 at Concerto dell'Epifania where located at Teatro Mediterraneo in Napoli, Italy. She sang "Snow on the Sahara" and "What We Remember". On 5 June 2018, she was performing at night for Grand Opening Renaissance Bali Hotel in Bali. She performed at Notte Bianca as the main guest star on 23 June 2018. The festival were located at Piazza Martiri della libertà in Pontedera, Pisa. Anggun got photoshoots for French cultural society magazine Technikart and got six pages in it. From this publication, Anggun shared different views and angle about her figure in international stage. On her interview, she made strong statements about how Indonesia modern culture & freedom movement by her perspective which she had spoken up about fighting on corruption in Indonesia, feminism & women's rights, LGBT+, and Indonesian hypocrisy regulations, especially death penalty. In July 2018, she attended to European Latin Awards at Stadio Benito Stirpe in Frosinone, Italy. She performed "Undress Me", "A Rose in the Wind", "Snow on the Sahara", and "Amore immaginato". She won Best International Singer award there. Another guest star performer were Bob Sinclar, Black Eyed Peas, Gipsy Kings, Juan Magan and Carlos Rivera. Anggun performed at the opening ceremony of the Asian Games 2018 at the Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) stadium, Central Jakarta, on August 18, 2018. He sang a song titled "Pemuda", which was popularized by the Indonesian musical group Chaseiro from the album Persembahan which was released in 2001. Anggun sang on over artificial mountains and waterfalls. She joined coaching panel for The Voice Indonesia Season 3 alongside Armand Maulana, Titi DJ, and duo Nino Kayam from RAN with Vidi Aldiano. Anggun was invited by high-fashion brand COACH to have great visit and did a number of performance for the opening of new branch store in Suria KLCC, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Anggun attended the opening with her husband, Malaysian singers couple Fazura & Fattah Amin, Taiwanese singer Dizzy Dizzo and Malaysian-Singaporean actor Lawrence Wong. In November 2018, she was invited to joined French Navy and got a chance to operated Le Mistral, an amphibious assault ship and a type of helicopter carrier, for three days. She reported her experiences on the show called Noël avec soldats (Christmas with Soldiers) at Port-Bouët army base in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Anggun joined charades of various artist, such as David Foster & Katharine McPhee, Kelly Clarkson, Randy Jackson, Andrea Bocelli, Gavin Rossdale, Josh Groban, and many more, for the production of documentary film Silent Night — A Song for the World. She made soundtracks on two versions of "Silent Night" gospel, "Malam Kudus" in Bahasa and "Douce nuit, sainte nuit" in French which she recorded in London. She began the filming production process in Germany with help from Franco-German TV network Arte. This film was narrated by Hugh Bonneville and directed by Austrian director & film-maker Hannes M. Schalle.
In early of 2019, Anggun had tour throughout several cities in Italy, including Milan, Foligno, Bologna, etc. She toured in seven dates for this Intimate Concert Tour. All local medias felt enthusiastic with Anggun concert's which awaited way back to Festivalbar in 2006. Anggun performed with David Foster alongside Brian McKnight, Yura Yunita, and several artists during The Hitman: David Foster and Friends concert series at De Tjolomadoe, Central Java, 24 March 2019. Anggun was invited to perform at the concert in two different cities, namely in the city of Solo, Central Java and the city of Surabaya, East Java. She sang her own hit called "Mimpi" and Toni Braxton's hit, "Un-Break My Heart". On 5 July 2019, she and P&G held a charity concert, called Gemilang 30 Tahun at the Tennis Indoor Stadium in Senayan, Central Jakarta. The concert also featured performances by renowned singers Rossa, Yura Yunita, actress Maudy Ayunda, and rapper Iwa K, while artistic direction by Jay Subyakto and accompanied by her backing band from France, who will collaborate with Indonesia's Oni & Friends as music director. Anggun reportedly wear costumes designed by Mel Ahyar, with accessories created by the renowned designer Rinaldy A. Yunardi. Donations collected from this concert are IDR3,060,000,000 or equals to US$218,560.50. After the concert, she had another performance on Prambanan Jazz Festival 2019 as guest star, accompanied by her backing band. This was the third time for Anggun to performed in front of Prambanan Temple. On 28 July 2019, Anggun continued her Italian tour concert at Alpe Adria Arena, Lignano. Anggun with comedian Jarry, actor Kev Adams, and presenter Alessandra Sublet became panelists on Mask Singer and it became one of the most successful TV shows with ratings that reached nearly 7 million viewers. She eventually returned for another season of Mask Singer. She also returned with David Foster and Jay Park for Asia's Got Talent Season 3. Another surprising moment for her was her song "Perfect World" from Toujours un ailleurs topped to no. 5 in the first week to no. 18 on US Billboard Dance Club Chart in December 2019. Anggun does a duet with Luciano Pavarotti virtually at The Luciano Pavarotti Foundation and Anggun in concert which took place at the Simfonia Hall in Jakarta. Singers Giulia Mazzola (soprano), Matteo Desole (tenor), Giuseppe Infantino (tenor), and Lorenzo Licitra (tenor) sang with deep appreciation with Anggun in that concert. Their beautiful voices were accompanied by orchestral music from the Jakarta Simfonia Orchestra. Previously, Anggun has performed a virtual duet with Luciano Pavarotti on song called "Caruso" at the stage of the 2019 Asia's Got Talent Grand Finale.
2020–present: Further television works, music collaborations and acting debut
In January 2020, she attended to 24th Asian Television Awards in Manila, Philippines where she performed her hits there and got awarded for Outstanding Contribution to Asian Television Performing Arts. Due to the global pandemic of COVID-19, Anggun had to postpone her touring concert in several cities and canceled many live showcases from the end of 2019 until the beginning of 2020. However, she began to take another career in acting instead of music in this recent days. She took a part as Maleen Suthama in television movie drama Coup de foudre à Bangkok. This TV movie was the sixth part of the Coup de foudre à .... collection. The production was taken in February 2020 and located in Bangkok, Thailand. Actors who joined Anggun in this project was Blandine Bellavoir, Frédéric Chau, Mathilda May, Loup-Denis Elion, and many more. Also in February 2020, Switzerland-based fashion magazine BLUSH Editions made two pages for the interview and ten pages for "Winter Garden with Pinel & Pinel" section of "BLUSH Dreams". She wore watches from KERBEDANZ, Cimier and Louis Moinet, dresses designed by Tony Ward, On Aura Tout Vu and La Métamorphose Couture, wardrobe by SEYİT ARES & Victoria/Tomas, shoes by Christian Louboutin, and jewelleries by Bollwerk, Fullord, Thomas Aurifex, Vincent Michel & Valerie Valentine with furnitures by BONA fide & L'Esprit Cocon. In March 2020, she performed in Moscow, Russia. She sang a Russophone classic song called "О́чи чёрные (Ochi Chernye)" which means "Dark Eyes" in English. In Indonesian culture from West Java, this song was being rearranged and interpreted to a Sundanese language folk song called "Panon Hideung" which means "Black Eyes" in English. In April 2020, she did an interview for Harvard Political Review article and published it in two parts, Interview With Anggun I: Taking Time With Music and Interview with Anggun II: On Representing the World. Anggun returned as panelist on the second season of Mask Singer alongside her previous colleague panelists. In June 2020, RIFFX by Crédit Mutuel published the result of a survey, titled "Barometer: Les 100 Artistes Préférés des Français (Barometer: The 100 Favorite Artists of The French)", which Anggun included on number 97. This survey was conducted by YouGov with interviewing 1,006 French people (age min. 18 years old) on 1 June to 2 June 2020. On 21 September 2020, she, accompanied by her husband, attended the celebration of 70th anniversary of Pierre Cardin's fashion house at Théâtre du Châtelet. This event was screening a documentary titled House of Cardin to honored the legendary French designer. It was directed by P. David Ebersole and Todd Hughes. Jean-Paul Gaultier, Christian Louboutin, Stéphane Rolland, actor Yves Lecoq, and journalist Patrick Poivre d'Arvor attended the event with many artists and French public figures. Musical documentary film about Christmas carol in 2018, Silent Night — A Song for the World, re-produced by The CW and took a date on 10 December 2020 for its special premiere.
Her latest duet with legendary Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti made a great scene in European classical music market. Anggun attended The 3rd BraVo International Classical Music Awards on April 2, 2021 at Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow, Russia. She made a performance with virtual image Luciano Pavarotti and sang "Caruso". Another special guest performers are ballerina Svetlana Zakharova, Grammy-winner Ildar Abdrazakov, young Russian pianists Kirill Richter and Ivan Bessonov, Ukrainian young tenor Bogdan Volkov, star of the Russian opera scene Albina Shagimuratova and performer of the youth troupe of the Bolshoi Theater Maria Barakova. The audience will also had performances performed by Italian opera singer Massimo Cavalletti, Uruguayan bass-baritone Erwin Schrott, young Japanese pianist Shio Okui, and honored opera singer from Kazakhstan Mayra Muhammad-kyzy. Korean star Yiruma and Chinese soprano Ying Huang performed via teleconference. Among the participants of the ceremony is Charles Kay, director of the international concert project World Orchestra for Peace. At that event, she received a Duet of the Year award because of her duet on "Caruso" performances across the globe. She continued the Italy tour concert that has been postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic. She started first in Sassuolo on 11 September 2021 and she visited Palazzo Dulcale. She performed at Piazzale della Rosa and Valentina Tioli was the opening act. On 12 September 2021, Aquileia was her next destination to visit and she performed at Piazza Capitolo di Aquileia.
On 2 April 2021, Jean-Luc Reichmann, Anggun and her husband shared a moment on shooting situation for her next film project. It was revealed that she will play her role in ninth season of detective-crime film TV series Léo Matteï, Brigade des mineurs (Léo Matteï, miners’ brigade). The production process began in September 2021 and will release in 2022 respectively. Jean-Luc Reichmann was the main cast for Léo Matteï role since 2013. Other announced casts were Lola Dubini, Laurent Ournac and Astrid Veillon. In June 2021, she was chosen to fill her voice as Virana in Disney movie Raya et le Dernier Dragon, a French version of Raya and the Last Dragon. Her daughter, Kirana, made her first appearance in this project as various voice actress. Anggun made her appearance as herself in online series called Profession Comédien on episode 48. This series was launched by comedian Bertrand Uzeel and directed by Fred Testot which the series told us about Bertrand tries to collect as much advice as possible from people in the trade, but nothing will go as planned. She and all previous season's panelist returned on the third season of Mask Singer and started the production in June 2021. On 21 June 2021, she with her husband attended 60th Monte-Carlo Television Festival. Anggun did a duet with Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli at Mattone del cuore on 25 August 2021 and sang "Can't Help Falling in Love" which she eventually sang solo "Snow on the Sahara" later on. On 30 September 2021, she and Moulin Rouge made a performance on "I Am What I Am" at 300 chœurs. She began shooting television variety show series called les Reines du Shopping spéciale Célébrités in September 2021. She with four another celebrities such as Jade Leboeuf, Clara Morgane, Frédérique Bel and Elsa Esnoult, have to compete one another to win EU€10,000 for their associations. In a brief about the show, it brings together five women, aged 18 to 70 and of different styles. Every day of the week, one of the five candidates goes shopping. She has a limited time and budget to get a complete outfit (clothing, shoes, accessories) and perform its beauty treatment (hairdressing, makeup). Her look must correspond to a theme imposed by Cristina Córdula. It will also have a list of imposed stores to spend their budget. During shopping, her progress and fittings are observed and commented on by her four competitors, who follow her on screen, in a showroom. Dany Brillant invited Anggun to did a duet with him on Charles Aznavour's "Désormais". This song was included into Brillant's Dany Brillant chante Aznavour en duo, a tribute album to the legendary French-Armenian singer Charles Aznavour. Anggun was invited to perform for the Opening Ceremony of 2021 National Paralympic Week at Mandala Stadium in Jayapura, Papua. Anggun sang Indonesia's national anthem "Indonesia Raya" alongside 150 Papuan children and her 90's hit "Mimpi", all orchestrated by Indonesian conductor Addie MS. Anggun and her husband got a chance to visit and explore Dubai. They were invited by CEO Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM) Issam Kazim. She also visited Indonesia pavilion at World Expo 2020. In November 2021, she did photoshoot in Mauritius for 27th Edition of BLUSH Dream Magazine. Anggun was invited by Vatican to perform at Concerto di Natale : Ventinovesima XXIX Edizione in Auditorium della Conciliazione. She sang three songs, including "Silent Night"/"Malam Kudus" mash-up rendition alongside Francesca Michielin, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" with reggae icon Shaggy, and "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" alongside children choir called Piccolo Coro Le Dolci Note. She also performed at Christmas Contest held by TV2000 and sang her hit, "Snow on the Sahara".
Artistry and legacy
Anggun possesses a three-octave contralto voice, which has been described as "husky", "soulful", and "distinctive" by music critics. Chuck Taylor from Billboard commented: "Vocally, Anggun is a fortress of power, easing from a delicate whisper into a brand of cloud-parting fortitude commonly associated with grade-A divas." John Everson from The SouthtownStar noted that "Anggun is gifted with a warm, full voice that can tackle slight pop songs without overpowering them as well as swoop with depth and ease over heavier emotional numbers." Anggun received her first songwriting credit at the age of twelve on her debut album Dunia Aku Punya (1986). Anggun said, "I was writing songs all the time, but my specialty was classical piano and singing."
Anggun started as a rock singer in Indonesia, and was influenced by rock bands such as Guns N' Roses, Bon Jovi, and Megadeth. She was a big fan of Metallica. After her initial international success, she showed her versatility by changing her musical style for each album. Her later influences cover a wide range of styles from jazz to pop, extending from Joni Mitchell to Madonna. She told VOGUE Italia that she listened to wide range of artists from The Beatles to David Bowie, Billie Holiday to Leonard Cohen, up to Dave Grohl, P!nk and Bruno Mars. Anggun identified Nine Inch Nails's The Fragile (1999) as "the album that changed my life" and the band's frontman Trent Reznor as "the man of my musical life." Her other musical influences include Tracy Chapman, Sheila Chandra and Sting. Anggun, who studied Balinese dance since childhood, uses the traditional art in her performances.
Anggun's image has been compared to that of Pocahontas. Some international articles and magazines give a nickname for Anggun as "Indonesian Madonna (Madonna Indonésienne)". At the early stage of her career as a rock singer, Anggun was known for her tomboy look—wearing a crooked beret, shorts, studded jacket, and large belt; this set a trend during the early 1990s. Later, she has focused on her femininity and sexuality, emphasising her long black hair and brown skin. For this look she uses the work of fashion designers like Roberto Cavalli, Azzedine Alaïa, Jean Paul Gaultier, Dolce & Gabbana, and many more. Other couture fashion designers that Anggun often wears include Givenchy, Elie Saab, Victoria Beckham, Georges Chakra, Tony Ward, Blumarine, and Zuhair Murad. In 2001, Anggun was ranked No. 6 in a list of Sexiest Women of Asia by FHM magazine. Later in 2010, she was ranked at number 18 on the French version of FHMs list of 100 Sexiest Women in the World.
When promoting her first international album in the United States, she was reportedly offered a role as a Bond Girl in The World Is Not Enough, as well as in High Fidelity. Anggun declined to be labeled an actress and said, "I was born a singer. I won't go into another profession, because I think there are still many people out there who were born to be movie stars or models. My calling is music." As for commercials, she tends to be selective when choosing products to promote.
Anggun's success in Europe and America has been credited with helping other Asian singers such as Coco Lee, Hikaru Utada, and Tata Young. Malaysian singer Yuna asked Anggun for guidance when launching her recording career in the United States in 2011 and supporting each other career since then. Ian De Cotta from Singapore newspaper Today called her the "Voice of Asia" as well as "Southeast Asia's international singing sensation." Filipino music journalist Lionel Zivan S. Valdellon described Anggun as "a very good ambassadress for Indonesia and Asia in general". Regarding the role of Asia in the Western music industry, Anggun said "I think it's about time people know something more about Asia, not only as a vacation place."
Other activities
Philanthropy and activism
In 1997, Anggun joined Sidaction, a French organization to help fighting against AIDS. Among her charity projects were Solidays (featuring her collaboration with Peter Gabriel and several international acts) and charity concert Echoes of the Earth in 2000, Les voix de l'Espoir in 2001 and Gaia in 2002 (featuring a duet with Zucchero on the song "World"). In March 2001, she is one of the many performers of the title "Que serais-je demain?" as a member of the female collective Les voix de l'Espoir ( The Voice of Hope) created by Princess Erika in order to helped build a pan-African hospital in Dakar, Senegal. Anggun was involved in Global 200 by World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) to stop the degradation of the planet's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature and Anggun joined Solidays or in French called Solidarité Sida, the annual festival for raising money to help people with HIV/AIDS in Africa and also to prevent the disease. In 2003, Anggun was involved in Gaia Project, an environmental benefit project, to raise awareness about the preservation of the environment, and joined a charity concert called Le concert pour le paix.
In 2005, Anggun was a part of a humanitarian project to promote tolerance in Hammamet, Tunisia. Anggun promoted a micro-credit program to help to empower women in Indonesia, and many countries worldwide. This campaign was organized by United Nations. Anggun was one of many French singers to raise money to help Tsunami victims in Asia. She herself also visited Aceh for a couple of days after the tragedy. Anggun joined Music for Asia Charity Concert in Milan, Italy to raise money to help victims of Tsunami in Asia. She has been invited to perform "Être une femme" in a concert, called Tous egaux, tous en scene in La Zenith, Paris, to fight for racial discrimination. In February 2005, she performed her song, "Être une femme", with Lady Laistee in Ni Putes Ni Soumises Concert to celebrate women empowerment and feminism. In the same year, she performed "Don't Give Up" with Peter Gabriel on United Against Malaria Concert in Geneva, Switzerland.
She also participated on the 2006 Fight AIDS campaign in France with a collaborative track entitled "L'Or de nos vies" with several other French musicians. In 2006, 2008, and 2011, Anggun was a part of Concert pour la tolérance in Agadir, Morocco to promote a message of respect for others and differences, for peace, tolerance, fraternity, dialogue between cultures and for the fight against all forms of discrimination. Anggun was a part of a humanitarian project, Contre la SIDA, organized by Princess Stéphanie of Monaco, to raise money to help to fight against AIDS. She did a charity single with several female French stars, titled "Pour que tu sois libre".
During 2007, Anggun participated in several environmental projects. She became the French-language narrator of the BBC nature documentary film Earth (Un jour sur terre), an ecological documentary film by Alastair Fothergill produced by BBC Worldwide, and composed its soundtrack single, "Un jour sur terre". After the release of the movie, Disney announced the planting of around 2.7 million trees in endangered areas including the Amazonian forest. She was appointed as the Ambassador of the Micro-environment Prize by the French Ministry of Ecology and Sustainable Development and National Geographic Channel.
In 2009, Anggun went to Nangroe Aceh Darussalam, Indonesia to promote the importance of mangrove forests. Her work was filmed by Gulli TV and aired in Europe, Mon Arbre Pour La Vie Voyage Au Pays de Anggun (My Tree For Life Travel to the Country of Anggun). Anggun joined AIDES to raise money to help fighting AIDS. Anggun was a part of United Nations campaign in Copenhagen, Denmark helping to spread an awareness message worldwide and to raise the importance of the for leaders of the world to agree and work together on this key issue that is climate change. On 7 December 2009, she attended United Nations Climate Change conference (COP15) in Copenhagen, Denmark. She performed at Dance 4 Climate Change Concert. She sang two songs as soloist, "Snow on the Sahara" and "Stronger", and two songs as a duet, "Saviour" with Niels Brinck and "7 Seconds" with Youssou N'Dour.
In 2010, Anggun joined former President of United States, Bill Clinton, at the 2010 Clinton Global Initiative to kick off "a Healthy Hair for Healthy Water" campaign with another public figures, such as philanthropist & creator of United Nations Foundation Ted Turner and supermodel & activist Gisele Bündchen. This event was to help the CSDW (Children's Safe Drinking Water) achieve its dream to "save a life every hour" in the developing countries around the world by providing two billion liters of clean water every year by 2020. At the same year, she with Daniel Powter, Lara Fabian, M. Pokora, and several artists appeared and featured in Collect If Aides 25 Ans album, specifically in a song called If, to dedicated for all the victims of AIDS worldwide.
On 1 July 2011, she appeared on game show called N'oubliez pas les paroles!, a French version of international series Don't Forget the Lyrics! with Thierry Amiel where they won EU€50,000 and donated those prizes to Sidaction. In 2011, Anggun joined charity show marathon, called Téléthon. Over EU€86 millions have been collected so far to the benefit of the fight for children rare diseases, including muscular dystrophy syndrome. Anggun joined UNICEF campaign to help children in Africa. Anggun with Zlatan Ibrahimović and Nasser Al-Khelaifi attended the PSG's charity event Fondation du PSG in November 2013 to help children with need. This event succeed to collect funds around EU€190,000 or equivalent to US$221,191.35.
Anggun promoted a pressure to put an end against discrimination, child labor, forcing young girls into marriage, and prostitution at World Without Walls congress on 9 November 2014 in Berlin, Germany. Anggun, David Foster, Melanie C and Vanness Wu later collaborated on a cover version of Earth, Wind & Fire's "Let's Groove" as the charity single for Nepal earthquake relief. In 2015, Anggun became the ambassador of charity organization La Voix de l'enfant (The Voice of the Children). She joined ‘’The Pansy Project’’, a website to denounces the cruelty of homophobia actions against LGBT communities in the world, iniated by Paul Harfleet. This project also planted Pansy on locations where homophobia action was committed. She made through one of important newspaper in France Libération or so called Libé which she made a strong stands about supporting LGBT community, sent an open letter for President of Indonesia Joko Widodo about death sentence of Serge Atlaoui, told about her new album Toujours un ailleurs, her newest updates in life, and many more. She attended 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris. She met Indigenous Peoples' Alliance of Nusantara (AMAN) and Indonesia Nature Film Society (Infis) when she shares her views on indigenous peoples' rights, climate change and the role we all have to play in this short interview. She did an interview with advocacy group, If Not Us, Then Who?. She was appointed to be the narrator of a documentary film titled Our Fight which broadcast through this event and France featuring stories from Kalimantan and Sumatra. She joined a campaigned called Une bonne claque by short clip for COP21 which aired on France 2. She told how we can contribute to the environment by giving little tips that help the Earth from climate change. Anggun went to Madagascar to help children with chronic diseases to get medical treatment with Aviation Sans Frontières. She attended at 2016 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP22) in Marrakech, Morocco. She sang "La Neige au Sahara" and "Cesse la pluie", also did a duet with Youssou N'Dour for the fourth time on his song titled "7 Seconds".
Anggun alongside singer Monsieur Nov, actor Frédéric Chau, PSG goalkeeper Alphonse Areola, rugby player François Trinh-Duc, journalist Émilie Tran Nguyen & Raphaël Yem, chef Pierre Sang, entrepreneur Paul Duan and other Asian origin-French personalities joined a campaign clip called #Asiatiquesdefrance initiated by France 2 journalist Hélène Lam Trong and produced by journalist Mélissa Theuriau to stop Asian hate and to fight against Asian stereotyping in France. In May 2017, she attended a charity event titled The Global Gift Gala, which was held by Eva Longoria Charity Organization and The Eva Longoria Foundation with UNICEF and The Global Gift Foundation collaboration, in Paris. Anggun joined the panel of judges for the Picture This Festival for the Planet short film competition. In the event new filmmakers, storytellers, and those who feel they can change the whole world, will compete with each other. The announcement of Anggun's involvement was conveyed by Sony Pictures Television Networks (SPTN) in collaboration with the United Nations Foundation. On the Picture This Festival for the Planet judges panel, there was Anggun together with actress and advocate Megan Boone from TV series The Blacklist, President of United Nations Foundation Elizabeth Cousens, MD & CEO of Sony Pictures Networks India N. P. Singh, co-presidents & founders of Sony Pictures Classics Tom Bernard & Michael Barker, U.S. President & Chief Creative Officer of WeTransfer Damian Bradfield, as well as other prominent industry & environmental activism leaders.
In April 2018, Anggun with Milène Guermont, Axelle Red, soprano Pilar Jurado, Sylvie Hoarau from Brigitte, French rock group Blankass, Joyce Jonathan, Irish singer Eleanor McEvoy, and German composer Alexander Zuckowski joined Transfer of Value/Value Gap press conference with the members of the European Parliament Virginie Rozière, Silvia Costa and Axel Voss, also European Grouping of Societies of Authors and Composers (GESAC) & Société des auteurs, compositeurs et éditeurs de musique (SACEM) delegates. They discussed about this topic and copyright problems with President of Institute for Digital Fundamental (IDF) Rights Jean-Marie Cavada. Anggun and those artists later on joined mass online campaign titled #MakeInternetFair. This main action was to ensure that user upload platforms, like YouTube, Facebook and SoundCloud properly share the revenues they generate with the songwriters and composers whose musical works they use, addressing the so called ‘transfer of value’ or ‘value gap’. On 17 June 2018, she was performing with French composer and musician François Meïmoun at Centre Pompidou for 55th Anniversary of Fédération Française Sésame Autisme, is a French non-profit association of parents of children and adults with autism. On 26 June 2018, she was officially participating #TheFreaks, a collective of 68 French artists, such as Zazie, Pascal Obispo, and more, who are sensitive to the defense of the environment and the protection of our ecosystems. This was an initiative action from French electro-rock band Shaka Ponk. Therefore, they committed to adopting new behaviors to fight over-consumption, pollution, global warming and protect biodiversity.
On 19 January 2019, she performed at the Teatro Odeon, Ponsacco to helped campaign of charity music event Monte Serra by Music for Life Association with another artists such as Matteo Becucci and Jonathan Canini. In March 2019, Anggun alongside Yann Arthus-Bertrand, Paul Lynch, Zaz, Kate Atkinson, Joanna Trollope, and more than 450 artists, authors, writers, also journalists all over Europe signed the petition & open letter to European Parliament in Strasbourg. The open letter forced the Parliament to think more about the future of copyright and protection for European creators with strict regulations. Anggun and those artists-journalists held a campaign #Yes2Copyright to raise awareness among European citizen about the importance and consequences of this problem. On 5 July 2019, she staged a charity concert, called Gemilang 30 Tahun at the Tennis Indoor Stadium in Senayan, Central Jakarta, and sponsored by consumer goods producer P&G, the concert's theme is titled, Unify the Tunes, Make Indonesian Children's Dreams Come True. According to a post on the Instagram account of children's welfare foundation @savechildren_id, the funds be used to construct 100 classrooms in schools affected by natural disasters in Palu and Donggala in Central Sulawesi, Lombok in West Nusa Tenggara, Sumba Island in East Nusa Tenggara and West Java. Donations collected from this concert are IDR3,060,000,000 or equals to US$218,560.50. As the part of charity event, Anggun auctioned off his shoes which are products from designer Christian Louboutin type 'circus city spiked cutout gold' which has an initial price of US$1,295. Anggun committed to reversing the biodiversity loss curve by joining WWF France #PasLeDernier campaign. Anggun joined WWF Indonesia collaboration's campaign and awareness program to protect Sumatran elephant, called A Night for Wildlife Preservation in Indonesia, on 13 November 2019 at Embassy of Indonesia, Paris. There were Muslim, Gayo elephant activist, Indonesian singer and founder of Teman Gajah (Friend of Elephant) Tulus, 2019-2021 Indonesian Ambassador to France Arrmanatha Christiawan Nasir, and Paris Peace Forum steering committee Yenny Wahid.
On 17 July 2020, she became leader of the panelist or investigateur, while Cartman and Chris Marques were the member of her team, on television reality show Good Singers, an adapted Korean television program I Can See Your Voice. She won EU€28,500 or equivalent to US$33,082.77 and she donated those prize to Aviation Sans Frontières. Another team was led by Amir while Julie Zenatti and Titoff were the member of his team. She performed a song "Lady Marmalade" with legendary cabaret dance troupe Moulin Rouge on 25 June 2020 at TV special for charity event 100 ans de comédies musicales : les stars chantent pour Sidaction to fight against AIDS, even though COVID-19 pandemic was roaming. In December 2020, she shared a video from The Pansy Project (Les Pensées de Paul), which was a 2015 documentary film by English artist-activist Paul Harfleet that denounces homophobia and violence against the LGBT community. The film was directed by Jean-Baptiste Erreca. Anggun was a cameo in the promotional trailer of the documentary and her song, called "Try", was chosen to be the soundtrack of the documentary.
In April 2021, Anggun alongside 35 French celebrities, such as Patrice Leconte, Iris Mittenaere, Chimene Badi, Ibrahim Maalouf and more, joined solidarity raffle held by Laurette Fugain Association, an association that aims to fight leukemia. It owes its name to Laurette Fugain, the daughter of Stéphanie and Michel Fugain, who died in 2002 cause of this disease at the age of 22. To joined this raffle, the persons had to buy one or more EU€10 tickets donation from 31 March to 31 May 2021. If they got lucky and win this raffle, each one of the winners got the chance to meet one of those celebrities in person. On 14 June 2021, she was invited to perform in order to support and celebrate World Blood Donor Day 2021 at Auditorium Parco della Musica in Rome, Italy. At that event, she sang three songs and was appointed as an International Ambassador of the Blood Donors by WHO, Ministry of Health and President of the Republic.
Anggun performed in Aquileia as her continued Italia tour. This tour concert was part of Le Note del Dono project to celebrated the anniversary of Fratres group which the idea of this project came from Italian artistic director Marco Vanni. This project aims to promote, through music, the culture of total donation, such as blood, blood components, organs, tissues, stem cells, cord, and medulla - which style of life that safeguards health and well-being and that is moved by human solidarity, civic conscience and, for those who believe, by charity. The donation of a country's biological material is an index of civilization and every gift is a free human drug that saves lives. On 25 August 2021, Anggun joined Italy solidarity event, Mattone del cuore, held by Paolo Brosio's Olimpiadi del Cuore Association and Fondazione della Nazionale Cantanti in Forte dei Marmi. This event was held for Italian families in difficulty after COVID-19 who may have dependent people with physical or mental disability or associations that deal with psychic or physical disabled people, and in part to the great project Mattone del Cuore Primo Pronto Soccorso di Medjiugorie (Bosnia Erzegovina) and in third world countries for the care and assistance of children patients with leukemia and blood cancers to treat them directly in their countries and in their hospitals with the assistance of the best specialists in the world. A project managed by the Cure2Children Association of Florence. Anggun and several French celebrities joined donation campaign called Winter Time 2021 which held by Imagine For Margo - Children Without Cancer Association and Comité du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. She donated her pair of shoes which designed by Christian Louboutin. Anggun made a visit to a special need public school, namely Sekolah Luar Biasa Negeri Pembina in Jayapura, in order to support the teacher, parents, and disability students there as solidarity campaign and social project for 2021 National Paralympic Week.
Ambassadorship
She was appointed as the spokesperson for the International Year of Microcredit, a United Nations program aimed at eradicating debt in the third world, In 2009, Anggun was appointed as the Goodwill Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), part of the United Nations. On 15 October 2009, she performed on the occasion of the World Food Day Ceremony at UN headquarters Plenary Hall in New York, New York. She attended Rome Film Festival on the next day and spoke as UN Goodwill Ambassador at TeleFood Campaign Against Hunger in The World. Anggun as FAO Goodwill Ambassador have been named by the United Nations as MDG Champions on 1 September 2010. The announcement was made at UN headquarters in New York. FAO Goodwill Ambassadors, such as Italian actor Raoul Bova, Canadian singer Céline Dion, Filipino singer Lea Salonga and American actress Susan Sarandon, spoke with one voice in an urgent appeal on behalf of the more than one billion people living in chronic hunger worldwide. Anggun, who has also appeared in a French film, promoted one of the campaigns she participated in, namely 1 Billion Hungry Project. The '1 Billion Hungry Project is also a program from FAO from the United Nations to raise our awareness that in 2010, there were 925 million people who were still hungry. This campaign asks the public to sign a petition to pressure government leaders to be more active in eradicating poverty. According to Anggun, by word of mouth promotion or through social networks will increase the number of signatures for this petition. “Spread the words! Anyway, I will always tweet, I will always post on Facebook, just to wake the people up in everywhere," said Anggun. She also performed "Snow on the Sahara" at the campaign's concert on 19 September 2010 in New York. She got an interview with CNN to talk about this campaign on the same date. American former athlete Carl Lewis and Anggun will be joining other celebrities in support of the MDG Summit to be held in New York on 22 September 2010. The UN Summit in New York on 20–22 September will bring together close to 150 Heads of State and Government, joined by leaders from the private sector, foundations and civil society, and celebrities, to commit to an action agenda to achieve the MDGs. In November 2011, she made a speech at UN Summit in China.
Writing
Anggun wrote her views on several issues, especially in Indonesia. She shared those columns on online platforms Qureta.com and DW. She got more than 150,000 online readers. Mostly she discussed social, humanity, and tolerance topics. On Qureta.com, she uploaded four writings and all in Bahasa:
"Feminisme dan Solidaritas Maskulin (Feminism and Masculine Solidarity)"
"Histeria Go-International (Go-International Hysteria)"
"Cinta adalah Hak Asasi Manusia (Love is a Human Right)"
"Indonesia dan Sejumlah Klise (Indonesia and Some Clichés)"
On DW, she wrote an article titled "Komunisme dan Emosi Yang Bertautan di Indonesia (Communism and Emotions Are Linked in Indonesia)" and also it uploaded in Bahasa.
Personal life
Anggun was raised a Muslim:
At the same time she notes that she is not inclined to have a rigid point of view about religion and tends more and more to Buddhism without, in essence, breaking with religious belief. In recognising her disposition to Buddhism, Anggun stresses that her transition to another religious stance should not be a concern of other people. She makes it a requirement to admit religious toleration and insists on a separation of religious faith from the basic regulative principle for the individual:
For me, the most important thing is not what religion you believe in but how you do things, how you live your life.
Your belief doesn't determine whether you're a good person or not—your behavior does.
Anggun has been married four times. Her first marriage, in 1992, was to Michel Georgea, a French engineer. Since he was her manager, Anggun was reproached in Indonesia for allegedly marrying to advance her career. Her second husband was Louis-Olivier Maury (born March 1971) whom she met in Canada. They married in 2004. After her marriage to Olivier Maury ended in 2006, Anggun began a relationship with French writer Cyril Montana, whom she eventually married. She gave birth to her first child, a daughter named Kirana Cipta Montana, on 8 November 2007. She and Montana got divorced in 2015. On 16 August 2018 Anggun married for the fourth time in Ubud, Bali with a German musician and photographer, Christian Kretschmar.
Besides Indonesian, her native language, Anggun is fluent in French and English.
2015 Paris burglary incident
According to Closer, Anggun's apartment in Paris was robbed by burglars on 18 September 2015 when she was not in Paris. The burglars have stolen jewelry and high value items for a total amount of around EU€250,000 or equivalent to US$291,376.25.
Backing band
Current members
Fabrice Ach – bassist, backing vocals (2001–present)
Olivier Freche – lead guitarist, rhythm guitarist, backing vocals (2004–2011, 2013–present)
Jean-Marie Négozio – keyboardist, backing vocals (2003, 2006–present)
Olivier Baldissera – drummer, percussionist (2008–present)
Stéphane Escoms – back-up keyboardist, backing vocals (2020 (on Italia & Russia tour concerts)–present)
Former members
Patrick Buchmann – drummer, percussionist, backing vocals (1997–2004)
Nicolas-Yvan Mingot – lead guitarist (1997–2000)
Yannick Hardouin – bassist (1997–2001)
Patrice Clémentin – keyboardist (1997–2002)
Cyril Tarquiny – lead guitarist, rhythm guitarist, backing vocals (2001–2003, 2006–2007, 2010–2012, 2020 (on Russia tour))
Gilard – keyboardist, backing vocals (2004–2005)
Claude Sarragossa – drummer, percussionist (2005–2007)
Romain Berrodier – back-up keyboardist, backing vocals (2014–2015)
Frédéric Degré – back-up drummer (2019 (on Prambanan Jazz Festival and Gemilang 30 Tahun Concert))
In popular culture
Anggun became the first Indonesian woman to be immortalized in wax by Madame Tussauds in 2016. Located in its Bangkok museum, Anggun's statue joined that of Sukarno, the first President of Indonesia. A cocktail named after "Anggun" in Bar 228, Hôtel Meurice de Calais, Paris. It made of Bacardi rum, mango coulis, coconut milk, and pineapple juice.
Discography
Studio albums
Dunia Aku Punya (1986)
Anak Putih Abu Abu (1991)
Nocturno (1992)
Anggun C. Sasmi... Lah!!! (1993)
Snow on the Sahara (1997)
Chrysalis (2000)
Luminescence (2005)
Elevation (2008)
Echoes (2011)
Toujours un ailleurs (2015)
8 (2017)
Filmography
Film
Silent Night: A Song for the World (2020)
Raya and the Last Dragon (Raya et le dernier Dragon) (2021)
Television
X Factor Indonesia (2013)
Indonesia's Got Talent (2014)
Asia's Got Talent (2017)
The Voice Indonesia (2019)
Les Années bonheur (2019)
Mask Singer (Le Chanteur Masqué) (2019)
300 choeurs pour + de vie (2020)
Coup de foudre à Bangkok (2020)
Léo Mattéï, Brigade des mineurs (2022)
Accolades
2001: ranked No. 6 in a list of the Sexiest Women of Asia by FHM magazine.
2010: FHM 100 Sexiest Women in the World
Bibliography
See also
List of Indonesian musicians and musical groups
List of artists who reached number one on the Italian Singles Chart
References
External links
FAO Goodwill Ambassador website
Anugerah Musik Indonesia winners
Chevaliers of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
English-language singers from Indonesia
Eurovision Song Contest entrants of 2012
Eurovision Song Contest entrants for France
20th-century French women singers
Indonesian emigrants to France
21st-century Indonesian women singers
Indonesian rock singers
Indonesian Buddhists
Indo people
Javanese people
Converts to Buddhism from Islam
Living people
Naturalized citizens of France
Singers from Jakarta
Singers from Paris
World Music Awards winners
FAO Goodwill ambassadors
Warner Music Group artists
LGBT rights activists from Indonesia
20th-century Indonesian women singers
21st-century French women singers
1974 births
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"Kirsten Ralov (26 March 1922 – 30 May 1999) was a Danish ballerina.\n\nShe was born to Kai and Kaja Gnatt, née Olsen, a family of dancers living in Baden, Austria. Kirsten's mother encouraged her, and her brother Poul, to train as dancers. She entered the school of the Royal Danish Ballet at the age of 22, and was associated with that troupe throughout her career. Her theatrical debut was as a child in Konservatoriet in 1933. Her first solo performance as an adult was in 1941 in La Ventana. Throughout her artistic career, she primarily performed on the stage of the Royal Theater in Copenhagen, where she was most notable for her ballet performances of the works of August Bournonville. Her farewell performance was in 1962, where she danced the Ballerina Doll in Petrouchka by Michel Fokine. Thereafter, she became the ballet mistress for the Royal Danish Ballet. From 1978 to 1988 she was the associate director under Henning Kronstam.\n\nHer four part work, The Bournonville School (1979), includes daily classes teaching the Bournonville technique, along with the associated sheet music. She was first married to Børge Ralov, then later to Fredbjorn Bjornsson; both Danish dancers. She had two sons.\n\nSee also\nList of ballets by August Bournonville\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\n\n1922 births\n1999 deaths\nDanish ballerinas\nBallet mistresses\nRoyal Danish Ballet dancers\n20th-century ballet dancers\nAustrian emigrants to Denmark\nBurials at the Garrison Cemetery, Copenhagen",
"Tandi Iman Dupree (August 14, 1978 – December 31, 2005) was an American drag queen best known for her \"Wonder Woman\" performance at the Miss Gay Black America pageant in 2001, the video of which went on to become an Internet viral hit after it was uploaded to YouTube in 2005.\n\nBiography\nDupree was born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee. Dupree began her dance career in high school when she was co-captain of the majorette squad until her graduation. She first began competing at the N-Cognito nightclub in Memphis, where she created original routines with other dancers in the area. Dupree's drag mother was Tamisha Iman. Dupree died from complications of AIDS in December 2005, without achieving her dream of winning the Miss Gay Black America pageant.\n\n2001 Miss Gay Black America pageant\nAt the 2001 Miss Gay Black America pageant, Dupree and her dance partner Dee St. James performed a routine to the song \"Holding Out for a Hero\" by Bonnie Tyler. During the performance, Dupree was dressed as Wonder Woman, with St. James dressed as Superman. Dupree notably entered the performance by dropping from the ceiling, landing on the stage in a split. In 2009, this video was uploaded to YouTube, where it went viral.\n\nAccolades\nJake Coyle, an entertainment reporter for The Associated Press, described Dupree’s stage entrance at the 2001 pageant as the greatest entrance of all time.\n\nThe Dallas Voice expressed admiration for Dupree’s performance at the 2001 pageant, particularly describing the stage entrance as the \"Best Drag Queen Entrance Ever.\"\n\nInfluence on popular culture\nDupree's performance at the 2001 pageant inspired a tribute on the television series Glee, where Kitty Wilde began her dance performance to \"Holding Out for a Hero\" by landing on the floor in a split, an imitation of Dupree's performance at the 2001 pageant. In its review of the Glee episode, Out magazine referred to Dupree's stage entry as an \"epic entrance.\"\n\nDupree's performance was referenced in episode three of the thirteenth season of RuPaul's Drag Race, in which Dupree's drag mother, Tamisha Iman, is a competitor. Kate Kulzick of The AV Club described the acknowledgement of Dupree's legacy as \"wonderful to see\".\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\nhttps://www.facebook.com/pages/Tandi-Iman-Dupree/20017684966\n\nAfrican-American drag queens\nAmerican drag queens\n1978 births\n2005 deaths\nAIDS-related deaths in the United States\nAmerican female dancers\n20th-century American dancers\n20th-century African-American women\n20th-century African-American people\n20th-century LGBT people\n21st-century American women"
] |
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"Anggun",
"1974-1993: Early life and career in Indonesia",
"Where was Anggun born?",
"Anggun was born and raised in Jakarta",
"Did she have any siblings?",
"She is the second child",
"When did she start singing?",
"At the age of seven, Anggun began receiving highly disciplined instruction in singing from her father.",
"Where was her first performance?",
"I don't know."
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C_aa49f4724631400ab4337ca8a6d39e30_1
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Did she release any music during this time period?
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Did Anggun release any music during her childhood?
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Anggun
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Anggun was born and raised in Jakarta to a native Indonesian family. She is the second child and first daughter of Darto Singo, a Javanese writer, and Dien Herdina, a housewife from the Yogyakartan royal family. Her full name means "grace born of a dream" in Balinese. Despite being a Muslim, Anggun was sent to a Catholic school to receive a better elementary education. At the age of seven, Anggun began receiving highly disciplined instruction in singing from her father. She trained daily, learning various vocal techniques. To help further develop her career, her mother began serving as her manager, accepting singing offers and handling business concerns. At the age of nine, Anggun began to write her own songs and recorded her first children's album. As a preteen, Anggun was influenced by Western rock music artists. At the age of twelve, she released her first official studio album, Dunia Aku Punya (1986). The album was produced by Ian Antono, an Indonesian rock musician. However, the album failed to establish her popularity. Three years later, Anggun achieved some fame after the release of the single "Mimpi"; the song was later ranked by the Rolling Stone Indonesia magazine as one of the 150 Greatest Indonesian Songs of All Time. Anggun's fame continued to increase with the release of subsequent singles, most notably "Tua Tua Keladi" (1990), which became her most popular hit in Indonesia. After a string of successful singles, Anggun released the studio albums Anak Putih Abu Abu (1991) and Nocturno (1992). The former earned her the Most Popular Indonesian Artist 1990-1991 award. In 1992, Anggun began a relationship with Michel de Gea, a French engineer, whom she had met the year before in Kalimantan while touring. The couple married, despite a rumoured objection by Anggun's family, reportedly because they felt Anggun was too young . Georgea later became Anggun's manager. The following year, Anggun became the youngest Indonesian singer to found her own record company, Bali Cipta Records, and took complete creative control over her work. She produced her final Indonesian studio album, Anggun C. Sasmi... Lah!!! (1993), which yielded the number-one single "Kembalilah Kasih (Kita Harus Bicara)". By age nineteen, Anggun had sold over four million albums in Indonesia. She began to feel dissatisfied with her success in her country and began considering an international music career. Anggun later recalled: "[By the time] I was 20, I'd made five albums. I'd built my own record company. I'd produced my last album and produced some Indonesian acts as well. And I said to myself: 'I'm tired! I cannot achieve more than I already have. There's no challenge anymore'." CANNOTANSWER
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At the age of twelve, she released her first official studio album, Dunia Aku Punya (1986).
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Anggun Cipta Sasmi (), Anggun C. Sasmi or known mononymously as Anggun, is an Indonesian-born French singer-songwriter and television personality. Born in Jakarta, she began performing at the age of seven and recorded a children's album two years later. With the help of Indonesian producer Ian Antono, Anggun released her first rock-influenced studio album, Dunia Aku Punya in 1986. She became further well known with the single "Mimpi" (1989), which was listed as one of the 150 Greatest Indonesian Songs of All Time by Rolling Stone. She followed it with a series of singles and three more studio albums, which established her as one of the most prominent Indonesian female rock stars of the early 1990s.
Anggun left Indonesia in 1994 to pursue an international career. After two years struggling in London and Paris, she met French producer Erick Benzi, who produced her first international album, Snow on the Sahara (1997). Released in 33 countries, it became the best-selling album by an Asian artist outside Asia. Since then, Anggun has released another six studio albums as well as a soundtrack album to the Danish film Open Hearts (2002). Her singles, "Snow on the Sahara", "What We Remember", and "The Good Is Back", entered the Billboard charts in the United States, while "In Your Mind", "Saviour" and "I'll Be Alright" charted on the Billboard European Hot 100 Singles. France in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 in Baku, Azerbaijan, with the song "Echo (You and I)". Anggun also ventured into television, becoming the judge for the pancontinental Asia's Got Talent, the French version of Masked Singer, as well as the Indonesian versions of The X Factor, Got Talent, and The Voice.
Anggun is one of the Asian artists with the highest album sales outside Asia, with her releases being certified gold and platinum in some European countries. She is the first Indonesian artist to have success in European and American record charts. She has received a number of accolades for her achievements, including the Chevalier des Arts et Lettres from the Government of France, the World Music Award for World's Best-Selling Indonesian Artist, and the Asian Television Award for Outstanding Contribution to Asian Television Performing Arts. She also became the first Indonesian woman to be immortalized in wax by Madame Tussauds. Aside from her musical career, Anggun has been appointed as the global ambassador of the United Nations twice, first for the International Year of Microcredit in 2005 and then for the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 2009 onwards.
Life and career
1974–1993: Early life and career in Indonesia
Anggun was born and raised in Jakarta. She is the second child and first daughter of Darto Singo, a Javanese writer, and Dien Herdina, a housewife from the Yogyakartan royal family. Her full name means "grace born of a dream" in Balinese. Despite being a Muslim, Anggun was sent to a Catholic school to receive a better elementary education. At the age of seven, Anggun began receiving highly disciplined instruction in singing from her father. She trained daily, learning various vocal techniques. To help further develop her career, her mother began serving as her manager, accepting singing offers and handling business concerns. At the age of eleven, Anggun began to write her own songs and recorded her first children's album.
As a preteen, Anggun was influenced by Western rock music artists. At the age of fourteen, she released her first official studio album, Dunia Aku Punya (1986). The album was produced by Ian Antono, an Indonesian rock musician. However, the album failed to establish her popularity. Three years later, Anggun achieved some fame after the release of the single "Mimpi"; the song was later ranked by the Rolling Stone Indonesia magazine as one of the 150 Greatest Indonesian Songs of All Time. Anggun's fame continued to increase with the release of subsequent singles, most notably "Tua Tua Keladi" (1990), which became her most popular hit in Indonesia. After a string of successful singles, Anggun released the studio albums Anak Putih Abu Abu (1991) and Nocturno (1992). The former earned her the Most Popular Indonesian Artist 1990–1991 award.
In 1992, Anggun began a relationship with Michel Georgea, a French engineer, whom she had met the year before in Kalimantan while touring. The couple married, despite a rumoured objection by Anggun's family, reportedly because they felt Anggun was too young . Georgea later became Anggun's manager. The following year, Anggun became the youngest Indonesian singer to found her own record company, Bali Cipta Records, and took complete creative control over her work. She produced her final Indonesian studio album, Anggun C. Sasmi... Lah!!! (1993), which yielded the number-one single "Kembalilah Kasih (Kita Harus Bicara)". By age nineteen, Anggun had sold over four million albums in Indonesia. She began to feel dissatisfied with her success in her country and began considering an international music career. Anggun later recalled: "[By the time] I was 20, I'd made five albums. I'd built my own record company. I'd produced my last album and produced some Indonesian acts as well. And I said to myself: 'I'm tired! I cannot achieve more than I already have. There's no challenge anymore'."
1994–1996: Beginnings in Europe
In 1994, Anggun released Yang Hilang, a greatest hits album of her Indonesian hits. She later sold her record company to fund her move to Europe, and moved to London for about a year. In a 2006 interview with Trax magazine, Anggun admitted to experiencing "culture shock" and having some serious financial problems while trying to start her new life in Europe, saying "I thought the money that I got by selling my record company was enough [to sustain life in London], but I began to lose money, little by little. I had to spend so much on taking cabs and eating! So I ended up taking buses everywhere and going to clubs to introduce myself as a singer." She also admitted that she "had to convert from being a shy, introverted, 'real' Javanese woman to being an unabashed, fearless, 'fake' Javanese woman."
She began writing songs and recording demos, but after a few months, all the demos she had sent to record companies around the UK were returned with negative replies. She began thinking about moving to another country, and initially considered moving to the Netherlands, but later decided on France. In 1996, her international career began to advance; she was introduced to producer Erick Benzi, who had previously worked with Celine Dion, Jean-Jacques Goldman and Johnny Hallyday, by one of music legends in France named Florent Pagny. Later, Anggun learned from Florent Pagny about how a French artist acted on stage and communicated with audiences by accompanied him on his concerts and shows. Instantly, he became Anggun's mentor. Impressed by Anggun's talent, Benzi immediately offered her a recording deal. Later that year, Anggun was signed to Columbia France and Sony Music Entertainment. After a brief French course at Alliance Française, Anggun began working on her debut album with Benzi, alongside Jacques Veneruso, Gildas Arzel and Nikki Matheson.
1997–1999: Snow on the Sahara and international success
Erick Benzi wrote her a first song, "La Rose des vents", then an album called Anggun whose flagship title, La Neige au Sahara, was chosen as the first single. This launched his career and allowed him to become known to the general public. The album was first released in Japan in 1997 by Columbia, a subsidiary of Sony Music. This version includes nineteen songs, three of which are in French. It was published in France in 1998 with sixteen songs including fifteen in French. Finally in 1999, it was released in the United States under the title Snow on the Sahara with only eleven songs, all in English. The album is marketed in 35 countries and Anggun ensures the promotion (United States, Indonesia, Italy, etc.) for three years. She is accompanied by a group of French musicians composed of Patrick Buchmann (drums, percussion, vocals), Nicolas-Yvan Mingot (guitar), Yannick Hardouin (bass) and Patrice Clémentin (keyboards). Worldwide sales of the record exceed 900,000 copies and it is certified as a "double gold record".
Following in June 1997, Anggun released her first French-language album, entitled Au nom de la lune. The album was a huge artistic departure from Anggun's earlier rock style, experimenting with world music and more adult contemporary sounds. Anggun described the album as "a concentration of all the musical influences of my life. I want to introduce Indonesia, but in a progressive way, in a lyric, in a sound, and mainly through me." The album's first single, "La neige au Sahara", quickly became a hit in France, peaking at number 1 on the French Airplay Chart and number 16 on the French Singles Chart. It became the most played single in France of 1997, with a total of 7,900 radio airplays, and was certified gold for shipment of 250,000 copies. Two more commercial singles, "La rose des vents" and "Au nom de la lune", were released to modest chart success. The album peaked at number 34 on the French Albums Chart and sold over 150,000 copies in France and Belgium. Anggun received a nomination for the La révélation de l'année award (Revelation of the Year/Best New Artist) in Victoires de la Musique (a Grammy Award-equivalent in the French music scene). She attended and performed her song on French TV show, Tapis rouge, and Céline Dion also attended as guest. They met each other in person for the first time and they sang Aretha Franklin's hits, Chain of Fools and (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman together alongside other guest stars.
The English version of the album, Snow on the Sahara, was released internationally in 33 countries throughout Asia, Europe, and America between late 1997 and early 1999. The album contained the songs on Au nom de la lune, adapted to English by songwriter Nikki Matheson, and a cover version of the David Bowie hit "Life on Mars?". For the Southeast Asian market, Anggun included an Indonesian song, "Kembali", which became a huge hit in the region. American music critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic called the album "a promising debut effort" because "she illustrates enough full-formed talent on the disc". According to Erlewine, Anggun "tackles polished ballads, Latin-pop and dance-pop on Snow on the Sahara, demonstrating that she can sing all the styles quite well." The album's first single, "Snow on the Sahara" was a commercial success, reaching number one in Italy, Spain and several countries in Asia, and the top five on the UK Club Chart. The song was also used as the soundtrack for an international marketing campaign launched by the Swiss watchmaker Swatch. Snow on the Sahara has sold over 1.5 million copies worldwide and received the Diamond Export Sales Award.
In North America, Snow on the Sahara was released in May 1998 by Epic Records. Anggun went on an extensive tour for nine months in the United States to promote the album, including as a supporting act for several artists such as The Corrs and Toni Braxton, as well as participating at the Lilith Fair (performing with Sarah McLachlan and Erykah Badu on stage). She also appeared on American television programs such as The Rosie O'Donnell Show, Sessions at West 54th, Penn & Teller's Sin City Spectacular, and received a CNN WorldBeat interview; she was also given coverage in printed media like Rolling Stone and Billboard. However, Snow on the Sahara was not much of a commercial success in the United States. The album peaked at number 23 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums Chart and shipped 200,000 units. The single reached number 16 on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play and number 22 on the Billboard Adult Top 40. Nevertheless, Sarah Brightman did a cover version of "Snow on the Sahara" song on her The Harem World Tour: Live from Las Vegas album in 2004. Also in 2008, Italian singer Ilaria Porceddu covered that song on her debut album called Suono naturale. The album track "On the Breath of an Angel" was later used as the soundtrack of American television series Passions and television film The Princess and the Marine, both of which aired on NBC.
2000–2003: Chrysalis, Open Hearts, and collaborations
In 1999, Anggun ended her seven-year marriage to Michel Georgea; this inspired her to record another studio album. Her second French album, Désirs contraires, was released in September 1999. It was an artistic departure from Au nom de la lune, experimenting with electropop and ambient elements as well as R&B music. The album was again produced by Erick Benzi, but it featured some of Anggun's compositions. Désirs contraires failed to repeat the success of the previous album. It peaked at number 48 on the French Albums Chart and sold about 30,000 copies in France. Only two singles were released off the album: the tropical-sounding "Un geste d'amour" and the R&B-influenced "Derrière la porte". Both singles failed to achieve commercial success, although "Un geste d'amour" reached number 62 on the French Singles Chart.
It was the English version of the album that enjoyed more success. Chrysalis was released at the same time as Désirs contraires and represented a huge artistic growth for Anggun, who had co-written the entire album. Distributed simultaneously in 15 countries, the album was never released in the United States due to the lackluster sales of her first album. The album spawned the hit single "Still Reminds Me", which received high airplay across Asia and Europe. It became her third number-one hit in Indonesia since her international career and her third top 20 single in Italy (peaking at number 17). It also reached the top five on the Music & Media European Border Breakers Chart. She released a single especially for the Indonesian and Malaysian market, "Yang 'Ku Tunggu" (the Indonesian version of "Un geste d'amour"), which became another number-one hit for Anggun in the region.
In 2000, Anggun presented her second album, still under the aegis of Erick Benzi, Desires Contraires. The record received little promotion and went relatively unnoticed in France. It has exported well, especially to Indonesia (platinum record) and Italy (gold record). The album was released under the name Chrysalis in fifteen Asian countries simultaneously, including Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Japan. The song Tu nages on the track list of Désirs Contraires was also performed by Céline Dion on her album Une fille et quatre types in 2003. She then made a mini-tour of ten dates inaugurated at La Cigale on February 1, 2001, her first French stage. She announced her departure from her first label in January 2003, then moved to Montreal, Canada, to meet up with her then fiancé. She toured Indonesia and chose to accompany her the young Julian Cely, who had become her musical godson. At the end of 2000 Anggun received an invitation from the Vatican, asking her to appear at a special Christmas concert alongside Bryan Adams and Dionne Warwick. For the event, she gave her renditions of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" as well as "Still Reminds Me". Her performance was also included on the Noël au Vatican disc compilation. The following month, she started a tour across Asia and Europe, including her first-ever concert in France at Le Bataclan on 1 February 2001. The tour ended on 30 April 2001 at Kallang Theatre, Singapore. In 2002, Anggun received the Women Inspire Award from Singapore's Beacon of Light award ceremony for "her achievements as a role model for many young women in Asia." On 2 April 2002, she held her Russia concert at State Concert Hall of the Tchaikovsky. The next year, she was honored with Cosmopolitan Indonesias Fun Fearless Female of the Year Award. Anggun had an interview with VOGUE Deutsch, Germany edition of VOGUE for a rubric called Vogue Trifft.
During this period, Anggun also did a string of collaborations, soundtrack projects, and charity albums. These included a mixed French-English song with DJ Cam entitled "Summer in Paris" (which later became a club hit in Europe and Asia for both artists) on his 2001 album, Soulshine; an Indonesian-English song with Deep Forest entitled "Deep Blue Sea" on their 2002 album, Music Detected; and three collaborations in 2003, including with Italian rock singers Piero Pelù, Serge Lama and Tri Yann. Her duet with Piero Pelù on an Italian-English song entitled "Amore immaginato" became a hit in Italy, spending over two months at the top of Italian Airplay Chart, and sung it at Italian Music Awards in 2003. Anggun also collaborated with Bryan Adams in writing a song entitled "Walking Away" which remains unreleased for unknown reason. The same year, her song On the Breath of an Angel, composed by her with Jacques Veneruso, Nikki Matheson was interpreted and adapted in Vietnamese by Mỹ Tâm in 2001. This title is engraved on the first album of the latter Mãi Yêu. In 2002, Anggun performed Open Hearts, the soundtrack of the film Open Hearts by Susanne Bier, released in 2003 in Scandinavian theaters. Previously, she has appeared in other soundtracks, Anastasia with Gildas Arzel in 1997, Gloups! je suis un poisson and Anja & Victor in 2001. Later on, her songs have chosen to be the soundtrack of Transporter 2 (Cesse la rain) in 2005 and the documentary series Genesis II et l'homme créa la nature by Frédéric Lepage which was broadcast in 2004 on France 5. Anggun participated in two Scandinavian movies: contributing the song "Rain (Here Without You)" for Anja & Viktor in 2001, and the entire soundtrack album for Open Hearts in 2002. For Open Hearts, Anggun worked with two Danish producers, Jesper Winge Leisner and Niels Brinck. "Open Your Heart" was released as a commercial single from the soundtrack album and charted at number 51 on the Norwegian Singles Chart. It also earned Anggun a nomination for Best Original Song at the Danish Film Academy's Robert Awards in 2003. "Counting Down" was also released as a single and became a top-ten airplay hit in Indonesia. Anggun's work with Sony Music ended in 2003 due to the company's structural change after a merger with BMG Music. She later moved to Montreal, Canada where she met Olivier Maury, a law school graduate, who became Anggun's manager. In 2004, Anggun and Maury were married in a private ceremony in Bali.
2004–2006: Luminescence
In 2004, Anggun returned to Paris and landed a new record deal with Heben Music, a French independent label. She began working on her next album with several producers, including Jean-Pierre Taieb and Frederic Jaffre. Anggun, who composed mainly in English, enlisted the help of several well-known French songwriters, such as Jean Fauque, Lionel Florence, Tété and Evelyn Kral to adapt her English songs into French. In late 2004, Anggun released her first solo French single in nearly four years, "Être une femme", a song about woman empowerment and rights. The single was available in two versions: one solo version for commercial release and a duet with Diam's for radio release. It became Anggun's second top-20 hit in France, peaking at number 16 on the French Singles Chart. It also became Anggun's first French single to chart on the Swiss Singles Chart, peaking at number 58. Released in February 2005, Anggun's third French album, Luminescence, entered the French Albums Chart at number 30 and was later certified gold for selling 100,000 copies. The second single, "Cesse la pluie" also became a hit, peaking at number 10 in Belgium, 22 in France and 65 in Switzerland. According to Francophonie Diffusion, "Être une femme" and "Cesse la pluie" were the second and the fifth most-played French singles of 2005 worldwide, respectively. In 2005, Anggun also took part in the compilation album Ma quando dici amore, released by the Italian singer Ron. Anggun and Ron performed in the Italian-English song "Catch You (Il coraggio di chiedere aiuto)".
The English version of Luminescence—sharing the same title with its French counterpart—was released in Europe under Sony BMG and in Asia under Universal Music. "Undress Me" was chosen as the first single from the English version. Although it was not accompanied by a music video, it debuted at number 13 in Italy, becoming her fifth top 20 single there. It also provided Anggun with her first hit in the Middle East & Balkans, where the song topped the charts in Lebanon and Turkey. "In Your Mind" was released as the second single and it became a huge hit in Asia. "In Your Mind" got positive acclaimed in Mediterranean countries and Eastern Europe, including Armenia. The third single, "Saviour", was used as the soundtrack for the U.S. box office number-one film Transporter 2. Russian electronic music space composer Andrey Klimkovsky reviewed her album and he quoted in his blog that the album was successful and "Saviour" become huge hit in Russia.
Anggun was awarded with the prestigious distinction Chevalier des Arts et Lettres (Knight of Arts and Letters) by the French Minister of Culture for her worldwide achievements and her support of French culture. She was appointed as the ambassadress for a Swiss watch brand, Audemars Piguet. Anggun did a duet with Julio Iglesias on a reworked version of "All of You" in Bahasa version for his album Romantic Classics (2006). On 25 May 2006, Anggun performed on her sold-out solo concert at the Jakarta Convention Center, entitled Konser Untuk Negeri. She later on toured to few cities in Indonesia, such as Medan and Bandung.
In August 2006, Anggun released the special edition of both the French and English versions of Luminescence with three new songs. She made a large jump on the French Albums Chart from number 119 to number 16 (a total of 103 positions) with the re-release, making Luminescence her best-charting album in France. "Juste avant toi", the new single from the special edition, became Anggun's fourth Top 40 hit, peaking at number 28 on the French Singles Chart. Meanwhile, its English version, "I'll Be Alright", became her most popular hit in with over 43,000 airplay from more than 350 Russophone radios across the region. Luminescence was re-issued in February 2007 and peaked at number three on the French Back Catalogue Chart. In September 2006, Anggun performed with her song, "Cesse la pluie" at Sopot Music Festival Grand Prix in Sopot, Poland.
In December 2006, Anggun received the special recognition Best International Artist at Anugerah Musik Indonesia, the most prestigious music award ceremony in Indonesia. The award was given for her role in introducing Indonesian music to the international recording industry. Subsequently, Anggun released her Best-Of album in Indonesia and Malaysia, which compiled singles during the first decade of her international career, including three re-recorded versions of her early Indonesian hits. The new version of "Mimpi" was released as a radio single and became a huge hit in Indonesia in late 2006 to early 2007. Anggun later released Best-Of for Italian market with different track listing and "I'll Be Alright" as its lead single. She was also featured on German band Reamonn's single "Tonight". In the end of 2006, She released her music video for the last single in her album, called "A Crime" for English version and "Garde-moi" for French version. "Garde-moi" is co-written by David Hallyday and joined Anggun to be featuring artist in this particular song. This single reached number 3 in Ukrainian Pop Single Charts. In December 2006, she has been invited to perform this song at an ice skating competition, called Les étoiles de la glace, in Switzerland. She sang "Garde-moi" on the ice rink and was accompanied by two professional ice skaters who performed spectacular ice dancing in the background.
2007–2010: Elevation
Anggun did a performance Over The Hill Of Secrets and Panorama on music by François Moity and Nicolas Yvan-Mingot for the Gaz de France advertisement. Anggun was awarded Le grand cœur de l'année (The Great Heart of the Year) by French television network Filles TV for her contribution to social and environmental events. In February 2007, Anggun was invited as the guest star on one episode of the fourth season of Star Academy Arab World in Lebanon. She returned to another episode of the show's fifth season in the following year. She did a duet with Italian singer Roby Facchinetti and his son, Francesco Facchinetti in a song, titled Vivere Normale. Then, she has been invited to sing it in Italian music festival, called 57th Sanremo Music Festival (Festival di Sanremo). In March 2007, she did a number performance with Nicole Croisille and sang Croisille's hit "Une femme avec toi" on Symphonic Show for Sidaction. In December 2007, she received her second invitation from the Vatican to perform in the Christmas concert in Verona, Italy, along with Michael Bolton. She covered Bruce Springsteen's "Streets of Philadelphia" with Corsican group I Muvrini for their album I Muvrini et les 500 choristes (2007). She was also featured on the remix version of DJ Laurent Wolf's number-one hit "No Stress" for the deluxe edition of his album Wash My World. Anggun and Wolf performed the song at the 2008 World Music Awards in Monaco. Anggun joined Make A Wish Belgium foundation to help children with life-threatening medical conditions.
In late 2008, Anggun released her fourth international studio album, Elevation, which shares the same title in both English and French. A departure from the style of her previous efforts, the album experimented with urban music and hip hop. Elevation was produced by hip hop producer pair Tefa & Masta who produced and managed many artists, such as Diam's, Kery James, etc. This album features collaboration with rappers Pras Michel from the Fugees, Sinik, and Big Ali. "Crazy" was released as the lead single from the album, with its French and Indonesian versions, "Si tu l'avoues" and "Jadi Milikmu", serving as the first single in the respective territories. Canadian cinematographer Ivan Grbovic was the director for its music videos. This song is charted at number 6 on Francophonie Diffusion Chart. Another single from this album, called "My Man" or in the French version, "Si je t'emmène" topped to number 11 on the same chart. This song featured rappers Pras Michel from the Fugees. The music video for its versions was directed by Jean-Baptiste Erreca. Anggun, with this album, had made her music traveled to Russia with positive reactions there. In Russia, Elevation was released with an additional song, "О нас с тобой (O Nas S Toboyu)", which was recorded as a duet with Russian singer Max Lorens. Later on, she remake the song to English version, called "No Song", and Indonesian version, called "Berganti Hati". For "Berganti Hati", she got helped by Indonesian renowned director and artistic arranger Jay Subiyakto to make the music video. Prior to its official release, the album had already been certified double platinum, making it the fastest-selling album of her career in Indonesia. In France, the album debuted at number 36 on the French Albums Chart. Later on, one of her song in this album, called "Stronger" which collaborated with Big Ali, get chosen to be Anlene's advertisement soundtrack for Southeast Asia territory. For the Asian Edition album, she included a song which written by Morgan Visconti and Rosi Golan, "Shine". Then, Pantene used this song to be the soundtrack of its short movie commercial. On 6 December 2008, Anggun joined the panel of jury for Miss France 2009 election. Other celebrities alongside her were singer, actress and AIDS activist Line Renaud as president of the jury, film director Patrice Leconte, Miss France 2007 Rachel Legrain-Trapani, Belgian actor-comedian Benoît Poelvoorde, journalist Henri-Jean Servat and fashion designer Kenzo Takada. Chloé Mortaud was elected to be Miss France 2009 who become a finalist on Miss World 2009.
Anggun's four-year ambassadress contract with Audemars Piguet was subsequently extended. She was also chosen by international hair care brand, Pantene, and New Zealand-based dairy product, Anlene, as their ambassador. In 2009, Italian singer Mina did a cover from one of Anggun's song, "A Rose in the Wind", in her album
Riassunti d'amore - Mina Cover. Anggun made a promo tour called Anggun Elevation Acoustic Showcase and served only 200 guest seats on 24 & 27 March 2009 at Hotel Istana, Kuala Lumpur. She also made concerts in Indonesia and toured five big cities, including Bandung, Yogyakarta, Denpasar, Surabaya and Medan. In August 2009, she was invited as musical guest to perform her song "Saviour" at New Wave 2009 in Jūrmala, Latvia where she met her Indonesian singer colleague Sandhy Sondoro competing at that show.
In early 2010, Anggun recorded a duet with Portuguese singer Mickael Carreira on the song "Chama por me (Call My Name)", as well as performing at his concert in Lisbon, Portugal on 26 February 2010. She collaborated with German electronica musician Schiller, co-writing and contributing lead vocals to two tracks, "Always You" and "Blind", for his album Atemlos (2010). Anggun was also featured on Schiller's concert series, Atemlos Tour, in 14 cities in Germany during May 2010. Anggun did a cameo for 2010 French drama film Ces amours-là directed by Claude Lelouch.
2011–2013: Echoes, Eurovision, and The X Factor
Anggun's fifth international studio album—Echoes for the English version and Échos for the French version—saw her collaboration with composers Gioacchino Maurici, Pierre Jaconelli, Jean-Pierre Pilot, and William Rousseau. It became her first self-produced international album and was released under her own record label, April Earth. The English version was first released in Indonesia in May 2011. It topped the Indonesian Albums Chart and was certified platinum in the first week. It eventually became the best-selling pop album of 2011, with quadruple platinum certification. On this stage, Anggun had won 56 platinum records in 26 different countries, from "Snow on the Sahara" to "Echo (You and I)". "Only Love" and its Indonesian version "Hanyalah Cinta" were released as the lead singles and became number-one radio hits. The French version was released in November 2011 and reached number 48 on the French Albums Chart. "Je partirai", the first single for the French version, reached number five in Belgium. Anggun held her second major concert at the Jakarta Convention Center, Konser Kilau Anggun, on 27 November 2011. She later appeared for the third time at the Christmas concert in the Vatican. This time, she performed "Only Love" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas", the latter in a duet with Ronan Keating.
Anggun was chosen by France Télévisions to represent France in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012. She co-wrote the entry, "Echo (You and I)", with William Rousseau and Jean-Pierre Pilot. Anggun held an extensive tour to more than 15 countries in Europe to promote the song. For the promotional intentions, Keo, Claudia Faniello, Niels Brinck, and Varga Viktor are featuring in this song for special edition albums, each for Romania, Malta, Denmark, and Hungary. She performed the song at the Eurovision grand final in Baku, Azerbaijan on 26 May 2012, wearing a shiny metallic dress sponsored by designer Jean Paul Gaultier. The song finished in 22nd place with 21 points. Anggun later told the press that she had originally hoped to reach a place within the top 10 and was deeply disappointed with the final result.
In March 2012, Anggun released the international edition of Echoes with "Echo (You and I)" as the lead single. A special edition of Échos was also released in France, featuring three additional tracks. Following the completion of the Eurovision, she continued the promotion of the album.
Anggun embarked on a concert tour in several cities across France, Switzerland and New Caledonia, including her sold-out concert in Le Trianon, Paris, on 13 June 2012. Anggun joined United Nation campaign, Earth Day: Save the Forest in Italy. On Valentine's Day of that year, she appeared as the guest artist at Lara Fabian's concert special on MTV Lebanon, where they sang the duet "Tu es mon autre". Anggun also toured 10 cities in Germany with Schiller in late 2012. Anggun performed at Les Fous Chantants festival in Alès, France. In this event, she was accompanied by 1,000 choirs. Theme event for the event was the most beautiful songs of the films (plus belles chansons de films). Anggun sang three soundtracks, "Golden Eye" from 1995 James Bond series, "Calling You" from 1987 film Bagdad Cafe and, with Patrick Fiori, "La Chanson d'Hélène" from 1970 film The Things of Life (Les Choses de la vie). At the end of 2012, she was appointed by Director & Chief Commercial Officer of Indosat, Erik Meijer, to be the brand ambassador of Indosat Mentari Paket Smartphone (Indosat Mentari Smartphone Package).
In 2013, Anggun served as the international judge for the first season of the Indonesian version of The X Factor, which reportedly made her the highest-paid judge in Indonesian television history. It became the year's highest-rated talent show in Indonesia. Anggun's involvement was also lauded by public and critics, with Bintang Indonesia praising her for "setting high standard [for a judge] on talent shows." She subsequently joined the judging panel of the television special X Factor Around the World, alongside Paula Abdul, Louis Walsh, Daniel Bedingfield, and Ahmad Dhani, on 24 August 2013. She participated on the concept album entitled Thérèse – Vivre d'amour, for which she recorded two duets—"Vivre d'amour" and "La fiancée"—with Canadian singer Natasha St-Pier. Released in April 2013, the project topped the French Physical Albums Chart with platinum record (sold 100,000 copies). In May 2013, Anggun released a greatest hits album entitled Best-Of: Design of a Decade 2003–2013. A new version of "Snow on the Sahara" produced by Lebanese-Canadian musician K.Maro was sent to Indonesian radio to promote the album. In this year, Olay management and Procter & Gamble chose Anggun to be ambassador of Olay Total Effect. She and Natasha St-Pier were invited to sing in front of Pope Francis on 7 December 2013 at Concerto di Natale XXI edizione in Auditorium della Conciliazione, Rome. They sang songs from Thérèse – Vivre d'amour. Anggun did a duet with Italian singer Luca Barbarossa and performed Christmas carol's, "White Christmas".
At the 2013 Taormina Film Fest in Italy, Anggun was presented with the Taormina Special Award for her humanitarian works as the FAO Goodwill Ambassador. Anggun with David Foster, alongside Ruben Studdard, Michael Johns, David Cook, and Nicole Scherzinger performed on David Foster & Friends Private Concert in Jakarta. She sang three songs, including Whitney Houston's hits, "I Will Always Love You", "I Have Nothing" and her own song, "Snow on the Sahara". She did a photoshoot with VOGUE Italia in November 2013 and had an interview with Vogue's journalist, Stefania Cubello. She wore Azzaro's and Louis Vuitton's stellar. Also in November 2013, she was appointed by President of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) Nasser Al-Khelaifi to be the ambassador of the club. On 22 November 2013, she joined French General Manager and Marketing Executive of PSG Jean-Claude Blanc and Ambassador of Republic of Indonesia to France (2010-2014) Rezlan Ishar Jenie to launch the club official site with Bahasa for Indonesian Les Parisiens which Anggun was the icon of this site. She received the number 10 jersey which is the same number jersey of PSG famous striker Zlatan Ibrahimović.
2014–2016: Got Talent and Toujours un ailleurs
Following the success of X Factor Indonesia, Anggun was recruited to judge the other Syco's franchise, Indonesia's Got Talent, alongside artistic director and photographer Jay Subyakto, radio personality and actress Indy Barends, singer Ari Lasso, in 2014. To prepare for the program, she received instruction from Simon Cowell during the set of Britain's Got Talent. Anggun re-recorded her debut international single as a French-Portuguese duet with Tony Carreira, retitled "La neige au Sahara (Faço Chover No Deserto)", for Carreira's album Nos fiançailles, France/Portugal.
The duo performed the song at the 2014 World Music Awards in Monaco, where Anggun was awarded the World's Best-Selling Indonesian Artist. In June, Anggun launched her first fragrance, Grace, named after her name in English. Grace, eau de parfume, production was under BEL Perfumes label, Thailand-based of finest French and International cosmetics & perfumes creator. She and her management had the chance to visited Grasse, one of the city in France where produces best quality elixir for perfumery. It took two years to produces this fragrance. It distributed to Indonesia, Thailand, China-region and France. She did a collaboration a young Dutch DJ Indyana on a song titled "Right Place Right Time". Later on, this song was chosen to be the anthem of Dreamfields Festival on 16 August 2014 at Garuda Wisnu Kencana, Bali. In late 2014, Anggun recorded two duets: "Who Wants to Live Forever" with Il Divo for their album A Musical Affair and "Pour une fois" with Vincent Niclo for his album Ce que je suis. Anggun also released "Fly My Eagle" as an original soundtrack for the commercially and critically acclaimed film Pendekar Tongkat Emas. On 10 July 2014, Anggun was invited by Air France to perform at Air France Inauguration of Jakarta-Paris Travel Route. Anggun performed in Africa twice during 2014, for Roberto Cavalli's Casa Fashion Show in Casablanca, Morocco, and for the 15th annual French-speaking World Summit in Dakar, Senegal. She was invited by Pope Francis to attended at Concerto di Natale where located at Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi on 25 December 2014. She sang "Malam Kudus", an Indonesian-version of "Silent Night" gospel, and Christmas carols "O Little Town of Bethlehem".
In 2015, Anggun, alongside David Foster, Melanie C (Spice Girls) and Vanness Wu (F4), was announced as a judge on the debut of Asia's Got Talent. Joined by contestants from 15 countries in Asia, the show premiered on AXN Asia on 12 March 2015. The Asian Academy of Music Arts and Sciences (AAMAS) also announced Anggun among its board of governors, as well as becoming the academy's first ambassador. At the 2015 Anugerah Planet Muzik in Singapore, Anggun received the International Breakthrough Artist Award for becoming the first internationally successful act from Malay-speaking countries. SK-II and Harper's Bazaar Indonesia honored Anggun as one of 15 Most Inspiring Women. She joined the "SK-II's Change Destiny" campaign and became a spokesperson alongside actress Cate Blanchett and Michelle Phan for its event in Los Angeles and she was chosen by SK-II management to be the ambassador of SK-II. Later on, Anggun with make-up stylist Lizzie Para and social media personality Chandra Liow sit on the panel as judges for SK-II Beauty Bound Indonesia in 2016. The winner of this show was beauty influencer, Mega Gumelar, and she with Anggun traveled to Tokyo, Japan, in order to compete with other beauty creators from across the globe in SK-II Beauty Bound Asia 2016. In exact same year, Anggun was appointed to be the ambassador of Aviation Sans Frontières (Aviation Without Borders). In June 2015, she was invited by Michael Bolton to perform a duet and as an opening act at his concert in Kasablanka Concert Hall, Jakarta, Indonesia. Anggun also recorded Frozen's "Let It Go" in Indonesian language, called "Lepaskan" with Regina Ivanova, Cindy Bernadette, Nowela, and Chilla Kiana. Disney Music Asia also makes an Indonesian language song "Warna Angin" and sung by Anggun. It is the interpretation from Pocahontas movie soundtrack, "Colors of the Wind". She joined panel of jury for Miss France 2016 on 19 December 2015 alongside fashion designer Jean-Paul Gaultier as president of the jury, singer Patrick Fiori, singer Kendji Girac, Miss France 2009 & model Chloé Mortaud, actress, model & author Laëtitia Milot and Rugby athlete Frédéric Michalak. Iris Mittenaere was elected to be Miss France 2016 who become the winner of Miss Universe 2016.
Anggun's sixth French-language studio album, Toujours un ailleurs, was released in November 2015 by TF1 Musique under Universal Music Group with her lead single, "A nos enfants". Produced by Frédéric Chateau and Grammy Award-winning producer Brian Rawling, the album revisited the world music direction of her debut international album with diverse cultures ambiance, such as Japanese, Colombian, Samoan, Spanish, and English. Toujours un ailleurs became Anggun's most successful album in France since Luminescence (2005), charting for 24 weeks on the French Albums Chart (peaking at number 43) and sold over 50,000 copies. It also became her best-charting album in Belgium, debuting at number 43 and remaining on the chart for 31 weeks (making 5 re-enters). The album's single, "Nos vies parallèles" peaked at number 47 on the French Singles Chart and number 39 on the Belgian Ultratop Singles Chart (her first top-40 hit since "Être une femme"). This single featured one of French musical legends Florent Pagny as he helped Anggun to pursue her career in France years ago and Columbian singer Yuri Buenaventura. According to Francophonie Diffusion, "Nos vies parallèles" was the third-most played French song worldwide during March 2016. Both Anggun and Florent Pagny traveled to Havana, Cuba, for music video shooting which directed by Igreco. Maxime Le Forestier's song, "Née quelque part", being rearranged by Anggun and her team, alongside Grammy Award-winning singer and UN Goodwill Ambassador Angélique Kidjo as she featured in this single. "Face au vent" was the third lead single of this album after "A nos enfants" and "Nos vies parallèles". In this single's music video, actor and dancer Benoît Maréchal being featured again after he did great performance on "A Crime" and "Garde-moi" music videos in 2006. Darius Salimi was chosen to direct six music videos for this album,including "A nos enfants", "Face au vent", "Toujours un ailleurs", "Est-ce que tu viendras?", "Mon capitaine", and "Née quelque part". To promote the album, Anggun embarked on a 23-date concert tour across France and Belgium.
She performed as a guest singer at Siti Nurhaliza's concert titled Dato' Siti Nurhaliza & Friends Concert on April 2, 2016 in Stadium Negara. She and Siti did duet for two songs, Anggun's hit "Snow on the Sahara" and Siti's hit "Bukan Cinta Biasa". In July 2016, she became second most influent person on Twitter in France. She being invited to have a role as a columnist and guest radio host on Europe 1 radio show, called Les Pieds dans le plat, by Cyril Hanouna with another French celebrities, such as Valérie Benaïm, Jean-Luc Lemoine, Jérôme Commandeur, Estelle Denis and Bertrand Chameroy. On 23–25 September 2016, Anggun attended Festival Film Indonesia (Indonesia Film Festival) at Cinema Spazio Alfieri, Florence. Anggun sang the acoustic version of "Snow on the Sahara". This event was collaborated with Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Rome and Indonesia Meets Italy Association as the part of Settimane della Cultura Indonesiana in Italia to reflects the progress of the increasingly dynamic Indonesian film industry. Anggun received the Key to the City award from Dario Nardella, the Mayor of Florence, Italy. Anggun was featured on new-age music group Enigma's eight studio album The Fall of a Rebel Angel (2016), providing lead vocals for three songs, including the lead single "Sadeness (Part II)", which is the sequel to the 1990 number-one hit "Sadeness (Part I)". The Album topped US Top Dance/Electronic Album charts in United States. Kotak invited Anggun to did a duet with them in a song titled "Teka-Teki" in October 2016. Anggun joined Belgian-francophone charity show Télévie to raise funds to support scientific research in the fight against cancer and leukemia in children and adults. She sang her song "Nos vies parallèles" and a duet with Christophe Maé on his song, called "Charly". They raised over EU€10 millions. Azerbaijan-Russian singer-songwriter Emin make a duet song with Anggun, called "If You Go Away" for his newest album Love is A Deadly Game. The song was a cover from original song by Jacques Brel, called "Ne me quitte pas". Anggun was invited to be a guest performer and did a duet with Lara Fabian at Lara's concert Ma vie dans la tienne Tour 2016 in Brussels, Belgium. Anggun and Lara sang a ballad song from Lara's album Nue, "J'y crois encore". Anggun was invited by Indonesian television network SCTV as guest performer at Long Live The Biggest Concert Kotak x Anggun feat NAFF on 23 November 2016 in Jakarta. She sang "Yang 'Ku Tunggu" as an opening act and "Teka-Teki" as a duet with Kotak. She was invited to performed on 24 December 2016 at Christmas concert in Parco della Musica, Rome. She sang two Christmas carols as soloist, "The Christmas Song" and, accompanied by flutist Andrea Griminelli, "La Vita è Bella". Anggun, alongside Rebecca Ferguson, Anna Tatangelo and Deborah Iurato, performed Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah". For the encore, she with another guest performers sang "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" as assemble.
2017–2019: Television projects, 8 and Asian Games 2018
She have done more than 60 showcases on France & Belgium tours to promote her French album, Toujours un ailleurs and finalized her performance on Festival international des métiers d'art (FIMA) 2017 in Baccarat, France. She returned as judge on the second season of Asia's Got Talent with David Foster, also American-Korean rapper, songwriter, and dancer Jay Park as the new judge on the panel.
On 12 October 2017, Anggun released a lyric video for "What We Remember" on YouTube as the first single of her new album "8". On 7 December 2017, An official music video of "What We Remember" was released on YouTube and she held the first performance of this song on Grand Finale of Asia's Got Talent stage. Anggun released her lead single "What We Remember" in December 2017. It was directed by Roy Raz and had to make the video in Ukraine. The album 8 was produced and distributed by Universal Music with other French composers and songwriters collaboration, such as Tiborg, Nazim Khaled, Nicolas Loconte, and many more including her husband. On 8 December 2017, she released her new album 8 and a release party was held at the Apple Store on Orchard Road, Singapore. The album "8" was distributed under exclusive license to Universal Music Asia and the album was released digitally worldwide on major streaming platforms, including Spotify and also released physically in some Asian countries. This album reached no. 1 in Indonesia, no. 5 in Malaysia, no. 18 in Singapore on iTunes. On Apple Music, this album got the highest peak on no. 7 in Indonesia, no. 21 in Malaysia, no. 30 in Vietnam, Top 60 in Singapore, Top 100 in Philippines, and Top 200 in Sri Lanka. Coincidentally, its lead single "What We Remember" was played in the background of the café scene on Korean drama series Two Cops episode 8. Throughout December 2017, Anggun and Universal Music Asia held a promotional tour throughout Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines. The tour consisted of listening parties, showcases, and meet & greet sessions. In the Philippines, she did several performances in Eastwood Open Park Mall with Edray Teodoro as the opening act, in Uptown Bonifacio with The Voice Teens star Isabela Vinzon as the opening act and on Wish 107.5 Bus showcase. She was being a guest star on ASAP and 24 Oras interview. In Malaysia, she held Meet & Greet with High Tea Session for her fans to promote the album in St. Regis Hotel, Kuala Lumpur. The first single "What We Remember" was released by dance label Citrusonic and serviced to US clubs including remixes by DJ Lynnwood (DJLW) Ralphi Rosario, Antoine Cortez, Craig C, Dirty Disco, Sted-E & Hybrid Heights, Love to Infinity, Offer Nissim, and more. On 20 April 2018, she announced and release duet version for her brand new singles from her latest album, called "The Good Is Back" with Rossa and Fazura. Shane Filan collaborated with her on one of the singles, "Need You Now", on the deluxe version of his latest album, Love Always, that releases only for United States and UK regions. Her songs, "What We Remember" and "The Good is Back" from her recent album charted on US Billboard Dance Club Chart. "What We Remember" reached no. 8 on that chart for about 16 weeks long and no. 15 on Asia Pop 40 throughout 2018. This single became reached the Top 10 of the charts in UK, US, Spain, Germany, and also Indonesia. "The Good is Back" got in to the US Billboard Dance Club Chart and topped to no. 20 for 9 weeks. American blogger and media personality Perez Hilton wrote on his blog that Anggun's "What We Remember" could be compared with Sade's and Dido's songs.
She was invited for the seventh time by Pope Francis & Vatican to performed on 4 January 2018 at Concerto dell'Epifania where located at Teatro Mediterraneo in Napoli, Italy. She sang "Snow on the Sahara" and "What We Remember". On 5 June 2018, she was performing at night for Grand Opening Renaissance Bali Hotel in Bali. She performed at Notte Bianca as the main guest star on 23 June 2018. The festival were located at Piazza Martiri della libertà in Pontedera, Pisa. Anggun got photoshoots for French cultural society magazine Technikart and got six pages in it. From this publication, Anggun shared different views and angle about her figure in international stage. On her interview, she made strong statements about how Indonesia modern culture & freedom movement by her perspective which she had spoken up about fighting on corruption in Indonesia, feminism & women's rights, LGBT+, and Indonesian hypocrisy regulations, especially death penalty. In July 2018, she attended to European Latin Awards at Stadio Benito Stirpe in Frosinone, Italy. She performed "Undress Me", "A Rose in the Wind", "Snow on the Sahara", and "Amore immaginato". She won Best International Singer award there. Another guest star performer were Bob Sinclar, Black Eyed Peas, Gipsy Kings, Juan Magan and Carlos Rivera. Anggun performed at the opening ceremony of the Asian Games 2018 at the Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) stadium, Central Jakarta, on August 18, 2018. He sang a song titled "Pemuda", which was popularized by the Indonesian musical group Chaseiro from the album Persembahan which was released in 2001. Anggun sang on over artificial mountains and waterfalls. She joined coaching panel for The Voice Indonesia Season 3 alongside Armand Maulana, Titi DJ, and duo Nino Kayam from RAN with Vidi Aldiano. Anggun was invited by high-fashion brand COACH to have great visit and did a number of performance for the opening of new branch store in Suria KLCC, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Anggun attended the opening with her husband, Malaysian singers couple Fazura & Fattah Amin, Taiwanese singer Dizzy Dizzo and Malaysian-Singaporean actor Lawrence Wong. In November 2018, she was invited to joined French Navy and got a chance to operated Le Mistral, an amphibious assault ship and a type of helicopter carrier, for three days. She reported her experiences on the show called Noël avec soldats (Christmas with Soldiers) at Port-Bouët army base in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Anggun joined charades of various artist, such as David Foster & Katharine McPhee, Kelly Clarkson, Randy Jackson, Andrea Bocelli, Gavin Rossdale, Josh Groban, and many more, for the production of documentary film Silent Night — A Song for the World. She made soundtracks on two versions of "Silent Night" gospel, "Malam Kudus" in Bahasa and "Douce nuit, sainte nuit" in French which she recorded in London. She began the filming production process in Germany with help from Franco-German TV network Arte. This film was narrated by Hugh Bonneville and directed by Austrian director & film-maker Hannes M. Schalle.
In early of 2019, Anggun had tour throughout several cities in Italy, including Milan, Foligno, Bologna, etc. She toured in seven dates for this Intimate Concert Tour. All local medias felt enthusiastic with Anggun concert's which awaited way back to Festivalbar in 2006. Anggun performed with David Foster alongside Brian McKnight, Yura Yunita, and several artists during The Hitman: David Foster and Friends concert series at De Tjolomadoe, Central Java, 24 March 2019. Anggun was invited to perform at the concert in two different cities, namely in the city of Solo, Central Java and the city of Surabaya, East Java. She sang her own hit called "Mimpi" and Toni Braxton's hit, "Un-Break My Heart". On 5 July 2019, she and P&G held a charity concert, called Gemilang 30 Tahun at the Tennis Indoor Stadium in Senayan, Central Jakarta. The concert also featured performances by renowned singers Rossa, Yura Yunita, actress Maudy Ayunda, and rapper Iwa K, while artistic direction by Jay Subyakto and accompanied by her backing band from France, who will collaborate with Indonesia's Oni & Friends as music director. Anggun reportedly wear costumes designed by Mel Ahyar, with accessories created by the renowned designer Rinaldy A. Yunardi. Donations collected from this concert are IDR3,060,000,000 or equals to US$218,560.50. After the concert, she had another performance on Prambanan Jazz Festival 2019 as guest star, accompanied by her backing band. This was the third time for Anggun to performed in front of Prambanan Temple. On 28 July 2019, Anggun continued her Italian tour concert at Alpe Adria Arena, Lignano. Anggun with comedian Jarry, actor Kev Adams, and presenter Alessandra Sublet became panelists on Mask Singer and it became one of the most successful TV shows with ratings that reached nearly 7 million viewers. She eventually returned for another season of Mask Singer. She also returned with David Foster and Jay Park for Asia's Got Talent Season 3. Another surprising moment for her was her song "Perfect World" from Toujours un ailleurs topped to no. 5 in the first week to no. 18 on US Billboard Dance Club Chart in December 2019. Anggun does a duet with Luciano Pavarotti virtually at The Luciano Pavarotti Foundation and Anggun in concert which took place at the Simfonia Hall in Jakarta. Singers Giulia Mazzola (soprano), Matteo Desole (tenor), Giuseppe Infantino (tenor), and Lorenzo Licitra (tenor) sang with deep appreciation with Anggun in that concert. Their beautiful voices were accompanied by orchestral music from the Jakarta Simfonia Orchestra. Previously, Anggun has performed a virtual duet with Luciano Pavarotti on song called "Caruso" at the stage of the 2019 Asia's Got Talent Grand Finale.
2020–present: Further television works, music collaborations and acting debut
In January 2020, she attended to 24th Asian Television Awards in Manila, Philippines where she performed her hits there and got awarded for Outstanding Contribution to Asian Television Performing Arts. Due to the global pandemic of COVID-19, Anggun had to postpone her touring concert in several cities and canceled many live showcases from the end of 2019 until the beginning of 2020. However, she began to take another career in acting instead of music in this recent days. She took a part as Maleen Suthama in television movie drama Coup de foudre à Bangkok. This TV movie was the sixth part of the Coup de foudre à .... collection. The production was taken in February 2020 and located in Bangkok, Thailand. Actors who joined Anggun in this project was Blandine Bellavoir, Frédéric Chau, Mathilda May, Loup-Denis Elion, and many more. Also in February 2020, Switzerland-based fashion magazine BLUSH Editions made two pages for the interview and ten pages for "Winter Garden with Pinel & Pinel" section of "BLUSH Dreams". She wore watches from KERBEDANZ, Cimier and Louis Moinet, dresses designed by Tony Ward, On Aura Tout Vu and La Métamorphose Couture, wardrobe by SEYİT ARES & Victoria/Tomas, shoes by Christian Louboutin, and jewelleries by Bollwerk, Fullord, Thomas Aurifex, Vincent Michel & Valerie Valentine with furnitures by BONA fide & L'Esprit Cocon. In March 2020, she performed in Moscow, Russia. She sang a Russophone classic song called "О́чи чёрные (Ochi Chernye)" which means "Dark Eyes" in English. In Indonesian culture from West Java, this song was being rearranged and interpreted to a Sundanese language folk song called "Panon Hideung" which means "Black Eyes" in English. In April 2020, she did an interview for Harvard Political Review article and published it in two parts, Interview With Anggun I: Taking Time With Music and Interview with Anggun II: On Representing the World. Anggun returned as panelist on the second season of Mask Singer alongside her previous colleague panelists. In June 2020, RIFFX by Crédit Mutuel published the result of a survey, titled "Barometer: Les 100 Artistes Préférés des Français (Barometer: The 100 Favorite Artists of The French)", which Anggun included on number 97. This survey was conducted by YouGov with interviewing 1,006 French people (age min. 18 years old) on 1 June to 2 June 2020. On 21 September 2020, she, accompanied by her husband, attended the celebration of 70th anniversary of Pierre Cardin's fashion house at Théâtre du Châtelet. This event was screening a documentary titled House of Cardin to honored the legendary French designer. It was directed by P. David Ebersole and Todd Hughes. Jean-Paul Gaultier, Christian Louboutin, Stéphane Rolland, actor Yves Lecoq, and journalist Patrick Poivre d'Arvor attended the event with many artists and French public figures. Musical documentary film about Christmas carol in 2018, Silent Night — A Song for the World, re-produced by The CW and took a date on 10 December 2020 for its special premiere.
Her latest duet with legendary Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti made a great scene in European classical music market. Anggun attended The 3rd BraVo International Classical Music Awards on April 2, 2021 at Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow, Russia. She made a performance with virtual image Luciano Pavarotti and sang "Caruso". Another special guest performers are ballerina Svetlana Zakharova, Grammy-winner Ildar Abdrazakov, young Russian pianists Kirill Richter and Ivan Bessonov, Ukrainian young tenor Bogdan Volkov, star of the Russian opera scene Albina Shagimuratova and performer of the youth troupe of the Bolshoi Theater Maria Barakova. The audience will also had performances performed by Italian opera singer Massimo Cavalletti, Uruguayan bass-baritone Erwin Schrott, young Japanese pianist Shio Okui, and honored opera singer from Kazakhstan Mayra Muhammad-kyzy. Korean star Yiruma and Chinese soprano Ying Huang performed via teleconference. Among the participants of the ceremony is Charles Kay, director of the international concert project World Orchestra for Peace. At that event, she received a Duet of the Year award because of her duet on "Caruso" performances across the globe. She continued the Italy tour concert that has been postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic. She started first in Sassuolo on 11 September 2021 and she visited Palazzo Dulcale. She performed at Piazzale della Rosa and Valentina Tioli was the opening act. On 12 September 2021, Aquileia was her next destination to visit and she performed at Piazza Capitolo di Aquileia.
On 2 April 2021, Jean-Luc Reichmann, Anggun and her husband shared a moment on shooting situation for her next film project. It was revealed that she will play her role in ninth season of detective-crime film TV series Léo Matteï, Brigade des mineurs (Léo Matteï, miners’ brigade). The production process began in September 2021 and will release in 2022 respectively. Jean-Luc Reichmann was the main cast for Léo Matteï role since 2013. Other announced casts were Lola Dubini, Laurent Ournac and Astrid Veillon. In June 2021, she was chosen to fill her voice as Virana in Disney movie Raya et le Dernier Dragon, a French version of Raya and the Last Dragon. Her daughter, Kirana, made her first appearance in this project as various voice actress. Anggun made her appearance as herself in online series called Profession Comédien on episode 48. This series was launched by comedian Bertrand Uzeel and directed by Fred Testot which the series told us about Bertrand tries to collect as much advice as possible from people in the trade, but nothing will go as planned. She and all previous season's panelist returned on the third season of Mask Singer and started the production in June 2021. On 21 June 2021, she with her husband attended 60th Monte-Carlo Television Festival. Anggun did a duet with Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli at Mattone del cuore on 25 August 2021 and sang "Can't Help Falling in Love" which she eventually sang solo "Snow on the Sahara" later on. On 30 September 2021, she and Moulin Rouge made a performance on "I Am What I Am" at 300 chœurs. She began shooting television variety show series called les Reines du Shopping spéciale Célébrités in September 2021. She with four another celebrities such as Jade Leboeuf, Clara Morgane, Frédérique Bel and Elsa Esnoult, have to compete one another to win EU€10,000 for their associations. In a brief about the show, it brings together five women, aged 18 to 70 and of different styles. Every day of the week, one of the five candidates goes shopping. She has a limited time and budget to get a complete outfit (clothing, shoes, accessories) and perform its beauty treatment (hairdressing, makeup). Her look must correspond to a theme imposed by Cristina Córdula. It will also have a list of imposed stores to spend their budget. During shopping, her progress and fittings are observed and commented on by her four competitors, who follow her on screen, in a showroom. Dany Brillant invited Anggun to did a duet with him on Charles Aznavour's "Désormais". This song was included into Brillant's Dany Brillant chante Aznavour en duo, a tribute album to the legendary French-Armenian singer Charles Aznavour. Anggun was invited to perform for the Opening Ceremony of 2021 National Paralympic Week at Mandala Stadium in Jayapura, Papua. Anggun sang Indonesia's national anthem "Indonesia Raya" alongside 150 Papuan children and her 90's hit "Mimpi", all orchestrated by Indonesian conductor Addie MS. Anggun and her husband got a chance to visit and explore Dubai. They were invited by CEO Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM) Issam Kazim. She also visited Indonesia pavilion at World Expo 2020. In November 2021, she did photoshoot in Mauritius for 27th Edition of BLUSH Dream Magazine. Anggun was invited by Vatican to perform at Concerto di Natale : Ventinovesima XXIX Edizione in Auditorium della Conciliazione. She sang three songs, including "Silent Night"/"Malam Kudus" mash-up rendition alongside Francesca Michielin, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" with reggae icon Shaggy, and "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" alongside children choir called Piccolo Coro Le Dolci Note. She also performed at Christmas Contest held by TV2000 and sang her hit, "Snow on the Sahara".
Artistry and legacy
Anggun possesses a three-octave contralto voice, which has been described as "husky", "soulful", and "distinctive" by music critics. Chuck Taylor from Billboard commented: "Vocally, Anggun is a fortress of power, easing from a delicate whisper into a brand of cloud-parting fortitude commonly associated with grade-A divas." John Everson from The SouthtownStar noted that "Anggun is gifted with a warm, full voice that can tackle slight pop songs without overpowering them as well as swoop with depth and ease over heavier emotional numbers." Anggun received her first songwriting credit at the age of twelve on her debut album Dunia Aku Punya (1986). Anggun said, "I was writing songs all the time, but my specialty was classical piano and singing."
Anggun started as a rock singer in Indonesia, and was influenced by rock bands such as Guns N' Roses, Bon Jovi, and Megadeth. She was a big fan of Metallica. After her initial international success, she showed her versatility by changing her musical style for each album. Her later influences cover a wide range of styles from jazz to pop, extending from Joni Mitchell to Madonna. She told VOGUE Italia that she listened to wide range of artists from The Beatles to David Bowie, Billie Holiday to Leonard Cohen, up to Dave Grohl, P!nk and Bruno Mars. Anggun identified Nine Inch Nails's The Fragile (1999) as "the album that changed my life" and the band's frontman Trent Reznor as "the man of my musical life." Her other musical influences include Tracy Chapman, Sheila Chandra and Sting. Anggun, who studied Balinese dance since childhood, uses the traditional art in her performances.
Anggun's image has been compared to that of Pocahontas. Some international articles and magazines give a nickname for Anggun as "Indonesian Madonna (Madonna Indonésienne)". At the early stage of her career as a rock singer, Anggun was known for her tomboy look—wearing a crooked beret, shorts, studded jacket, and large belt; this set a trend during the early 1990s. Later, she has focused on her femininity and sexuality, emphasising her long black hair and brown skin. For this look she uses the work of fashion designers like Roberto Cavalli, Azzedine Alaïa, Jean Paul Gaultier, Dolce & Gabbana, and many more. Other couture fashion designers that Anggun often wears include Givenchy, Elie Saab, Victoria Beckham, Georges Chakra, Tony Ward, Blumarine, and Zuhair Murad. In 2001, Anggun was ranked No. 6 in a list of Sexiest Women of Asia by FHM magazine. Later in 2010, she was ranked at number 18 on the French version of FHMs list of 100 Sexiest Women in the World.
When promoting her first international album in the United States, she was reportedly offered a role as a Bond Girl in The World Is Not Enough, as well as in High Fidelity. Anggun declined to be labeled an actress and said, "I was born a singer. I won't go into another profession, because I think there are still many people out there who were born to be movie stars or models. My calling is music." As for commercials, she tends to be selective when choosing products to promote.
Anggun's success in Europe and America has been credited with helping other Asian singers such as Coco Lee, Hikaru Utada, and Tata Young. Malaysian singer Yuna asked Anggun for guidance when launching her recording career in the United States in 2011 and supporting each other career since then. Ian De Cotta from Singapore newspaper Today called her the "Voice of Asia" as well as "Southeast Asia's international singing sensation." Filipino music journalist Lionel Zivan S. Valdellon described Anggun as "a very good ambassadress for Indonesia and Asia in general". Regarding the role of Asia in the Western music industry, Anggun said "I think it's about time people know something more about Asia, not only as a vacation place."
Other activities
Philanthropy and activism
In 1997, Anggun joined Sidaction, a French organization to help fighting against AIDS. Among her charity projects were Solidays (featuring her collaboration with Peter Gabriel and several international acts) and charity concert Echoes of the Earth in 2000, Les voix de l'Espoir in 2001 and Gaia in 2002 (featuring a duet with Zucchero on the song "World"). In March 2001, she is one of the many performers of the title "Que serais-je demain?" as a member of the female collective Les voix de l'Espoir ( The Voice of Hope) created by Princess Erika in order to helped build a pan-African hospital in Dakar, Senegal. Anggun was involved in Global 200 by World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) to stop the degradation of the planet's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature and Anggun joined Solidays or in French called Solidarité Sida, the annual festival for raising money to help people with HIV/AIDS in Africa and also to prevent the disease. In 2003, Anggun was involved in Gaia Project, an environmental benefit project, to raise awareness about the preservation of the environment, and joined a charity concert called Le concert pour le paix.
In 2005, Anggun was a part of a humanitarian project to promote tolerance in Hammamet, Tunisia. Anggun promoted a micro-credit program to help to empower women in Indonesia, and many countries worldwide. This campaign was organized by United Nations. Anggun was one of many French singers to raise money to help Tsunami victims in Asia. She herself also visited Aceh for a couple of days after the tragedy. Anggun joined Music for Asia Charity Concert in Milan, Italy to raise money to help victims of Tsunami in Asia. She has been invited to perform "Être une femme" in a concert, called Tous egaux, tous en scene in La Zenith, Paris, to fight for racial discrimination. In February 2005, she performed her song, "Être une femme", with Lady Laistee in Ni Putes Ni Soumises Concert to celebrate women empowerment and feminism. In the same year, she performed "Don't Give Up" with Peter Gabriel on United Against Malaria Concert in Geneva, Switzerland.
She also participated on the 2006 Fight AIDS campaign in France with a collaborative track entitled "L'Or de nos vies" with several other French musicians. In 2006, 2008, and 2011, Anggun was a part of Concert pour la tolérance in Agadir, Morocco to promote a message of respect for others and differences, for peace, tolerance, fraternity, dialogue between cultures and for the fight against all forms of discrimination. Anggun was a part of a humanitarian project, Contre la SIDA, organized by Princess Stéphanie of Monaco, to raise money to help to fight against AIDS. She did a charity single with several female French stars, titled "Pour que tu sois libre".
During 2007, Anggun participated in several environmental projects. She became the French-language narrator of the BBC nature documentary film Earth (Un jour sur terre), an ecological documentary film by Alastair Fothergill produced by BBC Worldwide, and composed its soundtrack single, "Un jour sur terre". After the release of the movie, Disney announced the planting of around 2.7 million trees in endangered areas including the Amazonian forest. She was appointed as the Ambassador of the Micro-environment Prize by the French Ministry of Ecology and Sustainable Development and National Geographic Channel.
In 2009, Anggun went to Nangroe Aceh Darussalam, Indonesia to promote the importance of mangrove forests. Her work was filmed by Gulli TV and aired in Europe, Mon Arbre Pour La Vie Voyage Au Pays de Anggun (My Tree For Life Travel to the Country of Anggun). Anggun joined AIDES to raise money to help fighting AIDS. Anggun was a part of United Nations campaign in Copenhagen, Denmark helping to spread an awareness message worldwide and to raise the importance of the for leaders of the world to agree and work together on this key issue that is climate change. On 7 December 2009, she attended United Nations Climate Change conference (COP15) in Copenhagen, Denmark. She performed at Dance 4 Climate Change Concert. She sang two songs as soloist, "Snow on the Sahara" and "Stronger", and two songs as a duet, "Saviour" with Niels Brinck and "7 Seconds" with Youssou N'Dour.
In 2010, Anggun joined former President of United States, Bill Clinton, at the 2010 Clinton Global Initiative to kick off "a Healthy Hair for Healthy Water" campaign with another public figures, such as philanthropist & creator of United Nations Foundation Ted Turner and supermodel & activist Gisele Bündchen. This event was to help the CSDW (Children's Safe Drinking Water) achieve its dream to "save a life every hour" in the developing countries around the world by providing two billion liters of clean water every year by 2020. At the same year, she with Daniel Powter, Lara Fabian, M. Pokora, and several artists appeared and featured in Collect If Aides 25 Ans album, specifically in a song called If, to dedicated for all the victims of AIDS worldwide.
On 1 July 2011, she appeared on game show called N'oubliez pas les paroles!, a French version of international series Don't Forget the Lyrics! with Thierry Amiel where they won EU€50,000 and donated those prizes to Sidaction. In 2011, Anggun joined charity show marathon, called Téléthon. Over EU€86 millions have been collected so far to the benefit of the fight for children rare diseases, including muscular dystrophy syndrome. Anggun joined UNICEF campaign to help children in Africa. Anggun with Zlatan Ibrahimović and Nasser Al-Khelaifi attended the PSG's charity event Fondation du PSG in November 2013 to help children with need. This event succeed to collect funds around EU€190,000 or equivalent to US$221,191.35.
Anggun promoted a pressure to put an end against discrimination, child labor, forcing young girls into marriage, and prostitution at World Without Walls congress on 9 November 2014 in Berlin, Germany. Anggun, David Foster, Melanie C and Vanness Wu later collaborated on a cover version of Earth, Wind & Fire's "Let's Groove" as the charity single for Nepal earthquake relief. In 2015, Anggun became the ambassador of charity organization La Voix de l'enfant (The Voice of the Children). She joined ‘’The Pansy Project’’, a website to denounces the cruelty of homophobia actions against LGBT communities in the world, iniated by Paul Harfleet. This project also planted Pansy on locations where homophobia action was committed. She made through one of important newspaper in France Libération or so called Libé which she made a strong stands about supporting LGBT community, sent an open letter for President of Indonesia Joko Widodo about death sentence of Serge Atlaoui, told about her new album Toujours un ailleurs, her newest updates in life, and many more. She attended 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris. She met Indigenous Peoples' Alliance of Nusantara (AMAN) and Indonesia Nature Film Society (Infis) when she shares her views on indigenous peoples' rights, climate change and the role we all have to play in this short interview. She did an interview with advocacy group, If Not Us, Then Who?. She was appointed to be the narrator of a documentary film titled Our Fight which broadcast through this event and France featuring stories from Kalimantan and Sumatra. She joined a campaigned called Une bonne claque by short clip for COP21 which aired on France 2. She told how we can contribute to the environment by giving little tips that help the Earth from climate change. Anggun went to Madagascar to help children with chronic diseases to get medical treatment with Aviation Sans Frontières. She attended at 2016 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP22) in Marrakech, Morocco. She sang "La Neige au Sahara" and "Cesse la pluie", also did a duet with Youssou N'Dour for the fourth time on his song titled "7 Seconds".
Anggun alongside singer Monsieur Nov, actor Frédéric Chau, PSG goalkeeper Alphonse Areola, rugby player François Trinh-Duc, journalist Émilie Tran Nguyen & Raphaël Yem, chef Pierre Sang, entrepreneur Paul Duan and other Asian origin-French personalities joined a campaign clip called #Asiatiquesdefrance initiated by France 2 journalist Hélène Lam Trong and produced by journalist Mélissa Theuriau to stop Asian hate and to fight against Asian stereotyping in France. In May 2017, she attended a charity event titled The Global Gift Gala, which was held by Eva Longoria Charity Organization and The Eva Longoria Foundation with UNICEF and The Global Gift Foundation collaboration, in Paris. Anggun joined the panel of judges for the Picture This Festival for the Planet short film competition. In the event new filmmakers, storytellers, and those who feel they can change the whole world, will compete with each other. The announcement of Anggun's involvement was conveyed by Sony Pictures Television Networks (SPTN) in collaboration with the United Nations Foundation. On the Picture This Festival for the Planet judges panel, there was Anggun together with actress and advocate Megan Boone from TV series The Blacklist, President of United Nations Foundation Elizabeth Cousens, MD & CEO of Sony Pictures Networks India N. P. Singh, co-presidents & founders of Sony Pictures Classics Tom Bernard & Michael Barker, U.S. President & Chief Creative Officer of WeTransfer Damian Bradfield, as well as other prominent industry & environmental activism leaders.
In April 2018, Anggun with Milène Guermont, Axelle Red, soprano Pilar Jurado, Sylvie Hoarau from Brigitte, French rock group Blankass, Joyce Jonathan, Irish singer Eleanor McEvoy, and German composer Alexander Zuckowski joined Transfer of Value/Value Gap press conference with the members of the European Parliament Virginie Rozière, Silvia Costa and Axel Voss, also European Grouping of Societies of Authors and Composers (GESAC) & Société des auteurs, compositeurs et éditeurs de musique (SACEM) delegates. They discussed about this topic and copyright problems with President of Institute for Digital Fundamental (IDF) Rights Jean-Marie Cavada. Anggun and those artists later on joined mass online campaign titled #MakeInternetFair. This main action was to ensure that user upload platforms, like YouTube, Facebook and SoundCloud properly share the revenues they generate with the songwriters and composers whose musical works they use, addressing the so called ‘transfer of value’ or ‘value gap’. On 17 June 2018, she was performing with French composer and musician François Meïmoun at Centre Pompidou for 55th Anniversary of Fédération Française Sésame Autisme, is a French non-profit association of parents of children and adults with autism. On 26 June 2018, she was officially participating #TheFreaks, a collective of 68 French artists, such as Zazie, Pascal Obispo, and more, who are sensitive to the defense of the environment and the protection of our ecosystems. This was an initiative action from French electro-rock band Shaka Ponk. Therefore, they committed to adopting new behaviors to fight over-consumption, pollution, global warming and protect biodiversity.
On 19 January 2019, she performed at the Teatro Odeon, Ponsacco to helped campaign of charity music event Monte Serra by Music for Life Association with another artists such as Matteo Becucci and Jonathan Canini. In March 2019, Anggun alongside Yann Arthus-Bertrand, Paul Lynch, Zaz, Kate Atkinson, Joanna Trollope, and more than 450 artists, authors, writers, also journalists all over Europe signed the petition & open letter to European Parliament in Strasbourg. The open letter forced the Parliament to think more about the future of copyright and protection for European creators with strict regulations. Anggun and those artists-journalists held a campaign #Yes2Copyright to raise awareness among European citizen about the importance and consequences of this problem. On 5 July 2019, she staged a charity concert, called Gemilang 30 Tahun at the Tennis Indoor Stadium in Senayan, Central Jakarta, and sponsored by consumer goods producer P&G, the concert's theme is titled, Unify the Tunes, Make Indonesian Children's Dreams Come True. According to a post on the Instagram account of children's welfare foundation @savechildren_id, the funds be used to construct 100 classrooms in schools affected by natural disasters in Palu and Donggala in Central Sulawesi, Lombok in West Nusa Tenggara, Sumba Island in East Nusa Tenggara and West Java. Donations collected from this concert are IDR3,060,000,000 or equals to US$218,560.50. As the part of charity event, Anggun auctioned off his shoes which are products from designer Christian Louboutin type 'circus city spiked cutout gold' which has an initial price of US$1,295. Anggun committed to reversing the biodiversity loss curve by joining WWF France #PasLeDernier campaign. Anggun joined WWF Indonesia collaboration's campaign and awareness program to protect Sumatran elephant, called A Night for Wildlife Preservation in Indonesia, on 13 November 2019 at Embassy of Indonesia, Paris. There were Muslim, Gayo elephant activist, Indonesian singer and founder of Teman Gajah (Friend of Elephant) Tulus, 2019-2021 Indonesian Ambassador to France Arrmanatha Christiawan Nasir, and Paris Peace Forum steering committee Yenny Wahid.
On 17 July 2020, she became leader of the panelist or investigateur, while Cartman and Chris Marques were the member of her team, on television reality show Good Singers, an adapted Korean television program I Can See Your Voice. She won EU€28,500 or equivalent to US$33,082.77 and she donated those prize to Aviation Sans Frontières. Another team was led by Amir while Julie Zenatti and Titoff were the member of his team. She performed a song "Lady Marmalade" with legendary cabaret dance troupe Moulin Rouge on 25 June 2020 at TV special for charity event 100 ans de comédies musicales : les stars chantent pour Sidaction to fight against AIDS, even though COVID-19 pandemic was roaming. In December 2020, she shared a video from The Pansy Project (Les Pensées de Paul), which was a 2015 documentary film by English artist-activist Paul Harfleet that denounces homophobia and violence against the LGBT community. The film was directed by Jean-Baptiste Erreca. Anggun was a cameo in the promotional trailer of the documentary and her song, called "Try", was chosen to be the soundtrack of the documentary.
In April 2021, Anggun alongside 35 French celebrities, such as Patrice Leconte, Iris Mittenaere, Chimene Badi, Ibrahim Maalouf and more, joined solidarity raffle held by Laurette Fugain Association, an association that aims to fight leukemia. It owes its name to Laurette Fugain, the daughter of Stéphanie and Michel Fugain, who died in 2002 cause of this disease at the age of 22. To joined this raffle, the persons had to buy one or more EU€10 tickets donation from 31 March to 31 May 2021. If they got lucky and win this raffle, each one of the winners got the chance to meet one of those celebrities in person. On 14 June 2021, she was invited to perform in order to support and celebrate World Blood Donor Day 2021 at Auditorium Parco della Musica in Rome, Italy. At that event, she sang three songs and was appointed as an International Ambassador of the Blood Donors by WHO, Ministry of Health and President of the Republic.
Anggun performed in Aquileia as her continued Italia tour. This tour concert was part of Le Note del Dono project to celebrated the anniversary of Fratres group which the idea of this project came from Italian artistic director Marco Vanni. This project aims to promote, through music, the culture of total donation, such as blood, blood components, organs, tissues, stem cells, cord, and medulla - which style of life that safeguards health and well-being and that is moved by human solidarity, civic conscience and, for those who believe, by charity. The donation of a country's biological material is an index of civilization and every gift is a free human drug that saves lives. On 25 August 2021, Anggun joined Italy solidarity event, Mattone del cuore, held by Paolo Brosio's Olimpiadi del Cuore Association and Fondazione della Nazionale Cantanti in Forte dei Marmi. This event was held for Italian families in difficulty after COVID-19 who may have dependent people with physical or mental disability or associations that deal with psychic or physical disabled people, and in part to the great project Mattone del Cuore Primo Pronto Soccorso di Medjiugorie (Bosnia Erzegovina) and in third world countries for the care and assistance of children patients with leukemia and blood cancers to treat them directly in their countries and in their hospitals with the assistance of the best specialists in the world. A project managed by the Cure2Children Association of Florence. Anggun and several French celebrities joined donation campaign called Winter Time 2021 which held by Imagine For Margo - Children Without Cancer Association and Comité du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. She donated her pair of shoes which designed by Christian Louboutin. Anggun made a visit to a special need public school, namely Sekolah Luar Biasa Negeri Pembina in Jayapura, in order to support the teacher, parents, and disability students there as solidarity campaign and social project for 2021 National Paralympic Week.
Ambassadorship
She was appointed as the spokesperson for the International Year of Microcredit, a United Nations program aimed at eradicating debt in the third world, In 2009, Anggun was appointed as the Goodwill Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), part of the United Nations. On 15 October 2009, she performed on the occasion of the World Food Day Ceremony at UN headquarters Plenary Hall in New York, New York. She attended Rome Film Festival on the next day and spoke as UN Goodwill Ambassador at TeleFood Campaign Against Hunger in The World. Anggun as FAO Goodwill Ambassador have been named by the United Nations as MDG Champions on 1 September 2010. The announcement was made at UN headquarters in New York. FAO Goodwill Ambassadors, such as Italian actor Raoul Bova, Canadian singer Céline Dion, Filipino singer Lea Salonga and American actress Susan Sarandon, spoke with one voice in an urgent appeal on behalf of the more than one billion people living in chronic hunger worldwide. Anggun, who has also appeared in a French film, promoted one of the campaigns she participated in, namely 1 Billion Hungry Project. The '1 Billion Hungry Project is also a program from FAO from the United Nations to raise our awareness that in 2010, there were 925 million people who were still hungry. This campaign asks the public to sign a petition to pressure government leaders to be more active in eradicating poverty. According to Anggun, by word of mouth promotion or through social networks will increase the number of signatures for this petition. “Spread the words! Anyway, I will always tweet, I will always post on Facebook, just to wake the people up in everywhere," said Anggun. She also performed "Snow on the Sahara" at the campaign's concert on 19 September 2010 in New York. She got an interview with CNN to talk about this campaign on the same date. American former athlete Carl Lewis and Anggun will be joining other celebrities in support of the MDG Summit to be held in New York on 22 September 2010. The UN Summit in New York on 20–22 September will bring together close to 150 Heads of State and Government, joined by leaders from the private sector, foundations and civil society, and celebrities, to commit to an action agenda to achieve the MDGs. In November 2011, she made a speech at UN Summit in China.
Writing
Anggun wrote her views on several issues, especially in Indonesia. She shared those columns on online platforms Qureta.com and DW. She got more than 150,000 online readers. Mostly she discussed social, humanity, and tolerance topics. On Qureta.com, she uploaded four writings and all in Bahasa:
"Feminisme dan Solidaritas Maskulin (Feminism and Masculine Solidarity)"
"Histeria Go-International (Go-International Hysteria)"
"Cinta adalah Hak Asasi Manusia (Love is a Human Right)"
"Indonesia dan Sejumlah Klise (Indonesia and Some Clichés)"
On DW, she wrote an article titled "Komunisme dan Emosi Yang Bertautan di Indonesia (Communism and Emotions Are Linked in Indonesia)" and also it uploaded in Bahasa.
Personal life
Anggun was raised a Muslim:
At the same time she notes that she is not inclined to have a rigid point of view about religion and tends more and more to Buddhism without, in essence, breaking with religious belief. In recognising her disposition to Buddhism, Anggun stresses that her transition to another religious stance should not be a concern of other people. She makes it a requirement to admit religious toleration and insists on a separation of religious faith from the basic regulative principle for the individual:
For me, the most important thing is not what religion you believe in but how you do things, how you live your life.
Your belief doesn't determine whether you're a good person or not—your behavior does.
Anggun has been married four times. Her first marriage, in 1992, was to Michel Georgea, a French engineer. Since he was her manager, Anggun was reproached in Indonesia for allegedly marrying to advance her career. Her second husband was Louis-Olivier Maury (born March 1971) whom she met in Canada. They married in 2004. After her marriage to Olivier Maury ended in 2006, Anggun began a relationship with French writer Cyril Montana, whom she eventually married. She gave birth to her first child, a daughter named Kirana Cipta Montana, on 8 November 2007. She and Montana got divorced in 2015. On 16 August 2018 Anggun married for the fourth time in Ubud, Bali with a German musician and photographer, Christian Kretschmar.
Besides Indonesian, her native language, Anggun is fluent in French and English.
2015 Paris burglary incident
According to Closer, Anggun's apartment in Paris was robbed by burglars on 18 September 2015 when she was not in Paris. The burglars have stolen jewelry and high value items for a total amount of around EU€250,000 or equivalent to US$291,376.25.
Backing band
Current members
Fabrice Ach – bassist, backing vocals (2001–present)
Olivier Freche – lead guitarist, rhythm guitarist, backing vocals (2004–2011, 2013–present)
Jean-Marie Négozio – keyboardist, backing vocals (2003, 2006–present)
Olivier Baldissera – drummer, percussionist (2008–present)
Stéphane Escoms – back-up keyboardist, backing vocals (2020 (on Italia & Russia tour concerts)–present)
Former members
Patrick Buchmann – drummer, percussionist, backing vocals (1997–2004)
Nicolas-Yvan Mingot – lead guitarist (1997–2000)
Yannick Hardouin – bassist (1997–2001)
Patrice Clémentin – keyboardist (1997–2002)
Cyril Tarquiny – lead guitarist, rhythm guitarist, backing vocals (2001–2003, 2006–2007, 2010–2012, 2020 (on Russia tour))
Gilard – keyboardist, backing vocals (2004–2005)
Claude Sarragossa – drummer, percussionist (2005–2007)
Romain Berrodier – back-up keyboardist, backing vocals (2014–2015)
Frédéric Degré – back-up drummer (2019 (on Prambanan Jazz Festival and Gemilang 30 Tahun Concert))
In popular culture
Anggun became the first Indonesian woman to be immortalized in wax by Madame Tussauds in 2016. Located in its Bangkok museum, Anggun's statue joined that of Sukarno, the first President of Indonesia. A cocktail named after "Anggun" in Bar 228, Hôtel Meurice de Calais, Paris. It made of Bacardi rum, mango coulis, coconut milk, and pineapple juice.
Discography
Studio albums
Dunia Aku Punya (1986)
Anak Putih Abu Abu (1991)
Nocturno (1992)
Anggun C. Sasmi... Lah!!! (1993)
Snow on the Sahara (1997)
Chrysalis (2000)
Luminescence (2005)
Elevation (2008)
Echoes (2011)
Toujours un ailleurs (2015)
8 (2017)
Filmography
Film
Silent Night: A Song for the World (2020)
Raya and the Last Dragon (Raya et le dernier Dragon) (2021)
Television
X Factor Indonesia (2013)
Indonesia's Got Talent (2014)
Asia's Got Talent (2017)
The Voice Indonesia (2019)
Les Années bonheur (2019)
Mask Singer (Le Chanteur Masqué) (2019)
300 choeurs pour + de vie (2020)
Coup de foudre à Bangkok (2020)
Léo Mattéï, Brigade des mineurs (2022)
Accolades
2001: ranked No. 6 in a list of the Sexiest Women of Asia by FHM magazine.
2010: FHM 100 Sexiest Women in the World
Bibliography
See also
List of Indonesian musicians and musical groups
List of artists who reached number one on the Italian Singles Chart
References
External links
FAO Goodwill Ambassador website
Anugerah Musik Indonesia winners
Chevaliers of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
English-language singers from Indonesia
Eurovision Song Contest entrants of 2012
Eurovision Song Contest entrants for France
20th-century French women singers
Indonesian emigrants to France
21st-century Indonesian women singers
Indonesian rock singers
Indonesian Buddhists
Indo people
Javanese people
Converts to Buddhism from Islam
Living people
Naturalized citizens of France
Singers from Jakarta
Singers from Paris
World Music Awards winners
FAO Goodwill ambassadors
Warner Music Group artists
LGBT rights activists from Indonesia
20th-century Indonesian women singers
21st-century French women singers
1974 births
| false |
[
"Vintage Country: Old But Treasured is a studio album by American country music artist Jeannie Seely. It was released February 1, 2011 on Cheyenne Records and was produced by Seely. The album was a collection of classic country songs that had previously been cut by other music artists. It was Seely's first studio album since 2003 and her fifteenth studio album released during her career.\n\nBackground and content\nAccording to Seely, she performed the songs on Vintage Country: Old But Treasured in her own interpretations. \"In recording this CD, it wasn't my intention to 'cover' any of these great performances by some of the most talented artists of our time, but rather to do these wonderful songs in the way I hear and feel them...for me,\" she commented in the album liner notes. In a 2011 interview, she explained her rationale for naming the album. \"I wanted to call this project Vintage Country because the 'Vintage' part means 'old, but treasured',\" she said.\n\nThe album consisted of 12 tracks. The 12 tracks were all cut at the Hilltop Studio, a recording venue located in Madison, Tennessee. Seely praised the venue in the liner notes, calling it \"a studio whose doors have never been closed.\" The sessions were produced by Seely herself, her third studio album to be self-produced. The project included covers of songs by both male and female country artists between the 1950s and 1970s. The tenth track, \"Blanket on the Ground\", was first recorded by Billie Jo Spears, whom Seely performed with on occasion. \"Billie Jo and I shared many memorable moments during our heyday, we had such a good time reminiscing when we toured Ireland together recently. I haven't stopped humming 'Blanket' since then,\" she commented. She was inspired to record \"Funny How Time Slips Away\" following a tribute performance to Billy Walker, the song's original artist. Two duet recordings are also featured on the project.\n\nRelease and reception\nVintage Country was released on February 1, 2011 on Cheyenne Records. The label was a company created by Seely herself. Vintage Country was issued as both a compact disc and a music download. The album did not receive any placements on any Billboard charts following its release. However, the album did receive positive reviews by music critics and writers. Nashville Music Guide called the album a set of \"classic country songs\", highlighting the tunes \"Funny How Time Slips Away\" and \"What a Way to Live\".\n\nTrack listing\n\nPersonnel\nAll credits are adapted from the liner notes of Vintage Country: Old But Treasured.\n\nMusical personnel\n Tim Atwood – piano, duet vocals\n Danny Davis – bass, duet vocals\n Dug Grieves – guitar, session leader\n Jerry Ray Johnston – drums\n Roger Morris – piano\n Dawn Sears – background vocals\n Kenny Sears – fiddle\n Jeannie Seely – lead vocals\n Tommy White – steel guitar\n\nTechnical personnel \n Hatcher & Fell – cover photo\n Ron Harman – design\n John Nicholson – engineering\n Jeannie Seely – producer\n\nRelease history\n\nReferences\n\n2011 albums\nAlbums produced by Jeannie Seely\nJeannie Seely albums",
"Who Really Cares, released in 1969, is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Janis Ian, and her last for Verve Forecast. Unlike her previous three albums, Who Really Cares was produced not by Shadow Morton but by Charles Calello, who had attracted attention for producing Laura Nyro's Eli and the Thirteenth Confession a year earlier. The title was taken from Ian's first book of poetry, published shortly after the album's release.\n\nAt the time she made Who Really Cares, Janis Ian was in a crisis following her initial success with \"Society's Child\". She had attempted suicide, taken cocaine with Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin and seen her parents split as she moved into her own apartment. Her previous album The Secret Life of J. Eddy Fink failed to dent the Billboard albums chart due partly to an unsupportive Verve and partly to her audience moving away from the depressing tone of her albums. She also was originally asked to compose the music for the film Four Rode Out but never did so.\n\nWho Really Cares was almost entirely ignored by the music press upon its release in fall 1969 and failed to return Ian to the top 200, and her contract with Verve was consequently not renewed.\n\nDuring her period of prominence in the 1970s, Janis Ian distanced herself from her Verve albums, calling them \"a tax write-off for Verve\", and saying specifically that Who Really Cares \"did not contain enough protest songs\". Apart from one encore performance of \"Time on My Hands\" at the Long Center in Scranton, Pennsylvania, on October 29 of 1974, she is not known to have performed anything from Who Really Cares since 1972, nor has the album ever been represented on any of her career compilations.\n\nTrack listing\n\nReferences\n\n1969 albums\nJanis Ian albums\nAlbums produced by Charles Calello\nVerve Records albums"
] |
[
"Anggun",
"1974-1993: Early life and career in Indonesia",
"Where was Anggun born?",
"Anggun was born and raised in Jakarta",
"Did she have any siblings?",
"She is the second child",
"When did she start singing?",
"At the age of seven, Anggun began receiving highly disciplined instruction in singing from her father.",
"Where was her first performance?",
"I don't know.",
"Did she release any music during this time period?",
"At the age of twelve, she released her first official studio album, Dunia Aku Punya (1986)."
] |
C_aa49f4724631400ab4337ca8a6d39e30_1
|
What was the critics response to that album?
| 6 |
What was the critics response to Anggun's first album, Dunia Aku Punya released in 1986?
|
Anggun
|
Anggun was born and raised in Jakarta to a native Indonesian family. She is the second child and first daughter of Darto Singo, a Javanese writer, and Dien Herdina, a housewife from the Yogyakartan royal family. Her full name means "grace born of a dream" in Balinese. Despite being a Muslim, Anggun was sent to a Catholic school to receive a better elementary education. At the age of seven, Anggun began receiving highly disciplined instruction in singing from her father. She trained daily, learning various vocal techniques. To help further develop her career, her mother began serving as her manager, accepting singing offers and handling business concerns. At the age of nine, Anggun began to write her own songs and recorded her first children's album. As a preteen, Anggun was influenced by Western rock music artists. At the age of twelve, she released her first official studio album, Dunia Aku Punya (1986). The album was produced by Ian Antono, an Indonesian rock musician. However, the album failed to establish her popularity. Three years later, Anggun achieved some fame after the release of the single "Mimpi"; the song was later ranked by the Rolling Stone Indonesia magazine as one of the 150 Greatest Indonesian Songs of All Time. Anggun's fame continued to increase with the release of subsequent singles, most notably "Tua Tua Keladi" (1990), which became her most popular hit in Indonesia. After a string of successful singles, Anggun released the studio albums Anak Putih Abu Abu (1991) and Nocturno (1992). The former earned her the Most Popular Indonesian Artist 1990-1991 award. In 1992, Anggun began a relationship with Michel de Gea, a French engineer, whom she had met the year before in Kalimantan while touring. The couple married, despite a rumoured objection by Anggun's family, reportedly because they felt Anggun was too young . Georgea later became Anggun's manager. The following year, Anggun became the youngest Indonesian singer to found her own record company, Bali Cipta Records, and took complete creative control over her work. She produced her final Indonesian studio album, Anggun C. Sasmi... Lah!!! (1993), which yielded the number-one single "Kembalilah Kasih (Kita Harus Bicara)". By age nineteen, Anggun had sold over four million albums in Indonesia. She began to feel dissatisfied with her success in her country and began considering an international music career. Anggun later recalled: "[By the time] I was 20, I'd made five albums. I'd built my own record company. I'd produced my last album and produced some Indonesian acts as well. And I said to myself: 'I'm tired! I cannot achieve more than I already have. There's no challenge anymore'." CANNOTANSWER
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CANNOTANSWER
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Anggun Cipta Sasmi (), Anggun C. Sasmi or known mononymously as Anggun, is an Indonesian-born French singer-songwriter and television personality. Born in Jakarta, she began performing at the age of seven and recorded a children's album two years later. With the help of Indonesian producer Ian Antono, Anggun released her first rock-influenced studio album, Dunia Aku Punya in 1986. She became further well known with the single "Mimpi" (1989), which was listed as one of the 150 Greatest Indonesian Songs of All Time by Rolling Stone. She followed it with a series of singles and three more studio albums, which established her as one of the most prominent Indonesian female rock stars of the early 1990s.
Anggun left Indonesia in 1994 to pursue an international career. After two years struggling in London and Paris, she met French producer Erick Benzi, who produced her first international album, Snow on the Sahara (1997). Released in 33 countries, it became the best-selling album by an Asian artist outside Asia. Since then, Anggun has released another six studio albums as well as a soundtrack album to the Danish film Open Hearts (2002). Her singles, "Snow on the Sahara", "What We Remember", and "The Good Is Back", entered the Billboard charts in the United States, while "In Your Mind", "Saviour" and "I'll Be Alright" charted on the Billboard European Hot 100 Singles. France in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 in Baku, Azerbaijan, with the song "Echo (You and I)". Anggun also ventured into television, becoming the judge for the pancontinental Asia's Got Talent, the French version of Masked Singer, as well as the Indonesian versions of The X Factor, Got Talent, and The Voice.
Anggun is one of the Asian artists with the highest album sales outside Asia, with her releases being certified gold and platinum in some European countries. She is the first Indonesian artist to have success in European and American record charts. She has received a number of accolades for her achievements, including the Chevalier des Arts et Lettres from the Government of France, the World Music Award for World's Best-Selling Indonesian Artist, and the Asian Television Award for Outstanding Contribution to Asian Television Performing Arts. She also became the first Indonesian woman to be immortalized in wax by Madame Tussauds. Aside from her musical career, Anggun has been appointed as the global ambassador of the United Nations twice, first for the International Year of Microcredit in 2005 and then for the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 2009 onwards.
Life and career
1974–1993: Early life and career in Indonesia
Anggun was born and raised in Jakarta. She is the second child and first daughter of Darto Singo, a Javanese writer, and Dien Herdina, a housewife from the Yogyakartan royal family. Her full name means "grace born of a dream" in Balinese. Despite being a Muslim, Anggun was sent to a Catholic school to receive a better elementary education. At the age of seven, Anggun began receiving highly disciplined instruction in singing from her father. She trained daily, learning various vocal techniques. To help further develop her career, her mother began serving as her manager, accepting singing offers and handling business concerns. At the age of eleven, Anggun began to write her own songs and recorded her first children's album.
As a preteen, Anggun was influenced by Western rock music artists. At the age of fourteen, she released her first official studio album, Dunia Aku Punya (1986). The album was produced by Ian Antono, an Indonesian rock musician. However, the album failed to establish her popularity. Three years later, Anggun achieved some fame after the release of the single "Mimpi"; the song was later ranked by the Rolling Stone Indonesia magazine as one of the 150 Greatest Indonesian Songs of All Time. Anggun's fame continued to increase with the release of subsequent singles, most notably "Tua Tua Keladi" (1990), which became her most popular hit in Indonesia. After a string of successful singles, Anggun released the studio albums Anak Putih Abu Abu (1991) and Nocturno (1992). The former earned her the Most Popular Indonesian Artist 1990–1991 award.
In 1992, Anggun began a relationship with Michel Georgea, a French engineer, whom she had met the year before in Kalimantan while touring. The couple married, despite a rumoured objection by Anggun's family, reportedly because they felt Anggun was too young . Georgea later became Anggun's manager. The following year, Anggun became the youngest Indonesian singer to found her own record company, Bali Cipta Records, and took complete creative control over her work. She produced her final Indonesian studio album, Anggun C. Sasmi... Lah!!! (1993), which yielded the number-one single "Kembalilah Kasih (Kita Harus Bicara)". By age nineteen, Anggun had sold over four million albums in Indonesia. She began to feel dissatisfied with her success in her country and began considering an international music career. Anggun later recalled: "[By the time] I was 20, I'd made five albums. I'd built my own record company. I'd produced my last album and produced some Indonesian acts as well. And I said to myself: 'I'm tired! I cannot achieve more than I already have. There's no challenge anymore'."
1994–1996: Beginnings in Europe
In 1994, Anggun released Yang Hilang, a greatest hits album of her Indonesian hits. She later sold her record company to fund her move to Europe, and moved to London for about a year. In a 2006 interview with Trax magazine, Anggun admitted to experiencing "culture shock" and having some serious financial problems while trying to start her new life in Europe, saying "I thought the money that I got by selling my record company was enough [to sustain life in London], but I began to lose money, little by little. I had to spend so much on taking cabs and eating! So I ended up taking buses everywhere and going to clubs to introduce myself as a singer." She also admitted that she "had to convert from being a shy, introverted, 'real' Javanese woman to being an unabashed, fearless, 'fake' Javanese woman."
She began writing songs and recording demos, but after a few months, all the demos she had sent to record companies around the UK were returned with negative replies. She began thinking about moving to another country, and initially considered moving to the Netherlands, but later decided on France. In 1996, her international career began to advance; she was introduced to producer Erick Benzi, who had previously worked with Celine Dion, Jean-Jacques Goldman and Johnny Hallyday, by one of music legends in France named Florent Pagny. Later, Anggun learned from Florent Pagny about how a French artist acted on stage and communicated with audiences by accompanied him on his concerts and shows. Instantly, he became Anggun's mentor. Impressed by Anggun's talent, Benzi immediately offered her a recording deal. Later that year, Anggun was signed to Columbia France and Sony Music Entertainment. After a brief French course at Alliance Française, Anggun began working on her debut album with Benzi, alongside Jacques Veneruso, Gildas Arzel and Nikki Matheson.
1997–1999: Snow on the Sahara and international success
Erick Benzi wrote her a first song, "La Rose des vents", then an album called Anggun whose flagship title, La Neige au Sahara, was chosen as the first single. This launched his career and allowed him to become known to the general public. The album was first released in Japan in 1997 by Columbia, a subsidiary of Sony Music. This version includes nineteen songs, three of which are in French. It was published in France in 1998 with sixteen songs including fifteen in French. Finally in 1999, it was released in the United States under the title Snow on the Sahara with only eleven songs, all in English. The album is marketed in 35 countries and Anggun ensures the promotion (United States, Indonesia, Italy, etc.) for three years. She is accompanied by a group of French musicians composed of Patrick Buchmann (drums, percussion, vocals), Nicolas-Yvan Mingot (guitar), Yannick Hardouin (bass) and Patrice Clémentin (keyboards). Worldwide sales of the record exceed 900,000 copies and it is certified as a "double gold record".
Following in June 1997, Anggun released her first French-language album, entitled Au nom de la lune. The album was a huge artistic departure from Anggun's earlier rock style, experimenting with world music and more adult contemporary sounds. Anggun described the album as "a concentration of all the musical influences of my life. I want to introduce Indonesia, but in a progressive way, in a lyric, in a sound, and mainly through me." The album's first single, "La neige au Sahara", quickly became a hit in France, peaking at number 1 on the French Airplay Chart and number 16 on the French Singles Chart. It became the most played single in France of 1997, with a total of 7,900 radio airplays, and was certified gold for shipment of 250,000 copies. Two more commercial singles, "La rose des vents" and "Au nom de la lune", were released to modest chart success. The album peaked at number 34 on the French Albums Chart and sold over 150,000 copies in France and Belgium. Anggun received a nomination for the La révélation de l'année award (Revelation of the Year/Best New Artist) in Victoires de la Musique (a Grammy Award-equivalent in the French music scene). She attended and performed her song on French TV show, Tapis rouge, and Céline Dion also attended as guest. They met each other in person for the first time and they sang Aretha Franklin's hits, Chain of Fools and (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman together alongside other guest stars.
The English version of the album, Snow on the Sahara, was released internationally in 33 countries throughout Asia, Europe, and America between late 1997 and early 1999. The album contained the songs on Au nom de la lune, adapted to English by songwriter Nikki Matheson, and a cover version of the David Bowie hit "Life on Mars?". For the Southeast Asian market, Anggun included an Indonesian song, "Kembali", which became a huge hit in the region. American music critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic called the album "a promising debut effort" because "she illustrates enough full-formed talent on the disc". According to Erlewine, Anggun "tackles polished ballads, Latin-pop and dance-pop on Snow on the Sahara, demonstrating that she can sing all the styles quite well." The album's first single, "Snow on the Sahara" was a commercial success, reaching number one in Italy, Spain and several countries in Asia, and the top five on the UK Club Chart. The song was also used as the soundtrack for an international marketing campaign launched by the Swiss watchmaker Swatch. Snow on the Sahara has sold over 1.5 million copies worldwide and received the Diamond Export Sales Award.
In North America, Snow on the Sahara was released in May 1998 by Epic Records. Anggun went on an extensive tour for nine months in the United States to promote the album, including as a supporting act for several artists such as The Corrs and Toni Braxton, as well as participating at the Lilith Fair (performing with Sarah McLachlan and Erykah Badu on stage). She also appeared on American television programs such as The Rosie O'Donnell Show, Sessions at West 54th, Penn & Teller's Sin City Spectacular, and received a CNN WorldBeat interview; she was also given coverage in printed media like Rolling Stone and Billboard. However, Snow on the Sahara was not much of a commercial success in the United States. The album peaked at number 23 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums Chart and shipped 200,000 units. The single reached number 16 on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play and number 22 on the Billboard Adult Top 40. Nevertheless, Sarah Brightman did a cover version of "Snow on the Sahara" song on her The Harem World Tour: Live from Las Vegas album in 2004. Also in 2008, Italian singer Ilaria Porceddu covered that song on her debut album called Suono naturale. The album track "On the Breath of an Angel" was later used as the soundtrack of American television series Passions and television film The Princess and the Marine, both of which aired on NBC.
2000–2003: Chrysalis, Open Hearts, and collaborations
In 1999, Anggun ended her seven-year marriage to Michel Georgea; this inspired her to record another studio album. Her second French album, Désirs contraires, was released in September 1999. It was an artistic departure from Au nom de la lune, experimenting with electropop and ambient elements as well as R&B music. The album was again produced by Erick Benzi, but it featured some of Anggun's compositions. Désirs contraires failed to repeat the success of the previous album. It peaked at number 48 on the French Albums Chart and sold about 30,000 copies in France. Only two singles were released off the album: the tropical-sounding "Un geste d'amour" and the R&B-influenced "Derrière la porte". Both singles failed to achieve commercial success, although "Un geste d'amour" reached number 62 on the French Singles Chart.
It was the English version of the album that enjoyed more success. Chrysalis was released at the same time as Désirs contraires and represented a huge artistic growth for Anggun, who had co-written the entire album. Distributed simultaneously in 15 countries, the album was never released in the United States due to the lackluster sales of her first album. The album spawned the hit single "Still Reminds Me", which received high airplay across Asia and Europe. It became her third number-one hit in Indonesia since her international career and her third top 20 single in Italy (peaking at number 17). It also reached the top five on the Music & Media European Border Breakers Chart. She released a single especially for the Indonesian and Malaysian market, "Yang 'Ku Tunggu" (the Indonesian version of "Un geste d'amour"), which became another number-one hit for Anggun in the region.
In 2000, Anggun presented her second album, still under the aegis of Erick Benzi, Desires Contraires. The record received little promotion and went relatively unnoticed in France. It has exported well, especially to Indonesia (platinum record) and Italy (gold record). The album was released under the name Chrysalis in fifteen Asian countries simultaneously, including Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Japan. The song Tu nages on the track list of Désirs Contraires was also performed by Céline Dion on her album Une fille et quatre types in 2003. She then made a mini-tour of ten dates inaugurated at La Cigale on February 1, 2001, her first French stage. She announced her departure from her first label in January 2003, then moved to Montreal, Canada, to meet up with her then fiancé. She toured Indonesia and chose to accompany her the young Julian Cely, who had become her musical godson. At the end of 2000 Anggun received an invitation from the Vatican, asking her to appear at a special Christmas concert alongside Bryan Adams and Dionne Warwick. For the event, she gave her renditions of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" as well as "Still Reminds Me". Her performance was also included on the Noël au Vatican disc compilation. The following month, she started a tour across Asia and Europe, including her first-ever concert in France at Le Bataclan on 1 February 2001. The tour ended on 30 April 2001 at Kallang Theatre, Singapore. In 2002, Anggun received the Women Inspire Award from Singapore's Beacon of Light award ceremony for "her achievements as a role model for many young women in Asia." On 2 April 2002, she held her Russia concert at State Concert Hall of the Tchaikovsky. The next year, she was honored with Cosmopolitan Indonesias Fun Fearless Female of the Year Award. Anggun had an interview with VOGUE Deutsch, Germany edition of VOGUE for a rubric called Vogue Trifft.
During this period, Anggun also did a string of collaborations, soundtrack projects, and charity albums. These included a mixed French-English song with DJ Cam entitled "Summer in Paris" (which later became a club hit in Europe and Asia for both artists) on his 2001 album, Soulshine; an Indonesian-English song with Deep Forest entitled "Deep Blue Sea" on their 2002 album, Music Detected; and three collaborations in 2003, including with Italian rock singers Piero Pelù, Serge Lama and Tri Yann. Her duet with Piero Pelù on an Italian-English song entitled "Amore immaginato" became a hit in Italy, spending over two months at the top of Italian Airplay Chart, and sung it at Italian Music Awards in 2003. Anggun also collaborated with Bryan Adams in writing a song entitled "Walking Away" which remains unreleased for unknown reason. The same year, her song On the Breath of an Angel, composed by her with Jacques Veneruso, Nikki Matheson was interpreted and adapted in Vietnamese by Mỹ Tâm in 2001. This title is engraved on the first album of the latter Mãi Yêu. In 2002, Anggun performed Open Hearts, the soundtrack of the film Open Hearts by Susanne Bier, released in 2003 in Scandinavian theaters. Previously, she has appeared in other soundtracks, Anastasia with Gildas Arzel in 1997, Gloups! je suis un poisson and Anja & Victor in 2001. Later on, her songs have chosen to be the soundtrack of Transporter 2 (Cesse la rain) in 2005 and the documentary series Genesis II et l'homme créa la nature by Frédéric Lepage which was broadcast in 2004 on France 5. Anggun participated in two Scandinavian movies: contributing the song "Rain (Here Without You)" for Anja & Viktor in 2001, and the entire soundtrack album for Open Hearts in 2002. For Open Hearts, Anggun worked with two Danish producers, Jesper Winge Leisner and Niels Brinck. "Open Your Heart" was released as a commercial single from the soundtrack album and charted at number 51 on the Norwegian Singles Chart. It also earned Anggun a nomination for Best Original Song at the Danish Film Academy's Robert Awards in 2003. "Counting Down" was also released as a single and became a top-ten airplay hit in Indonesia. Anggun's work with Sony Music ended in 2003 due to the company's structural change after a merger with BMG Music. She later moved to Montreal, Canada where she met Olivier Maury, a law school graduate, who became Anggun's manager. In 2004, Anggun and Maury were married in a private ceremony in Bali.
2004–2006: Luminescence
In 2004, Anggun returned to Paris and landed a new record deal with Heben Music, a French independent label. She began working on her next album with several producers, including Jean-Pierre Taieb and Frederic Jaffre. Anggun, who composed mainly in English, enlisted the help of several well-known French songwriters, such as Jean Fauque, Lionel Florence, Tété and Evelyn Kral to adapt her English songs into French. In late 2004, Anggun released her first solo French single in nearly four years, "Être une femme", a song about woman empowerment and rights. The single was available in two versions: one solo version for commercial release and a duet with Diam's for radio release. It became Anggun's second top-20 hit in France, peaking at number 16 on the French Singles Chart. It also became Anggun's first French single to chart on the Swiss Singles Chart, peaking at number 58. Released in February 2005, Anggun's third French album, Luminescence, entered the French Albums Chart at number 30 and was later certified gold for selling 100,000 copies. The second single, "Cesse la pluie" also became a hit, peaking at number 10 in Belgium, 22 in France and 65 in Switzerland. According to Francophonie Diffusion, "Être une femme" and "Cesse la pluie" were the second and the fifth most-played French singles of 2005 worldwide, respectively. In 2005, Anggun also took part in the compilation album Ma quando dici amore, released by the Italian singer Ron. Anggun and Ron performed in the Italian-English song "Catch You (Il coraggio di chiedere aiuto)".
The English version of Luminescence—sharing the same title with its French counterpart—was released in Europe under Sony BMG and in Asia under Universal Music. "Undress Me" was chosen as the first single from the English version. Although it was not accompanied by a music video, it debuted at number 13 in Italy, becoming her fifth top 20 single there. It also provided Anggun with her first hit in the Middle East & Balkans, where the song topped the charts in Lebanon and Turkey. "In Your Mind" was released as the second single and it became a huge hit in Asia. "In Your Mind" got positive acclaimed in Mediterranean countries and Eastern Europe, including Armenia. The third single, "Saviour", was used as the soundtrack for the U.S. box office number-one film Transporter 2. Russian electronic music space composer Andrey Klimkovsky reviewed her album and he quoted in his blog that the album was successful and "Saviour" become huge hit in Russia.
Anggun was awarded with the prestigious distinction Chevalier des Arts et Lettres (Knight of Arts and Letters) by the French Minister of Culture for her worldwide achievements and her support of French culture. She was appointed as the ambassadress for a Swiss watch brand, Audemars Piguet. Anggun did a duet with Julio Iglesias on a reworked version of "All of You" in Bahasa version for his album Romantic Classics (2006). On 25 May 2006, Anggun performed on her sold-out solo concert at the Jakarta Convention Center, entitled Konser Untuk Negeri. She later on toured to few cities in Indonesia, such as Medan and Bandung.
In August 2006, Anggun released the special edition of both the French and English versions of Luminescence with three new songs. She made a large jump on the French Albums Chart from number 119 to number 16 (a total of 103 positions) with the re-release, making Luminescence her best-charting album in France. "Juste avant toi", the new single from the special edition, became Anggun's fourth Top 40 hit, peaking at number 28 on the French Singles Chart. Meanwhile, its English version, "I'll Be Alright", became her most popular hit in with over 43,000 airplay from more than 350 Russophone radios across the region. Luminescence was re-issued in February 2007 and peaked at number three on the French Back Catalogue Chart. In September 2006, Anggun performed with her song, "Cesse la pluie" at Sopot Music Festival Grand Prix in Sopot, Poland.
In December 2006, Anggun received the special recognition Best International Artist at Anugerah Musik Indonesia, the most prestigious music award ceremony in Indonesia. The award was given for her role in introducing Indonesian music to the international recording industry. Subsequently, Anggun released her Best-Of album in Indonesia and Malaysia, which compiled singles during the first decade of her international career, including three re-recorded versions of her early Indonesian hits. The new version of "Mimpi" was released as a radio single and became a huge hit in Indonesia in late 2006 to early 2007. Anggun later released Best-Of for Italian market with different track listing and "I'll Be Alright" as its lead single. She was also featured on German band Reamonn's single "Tonight". In the end of 2006, She released her music video for the last single in her album, called "A Crime" for English version and "Garde-moi" for French version. "Garde-moi" is co-written by David Hallyday and joined Anggun to be featuring artist in this particular song. This single reached number 3 in Ukrainian Pop Single Charts. In December 2006, she has been invited to perform this song at an ice skating competition, called Les étoiles de la glace, in Switzerland. She sang "Garde-moi" on the ice rink and was accompanied by two professional ice skaters who performed spectacular ice dancing in the background.
2007–2010: Elevation
Anggun did a performance Over The Hill Of Secrets and Panorama on music by François Moity and Nicolas Yvan-Mingot for the Gaz de France advertisement. Anggun was awarded Le grand cœur de l'année (The Great Heart of the Year) by French television network Filles TV for her contribution to social and environmental events. In February 2007, Anggun was invited as the guest star on one episode of the fourth season of Star Academy Arab World in Lebanon. She returned to another episode of the show's fifth season in the following year. She did a duet with Italian singer Roby Facchinetti and his son, Francesco Facchinetti in a song, titled Vivere Normale. Then, she has been invited to sing it in Italian music festival, called 57th Sanremo Music Festival (Festival di Sanremo). In March 2007, she did a number performance with Nicole Croisille and sang Croisille's hit "Une femme avec toi" on Symphonic Show for Sidaction. In December 2007, she received her second invitation from the Vatican to perform in the Christmas concert in Verona, Italy, along with Michael Bolton. She covered Bruce Springsteen's "Streets of Philadelphia" with Corsican group I Muvrini for their album I Muvrini et les 500 choristes (2007). She was also featured on the remix version of DJ Laurent Wolf's number-one hit "No Stress" for the deluxe edition of his album Wash My World. Anggun and Wolf performed the song at the 2008 World Music Awards in Monaco. Anggun joined Make A Wish Belgium foundation to help children with life-threatening medical conditions.
In late 2008, Anggun released her fourth international studio album, Elevation, which shares the same title in both English and French. A departure from the style of her previous efforts, the album experimented with urban music and hip hop. Elevation was produced by hip hop producer pair Tefa & Masta who produced and managed many artists, such as Diam's, Kery James, etc. This album features collaboration with rappers Pras Michel from the Fugees, Sinik, and Big Ali. "Crazy" was released as the lead single from the album, with its French and Indonesian versions, "Si tu l'avoues" and "Jadi Milikmu", serving as the first single in the respective territories. Canadian cinematographer Ivan Grbovic was the director for its music videos. This song is charted at number 6 on Francophonie Diffusion Chart. Another single from this album, called "My Man" or in the French version, "Si je t'emmène" topped to number 11 on the same chart. This song featured rappers Pras Michel from the Fugees. The music video for its versions was directed by Jean-Baptiste Erreca. Anggun, with this album, had made her music traveled to Russia with positive reactions there. In Russia, Elevation was released with an additional song, "О нас с тобой (O Nas S Toboyu)", which was recorded as a duet with Russian singer Max Lorens. Later on, she remake the song to English version, called "No Song", and Indonesian version, called "Berganti Hati". For "Berganti Hati", she got helped by Indonesian renowned director and artistic arranger Jay Subiyakto to make the music video. Prior to its official release, the album had already been certified double platinum, making it the fastest-selling album of her career in Indonesia. In France, the album debuted at number 36 on the French Albums Chart. Later on, one of her song in this album, called "Stronger" which collaborated with Big Ali, get chosen to be Anlene's advertisement soundtrack for Southeast Asia territory. For the Asian Edition album, she included a song which written by Morgan Visconti and Rosi Golan, "Shine". Then, Pantene used this song to be the soundtrack of its short movie commercial. On 6 December 2008, Anggun joined the panel of jury for Miss France 2009 election. Other celebrities alongside her were singer, actress and AIDS activist Line Renaud as president of the jury, film director Patrice Leconte, Miss France 2007 Rachel Legrain-Trapani, Belgian actor-comedian Benoît Poelvoorde, journalist Henri-Jean Servat and fashion designer Kenzo Takada. Chloé Mortaud was elected to be Miss France 2009 who become a finalist on Miss World 2009.
Anggun's four-year ambassadress contract with Audemars Piguet was subsequently extended. She was also chosen by international hair care brand, Pantene, and New Zealand-based dairy product, Anlene, as their ambassador. In 2009, Italian singer Mina did a cover from one of Anggun's song, "A Rose in the Wind", in her album
Riassunti d'amore - Mina Cover. Anggun made a promo tour called Anggun Elevation Acoustic Showcase and served only 200 guest seats on 24 & 27 March 2009 at Hotel Istana, Kuala Lumpur. She also made concerts in Indonesia and toured five big cities, including Bandung, Yogyakarta, Denpasar, Surabaya and Medan. In August 2009, she was invited as musical guest to perform her song "Saviour" at New Wave 2009 in Jūrmala, Latvia where she met her Indonesian singer colleague Sandhy Sondoro competing at that show.
In early 2010, Anggun recorded a duet with Portuguese singer Mickael Carreira on the song "Chama por me (Call My Name)", as well as performing at his concert in Lisbon, Portugal on 26 February 2010. She collaborated with German electronica musician Schiller, co-writing and contributing lead vocals to two tracks, "Always You" and "Blind", for his album Atemlos (2010). Anggun was also featured on Schiller's concert series, Atemlos Tour, in 14 cities in Germany during May 2010. Anggun did a cameo for 2010 French drama film Ces amours-là directed by Claude Lelouch.
2011–2013: Echoes, Eurovision, and The X Factor
Anggun's fifth international studio album—Echoes for the English version and Échos for the French version—saw her collaboration with composers Gioacchino Maurici, Pierre Jaconelli, Jean-Pierre Pilot, and William Rousseau. It became her first self-produced international album and was released under her own record label, April Earth. The English version was first released in Indonesia in May 2011. It topped the Indonesian Albums Chart and was certified platinum in the first week. It eventually became the best-selling pop album of 2011, with quadruple platinum certification. On this stage, Anggun had won 56 platinum records in 26 different countries, from "Snow on the Sahara" to "Echo (You and I)". "Only Love" and its Indonesian version "Hanyalah Cinta" were released as the lead singles and became number-one radio hits. The French version was released in November 2011 and reached number 48 on the French Albums Chart. "Je partirai", the first single for the French version, reached number five in Belgium. Anggun held her second major concert at the Jakarta Convention Center, Konser Kilau Anggun, on 27 November 2011. She later appeared for the third time at the Christmas concert in the Vatican. This time, she performed "Only Love" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas", the latter in a duet with Ronan Keating.
Anggun was chosen by France Télévisions to represent France in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012. She co-wrote the entry, "Echo (You and I)", with William Rousseau and Jean-Pierre Pilot. Anggun held an extensive tour to more than 15 countries in Europe to promote the song. For the promotional intentions, Keo, Claudia Faniello, Niels Brinck, and Varga Viktor are featuring in this song for special edition albums, each for Romania, Malta, Denmark, and Hungary. She performed the song at the Eurovision grand final in Baku, Azerbaijan on 26 May 2012, wearing a shiny metallic dress sponsored by designer Jean Paul Gaultier. The song finished in 22nd place with 21 points. Anggun later told the press that she had originally hoped to reach a place within the top 10 and was deeply disappointed with the final result.
In March 2012, Anggun released the international edition of Echoes with "Echo (You and I)" as the lead single. A special edition of Échos was also released in France, featuring three additional tracks. Following the completion of the Eurovision, she continued the promotion of the album.
Anggun embarked on a concert tour in several cities across France, Switzerland and New Caledonia, including her sold-out concert in Le Trianon, Paris, on 13 June 2012. Anggun joined United Nation campaign, Earth Day: Save the Forest in Italy. On Valentine's Day of that year, she appeared as the guest artist at Lara Fabian's concert special on MTV Lebanon, where they sang the duet "Tu es mon autre". Anggun also toured 10 cities in Germany with Schiller in late 2012. Anggun performed at Les Fous Chantants festival in Alès, France. In this event, she was accompanied by 1,000 choirs. Theme event for the event was the most beautiful songs of the films (plus belles chansons de films). Anggun sang three soundtracks, "Golden Eye" from 1995 James Bond series, "Calling You" from 1987 film Bagdad Cafe and, with Patrick Fiori, "La Chanson d'Hélène" from 1970 film The Things of Life (Les Choses de la vie). At the end of 2012, she was appointed by Director & Chief Commercial Officer of Indosat, Erik Meijer, to be the brand ambassador of Indosat Mentari Paket Smartphone (Indosat Mentari Smartphone Package).
In 2013, Anggun served as the international judge for the first season of the Indonesian version of The X Factor, which reportedly made her the highest-paid judge in Indonesian television history. It became the year's highest-rated talent show in Indonesia. Anggun's involvement was also lauded by public and critics, with Bintang Indonesia praising her for "setting high standard [for a judge] on talent shows." She subsequently joined the judging panel of the television special X Factor Around the World, alongside Paula Abdul, Louis Walsh, Daniel Bedingfield, and Ahmad Dhani, on 24 August 2013. She participated on the concept album entitled Thérèse – Vivre d'amour, for which she recorded two duets—"Vivre d'amour" and "La fiancée"—with Canadian singer Natasha St-Pier. Released in April 2013, the project topped the French Physical Albums Chart with platinum record (sold 100,000 copies). In May 2013, Anggun released a greatest hits album entitled Best-Of: Design of a Decade 2003–2013. A new version of "Snow on the Sahara" produced by Lebanese-Canadian musician K.Maro was sent to Indonesian radio to promote the album. In this year, Olay management and Procter & Gamble chose Anggun to be ambassador of Olay Total Effect. She and Natasha St-Pier were invited to sing in front of Pope Francis on 7 December 2013 at Concerto di Natale XXI edizione in Auditorium della Conciliazione, Rome. They sang songs from Thérèse – Vivre d'amour. Anggun did a duet with Italian singer Luca Barbarossa and performed Christmas carol's, "White Christmas".
At the 2013 Taormina Film Fest in Italy, Anggun was presented with the Taormina Special Award for her humanitarian works as the FAO Goodwill Ambassador. Anggun with David Foster, alongside Ruben Studdard, Michael Johns, David Cook, and Nicole Scherzinger performed on David Foster & Friends Private Concert in Jakarta. She sang three songs, including Whitney Houston's hits, "I Will Always Love You", "I Have Nothing" and her own song, "Snow on the Sahara". She did a photoshoot with VOGUE Italia in November 2013 and had an interview with Vogue's journalist, Stefania Cubello. She wore Azzaro's and Louis Vuitton's stellar. Also in November 2013, she was appointed by President of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) Nasser Al-Khelaifi to be the ambassador of the club. On 22 November 2013, she joined French General Manager and Marketing Executive of PSG Jean-Claude Blanc and Ambassador of Republic of Indonesia to France (2010-2014) Rezlan Ishar Jenie to launch the club official site with Bahasa for Indonesian Les Parisiens which Anggun was the icon of this site. She received the number 10 jersey which is the same number jersey of PSG famous striker Zlatan Ibrahimović.
2014–2016: Got Talent and Toujours un ailleurs
Following the success of X Factor Indonesia, Anggun was recruited to judge the other Syco's franchise, Indonesia's Got Talent, alongside artistic director and photographer Jay Subyakto, radio personality and actress Indy Barends, singer Ari Lasso, in 2014. To prepare for the program, she received instruction from Simon Cowell during the set of Britain's Got Talent. Anggun re-recorded her debut international single as a French-Portuguese duet with Tony Carreira, retitled "La neige au Sahara (Faço Chover No Deserto)", for Carreira's album Nos fiançailles, France/Portugal.
The duo performed the song at the 2014 World Music Awards in Monaco, where Anggun was awarded the World's Best-Selling Indonesian Artist. In June, Anggun launched her first fragrance, Grace, named after her name in English. Grace, eau de parfume, production was under BEL Perfumes label, Thailand-based of finest French and International cosmetics & perfumes creator. She and her management had the chance to visited Grasse, one of the city in France where produces best quality elixir for perfumery. It took two years to produces this fragrance. It distributed to Indonesia, Thailand, China-region and France. She did a collaboration a young Dutch DJ Indyana on a song titled "Right Place Right Time". Later on, this song was chosen to be the anthem of Dreamfields Festival on 16 August 2014 at Garuda Wisnu Kencana, Bali. In late 2014, Anggun recorded two duets: "Who Wants to Live Forever" with Il Divo for their album A Musical Affair and "Pour une fois" with Vincent Niclo for his album Ce que je suis. Anggun also released "Fly My Eagle" as an original soundtrack for the commercially and critically acclaimed film Pendekar Tongkat Emas. On 10 July 2014, Anggun was invited by Air France to perform at Air France Inauguration of Jakarta-Paris Travel Route. Anggun performed in Africa twice during 2014, for Roberto Cavalli's Casa Fashion Show in Casablanca, Morocco, and for the 15th annual French-speaking World Summit in Dakar, Senegal. She was invited by Pope Francis to attended at Concerto di Natale where located at Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi on 25 December 2014. She sang "Malam Kudus", an Indonesian-version of "Silent Night" gospel, and Christmas carols "O Little Town of Bethlehem".
In 2015, Anggun, alongside David Foster, Melanie C (Spice Girls) and Vanness Wu (F4), was announced as a judge on the debut of Asia's Got Talent. Joined by contestants from 15 countries in Asia, the show premiered on AXN Asia on 12 March 2015. The Asian Academy of Music Arts and Sciences (AAMAS) also announced Anggun among its board of governors, as well as becoming the academy's first ambassador. At the 2015 Anugerah Planet Muzik in Singapore, Anggun received the International Breakthrough Artist Award for becoming the first internationally successful act from Malay-speaking countries. SK-II and Harper's Bazaar Indonesia honored Anggun as one of 15 Most Inspiring Women. She joined the "SK-II's Change Destiny" campaign and became a spokesperson alongside actress Cate Blanchett and Michelle Phan for its event in Los Angeles and she was chosen by SK-II management to be the ambassador of SK-II. Later on, Anggun with make-up stylist Lizzie Para and social media personality Chandra Liow sit on the panel as judges for SK-II Beauty Bound Indonesia in 2016. The winner of this show was beauty influencer, Mega Gumelar, and she with Anggun traveled to Tokyo, Japan, in order to compete with other beauty creators from across the globe in SK-II Beauty Bound Asia 2016. In exact same year, Anggun was appointed to be the ambassador of Aviation Sans Frontières (Aviation Without Borders). In June 2015, she was invited by Michael Bolton to perform a duet and as an opening act at his concert in Kasablanka Concert Hall, Jakarta, Indonesia. Anggun also recorded Frozen's "Let It Go" in Indonesian language, called "Lepaskan" with Regina Ivanova, Cindy Bernadette, Nowela, and Chilla Kiana. Disney Music Asia also makes an Indonesian language song "Warna Angin" and sung by Anggun. It is the interpretation from Pocahontas movie soundtrack, "Colors of the Wind". She joined panel of jury for Miss France 2016 on 19 December 2015 alongside fashion designer Jean-Paul Gaultier as president of the jury, singer Patrick Fiori, singer Kendji Girac, Miss France 2009 & model Chloé Mortaud, actress, model & author Laëtitia Milot and Rugby athlete Frédéric Michalak. Iris Mittenaere was elected to be Miss France 2016 who become the winner of Miss Universe 2016.
Anggun's sixth French-language studio album, Toujours un ailleurs, was released in November 2015 by TF1 Musique under Universal Music Group with her lead single, "A nos enfants". Produced by Frédéric Chateau and Grammy Award-winning producer Brian Rawling, the album revisited the world music direction of her debut international album with diverse cultures ambiance, such as Japanese, Colombian, Samoan, Spanish, and English. Toujours un ailleurs became Anggun's most successful album in France since Luminescence (2005), charting for 24 weeks on the French Albums Chart (peaking at number 43) and sold over 50,000 copies. It also became her best-charting album in Belgium, debuting at number 43 and remaining on the chart for 31 weeks (making 5 re-enters). The album's single, "Nos vies parallèles" peaked at number 47 on the French Singles Chart and number 39 on the Belgian Ultratop Singles Chart (her first top-40 hit since "Être une femme"). This single featured one of French musical legends Florent Pagny as he helped Anggun to pursue her career in France years ago and Columbian singer Yuri Buenaventura. According to Francophonie Diffusion, "Nos vies parallèles" was the third-most played French song worldwide during March 2016. Both Anggun and Florent Pagny traveled to Havana, Cuba, for music video shooting which directed by Igreco. Maxime Le Forestier's song, "Née quelque part", being rearranged by Anggun and her team, alongside Grammy Award-winning singer and UN Goodwill Ambassador Angélique Kidjo as she featured in this single. "Face au vent" was the third lead single of this album after "A nos enfants" and "Nos vies parallèles". In this single's music video, actor and dancer Benoît Maréchal being featured again after he did great performance on "A Crime" and "Garde-moi" music videos in 2006. Darius Salimi was chosen to direct six music videos for this album,including "A nos enfants", "Face au vent", "Toujours un ailleurs", "Est-ce que tu viendras?", "Mon capitaine", and "Née quelque part". To promote the album, Anggun embarked on a 23-date concert tour across France and Belgium.
She performed as a guest singer at Siti Nurhaliza's concert titled Dato' Siti Nurhaliza & Friends Concert on April 2, 2016 in Stadium Negara. She and Siti did duet for two songs, Anggun's hit "Snow on the Sahara" and Siti's hit "Bukan Cinta Biasa". In July 2016, she became second most influent person on Twitter in France. She being invited to have a role as a columnist and guest radio host on Europe 1 radio show, called Les Pieds dans le plat, by Cyril Hanouna with another French celebrities, such as Valérie Benaïm, Jean-Luc Lemoine, Jérôme Commandeur, Estelle Denis and Bertrand Chameroy. On 23–25 September 2016, Anggun attended Festival Film Indonesia (Indonesia Film Festival) at Cinema Spazio Alfieri, Florence. Anggun sang the acoustic version of "Snow on the Sahara". This event was collaborated with Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Rome and Indonesia Meets Italy Association as the part of Settimane della Cultura Indonesiana in Italia to reflects the progress of the increasingly dynamic Indonesian film industry. Anggun received the Key to the City award from Dario Nardella, the Mayor of Florence, Italy. Anggun was featured on new-age music group Enigma's eight studio album The Fall of a Rebel Angel (2016), providing lead vocals for three songs, including the lead single "Sadeness (Part II)", which is the sequel to the 1990 number-one hit "Sadeness (Part I)". The Album topped US Top Dance/Electronic Album charts in United States. Kotak invited Anggun to did a duet with them in a song titled "Teka-Teki" in October 2016. Anggun joined Belgian-francophone charity show Télévie to raise funds to support scientific research in the fight against cancer and leukemia in children and adults. She sang her song "Nos vies parallèles" and a duet with Christophe Maé on his song, called "Charly". They raised over EU€10 millions. Azerbaijan-Russian singer-songwriter Emin make a duet song with Anggun, called "If You Go Away" for his newest album Love is A Deadly Game. The song was a cover from original song by Jacques Brel, called "Ne me quitte pas". Anggun was invited to be a guest performer and did a duet with Lara Fabian at Lara's concert Ma vie dans la tienne Tour 2016 in Brussels, Belgium. Anggun and Lara sang a ballad song from Lara's album Nue, "J'y crois encore". Anggun was invited by Indonesian television network SCTV as guest performer at Long Live The Biggest Concert Kotak x Anggun feat NAFF on 23 November 2016 in Jakarta. She sang "Yang 'Ku Tunggu" as an opening act and "Teka-Teki" as a duet with Kotak. She was invited to performed on 24 December 2016 at Christmas concert in Parco della Musica, Rome. She sang two Christmas carols as soloist, "The Christmas Song" and, accompanied by flutist Andrea Griminelli, "La Vita è Bella". Anggun, alongside Rebecca Ferguson, Anna Tatangelo and Deborah Iurato, performed Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah". For the encore, she with another guest performers sang "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" as assemble.
2017–2019: Television projects, 8 and Asian Games 2018
She have done more than 60 showcases on France & Belgium tours to promote her French album, Toujours un ailleurs and finalized her performance on Festival international des métiers d'art (FIMA) 2017 in Baccarat, France. She returned as judge on the second season of Asia's Got Talent with David Foster, also American-Korean rapper, songwriter, and dancer Jay Park as the new judge on the panel.
On 12 October 2017, Anggun released a lyric video for "What We Remember" on YouTube as the first single of her new album "8". On 7 December 2017, An official music video of "What We Remember" was released on YouTube and she held the first performance of this song on Grand Finale of Asia's Got Talent stage. Anggun released her lead single "What We Remember" in December 2017. It was directed by Roy Raz and had to make the video in Ukraine. The album 8 was produced and distributed by Universal Music with other French composers and songwriters collaboration, such as Tiborg, Nazim Khaled, Nicolas Loconte, and many more including her husband. On 8 December 2017, she released her new album 8 and a release party was held at the Apple Store on Orchard Road, Singapore. The album "8" was distributed under exclusive license to Universal Music Asia and the album was released digitally worldwide on major streaming platforms, including Spotify and also released physically in some Asian countries. This album reached no. 1 in Indonesia, no. 5 in Malaysia, no. 18 in Singapore on iTunes. On Apple Music, this album got the highest peak on no. 7 in Indonesia, no. 21 in Malaysia, no. 30 in Vietnam, Top 60 in Singapore, Top 100 in Philippines, and Top 200 in Sri Lanka. Coincidentally, its lead single "What We Remember" was played in the background of the café scene on Korean drama series Two Cops episode 8. Throughout December 2017, Anggun and Universal Music Asia held a promotional tour throughout Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines. The tour consisted of listening parties, showcases, and meet & greet sessions. In the Philippines, she did several performances in Eastwood Open Park Mall with Edray Teodoro as the opening act, in Uptown Bonifacio with The Voice Teens star Isabela Vinzon as the opening act and on Wish 107.5 Bus showcase. She was being a guest star on ASAP and 24 Oras interview. In Malaysia, she held Meet & Greet with High Tea Session for her fans to promote the album in St. Regis Hotel, Kuala Lumpur. The first single "What We Remember" was released by dance label Citrusonic and serviced to US clubs including remixes by DJ Lynnwood (DJLW) Ralphi Rosario, Antoine Cortez, Craig C, Dirty Disco, Sted-E & Hybrid Heights, Love to Infinity, Offer Nissim, and more. On 20 April 2018, she announced and release duet version for her brand new singles from her latest album, called "The Good Is Back" with Rossa and Fazura. Shane Filan collaborated with her on one of the singles, "Need You Now", on the deluxe version of his latest album, Love Always, that releases only for United States and UK regions. Her songs, "What We Remember" and "The Good is Back" from her recent album charted on US Billboard Dance Club Chart. "What We Remember" reached no. 8 on that chart for about 16 weeks long and no. 15 on Asia Pop 40 throughout 2018. This single became reached the Top 10 of the charts in UK, US, Spain, Germany, and also Indonesia. "The Good is Back" got in to the US Billboard Dance Club Chart and topped to no. 20 for 9 weeks. American blogger and media personality Perez Hilton wrote on his blog that Anggun's "What We Remember" could be compared with Sade's and Dido's songs.
She was invited for the seventh time by Pope Francis & Vatican to performed on 4 January 2018 at Concerto dell'Epifania where located at Teatro Mediterraneo in Napoli, Italy. She sang "Snow on the Sahara" and "What We Remember". On 5 June 2018, she was performing at night for Grand Opening Renaissance Bali Hotel in Bali. She performed at Notte Bianca as the main guest star on 23 June 2018. The festival were located at Piazza Martiri della libertà in Pontedera, Pisa. Anggun got photoshoots for French cultural society magazine Technikart and got six pages in it. From this publication, Anggun shared different views and angle about her figure in international stage. On her interview, she made strong statements about how Indonesia modern culture & freedom movement by her perspective which she had spoken up about fighting on corruption in Indonesia, feminism & women's rights, LGBT+, and Indonesian hypocrisy regulations, especially death penalty. In July 2018, she attended to European Latin Awards at Stadio Benito Stirpe in Frosinone, Italy. She performed "Undress Me", "A Rose in the Wind", "Snow on the Sahara", and "Amore immaginato". She won Best International Singer award there. Another guest star performer were Bob Sinclar, Black Eyed Peas, Gipsy Kings, Juan Magan and Carlos Rivera. Anggun performed at the opening ceremony of the Asian Games 2018 at the Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) stadium, Central Jakarta, on August 18, 2018. He sang a song titled "Pemuda", which was popularized by the Indonesian musical group Chaseiro from the album Persembahan which was released in 2001. Anggun sang on over artificial mountains and waterfalls. She joined coaching panel for The Voice Indonesia Season 3 alongside Armand Maulana, Titi DJ, and duo Nino Kayam from RAN with Vidi Aldiano. Anggun was invited by high-fashion brand COACH to have great visit and did a number of performance for the opening of new branch store in Suria KLCC, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Anggun attended the opening with her husband, Malaysian singers couple Fazura & Fattah Amin, Taiwanese singer Dizzy Dizzo and Malaysian-Singaporean actor Lawrence Wong. In November 2018, she was invited to joined French Navy and got a chance to operated Le Mistral, an amphibious assault ship and a type of helicopter carrier, for three days. She reported her experiences on the show called Noël avec soldats (Christmas with Soldiers) at Port-Bouët army base in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Anggun joined charades of various artist, such as David Foster & Katharine McPhee, Kelly Clarkson, Randy Jackson, Andrea Bocelli, Gavin Rossdale, Josh Groban, and many more, for the production of documentary film Silent Night — A Song for the World. She made soundtracks on two versions of "Silent Night" gospel, "Malam Kudus" in Bahasa and "Douce nuit, sainte nuit" in French which she recorded in London. She began the filming production process in Germany with help from Franco-German TV network Arte. This film was narrated by Hugh Bonneville and directed by Austrian director & film-maker Hannes M. Schalle.
In early of 2019, Anggun had tour throughout several cities in Italy, including Milan, Foligno, Bologna, etc. She toured in seven dates for this Intimate Concert Tour. All local medias felt enthusiastic with Anggun concert's which awaited way back to Festivalbar in 2006. Anggun performed with David Foster alongside Brian McKnight, Yura Yunita, and several artists during The Hitman: David Foster and Friends concert series at De Tjolomadoe, Central Java, 24 March 2019. Anggun was invited to perform at the concert in two different cities, namely in the city of Solo, Central Java and the city of Surabaya, East Java. She sang her own hit called "Mimpi" and Toni Braxton's hit, "Un-Break My Heart". On 5 July 2019, she and P&G held a charity concert, called Gemilang 30 Tahun at the Tennis Indoor Stadium in Senayan, Central Jakarta. The concert also featured performances by renowned singers Rossa, Yura Yunita, actress Maudy Ayunda, and rapper Iwa K, while artistic direction by Jay Subyakto and accompanied by her backing band from France, who will collaborate with Indonesia's Oni & Friends as music director. Anggun reportedly wear costumes designed by Mel Ahyar, with accessories created by the renowned designer Rinaldy A. Yunardi. Donations collected from this concert are IDR3,060,000,000 or equals to US$218,560.50. After the concert, she had another performance on Prambanan Jazz Festival 2019 as guest star, accompanied by her backing band. This was the third time for Anggun to performed in front of Prambanan Temple. On 28 July 2019, Anggun continued her Italian tour concert at Alpe Adria Arena, Lignano. Anggun with comedian Jarry, actor Kev Adams, and presenter Alessandra Sublet became panelists on Mask Singer and it became one of the most successful TV shows with ratings that reached nearly 7 million viewers. She eventually returned for another season of Mask Singer. She also returned with David Foster and Jay Park for Asia's Got Talent Season 3. Another surprising moment for her was her song "Perfect World" from Toujours un ailleurs topped to no. 5 in the first week to no. 18 on US Billboard Dance Club Chart in December 2019. Anggun does a duet with Luciano Pavarotti virtually at The Luciano Pavarotti Foundation and Anggun in concert which took place at the Simfonia Hall in Jakarta. Singers Giulia Mazzola (soprano), Matteo Desole (tenor), Giuseppe Infantino (tenor), and Lorenzo Licitra (tenor) sang with deep appreciation with Anggun in that concert. Their beautiful voices were accompanied by orchestral music from the Jakarta Simfonia Orchestra. Previously, Anggun has performed a virtual duet with Luciano Pavarotti on song called "Caruso" at the stage of the 2019 Asia's Got Talent Grand Finale.
2020–present: Further television works, music collaborations and acting debut
In January 2020, she attended to 24th Asian Television Awards in Manila, Philippines where she performed her hits there and got awarded for Outstanding Contribution to Asian Television Performing Arts. Due to the global pandemic of COVID-19, Anggun had to postpone her touring concert in several cities and canceled many live showcases from the end of 2019 until the beginning of 2020. However, she began to take another career in acting instead of music in this recent days. She took a part as Maleen Suthama in television movie drama Coup de foudre à Bangkok. This TV movie was the sixth part of the Coup de foudre à .... collection. The production was taken in February 2020 and located in Bangkok, Thailand. Actors who joined Anggun in this project was Blandine Bellavoir, Frédéric Chau, Mathilda May, Loup-Denis Elion, and many more. Also in February 2020, Switzerland-based fashion magazine BLUSH Editions made two pages for the interview and ten pages for "Winter Garden with Pinel & Pinel" section of "BLUSH Dreams". She wore watches from KERBEDANZ, Cimier and Louis Moinet, dresses designed by Tony Ward, On Aura Tout Vu and La Métamorphose Couture, wardrobe by SEYİT ARES & Victoria/Tomas, shoes by Christian Louboutin, and jewelleries by Bollwerk, Fullord, Thomas Aurifex, Vincent Michel & Valerie Valentine with furnitures by BONA fide & L'Esprit Cocon. In March 2020, she performed in Moscow, Russia. She sang a Russophone classic song called "О́чи чёрные (Ochi Chernye)" which means "Dark Eyes" in English. In Indonesian culture from West Java, this song was being rearranged and interpreted to a Sundanese language folk song called "Panon Hideung" which means "Black Eyes" in English. In April 2020, she did an interview for Harvard Political Review article and published it in two parts, Interview With Anggun I: Taking Time With Music and Interview with Anggun II: On Representing the World. Anggun returned as panelist on the second season of Mask Singer alongside her previous colleague panelists. In June 2020, RIFFX by Crédit Mutuel published the result of a survey, titled "Barometer: Les 100 Artistes Préférés des Français (Barometer: The 100 Favorite Artists of The French)", which Anggun included on number 97. This survey was conducted by YouGov with interviewing 1,006 French people (age min. 18 years old) on 1 June to 2 June 2020. On 21 September 2020, she, accompanied by her husband, attended the celebration of 70th anniversary of Pierre Cardin's fashion house at Théâtre du Châtelet. This event was screening a documentary titled House of Cardin to honored the legendary French designer. It was directed by P. David Ebersole and Todd Hughes. Jean-Paul Gaultier, Christian Louboutin, Stéphane Rolland, actor Yves Lecoq, and journalist Patrick Poivre d'Arvor attended the event with many artists and French public figures. Musical documentary film about Christmas carol in 2018, Silent Night — A Song for the World, re-produced by The CW and took a date on 10 December 2020 for its special premiere.
Her latest duet with legendary Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti made a great scene in European classical music market. Anggun attended The 3rd BraVo International Classical Music Awards on April 2, 2021 at Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow, Russia. She made a performance with virtual image Luciano Pavarotti and sang "Caruso". Another special guest performers are ballerina Svetlana Zakharova, Grammy-winner Ildar Abdrazakov, young Russian pianists Kirill Richter and Ivan Bessonov, Ukrainian young tenor Bogdan Volkov, star of the Russian opera scene Albina Shagimuratova and performer of the youth troupe of the Bolshoi Theater Maria Barakova. The audience will also had performances performed by Italian opera singer Massimo Cavalletti, Uruguayan bass-baritone Erwin Schrott, young Japanese pianist Shio Okui, and honored opera singer from Kazakhstan Mayra Muhammad-kyzy. Korean star Yiruma and Chinese soprano Ying Huang performed via teleconference. Among the participants of the ceremony is Charles Kay, director of the international concert project World Orchestra for Peace. At that event, she received a Duet of the Year award because of her duet on "Caruso" performances across the globe. She continued the Italy tour concert that has been postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic. She started first in Sassuolo on 11 September 2021 and she visited Palazzo Dulcale. She performed at Piazzale della Rosa and Valentina Tioli was the opening act. On 12 September 2021, Aquileia was her next destination to visit and she performed at Piazza Capitolo di Aquileia.
On 2 April 2021, Jean-Luc Reichmann, Anggun and her husband shared a moment on shooting situation for her next film project. It was revealed that she will play her role in ninth season of detective-crime film TV series Léo Matteï, Brigade des mineurs (Léo Matteï, miners’ brigade). The production process began in September 2021 and will release in 2022 respectively. Jean-Luc Reichmann was the main cast for Léo Matteï role since 2013. Other announced casts were Lola Dubini, Laurent Ournac and Astrid Veillon. In June 2021, she was chosen to fill her voice as Virana in Disney movie Raya et le Dernier Dragon, a French version of Raya and the Last Dragon. Her daughter, Kirana, made her first appearance in this project as various voice actress. Anggun made her appearance as herself in online series called Profession Comédien on episode 48. This series was launched by comedian Bertrand Uzeel and directed by Fred Testot which the series told us about Bertrand tries to collect as much advice as possible from people in the trade, but nothing will go as planned. She and all previous season's panelist returned on the third season of Mask Singer and started the production in June 2021. On 21 June 2021, she with her husband attended 60th Monte-Carlo Television Festival. Anggun did a duet with Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli at Mattone del cuore on 25 August 2021 and sang "Can't Help Falling in Love" which she eventually sang solo "Snow on the Sahara" later on. On 30 September 2021, she and Moulin Rouge made a performance on "I Am What I Am" at 300 chœurs. She began shooting television variety show series called les Reines du Shopping spéciale Célébrités in September 2021. She with four another celebrities such as Jade Leboeuf, Clara Morgane, Frédérique Bel and Elsa Esnoult, have to compete one another to win EU€10,000 for their associations. In a brief about the show, it brings together five women, aged 18 to 70 and of different styles. Every day of the week, one of the five candidates goes shopping. She has a limited time and budget to get a complete outfit (clothing, shoes, accessories) and perform its beauty treatment (hairdressing, makeup). Her look must correspond to a theme imposed by Cristina Córdula. It will also have a list of imposed stores to spend their budget. During shopping, her progress and fittings are observed and commented on by her four competitors, who follow her on screen, in a showroom. Dany Brillant invited Anggun to did a duet with him on Charles Aznavour's "Désormais". This song was included into Brillant's Dany Brillant chante Aznavour en duo, a tribute album to the legendary French-Armenian singer Charles Aznavour. Anggun was invited to perform for the Opening Ceremony of 2021 National Paralympic Week at Mandala Stadium in Jayapura, Papua. Anggun sang Indonesia's national anthem "Indonesia Raya" alongside 150 Papuan children and her 90's hit "Mimpi", all orchestrated by Indonesian conductor Addie MS. Anggun and her husband got a chance to visit and explore Dubai. They were invited by CEO Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM) Issam Kazim. She also visited Indonesia pavilion at World Expo 2020. In November 2021, she did photoshoot in Mauritius for 27th Edition of BLUSH Dream Magazine. Anggun was invited by Vatican to perform at Concerto di Natale : Ventinovesima XXIX Edizione in Auditorium della Conciliazione. She sang three songs, including "Silent Night"/"Malam Kudus" mash-up rendition alongside Francesca Michielin, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" with reggae icon Shaggy, and "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" alongside children choir called Piccolo Coro Le Dolci Note. She also performed at Christmas Contest held by TV2000 and sang her hit, "Snow on the Sahara".
Artistry and legacy
Anggun possesses a three-octave contralto voice, which has been described as "husky", "soulful", and "distinctive" by music critics. Chuck Taylor from Billboard commented: "Vocally, Anggun is a fortress of power, easing from a delicate whisper into a brand of cloud-parting fortitude commonly associated with grade-A divas." John Everson from The SouthtownStar noted that "Anggun is gifted with a warm, full voice that can tackle slight pop songs without overpowering them as well as swoop with depth and ease over heavier emotional numbers." Anggun received her first songwriting credit at the age of twelve on her debut album Dunia Aku Punya (1986). Anggun said, "I was writing songs all the time, but my specialty was classical piano and singing."
Anggun started as a rock singer in Indonesia, and was influenced by rock bands such as Guns N' Roses, Bon Jovi, and Megadeth. She was a big fan of Metallica. After her initial international success, she showed her versatility by changing her musical style for each album. Her later influences cover a wide range of styles from jazz to pop, extending from Joni Mitchell to Madonna. She told VOGUE Italia that she listened to wide range of artists from The Beatles to David Bowie, Billie Holiday to Leonard Cohen, up to Dave Grohl, P!nk and Bruno Mars. Anggun identified Nine Inch Nails's The Fragile (1999) as "the album that changed my life" and the band's frontman Trent Reznor as "the man of my musical life." Her other musical influences include Tracy Chapman, Sheila Chandra and Sting. Anggun, who studied Balinese dance since childhood, uses the traditional art in her performances.
Anggun's image has been compared to that of Pocahontas. Some international articles and magazines give a nickname for Anggun as "Indonesian Madonna (Madonna Indonésienne)". At the early stage of her career as a rock singer, Anggun was known for her tomboy look—wearing a crooked beret, shorts, studded jacket, and large belt; this set a trend during the early 1990s. Later, she has focused on her femininity and sexuality, emphasising her long black hair and brown skin. For this look she uses the work of fashion designers like Roberto Cavalli, Azzedine Alaïa, Jean Paul Gaultier, Dolce & Gabbana, and many more. Other couture fashion designers that Anggun often wears include Givenchy, Elie Saab, Victoria Beckham, Georges Chakra, Tony Ward, Blumarine, and Zuhair Murad. In 2001, Anggun was ranked No. 6 in a list of Sexiest Women of Asia by FHM magazine. Later in 2010, she was ranked at number 18 on the French version of FHMs list of 100 Sexiest Women in the World.
When promoting her first international album in the United States, she was reportedly offered a role as a Bond Girl in The World Is Not Enough, as well as in High Fidelity. Anggun declined to be labeled an actress and said, "I was born a singer. I won't go into another profession, because I think there are still many people out there who were born to be movie stars or models. My calling is music." As for commercials, she tends to be selective when choosing products to promote.
Anggun's success in Europe and America has been credited with helping other Asian singers such as Coco Lee, Hikaru Utada, and Tata Young. Malaysian singer Yuna asked Anggun for guidance when launching her recording career in the United States in 2011 and supporting each other career since then. Ian De Cotta from Singapore newspaper Today called her the "Voice of Asia" as well as "Southeast Asia's international singing sensation." Filipino music journalist Lionel Zivan S. Valdellon described Anggun as "a very good ambassadress for Indonesia and Asia in general". Regarding the role of Asia in the Western music industry, Anggun said "I think it's about time people know something more about Asia, not only as a vacation place."
Other activities
Philanthropy and activism
In 1997, Anggun joined Sidaction, a French organization to help fighting against AIDS. Among her charity projects were Solidays (featuring her collaboration with Peter Gabriel and several international acts) and charity concert Echoes of the Earth in 2000, Les voix de l'Espoir in 2001 and Gaia in 2002 (featuring a duet with Zucchero on the song "World"). In March 2001, she is one of the many performers of the title "Que serais-je demain?" as a member of the female collective Les voix de l'Espoir ( The Voice of Hope) created by Princess Erika in order to helped build a pan-African hospital in Dakar, Senegal. Anggun was involved in Global 200 by World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) to stop the degradation of the planet's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature and Anggun joined Solidays or in French called Solidarité Sida, the annual festival for raising money to help people with HIV/AIDS in Africa and also to prevent the disease. In 2003, Anggun was involved in Gaia Project, an environmental benefit project, to raise awareness about the preservation of the environment, and joined a charity concert called Le concert pour le paix.
In 2005, Anggun was a part of a humanitarian project to promote tolerance in Hammamet, Tunisia. Anggun promoted a micro-credit program to help to empower women in Indonesia, and many countries worldwide. This campaign was organized by United Nations. Anggun was one of many French singers to raise money to help Tsunami victims in Asia. She herself also visited Aceh for a couple of days after the tragedy. Anggun joined Music for Asia Charity Concert in Milan, Italy to raise money to help victims of Tsunami in Asia. She has been invited to perform "Être une femme" in a concert, called Tous egaux, tous en scene in La Zenith, Paris, to fight for racial discrimination. In February 2005, she performed her song, "Être une femme", with Lady Laistee in Ni Putes Ni Soumises Concert to celebrate women empowerment and feminism. In the same year, she performed "Don't Give Up" with Peter Gabriel on United Against Malaria Concert in Geneva, Switzerland.
She also participated on the 2006 Fight AIDS campaign in France with a collaborative track entitled "L'Or de nos vies" with several other French musicians. In 2006, 2008, and 2011, Anggun was a part of Concert pour la tolérance in Agadir, Morocco to promote a message of respect for others and differences, for peace, tolerance, fraternity, dialogue between cultures and for the fight against all forms of discrimination. Anggun was a part of a humanitarian project, Contre la SIDA, organized by Princess Stéphanie of Monaco, to raise money to help to fight against AIDS. She did a charity single with several female French stars, titled "Pour que tu sois libre".
During 2007, Anggun participated in several environmental projects. She became the French-language narrator of the BBC nature documentary film Earth (Un jour sur terre), an ecological documentary film by Alastair Fothergill produced by BBC Worldwide, and composed its soundtrack single, "Un jour sur terre". After the release of the movie, Disney announced the planting of around 2.7 million trees in endangered areas including the Amazonian forest. She was appointed as the Ambassador of the Micro-environment Prize by the French Ministry of Ecology and Sustainable Development and National Geographic Channel.
In 2009, Anggun went to Nangroe Aceh Darussalam, Indonesia to promote the importance of mangrove forests. Her work was filmed by Gulli TV and aired in Europe, Mon Arbre Pour La Vie Voyage Au Pays de Anggun (My Tree For Life Travel to the Country of Anggun). Anggun joined AIDES to raise money to help fighting AIDS. Anggun was a part of United Nations campaign in Copenhagen, Denmark helping to spread an awareness message worldwide and to raise the importance of the for leaders of the world to agree and work together on this key issue that is climate change. On 7 December 2009, she attended United Nations Climate Change conference (COP15) in Copenhagen, Denmark. She performed at Dance 4 Climate Change Concert. She sang two songs as soloist, "Snow on the Sahara" and "Stronger", and two songs as a duet, "Saviour" with Niels Brinck and "7 Seconds" with Youssou N'Dour.
In 2010, Anggun joined former President of United States, Bill Clinton, at the 2010 Clinton Global Initiative to kick off "a Healthy Hair for Healthy Water" campaign with another public figures, such as philanthropist & creator of United Nations Foundation Ted Turner and supermodel & activist Gisele Bündchen. This event was to help the CSDW (Children's Safe Drinking Water) achieve its dream to "save a life every hour" in the developing countries around the world by providing two billion liters of clean water every year by 2020. At the same year, she with Daniel Powter, Lara Fabian, M. Pokora, and several artists appeared and featured in Collect If Aides 25 Ans album, specifically in a song called If, to dedicated for all the victims of AIDS worldwide.
On 1 July 2011, she appeared on game show called N'oubliez pas les paroles!, a French version of international series Don't Forget the Lyrics! with Thierry Amiel where they won EU€50,000 and donated those prizes to Sidaction. In 2011, Anggun joined charity show marathon, called Téléthon. Over EU€86 millions have been collected so far to the benefit of the fight for children rare diseases, including muscular dystrophy syndrome. Anggun joined UNICEF campaign to help children in Africa. Anggun with Zlatan Ibrahimović and Nasser Al-Khelaifi attended the PSG's charity event Fondation du PSG in November 2013 to help children with need. This event succeed to collect funds around EU€190,000 or equivalent to US$221,191.35.
Anggun promoted a pressure to put an end against discrimination, child labor, forcing young girls into marriage, and prostitution at World Without Walls congress on 9 November 2014 in Berlin, Germany. Anggun, David Foster, Melanie C and Vanness Wu later collaborated on a cover version of Earth, Wind & Fire's "Let's Groove" as the charity single for Nepal earthquake relief. In 2015, Anggun became the ambassador of charity organization La Voix de l'enfant (The Voice of the Children). She joined ‘’The Pansy Project’’, a website to denounces the cruelty of homophobia actions against LGBT communities in the world, iniated by Paul Harfleet. This project also planted Pansy on locations where homophobia action was committed. She made through one of important newspaper in France Libération or so called Libé which she made a strong stands about supporting LGBT community, sent an open letter for President of Indonesia Joko Widodo about death sentence of Serge Atlaoui, told about her new album Toujours un ailleurs, her newest updates in life, and many more. She attended 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris. She met Indigenous Peoples' Alliance of Nusantara (AMAN) and Indonesia Nature Film Society (Infis) when she shares her views on indigenous peoples' rights, climate change and the role we all have to play in this short interview. She did an interview with advocacy group, If Not Us, Then Who?. She was appointed to be the narrator of a documentary film titled Our Fight which broadcast through this event and France featuring stories from Kalimantan and Sumatra. She joined a campaigned called Une bonne claque by short clip for COP21 which aired on France 2. She told how we can contribute to the environment by giving little tips that help the Earth from climate change. Anggun went to Madagascar to help children with chronic diseases to get medical treatment with Aviation Sans Frontières. She attended at 2016 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP22) in Marrakech, Morocco. She sang "La Neige au Sahara" and "Cesse la pluie", also did a duet with Youssou N'Dour for the fourth time on his song titled "7 Seconds".
Anggun alongside singer Monsieur Nov, actor Frédéric Chau, PSG goalkeeper Alphonse Areola, rugby player François Trinh-Duc, journalist Émilie Tran Nguyen & Raphaël Yem, chef Pierre Sang, entrepreneur Paul Duan and other Asian origin-French personalities joined a campaign clip called #Asiatiquesdefrance initiated by France 2 journalist Hélène Lam Trong and produced by journalist Mélissa Theuriau to stop Asian hate and to fight against Asian stereotyping in France. In May 2017, she attended a charity event titled The Global Gift Gala, which was held by Eva Longoria Charity Organization and The Eva Longoria Foundation with UNICEF and The Global Gift Foundation collaboration, in Paris. Anggun joined the panel of judges for the Picture This Festival for the Planet short film competition. In the event new filmmakers, storytellers, and those who feel they can change the whole world, will compete with each other. The announcement of Anggun's involvement was conveyed by Sony Pictures Television Networks (SPTN) in collaboration with the United Nations Foundation. On the Picture This Festival for the Planet judges panel, there was Anggun together with actress and advocate Megan Boone from TV series The Blacklist, President of United Nations Foundation Elizabeth Cousens, MD & CEO of Sony Pictures Networks India N. P. Singh, co-presidents & founders of Sony Pictures Classics Tom Bernard & Michael Barker, U.S. President & Chief Creative Officer of WeTransfer Damian Bradfield, as well as other prominent industry & environmental activism leaders.
In April 2018, Anggun with Milène Guermont, Axelle Red, soprano Pilar Jurado, Sylvie Hoarau from Brigitte, French rock group Blankass, Joyce Jonathan, Irish singer Eleanor McEvoy, and German composer Alexander Zuckowski joined Transfer of Value/Value Gap press conference with the members of the European Parliament Virginie Rozière, Silvia Costa and Axel Voss, also European Grouping of Societies of Authors and Composers (GESAC) & Société des auteurs, compositeurs et éditeurs de musique (SACEM) delegates. They discussed about this topic and copyright problems with President of Institute for Digital Fundamental (IDF) Rights Jean-Marie Cavada. Anggun and those artists later on joined mass online campaign titled #MakeInternetFair. This main action was to ensure that user upload platforms, like YouTube, Facebook and SoundCloud properly share the revenues they generate with the songwriters and composers whose musical works they use, addressing the so called ‘transfer of value’ or ‘value gap’. On 17 June 2018, she was performing with French composer and musician François Meïmoun at Centre Pompidou for 55th Anniversary of Fédération Française Sésame Autisme, is a French non-profit association of parents of children and adults with autism. On 26 June 2018, she was officially participating #TheFreaks, a collective of 68 French artists, such as Zazie, Pascal Obispo, and more, who are sensitive to the defense of the environment and the protection of our ecosystems. This was an initiative action from French electro-rock band Shaka Ponk. Therefore, they committed to adopting new behaviors to fight over-consumption, pollution, global warming and protect biodiversity.
On 19 January 2019, she performed at the Teatro Odeon, Ponsacco to helped campaign of charity music event Monte Serra by Music for Life Association with another artists such as Matteo Becucci and Jonathan Canini. In March 2019, Anggun alongside Yann Arthus-Bertrand, Paul Lynch, Zaz, Kate Atkinson, Joanna Trollope, and more than 450 artists, authors, writers, also journalists all over Europe signed the petition & open letter to European Parliament in Strasbourg. The open letter forced the Parliament to think more about the future of copyright and protection for European creators with strict regulations. Anggun and those artists-journalists held a campaign #Yes2Copyright to raise awareness among European citizen about the importance and consequences of this problem. On 5 July 2019, she staged a charity concert, called Gemilang 30 Tahun at the Tennis Indoor Stadium in Senayan, Central Jakarta, and sponsored by consumer goods producer P&G, the concert's theme is titled, Unify the Tunes, Make Indonesian Children's Dreams Come True. According to a post on the Instagram account of children's welfare foundation @savechildren_id, the funds be used to construct 100 classrooms in schools affected by natural disasters in Palu and Donggala in Central Sulawesi, Lombok in West Nusa Tenggara, Sumba Island in East Nusa Tenggara and West Java. Donations collected from this concert are IDR3,060,000,000 or equals to US$218,560.50. As the part of charity event, Anggun auctioned off his shoes which are products from designer Christian Louboutin type 'circus city spiked cutout gold' which has an initial price of US$1,295. Anggun committed to reversing the biodiversity loss curve by joining WWF France #PasLeDernier campaign. Anggun joined WWF Indonesia collaboration's campaign and awareness program to protect Sumatran elephant, called A Night for Wildlife Preservation in Indonesia, on 13 November 2019 at Embassy of Indonesia, Paris. There were Muslim, Gayo elephant activist, Indonesian singer and founder of Teman Gajah (Friend of Elephant) Tulus, 2019-2021 Indonesian Ambassador to France Arrmanatha Christiawan Nasir, and Paris Peace Forum steering committee Yenny Wahid.
On 17 July 2020, she became leader of the panelist or investigateur, while Cartman and Chris Marques were the member of her team, on television reality show Good Singers, an adapted Korean television program I Can See Your Voice. She won EU€28,500 or equivalent to US$33,082.77 and she donated those prize to Aviation Sans Frontières. Another team was led by Amir while Julie Zenatti and Titoff were the member of his team. She performed a song "Lady Marmalade" with legendary cabaret dance troupe Moulin Rouge on 25 June 2020 at TV special for charity event 100 ans de comédies musicales : les stars chantent pour Sidaction to fight against AIDS, even though COVID-19 pandemic was roaming. In December 2020, she shared a video from The Pansy Project (Les Pensées de Paul), which was a 2015 documentary film by English artist-activist Paul Harfleet that denounces homophobia and violence against the LGBT community. The film was directed by Jean-Baptiste Erreca. Anggun was a cameo in the promotional trailer of the documentary and her song, called "Try", was chosen to be the soundtrack of the documentary.
In April 2021, Anggun alongside 35 French celebrities, such as Patrice Leconte, Iris Mittenaere, Chimene Badi, Ibrahim Maalouf and more, joined solidarity raffle held by Laurette Fugain Association, an association that aims to fight leukemia. It owes its name to Laurette Fugain, the daughter of Stéphanie and Michel Fugain, who died in 2002 cause of this disease at the age of 22. To joined this raffle, the persons had to buy one or more EU€10 tickets donation from 31 March to 31 May 2021. If they got lucky and win this raffle, each one of the winners got the chance to meet one of those celebrities in person. On 14 June 2021, she was invited to perform in order to support and celebrate World Blood Donor Day 2021 at Auditorium Parco della Musica in Rome, Italy. At that event, she sang three songs and was appointed as an International Ambassador of the Blood Donors by WHO, Ministry of Health and President of the Republic.
Anggun performed in Aquileia as her continued Italia tour. This tour concert was part of Le Note del Dono project to celebrated the anniversary of Fratres group which the idea of this project came from Italian artistic director Marco Vanni. This project aims to promote, through music, the culture of total donation, such as blood, blood components, organs, tissues, stem cells, cord, and medulla - which style of life that safeguards health and well-being and that is moved by human solidarity, civic conscience and, for those who believe, by charity. The donation of a country's biological material is an index of civilization and every gift is a free human drug that saves lives. On 25 August 2021, Anggun joined Italy solidarity event, Mattone del cuore, held by Paolo Brosio's Olimpiadi del Cuore Association and Fondazione della Nazionale Cantanti in Forte dei Marmi. This event was held for Italian families in difficulty after COVID-19 who may have dependent people with physical or mental disability or associations that deal with psychic or physical disabled people, and in part to the great project Mattone del Cuore Primo Pronto Soccorso di Medjiugorie (Bosnia Erzegovina) and in third world countries for the care and assistance of children patients with leukemia and blood cancers to treat them directly in their countries and in their hospitals with the assistance of the best specialists in the world. A project managed by the Cure2Children Association of Florence. Anggun and several French celebrities joined donation campaign called Winter Time 2021 which held by Imagine For Margo - Children Without Cancer Association and Comité du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. She donated her pair of shoes which designed by Christian Louboutin. Anggun made a visit to a special need public school, namely Sekolah Luar Biasa Negeri Pembina in Jayapura, in order to support the teacher, parents, and disability students there as solidarity campaign and social project for 2021 National Paralympic Week.
Ambassadorship
She was appointed as the spokesperson for the International Year of Microcredit, a United Nations program aimed at eradicating debt in the third world, In 2009, Anggun was appointed as the Goodwill Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), part of the United Nations. On 15 October 2009, she performed on the occasion of the World Food Day Ceremony at UN headquarters Plenary Hall in New York, New York. She attended Rome Film Festival on the next day and spoke as UN Goodwill Ambassador at TeleFood Campaign Against Hunger in The World. Anggun as FAO Goodwill Ambassador have been named by the United Nations as MDG Champions on 1 September 2010. The announcement was made at UN headquarters in New York. FAO Goodwill Ambassadors, such as Italian actor Raoul Bova, Canadian singer Céline Dion, Filipino singer Lea Salonga and American actress Susan Sarandon, spoke with one voice in an urgent appeal on behalf of the more than one billion people living in chronic hunger worldwide. Anggun, who has also appeared in a French film, promoted one of the campaigns she participated in, namely 1 Billion Hungry Project. The '1 Billion Hungry Project is also a program from FAO from the United Nations to raise our awareness that in 2010, there were 925 million people who were still hungry. This campaign asks the public to sign a petition to pressure government leaders to be more active in eradicating poverty. According to Anggun, by word of mouth promotion or through social networks will increase the number of signatures for this petition. “Spread the words! Anyway, I will always tweet, I will always post on Facebook, just to wake the people up in everywhere," said Anggun. She also performed "Snow on the Sahara" at the campaign's concert on 19 September 2010 in New York. She got an interview with CNN to talk about this campaign on the same date. American former athlete Carl Lewis and Anggun will be joining other celebrities in support of the MDG Summit to be held in New York on 22 September 2010. The UN Summit in New York on 20–22 September will bring together close to 150 Heads of State and Government, joined by leaders from the private sector, foundations and civil society, and celebrities, to commit to an action agenda to achieve the MDGs. In November 2011, she made a speech at UN Summit in China.
Writing
Anggun wrote her views on several issues, especially in Indonesia. She shared those columns on online platforms Qureta.com and DW. She got more than 150,000 online readers. Mostly she discussed social, humanity, and tolerance topics. On Qureta.com, she uploaded four writings and all in Bahasa:
"Feminisme dan Solidaritas Maskulin (Feminism and Masculine Solidarity)"
"Histeria Go-International (Go-International Hysteria)"
"Cinta adalah Hak Asasi Manusia (Love is a Human Right)"
"Indonesia dan Sejumlah Klise (Indonesia and Some Clichés)"
On DW, she wrote an article titled "Komunisme dan Emosi Yang Bertautan di Indonesia (Communism and Emotions Are Linked in Indonesia)" and also it uploaded in Bahasa.
Personal life
Anggun was raised a Muslim:
At the same time she notes that she is not inclined to have a rigid point of view about religion and tends more and more to Buddhism without, in essence, breaking with religious belief. In recognising her disposition to Buddhism, Anggun stresses that her transition to another religious stance should not be a concern of other people. She makes it a requirement to admit religious toleration and insists on a separation of religious faith from the basic regulative principle for the individual:
For me, the most important thing is not what religion you believe in but how you do things, how you live your life.
Your belief doesn't determine whether you're a good person or not—your behavior does.
Anggun has been married four times. Her first marriage, in 1992, was to Michel Georgea, a French engineer. Since he was her manager, Anggun was reproached in Indonesia for allegedly marrying to advance her career. Her second husband was Louis-Olivier Maury (born March 1971) whom she met in Canada. They married in 2004. After her marriage to Olivier Maury ended in 2006, Anggun began a relationship with French writer Cyril Montana, whom she eventually married. She gave birth to her first child, a daughter named Kirana Cipta Montana, on 8 November 2007. She and Montana got divorced in 2015. On 16 August 2018 Anggun married for the fourth time in Ubud, Bali with a German musician and photographer, Christian Kretschmar.
Besides Indonesian, her native language, Anggun is fluent in French and English.
2015 Paris burglary incident
According to Closer, Anggun's apartment in Paris was robbed by burglars on 18 September 2015 when she was not in Paris. The burglars have stolen jewelry and high value items for a total amount of around EU€250,000 or equivalent to US$291,376.25.
Backing band
Current members
Fabrice Ach – bassist, backing vocals (2001–present)
Olivier Freche – lead guitarist, rhythm guitarist, backing vocals (2004–2011, 2013–present)
Jean-Marie Négozio – keyboardist, backing vocals (2003, 2006–present)
Olivier Baldissera – drummer, percussionist (2008–present)
Stéphane Escoms – back-up keyboardist, backing vocals (2020 (on Italia & Russia tour concerts)–present)
Former members
Patrick Buchmann – drummer, percussionist, backing vocals (1997–2004)
Nicolas-Yvan Mingot – lead guitarist (1997–2000)
Yannick Hardouin – bassist (1997–2001)
Patrice Clémentin – keyboardist (1997–2002)
Cyril Tarquiny – lead guitarist, rhythm guitarist, backing vocals (2001–2003, 2006–2007, 2010–2012, 2020 (on Russia tour))
Gilard – keyboardist, backing vocals (2004–2005)
Claude Sarragossa – drummer, percussionist (2005–2007)
Romain Berrodier – back-up keyboardist, backing vocals (2014–2015)
Frédéric Degré – back-up drummer (2019 (on Prambanan Jazz Festival and Gemilang 30 Tahun Concert))
In popular culture
Anggun became the first Indonesian woman to be immortalized in wax by Madame Tussauds in 2016. Located in its Bangkok museum, Anggun's statue joined that of Sukarno, the first President of Indonesia. A cocktail named after "Anggun" in Bar 228, Hôtel Meurice de Calais, Paris. It made of Bacardi rum, mango coulis, coconut milk, and pineapple juice.
Discography
Studio albums
Dunia Aku Punya (1986)
Anak Putih Abu Abu (1991)
Nocturno (1992)
Anggun C. Sasmi... Lah!!! (1993)
Snow on the Sahara (1997)
Chrysalis (2000)
Luminescence (2005)
Elevation (2008)
Echoes (2011)
Toujours un ailleurs (2015)
8 (2017)
Filmography
Film
Silent Night: A Song for the World (2020)
Raya and the Last Dragon (Raya et le dernier Dragon) (2021)
Television
X Factor Indonesia (2013)
Indonesia's Got Talent (2014)
Asia's Got Talent (2017)
The Voice Indonesia (2019)
Les Années bonheur (2019)
Mask Singer (Le Chanteur Masqué) (2019)
300 choeurs pour + de vie (2020)
Coup de foudre à Bangkok (2020)
Léo Mattéï, Brigade des mineurs (2022)
Accolades
2001: ranked No. 6 in a list of the Sexiest Women of Asia by FHM magazine.
2010: FHM 100 Sexiest Women in the World
Bibliography
See also
List of Indonesian musicians and musical groups
List of artists who reached number one on the Italian Singles Chart
References
External links
FAO Goodwill Ambassador website
Anugerah Musik Indonesia winners
Chevaliers of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
English-language singers from Indonesia
Eurovision Song Contest entrants of 2012
Eurovision Song Contest entrants for France
20th-century French women singers
Indonesian emigrants to France
21st-century Indonesian women singers
Indonesian rock singers
Indonesian Buddhists
Indo people
Javanese people
Converts to Buddhism from Islam
Living people
Naturalized citizens of France
Singers from Jakarta
Singers from Paris
World Music Awards winners
FAO Goodwill ambassadors
Warner Music Group artists
LGBT rights activists from Indonesia
20th-century Indonesian women singers
21st-century French women singers
1974 births
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[
"Be Careful What You Wish For is the debut collaborative studio album by South African recording artists AKA and Anatii. It was released on July 28, 2017 by Beam Group and YAL Entertainment, under exclusive licence to Universal Music South Africa.\n\nSingles\n\"10 Fingers\" was released as the lead single on January 8, 2017. The track was produced by Anatii.\n\n\"Don't Forget to Pray\" and \"Holy Mountain\" were released as the third and second singles respectively. Both songs received positive response from critics.\n\nCritical reception\nThe album received positive response from critics. At Yo Mzansi, it received a positive rating of 9/10.\n\nTrack listing\nAdapted from Apple Music.\n\nRelease history\n\nReferences\n\n2017 albums\nAnatii albums\nAKA (rapper) albums",
"When You're Smiling is the second studio album by Bradley Walsh, credited to Walsh and The Bradettes. It was released on 10 November 2017 through the record label Sony Music. The album contains mainly covers of traditional pop songs, by artists such as Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole and Tony Bennett. One original track is featured, \"You Know Best\", co-written by Walsh and Steve Sidwell, who also produced the album.\n\nBackground \nWalsh decided to release a second album following the success of his debut album, saying \"I am very flattered that so many people loved Chasing Dreams. The amazing response that we received was a big surprise to us all, and now we have to follow up that success with the second album. We have had a great time revisiting some of our favourite songs from stage and screen, and I am very proud of what we've achieved. I can only hope that people enjoy listening to it as much as we did making it.\"\n\nTrack listing\n\nCritical reception \nWhen You're Smiling received mixed reviews from critics.\n\nCharts\n\nWeekly charts\n\nReferences \n\nBradley Walsh"
] |
[
"Anggun",
"1974-1993: Early life and career in Indonesia",
"Where was Anggun born?",
"Anggun was born and raised in Jakarta",
"Did she have any siblings?",
"She is the second child",
"When did she start singing?",
"At the age of seven, Anggun began receiving highly disciplined instruction in singing from her father.",
"Where was her first performance?",
"I don't know.",
"Did she release any music during this time period?",
"At the age of twelve, she released her first official studio album, Dunia Aku Punya (1986).",
"What was the critics response to that album?",
"I don't know."
] |
C_aa49f4724631400ab4337ca8a6d39e30_1
|
Where there any singles from her first album?
| 7 |
Where there any singles from Anggun's first album, Dunia Aku Punya released in 1986?
|
Anggun
|
Anggun was born and raised in Jakarta to a native Indonesian family. She is the second child and first daughter of Darto Singo, a Javanese writer, and Dien Herdina, a housewife from the Yogyakartan royal family. Her full name means "grace born of a dream" in Balinese. Despite being a Muslim, Anggun was sent to a Catholic school to receive a better elementary education. At the age of seven, Anggun began receiving highly disciplined instruction in singing from her father. She trained daily, learning various vocal techniques. To help further develop her career, her mother began serving as her manager, accepting singing offers and handling business concerns. At the age of nine, Anggun began to write her own songs and recorded her first children's album. As a preteen, Anggun was influenced by Western rock music artists. At the age of twelve, she released her first official studio album, Dunia Aku Punya (1986). The album was produced by Ian Antono, an Indonesian rock musician. However, the album failed to establish her popularity. Three years later, Anggun achieved some fame after the release of the single "Mimpi"; the song was later ranked by the Rolling Stone Indonesia magazine as one of the 150 Greatest Indonesian Songs of All Time. Anggun's fame continued to increase with the release of subsequent singles, most notably "Tua Tua Keladi" (1990), which became her most popular hit in Indonesia. After a string of successful singles, Anggun released the studio albums Anak Putih Abu Abu (1991) and Nocturno (1992). The former earned her the Most Popular Indonesian Artist 1990-1991 award. In 1992, Anggun began a relationship with Michel de Gea, a French engineer, whom she had met the year before in Kalimantan while touring. The couple married, despite a rumoured objection by Anggun's family, reportedly because they felt Anggun was too young . Georgea later became Anggun's manager. The following year, Anggun became the youngest Indonesian singer to found her own record company, Bali Cipta Records, and took complete creative control over her work. She produced her final Indonesian studio album, Anggun C. Sasmi... Lah!!! (1993), which yielded the number-one single "Kembalilah Kasih (Kita Harus Bicara)". By age nineteen, Anggun had sold over four million albums in Indonesia. She began to feel dissatisfied with her success in her country and began considering an international music career. Anggun later recalled: "[By the time] I was 20, I'd made five albums. I'd built my own record company. I'd produced my last album and produced some Indonesian acts as well. And I said to myself: 'I'm tired! I cannot achieve more than I already have. There's no challenge anymore'." CANNOTANSWER
|
CANNOTANSWER
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Anggun Cipta Sasmi (), Anggun C. Sasmi or known mononymously as Anggun, is an Indonesian-born French singer-songwriter and television personality. Born in Jakarta, she began performing at the age of seven and recorded a children's album two years later. With the help of Indonesian producer Ian Antono, Anggun released her first rock-influenced studio album, Dunia Aku Punya in 1986. She became further well known with the single "Mimpi" (1989), which was listed as one of the 150 Greatest Indonesian Songs of All Time by Rolling Stone. She followed it with a series of singles and three more studio albums, which established her as one of the most prominent Indonesian female rock stars of the early 1990s.
Anggun left Indonesia in 1994 to pursue an international career. After two years struggling in London and Paris, she met French producer Erick Benzi, who produced her first international album, Snow on the Sahara (1997). Released in 33 countries, it became the best-selling album by an Asian artist outside Asia. Since then, Anggun has released another six studio albums as well as a soundtrack album to the Danish film Open Hearts (2002). Her singles, "Snow on the Sahara", "What We Remember", and "The Good Is Back", entered the Billboard charts in the United States, while "In Your Mind", "Saviour" and "I'll Be Alright" charted on the Billboard European Hot 100 Singles. France in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 in Baku, Azerbaijan, with the song "Echo (You and I)". Anggun also ventured into television, becoming the judge for the pancontinental Asia's Got Talent, the French version of Masked Singer, as well as the Indonesian versions of The X Factor, Got Talent, and The Voice.
Anggun is one of the Asian artists with the highest album sales outside Asia, with her releases being certified gold and platinum in some European countries. She is the first Indonesian artist to have success in European and American record charts. She has received a number of accolades for her achievements, including the Chevalier des Arts et Lettres from the Government of France, the World Music Award for World's Best-Selling Indonesian Artist, and the Asian Television Award for Outstanding Contribution to Asian Television Performing Arts. She also became the first Indonesian woman to be immortalized in wax by Madame Tussauds. Aside from her musical career, Anggun has been appointed as the global ambassador of the United Nations twice, first for the International Year of Microcredit in 2005 and then for the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 2009 onwards.
Life and career
1974–1993: Early life and career in Indonesia
Anggun was born and raised in Jakarta. She is the second child and first daughter of Darto Singo, a Javanese writer, and Dien Herdina, a housewife from the Yogyakartan royal family. Her full name means "grace born of a dream" in Balinese. Despite being a Muslim, Anggun was sent to a Catholic school to receive a better elementary education. At the age of seven, Anggun began receiving highly disciplined instruction in singing from her father. She trained daily, learning various vocal techniques. To help further develop her career, her mother began serving as her manager, accepting singing offers and handling business concerns. At the age of eleven, Anggun began to write her own songs and recorded her first children's album.
As a preteen, Anggun was influenced by Western rock music artists. At the age of fourteen, she released her first official studio album, Dunia Aku Punya (1986). The album was produced by Ian Antono, an Indonesian rock musician. However, the album failed to establish her popularity. Three years later, Anggun achieved some fame after the release of the single "Mimpi"; the song was later ranked by the Rolling Stone Indonesia magazine as one of the 150 Greatest Indonesian Songs of All Time. Anggun's fame continued to increase with the release of subsequent singles, most notably "Tua Tua Keladi" (1990), which became her most popular hit in Indonesia. After a string of successful singles, Anggun released the studio albums Anak Putih Abu Abu (1991) and Nocturno (1992). The former earned her the Most Popular Indonesian Artist 1990–1991 award.
In 1992, Anggun began a relationship with Michel Georgea, a French engineer, whom she had met the year before in Kalimantan while touring. The couple married, despite a rumoured objection by Anggun's family, reportedly because they felt Anggun was too young . Georgea later became Anggun's manager. The following year, Anggun became the youngest Indonesian singer to found her own record company, Bali Cipta Records, and took complete creative control over her work. She produced her final Indonesian studio album, Anggun C. Sasmi... Lah!!! (1993), which yielded the number-one single "Kembalilah Kasih (Kita Harus Bicara)". By age nineteen, Anggun had sold over four million albums in Indonesia. She began to feel dissatisfied with her success in her country and began considering an international music career. Anggun later recalled: "[By the time] I was 20, I'd made five albums. I'd built my own record company. I'd produced my last album and produced some Indonesian acts as well. And I said to myself: 'I'm tired! I cannot achieve more than I already have. There's no challenge anymore'."
1994–1996: Beginnings in Europe
In 1994, Anggun released Yang Hilang, a greatest hits album of her Indonesian hits. She later sold her record company to fund her move to Europe, and moved to London for about a year. In a 2006 interview with Trax magazine, Anggun admitted to experiencing "culture shock" and having some serious financial problems while trying to start her new life in Europe, saying "I thought the money that I got by selling my record company was enough [to sustain life in London], but I began to lose money, little by little. I had to spend so much on taking cabs and eating! So I ended up taking buses everywhere and going to clubs to introduce myself as a singer." She also admitted that she "had to convert from being a shy, introverted, 'real' Javanese woman to being an unabashed, fearless, 'fake' Javanese woman."
She began writing songs and recording demos, but after a few months, all the demos she had sent to record companies around the UK were returned with negative replies. She began thinking about moving to another country, and initially considered moving to the Netherlands, but later decided on France. In 1996, her international career began to advance; she was introduced to producer Erick Benzi, who had previously worked with Celine Dion, Jean-Jacques Goldman and Johnny Hallyday, by one of music legends in France named Florent Pagny. Later, Anggun learned from Florent Pagny about how a French artist acted on stage and communicated with audiences by accompanied him on his concerts and shows. Instantly, he became Anggun's mentor. Impressed by Anggun's talent, Benzi immediately offered her a recording deal. Later that year, Anggun was signed to Columbia France and Sony Music Entertainment. After a brief French course at Alliance Française, Anggun began working on her debut album with Benzi, alongside Jacques Veneruso, Gildas Arzel and Nikki Matheson.
1997–1999: Snow on the Sahara and international success
Erick Benzi wrote her a first song, "La Rose des vents", then an album called Anggun whose flagship title, La Neige au Sahara, was chosen as the first single. This launched his career and allowed him to become known to the general public. The album was first released in Japan in 1997 by Columbia, a subsidiary of Sony Music. This version includes nineteen songs, three of which are in French. It was published in France in 1998 with sixteen songs including fifteen in French. Finally in 1999, it was released in the United States under the title Snow on the Sahara with only eleven songs, all in English. The album is marketed in 35 countries and Anggun ensures the promotion (United States, Indonesia, Italy, etc.) for three years. She is accompanied by a group of French musicians composed of Patrick Buchmann (drums, percussion, vocals), Nicolas-Yvan Mingot (guitar), Yannick Hardouin (bass) and Patrice Clémentin (keyboards). Worldwide sales of the record exceed 900,000 copies and it is certified as a "double gold record".
Following in June 1997, Anggun released her first French-language album, entitled Au nom de la lune. The album was a huge artistic departure from Anggun's earlier rock style, experimenting with world music and more adult contemporary sounds. Anggun described the album as "a concentration of all the musical influences of my life. I want to introduce Indonesia, but in a progressive way, in a lyric, in a sound, and mainly through me." The album's first single, "La neige au Sahara", quickly became a hit in France, peaking at number 1 on the French Airplay Chart and number 16 on the French Singles Chart. It became the most played single in France of 1997, with a total of 7,900 radio airplays, and was certified gold for shipment of 250,000 copies. Two more commercial singles, "La rose des vents" and "Au nom de la lune", were released to modest chart success. The album peaked at number 34 on the French Albums Chart and sold over 150,000 copies in France and Belgium. Anggun received a nomination for the La révélation de l'année award (Revelation of the Year/Best New Artist) in Victoires de la Musique (a Grammy Award-equivalent in the French music scene). She attended and performed her song on French TV show, Tapis rouge, and Céline Dion also attended as guest. They met each other in person for the first time and they sang Aretha Franklin's hits, Chain of Fools and (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman together alongside other guest stars.
The English version of the album, Snow on the Sahara, was released internationally in 33 countries throughout Asia, Europe, and America between late 1997 and early 1999. The album contained the songs on Au nom de la lune, adapted to English by songwriter Nikki Matheson, and a cover version of the David Bowie hit "Life on Mars?". For the Southeast Asian market, Anggun included an Indonesian song, "Kembali", which became a huge hit in the region. American music critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic called the album "a promising debut effort" because "she illustrates enough full-formed talent on the disc". According to Erlewine, Anggun "tackles polished ballads, Latin-pop and dance-pop on Snow on the Sahara, demonstrating that she can sing all the styles quite well." The album's first single, "Snow on the Sahara" was a commercial success, reaching number one in Italy, Spain and several countries in Asia, and the top five on the UK Club Chart. The song was also used as the soundtrack for an international marketing campaign launched by the Swiss watchmaker Swatch. Snow on the Sahara has sold over 1.5 million copies worldwide and received the Diamond Export Sales Award.
In North America, Snow on the Sahara was released in May 1998 by Epic Records. Anggun went on an extensive tour for nine months in the United States to promote the album, including as a supporting act for several artists such as The Corrs and Toni Braxton, as well as participating at the Lilith Fair (performing with Sarah McLachlan and Erykah Badu on stage). She also appeared on American television programs such as The Rosie O'Donnell Show, Sessions at West 54th, Penn & Teller's Sin City Spectacular, and received a CNN WorldBeat interview; she was also given coverage in printed media like Rolling Stone and Billboard. However, Snow on the Sahara was not much of a commercial success in the United States. The album peaked at number 23 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums Chart and shipped 200,000 units. The single reached number 16 on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play and number 22 on the Billboard Adult Top 40. Nevertheless, Sarah Brightman did a cover version of "Snow on the Sahara" song on her The Harem World Tour: Live from Las Vegas album in 2004. Also in 2008, Italian singer Ilaria Porceddu covered that song on her debut album called Suono naturale. The album track "On the Breath of an Angel" was later used as the soundtrack of American television series Passions and television film The Princess and the Marine, both of which aired on NBC.
2000–2003: Chrysalis, Open Hearts, and collaborations
In 1999, Anggun ended her seven-year marriage to Michel Georgea; this inspired her to record another studio album. Her second French album, Désirs contraires, was released in September 1999. It was an artistic departure from Au nom de la lune, experimenting with electropop and ambient elements as well as R&B music. The album was again produced by Erick Benzi, but it featured some of Anggun's compositions. Désirs contraires failed to repeat the success of the previous album. It peaked at number 48 on the French Albums Chart and sold about 30,000 copies in France. Only two singles were released off the album: the tropical-sounding "Un geste d'amour" and the R&B-influenced "Derrière la porte". Both singles failed to achieve commercial success, although "Un geste d'amour" reached number 62 on the French Singles Chart.
It was the English version of the album that enjoyed more success. Chrysalis was released at the same time as Désirs contraires and represented a huge artistic growth for Anggun, who had co-written the entire album. Distributed simultaneously in 15 countries, the album was never released in the United States due to the lackluster sales of her first album. The album spawned the hit single "Still Reminds Me", which received high airplay across Asia and Europe. It became her third number-one hit in Indonesia since her international career and her third top 20 single in Italy (peaking at number 17). It also reached the top five on the Music & Media European Border Breakers Chart. She released a single especially for the Indonesian and Malaysian market, "Yang 'Ku Tunggu" (the Indonesian version of "Un geste d'amour"), which became another number-one hit for Anggun in the region.
In 2000, Anggun presented her second album, still under the aegis of Erick Benzi, Desires Contraires. The record received little promotion and went relatively unnoticed in France. It has exported well, especially to Indonesia (platinum record) and Italy (gold record). The album was released under the name Chrysalis in fifteen Asian countries simultaneously, including Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Japan. The song Tu nages on the track list of Désirs Contraires was also performed by Céline Dion on her album Une fille et quatre types in 2003. She then made a mini-tour of ten dates inaugurated at La Cigale on February 1, 2001, her first French stage. She announced her departure from her first label in January 2003, then moved to Montreal, Canada, to meet up with her then fiancé. She toured Indonesia and chose to accompany her the young Julian Cely, who had become her musical godson. At the end of 2000 Anggun received an invitation from the Vatican, asking her to appear at a special Christmas concert alongside Bryan Adams and Dionne Warwick. For the event, she gave her renditions of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" as well as "Still Reminds Me". Her performance was also included on the Noël au Vatican disc compilation. The following month, she started a tour across Asia and Europe, including her first-ever concert in France at Le Bataclan on 1 February 2001. The tour ended on 30 April 2001 at Kallang Theatre, Singapore. In 2002, Anggun received the Women Inspire Award from Singapore's Beacon of Light award ceremony for "her achievements as a role model for many young women in Asia." On 2 April 2002, she held her Russia concert at State Concert Hall of the Tchaikovsky. The next year, she was honored with Cosmopolitan Indonesias Fun Fearless Female of the Year Award. Anggun had an interview with VOGUE Deutsch, Germany edition of VOGUE for a rubric called Vogue Trifft.
During this period, Anggun also did a string of collaborations, soundtrack projects, and charity albums. These included a mixed French-English song with DJ Cam entitled "Summer in Paris" (which later became a club hit in Europe and Asia for both artists) on his 2001 album, Soulshine; an Indonesian-English song with Deep Forest entitled "Deep Blue Sea" on their 2002 album, Music Detected; and three collaborations in 2003, including with Italian rock singers Piero Pelù, Serge Lama and Tri Yann. Her duet with Piero Pelù on an Italian-English song entitled "Amore immaginato" became a hit in Italy, spending over two months at the top of Italian Airplay Chart, and sung it at Italian Music Awards in 2003. Anggun also collaborated with Bryan Adams in writing a song entitled "Walking Away" which remains unreleased for unknown reason. The same year, her song On the Breath of an Angel, composed by her with Jacques Veneruso, Nikki Matheson was interpreted and adapted in Vietnamese by Mỹ Tâm in 2001. This title is engraved on the first album of the latter Mãi Yêu. In 2002, Anggun performed Open Hearts, the soundtrack of the film Open Hearts by Susanne Bier, released in 2003 in Scandinavian theaters. Previously, she has appeared in other soundtracks, Anastasia with Gildas Arzel in 1997, Gloups! je suis un poisson and Anja & Victor in 2001. Later on, her songs have chosen to be the soundtrack of Transporter 2 (Cesse la rain) in 2005 and the documentary series Genesis II et l'homme créa la nature by Frédéric Lepage which was broadcast in 2004 on France 5. Anggun participated in two Scandinavian movies: contributing the song "Rain (Here Without You)" for Anja & Viktor in 2001, and the entire soundtrack album for Open Hearts in 2002. For Open Hearts, Anggun worked with two Danish producers, Jesper Winge Leisner and Niels Brinck. "Open Your Heart" was released as a commercial single from the soundtrack album and charted at number 51 on the Norwegian Singles Chart. It also earned Anggun a nomination for Best Original Song at the Danish Film Academy's Robert Awards in 2003. "Counting Down" was also released as a single and became a top-ten airplay hit in Indonesia. Anggun's work with Sony Music ended in 2003 due to the company's structural change after a merger with BMG Music. She later moved to Montreal, Canada where she met Olivier Maury, a law school graduate, who became Anggun's manager. In 2004, Anggun and Maury were married in a private ceremony in Bali.
2004–2006: Luminescence
In 2004, Anggun returned to Paris and landed a new record deal with Heben Music, a French independent label. She began working on her next album with several producers, including Jean-Pierre Taieb and Frederic Jaffre. Anggun, who composed mainly in English, enlisted the help of several well-known French songwriters, such as Jean Fauque, Lionel Florence, Tété and Evelyn Kral to adapt her English songs into French. In late 2004, Anggun released her first solo French single in nearly four years, "Être une femme", a song about woman empowerment and rights. The single was available in two versions: one solo version for commercial release and a duet with Diam's for radio release. It became Anggun's second top-20 hit in France, peaking at number 16 on the French Singles Chart. It also became Anggun's first French single to chart on the Swiss Singles Chart, peaking at number 58. Released in February 2005, Anggun's third French album, Luminescence, entered the French Albums Chart at number 30 and was later certified gold for selling 100,000 copies. The second single, "Cesse la pluie" also became a hit, peaking at number 10 in Belgium, 22 in France and 65 in Switzerland. According to Francophonie Diffusion, "Être une femme" and "Cesse la pluie" were the second and the fifth most-played French singles of 2005 worldwide, respectively. In 2005, Anggun also took part in the compilation album Ma quando dici amore, released by the Italian singer Ron. Anggun and Ron performed in the Italian-English song "Catch You (Il coraggio di chiedere aiuto)".
The English version of Luminescence—sharing the same title with its French counterpart—was released in Europe under Sony BMG and in Asia under Universal Music. "Undress Me" was chosen as the first single from the English version. Although it was not accompanied by a music video, it debuted at number 13 in Italy, becoming her fifth top 20 single there. It also provided Anggun with her first hit in the Middle East & Balkans, where the song topped the charts in Lebanon and Turkey. "In Your Mind" was released as the second single and it became a huge hit in Asia. "In Your Mind" got positive acclaimed in Mediterranean countries and Eastern Europe, including Armenia. The third single, "Saviour", was used as the soundtrack for the U.S. box office number-one film Transporter 2. Russian electronic music space composer Andrey Klimkovsky reviewed her album and he quoted in his blog that the album was successful and "Saviour" become huge hit in Russia.
Anggun was awarded with the prestigious distinction Chevalier des Arts et Lettres (Knight of Arts and Letters) by the French Minister of Culture for her worldwide achievements and her support of French culture. She was appointed as the ambassadress for a Swiss watch brand, Audemars Piguet. Anggun did a duet with Julio Iglesias on a reworked version of "All of You" in Bahasa version for his album Romantic Classics (2006). On 25 May 2006, Anggun performed on her sold-out solo concert at the Jakarta Convention Center, entitled Konser Untuk Negeri. She later on toured to few cities in Indonesia, such as Medan and Bandung.
In August 2006, Anggun released the special edition of both the French and English versions of Luminescence with three new songs. She made a large jump on the French Albums Chart from number 119 to number 16 (a total of 103 positions) with the re-release, making Luminescence her best-charting album in France. "Juste avant toi", the new single from the special edition, became Anggun's fourth Top 40 hit, peaking at number 28 on the French Singles Chart. Meanwhile, its English version, "I'll Be Alright", became her most popular hit in with over 43,000 airplay from more than 350 Russophone radios across the region. Luminescence was re-issued in February 2007 and peaked at number three on the French Back Catalogue Chart. In September 2006, Anggun performed with her song, "Cesse la pluie" at Sopot Music Festival Grand Prix in Sopot, Poland.
In December 2006, Anggun received the special recognition Best International Artist at Anugerah Musik Indonesia, the most prestigious music award ceremony in Indonesia. The award was given for her role in introducing Indonesian music to the international recording industry. Subsequently, Anggun released her Best-Of album in Indonesia and Malaysia, which compiled singles during the first decade of her international career, including three re-recorded versions of her early Indonesian hits. The new version of "Mimpi" was released as a radio single and became a huge hit in Indonesia in late 2006 to early 2007. Anggun later released Best-Of for Italian market with different track listing and "I'll Be Alright" as its lead single. She was also featured on German band Reamonn's single "Tonight". In the end of 2006, She released her music video for the last single in her album, called "A Crime" for English version and "Garde-moi" for French version. "Garde-moi" is co-written by David Hallyday and joined Anggun to be featuring artist in this particular song. This single reached number 3 in Ukrainian Pop Single Charts. In December 2006, she has been invited to perform this song at an ice skating competition, called Les étoiles de la glace, in Switzerland. She sang "Garde-moi" on the ice rink and was accompanied by two professional ice skaters who performed spectacular ice dancing in the background.
2007–2010: Elevation
Anggun did a performance Over The Hill Of Secrets and Panorama on music by François Moity and Nicolas Yvan-Mingot for the Gaz de France advertisement. Anggun was awarded Le grand cœur de l'année (The Great Heart of the Year) by French television network Filles TV for her contribution to social and environmental events. In February 2007, Anggun was invited as the guest star on one episode of the fourth season of Star Academy Arab World in Lebanon. She returned to another episode of the show's fifth season in the following year. She did a duet with Italian singer Roby Facchinetti and his son, Francesco Facchinetti in a song, titled Vivere Normale. Then, she has been invited to sing it in Italian music festival, called 57th Sanremo Music Festival (Festival di Sanremo). In March 2007, she did a number performance with Nicole Croisille and sang Croisille's hit "Une femme avec toi" on Symphonic Show for Sidaction. In December 2007, she received her second invitation from the Vatican to perform in the Christmas concert in Verona, Italy, along with Michael Bolton. She covered Bruce Springsteen's "Streets of Philadelphia" with Corsican group I Muvrini for their album I Muvrini et les 500 choristes (2007). She was also featured on the remix version of DJ Laurent Wolf's number-one hit "No Stress" for the deluxe edition of his album Wash My World. Anggun and Wolf performed the song at the 2008 World Music Awards in Monaco. Anggun joined Make A Wish Belgium foundation to help children with life-threatening medical conditions.
In late 2008, Anggun released her fourth international studio album, Elevation, which shares the same title in both English and French. A departure from the style of her previous efforts, the album experimented with urban music and hip hop. Elevation was produced by hip hop producer pair Tefa & Masta who produced and managed many artists, such as Diam's, Kery James, etc. This album features collaboration with rappers Pras Michel from the Fugees, Sinik, and Big Ali. "Crazy" was released as the lead single from the album, with its French and Indonesian versions, "Si tu l'avoues" and "Jadi Milikmu", serving as the first single in the respective territories. Canadian cinematographer Ivan Grbovic was the director for its music videos. This song is charted at number 6 on Francophonie Diffusion Chart. Another single from this album, called "My Man" or in the French version, "Si je t'emmène" topped to number 11 on the same chart. This song featured rappers Pras Michel from the Fugees. The music video for its versions was directed by Jean-Baptiste Erreca. Anggun, with this album, had made her music traveled to Russia with positive reactions there. In Russia, Elevation was released with an additional song, "О нас с тобой (O Nas S Toboyu)", which was recorded as a duet with Russian singer Max Lorens. Later on, she remake the song to English version, called "No Song", and Indonesian version, called "Berganti Hati". For "Berganti Hati", she got helped by Indonesian renowned director and artistic arranger Jay Subiyakto to make the music video. Prior to its official release, the album had already been certified double platinum, making it the fastest-selling album of her career in Indonesia. In France, the album debuted at number 36 on the French Albums Chart. Later on, one of her song in this album, called "Stronger" which collaborated with Big Ali, get chosen to be Anlene's advertisement soundtrack for Southeast Asia territory. For the Asian Edition album, she included a song which written by Morgan Visconti and Rosi Golan, "Shine". Then, Pantene used this song to be the soundtrack of its short movie commercial. On 6 December 2008, Anggun joined the panel of jury for Miss France 2009 election. Other celebrities alongside her were singer, actress and AIDS activist Line Renaud as president of the jury, film director Patrice Leconte, Miss France 2007 Rachel Legrain-Trapani, Belgian actor-comedian Benoît Poelvoorde, journalist Henri-Jean Servat and fashion designer Kenzo Takada. Chloé Mortaud was elected to be Miss France 2009 who become a finalist on Miss World 2009.
Anggun's four-year ambassadress contract with Audemars Piguet was subsequently extended. She was also chosen by international hair care brand, Pantene, and New Zealand-based dairy product, Anlene, as their ambassador. In 2009, Italian singer Mina did a cover from one of Anggun's song, "A Rose in the Wind", in her album
Riassunti d'amore - Mina Cover. Anggun made a promo tour called Anggun Elevation Acoustic Showcase and served only 200 guest seats on 24 & 27 March 2009 at Hotel Istana, Kuala Lumpur. She also made concerts in Indonesia and toured five big cities, including Bandung, Yogyakarta, Denpasar, Surabaya and Medan. In August 2009, she was invited as musical guest to perform her song "Saviour" at New Wave 2009 in Jūrmala, Latvia where she met her Indonesian singer colleague Sandhy Sondoro competing at that show.
In early 2010, Anggun recorded a duet with Portuguese singer Mickael Carreira on the song "Chama por me (Call My Name)", as well as performing at his concert in Lisbon, Portugal on 26 February 2010. She collaborated with German electronica musician Schiller, co-writing and contributing lead vocals to two tracks, "Always You" and "Blind", for his album Atemlos (2010). Anggun was also featured on Schiller's concert series, Atemlos Tour, in 14 cities in Germany during May 2010. Anggun did a cameo for 2010 French drama film Ces amours-là directed by Claude Lelouch.
2011–2013: Echoes, Eurovision, and The X Factor
Anggun's fifth international studio album—Echoes for the English version and Échos for the French version—saw her collaboration with composers Gioacchino Maurici, Pierre Jaconelli, Jean-Pierre Pilot, and William Rousseau. It became her first self-produced international album and was released under her own record label, April Earth. The English version was first released in Indonesia in May 2011. It topped the Indonesian Albums Chart and was certified platinum in the first week. It eventually became the best-selling pop album of 2011, with quadruple platinum certification. On this stage, Anggun had won 56 platinum records in 26 different countries, from "Snow on the Sahara" to "Echo (You and I)". "Only Love" and its Indonesian version "Hanyalah Cinta" were released as the lead singles and became number-one radio hits. The French version was released in November 2011 and reached number 48 on the French Albums Chart. "Je partirai", the first single for the French version, reached number five in Belgium. Anggun held her second major concert at the Jakarta Convention Center, Konser Kilau Anggun, on 27 November 2011. She later appeared for the third time at the Christmas concert in the Vatican. This time, she performed "Only Love" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas", the latter in a duet with Ronan Keating.
Anggun was chosen by France Télévisions to represent France in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012. She co-wrote the entry, "Echo (You and I)", with William Rousseau and Jean-Pierre Pilot. Anggun held an extensive tour to more than 15 countries in Europe to promote the song. For the promotional intentions, Keo, Claudia Faniello, Niels Brinck, and Varga Viktor are featuring in this song for special edition albums, each for Romania, Malta, Denmark, and Hungary. She performed the song at the Eurovision grand final in Baku, Azerbaijan on 26 May 2012, wearing a shiny metallic dress sponsored by designer Jean Paul Gaultier. The song finished in 22nd place with 21 points. Anggun later told the press that she had originally hoped to reach a place within the top 10 and was deeply disappointed with the final result.
In March 2012, Anggun released the international edition of Echoes with "Echo (You and I)" as the lead single. A special edition of Échos was also released in France, featuring three additional tracks. Following the completion of the Eurovision, she continued the promotion of the album.
Anggun embarked on a concert tour in several cities across France, Switzerland and New Caledonia, including her sold-out concert in Le Trianon, Paris, on 13 June 2012. Anggun joined United Nation campaign, Earth Day: Save the Forest in Italy. On Valentine's Day of that year, she appeared as the guest artist at Lara Fabian's concert special on MTV Lebanon, where they sang the duet "Tu es mon autre". Anggun also toured 10 cities in Germany with Schiller in late 2012. Anggun performed at Les Fous Chantants festival in Alès, France. In this event, she was accompanied by 1,000 choirs. Theme event for the event was the most beautiful songs of the films (plus belles chansons de films). Anggun sang three soundtracks, "Golden Eye" from 1995 James Bond series, "Calling You" from 1987 film Bagdad Cafe and, with Patrick Fiori, "La Chanson d'Hélène" from 1970 film The Things of Life (Les Choses de la vie). At the end of 2012, she was appointed by Director & Chief Commercial Officer of Indosat, Erik Meijer, to be the brand ambassador of Indosat Mentari Paket Smartphone (Indosat Mentari Smartphone Package).
In 2013, Anggun served as the international judge for the first season of the Indonesian version of The X Factor, which reportedly made her the highest-paid judge in Indonesian television history. It became the year's highest-rated talent show in Indonesia. Anggun's involvement was also lauded by public and critics, with Bintang Indonesia praising her for "setting high standard [for a judge] on talent shows." She subsequently joined the judging panel of the television special X Factor Around the World, alongside Paula Abdul, Louis Walsh, Daniel Bedingfield, and Ahmad Dhani, on 24 August 2013. She participated on the concept album entitled Thérèse – Vivre d'amour, for which she recorded two duets—"Vivre d'amour" and "La fiancée"—with Canadian singer Natasha St-Pier. Released in April 2013, the project topped the French Physical Albums Chart with platinum record (sold 100,000 copies). In May 2013, Anggun released a greatest hits album entitled Best-Of: Design of a Decade 2003–2013. A new version of "Snow on the Sahara" produced by Lebanese-Canadian musician K.Maro was sent to Indonesian radio to promote the album. In this year, Olay management and Procter & Gamble chose Anggun to be ambassador of Olay Total Effect. She and Natasha St-Pier were invited to sing in front of Pope Francis on 7 December 2013 at Concerto di Natale XXI edizione in Auditorium della Conciliazione, Rome. They sang songs from Thérèse – Vivre d'amour. Anggun did a duet with Italian singer Luca Barbarossa and performed Christmas carol's, "White Christmas".
At the 2013 Taormina Film Fest in Italy, Anggun was presented with the Taormina Special Award for her humanitarian works as the FAO Goodwill Ambassador. Anggun with David Foster, alongside Ruben Studdard, Michael Johns, David Cook, and Nicole Scherzinger performed on David Foster & Friends Private Concert in Jakarta. She sang three songs, including Whitney Houston's hits, "I Will Always Love You", "I Have Nothing" and her own song, "Snow on the Sahara". She did a photoshoot with VOGUE Italia in November 2013 and had an interview with Vogue's journalist, Stefania Cubello. She wore Azzaro's and Louis Vuitton's stellar. Also in November 2013, she was appointed by President of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) Nasser Al-Khelaifi to be the ambassador of the club. On 22 November 2013, she joined French General Manager and Marketing Executive of PSG Jean-Claude Blanc and Ambassador of Republic of Indonesia to France (2010-2014) Rezlan Ishar Jenie to launch the club official site with Bahasa for Indonesian Les Parisiens which Anggun was the icon of this site. She received the number 10 jersey which is the same number jersey of PSG famous striker Zlatan Ibrahimović.
2014–2016: Got Talent and Toujours un ailleurs
Following the success of X Factor Indonesia, Anggun was recruited to judge the other Syco's franchise, Indonesia's Got Talent, alongside artistic director and photographer Jay Subyakto, radio personality and actress Indy Barends, singer Ari Lasso, in 2014. To prepare for the program, she received instruction from Simon Cowell during the set of Britain's Got Talent. Anggun re-recorded her debut international single as a French-Portuguese duet with Tony Carreira, retitled "La neige au Sahara (Faço Chover No Deserto)", for Carreira's album Nos fiançailles, France/Portugal.
The duo performed the song at the 2014 World Music Awards in Monaco, where Anggun was awarded the World's Best-Selling Indonesian Artist. In June, Anggun launched her first fragrance, Grace, named after her name in English. Grace, eau de parfume, production was under BEL Perfumes label, Thailand-based of finest French and International cosmetics & perfumes creator. She and her management had the chance to visited Grasse, one of the city in France where produces best quality elixir for perfumery. It took two years to produces this fragrance. It distributed to Indonesia, Thailand, China-region and France. She did a collaboration a young Dutch DJ Indyana on a song titled "Right Place Right Time". Later on, this song was chosen to be the anthem of Dreamfields Festival on 16 August 2014 at Garuda Wisnu Kencana, Bali. In late 2014, Anggun recorded two duets: "Who Wants to Live Forever" with Il Divo for their album A Musical Affair and "Pour une fois" with Vincent Niclo for his album Ce que je suis. Anggun also released "Fly My Eagle" as an original soundtrack for the commercially and critically acclaimed film Pendekar Tongkat Emas. On 10 July 2014, Anggun was invited by Air France to perform at Air France Inauguration of Jakarta-Paris Travel Route. Anggun performed in Africa twice during 2014, for Roberto Cavalli's Casa Fashion Show in Casablanca, Morocco, and for the 15th annual French-speaking World Summit in Dakar, Senegal. She was invited by Pope Francis to attended at Concerto di Natale where located at Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi on 25 December 2014. She sang "Malam Kudus", an Indonesian-version of "Silent Night" gospel, and Christmas carols "O Little Town of Bethlehem".
In 2015, Anggun, alongside David Foster, Melanie C (Spice Girls) and Vanness Wu (F4), was announced as a judge on the debut of Asia's Got Talent. Joined by contestants from 15 countries in Asia, the show premiered on AXN Asia on 12 March 2015. The Asian Academy of Music Arts and Sciences (AAMAS) also announced Anggun among its board of governors, as well as becoming the academy's first ambassador. At the 2015 Anugerah Planet Muzik in Singapore, Anggun received the International Breakthrough Artist Award for becoming the first internationally successful act from Malay-speaking countries. SK-II and Harper's Bazaar Indonesia honored Anggun as one of 15 Most Inspiring Women. She joined the "SK-II's Change Destiny" campaign and became a spokesperson alongside actress Cate Blanchett and Michelle Phan for its event in Los Angeles and she was chosen by SK-II management to be the ambassador of SK-II. Later on, Anggun with make-up stylist Lizzie Para and social media personality Chandra Liow sit on the panel as judges for SK-II Beauty Bound Indonesia in 2016. The winner of this show was beauty influencer, Mega Gumelar, and she with Anggun traveled to Tokyo, Japan, in order to compete with other beauty creators from across the globe in SK-II Beauty Bound Asia 2016. In exact same year, Anggun was appointed to be the ambassador of Aviation Sans Frontières (Aviation Without Borders). In June 2015, she was invited by Michael Bolton to perform a duet and as an opening act at his concert in Kasablanka Concert Hall, Jakarta, Indonesia. Anggun also recorded Frozen's "Let It Go" in Indonesian language, called "Lepaskan" with Regina Ivanova, Cindy Bernadette, Nowela, and Chilla Kiana. Disney Music Asia also makes an Indonesian language song "Warna Angin" and sung by Anggun. It is the interpretation from Pocahontas movie soundtrack, "Colors of the Wind". She joined panel of jury for Miss France 2016 on 19 December 2015 alongside fashion designer Jean-Paul Gaultier as president of the jury, singer Patrick Fiori, singer Kendji Girac, Miss France 2009 & model Chloé Mortaud, actress, model & author Laëtitia Milot and Rugby athlete Frédéric Michalak. Iris Mittenaere was elected to be Miss France 2016 who become the winner of Miss Universe 2016.
Anggun's sixth French-language studio album, Toujours un ailleurs, was released in November 2015 by TF1 Musique under Universal Music Group with her lead single, "A nos enfants". Produced by Frédéric Chateau and Grammy Award-winning producer Brian Rawling, the album revisited the world music direction of her debut international album with diverse cultures ambiance, such as Japanese, Colombian, Samoan, Spanish, and English. Toujours un ailleurs became Anggun's most successful album in France since Luminescence (2005), charting for 24 weeks on the French Albums Chart (peaking at number 43) and sold over 50,000 copies. It also became her best-charting album in Belgium, debuting at number 43 and remaining on the chart for 31 weeks (making 5 re-enters). The album's single, "Nos vies parallèles" peaked at number 47 on the French Singles Chart and number 39 on the Belgian Ultratop Singles Chart (her first top-40 hit since "Être une femme"). This single featured one of French musical legends Florent Pagny as he helped Anggun to pursue her career in France years ago and Columbian singer Yuri Buenaventura. According to Francophonie Diffusion, "Nos vies parallèles" was the third-most played French song worldwide during March 2016. Both Anggun and Florent Pagny traveled to Havana, Cuba, for music video shooting which directed by Igreco. Maxime Le Forestier's song, "Née quelque part", being rearranged by Anggun and her team, alongside Grammy Award-winning singer and UN Goodwill Ambassador Angélique Kidjo as she featured in this single. "Face au vent" was the third lead single of this album after "A nos enfants" and "Nos vies parallèles". In this single's music video, actor and dancer Benoît Maréchal being featured again after he did great performance on "A Crime" and "Garde-moi" music videos in 2006. Darius Salimi was chosen to direct six music videos for this album,including "A nos enfants", "Face au vent", "Toujours un ailleurs", "Est-ce que tu viendras?", "Mon capitaine", and "Née quelque part". To promote the album, Anggun embarked on a 23-date concert tour across France and Belgium.
She performed as a guest singer at Siti Nurhaliza's concert titled Dato' Siti Nurhaliza & Friends Concert on April 2, 2016 in Stadium Negara. She and Siti did duet for two songs, Anggun's hit "Snow on the Sahara" and Siti's hit "Bukan Cinta Biasa". In July 2016, she became second most influent person on Twitter in France. She being invited to have a role as a columnist and guest radio host on Europe 1 radio show, called Les Pieds dans le plat, by Cyril Hanouna with another French celebrities, such as Valérie Benaïm, Jean-Luc Lemoine, Jérôme Commandeur, Estelle Denis and Bertrand Chameroy. On 23–25 September 2016, Anggun attended Festival Film Indonesia (Indonesia Film Festival) at Cinema Spazio Alfieri, Florence. Anggun sang the acoustic version of "Snow on the Sahara". This event was collaborated with Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Rome and Indonesia Meets Italy Association as the part of Settimane della Cultura Indonesiana in Italia to reflects the progress of the increasingly dynamic Indonesian film industry. Anggun received the Key to the City award from Dario Nardella, the Mayor of Florence, Italy. Anggun was featured on new-age music group Enigma's eight studio album The Fall of a Rebel Angel (2016), providing lead vocals for three songs, including the lead single "Sadeness (Part II)", which is the sequel to the 1990 number-one hit "Sadeness (Part I)". The Album topped US Top Dance/Electronic Album charts in United States. Kotak invited Anggun to did a duet with them in a song titled "Teka-Teki" in October 2016. Anggun joined Belgian-francophone charity show Télévie to raise funds to support scientific research in the fight against cancer and leukemia in children and adults. She sang her song "Nos vies parallèles" and a duet with Christophe Maé on his song, called "Charly". They raised over EU€10 millions. Azerbaijan-Russian singer-songwriter Emin make a duet song with Anggun, called "If You Go Away" for his newest album Love is A Deadly Game. The song was a cover from original song by Jacques Brel, called "Ne me quitte pas". Anggun was invited to be a guest performer and did a duet with Lara Fabian at Lara's concert Ma vie dans la tienne Tour 2016 in Brussels, Belgium. Anggun and Lara sang a ballad song from Lara's album Nue, "J'y crois encore". Anggun was invited by Indonesian television network SCTV as guest performer at Long Live The Biggest Concert Kotak x Anggun feat NAFF on 23 November 2016 in Jakarta. She sang "Yang 'Ku Tunggu" as an opening act and "Teka-Teki" as a duet with Kotak. She was invited to performed on 24 December 2016 at Christmas concert in Parco della Musica, Rome. She sang two Christmas carols as soloist, "The Christmas Song" and, accompanied by flutist Andrea Griminelli, "La Vita è Bella". Anggun, alongside Rebecca Ferguson, Anna Tatangelo and Deborah Iurato, performed Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah". For the encore, she with another guest performers sang "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" as assemble.
2017–2019: Television projects, 8 and Asian Games 2018
She have done more than 60 showcases on France & Belgium tours to promote her French album, Toujours un ailleurs and finalized her performance on Festival international des métiers d'art (FIMA) 2017 in Baccarat, France. She returned as judge on the second season of Asia's Got Talent with David Foster, also American-Korean rapper, songwriter, and dancer Jay Park as the new judge on the panel.
On 12 October 2017, Anggun released a lyric video for "What We Remember" on YouTube as the first single of her new album "8". On 7 December 2017, An official music video of "What We Remember" was released on YouTube and she held the first performance of this song on Grand Finale of Asia's Got Talent stage. Anggun released her lead single "What We Remember" in December 2017. It was directed by Roy Raz and had to make the video in Ukraine. The album 8 was produced and distributed by Universal Music with other French composers and songwriters collaboration, such as Tiborg, Nazim Khaled, Nicolas Loconte, and many more including her husband. On 8 December 2017, she released her new album 8 and a release party was held at the Apple Store on Orchard Road, Singapore. The album "8" was distributed under exclusive license to Universal Music Asia and the album was released digitally worldwide on major streaming platforms, including Spotify and also released physically in some Asian countries. This album reached no. 1 in Indonesia, no. 5 in Malaysia, no. 18 in Singapore on iTunes. On Apple Music, this album got the highest peak on no. 7 in Indonesia, no. 21 in Malaysia, no. 30 in Vietnam, Top 60 in Singapore, Top 100 in Philippines, and Top 200 in Sri Lanka. Coincidentally, its lead single "What We Remember" was played in the background of the café scene on Korean drama series Two Cops episode 8. Throughout December 2017, Anggun and Universal Music Asia held a promotional tour throughout Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines. The tour consisted of listening parties, showcases, and meet & greet sessions. In the Philippines, she did several performances in Eastwood Open Park Mall with Edray Teodoro as the opening act, in Uptown Bonifacio with The Voice Teens star Isabela Vinzon as the opening act and on Wish 107.5 Bus showcase. She was being a guest star on ASAP and 24 Oras interview. In Malaysia, she held Meet & Greet with High Tea Session for her fans to promote the album in St. Regis Hotel, Kuala Lumpur. The first single "What We Remember" was released by dance label Citrusonic and serviced to US clubs including remixes by DJ Lynnwood (DJLW) Ralphi Rosario, Antoine Cortez, Craig C, Dirty Disco, Sted-E & Hybrid Heights, Love to Infinity, Offer Nissim, and more. On 20 April 2018, she announced and release duet version for her brand new singles from her latest album, called "The Good Is Back" with Rossa and Fazura. Shane Filan collaborated with her on one of the singles, "Need You Now", on the deluxe version of his latest album, Love Always, that releases only for United States and UK regions. Her songs, "What We Remember" and "The Good is Back" from her recent album charted on US Billboard Dance Club Chart. "What We Remember" reached no. 8 on that chart for about 16 weeks long and no. 15 on Asia Pop 40 throughout 2018. This single became reached the Top 10 of the charts in UK, US, Spain, Germany, and also Indonesia. "The Good is Back" got in to the US Billboard Dance Club Chart and topped to no. 20 for 9 weeks. American blogger and media personality Perez Hilton wrote on his blog that Anggun's "What We Remember" could be compared with Sade's and Dido's songs.
She was invited for the seventh time by Pope Francis & Vatican to performed on 4 January 2018 at Concerto dell'Epifania where located at Teatro Mediterraneo in Napoli, Italy. She sang "Snow on the Sahara" and "What We Remember". On 5 June 2018, she was performing at night for Grand Opening Renaissance Bali Hotel in Bali. She performed at Notte Bianca as the main guest star on 23 June 2018. The festival were located at Piazza Martiri della libertà in Pontedera, Pisa. Anggun got photoshoots for French cultural society magazine Technikart and got six pages in it. From this publication, Anggun shared different views and angle about her figure in international stage. On her interview, she made strong statements about how Indonesia modern culture & freedom movement by her perspective which she had spoken up about fighting on corruption in Indonesia, feminism & women's rights, LGBT+, and Indonesian hypocrisy regulations, especially death penalty. In July 2018, she attended to European Latin Awards at Stadio Benito Stirpe in Frosinone, Italy. She performed "Undress Me", "A Rose in the Wind", "Snow on the Sahara", and "Amore immaginato". She won Best International Singer award there. Another guest star performer were Bob Sinclar, Black Eyed Peas, Gipsy Kings, Juan Magan and Carlos Rivera. Anggun performed at the opening ceremony of the Asian Games 2018 at the Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) stadium, Central Jakarta, on August 18, 2018. He sang a song titled "Pemuda", which was popularized by the Indonesian musical group Chaseiro from the album Persembahan which was released in 2001. Anggun sang on over artificial mountains and waterfalls. She joined coaching panel for The Voice Indonesia Season 3 alongside Armand Maulana, Titi DJ, and duo Nino Kayam from RAN with Vidi Aldiano. Anggun was invited by high-fashion brand COACH to have great visit and did a number of performance for the opening of new branch store in Suria KLCC, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Anggun attended the opening with her husband, Malaysian singers couple Fazura & Fattah Amin, Taiwanese singer Dizzy Dizzo and Malaysian-Singaporean actor Lawrence Wong. In November 2018, she was invited to joined French Navy and got a chance to operated Le Mistral, an amphibious assault ship and a type of helicopter carrier, for three days. She reported her experiences on the show called Noël avec soldats (Christmas with Soldiers) at Port-Bouët army base in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Anggun joined charades of various artist, such as David Foster & Katharine McPhee, Kelly Clarkson, Randy Jackson, Andrea Bocelli, Gavin Rossdale, Josh Groban, and many more, for the production of documentary film Silent Night — A Song for the World. She made soundtracks on two versions of "Silent Night" gospel, "Malam Kudus" in Bahasa and "Douce nuit, sainte nuit" in French which she recorded in London. She began the filming production process in Germany with help from Franco-German TV network Arte. This film was narrated by Hugh Bonneville and directed by Austrian director & film-maker Hannes M. Schalle.
In early of 2019, Anggun had tour throughout several cities in Italy, including Milan, Foligno, Bologna, etc. She toured in seven dates for this Intimate Concert Tour. All local medias felt enthusiastic with Anggun concert's which awaited way back to Festivalbar in 2006. Anggun performed with David Foster alongside Brian McKnight, Yura Yunita, and several artists during The Hitman: David Foster and Friends concert series at De Tjolomadoe, Central Java, 24 March 2019. Anggun was invited to perform at the concert in two different cities, namely in the city of Solo, Central Java and the city of Surabaya, East Java. She sang her own hit called "Mimpi" and Toni Braxton's hit, "Un-Break My Heart". On 5 July 2019, she and P&G held a charity concert, called Gemilang 30 Tahun at the Tennis Indoor Stadium in Senayan, Central Jakarta. The concert also featured performances by renowned singers Rossa, Yura Yunita, actress Maudy Ayunda, and rapper Iwa K, while artistic direction by Jay Subyakto and accompanied by her backing band from France, who will collaborate with Indonesia's Oni & Friends as music director. Anggun reportedly wear costumes designed by Mel Ahyar, with accessories created by the renowned designer Rinaldy A. Yunardi. Donations collected from this concert are IDR3,060,000,000 or equals to US$218,560.50. After the concert, she had another performance on Prambanan Jazz Festival 2019 as guest star, accompanied by her backing band. This was the third time for Anggun to performed in front of Prambanan Temple. On 28 July 2019, Anggun continued her Italian tour concert at Alpe Adria Arena, Lignano. Anggun with comedian Jarry, actor Kev Adams, and presenter Alessandra Sublet became panelists on Mask Singer and it became one of the most successful TV shows with ratings that reached nearly 7 million viewers. She eventually returned for another season of Mask Singer. She also returned with David Foster and Jay Park for Asia's Got Talent Season 3. Another surprising moment for her was her song "Perfect World" from Toujours un ailleurs topped to no. 5 in the first week to no. 18 on US Billboard Dance Club Chart in December 2019. Anggun does a duet with Luciano Pavarotti virtually at The Luciano Pavarotti Foundation and Anggun in concert which took place at the Simfonia Hall in Jakarta. Singers Giulia Mazzola (soprano), Matteo Desole (tenor), Giuseppe Infantino (tenor), and Lorenzo Licitra (tenor) sang with deep appreciation with Anggun in that concert. Their beautiful voices were accompanied by orchestral music from the Jakarta Simfonia Orchestra. Previously, Anggun has performed a virtual duet with Luciano Pavarotti on song called "Caruso" at the stage of the 2019 Asia's Got Talent Grand Finale.
2020–present: Further television works, music collaborations and acting debut
In January 2020, she attended to 24th Asian Television Awards in Manila, Philippines where she performed her hits there and got awarded for Outstanding Contribution to Asian Television Performing Arts. Due to the global pandemic of COVID-19, Anggun had to postpone her touring concert in several cities and canceled many live showcases from the end of 2019 until the beginning of 2020. However, she began to take another career in acting instead of music in this recent days. She took a part as Maleen Suthama in television movie drama Coup de foudre à Bangkok. This TV movie was the sixth part of the Coup de foudre à .... collection. The production was taken in February 2020 and located in Bangkok, Thailand. Actors who joined Anggun in this project was Blandine Bellavoir, Frédéric Chau, Mathilda May, Loup-Denis Elion, and many more. Also in February 2020, Switzerland-based fashion magazine BLUSH Editions made two pages for the interview and ten pages for "Winter Garden with Pinel & Pinel" section of "BLUSH Dreams". She wore watches from KERBEDANZ, Cimier and Louis Moinet, dresses designed by Tony Ward, On Aura Tout Vu and La Métamorphose Couture, wardrobe by SEYİT ARES & Victoria/Tomas, shoes by Christian Louboutin, and jewelleries by Bollwerk, Fullord, Thomas Aurifex, Vincent Michel & Valerie Valentine with furnitures by BONA fide & L'Esprit Cocon. In March 2020, she performed in Moscow, Russia. She sang a Russophone classic song called "О́чи чёрные (Ochi Chernye)" which means "Dark Eyes" in English. In Indonesian culture from West Java, this song was being rearranged and interpreted to a Sundanese language folk song called "Panon Hideung" which means "Black Eyes" in English. In April 2020, she did an interview for Harvard Political Review article and published it in two parts, Interview With Anggun I: Taking Time With Music and Interview with Anggun II: On Representing the World. Anggun returned as panelist on the second season of Mask Singer alongside her previous colleague panelists. In June 2020, RIFFX by Crédit Mutuel published the result of a survey, titled "Barometer: Les 100 Artistes Préférés des Français (Barometer: The 100 Favorite Artists of The French)", which Anggun included on number 97. This survey was conducted by YouGov with interviewing 1,006 French people (age min. 18 years old) on 1 June to 2 June 2020. On 21 September 2020, she, accompanied by her husband, attended the celebration of 70th anniversary of Pierre Cardin's fashion house at Théâtre du Châtelet. This event was screening a documentary titled House of Cardin to honored the legendary French designer. It was directed by P. David Ebersole and Todd Hughes. Jean-Paul Gaultier, Christian Louboutin, Stéphane Rolland, actor Yves Lecoq, and journalist Patrick Poivre d'Arvor attended the event with many artists and French public figures. Musical documentary film about Christmas carol in 2018, Silent Night — A Song for the World, re-produced by The CW and took a date on 10 December 2020 for its special premiere.
Her latest duet with legendary Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti made a great scene in European classical music market. Anggun attended The 3rd BraVo International Classical Music Awards on April 2, 2021 at Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow, Russia. She made a performance with virtual image Luciano Pavarotti and sang "Caruso". Another special guest performers are ballerina Svetlana Zakharova, Grammy-winner Ildar Abdrazakov, young Russian pianists Kirill Richter and Ivan Bessonov, Ukrainian young tenor Bogdan Volkov, star of the Russian opera scene Albina Shagimuratova and performer of the youth troupe of the Bolshoi Theater Maria Barakova. The audience will also had performances performed by Italian opera singer Massimo Cavalletti, Uruguayan bass-baritone Erwin Schrott, young Japanese pianist Shio Okui, and honored opera singer from Kazakhstan Mayra Muhammad-kyzy. Korean star Yiruma and Chinese soprano Ying Huang performed via teleconference. Among the participants of the ceremony is Charles Kay, director of the international concert project World Orchestra for Peace. At that event, she received a Duet of the Year award because of her duet on "Caruso" performances across the globe. She continued the Italy tour concert that has been postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic. She started first in Sassuolo on 11 September 2021 and she visited Palazzo Dulcale. She performed at Piazzale della Rosa and Valentina Tioli was the opening act. On 12 September 2021, Aquileia was her next destination to visit and she performed at Piazza Capitolo di Aquileia.
On 2 April 2021, Jean-Luc Reichmann, Anggun and her husband shared a moment on shooting situation for her next film project. It was revealed that she will play her role in ninth season of detective-crime film TV series Léo Matteï, Brigade des mineurs (Léo Matteï, miners’ brigade). The production process began in September 2021 and will release in 2022 respectively. Jean-Luc Reichmann was the main cast for Léo Matteï role since 2013. Other announced casts were Lola Dubini, Laurent Ournac and Astrid Veillon. In June 2021, she was chosen to fill her voice as Virana in Disney movie Raya et le Dernier Dragon, a French version of Raya and the Last Dragon. Her daughter, Kirana, made her first appearance in this project as various voice actress. Anggun made her appearance as herself in online series called Profession Comédien on episode 48. This series was launched by comedian Bertrand Uzeel and directed by Fred Testot which the series told us about Bertrand tries to collect as much advice as possible from people in the trade, but nothing will go as planned. She and all previous season's panelist returned on the third season of Mask Singer and started the production in June 2021. On 21 June 2021, she with her husband attended 60th Monte-Carlo Television Festival. Anggun did a duet with Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli at Mattone del cuore on 25 August 2021 and sang "Can't Help Falling in Love" which she eventually sang solo "Snow on the Sahara" later on. On 30 September 2021, she and Moulin Rouge made a performance on "I Am What I Am" at 300 chœurs. She began shooting television variety show series called les Reines du Shopping spéciale Célébrités in September 2021. She with four another celebrities such as Jade Leboeuf, Clara Morgane, Frédérique Bel and Elsa Esnoult, have to compete one another to win EU€10,000 for their associations. In a brief about the show, it brings together five women, aged 18 to 70 and of different styles. Every day of the week, one of the five candidates goes shopping. She has a limited time and budget to get a complete outfit (clothing, shoes, accessories) and perform its beauty treatment (hairdressing, makeup). Her look must correspond to a theme imposed by Cristina Córdula. It will also have a list of imposed stores to spend their budget. During shopping, her progress and fittings are observed and commented on by her four competitors, who follow her on screen, in a showroom. Dany Brillant invited Anggun to did a duet with him on Charles Aznavour's "Désormais". This song was included into Brillant's Dany Brillant chante Aznavour en duo, a tribute album to the legendary French-Armenian singer Charles Aznavour. Anggun was invited to perform for the Opening Ceremony of 2021 National Paralympic Week at Mandala Stadium in Jayapura, Papua. Anggun sang Indonesia's national anthem "Indonesia Raya" alongside 150 Papuan children and her 90's hit "Mimpi", all orchestrated by Indonesian conductor Addie MS. Anggun and her husband got a chance to visit and explore Dubai. They were invited by CEO Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM) Issam Kazim. She also visited Indonesia pavilion at World Expo 2020. In November 2021, she did photoshoot in Mauritius for 27th Edition of BLUSH Dream Magazine. Anggun was invited by Vatican to perform at Concerto di Natale : Ventinovesima XXIX Edizione in Auditorium della Conciliazione. She sang three songs, including "Silent Night"/"Malam Kudus" mash-up rendition alongside Francesca Michielin, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" with reggae icon Shaggy, and "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" alongside children choir called Piccolo Coro Le Dolci Note. She also performed at Christmas Contest held by TV2000 and sang her hit, "Snow on the Sahara".
Artistry and legacy
Anggun possesses a three-octave contralto voice, which has been described as "husky", "soulful", and "distinctive" by music critics. Chuck Taylor from Billboard commented: "Vocally, Anggun is a fortress of power, easing from a delicate whisper into a brand of cloud-parting fortitude commonly associated with grade-A divas." John Everson from The SouthtownStar noted that "Anggun is gifted with a warm, full voice that can tackle slight pop songs without overpowering them as well as swoop with depth and ease over heavier emotional numbers." Anggun received her first songwriting credit at the age of twelve on her debut album Dunia Aku Punya (1986). Anggun said, "I was writing songs all the time, but my specialty was classical piano and singing."
Anggun started as a rock singer in Indonesia, and was influenced by rock bands such as Guns N' Roses, Bon Jovi, and Megadeth. She was a big fan of Metallica. After her initial international success, she showed her versatility by changing her musical style for each album. Her later influences cover a wide range of styles from jazz to pop, extending from Joni Mitchell to Madonna. She told VOGUE Italia that she listened to wide range of artists from The Beatles to David Bowie, Billie Holiday to Leonard Cohen, up to Dave Grohl, P!nk and Bruno Mars. Anggun identified Nine Inch Nails's The Fragile (1999) as "the album that changed my life" and the band's frontman Trent Reznor as "the man of my musical life." Her other musical influences include Tracy Chapman, Sheila Chandra and Sting. Anggun, who studied Balinese dance since childhood, uses the traditional art in her performances.
Anggun's image has been compared to that of Pocahontas. Some international articles and magazines give a nickname for Anggun as "Indonesian Madonna (Madonna Indonésienne)". At the early stage of her career as a rock singer, Anggun was known for her tomboy look—wearing a crooked beret, shorts, studded jacket, and large belt; this set a trend during the early 1990s. Later, she has focused on her femininity and sexuality, emphasising her long black hair and brown skin. For this look she uses the work of fashion designers like Roberto Cavalli, Azzedine Alaïa, Jean Paul Gaultier, Dolce & Gabbana, and many more. Other couture fashion designers that Anggun often wears include Givenchy, Elie Saab, Victoria Beckham, Georges Chakra, Tony Ward, Blumarine, and Zuhair Murad. In 2001, Anggun was ranked No. 6 in a list of Sexiest Women of Asia by FHM magazine. Later in 2010, she was ranked at number 18 on the French version of FHMs list of 100 Sexiest Women in the World.
When promoting her first international album in the United States, she was reportedly offered a role as a Bond Girl in The World Is Not Enough, as well as in High Fidelity. Anggun declined to be labeled an actress and said, "I was born a singer. I won't go into another profession, because I think there are still many people out there who were born to be movie stars or models. My calling is music." As for commercials, she tends to be selective when choosing products to promote.
Anggun's success in Europe and America has been credited with helping other Asian singers such as Coco Lee, Hikaru Utada, and Tata Young. Malaysian singer Yuna asked Anggun for guidance when launching her recording career in the United States in 2011 and supporting each other career since then. Ian De Cotta from Singapore newspaper Today called her the "Voice of Asia" as well as "Southeast Asia's international singing sensation." Filipino music journalist Lionel Zivan S. Valdellon described Anggun as "a very good ambassadress for Indonesia and Asia in general". Regarding the role of Asia in the Western music industry, Anggun said "I think it's about time people know something more about Asia, not only as a vacation place."
Other activities
Philanthropy and activism
In 1997, Anggun joined Sidaction, a French organization to help fighting against AIDS. Among her charity projects were Solidays (featuring her collaboration with Peter Gabriel and several international acts) and charity concert Echoes of the Earth in 2000, Les voix de l'Espoir in 2001 and Gaia in 2002 (featuring a duet with Zucchero on the song "World"). In March 2001, she is one of the many performers of the title "Que serais-je demain?" as a member of the female collective Les voix de l'Espoir ( The Voice of Hope) created by Princess Erika in order to helped build a pan-African hospital in Dakar, Senegal. Anggun was involved in Global 200 by World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) to stop the degradation of the planet's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature and Anggun joined Solidays or in French called Solidarité Sida, the annual festival for raising money to help people with HIV/AIDS in Africa and also to prevent the disease. In 2003, Anggun was involved in Gaia Project, an environmental benefit project, to raise awareness about the preservation of the environment, and joined a charity concert called Le concert pour le paix.
In 2005, Anggun was a part of a humanitarian project to promote tolerance in Hammamet, Tunisia. Anggun promoted a micro-credit program to help to empower women in Indonesia, and many countries worldwide. This campaign was organized by United Nations. Anggun was one of many French singers to raise money to help Tsunami victims in Asia. She herself also visited Aceh for a couple of days after the tragedy. Anggun joined Music for Asia Charity Concert in Milan, Italy to raise money to help victims of Tsunami in Asia. She has been invited to perform "Être une femme" in a concert, called Tous egaux, tous en scene in La Zenith, Paris, to fight for racial discrimination. In February 2005, she performed her song, "Être une femme", with Lady Laistee in Ni Putes Ni Soumises Concert to celebrate women empowerment and feminism. In the same year, she performed "Don't Give Up" with Peter Gabriel on United Against Malaria Concert in Geneva, Switzerland.
She also participated on the 2006 Fight AIDS campaign in France with a collaborative track entitled "L'Or de nos vies" with several other French musicians. In 2006, 2008, and 2011, Anggun was a part of Concert pour la tolérance in Agadir, Morocco to promote a message of respect for others and differences, for peace, tolerance, fraternity, dialogue between cultures and for the fight against all forms of discrimination. Anggun was a part of a humanitarian project, Contre la SIDA, organized by Princess Stéphanie of Monaco, to raise money to help to fight against AIDS. She did a charity single with several female French stars, titled "Pour que tu sois libre".
During 2007, Anggun participated in several environmental projects. She became the French-language narrator of the BBC nature documentary film Earth (Un jour sur terre), an ecological documentary film by Alastair Fothergill produced by BBC Worldwide, and composed its soundtrack single, "Un jour sur terre". After the release of the movie, Disney announced the planting of around 2.7 million trees in endangered areas including the Amazonian forest. She was appointed as the Ambassador of the Micro-environment Prize by the French Ministry of Ecology and Sustainable Development and National Geographic Channel.
In 2009, Anggun went to Nangroe Aceh Darussalam, Indonesia to promote the importance of mangrove forests. Her work was filmed by Gulli TV and aired in Europe, Mon Arbre Pour La Vie Voyage Au Pays de Anggun (My Tree For Life Travel to the Country of Anggun). Anggun joined AIDES to raise money to help fighting AIDS. Anggun was a part of United Nations campaign in Copenhagen, Denmark helping to spread an awareness message worldwide and to raise the importance of the for leaders of the world to agree and work together on this key issue that is climate change. On 7 December 2009, she attended United Nations Climate Change conference (COP15) in Copenhagen, Denmark. She performed at Dance 4 Climate Change Concert. She sang two songs as soloist, "Snow on the Sahara" and "Stronger", and two songs as a duet, "Saviour" with Niels Brinck and "7 Seconds" with Youssou N'Dour.
In 2010, Anggun joined former President of United States, Bill Clinton, at the 2010 Clinton Global Initiative to kick off "a Healthy Hair for Healthy Water" campaign with another public figures, such as philanthropist & creator of United Nations Foundation Ted Turner and supermodel & activist Gisele Bündchen. This event was to help the CSDW (Children's Safe Drinking Water) achieve its dream to "save a life every hour" in the developing countries around the world by providing two billion liters of clean water every year by 2020. At the same year, she with Daniel Powter, Lara Fabian, M. Pokora, and several artists appeared and featured in Collect If Aides 25 Ans album, specifically in a song called If, to dedicated for all the victims of AIDS worldwide.
On 1 July 2011, she appeared on game show called N'oubliez pas les paroles!, a French version of international series Don't Forget the Lyrics! with Thierry Amiel where they won EU€50,000 and donated those prizes to Sidaction. In 2011, Anggun joined charity show marathon, called Téléthon. Over EU€86 millions have been collected so far to the benefit of the fight for children rare diseases, including muscular dystrophy syndrome. Anggun joined UNICEF campaign to help children in Africa. Anggun with Zlatan Ibrahimović and Nasser Al-Khelaifi attended the PSG's charity event Fondation du PSG in November 2013 to help children with need. This event succeed to collect funds around EU€190,000 or equivalent to US$221,191.35.
Anggun promoted a pressure to put an end against discrimination, child labor, forcing young girls into marriage, and prostitution at World Without Walls congress on 9 November 2014 in Berlin, Germany. Anggun, David Foster, Melanie C and Vanness Wu later collaborated on a cover version of Earth, Wind & Fire's "Let's Groove" as the charity single for Nepal earthquake relief. In 2015, Anggun became the ambassador of charity organization La Voix de l'enfant (The Voice of the Children). She joined ‘’The Pansy Project’’, a website to denounces the cruelty of homophobia actions against LGBT communities in the world, iniated by Paul Harfleet. This project also planted Pansy on locations where homophobia action was committed. She made through one of important newspaper in France Libération or so called Libé which she made a strong stands about supporting LGBT community, sent an open letter for President of Indonesia Joko Widodo about death sentence of Serge Atlaoui, told about her new album Toujours un ailleurs, her newest updates in life, and many more. She attended 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris. She met Indigenous Peoples' Alliance of Nusantara (AMAN) and Indonesia Nature Film Society (Infis) when she shares her views on indigenous peoples' rights, climate change and the role we all have to play in this short interview. She did an interview with advocacy group, If Not Us, Then Who?. She was appointed to be the narrator of a documentary film titled Our Fight which broadcast through this event and France featuring stories from Kalimantan and Sumatra. She joined a campaigned called Une bonne claque by short clip for COP21 which aired on France 2. She told how we can contribute to the environment by giving little tips that help the Earth from climate change. Anggun went to Madagascar to help children with chronic diseases to get medical treatment with Aviation Sans Frontières. She attended at 2016 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP22) in Marrakech, Morocco. She sang "La Neige au Sahara" and "Cesse la pluie", also did a duet with Youssou N'Dour for the fourth time on his song titled "7 Seconds".
Anggun alongside singer Monsieur Nov, actor Frédéric Chau, PSG goalkeeper Alphonse Areola, rugby player François Trinh-Duc, journalist Émilie Tran Nguyen & Raphaël Yem, chef Pierre Sang, entrepreneur Paul Duan and other Asian origin-French personalities joined a campaign clip called #Asiatiquesdefrance initiated by France 2 journalist Hélène Lam Trong and produced by journalist Mélissa Theuriau to stop Asian hate and to fight against Asian stereotyping in France. In May 2017, she attended a charity event titled The Global Gift Gala, which was held by Eva Longoria Charity Organization and The Eva Longoria Foundation with UNICEF and The Global Gift Foundation collaboration, in Paris. Anggun joined the panel of judges for the Picture This Festival for the Planet short film competition. In the event new filmmakers, storytellers, and those who feel they can change the whole world, will compete with each other. The announcement of Anggun's involvement was conveyed by Sony Pictures Television Networks (SPTN) in collaboration with the United Nations Foundation. On the Picture This Festival for the Planet judges panel, there was Anggun together with actress and advocate Megan Boone from TV series The Blacklist, President of United Nations Foundation Elizabeth Cousens, MD & CEO of Sony Pictures Networks India N. P. Singh, co-presidents & founders of Sony Pictures Classics Tom Bernard & Michael Barker, U.S. President & Chief Creative Officer of WeTransfer Damian Bradfield, as well as other prominent industry & environmental activism leaders.
In April 2018, Anggun with Milène Guermont, Axelle Red, soprano Pilar Jurado, Sylvie Hoarau from Brigitte, French rock group Blankass, Joyce Jonathan, Irish singer Eleanor McEvoy, and German composer Alexander Zuckowski joined Transfer of Value/Value Gap press conference with the members of the European Parliament Virginie Rozière, Silvia Costa and Axel Voss, also European Grouping of Societies of Authors and Composers (GESAC) & Société des auteurs, compositeurs et éditeurs de musique (SACEM) delegates. They discussed about this topic and copyright problems with President of Institute for Digital Fundamental (IDF) Rights Jean-Marie Cavada. Anggun and those artists later on joined mass online campaign titled #MakeInternetFair. This main action was to ensure that user upload platforms, like YouTube, Facebook and SoundCloud properly share the revenues they generate with the songwriters and composers whose musical works they use, addressing the so called ‘transfer of value’ or ‘value gap’. On 17 June 2018, she was performing with French composer and musician François Meïmoun at Centre Pompidou for 55th Anniversary of Fédération Française Sésame Autisme, is a French non-profit association of parents of children and adults with autism. On 26 June 2018, she was officially participating #TheFreaks, a collective of 68 French artists, such as Zazie, Pascal Obispo, and more, who are sensitive to the defense of the environment and the protection of our ecosystems. This was an initiative action from French electro-rock band Shaka Ponk. Therefore, they committed to adopting new behaviors to fight over-consumption, pollution, global warming and protect biodiversity.
On 19 January 2019, she performed at the Teatro Odeon, Ponsacco to helped campaign of charity music event Monte Serra by Music for Life Association with another artists such as Matteo Becucci and Jonathan Canini. In March 2019, Anggun alongside Yann Arthus-Bertrand, Paul Lynch, Zaz, Kate Atkinson, Joanna Trollope, and more than 450 artists, authors, writers, also journalists all over Europe signed the petition & open letter to European Parliament in Strasbourg. The open letter forced the Parliament to think more about the future of copyright and protection for European creators with strict regulations. Anggun and those artists-journalists held a campaign #Yes2Copyright to raise awareness among European citizen about the importance and consequences of this problem. On 5 July 2019, she staged a charity concert, called Gemilang 30 Tahun at the Tennis Indoor Stadium in Senayan, Central Jakarta, and sponsored by consumer goods producer P&G, the concert's theme is titled, Unify the Tunes, Make Indonesian Children's Dreams Come True. According to a post on the Instagram account of children's welfare foundation @savechildren_id, the funds be used to construct 100 classrooms in schools affected by natural disasters in Palu and Donggala in Central Sulawesi, Lombok in West Nusa Tenggara, Sumba Island in East Nusa Tenggara and West Java. Donations collected from this concert are IDR3,060,000,000 or equals to US$218,560.50. As the part of charity event, Anggun auctioned off his shoes which are products from designer Christian Louboutin type 'circus city spiked cutout gold' which has an initial price of US$1,295. Anggun committed to reversing the biodiversity loss curve by joining WWF France #PasLeDernier campaign. Anggun joined WWF Indonesia collaboration's campaign and awareness program to protect Sumatran elephant, called A Night for Wildlife Preservation in Indonesia, on 13 November 2019 at Embassy of Indonesia, Paris. There were Muslim, Gayo elephant activist, Indonesian singer and founder of Teman Gajah (Friend of Elephant) Tulus, 2019-2021 Indonesian Ambassador to France Arrmanatha Christiawan Nasir, and Paris Peace Forum steering committee Yenny Wahid.
On 17 July 2020, she became leader of the panelist or investigateur, while Cartman and Chris Marques were the member of her team, on television reality show Good Singers, an adapted Korean television program I Can See Your Voice. She won EU€28,500 or equivalent to US$33,082.77 and she donated those prize to Aviation Sans Frontières. Another team was led by Amir while Julie Zenatti and Titoff were the member of his team. She performed a song "Lady Marmalade" with legendary cabaret dance troupe Moulin Rouge on 25 June 2020 at TV special for charity event 100 ans de comédies musicales : les stars chantent pour Sidaction to fight against AIDS, even though COVID-19 pandemic was roaming. In December 2020, she shared a video from The Pansy Project (Les Pensées de Paul), which was a 2015 documentary film by English artist-activist Paul Harfleet that denounces homophobia and violence against the LGBT community. The film was directed by Jean-Baptiste Erreca. Anggun was a cameo in the promotional trailer of the documentary and her song, called "Try", was chosen to be the soundtrack of the documentary.
In April 2021, Anggun alongside 35 French celebrities, such as Patrice Leconte, Iris Mittenaere, Chimene Badi, Ibrahim Maalouf and more, joined solidarity raffle held by Laurette Fugain Association, an association that aims to fight leukemia. It owes its name to Laurette Fugain, the daughter of Stéphanie and Michel Fugain, who died in 2002 cause of this disease at the age of 22. To joined this raffle, the persons had to buy one or more EU€10 tickets donation from 31 March to 31 May 2021. If they got lucky and win this raffle, each one of the winners got the chance to meet one of those celebrities in person. On 14 June 2021, she was invited to perform in order to support and celebrate World Blood Donor Day 2021 at Auditorium Parco della Musica in Rome, Italy. At that event, she sang three songs and was appointed as an International Ambassador of the Blood Donors by WHO, Ministry of Health and President of the Republic.
Anggun performed in Aquileia as her continued Italia tour. This tour concert was part of Le Note del Dono project to celebrated the anniversary of Fratres group which the idea of this project came from Italian artistic director Marco Vanni. This project aims to promote, through music, the culture of total donation, such as blood, blood components, organs, tissues, stem cells, cord, and medulla - which style of life that safeguards health and well-being and that is moved by human solidarity, civic conscience and, for those who believe, by charity. The donation of a country's biological material is an index of civilization and every gift is a free human drug that saves lives. On 25 August 2021, Anggun joined Italy solidarity event, Mattone del cuore, held by Paolo Brosio's Olimpiadi del Cuore Association and Fondazione della Nazionale Cantanti in Forte dei Marmi. This event was held for Italian families in difficulty after COVID-19 who may have dependent people with physical or mental disability or associations that deal with psychic or physical disabled people, and in part to the great project Mattone del Cuore Primo Pronto Soccorso di Medjiugorie (Bosnia Erzegovina) and in third world countries for the care and assistance of children patients with leukemia and blood cancers to treat them directly in their countries and in their hospitals with the assistance of the best specialists in the world. A project managed by the Cure2Children Association of Florence. Anggun and several French celebrities joined donation campaign called Winter Time 2021 which held by Imagine For Margo - Children Without Cancer Association and Comité du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. She donated her pair of shoes which designed by Christian Louboutin. Anggun made a visit to a special need public school, namely Sekolah Luar Biasa Negeri Pembina in Jayapura, in order to support the teacher, parents, and disability students there as solidarity campaign and social project for 2021 National Paralympic Week.
Ambassadorship
She was appointed as the spokesperson for the International Year of Microcredit, a United Nations program aimed at eradicating debt in the third world, In 2009, Anggun was appointed as the Goodwill Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), part of the United Nations. On 15 October 2009, she performed on the occasion of the World Food Day Ceremony at UN headquarters Plenary Hall in New York, New York. She attended Rome Film Festival on the next day and spoke as UN Goodwill Ambassador at TeleFood Campaign Against Hunger in The World. Anggun as FAO Goodwill Ambassador have been named by the United Nations as MDG Champions on 1 September 2010. The announcement was made at UN headquarters in New York. FAO Goodwill Ambassadors, such as Italian actor Raoul Bova, Canadian singer Céline Dion, Filipino singer Lea Salonga and American actress Susan Sarandon, spoke with one voice in an urgent appeal on behalf of the more than one billion people living in chronic hunger worldwide. Anggun, who has also appeared in a French film, promoted one of the campaigns she participated in, namely 1 Billion Hungry Project. The '1 Billion Hungry Project is also a program from FAO from the United Nations to raise our awareness that in 2010, there were 925 million people who were still hungry. This campaign asks the public to sign a petition to pressure government leaders to be more active in eradicating poverty. According to Anggun, by word of mouth promotion or through social networks will increase the number of signatures for this petition. “Spread the words! Anyway, I will always tweet, I will always post on Facebook, just to wake the people up in everywhere," said Anggun. She also performed "Snow on the Sahara" at the campaign's concert on 19 September 2010 in New York. She got an interview with CNN to talk about this campaign on the same date. American former athlete Carl Lewis and Anggun will be joining other celebrities in support of the MDG Summit to be held in New York on 22 September 2010. The UN Summit in New York on 20–22 September will bring together close to 150 Heads of State and Government, joined by leaders from the private sector, foundations and civil society, and celebrities, to commit to an action agenda to achieve the MDGs. In November 2011, she made a speech at UN Summit in China.
Writing
Anggun wrote her views on several issues, especially in Indonesia. She shared those columns on online platforms Qureta.com and DW. She got more than 150,000 online readers. Mostly she discussed social, humanity, and tolerance topics. On Qureta.com, she uploaded four writings and all in Bahasa:
"Feminisme dan Solidaritas Maskulin (Feminism and Masculine Solidarity)"
"Histeria Go-International (Go-International Hysteria)"
"Cinta adalah Hak Asasi Manusia (Love is a Human Right)"
"Indonesia dan Sejumlah Klise (Indonesia and Some Clichés)"
On DW, she wrote an article titled "Komunisme dan Emosi Yang Bertautan di Indonesia (Communism and Emotions Are Linked in Indonesia)" and also it uploaded in Bahasa.
Personal life
Anggun was raised a Muslim:
At the same time she notes that she is not inclined to have a rigid point of view about religion and tends more and more to Buddhism without, in essence, breaking with religious belief. In recognising her disposition to Buddhism, Anggun stresses that her transition to another religious stance should not be a concern of other people. She makes it a requirement to admit religious toleration and insists on a separation of religious faith from the basic regulative principle for the individual:
For me, the most important thing is not what religion you believe in but how you do things, how you live your life.
Your belief doesn't determine whether you're a good person or not—your behavior does.
Anggun has been married four times. Her first marriage, in 1992, was to Michel Georgea, a French engineer. Since he was her manager, Anggun was reproached in Indonesia for allegedly marrying to advance her career. Her second husband was Louis-Olivier Maury (born March 1971) whom she met in Canada. They married in 2004. After her marriage to Olivier Maury ended in 2006, Anggun began a relationship with French writer Cyril Montana, whom she eventually married. She gave birth to her first child, a daughter named Kirana Cipta Montana, on 8 November 2007. She and Montana got divorced in 2015. On 16 August 2018 Anggun married for the fourth time in Ubud, Bali with a German musician and photographer, Christian Kretschmar.
Besides Indonesian, her native language, Anggun is fluent in French and English.
2015 Paris burglary incident
According to Closer, Anggun's apartment in Paris was robbed by burglars on 18 September 2015 when she was not in Paris. The burglars have stolen jewelry and high value items for a total amount of around EU€250,000 or equivalent to US$291,376.25.
Backing band
Current members
Fabrice Ach – bassist, backing vocals (2001–present)
Olivier Freche – lead guitarist, rhythm guitarist, backing vocals (2004–2011, 2013–present)
Jean-Marie Négozio – keyboardist, backing vocals (2003, 2006–present)
Olivier Baldissera – drummer, percussionist (2008–present)
Stéphane Escoms – back-up keyboardist, backing vocals (2020 (on Italia & Russia tour concerts)–present)
Former members
Patrick Buchmann – drummer, percussionist, backing vocals (1997–2004)
Nicolas-Yvan Mingot – lead guitarist (1997–2000)
Yannick Hardouin – bassist (1997–2001)
Patrice Clémentin – keyboardist (1997–2002)
Cyril Tarquiny – lead guitarist, rhythm guitarist, backing vocals (2001–2003, 2006–2007, 2010–2012, 2020 (on Russia tour))
Gilard – keyboardist, backing vocals (2004–2005)
Claude Sarragossa – drummer, percussionist (2005–2007)
Romain Berrodier – back-up keyboardist, backing vocals (2014–2015)
Frédéric Degré – back-up drummer (2019 (on Prambanan Jazz Festival and Gemilang 30 Tahun Concert))
In popular culture
Anggun became the first Indonesian woman to be immortalized in wax by Madame Tussauds in 2016. Located in its Bangkok museum, Anggun's statue joined that of Sukarno, the first President of Indonesia. A cocktail named after "Anggun" in Bar 228, Hôtel Meurice de Calais, Paris. It made of Bacardi rum, mango coulis, coconut milk, and pineapple juice.
Discography
Studio albums
Dunia Aku Punya (1986)
Anak Putih Abu Abu (1991)
Nocturno (1992)
Anggun C. Sasmi... Lah!!! (1993)
Snow on the Sahara (1997)
Chrysalis (2000)
Luminescence (2005)
Elevation (2008)
Echoes (2011)
Toujours un ailleurs (2015)
8 (2017)
Filmography
Film
Silent Night: A Song for the World (2020)
Raya and the Last Dragon (Raya et le dernier Dragon) (2021)
Television
X Factor Indonesia (2013)
Indonesia's Got Talent (2014)
Asia's Got Talent (2017)
The Voice Indonesia (2019)
Les Années bonheur (2019)
Mask Singer (Le Chanteur Masqué) (2019)
300 choeurs pour + de vie (2020)
Coup de foudre à Bangkok (2020)
Léo Mattéï, Brigade des mineurs (2022)
Accolades
2001: ranked No. 6 in a list of the Sexiest Women of Asia by FHM magazine.
2010: FHM 100 Sexiest Women in the World
Bibliography
See also
List of Indonesian musicians and musical groups
List of artists who reached number one on the Italian Singles Chart
References
External links
FAO Goodwill Ambassador website
Anugerah Musik Indonesia winners
Chevaliers of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
English-language singers from Indonesia
Eurovision Song Contest entrants of 2012
Eurovision Song Contest entrants for France
20th-century French women singers
Indonesian emigrants to France
21st-century Indonesian women singers
Indonesian rock singers
Indonesian Buddhists
Indo people
Javanese people
Converts to Buddhism from Islam
Living people
Naturalized citizens of France
Singers from Jakarta
Singers from Paris
World Music Awards winners
FAO Goodwill ambassadors
Warner Music Group artists
LGBT rights activists from Indonesia
20th-century Indonesian women singers
21st-century French women singers
1974 births
| false |
[
"American singer Madonna has released 88 singles and 24 promotional singles and charted with 16 other songs. She has sold more than 100 million singles worldwide. According to Billboard, Madonna is the most successful solo artist in the Hot 100 chart history, second overall behind the Beatles. In the United Kingdom, Madonna scored a total of 63 top-ten hits (more than any other female artist) and 12 number-two peaks (more than any other act). In 2012, she was ranked as the best-selling singles female artist in the UK (fourth general) with 17.6 million singles sold. At the 40th anniversary of the GfK Media Control Charts, Madonna was ranked as the most successful singles artist in German chart history.\n\nIn 1982, Madonna signed a record deal with Sire Records, and released her first two singles preceding her self-titled debut album. Her first entry on the US Billboard Hot 100 was \"Holiday\" (1983), which also became her first top-ten hit song in several countries. The following year, she achieved her first number-one single in Australia, Canada, and the US with \"Like a Virgin\" from the album of the same name. In 1985, she released her second US number-one single, \"Crazy for You\", and her first UK number-one single, \"Into the Groove\", both from feature film soundtracks. Soon after, all five singles from her third studio album True Blue (1986)—\"Live to Tell\", \"Papa Don't Preach\", \"True Blue\", \"Open Your Heart\", and \"La Isla Bonita\"—reached number one in the US or the UK. The title track from Madonna's fourth studio album, Like a Prayer (1989), made her the female artist with the most US number-one singles in the 1980s (tied with Whitney Houston). The album's next singles, \"Express Yourself\" and \"Cherish\", both peaked at number two on the Hot 100, giving Madonna the record for the most consecutive top-five singles by any artist with 16.\n\nIn 1990, the single \"Vogue\" was released from the album I'm Breathless. The song topped most charts in all major music markets. With \"This Used to Be My Playground\", Madonna became the female artist with the most US number-one singles at that time. Her fifth studio album, Erotica (1992), was her first album released on Maverick Records, a Warner Brothers Records-owned label that was headed by Madonna. It was her least successful album up to that point, but overall it still saw some success with singles such as \"Erotica\", \"Deeper and Deeper\", and \"Rain\" becoming hits in the US. Her 1994 studio album Bedtime Stories spawned the lead single \"Secret\", which became her record-setting 35th consecutive UK top-ten single. The album's second single, \"Take a Bow\", remains her longest-running US number-one single with seven weeks atop the chart. \"Frozen\", from the 1998 studio album Ray of Light, became her first ever single to debut at number one in the UK. All the follow-up singles from the album were also top-ten hits in several countries.\n\nIn 2000, Madonna scored her 12th US number-one single, \"Music\", from the album of the same name. \"Hung Up\", from the 2005 album Confessions on a Dance Floor, became her best-charting song worldwide and earned a place in the 2007 Guinness Book of World Records for topping the charts in the most countries (41 countries). \"4 Minutes\", from her 2008 studio album Hard Candy, gave Madonna her 37th Billboard Hot 100 top-ten, surpassing Elvis Presley as the artist with the most top-ten singles. The song also extended Madonna's record as the female artist with the most UK number-one singles with 13. In 2009, Billboard ranked Madonna as the Top Singles Sales Artist of the Decade. \"Give Me All Your Luvin'\", from Madonna's 2012 studio album, MDNA, became her 25th number-one single in Canada and her record-extending 38th US top-ten single. In 2020, \"I Don't Search I Find\", the fourth single from the 2019 album Madame X, became her record-extending 50th number-one song on the US Dance Club Songs, thus making her the only artist to top the chart in five consecutive decades. She remains the artist with the most number ones on a singular Billboard chart, extending her record over George Strait who earned 44 number ones on the Hot Country Singles chart.\n\nSingles\n\n1980s\n\n1990s\n\n2000s\n\n2010s\n\n2020s\n\nPromotional singles\n\nOther charted songs\n\nSee also\n\n Artists with the most number-ones on the U.S. Dance Club Songs chart\n List of artists by number of Canadian number-one singles (RPM)\n List of artists by number of UK Singles Chart number ones\n List of artists who reached number one in the United States\n List of artists who reached number one on the Australian singles chart\n List of artists who reached number one on the French Singles Chart\n List of artists who reached number one on the Italian Singles Chart\n List of artists who reached number one on the Spanish Singles Chart\n List of best-selling singles in Finland\n List of Romanian Top 100 number ones\n List of best-selling music artists in the United Kingdom in singles sales\n\nNotes\n\nReferences\n\nFootnotes\n\nSources\n\nExternal links\n\nDiscographies of American artists\nPop music discographies\nSingles",
"\"If There's Any Justice\" is the first single taken from British R&B singer Lemar's second album, Time to Grow (2004). Originally offered to Hear'Say, the song was rejected by the group after they decided it was \"too mature\" for them. It would eventually become a top-10 hit for Lemar, peaking at 3 on the UK Singles Chart, his fourth in a row to reach the top 10. Outside the UK, the song reached No. 1 in Hungary and entered the top 40 in France, Ireland, and New Zealand.\n\nLyrical content\nThe lyrics refer to Lemar being in love with a girl who already has a man. He claims that if he had met her first, he would be her man instead. He is making it clear in the song that he feels that there is no justice in the world because of this fact.\n\nCover versions\nDutch singer Floortje Smit covered the song—retitled \"Justice\"—for her debut album \"Fearless\". James Blunt performed an acoustic version of the song on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge (part of Jo Wiley's show), later released on the compilation album \"Radio 1's Live Lounge\".\n\nTrack listings\n UK CD1\n \"If There's Any Justice\" (radio edit) – 3:29\n \"If There's Any Justice\" (Ron G remix featuring Cassidy) – 3:55\n\n UK CD2\n \"If There's Any Justice\" (album version) – 3:49\n \"If There's Any Justice\" (5am remix featuring Cassidy) – 3:34\n \"All I Ever Do/My Boo (Part II)\" – 4:12\n \"If There's Any Justice\" (video) – 3:49\n\n UK 12-inch vinyl\nA1. \"If There's Any Justice\" (Kardinal Beats remix featuring Cassidy) – 3:34\nA2. \"If There's Any Justice\" (Ron G remix featuring Cassidy) – 3:53\nA3. \"If There's Any Justice\" (Cutfather & Joe remix featuring Cassidy) – 3:17\nB1. \"If There's Any Justice\" (5am remix featuring Cassidy) – 3:34\nB2. \"If There's Any Justice\" (First Man remix) – 3:30\nB3. \"If There's Any Justice\" (accapella) – 3:40\n\nCharts and certifications\n\nWeekly charts\n\nYear-end charts\n\nCertifications\n\nReferences\n\n2004 singles\n2004 songs\nLemar songs\nNumber-one singles in Hungary\nSongs written by Mick Leeson\nSongs written by Peter Vale\nSony Music UK singles"
] |
[
"Lil Wayne",
"Public references by Barack Obama"
] |
C_28512ea4972147028539605dc2cd6986_0
|
What references were made by Obama?
| 1 |
What references were made by Obama about Lil Wayne?
|
Lil Wayne
|
Lil Wayne has been referenced in public speeches by President Barack Obama on at least two occasions, in mixed contexts. Speaking to a largely African-American audience during a general election campaign town hall speech in Georgia, then-U.S. Senator Obama exhorted children to stay in school and achieve their dreams through education and perseverance instead of hoping for shortcuts to fame and riches as professional athletes and entertainers via the fields of sports and entertainment, stating: "You are probably not that good a rapper. Maybe you are the next Lil Wayne, but probably not, in which case you need to stay in school." After assuming the Presidency, Obama later echoed this theme of personal and familial responsibility and the difficulty of achieving Lil Wayne's professional and financial success--during an address to a meeting commemorating the 100th anniversary of the NAACP, telling the audience: They might think they've got a pretty jump shot or a pretty good flow, but our kids can't all aspire to be LeBron or Lil Wayne. I want them aspiring to be scientists and engineers, doctors and teachers, not just ballers and rappers. I want them aspiring to be a Supreme Court justice. I want them aspiring to be President of the United States of America. Obama has also noted that the music on his iPod includes Lil Wayne: My rap palate has greatly improved. Jay-Z used to be sort of what predominated, but now I've got a little Nas and a little Lil Wayne and some other stuff. CANNOTANSWER
|
Lil Wayne has been referenced in public speeches by President Barack Obama on at least two occasions, in mixed contexts.
|
Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. He is regarded by many contemporaries as one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generation, and often cited as one of the greatest rappers of all time. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman, joining Cash Money Records as the youngest member of the label. From then on, Wayne was the flagship artist of Cash Money Records before ending his association with the company in June 2018.
In 1995, Wayne was put in a duo with label-mate B.G. (at the time known as Lil Doogie) and they recorded an album, True Story, released that year, although Wayne (at the time known as Baby D) only appeared on three tracks. Wayne and B.G. soon joined the southern hip hop group Hot Boys, with Cash Money label-mates Juvenile and Turk in 1997; they released their debut album Get It How U Live! in October that year. The Hot Boys became popular following the release of the album Guerrilla Warfare (1999) and the song "Bling Bling".
Lil Wayne's solo debut album Tha Block Is Hot (1999) was his solo breakthrough, and he reached higher popularity with his fourth album Tha Carter (2004) and fifth album Tha Carter II (2005), as well as several mixtapes and collaborations throughout 2006 and 2007. He gained more prominence within the music industry with his sixth album Tha Carter III (2008), with first-week sales of over one million copies in the US. The album won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album and included successful singles "A Milli", "Got Money" (featuring T-Pain), and "Lollipop" (featuring Static Major)—the latter being his first single to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100. In February 2010, Wayne released his seventh studio album, Rebirth, which experimented with rap rock and was met with generally negative reviews. A month later in March 2010, Lil Wayne began serving an 8-month jail sentence in New York after being convicted of criminal possession of a weapon stemming from an incident in July 2007. His eighth studio album I Am Not a Human Being (2010) was released during his incarceration, while his 2011 album Tha Carter IV was released following his release. Tha Carter IV sold 964,000 copies in its first week in the United States. His twelfth studio album Tha Carter V was released in 2018 after multiple delays. Wayne's thirteenth album, Funeral, was released in early 2020.
Lil Wayne has sold over 120 million records worldwide, including more than 20 million albums and 70 million digital tracks in the United States, making him one of the world's best-selling music artists. He has won five Grammy Awards, 11 BET Awards, four Billboard Music Awards, two MTV Video Music Awards and eight NAACP Image Awards. On September 27, 2012, he became the first male artist to surpass Elvis Presley with the most entries on the Billboard Hot 100, with 109 songs. Lil Wayne also currently serves as the chief executive officer (CEO) of his own label, Young Money Entertainment.
Early life
Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. was born on September 27, 1982, and spent his first few years in the impoverished Hollygrove neighborhood of New Orleans, Louisiana. His mother, a cook, gave birth to him when she was 19 years old. His parents divorced when he was two and his father permanently abandoned the family. When CBS interviewer Katie Couric asked why he used the name Wayne instead of his given name, Carter explained that "I dropped the D because I'm a junior and my father is living and he's not in my life and he's never been in my life. So I don't want to be Dwayne, I'd rather be Wayne". Asked if his father knew of this, Carter replied, "He knows now". Carter has said that he considers his deceased stepfather Reginald "Rabbit" McDonald to be his real father. Carter has a tattoo dedicated to McDonald.
Carter was enrolled in the gifted program at Lafayette Elementary School. He later attended Eleanor McMain Secondary School for two years, where he was an honor student and a member of the drama club, playing the Tin Man in the school's production of The Wiz. After matriculating to Marion Abramson Senior High School, Carter dropped out at age 14 to focus on his musical career.
Carter wrote his first rap song at age eight. In the summer of 1991, he met rapper and Cash Money Records co-founder Bryan "Baby" Williams (known currently as Birdman), who mentored him and encouraged his love of hip-hop; Birdman included Carter on several Cash Money tracks, and Carter would often record freestyle raps on Williams' answering machine.
In 1994, at age 12, Carter suffered a near-fatal self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest. At the time he said the injury was accidental. Decades later Carter claimed that it was an attempted suicide after he was told by his mother that he would have to end his rap-related associations. Carter credits off-duty police officer Robert Hoobler, who he calls "Uncle Bob", with saving his life by insisting the dying child be driven immediately to hospital in a police car rather than waiting for an ambulance to become available. Other accounts indicate that several officers played a part in deciding on and implementing that course of action.
Career
1997–1999: Career beginnings and Hot Boys
In 1997, Carter joined the Hot Boys along with rappers Juvenile, B.G., and Turk. At age 14, Carter was the youngest member at the time. Hot Boys' debut album Get It How U Live! was released the same year, followed in 1999 by the group's major-label debut Guerrilla Warfare, which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 5 on the Billboard 200. During their career, the Hot Boys had two charting singles, "We on Fire" from Get It How U Live! and "I Need a Hot Girl" from Guerrilla Warfare. Carter was also featured on Juvenile's single "Back That Azz Up", which reached No. 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 5 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks. Let 'Em Burn, a compilation album of unreleased tracks recorded during 1999 and 2000, came out in 2003, several years after the group disbanded. It reached No. 3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 14 on the Billboard 200.
1999–2004: Tha Block Is Hot, Lights Out, and 500 Degreez
Carter's debut solo album, Tha Block Is Hot, was released when he was 17 and featured significant contributions from the Hot Boys. It debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200 and was later certified platinum by the RIAA. The album earned Carter a 1999 Source magazine nomination for "Best New Artist", and also became a Top Ten hit. The lead single was "Tha Block Is Hot". After the release of Tha Block Is Hot, Carter was featured on the single "Bling Bling", with B.G., Juvenile, and Big Tymers. Carter's verse appeared only on the radio version of the song, while on the album version he performed on the chorus.
His second album, Lights Out, was released in 2000, and failed to attain the level of success achieved by his debut but was certified gold by RIAA. Critics noted the lack of coherent narratives in his verses as evidence that he had yet to mature to the level of his fellow Hot Boys. The lead single was "Get Off the Corner", which was noticed for an improvement in its lyrical content and style. The second single, which received less attention, was "Shine" featuring the Hot Boys. Near the release of Lights Out, Carter was featured on the single, "Number One Stunna" with Big Tymers and Juvenile, which peaked at number 24 on the Hot Rap Tracks chart.
Carter's third album, 500 Degreez, was released in 2002. It followed the format of his previous two, with significant contributions from the Hot Boys and Mannie Fresh. While being certified gold like its predecessor, it also failed to match the success of his debut. The title was a reference to the recently estranged Hot Boys member Juvenile's recording, 400 Degreez. The lead single was "Way of Life" which failed to match the success of his previous singles. After the release of 500 Degreez, Carter was featured on the single "Neva Get Enuf" by 3LW.
2004–2006: Tha Carter, Tha Carter II, and Like Father, Like Son
In the summer of 2004, Carter's fourth studio album, Tha Carter, was released, marking what critics considered advancement in his rapping style and lyrical themes. In addition, the album's cover art featured the debut of Wayne's now-signature dreadlocks. Tha Carter gained Wayne significant recognition, selling 878,000 copies in the United States, while the single "Go DJ" became a Top 5 Hit on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart. After the release of Tha Carter, Lil Wayne was featured in Destiny's Child's single "Soldier" with T.I., which peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts.
Tha Carter II, the follow-up to the original Tha Carter album, was released in December 2005, this time without production by longtime Cash Money Records producer Mannie Fresh, who had left the label. Tha Carter II sold more than 238,000 copies in its first week of release, debuting at number 2 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, and went on to sell 2,000,000 copies worldwide. The lead single "Fireman" became a hit in the US, peaking at 32 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Other singles included "Grown Man" with Currensy, "Hustler Musik", and "Shooter" with R&B singer Robin Thicke. Carter also appeared on a remix of Bobby Valentino's "Tell Me", which rose to number 13 on the U.S. R&B Charts. In 2005, Carter was named president of Cash Money, and in the same year he founded Young Money Entertainment as an imprint of Cash Money. However, as of late 2007, Carter reported having stepped down from the management of both labels and had handed management of Young Money over to Cortez Bryant.
In 2006, Carter collaborated with Birdman for the album Like Father, Like Son, whose first single "Stuntin' Like My Daddy", reached number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100.
2006–2007: Mixtapes and collaborations
Instead of a follow-up solo album, Carter began to reach his audience through a plethora of mixtapes and guest appearances on a variety of pop and hip hop singles. Of his many mixtapes, Dedication 2 and Da Drought 3 received the most media exposure and critical review. Dedication 2, released in 2006, paired Carter with DJ Drama and contained the acclaimed socially conscious track "Georgia Bush", in which Carter critiqued former US president George W. Bush's response to the effects of Hurricane Katrina on the city of New Orleans. Da Drought 3 was released the following year and was available for free legal download. It contained Carter rapping over a variety of beats from recent hits by other musicians. A number of prominent hip hop magazines such as XXL and Vibe covered the mixtape. Christian Hoard of Rolling Stone magazine considered the mixtapes Da Drought 3 and The Drought Is Over 2 (The Carter 3 Sessions) "among the best albums of 2007".
Despite no album release for two years, Carter appeared in numerous singles as a featured performer, including "Gimme That" by Chris Brown, "Make It Rain" by Fat Joe, "You" by Lloyd, and "We Takin' Over" by DJ Khaled (also featuring Akon, T.I., Rick Ross, Fat Joe, and Birdman), "Duffle Bag Boy" by Playaz Circle, "Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)" by Wyclef Jean (also featuring Akon), and the remix to "I'm So Hood" by DJ Khaled (also featuring T-Pain, Young Jeezy, Ludacris, Busta Rhymes, Big Boi, Fat Joe, Birdman, and Rick Ross). All these singles charted within the top 20 spots on the Billboard Hot 100, Hot Rap Tracks, and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts. On Birdman's 2007 album, 5 * Stunna, Carter appeared on the singles "100 Million" and "I Run This" among several other tracks. Carter also appeared on tracks from albums Getback by Little Brother, American Gangster by Jay-Z, and Graduation by Kanye West and Insomniac by Enrique Iglesias. "Make it Rain", a Scott Storch production that peaked at number 13 on the Hot 100 and number two on the Hot Rap Tracks chart, was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for 2008.
Vibe magazine ranked a list of 77 of Lil Wayne's songs from 2007 and ranked his verse in DJ Khaled's "We Takin Over" as his best of 2007, with "Dough Is What I Got" (a freestyle over the beat of Jay-Z's "Show Me What You Got") from Da Drought 3. At the end of 2007, an MTV poll selected Lil Wayne as "Hottest MC in the Game", The New Yorker magazine ranked him "Rapper of the Year", and GQ magazine named him "Workaholic of the Year". In 2008 he was named "Best MC" by Rolling Stone. Another article, built around Lil Wayne's 2007 mixtape work, cites his creative practice as an example of post-performance creative practice.
2007–2010: Tha Carter III, We Are Young Money, and Rebirth
In 2007, Carter stated that he would reunite with Hot Boys, with plans to release an album after B.G.'s solo album Too Hood to Be Hollywood was completed. Tha Carter III was originally scheduled to be released in 2007, but it was delayed after several recordings were leaked and distributed through mixtapes, including The Drought Is Over Pt. 2 and The Drought Is Over Pt. 4. Lil Wayne initially planned to release The Leak, a separate album with leaked songs and four additional tracks, on December 18, 2007, with Tha Carter III delayed to March 18, 2008. Instead, The Leak became an EP with five songs and was released digitally on December 25, 2007.
Tha Carter III was released on June 10, 2008, with first-week sales of over 1 million copies, the first to do so since 50 Cent's The Massacre (2005). The album's first single "Lollipop", featuring Static Major, became the Carter's most successful song at the time, topping the Billboard Hot 100 and becoming his first top 10 single as a solo artist and his first number one on the chart. The third single "Got Money", featuring T-Pain, peaked at number 13 on the Billboard 100. Tha Carter III went on to win four Grammy Awards, including best rap album and best rap song, which he won for "Lollipop". On July 14, 2008, the Recording Industry Association of America certified Tha Carter III two times platinum. In October 2008, Lil Wayne announced plans to MTV News to re-release the album with new tracks, including a duet with Ludacris and remixes of "A Milli".
Carter also appeared on R&B singles "Girls Around the World" by Lloyd, "Love In This Club, Part II" by Usher, "Official Girl" by Cassie, "I'm So Paid" by Akon, "Turnin' Me On" by Keri Hilson, and "Can't Believe It" by T-Pain; rap singles "My Life" by The Game, "Shawty Say" by David Banner, "Swagga Like Us" by T.I., "Cutty Buddy" by Mike Jones, All My Life (In the Ghetto) by Jay Rock and the remix to "Certified" by Glasses Malone; and pop single "Let It Rock" by new Cash Money artist Kevin Rudolf.
In 2008, Carter performed at the Voodoo Experience in October in New Orleans, which was described by Jonathan Cohen of Billboard as his biggest hometown headlining set of his career. He also performed at the Virgin Mobile Music Fest with Kanye West, where they performed the remix of "Lollipop" and lip-synced to Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You". Lil Wayne also performed at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards with Kid Rock ("All Summer Long"), Leona Lewis ("DontGetIt (Misunderstood)") and T-Pain ("Got Money") and performed "Lollipop" and "Got Money" on the season premiere of Saturday Night Live. He later performed at the homecoming rally at Vanderbilt University and the 2008 BET Hip Hop Awards, where he received 12 nominations. He won eight awards at the BET Hip Hop Awards, one of which included the "MVP" title. After M.I.A. dropped out of performing on the I Am Music Tour due to her pregnancy, Jay-Z performed "Mr. Carter" with Lil Wayne at select shows.
Following Tha Carter III achievement of selling over 3 million copies, becoming 2008's best-selling record, Carter re-signed with Cash Money Records for a multi-album deal.
On November 11, 2008, Carter became the first hip hop act to perform at the Country Music Association Awards, playing "All Summer Long" alongside Kid Rock, in which Carter inaudibly strummed guitar strings alongside the guitarist in Kid Rock's band. Shortly after, Wayne was nominated for eight Grammys – the most for any artist nominated that year. He was then named the first MTV Man of the Year at the end of 2008. He won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance for "A Milli", Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for his appearance in T.I.'s single "Swagga Like Us", and Best Rap Song for "Lollipop". Tha Carter III won the award for Best Rap Album. MTV News listed Carter number two on their 2009 list of the Hottest MCs In The Game.
On January 6, 2009, Carter was a guest debater against Skip Bayless on the "1st & 10" segment of ESPN First Take. On February 10, 2009, he appeared on ESPN's Around the Horn and beat out veterans Woody Paige, Jay Mariotti and fellow New Orleanian Michael Smith to win that show's episode. Prior to the 2009 Grammy Awards, Wayne was featured in an interview with Katie Couric. On February 7, 2009, he presented the Top Ten List on CBS's Late Show with David Letterman. On April 24, 2009, he appeared on The View, discussing his GED and addictions. In September 2009, Carter was profiled in an episode of VH1's Behind the Music and was a presenter of the 2009 MTV Movie Awards. In film, Carter produced and composed music for and starred in the direct-to-video film Hurricane Season. A documentary of Carter, titled The Carter, was released at the Sundance Film Festival.
On December 23, 2009, Carter released a collaboration album with Young Money, We Are Young Money, with its lead single being "Every Girl". The second single was "BedRock", featuring Lloyd, with the third being "Roger That". On May 24, 2010, the album was certified gold by the RIAA with over 500,000 copies sold. Carter is featured on the song, "Revolver", with Madonna for her greatest hits album, Celebration (2009). He was also featured on a Weezer song, "Can't Stop Partying", on Raditude (2009). In late 2008, Carter announced plans to reissue Tha Carter III with leftover recordings, and was to be titled Rebirth, originally scheduled to be released on April 7, 2009, before being delayed several times. Rebirth instead became his sixth solo album, released on February 2, 2010.
To support its release and that of We Are Young Money, Carter was featured on the cover of Rolling Stone and headlined the 'Young Money Presents: America's Most Wanted Music Festival', a United States and Canada–only concert tour which began on July 29, 2009. "Prom Queen", the first official single, debuted on January 27, 2009, immediately after a live Internet broadcast on Ustream of his concert in San Diego. It peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. On December 3, 2009, the second single, "On Fire", produced by Cool & Dre "On Fire" peaked at number 33 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. "Drop the World", which features Eminem, was the third single from the Rebirth.
2010–2013: I Am Not a Human Being series and Tha Carter IV
In an interview on MTV's Mixtape Monday, Carter asserted the possibility of Tha Carter IV. He later announced that it would be released in late 2009 before the holiday season. Birdman had previously stated that Tha Carter IV would be packaged with Rebirth as a double disc album. However, Carter denied this idea saying that "Tha Carter IV deserves Tha Carter IV", adding that We Are Young Money may be packaged with Rebirth. However, both albums were released separately.
Originally thought to be an EP, Carter released his tenth album, I Am Not a Human Being, on his 28th birthday, September 27, 2010. The album has sold over 953,000 copies in the U.S. and spawned successful single "Right Above It", which peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. Tha Carter IV was later delayed into 2011, after Lil Wayne began recording from scratch after his release from prison. He described his first song since his release as "a 2010 version of A Milli on steroids". The album's lead single, "6 Foot 7 Foot" featuring Cory Gunz, was released on December 15, 2010, and made available for digital download on iTunes on December 16, 2010. The song is produced by Bangladesh, who also produced "A Milli".
On March 8, 2011, Carter released another song, "We Back Soon", produced by StreetRunner, though it was not included on the official track listing of Tha Carter IV. The second single, "John", was released on March 24, 2011, which features Rick Ross and is produced by Polow Da Don. The album's artwork was unveiled on April 20, 2011. The album was originally scheduled to be released on May 16, 2011, but Mack Maine had confirmed its delay until June 21. On May 26, 2011, the third single, "How to Love", was released. A song called "Dear Anne (Stan Part 2)" was released in June. Carter said the song was a throwaway track from Tha Carter III and was originally supposed to be on Tha Carter IV, but decided not to put it on there because of its age. Carter said that he liked the beat, but not the lyrics, and was thinking about revamping the song.
In July 2011, Carter confirmed in an interview with MTV that Tha Carter IV was finished, and was released on August 29, 2011. For preparation for Tha Carter IV, Carter released a mixtape, Sorry 4 the Wait, with all the beats coming from other artist's songs, similar to his mixtape No Ceilings. Tha Carter IV debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, with first-week sales of 964,000 copies, making it Carter's third chart-topping album of his career. On January 8, 2012, according to Nielsen SoundScan was elected the seventh artist (second male artist) all-time best-selling tracks digital with 36,788,000 million to the end of 2011.
In October 2011, it was reported that Carter was working on sequels to both I Am Not a Human Being and Rebirth. In January 2012, Birdman announced that he and Carter had finished recording Like Father, Like Son 2. On November 22, 2012, he announced that Tha Carter V would be his final album.
After numerous delays, I Am Not a Human Being II was released on March 26, 2013, debuting at number two on the Billboard 200 selling 217,000 copies in its first week; "My Homies Still", "Love Me", and "No Worries" were released as singles prior to its release. The album was met with generally mixed reviews, with most critics noticing the declining quality of his releases. Carter toured North America with 2 Chainz and T.I. on the second America's Most Wanted Festival. On May 3, 2013, Pepsi dropped Carter, who was a spokesperson for Mountain Dew, due to offensive lyrics about civil rights icon Emmett Till. On September 1, 2013, Carter released the fifth instalment of the "Dedication" mixtape series, with Dedication 5. The mixtape featured 29 tracks, with guest appearances from The Weeknd, Chance The Rapper, Jae Millz, Birdman, T.I., Vado, Kidd Kidd, and 2 Chainz among other members of Young Money.
2014–2019: Free Weezy Album and Tha Carter V
On February 10, 2014, Drake tweeted "CARTER V". On October 18, 2013, Cash Money Records Vice President of Promotion Mel Smith, tweeted: "Happy Friday!! New YMCMB music coming soon!! Carter 5." Nearly four months later, in an interview with The Griffin, released on February 14, 2014, Smith spoke on the upcoming album: "We're very close to dropping the album. It's going to be a huge surprise to everyone, it's an incredible album ... I can't release the date because he wants to surprise people, he wants his true fan base to get excited, but he's worked extremely hard on it and you won't be disappointed." On February 15, 2014, during the NBA All-Star Weekend festivities at Sprite's NBA All-Star concert at the House of Blues in New Orleans, Carter appeared as a special guest during Drake's set and performed various hits. Carter and Drake then announced that Tha Carter V would be released on May 5, 2014. However, on March 27, 2014, Carter's manager Cortez Bryant announced that the album had been delayed. Carter then serviced Tha Carter Vs first single "Believe Me", which features vocals from Drake, to mainstream urban radio in the United States on May 6, 2014. Three more singles, "Krazy", "Grindin'" (featuring Drake) and "Start a Fire" (featuring Christina Milian), were also released for the album.
On December 4, 2014, just five days before the album was due to be released again, Carter issued a statement saying the album would not be released on its expected release date, due to his displeasure with Cash Money Records label-boss Birdman, refusing to release the album although it had been completed. Carter also expressed his feelings by stating he felt both he and his creativity were being held "prisoner".
On January 20, 2015, Carter self-released Sorry 4 the Wait 2, a sequel to his 2011 mixtape, to compensate for the continued delay of Tha Carter V. Upon Sorry for the Wait 2s release, it was said Wayne disses Birdman and Cash Money Records, several times throughout the mixtape. Birdman was reported to be upset with this. In late January 2015, Carter sued Birdman and Cash Money Records for $51 million. In February 2015, due to Tha Carter Vs delay, Carter announced that a free album would be released prior to the fifth installment in his popular series. In June 2015, Carter joined Jay-Z's TIDAL, as an artist owner, kicking off the partnership by exclusively releasing a single on the service titled "Glory". He's also announced plans on his own TIDAL X concert series. On July 4, 2015, Carter released Free Weezy Album, exclusively through TIDAL, under Young Money and Republic Records.
Carter and Birdman supposedly reconciled after being seen at Drake's NYE Party, at Miami's Club Liv, and in studio. On January 27, 2016, when rapper 2 Chainz released his "Felt Like Cappin" EP, Carter is featured on the lead single titled "Back On That Bullshit". On March 4, 2016, 2 Chainz released his third studio album, ColleGrove. The album was initially a collaborative effort between 2 Chainz and Carter, but due to his record label issues, only 2 Chainz was credited as the primary artist. In 2017, Carter announced that he signed with Roc Nation. Later, Carter revealed that there was no official paperwork that he signed to the label. On June 28, 2016, Carter was one of the main singers in the song "Sucker for Pain", along with Wiz Khalifa and Imagine Dragons, for the DC Comics film Suicide Squad. X Ambassadors and Ty Dolla Sign were also featured in the song. On August 8, 2017, he released the song "Like a Man" with sound engineer Onhel.
On June 7, 2018, it was announced that Carter had been released from Cash Money Records and will be releasing Tha Carter V via Universal Records.
In September 2016, Carter's song "No Mercy" debuted as the theme song for Skip and Shannon: Undisputed sports talk on FS1. Carter is a frequent guest on the program. On Christmas 2017, Carter released the mixtape Dedication 6, the sixth instalment of the "Gangsta Grillz" chronology. The second part was released on January 26, 2018.
Tha Carter V was finally released on September 27, 2018, debuting at number one on the US Billboard 200 with 480,000 album-equivalent units, including 140,000 pure album sales. It is the second-largest streaming week for an album behind Drake's Scorpion with 433 million streams. It is also Carter's fourth US number-one album. Every song on the album charted on the Billboard 100, while simultaneously charting 4 songs in the top 10, also becoming the first artist to debut two songs in the top 5.
2020–present: Funeral, Young Money Radio, re-releases, I Am Not a Human Being III, Trust Fund Babies and Tha Carter VI
While Carter was working on Tha Carter V, it was announced that his next album would be titled Funeral. On January 23, 2020, he revealed the album's release date and album artwork. Funeral was released on January 31, and debuted at number-one on the US Billboard 200, with 139,000 album-equivalent units, becoming his fifth US number-one album. The album received generally positive reviews from music critics. On February 2, 2020, Lil Wayne competed in Season 3 of The Masked Singer after the Super Bowl LIV as "Robot". He was the first to be eliminated. Carter featured on Lil Baby's track "Forever", a track from Baby's second studio album, My Turn, which was released on February 28, 2020. Carter also participates in the music video for the song, which was released on March 3, 2020. This marked the second collaboration for the two artists in 2020, with the first being on Carter's single "I Do It".
On April 24, 2020, Lil Wayne along with Dash Radio, launched his own radio show, Young Money Radio, on Apple Music. Wayne described the show as having "heavyweights calling in discussing sports, music, comedy, everything!". On July 3, Lil Wayne released his eleventh studio album, Free Weezy Album (2015) on streaming services to commemorate its five-year anniversary. The album charted at number 77 on the Billboard 200 the following week. On May 29, Wayne released the deluxe edition of Funeral featuring artists such as Doja Cat, Tory Lanez, Lil Uzi Vert, Benny The Butcher, Conway the Machine and Jessie Reyez. On August 28, Wayne released another old project, his 2009 mixtape No Ceilings, for commercial release. He also celebrated the release by collaborating with ASAP Ferg on the song "No Ceilings". Wayne was featured on YoungBoy Never Broke Again's album Top on the track "My Window", released on September 11. His verse received praise from critics. On September 25, he released the deluxe edition of his twelfth album Tha Carter V, to celebrate the album's two-year anniversary; it consists of songs that did not make the cut on the original album.
On November 27, 2020, Lil Wayne released the mixtape No Ceilings 3, while announcing the album I Am Not a Human Being III for 2021, although it would not be released that year due to delays. On October 1, 2021, Wayne and Rich the Kid released a collaborative mixtape titled Trust Fund Babies, along with a music video for the single "Feelin' Like Tunechi". The mixtape took roughly a month and a half to record. On their working relationship, Wayne said, "For me, it's the chemistry, it's the camaraderie because first of all, Rich like my little bro and me and Rich been rockin' for a minute".
Wayne is currently working on Tha Carter VI.
Future projects
Carter has announced several possible upcoming projects, including a collaborative album entitled I Can't Feel My Face with Harlem-based rapper Juelz Santana, that has been in production for several years. In late 2011, it was announced by Mack Maine that Carter and Juelz Santana had gone back to work on their collaborative album I Can't Feel My Face, which had been delayed for a few years due to "label politics".
On June 19, 2008, Carter and T-Pain formed a duo called T-Wayne with plans to release an album, titled He Raps, He Sings; however, those plans have died down due to much of the material recorded for the album being leaked. T-Pain ultimately released T-Wayne in 2017.
According to an interview with Drake, in the December 2011 issue of XXL, plans for an upcoming album with Carter had been scrapped for the time being because of the Jay-Z and Kanye West collaboration album Watch the Throne (2011).
In April 2012, on the premiere of MTV's Hip Hop POV, Carter sat down with Amanda Seales and spoke briefly about an album he put together titled Devol (loved, backwards), an album full of "love songs" that he wrote during his imprisonment at Rikers Island. In May 2013 he confirmed the album will still be released.
Carter's once ongoing litigation with Cash Money prevented numerous completed projects from being released. In January 2017, Young Money revealed the title of a planned Carter album called Velvet. The album ended up leaking online in November 2018.
Retirement plans
On March 29, 2011, in an interview with Hot 97's Angie Martinez, Carter announced that he would retire at age 35; saying "I have four kids", and that "I would feel selfish still going to the studio when it's such a vital point in their lives." He said in November 2012 that Tha Carter V will be his last album as he wanted to go into other interests.
In March 2014, Carter reconfirmed at SXSW that Tha Carter V will be his last album during his keynote with interviewer Elliot Wilson.
In September 2016, in regards to his contract dispute with Cash Money, he indicated a possible retirement on Twitter saying "I AM NOW DEFENSELESS and mentally DEFEATED" and then said, "I leave gracefully and thankful I luh my fanz but I'm done." Many rappers responded with respect and encouragement.
Personal life
Relationships and children
Carter has four children. His first child, daughter Reginae, was born November 29, 1998, when he was 16, to his high school sweetheart Toya Johnson. They later married on Valentine's Day 2004 and divorced in 2006. Internet rumors started circulating in August 2008 that Carter's daughter had died in a car crash, which however he quickly cleared up as false saying "Please allow me to dispel any rumors or speculations and report that my daughter is alive, healthy and surrounded by family who cares and loves her dearly. The rumors are completely false and unfounded; neither Reginae nor any other member of my family has been involved in any car accident."
His second child, Dwayne III, was born on October 22, 2008, at The Christ Hospital in Cincinnati to radio broadcaster Sarah Vivan. His third child, Cameron, was born to actress Lauren London on September 9, 2009. His fourth child, Neal, was born on November 30, 2009, to singer Nivea. Trina also became pregnant with Carter's child, but later suffered a miscarriage.
In July 2014, it was rumored that Carter was dating singer Christina Milian whom he attended the ESPY Awards with. They later confirmed their relationship in mid-2015 after which they received criticism from their interconnected exes, singer Nivea and songwriter The-Dream. They split at the end of 2015 after collaborating on various singles, videos, and concert dates.
Wayne was engaged to model La'Tecia Thomas, but called off the engagement in May 2020.
In June 2020, it was announced that Wayne had started dating Denise Bidot, another model. In November 2020, they reportedly broke up over Wayne's endorsement of Donald Trump. Shortly after, it was reported that the couple had reconciled.
Beliefs and interests
In an interview with Blender, Carter revealed one of his favorite bands from childhood to be rock group Nirvana, and cites them as a major influence in his music.
Carter got his first tattoo at age 14 of his dad's name and his second was "Cash Money" across his stomach. His tattoos have grown to include a Jay-Z verse on his leg, "I Am Music" on his forehead and teardrops on his cheeks among many others. His most recent one is "Baked" on his forehead stylized as the Baker Skateboards logo. While playing in Newark Symphony Hall, Carter professed his belief "in God and His son, Jesus". During his 2011 tour in Australia with Eminem, before beginning his bracket he proclaimed his belief in God. One Christian minister says Carter's stated religiosity and the un-religious lyrical content of his music are incongruous.
After earning his GED, Carter enrolled at the University of Houston in January 2005. He dropped out in the same year due to his conflicting schedule. He also revealed on The View that he switched to the University of Phoenix and majored in psychology taking online courses. An article in Urb magazine in March 2007 asserted that Carter had been earning high grades at Houston.
On September 24, 2008, Carter published his first blog for ESPN in their issue, ESPN The Magazine. Carter revealed he was a fan of tennis, the Green Bay Packers, the Boston Bruins, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Red Sox. To commemorate the Packers' making it to Super Bowl XLV, he spoofed Wiz Khalifa's hit song "Black and Yellow" (which were the colors of the Packers' opponents, the Pittsburgh Steelers) in a song titled "Green and Yellow". He released a second version of the song in 2021, which was requested by the Packers, and updated with the current roster.Carter has continued writing for ESPN, notably reporting at the ESPN Super Bowl party. Carter made his debut on ESPN's daily sports round table show Around The Horn on February 10, 2009. Carter now currently sings the intro song "No Mercy" for the Fox Sports 1 sports debate show Undisputed.
Carter received criticism after a video released by TMZ showed him apparently stepping on the U.S. flag. Carter later explained that "It was never my intention to desecrate the flag of the United States", and that he was shooting a video for a song on his upcoming album, "God Bless Amerika". He says the purpose of the flag was to show that "behind the American Flag was the Hoods of America".
In late 2016, Carter made statements critical of the Black Lives Matter movement, saying, "I don't feel connected to a damn thing that ain't got nothin' to do with me. If you do, you crazy as shit," adding that his status as a wealthy black man who has white fans is evidence that black people are valued in the United States.
In 2016, Carter purchased Player's Rep. Sports Agency, and became Young Money APAA sports, which hired NFL's first female sports agent, Nicole Lynn. She currently represents Seth Roberts, Cory Nelson, Jordan Evans, Malik Jefferson, Eric Harris, Quennen Williams, as well as NCAA coaches, and two former #1 Pro Softball draft picks.
On October 29, 2020, less than a week before the presidential election, Carter posted an image of him and President Donald Trump to Twitter. In the caption for the photo, Carter revealed that he and Trump had recently met to discuss criminal justice reform and Trump's Platinum Plan, an initiative which aims to raise access to capital in Black communities by almost $500 billion. Carter claimed Trump "listened to what we had to say today and assured he will and can get it done".
Health problems
On October 25, 2012, Carter's private jet, bound for Los Angeles, made an emergency landing in Texas due to an in-flight medical episode. Lil Wayne was transferred to a local hospital upon arrival. TMZ and other media sources said that Carter had suffered a seizure aboard the plane. His publicist denied this, saying that he was in fact treated for "a severe migraine and dehydration".
The following day, while flying from Texas to Los Angeles, Carter's private jet was reportedly again forced to make an emergency landing, this time in Louisiana, after he suffered a second seizure and required further hospitalization. His representative said that the reports of Carter's condition had been exaggerated, and that he was resting at his Louisiana home. In a November 2012 interview with MTV, Carter revealed that he was taking seizure medication, on doctors' orders, due to the aforementioned incidents.
On March 14, 2013, TMZ reported that Carter had been treated at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on the evening of March 12, after suffering seizures while on a music video set with Young Money rapper Nicki Minaj. He was reportedly released in the early hours of March 13. On March 15, TMZ published a second story, claiming that hours after his release on March 13, Carter was found unconscious after experiencing further seizures, and was brought back to Cedars-Sinai, where he was admitted to the intensive care unit in critical condition. The article alleged the latest seizures were found to be linked to high amounts of codeine in Carter's system, possibly due to binging on purple drank after his initial hospital release. Multiple celebrities, including Drake and Birdman, were photographed on March 15 and 16 visiting Carter at Cedars-Sinai.
Several members of Young Money Entertainment, including president Mack Maine, criticized media reports on Carter's hospitalization, particularly those of TMZ, alleging that they exaggerated the severity of his condition and falsely implied that he was on his deathbed (such as by saying that he was in a medically induced coma), triggering what the Washington Post called "the most overheated celebrity deathwatch in recent years". In separate interviews on March 18, Mack Maine and Birdman disputed TMZ's reports, and stated that in fact there were not multiple seizures or multiple hospital visits. They explained that after Carter began seizing on the way to the music video shoot on March 12, an ambulance was called and he was transported to the hospital, where he was admitted and remained continuously thereafter. They also refuted the claims that Carter's seizures are drug-induced, saying that they are an ongoing problem for which doctors have been unable to identify a cause.
Carter was released from the hospital late on March 18, following a six-day stay. Lil Wayne addressed his condition via a vlog, on March 21 saying he was more than good.
Carter had two seizures in June 2016, during a cross-country flight from Wisconsin to California, and landed in Omaha, Nebraska. His plane was only two minutes in air when the second seizure occurred and was forced to land in Omaha once again. Less than a month later, he had another seizure, supposedly due to not taking his epilepsy medication.
Carter canceled a Las Vegas show on September 3, 2017, having had a seizure in a Chicago hospital earlier that day, where he was brought after being found unconscious in a hotel room.
Philanthropy
On February 19, 2008, Carter and Cortez Bryant revisited their alma mater McMain Secondary School to get students to design an invitation to the gala introducing Carter's nonprofit One Family Foundation.
Other ventures
Young Money Entertainment
Books
Carter wrote a memoir of his experience in Rikers Island called Gone Til' November: A Journal of Rikers Island that was released October 11, 2016.
Cannabis industry
In December 2019, Carter announced his own cannabis brand under the name of GKUA Ultra Premium.
Legal issues
Arrests and incarceration
On July 22, 2007, Carter was arrested in New York City following a performance at the Beacon Theatre; the New York City Police Department discovered Carter and another man smoking marijuana near a tour bus. After taking Carter into custody, police discovered a .40 caliber pistol near his person. The gun, which was registered to his manager, was in a bag located near the rapper. He was charged with criminal possession of a weapon and marijuana.
Following a performance at Qwest Arena in Boise, Idaho, Carter was arrested October 5, 2007 on felony fugitive charges after Georgia authorities accused the rapper of possessing a controlled substance. The incident was later described as a "mix-up" and the fugitive charges were dropped.
On January 23, 2008, Carter was arrested alongside two others. His tour bus was stopped by Border Patrol agents near Yuma, Arizona. A K-9 Unit recovered of marijuana, almost of cocaine, of ecstasy, and $22,000 in cash. Carter was charged with four felonies: possession of narcotic drug for sale, possession of dangerous drugs, misconduct involving weapons and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was granted permission to travel outside of the state and remain out of custody on the $10,185 bond he posted.
On May 6, 2008, Carter returned to court in Arizona to plead not guilty to the charges. A bench warrant was issued on March 17, 2010, when Carter did not show for a final trial management conference. However, he was already incarcerated, serving a one-year sentence in Rikers Island on weapons charges. On June 22, 2010, Carter pleaded guilty to the charges. As part of the plea deal he was able to serve 36 months of probation, which he was sentenced to on June 30, 2010.
On December 18, 2009, Carter and 11 others were detained at the Falfurrias, Texas border patrol checkpoint after an unknown amount of marijuana was found on two of his tour buses.
On October 22, 2009, Carter pleaded guilty to attempted criminal possession of a weapon. He was due for sentencing in February 2010 and was expected to receive a one-year county jail sentence, but on February 9, 2010, Carter's attorney announced that the sentencing was delayed until March 2 due to dental surgery, which was performed on February 16. The surgery included eight root canals, the replacement of several tooth implants, as well as the addition of a few new implants and work on his remaining original teeth. On March 2, 2010, sentencing was postponed again when the courthouse reported a fire in the basement.
On March 8, 2010, Carter was given a one-year sentence, which he served in Rikers Island. His lawyer said the rapper expected to be held in protective custody, separated from other prisoners. In May 2010, Carter was found by Rikers Island correctional staff to be in possession of contraband (an MP3 player, charger, and headphones). In April 2010, Carter's friends created a website called Weezy Thanx You, which publishes letters written by Carter while incarcerated. In the first letter, titled "Gone 'til November", Carter said he was staying in good spirits thinking about his children and spending his time working out regularly and reading the Bible every day. Carter was released from Rikers Island Jail on November 4, 2010, after serving eight months of his year-long sentence.
On December 12, 2020, Carter pleaded guilty to a federal firearms charge brought against him by the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. This plea stemmed from an incident during December of the previous year, when Carter was arrested in Florida after transporting a loaded handgun on his private jet from California. As a convicted felon, he is barred from possessing such weapons. He was pardoned by U.S. President Donald Trump on January 19, 2021, his last full day in office.
Lawsuits
On July 24, 2008, Abkco Music Inc filed a lawsuit against Carter for copyright infringement and unfair competition, specifically referring to Tha Carter III track "Playing with Fire". In the lawsuit, Abkco says that the song was obviously derived from The Rolling Stones' "Play with Fire", to which Abkco owns the rights. Subsequently, "Playing with Fire" was removed from the track list of Tha Carter III on all online music stores and replaced with the David Banner produced track, "Pussy Monster".
In February 2009, production company RMF Productions filed a $1.3 million lawsuit against Carter following a $100,000 advance payment for three shows, all of which were cancelled by the artist.
In October 2009, Carter, Birdman, Cash Money Records, and various music distribution outlets were sued for copyright infringement by Thomas Marasciullo, who says his voice was used without permission. The rappers asked him to record some "Italian-styled spoken word recordings" in 2006. The lyrics were allegedly used on "Respect" and other tracks from the rappers' collaboration album Like Father, Like Son and Birdman's 5 * Stunna.
In March 2011, producer Deezle (Darius Harrison) sued Carter and his parent labels Cash Money Records over unpaid royalties from Tha Carter III.
In May 2011, producer Bangladesh also filed a lawsuit against Weezy & Co. over unpaid royalties as well.
In early June 2011, another producer named David Kirkwood filed a lawsuit against Young Money Entertainment and Cash Money Records on claims that the labels have failed to pay him over $1.5 million in royalties and production services for his work on the album, also including his songwriting on "Love Me or Hate Me", a bonus song featured only on the deluxe edition of the album.
Also in June 2011, Dallas producers Play-N-Skillz filed a lawsuit against him, saying Carter owes them at least $1 million in unpaid royalties for "Got Money" from his album Tha Carter III. The single has sold over 2 million copies since being released.
In July 2011, Done Deal Enterprises, a production company based in Georgia, filed suit against Carter, Universal Music Group, Cash Money Records and Young Money Entertainment, claiming copyright infringement. The lawsuit alleges Carter stole the song "BedRock", featured on the compilation album We Are Young Money, and seeks damages of $15 million.
Feuds
Juvenile
Carter began feuding with former Hot Boys member and Cash Money Records labelmate Juvenile in 2002, after Juvenile took offense to Carter naming his third studio album 500 Degreez, a diss aimed towards Juvenile whose last album was named 400 Degreez. Juvenile responded with a diss track on his 2002 album 600 Degreez, titled "A Hoe". In the song, Juvenile questions Carter's sexuality, and says he's a fake gangster. The two squashed their beef for a short period in 2004, with Carter and Birdman appearing in the music video for Juvenile and Soulja Slim's song, Slow Motion. Carter later paid tribute to the Hot Boys with a song called "I Miss My Dawgs" on 2004's Tha Carter. Juvenile responded by calling the song "fake", and criticized Carter for releasing a tribute song and later promoting the album on BET and having "nothing good to say about them". The two eventually reconciled once again, and Juvenile re-signed with Cash Money Records in 2014.
Young Buck
Young Buck released a song called "Off Parole", featuring Tony Yayo, which insulted Carter. Young Buck said that Carter could not be angry, because Young Buck spoke the truth. Young Buck also said "You think you got a problem with Juve and B.G.; you'll have a true problem with me", referring to the Cash Money-Juvenile/B.G feud. One of the reasons 50 Cent stated he was dismissing Young Buck was what he called "inconsistent behavior" which included appearing on stage with Carter, then seemingly dissing him on records with G-Unit. After he was dismissed, Young Buck appeared in the music video "My Life" by The Game, which featured Carter in the vocals. As of 2009, Young Buck and Carter have squashed their beef and also linked up to record a track "Up's and Down's" for Young Buck's Back On My Buck Shit mixtape.
Pusha T
Tension between Wayne and American rapper, Pusha T, had been going on for years, beginning soon after Clipse and Birdman worked on "What Happened to That Boy", the latter's 2002 single. In 2006, Wayne felt the Clipse song "Mr. Me Too" was directed at him which caused more tension between the two. In 2012 after much speculation that Pusha T was subliminally dissing Canadian rapper and Wayne's Young Money signee Drake in several songs, the speculation heightened after the release of Pusha T's "Exodus 23:1" song. Lil Wayne quickly responded on online social networking service Twitter and later released a diss track titled "Goulish". In the first verse Wayne raps "Fuck Pusha T and anybody that love him / His head up his ass, I'mma have to head-butt him". Pusha T called Wayne's diss track "horrible" and said he felt it did not deserve a response. Both men have downplayed the feud, with Wayne saying he's over it. However, in late November, Pusha T dissed Wayne and Birdman on a new Ludacris song titled "Tell Me What They Mad For". However, once the feud between Lil Wayne and Birdman arose, Pusha T sent out a tweet encouraging Lil Wayne to sign to G.O.O.D. Music, which also insulted Birdman for his hand-rubbing habit.
Jay-Z
In a 2009 interview with Tropical TV, Birdman disputed the MTV poll that voted Jay-Z "The Hottest MC in the Game", stating that Lil Wayne was a better rapper and made more money. In early 2011, when Jay-Z and Kanye West's single "H•A•M" was released, Jay-Z took shots at Birdman, saying "Really, you got Baby money" and "[you] ain't got my lady's money!". On August 24, 2011, a song called "It's Good" by Lil Wayne (featuring Drake and Jadakiss) was leaked online and included Lil Wayne responding "Talkin' 'bout baby money? I gotcha baby money. Kidnap your bitch, get that, How much you love your lady? money". Jadakiss later absolved himself of involvement in any brewing beef on his official Twitter feed.
Discography
Studio albums
Tha Block Is Hot (1999)
Lights Out (2000)
500 Degreez (2002)
Tha Carter (2004)
Tha Carter II (2005)
Tha Carter III (2008)
Rebirth (2010)
I Am Not a Human Being (2010)
Tha Carter IV (2011)
I Am Not a Human Being II (2013)
Free Weezy Album (2015)
Tha Carter V (2018)
Funeral (2020)
I Am Not a Human Being III (TBA)
Filmography
Film
Television
Awards and nominations
See also
List of artists who reached number one in the United States
List of best-selling music artists in the United States
List of best-selling singles in the United States
List of best-selling singles worldwide
List of best-selling albums by year in the United States
List of artists who reached number one on the UK Singles Chart
References
External links
1982 births
Living people
20th-century American singers
21st-century American male actors
21st-century American rappers
21st-century American singers
African-American business executives
African-American businesspeople
African-American male actors
African-American male rappers
African-American male singers
African-American songwriters
American businesspeople convicted of crimes
American chief executives
American hip hop singers
American male rappers
American male singers
American male television actors
American music industry executives
American people convicted of drug offenses
American people of Nigerian descent
American shooting survivors
Bloods
Businesspeople from New Orleans
Cash Money Millionaires members
Cash Money Records artists
Gangsta rappers
Grammy Award winners for rap music
Hot Boys members
Male actors from New Orleans
People with epilepsy
Pop rappers
Rappers from New Orleans
Recipients of American presidential pardons
Republic Records artists
Singers from Louisiana
Songwriters from Louisiana
Southern hip hop musicians
Trap musicians
Universal Motown Records artists
Universal Records artists
University of Phoenix alumni
World Music Awards winners
Young Money Entertainment artists
| false |
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"Listed below are executive orders numbered 13489–13764 and presidential memoranda signed by United States President Barack Obama. There are an additional 1186 presidential proclamations that are not included here, but some of which are on WikiSource. The signing statements made by President Obama during his time in office have been archived here.\n\nExecutive orders\nCumulative number of executive orders signed by Barack Obama\n\n2009\n\n2010\n\n2011\n\n2012\n\n2013\n\n2014\n\n2015\n\n2016\n\n2017\n\nPresidential memoranda\n\nSee also\nList of executive actions by George W. Bush, EO #13198–13488 (2001–2009)\nList of executive actions by Donald Trump, EO #13765–13984 (2017–2021)\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\n Federal Archives\n US Presidential Actions - Archived White House site\n Federal Register\n\n Obama\nexecutive actions,Obama\n \nExecutive actions",
"The following articles cover the presidential trips made by Barack Obama while he was President of the United States:\n List of international presidential trips made by Barack Obama\n List of presidential trips made by Barack Obama (2009)\n List of presidential trips made by Barack Obama (2010)\n List of presidential trips made by Barack Obama (2011)\n List of presidential trips made by Barack Obama (2012)\n List of presidential trips made by Barack Obama (2013)\n List of presidential trips made by Barack Obama (2014)\n List of presidential trips made by Barack Obama (2015)\n List of presidential trips made by Barack Obama (2016–17)\n\nTrips\nObama, Barack\n2000s in the United States\n2010s in the United States\nBarack Obama-related lists"
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[
"Lil Wayne",
"Public references by Barack Obama",
"What references were made by Obama?",
"Lil Wayne has been referenced in public speeches by President Barack Obama on at least two occasions, in mixed contexts."
] |
C_28512ea4972147028539605dc2cd6986_0
|
What are some of the contexts?
| 2 |
What are some of the contexts of the public speeches by President Barack Obama?
|
Lil Wayne
|
Lil Wayne has been referenced in public speeches by President Barack Obama on at least two occasions, in mixed contexts. Speaking to a largely African-American audience during a general election campaign town hall speech in Georgia, then-U.S. Senator Obama exhorted children to stay in school and achieve their dreams through education and perseverance instead of hoping for shortcuts to fame and riches as professional athletes and entertainers via the fields of sports and entertainment, stating: "You are probably not that good a rapper. Maybe you are the next Lil Wayne, but probably not, in which case you need to stay in school." After assuming the Presidency, Obama later echoed this theme of personal and familial responsibility and the difficulty of achieving Lil Wayne's professional and financial success--during an address to a meeting commemorating the 100th anniversary of the NAACP, telling the audience: They might think they've got a pretty jump shot or a pretty good flow, but our kids can't all aspire to be LeBron or Lil Wayne. I want them aspiring to be scientists and engineers, doctors and teachers, not just ballers and rappers. I want them aspiring to be a Supreme Court justice. I want them aspiring to be President of the United States of America. Obama has also noted that the music on his iPod includes Lil Wayne: My rap palate has greatly improved. Jay-Z used to be sort of what predominated, but now I've got a little Nas and a little Lil Wayne and some other stuff. CANNOTANSWER
|
Speaking to a largely African-American audience during a general election campaign town hall speech in Georgia, then-U.S. Senator Obama exhorted children to stay in school and achieve their dreams
|
Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. He is regarded by many contemporaries as one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generation, and often cited as one of the greatest rappers of all time. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman, joining Cash Money Records as the youngest member of the label. From then on, Wayne was the flagship artist of Cash Money Records before ending his association with the company in June 2018.
In 1995, Wayne was put in a duo with label-mate B.G. (at the time known as Lil Doogie) and they recorded an album, True Story, released that year, although Wayne (at the time known as Baby D) only appeared on three tracks. Wayne and B.G. soon joined the southern hip hop group Hot Boys, with Cash Money label-mates Juvenile and Turk in 1997; they released their debut album Get It How U Live! in October that year. The Hot Boys became popular following the release of the album Guerrilla Warfare (1999) and the song "Bling Bling".
Lil Wayne's solo debut album Tha Block Is Hot (1999) was his solo breakthrough, and he reached higher popularity with his fourth album Tha Carter (2004) and fifth album Tha Carter II (2005), as well as several mixtapes and collaborations throughout 2006 and 2007. He gained more prominence within the music industry with his sixth album Tha Carter III (2008), with first-week sales of over one million copies in the US. The album won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album and included successful singles "A Milli", "Got Money" (featuring T-Pain), and "Lollipop" (featuring Static Major)—the latter being his first single to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100. In February 2010, Wayne released his seventh studio album, Rebirth, which experimented with rap rock and was met with generally negative reviews. A month later in March 2010, Lil Wayne began serving an 8-month jail sentence in New York after being convicted of criminal possession of a weapon stemming from an incident in July 2007. His eighth studio album I Am Not a Human Being (2010) was released during his incarceration, while his 2011 album Tha Carter IV was released following his release. Tha Carter IV sold 964,000 copies in its first week in the United States. His twelfth studio album Tha Carter V was released in 2018 after multiple delays. Wayne's thirteenth album, Funeral, was released in early 2020.
Lil Wayne has sold over 120 million records worldwide, including more than 20 million albums and 70 million digital tracks in the United States, making him one of the world's best-selling music artists. He has won five Grammy Awards, 11 BET Awards, four Billboard Music Awards, two MTV Video Music Awards and eight NAACP Image Awards. On September 27, 2012, he became the first male artist to surpass Elvis Presley with the most entries on the Billboard Hot 100, with 109 songs. Lil Wayne also currently serves as the chief executive officer (CEO) of his own label, Young Money Entertainment.
Early life
Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. was born on September 27, 1982, and spent his first few years in the impoverished Hollygrove neighborhood of New Orleans, Louisiana. His mother, a cook, gave birth to him when she was 19 years old. His parents divorced when he was two and his father permanently abandoned the family. When CBS interviewer Katie Couric asked why he used the name Wayne instead of his given name, Carter explained that "I dropped the D because I'm a junior and my father is living and he's not in my life and he's never been in my life. So I don't want to be Dwayne, I'd rather be Wayne". Asked if his father knew of this, Carter replied, "He knows now". Carter has said that he considers his deceased stepfather Reginald "Rabbit" McDonald to be his real father. Carter has a tattoo dedicated to McDonald.
Carter was enrolled in the gifted program at Lafayette Elementary School. He later attended Eleanor McMain Secondary School for two years, where he was an honor student and a member of the drama club, playing the Tin Man in the school's production of The Wiz. After matriculating to Marion Abramson Senior High School, Carter dropped out at age 14 to focus on his musical career.
Carter wrote his first rap song at age eight. In the summer of 1991, he met rapper and Cash Money Records co-founder Bryan "Baby" Williams (known currently as Birdman), who mentored him and encouraged his love of hip-hop; Birdman included Carter on several Cash Money tracks, and Carter would often record freestyle raps on Williams' answering machine.
In 1994, at age 12, Carter suffered a near-fatal self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest. At the time he said the injury was accidental. Decades later Carter claimed that it was an attempted suicide after he was told by his mother that he would have to end his rap-related associations. Carter credits off-duty police officer Robert Hoobler, who he calls "Uncle Bob", with saving his life by insisting the dying child be driven immediately to hospital in a police car rather than waiting for an ambulance to become available. Other accounts indicate that several officers played a part in deciding on and implementing that course of action.
Career
1997–1999: Career beginnings and Hot Boys
In 1997, Carter joined the Hot Boys along with rappers Juvenile, B.G., and Turk. At age 14, Carter was the youngest member at the time. Hot Boys' debut album Get It How U Live! was released the same year, followed in 1999 by the group's major-label debut Guerrilla Warfare, which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 5 on the Billboard 200. During their career, the Hot Boys had two charting singles, "We on Fire" from Get It How U Live! and "I Need a Hot Girl" from Guerrilla Warfare. Carter was also featured on Juvenile's single "Back That Azz Up", which reached No. 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 5 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks. Let 'Em Burn, a compilation album of unreleased tracks recorded during 1999 and 2000, came out in 2003, several years after the group disbanded. It reached No. 3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 14 on the Billboard 200.
1999–2004: Tha Block Is Hot, Lights Out, and 500 Degreez
Carter's debut solo album, Tha Block Is Hot, was released when he was 17 and featured significant contributions from the Hot Boys. It debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200 and was later certified platinum by the RIAA. The album earned Carter a 1999 Source magazine nomination for "Best New Artist", and also became a Top Ten hit. The lead single was "Tha Block Is Hot". After the release of Tha Block Is Hot, Carter was featured on the single "Bling Bling", with B.G., Juvenile, and Big Tymers. Carter's verse appeared only on the radio version of the song, while on the album version he performed on the chorus.
His second album, Lights Out, was released in 2000, and failed to attain the level of success achieved by his debut but was certified gold by RIAA. Critics noted the lack of coherent narratives in his verses as evidence that he had yet to mature to the level of his fellow Hot Boys. The lead single was "Get Off the Corner", which was noticed for an improvement in its lyrical content and style. The second single, which received less attention, was "Shine" featuring the Hot Boys. Near the release of Lights Out, Carter was featured on the single, "Number One Stunna" with Big Tymers and Juvenile, which peaked at number 24 on the Hot Rap Tracks chart.
Carter's third album, 500 Degreez, was released in 2002. It followed the format of his previous two, with significant contributions from the Hot Boys and Mannie Fresh. While being certified gold like its predecessor, it also failed to match the success of his debut. The title was a reference to the recently estranged Hot Boys member Juvenile's recording, 400 Degreez. The lead single was "Way of Life" which failed to match the success of his previous singles. After the release of 500 Degreez, Carter was featured on the single "Neva Get Enuf" by 3LW.
2004–2006: Tha Carter, Tha Carter II, and Like Father, Like Son
In the summer of 2004, Carter's fourth studio album, Tha Carter, was released, marking what critics considered advancement in his rapping style and lyrical themes. In addition, the album's cover art featured the debut of Wayne's now-signature dreadlocks. Tha Carter gained Wayne significant recognition, selling 878,000 copies in the United States, while the single "Go DJ" became a Top 5 Hit on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart. After the release of Tha Carter, Lil Wayne was featured in Destiny's Child's single "Soldier" with T.I., which peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts.
Tha Carter II, the follow-up to the original Tha Carter album, was released in December 2005, this time without production by longtime Cash Money Records producer Mannie Fresh, who had left the label. Tha Carter II sold more than 238,000 copies in its first week of release, debuting at number 2 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, and went on to sell 2,000,000 copies worldwide. The lead single "Fireman" became a hit in the US, peaking at 32 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Other singles included "Grown Man" with Currensy, "Hustler Musik", and "Shooter" with R&B singer Robin Thicke. Carter also appeared on a remix of Bobby Valentino's "Tell Me", which rose to number 13 on the U.S. R&B Charts. In 2005, Carter was named president of Cash Money, and in the same year he founded Young Money Entertainment as an imprint of Cash Money. However, as of late 2007, Carter reported having stepped down from the management of both labels and had handed management of Young Money over to Cortez Bryant.
In 2006, Carter collaborated with Birdman for the album Like Father, Like Son, whose first single "Stuntin' Like My Daddy", reached number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100.
2006–2007: Mixtapes and collaborations
Instead of a follow-up solo album, Carter began to reach his audience through a plethora of mixtapes and guest appearances on a variety of pop and hip hop singles. Of his many mixtapes, Dedication 2 and Da Drought 3 received the most media exposure and critical review. Dedication 2, released in 2006, paired Carter with DJ Drama and contained the acclaimed socially conscious track "Georgia Bush", in which Carter critiqued former US president George W. Bush's response to the effects of Hurricane Katrina on the city of New Orleans. Da Drought 3 was released the following year and was available for free legal download. It contained Carter rapping over a variety of beats from recent hits by other musicians. A number of prominent hip hop magazines such as XXL and Vibe covered the mixtape. Christian Hoard of Rolling Stone magazine considered the mixtapes Da Drought 3 and The Drought Is Over 2 (The Carter 3 Sessions) "among the best albums of 2007".
Despite no album release for two years, Carter appeared in numerous singles as a featured performer, including "Gimme That" by Chris Brown, "Make It Rain" by Fat Joe, "You" by Lloyd, and "We Takin' Over" by DJ Khaled (also featuring Akon, T.I., Rick Ross, Fat Joe, and Birdman), "Duffle Bag Boy" by Playaz Circle, "Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)" by Wyclef Jean (also featuring Akon), and the remix to "I'm So Hood" by DJ Khaled (also featuring T-Pain, Young Jeezy, Ludacris, Busta Rhymes, Big Boi, Fat Joe, Birdman, and Rick Ross). All these singles charted within the top 20 spots on the Billboard Hot 100, Hot Rap Tracks, and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts. On Birdman's 2007 album, 5 * Stunna, Carter appeared on the singles "100 Million" and "I Run This" among several other tracks. Carter also appeared on tracks from albums Getback by Little Brother, American Gangster by Jay-Z, and Graduation by Kanye West and Insomniac by Enrique Iglesias. "Make it Rain", a Scott Storch production that peaked at number 13 on the Hot 100 and number two on the Hot Rap Tracks chart, was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for 2008.
Vibe magazine ranked a list of 77 of Lil Wayne's songs from 2007 and ranked his verse in DJ Khaled's "We Takin Over" as his best of 2007, with "Dough Is What I Got" (a freestyle over the beat of Jay-Z's "Show Me What You Got") from Da Drought 3. At the end of 2007, an MTV poll selected Lil Wayne as "Hottest MC in the Game", The New Yorker magazine ranked him "Rapper of the Year", and GQ magazine named him "Workaholic of the Year". In 2008 he was named "Best MC" by Rolling Stone. Another article, built around Lil Wayne's 2007 mixtape work, cites his creative practice as an example of post-performance creative practice.
2007–2010: Tha Carter III, We Are Young Money, and Rebirth
In 2007, Carter stated that he would reunite with Hot Boys, with plans to release an album after B.G.'s solo album Too Hood to Be Hollywood was completed. Tha Carter III was originally scheduled to be released in 2007, but it was delayed after several recordings were leaked and distributed through mixtapes, including The Drought Is Over Pt. 2 and The Drought Is Over Pt. 4. Lil Wayne initially planned to release The Leak, a separate album with leaked songs and four additional tracks, on December 18, 2007, with Tha Carter III delayed to March 18, 2008. Instead, The Leak became an EP with five songs and was released digitally on December 25, 2007.
Tha Carter III was released on June 10, 2008, with first-week sales of over 1 million copies, the first to do so since 50 Cent's The Massacre (2005). The album's first single "Lollipop", featuring Static Major, became the Carter's most successful song at the time, topping the Billboard Hot 100 and becoming his first top 10 single as a solo artist and his first number one on the chart. The third single "Got Money", featuring T-Pain, peaked at number 13 on the Billboard 100. Tha Carter III went on to win four Grammy Awards, including best rap album and best rap song, which he won for "Lollipop". On July 14, 2008, the Recording Industry Association of America certified Tha Carter III two times platinum. In October 2008, Lil Wayne announced plans to MTV News to re-release the album with new tracks, including a duet with Ludacris and remixes of "A Milli".
Carter also appeared on R&B singles "Girls Around the World" by Lloyd, "Love In This Club, Part II" by Usher, "Official Girl" by Cassie, "I'm So Paid" by Akon, "Turnin' Me On" by Keri Hilson, and "Can't Believe It" by T-Pain; rap singles "My Life" by The Game, "Shawty Say" by David Banner, "Swagga Like Us" by T.I., "Cutty Buddy" by Mike Jones, All My Life (In the Ghetto) by Jay Rock and the remix to "Certified" by Glasses Malone; and pop single "Let It Rock" by new Cash Money artist Kevin Rudolf.
In 2008, Carter performed at the Voodoo Experience in October in New Orleans, which was described by Jonathan Cohen of Billboard as his biggest hometown headlining set of his career. He also performed at the Virgin Mobile Music Fest with Kanye West, where they performed the remix of "Lollipop" and lip-synced to Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You". Lil Wayne also performed at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards with Kid Rock ("All Summer Long"), Leona Lewis ("DontGetIt (Misunderstood)") and T-Pain ("Got Money") and performed "Lollipop" and "Got Money" on the season premiere of Saturday Night Live. He later performed at the homecoming rally at Vanderbilt University and the 2008 BET Hip Hop Awards, where he received 12 nominations. He won eight awards at the BET Hip Hop Awards, one of which included the "MVP" title. After M.I.A. dropped out of performing on the I Am Music Tour due to her pregnancy, Jay-Z performed "Mr. Carter" with Lil Wayne at select shows.
Following Tha Carter III achievement of selling over 3 million copies, becoming 2008's best-selling record, Carter re-signed with Cash Money Records for a multi-album deal.
On November 11, 2008, Carter became the first hip hop act to perform at the Country Music Association Awards, playing "All Summer Long" alongside Kid Rock, in which Carter inaudibly strummed guitar strings alongside the guitarist in Kid Rock's band. Shortly after, Wayne was nominated for eight Grammys – the most for any artist nominated that year. He was then named the first MTV Man of the Year at the end of 2008. He won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance for "A Milli", Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for his appearance in T.I.'s single "Swagga Like Us", and Best Rap Song for "Lollipop". Tha Carter III won the award for Best Rap Album. MTV News listed Carter number two on their 2009 list of the Hottest MCs In The Game.
On January 6, 2009, Carter was a guest debater against Skip Bayless on the "1st & 10" segment of ESPN First Take. On February 10, 2009, he appeared on ESPN's Around the Horn and beat out veterans Woody Paige, Jay Mariotti and fellow New Orleanian Michael Smith to win that show's episode. Prior to the 2009 Grammy Awards, Wayne was featured in an interview with Katie Couric. On February 7, 2009, he presented the Top Ten List on CBS's Late Show with David Letterman. On April 24, 2009, he appeared on The View, discussing his GED and addictions. In September 2009, Carter was profiled in an episode of VH1's Behind the Music and was a presenter of the 2009 MTV Movie Awards. In film, Carter produced and composed music for and starred in the direct-to-video film Hurricane Season. A documentary of Carter, titled The Carter, was released at the Sundance Film Festival.
On December 23, 2009, Carter released a collaboration album with Young Money, We Are Young Money, with its lead single being "Every Girl". The second single was "BedRock", featuring Lloyd, with the third being "Roger That". On May 24, 2010, the album was certified gold by the RIAA with over 500,000 copies sold. Carter is featured on the song, "Revolver", with Madonna for her greatest hits album, Celebration (2009). He was also featured on a Weezer song, "Can't Stop Partying", on Raditude (2009). In late 2008, Carter announced plans to reissue Tha Carter III with leftover recordings, and was to be titled Rebirth, originally scheduled to be released on April 7, 2009, before being delayed several times. Rebirth instead became his sixth solo album, released on February 2, 2010.
To support its release and that of We Are Young Money, Carter was featured on the cover of Rolling Stone and headlined the 'Young Money Presents: America's Most Wanted Music Festival', a United States and Canada–only concert tour which began on July 29, 2009. "Prom Queen", the first official single, debuted on January 27, 2009, immediately after a live Internet broadcast on Ustream of his concert in San Diego. It peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. On December 3, 2009, the second single, "On Fire", produced by Cool & Dre "On Fire" peaked at number 33 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. "Drop the World", which features Eminem, was the third single from the Rebirth.
2010–2013: I Am Not a Human Being series and Tha Carter IV
In an interview on MTV's Mixtape Monday, Carter asserted the possibility of Tha Carter IV. He later announced that it would be released in late 2009 before the holiday season. Birdman had previously stated that Tha Carter IV would be packaged with Rebirth as a double disc album. However, Carter denied this idea saying that "Tha Carter IV deserves Tha Carter IV", adding that We Are Young Money may be packaged with Rebirth. However, both albums were released separately.
Originally thought to be an EP, Carter released his tenth album, I Am Not a Human Being, on his 28th birthday, September 27, 2010. The album has sold over 953,000 copies in the U.S. and spawned successful single "Right Above It", which peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. Tha Carter IV was later delayed into 2011, after Lil Wayne began recording from scratch after his release from prison. He described his first song since his release as "a 2010 version of A Milli on steroids". The album's lead single, "6 Foot 7 Foot" featuring Cory Gunz, was released on December 15, 2010, and made available for digital download on iTunes on December 16, 2010. The song is produced by Bangladesh, who also produced "A Milli".
On March 8, 2011, Carter released another song, "We Back Soon", produced by StreetRunner, though it was not included on the official track listing of Tha Carter IV. The second single, "John", was released on March 24, 2011, which features Rick Ross and is produced by Polow Da Don. The album's artwork was unveiled on April 20, 2011. The album was originally scheduled to be released on May 16, 2011, but Mack Maine had confirmed its delay until June 21. On May 26, 2011, the third single, "How to Love", was released. A song called "Dear Anne (Stan Part 2)" was released in June. Carter said the song was a throwaway track from Tha Carter III and was originally supposed to be on Tha Carter IV, but decided not to put it on there because of its age. Carter said that he liked the beat, but not the lyrics, and was thinking about revamping the song.
In July 2011, Carter confirmed in an interview with MTV that Tha Carter IV was finished, and was released on August 29, 2011. For preparation for Tha Carter IV, Carter released a mixtape, Sorry 4 the Wait, with all the beats coming from other artist's songs, similar to his mixtape No Ceilings. Tha Carter IV debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, with first-week sales of 964,000 copies, making it Carter's third chart-topping album of his career. On January 8, 2012, according to Nielsen SoundScan was elected the seventh artist (second male artist) all-time best-selling tracks digital with 36,788,000 million to the end of 2011.
In October 2011, it was reported that Carter was working on sequels to both I Am Not a Human Being and Rebirth. In January 2012, Birdman announced that he and Carter had finished recording Like Father, Like Son 2. On November 22, 2012, he announced that Tha Carter V would be his final album.
After numerous delays, I Am Not a Human Being II was released on March 26, 2013, debuting at number two on the Billboard 200 selling 217,000 copies in its first week; "My Homies Still", "Love Me", and "No Worries" were released as singles prior to its release. The album was met with generally mixed reviews, with most critics noticing the declining quality of his releases. Carter toured North America with 2 Chainz and T.I. on the second America's Most Wanted Festival. On May 3, 2013, Pepsi dropped Carter, who was a spokesperson for Mountain Dew, due to offensive lyrics about civil rights icon Emmett Till. On September 1, 2013, Carter released the fifth instalment of the "Dedication" mixtape series, with Dedication 5. The mixtape featured 29 tracks, with guest appearances from The Weeknd, Chance The Rapper, Jae Millz, Birdman, T.I., Vado, Kidd Kidd, and 2 Chainz among other members of Young Money.
2014–2019: Free Weezy Album and Tha Carter V
On February 10, 2014, Drake tweeted "CARTER V". On October 18, 2013, Cash Money Records Vice President of Promotion Mel Smith, tweeted: "Happy Friday!! New YMCMB music coming soon!! Carter 5." Nearly four months later, in an interview with The Griffin, released on February 14, 2014, Smith spoke on the upcoming album: "We're very close to dropping the album. It's going to be a huge surprise to everyone, it's an incredible album ... I can't release the date because he wants to surprise people, he wants his true fan base to get excited, but he's worked extremely hard on it and you won't be disappointed." On February 15, 2014, during the NBA All-Star Weekend festivities at Sprite's NBA All-Star concert at the House of Blues in New Orleans, Carter appeared as a special guest during Drake's set and performed various hits. Carter and Drake then announced that Tha Carter V would be released on May 5, 2014. However, on March 27, 2014, Carter's manager Cortez Bryant announced that the album had been delayed. Carter then serviced Tha Carter Vs first single "Believe Me", which features vocals from Drake, to mainstream urban radio in the United States on May 6, 2014. Three more singles, "Krazy", "Grindin'" (featuring Drake) and "Start a Fire" (featuring Christina Milian), were also released for the album.
On December 4, 2014, just five days before the album was due to be released again, Carter issued a statement saying the album would not be released on its expected release date, due to his displeasure with Cash Money Records label-boss Birdman, refusing to release the album although it had been completed. Carter also expressed his feelings by stating he felt both he and his creativity were being held "prisoner".
On January 20, 2015, Carter self-released Sorry 4 the Wait 2, a sequel to his 2011 mixtape, to compensate for the continued delay of Tha Carter V. Upon Sorry for the Wait 2s release, it was said Wayne disses Birdman and Cash Money Records, several times throughout the mixtape. Birdman was reported to be upset with this. In late January 2015, Carter sued Birdman and Cash Money Records for $51 million. In February 2015, due to Tha Carter Vs delay, Carter announced that a free album would be released prior to the fifth installment in his popular series. In June 2015, Carter joined Jay-Z's TIDAL, as an artist owner, kicking off the partnership by exclusively releasing a single on the service titled "Glory". He's also announced plans on his own TIDAL X concert series. On July 4, 2015, Carter released Free Weezy Album, exclusively through TIDAL, under Young Money and Republic Records.
Carter and Birdman supposedly reconciled after being seen at Drake's NYE Party, at Miami's Club Liv, and in studio. On January 27, 2016, when rapper 2 Chainz released his "Felt Like Cappin" EP, Carter is featured on the lead single titled "Back On That Bullshit". On March 4, 2016, 2 Chainz released his third studio album, ColleGrove. The album was initially a collaborative effort between 2 Chainz and Carter, but due to his record label issues, only 2 Chainz was credited as the primary artist. In 2017, Carter announced that he signed with Roc Nation. Later, Carter revealed that there was no official paperwork that he signed to the label. On June 28, 2016, Carter was one of the main singers in the song "Sucker for Pain", along with Wiz Khalifa and Imagine Dragons, for the DC Comics film Suicide Squad. X Ambassadors and Ty Dolla Sign were also featured in the song. On August 8, 2017, he released the song "Like a Man" with sound engineer Onhel.
On June 7, 2018, it was announced that Carter had been released from Cash Money Records and will be releasing Tha Carter V via Universal Records.
In September 2016, Carter's song "No Mercy" debuted as the theme song for Skip and Shannon: Undisputed sports talk on FS1. Carter is a frequent guest on the program. On Christmas 2017, Carter released the mixtape Dedication 6, the sixth instalment of the "Gangsta Grillz" chronology. The second part was released on January 26, 2018.
Tha Carter V was finally released on September 27, 2018, debuting at number one on the US Billboard 200 with 480,000 album-equivalent units, including 140,000 pure album sales. It is the second-largest streaming week for an album behind Drake's Scorpion with 433 million streams. It is also Carter's fourth US number-one album. Every song on the album charted on the Billboard 100, while simultaneously charting 4 songs in the top 10, also becoming the first artist to debut two songs in the top 5.
2020–present: Funeral, Young Money Radio, re-releases, I Am Not a Human Being III, Trust Fund Babies and Tha Carter VI
While Carter was working on Tha Carter V, it was announced that his next album would be titled Funeral. On January 23, 2020, he revealed the album's release date and album artwork. Funeral was released on January 31, and debuted at number-one on the US Billboard 200, with 139,000 album-equivalent units, becoming his fifth US number-one album. The album received generally positive reviews from music critics. On February 2, 2020, Lil Wayne competed in Season 3 of The Masked Singer after the Super Bowl LIV as "Robot". He was the first to be eliminated. Carter featured on Lil Baby's track "Forever", a track from Baby's second studio album, My Turn, which was released on February 28, 2020. Carter also participates in the music video for the song, which was released on March 3, 2020. This marked the second collaboration for the two artists in 2020, with the first being on Carter's single "I Do It".
On April 24, 2020, Lil Wayne along with Dash Radio, launched his own radio show, Young Money Radio, on Apple Music. Wayne described the show as having "heavyweights calling in discussing sports, music, comedy, everything!". On July 3, Lil Wayne released his eleventh studio album, Free Weezy Album (2015) on streaming services to commemorate its five-year anniversary. The album charted at number 77 on the Billboard 200 the following week. On May 29, Wayne released the deluxe edition of Funeral featuring artists such as Doja Cat, Tory Lanez, Lil Uzi Vert, Benny The Butcher, Conway the Machine and Jessie Reyez. On August 28, Wayne released another old project, his 2009 mixtape No Ceilings, for commercial release. He also celebrated the release by collaborating with ASAP Ferg on the song "No Ceilings". Wayne was featured on YoungBoy Never Broke Again's album Top on the track "My Window", released on September 11. His verse received praise from critics. On September 25, he released the deluxe edition of his twelfth album Tha Carter V, to celebrate the album's two-year anniversary; it consists of songs that did not make the cut on the original album.
On November 27, 2020, Lil Wayne released the mixtape No Ceilings 3, while announcing the album I Am Not a Human Being III for 2021, although it would not be released that year due to delays. On October 1, 2021, Wayne and Rich the Kid released a collaborative mixtape titled Trust Fund Babies, along with a music video for the single "Feelin' Like Tunechi". The mixtape took roughly a month and a half to record. On their working relationship, Wayne said, "For me, it's the chemistry, it's the camaraderie because first of all, Rich like my little bro and me and Rich been rockin' for a minute".
Wayne is currently working on Tha Carter VI.
Future projects
Carter has announced several possible upcoming projects, including a collaborative album entitled I Can't Feel My Face with Harlem-based rapper Juelz Santana, that has been in production for several years. In late 2011, it was announced by Mack Maine that Carter and Juelz Santana had gone back to work on their collaborative album I Can't Feel My Face, which had been delayed for a few years due to "label politics".
On June 19, 2008, Carter and T-Pain formed a duo called T-Wayne with plans to release an album, titled He Raps, He Sings; however, those plans have died down due to much of the material recorded for the album being leaked. T-Pain ultimately released T-Wayne in 2017.
According to an interview with Drake, in the December 2011 issue of XXL, plans for an upcoming album with Carter had been scrapped for the time being because of the Jay-Z and Kanye West collaboration album Watch the Throne (2011).
In April 2012, on the premiere of MTV's Hip Hop POV, Carter sat down with Amanda Seales and spoke briefly about an album he put together titled Devol (loved, backwards), an album full of "love songs" that he wrote during his imprisonment at Rikers Island. In May 2013 he confirmed the album will still be released.
Carter's once ongoing litigation with Cash Money prevented numerous completed projects from being released. In January 2017, Young Money revealed the title of a planned Carter album called Velvet. The album ended up leaking online in November 2018.
Retirement plans
On March 29, 2011, in an interview with Hot 97's Angie Martinez, Carter announced that he would retire at age 35; saying "I have four kids", and that "I would feel selfish still going to the studio when it's such a vital point in their lives." He said in November 2012 that Tha Carter V will be his last album as he wanted to go into other interests.
In March 2014, Carter reconfirmed at SXSW that Tha Carter V will be his last album during his keynote with interviewer Elliot Wilson.
In September 2016, in regards to his contract dispute with Cash Money, he indicated a possible retirement on Twitter saying "I AM NOW DEFENSELESS and mentally DEFEATED" and then said, "I leave gracefully and thankful I luh my fanz but I'm done." Many rappers responded with respect and encouragement.
Personal life
Relationships and children
Carter has four children. His first child, daughter Reginae, was born November 29, 1998, when he was 16, to his high school sweetheart Toya Johnson. They later married on Valentine's Day 2004 and divorced in 2006. Internet rumors started circulating in August 2008 that Carter's daughter had died in a car crash, which however he quickly cleared up as false saying "Please allow me to dispel any rumors or speculations and report that my daughter is alive, healthy and surrounded by family who cares and loves her dearly. The rumors are completely false and unfounded; neither Reginae nor any other member of my family has been involved in any car accident."
His second child, Dwayne III, was born on October 22, 2008, at The Christ Hospital in Cincinnati to radio broadcaster Sarah Vivan. His third child, Cameron, was born to actress Lauren London on September 9, 2009. His fourth child, Neal, was born on November 30, 2009, to singer Nivea. Trina also became pregnant with Carter's child, but later suffered a miscarriage.
In July 2014, it was rumored that Carter was dating singer Christina Milian whom he attended the ESPY Awards with. They later confirmed their relationship in mid-2015 after which they received criticism from their interconnected exes, singer Nivea and songwriter The-Dream. They split at the end of 2015 after collaborating on various singles, videos, and concert dates.
Wayne was engaged to model La'Tecia Thomas, but called off the engagement in May 2020.
In June 2020, it was announced that Wayne had started dating Denise Bidot, another model. In November 2020, they reportedly broke up over Wayne's endorsement of Donald Trump. Shortly after, it was reported that the couple had reconciled.
Beliefs and interests
In an interview with Blender, Carter revealed one of his favorite bands from childhood to be rock group Nirvana, and cites them as a major influence in his music.
Carter got his first tattoo at age 14 of his dad's name and his second was "Cash Money" across his stomach. His tattoos have grown to include a Jay-Z verse on his leg, "I Am Music" on his forehead and teardrops on his cheeks among many others. His most recent one is "Baked" on his forehead stylized as the Baker Skateboards logo. While playing in Newark Symphony Hall, Carter professed his belief "in God and His son, Jesus". During his 2011 tour in Australia with Eminem, before beginning his bracket he proclaimed his belief in God. One Christian minister says Carter's stated religiosity and the un-religious lyrical content of his music are incongruous.
After earning his GED, Carter enrolled at the University of Houston in January 2005. He dropped out in the same year due to his conflicting schedule. He also revealed on The View that he switched to the University of Phoenix and majored in psychology taking online courses. An article in Urb magazine in March 2007 asserted that Carter had been earning high grades at Houston.
On September 24, 2008, Carter published his first blog for ESPN in their issue, ESPN The Magazine. Carter revealed he was a fan of tennis, the Green Bay Packers, the Boston Bruins, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Red Sox. To commemorate the Packers' making it to Super Bowl XLV, he spoofed Wiz Khalifa's hit song "Black and Yellow" (which were the colors of the Packers' opponents, the Pittsburgh Steelers) in a song titled "Green and Yellow". He released a second version of the song in 2021, which was requested by the Packers, and updated with the current roster.Carter has continued writing for ESPN, notably reporting at the ESPN Super Bowl party. Carter made his debut on ESPN's daily sports round table show Around The Horn on February 10, 2009. Carter now currently sings the intro song "No Mercy" for the Fox Sports 1 sports debate show Undisputed.
Carter received criticism after a video released by TMZ showed him apparently stepping on the U.S. flag. Carter later explained that "It was never my intention to desecrate the flag of the United States", and that he was shooting a video for a song on his upcoming album, "God Bless Amerika". He says the purpose of the flag was to show that "behind the American Flag was the Hoods of America".
In late 2016, Carter made statements critical of the Black Lives Matter movement, saying, "I don't feel connected to a damn thing that ain't got nothin' to do with me. If you do, you crazy as shit," adding that his status as a wealthy black man who has white fans is evidence that black people are valued in the United States.
In 2016, Carter purchased Player's Rep. Sports Agency, and became Young Money APAA sports, which hired NFL's first female sports agent, Nicole Lynn. She currently represents Seth Roberts, Cory Nelson, Jordan Evans, Malik Jefferson, Eric Harris, Quennen Williams, as well as NCAA coaches, and two former #1 Pro Softball draft picks.
On October 29, 2020, less than a week before the presidential election, Carter posted an image of him and President Donald Trump to Twitter. In the caption for the photo, Carter revealed that he and Trump had recently met to discuss criminal justice reform and Trump's Platinum Plan, an initiative which aims to raise access to capital in Black communities by almost $500 billion. Carter claimed Trump "listened to what we had to say today and assured he will and can get it done".
Health problems
On October 25, 2012, Carter's private jet, bound for Los Angeles, made an emergency landing in Texas due to an in-flight medical episode. Lil Wayne was transferred to a local hospital upon arrival. TMZ and other media sources said that Carter had suffered a seizure aboard the plane. His publicist denied this, saying that he was in fact treated for "a severe migraine and dehydration".
The following day, while flying from Texas to Los Angeles, Carter's private jet was reportedly again forced to make an emergency landing, this time in Louisiana, after he suffered a second seizure and required further hospitalization. His representative said that the reports of Carter's condition had been exaggerated, and that he was resting at his Louisiana home. In a November 2012 interview with MTV, Carter revealed that he was taking seizure medication, on doctors' orders, due to the aforementioned incidents.
On March 14, 2013, TMZ reported that Carter had been treated at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on the evening of March 12, after suffering seizures while on a music video set with Young Money rapper Nicki Minaj. He was reportedly released in the early hours of March 13. On March 15, TMZ published a second story, claiming that hours after his release on March 13, Carter was found unconscious after experiencing further seizures, and was brought back to Cedars-Sinai, where he was admitted to the intensive care unit in critical condition. The article alleged the latest seizures were found to be linked to high amounts of codeine in Carter's system, possibly due to binging on purple drank after his initial hospital release. Multiple celebrities, including Drake and Birdman, were photographed on March 15 and 16 visiting Carter at Cedars-Sinai.
Several members of Young Money Entertainment, including president Mack Maine, criticized media reports on Carter's hospitalization, particularly those of TMZ, alleging that they exaggerated the severity of his condition and falsely implied that he was on his deathbed (such as by saying that he was in a medically induced coma), triggering what the Washington Post called "the most overheated celebrity deathwatch in recent years". In separate interviews on March 18, Mack Maine and Birdman disputed TMZ's reports, and stated that in fact there were not multiple seizures or multiple hospital visits. They explained that after Carter began seizing on the way to the music video shoot on March 12, an ambulance was called and he was transported to the hospital, where he was admitted and remained continuously thereafter. They also refuted the claims that Carter's seizures are drug-induced, saying that they are an ongoing problem for which doctors have been unable to identify a cause.
Carter was released from the hospital late on March 18, following a six-day stay. Lil Wayne addressed his condition via a vlog, on March 21 saying he was more than good.
Carter had two seizures in June 2016, during a cross-country flight from Wisconsin to California, and landed in Omaha, Nebraska. His plane was only two minutes in air when the second seizure occurred and was forced to land in Omaha once again. Less than a month later, he had another seizure, supposedly due to not taking his epilepsy medication.
Carter canceled a Las Vegas show on September 3, 2017, having had a seizure in a Chicago hospital earlier that day, where he was brought after being found unconscious in a hotel room.
Philanthropy
On February 19, 2008, Carter and Cortez Bryant revisited their alma mater McMain Secondary School to get students to design an invitation to the gala introducing Carter's nonprofit One Family Foundation.
Other ventures
Young Money Entertainment
Books
Carter wrote a memoir of his experience in Rikers Island called Gone Til' November: A Journal of Rikers Island that was released October 11, 2016.
Cannabis industry
In December 2019, Carter announced his own cannabis brand under the name of GKUA Ultra Premium.
Legal issues
Arrests and incarceration
On July 22, 2007, Carter was arrested in New York City following a performance at the Beacon Theatre; the New York City Police Department discovered Carter and another man smoking marijuana near a tour bus. After taking Carter into custody, police discovered a .40 caliber pistol near his person. The gun, which was registered to his manager, was in a bag located near the rapper. He was charged with criminal possession of a weapon and marijuana.
Following a performance at Qwest Arena in Boise, Idaho, Carter was arrested October 5, 2007 on felony fugitive charges after Georgia authorities accused the rapper of possessing a controlled substance. The incident was later described as a "mix-up" and the fugitive charges were dropped.
On January 23, 2008, Carter was arrested alongside two others. His tour bus was stopped by Border Patrol agents near Yuma, Arizona. A K-9 Unit recovered of marijuana, almost of cocaine, of ecstasy, and $22,000 in cash. Carter was charged with four felonies: possession of narcotic drug for sale, possession of dangerous drugs, misconduct involving weapons and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was granted permission to travel outside of the state and remain out of custody on the $10,185 bond he posted.
On May 6, 2008, Carter returned to court in Arizona to plead not guilty to the charges. A bench warrant was issued on March 17, 2010, when Carter did not show for a final trial management conference. However, he was already incarcerated, serving a one-year sentence in Rikers Island on weapons charges. On June 22, 2010, Carter pleaded guilty to the charges. As part of the plea deal he was able to serve 36 months of probation, which he was sentenced to on June 30, 2010.
On December 18, 2009, Carter and 11 others were detained at the Falfurrias, Texas border patrol checkpoint after an unknown amount of marijuana was found on two of his tour buses.
On October 22, 2009, Carter pleaded guilty to attempted criminal possession of a weapon. He was due for sentencing in February 2010 and was expected to receive a one-year county jail sentence, but on February 9, 2010, Carter's attorney announced that the sentencing was delayed until March 2 due to dental surgery, which was performed on February 16. The surgery included eight root canals, the replacement of several tooth implants, as well as the addition of a few new implants and work on his remaining original teeth. On March 2, 2010, sentencing was postponed again when the courthouse reported a fire in the basement.
On March 8, 2010, Carter was given a one-year sentence, which he served in Rikers Island. His lawyer said the rapper expected to be held in protective custody, separated from other prisoners. In May 2010, Carter was found by Rikers Island correctional staff to be in possession of contraband (an MP3 player, charger, and headphones). In April 2010, Carter's friends created a website called Weezy Thanx You, which publishes letters written by Carter while incarcerated. In the first letter, titled "Gone 'til November", Carter said he was staying in good spirits thinking about his children and spending his time working out regularly and reading the Bible every day. Carter was released from Rikers Island Jail on November 4, 2010, after serving eight months of his year-long sentence.
On December 12, 2020, Carter pleaded guilty to a federal firearms charge brought against him by the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. This plea stemmed from an incident during December of the previous year, when Carter was arrested in Florida after transporting a loaded handgun on his private jet from California. As a convicted felon, he is barred from possessing such weapons. He was pardoned by U.S. President Donald Trump on January 19, 2021, his last full day in office.
Lawsuits
On July 24, 2008, Abkco Music Inc filed a lawsuit against Carter for copyright infringement and unfair competition, specifically referring to Tha Carter III track "Playing with Fire". In the lawsuit, Abkco says that the song was obviously derived from The Rolling Stones' "Play with Fire", to which Abkco owns the rights. Subsequently, "Playing with Fire" was removed from the track list of Tha Carter III on all online music stores and replaced with the David Banner produced track, "Pussy Monster".
In February 2009, production company RMF Productions filed a $1.3 million lawsuit against Carter following a $100,000 advance payment for three shows, all of which were cancelled by the artist.
In October 2009, Carter, Birdman, Cash Money Records, and various music distribution outlets were sued for copyright infringement by Thomas Marasciullo, who says his voice was used without permission. The rappers asked him to record some "Italian-styled spoken word recordings" in 2006. The lyrics were allegedly used on "Respect" and other tracks from the rappers' collaboration album Like Father, Like Son and Birdman's 5 * Stunna.
In March 2011, producer Deezle (Darius Harrison) sued Carter and his parent labels Cash Money Records over unpaid royalties from Tha Carter III.
In May 2011, producer Bangladesh also filed a lawsuit against Weezy & Co. over unpaid royalties as well.
In early June 2011, another producer named David Kirkwood filed a lawsuit against Young Money Entertainment and Cash Money Records on claims that the labels have failed to pay him over $1.5 million in royalties and production services for his work on the album, also including his songwriting on "Love Me or Hate Me", a bonus song featured only on the deluxe edition of the album.
Also in June 2011, Dallas producers Play-N-Skillz filed a lawsuit against him, saying Carter owes them at least $1 million in unpaid royalties for "Got Money" from his album Tha Carter III. The single has sold over 2 million copies since being released.
In July 2011, Done Deal Enterprises, a production company based in Georgia, filed suit against Carter, Universal Music Group, Cash Money Records and Young Money Entertainment, claiming copyright infringement. The lawsuit alleges Carter stole the song "BedRock", featured on the compilation album We Are Young Money, and seeks damages of $15 million.
Feuds
Juvenile
Carter began feuding with former Hot Boys member and Cash Money Records labelmate Juvenile in 2002, after Juvenile took offense to Carter naming his third studio album 500 Degreez, a diss aimed towards Juvenile whose last album was named 400 Degreez. Juvenile responded with a diss track on his 2002 album 600 Degreez, titled "A Hoe". In the song, Juvenile questions Carter's sexuality, and says he's a fake gangster. The two squashed their beef for a short period in 2004, with Carter and Birdman appearing in the music video for Juvenile and Soulja Slim's song, Slow Motion. Carter later paid tribute to the Hot Boys with a song called "I Miss My Dawgs" on 2004's Tha Carter. Juvenile responded by calling the song "fake", and criticized Carter for releasing a tribute song and later promoting the album on BET and having "nothing good to say about them". The two eventually reconciled once again, and Juvenile re-signed with Cash Money Records in 2014.
Young Buck
Young Buck released a song called "Off Parole", featuring Tony Yayo, which insulted Carter. Young Buck said that Carter could not be angry, because Young Buck spoke the truth. Young Buck also said "You think you got a problem with Juve and B.G.; you'll have a true problem with me", referring to the Cash Money-Juvenile/B.G feud. One of the reasons 50 Cent stated he was dismissing Young Buck was what he called "inconsistent behavior" which included appearing on stage with Carter, then seemingly dissing him on records with G-Unit. After he was dismissed, Young Buck appeared in the music video "My Life" by The Game, which featured Carter in the vocals. As of 2009, Young Buck and Carter have squashed their beef and also linked up to record a track "Up's and Down's" for Young Buck's Back On My Buck Shit mixtape.
Pusha T
Tension between Wayne and American rapper, Pusha T, had been going on for years, beginning soon after Clipse and Birdman worked on "What Happened to That Boy", the latter's 2002 single. In 2006, Wayne felt the Clipse song "Mr. Me Too" was directed at him which caused more tension between the two. In 2012 after much speculation that Pusha T was subliminally dissing Canadian rapper and Wayne's Young Money signee Drake in several songs, the speculation heightened after the release of Pusha T's "Exodus 23:1" song. Lil Wayne quickly responded on online social networking service Twitter and later released a diss track titled "Goulish". In the first verse Wayne raps "Fuck Pusha T and anybody that love him / His head up his ass, I'mma have to head-butt him". Pusha T called Wayne's diss track "horrible" and said he felt it did not deserve a response. Both men have downplayed the feud, with Wayne saying he's over it. However, in late November, Pusha T dissed Wayne and Birdman on a new Ludacris song titled "Tell Me What They Mad For". However, once the feud between Lil Wayne and Birdman arose, Pusha T sent out a tweet encouraging Lil Wayne to sign to G.O.O.D. Music, which also insulted Birdman for his hand-rubbing habit.
Jay-Z
In a 2009 interview with Tropical TV, Birdman disputed the MTV poll that voted Jay-Z "The Hottest MC in the Game", stating that Lil Wayne was a better rapper and made more money. In early 2011, when Jay-Z and Kanye West's single "H•A•M" was released, Jay-Z took shots at Birdman, saying "Really, you got Baby money" and "[you] ain't got my lady's money!". On August 24, 2011, a song called "It's Good" by Lil Wayne (featuring Drake and Jadakiss) was leaked online and included Lil Wayne responding "Talkin' 'bout baby money? I gotcha baby money. Kidnap your bitch, get that, How much you love your lady? money". Jadakiss later absolved himself of involvement in any brewing beef on his official Twitter feed.
Discography
Studio albums
Tha Block Is Hot (1999)
Lights Out (2000)
500 Degreez (2002)
Tha Carter (2004)
Tha Carter II (2005)
Tha Carter III (2008)
Rebirth (2010)
I Am Not a Human Being (2010)
Tha Carter IV (2011)
I Am Not a Human Being II (2013)
Free Weezy Album (2015)
Tha Carter V (2018)
Funeral (2020)
I Am Not a Human Being III (TBA)
Filmography
Film
Television
Awards and nominations
See also
List of artists who reached number one in the United States
List of best-selling music artists in the United States
List of best-selling singles in the United States
List of best-selling singles worldwide
List of best-selling albums by year in the United States
List of artists who reached number one on the UK Singles Chart
References
External links
1982 births
Living people
20th-century American singers
21st-century American male actors
21st-century American rappers
21st-century American singers
African-American business executives
African-American businesspeople
African-American male actors
African-American male rappers
African-American male singers
African-American songwriters
American businesspeople convicted of crimes
American chief executives
American hip hop singers
American male rappers
American male singers
American male television actors
American music industry executives
American people convicted of drug offenses
American people of Nigerian descent
American shooting survivors
Bloods
Businesspeople from New Orleans
Cash Money Millionaires members
Cash Money Records artists
Gangsta rappers
Grammy Award winners for rap music
Hot Boys members
Male actors from New Orleans
People with epilepsy
Pop rappers
Rappers from New Orleans
Recipients of American presidential pardons
Republic Records artists
Singers from Louisiana
Songwriters from Louisiana
Southern hip hop musicians
Trap musicians
Universal Motown Records artists
Universal Records artists
University of Phoenix alumni
World Music Awards winners
Young Money Entertainment artists
| false |
[
"The ecology of contexts is a term used in many disciplines and refers to the dynamic interplay of contexts and demands that constrain and define an entity.\n\nEnvironmental ecology\nAn agroecosystem exists amid contexts including climate, soil, plant genetics, government policies, and the personal beliefs and predilections of the agriculturalist. Not only are these contexts too numerous to list in their entirety for any agroecosystem, but their interactions are so complex it is impossible to perfectly characterize a system, let alone predict the effect a given perturbation will have on the whole. At the same time, all of these contexts are dynamic, albeit at wildly diverging time scales, so the ecology of contexts for an agroecosystem is fundamentally mutable. An awareness of the ecology of contexts is helpful for agroecologists, as the nearly axiomatic acceptance dynamic, and thereby unperfectable, nature of agroecosystems precludes the often damaging notion of a best or ideal approach to agroecosystem management as well as an awareness of the complexity of the response that can result from any perturbation of the system.\n\nThis concept of the ecology of contexts provides a useful epistemological device for understanding agroecosystems. \nThis dual relationship of an entity in an ecology of contexts underscores the ecological analogy, with its emphasis on holonic interactions.\n\nHuman ecology\nIn child development, for instance, it can refer to the nested scales at which influences on children reside, from the individual (e.g. age) to the broadest elements, like government policies or cultural attitudes.\n\nFrom computer science is the concept of ecology of context-aware computing, where a device's operation is tempered by information the device itself has about how the environment will affect its functioning and vice versa.\n\nIn the field of music therapy, Trygve Aasgaard dealt with the reciprocity of an ecology of contexts, seeing the role of music in therapy as responsive to cultural and other contexts, while at the same time forming part of the environmental context.\n\nReferences\n\nEpistemology\nEcological restoration\nEcology\nAgroecology\nSustainable urban planning\nUrban studies and planning terminology\nEnvironmental psychology\nSustainable agriculture",
"In organic chemistry, octatetraene is a linear hydrocarbon consisting of a chain of eight carbon atoms linked by an alternating double-bond/single-bond pattern. The central two of the four alkene units can exhibit cis–trans isomerism, resulting in three isomers.\n\nThe compounds are not in general of much commercial significance, but the octatetraene group has been studied in contexts in the physical chemistry of bonds, some aspect of which have relevance to cell membranes and some to the retinal chemistry of vision. The high degrees of symmetries and conjugation of bonds offer unusual aspects for study.\n\nRelated structures occur in some molecules of biological importance, for example α-parinaric acid and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Derivatives include cyclic octatetraenes, such as cyclooctatetraene and 1,8-diphenyl-1,3,5,7-octatraene, some of which are of interest in special contexts.\n\nReferences\n\n \nPolyenes"
] |
[
"Lil Wayne",
"Public references by Barack Obama",
"What references were made by Obama?",
"Lil Wayne has been referenced in public speeches by President Barack Obama on at least two occasions, in mixed contexts.",
"What are some of the contexts?",
"Speaking to a largely African-American audience during a general election campaign town hall speech in Georgia, then-U.S. Senator Obama exhorted children to stay in school and achieve their dreams"
] |
C_28512ea4972147028539605dc2cd6986_0
|
When else was he mentioned?
| 3 |
When else was Lil Wayne mentioned other than by President Obama?
|
Lil Wayne
|
Lil Wayne has been referenced in public speeches by President Barack Obama on at least two occasions, in mixed contexts. Speaking to a largely African-American audience during a general election campaign town hall speech in Georgia, then-U.S. Senator Obama exhorted children to stay in school and achieve their dreams through education and perseverance instead of hoping for shortcuts to fame and riches as professional athletes and entertainers via the fields of sports and entertainment, stating: "You are probably not that good a rapper. Maybe you are the next Lil Wayne, but probably not, in which case you need to stay in school." After assuming the Presidency, Obama later echoed this theme of personal and familial responsibility and the difficulty of achieving Lil Wayne's professional and financial success--during an address to a meeting commemorating the 100th anniversary of the NAACP, telling the audience: They might think they've got a pretty jump shot or a pretty good flow, but our kids can't all aspire to be LeBron or Lil Wayne. I want them aspiring to be scientists and engineers, doctors and teachers, not just ballers and rappers. I want them aspiring to be a Supreme Court justice. I want them aspiring to be President of the United States of America. Obama has also noted that the music on his iPod includes Lil Wayne: My rap palate has greatly improved. Jay-Z used to be sort of what predominated, but now I've got a little Nas and a little Lil Wayne and some other stuff. CANNOTANSWER
|
"You are probably not that good a rapper. Maybe you are the next Lil Wayne, but probably not, in which case you need to stay in school."
|
Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. He is regarded by many contemporaries as one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generation, and often cited as one of the greatest rappers of all time. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman, joining Cash Money Records as the youngest member of the label. From then on, Wayne was the flagship artist of Cash Money Records before ending his association with the company in June 2018.
In 1995, Wayne was put in a duo with label-mate B.G. (at the time known as Lil Doogie) and they recorded an album, True Story, released that year, although Wayne (at the time known as Baby D) only appeared on three tracks. Wayne and B.G. soon joined the southern hip hop group Hot Boys, with Cash Money label-mates Juvenile and Turk in 1997; they released their debut album Get It How U Live! in October that year. The Hot Boys became popular following the release of the album Guerrilla Warfare (1999) and the song "Bling Bling".
Lil Wayne's solo debut album Tha Block Is Hot (1999) was his solo breakthrough, and he reached higher popularity with his fourth album Tha Carter (2004) and fifth album Tha Carter II (2005), as well as several mixtapes and collaborations throughout 2006 and 2007. He gained more prominence within the music industry with his sixth album Tha Carter III (2008), with first-week sales of over one million copies in the US. The album won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album and included successful singles "A Milli", "Got Money" (featuring T-Pain), and "Lollipop" (featuring Static Major)—the latter being his first single to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100. In February 2010, Wayne released his seventh studio album, Rebirth, which experimented with rap rock and was met with generally negative reviews. A month later in March 2010, Lil Wayne began serving an 8-month jail sentence in New York after being convicted of criminal possession of a weapon stemming from an incident in July 2007. His eighth studio album I Am Not a Human Being (2010) was released during his incarceration, while his 2011 album Tha Carter IV was released following his release. Tha Carter IV sold 964,000 copies in its first week in the United States. His twelfth studio album Tha Carter V was released in 2018 after multiple delays. Wayne's thirteenth album, Funeral, was released in early 2020.
Lil Wayne has sold over 120 million records worldwide, including more than 20 million albums and 70 million digital tracks in the United States, making him one of the world's best-selling music artists. He has won five Grammy Awards, 11 BET Awards, four Billboard Music Awards, two MTV Video Music Awards and eight NAACP Image Awards. On September 27, 2012, he became the first male artist to surpass Elvis Presley with the most entries on the Billboard Hot 100, with 109 songs. Lil Wayne also currently serves as the chief executive officer (CEO) of his own label, Young Money Entertainment.
Early life
Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. was born on September 27, 1982, and spent his first few years in the impoverished Hollygrove neighborhood of New Orleans, Louisiana. His mother, a cook, gave birth to him when she was 19 years old. His parents divorced when he was two and his father permanently abandoned the family. When CBS interviewer Katie Couric asked why he used the name Wayne instead of his given name, Carter explained that "I dropped the D because I'm a junior and my father is living and he's not in my life and he's never been in my life. So I don't want to be Dwayne, I'd rather be Wayne". Asked if his father knew of this, Carter replied, "He knows now". Carter has said that he considers his deceased stepfather Reginald "Rabbit" McDonald to be his real father. Carter has a tattoo dedicated to McDonald.
Carter was enrolled in the gifted program at Lafayette Elementary School. He later attended Eleanor McMain Secondary School for two years, where he was an honor student and a member of the drama club, playing the Tin Man in the school's production of The Wiz. After matriculating to Marion Abramson Senior High School, Carter dropped out at age 14 to focus on his musical career.
Carter wrote his first rap song at age eight. In the summer of 1991, he met rapper and Cash Money Records co-founder Bryan "Baby" Williams (known currently as Birdman), who mentored him and encouraged his love of hip-hop; Birdman included Carter on several Cash Money tracks, and Carter would often record freestyle raps on Williams' answering machine.
In 1994, at age 12, Carter suffered a near-fatal self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest. At the time he said the injury was accidental. Decades later Carter claimed that it was an attempted suicide after he was told by his mother that he would have to end his rap-related associations. Carter credits off-duty police officer Robert Hoobler, who he calls "Uncle Bob", with saving his life by insisting the dying child be driven immediately to hospital in a police car rather than waiting for an ambulance to become available. Other accounts indicate that several officers played a part in deciding on and implementing that course of action.
Career
1997–1999: Career beginnings and Hot Boys
In 1997, Carter joined the Hot Boys along with rappers Juvenile, B.G., and Turk. At age 14, Carter was the youngest member at the time. Hot Boys' debut album Get It How U Live! was released the same year, followed in 1999 by the group's major-label debut Guerrilla Warfare, which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 5 on the Billboard 200. During their career, the Hot Boys had two charting singles, "We on Fire" from Get It How U Live! and "I Need a Hot Girl" from Guerrilla Warfare. Carter was also featured on Juvenile's single "Back That Azz Up", which reached No. 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 5 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks. Let 'Em Burn, a compilation album of unreleased tracks recorded during 1999 and 2000, came out in 2003, several years after the group disbanded. It reached No. 3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 14 on the Billboard 200.
1999–2004: Tha Block Is Hot, Lights Out, and 500 Degreez
Carter's debut solo album, Tha Block Is Hot, was released when he was 17 and featured significant contributions from the Hot Boys. It debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200 and was later certified platinum by the RIAA. The album earned Carter a 1999 Source magazine nomination for "Best New Artist", and also became a Top Ten hit. The lead single was "Tha Block Is Hot". After the release of Tha Block Is Hot, Carter was featured on the single "Bling Bling", with B.G., Juvenile, and Big Tymers. Carter's verse appeared only on the radio version of the song, while on the album version he performed on the chorus.
His second album, Lights Out, was released in 2000, and failed to attain the level of success achieved by his debut but was certified gold by RIAA. Critics noted the lack of coherent narratives in his verses as evidence that he had yet to mature to the level of his fellow Hot Boys. The lead single was "Get Off the Corner", which was noticed for an improvement in its lyrical content and style. The second single, which received less attention, was "Shine" featuring the Hot Boys. Near the release of Lights Out, Carter was featured on the single, "Number One Stunna" with Big Tymers and Juvenile, which peaked at number 24 on the Hot Rap Tracks chart.
Carter's third album, 500 Degreez, was released in 2002. It followed the format of his previous two, with significant contributions from the Hot Boys and Mannie Fresh. While being certified gold like its predecessor, it also failed to match the success of his debut. The title was a reference to the recently estranged Hot Boys member Juvenile's recording, 400 Degreez. The lead single was "Way of Life" which failed to match the success of his previous singles. After the release of 500 Degreez, Carter was featured on the single "Neva Get Enuf" by 3LW.
2004–2006: Tha Carter, Tha Carter II, and Like Father, Like Son
In the summer of 2004, Carter's fourth studio album, Tha Carter, was released, marking what critics considered advancement in his rapping style and lyrical themes. In addition, the album's cover art featured the debut of Wayne's now-signature dreadlocks. Tha Carter gained Wayne significant recognition, selling 878,000 copies in the United States, while the single "Go DJ" became a Top 5 Hit on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart. After the release of Tha Carter, Lil Wayne was featured in Destiny's Child's single "Soldier" with T.I., which peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts.
Tha Carter II, the follow-up to the original Tha Carter album, was released in December 2005, this time without production by longtime Cash Money Records producer Mannie Fresh, who had left the label. Tha Carter II sold more than 238,000 copies in its first week of release, debuting at number 2 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, and went on to sell 2,000,000 copies worldwide. The lead single "Fireman" became a hit in the US, peaking at 32 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Other singles included "Grown Man" with Currensy, "Hustler Musik", and "Shooter" with R&B singer Robin Thicke. Carter also appeared on a remix of Bobby Valentino's "Tell Me", which rose to number 13 on the U.S. R&B Charts. In 2005, Carter was named president of Cash Money, and in the same year he founded Young Money Entertainment as an imprint of Cash Money. However, as of late 2007, Carter reported having stepped down from the management of both labels and had handed management of Young Money over to Cortez Bryant.
In 2006, Carter collaborated with Birdman for the album Like Father, Like Son, whose first single "Stuntin' Like My Daddy", reached number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100.
2006–2007: Mixtapes and collaborations
Instead of a follow-up solo album, Carter began to reach his audience through a plethora of mixtapes and guest appearances on a variety of pop and hip hop singles. Of his many mixtapes, Dedication 2 and Da Drought 3 received the most media exposure and critical review. Dedication 2, released in 2006, paired Carter with DJ Drama and contained the acclaimed socially conscious track "Georgia Bush", in which Carter critiqued former US president George W. Bush's response to the effects of Hurricane Katrina on the city of New Orleans. Da Drought 3 was released the following year and was available for free legal download. It contained Carter rapping over a variety of beats from recent hits by other musicians. A number of prominent hip hop magazines such as XXL and Vibe covered the mixtape. Christian Hoard of Rolling Stone magazine considered the mixtapes Da Drought 3 and The Drought Is Over 2 (The Carter 3 Sessions) "among the best albums of 2007".
Despite no album release for two years, Carter appeared in numerous singles as a featured performer, including "Gimme That" by Chris Brown, "Make It Rain" by Fat Joe, "You" by Lloyd, and "We Takin' Over" by DJ Khaled (also featuring Akon, T.I., Rick Ross, Fat Joe, and Birdman), "Duffle Bag Boy" by Playaz Circle, "Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)" by Wyclef Jean (also featuring Akon), and the remix to "I'm So Hood" by DJ Khaled (also featuring T-Pain, Young Jeezy, Ludacris, Busta Rhymes, Big Boi, Fat Joe, Birdman, and Rick Ross). All these singles charted within the top 20 spots on the Billboard Hot 100, Hot Rap Tracks, and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts. On Birdman's 2007 album, 5 * Stunna, Carter appeared on the singles "100 Million" and "I Run This" among several other tracks. Carter also appeared on tracks from albums Getback by Little Brother, American Gangster by Jay-Z, and Graduation by Kanye West and Insomniac by Enrique Iglesias. "Make it Rain", a Scott Storch production that peaked at number 13 on the Hot 100 and number two on the Hot Rap Tracks chart, was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for 2008.
Vibe magazine ranked a list of 77 of Lil Wayne's songs from 2007 and ranked his verse in DJ Khaled's "We Takin Over" as his best of 2007, with "Dough Is What I Got" (a freestyle over the beat of Jay-Z's "Show Me What You Got") from Da Drought 3. At the end of 2007, an MTV poll selected Lil Wayne as "Hottest MC in the Game", The New Yorker magazine ranked him "Rapper of the Year", and GQ magazine named him "Workaholic of the Year". In 2008 he was named "Best MC" by Rolling Stone. Another article, built around Lil Wayne's 2007 mixtape work, cites his creative practice as an example of post-performance creative practice.
2007–2010: Tha Carter III, We Are Young Money, and Rebirth
In 2007, Carter stated that he would reunite with Hot Boys, with plans to release an album after B.G.'s solo album Too Hood to Be Hollywood was completed. Tha Carter III was originally scheduled to be released in 2007, but it was delayed after several recordings were leaked and distributed through mixtapes, including The Drought Is Over Pt. 2 and The Drought Is Over Pt. 4. Lil Wayne initially planned to release The Leak, a separate album with leaked songs and four additional tracks, on December 18, 2007, with Tha Carter III delayed to March 18, 2008. Instead, The Leak became an EP with five songs and was released digitally on December 25, 2007.
Tha Carter III was released on June 10, 2008, with first-week sales of over 1 million copies, the first to do so since 50 Cent's The Massacre (2005). The album's first single "Lollipop", featuring Static Major, became the Carter's most successful song at the time, topping the Billboard Hot 100 and becoming his first top 10 single as a solo artist and his first number one on the chart. The third single "Got Money", featuring T-Pain, peaked at number 13 on the Billboard 100. Tha Carter III went on to win four Grammy Awards, including best rap album and best rap song, which he won for "Lollipop". On July 14, 2008, the Recording Industry Association of America certified Tha Carter III two times platinum. In October 2008, Lil Wayne announced plans to MTV News to re-release the album with new tracks, including a duet with Ludacris and remixes of "A Milli".
Carter also appeared on R&B singles "Girls Around the World" by Lloyd, "Love In This Club, Part II" by Usher, "Official Girl" by Cassie, "I'm So Paid" by Akon, "Turnin' Me On" by Keri Hilson, and "Can't Believe It" by T-Pain; rap singles "My Life" by The Game, "Shawty Say" by David Banner, "Swagga Like Us" by T.I., "Cutty Buddy" by Mike Jones, All My Life (In the Ghetto) by Jay Rock and the remix to "Certified" by Glasses Malone; and pop single "Let It Rock" by new Cash Money artist Kevin Rudolf.
In 2008, Carter performed at the Voodoo Experience in October in New Orleans, which was described by Jonathan Cohen of Billboard as his biggest hometown headlining set of his career. He also performed at the Virgin Mobile Music Fest with Kanye West, where they performed the remix of "Lollipop" and lip-synced to Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You". Lil Wayne also performed at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards with Kid Rock ("All Summer Long"), Leona Lewis ("DontGetIt (Misunderstood)") and T-Pain ("Got Money") and performed "Lollipop" and "Got Money" on the season premiere of Saturday Night Live. He later performed at the homecoming rally at Vanderbilt University and the 2008 BET Hip Hop Awards, where he received 12 nominations. He won eight awards at the BET Hip Hop Awards, one of which included the "MVP" title. After M.I.A. dropped out of performing on the I Am Music Tour due to her pregnancy, Jay-Z performed "Mr. Carter" with Lil Wayne at select shows.
Following Tha Carter III achievement of selling over 3 million copies, becoming 2008's best-selling record, Carter re-signed with Cash Money Records for a multi-album deal.
On November 11, 2008, Carter became the first hip hop act to perform at the Country Music Association Awards, playing "All Summer Long" alongside Kid Rock, in which Carter inaudibly strummed guitar strings alongside the guitarist in Kid Rock's band. Shortly after, Wayne was nominated for eight Grammys – the most for any artist nominated that year. He was then named the first MTV Man of the Year at the end of 2008. He won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance for "A Milli", Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for his appearance in T.I.'s single "Swagga Like Us", and Best Rap Song for "Lollipop". Tha Carter III won the award for Best Rap Album. MTV News listed Carter number two on their 2009 list of the Hottest MCs In The Game.
On January 6, 2009, Carter was a guest debater against Skip Bayless on the "1st & 10" segment of ESPN First Take. On February 10, 2009, he appeared on ESPN's Around the Horn and beat out veterans Woody Paige, Jay Mariotti and fellow New Orleanian Michael Smith to win that show's episode. Prior to the 2009 Grammy Awards, Wayne was featured in an interview with Katie Couric. On February 7, 2009, he presented the Top Ten List on CBS's Late Show with David Letterman. On April 24, 2009, he appeared on The View, discussing his GED and addictions. In September 2009, Carter was profiled in an episode of VH1's Behind the Music and was a presenter of the 2009 MTV Movie Awards. In film, Carter produced and composed music for and starred in the direct-to-video film Hurricane Season. A documentary of Carter, titled The Carter, was released at the Sundance Film Festival.
On December 23, 2009, Carter released a collaboration album with Young Money, We Are Young Money, with its lead single being "Every Girl". The second single was "BedRock", featuring Lloyd, with the third being "Roger That". On May 24, 2010, the album was certified gold by the RIAA with over 500,000 copies sold. Carter is featured on the song, "Revolver", with Madonna for her greatest hits album, Celebration (2009). He was also featured on a Weezer song, "Can't Stop Partying", on Raditude (2009). In late 2008, Carter announced plans to reissue Tha Carter III with leftover recordings, and was to be titled Rebirth, originally scheduled to be released on April 7, 2009, before being delayed several times. Rebirth instead became his sixth solo album, released on February 2, 2010.
To support its release and that of We Are Young Money, Carter was featured on the cover of Rolling Stone and headlined the 'Young Money Presents: America's Most Wanted Music Festival', a United States and Canada–only concert tour which began on July 29, 2009. "Prom Queen", the first official single, debuted on January 27, 2009, immediately after a live Internet broadcast on Ustream of his concert in San Diego. It peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. On December 3, 2009, the second single, "On Fire", produced by Cool & Dre "On Fire" peaked at number 33 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. "Drop the World", which features Eminem, was the third single from the Rebirth.
2010–2013: I Am Not a Human Being series and Tha Carter IV
In an interview on MTV's Mixtape Monday, Carter asserted the possibility of Tha Carter IV. He later announced that it would be released in late 2009 before the holiday season. Birdman had previously stated that Tha Carter IV would be packaged with Rebirth as a double disc album. However, Carter denied this idea saying that "Tha Carter IV deserves Tha Carter IV", adding that We Are Young Money may be packaged with Rebirth. However, both albums were released separately.
Originally thought to be an EP, Carter released his tenth album, I Am Not a Human Being, on his 28th birthday, September 27, 2010. The album has sold over 953,000 copies in the U.S. and spawned successful single "Right Above It", which peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. Tha Carter IV was later delayed into 2011, after Lil Wayne began recording from scratch after his release from prison. He described his first song since his release as "a 2010 version of A Milli on steroids". The album's lead single, "6 Foot 7 Foot" featuring Cory Gunz, was released on December 15, 2010, and made available for digital download on iTunes on December 16, 2010. The song is produced by Bangladesh, who also produced "A Milli".
On March 8, 2011, Carter released another song, "We Back Soon", produced by StreetRunner, though it was not included on the official track listing of Tha Carter IV. The second single, "John", was released on March 24, 2011, which features Rick Ross and is produced by Polow Da Don. The album's artwork was unveiled on April 20, 2011. The album was originally scheduled to be released on May 16, 2011, but Mack Maine had confirmed its delay until June 21. On May 26, 2011, the third single, "How to Love", was released. A song called "Dear Anne (Stan Part 2)" was released in June. Carter said the song was a throwaway track from Tha Carter III and was originally supposed to be on Tha Carter IV, but decided not to put it on there because of its age. Carter said that he liked the beat, but not the lyrics, and was thinking about revamping the song.
In July 2011, Carter confirmed in an interview with MTV that Tha Carter IV was finished, and was released on August 29, 2011. For preparation for Tha Carter IV, Carter released a mixtape, Sorry 4 the Wait, with all the beats coming from other artist's songs, similar to his mixtape No Ceilings. Tha Carter IV debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, with first-week sales of 964,000 copies, making it Carter's third chart-topping album of his career. On January 8, 2012, according to Nielsen SoundScan was elected the seventh artist (second male artist) all-time best-selling tracks digital with 36,788,000 million to the end of 2011.
In October 2011, it was reported that Carter was working on sequels to both I Am Not a Human Being and Rebirth. In January 2012, Birdman announced that he and Carter had finished recording Like Father, Like Son 2. On November 22, 2012, he announced that Tha Carter V would be his final album.
After numerous delays, I Am Not a Human Being II was released on March 26, 2013, debuting at number two on the Billboard 200 selling 217,000 copies in its first week; "My Homies Still", "Love Me", and "No Worries" were released as singles prior to its release. The album was met with generally mixed reviews, with most critics noticing the declining quality of his releases. Carter toured North America with 2 Chainz and T.I. on the second America's Most Wanted Festival. On May 3, 2013, Pepsi dropped Carter, who was a spokesperson for Mountain Dew, due to offensive lyrics about civil rights icon Emmett Till. On September 1, 2013, Carter released the fifth instalment of the "Dedication" mixtape series, with Dedication 5. The mixtape featured 29 tracks, with guest appearances from The Weeknd, Chance The Rapper, Jae Millz, Birdman, T.I., Vado, Kidd Kidd, and 2 Chainz among other members of Young Money.
2014–2019: Free Weezy Album and Tha Carter V
On February 10, 2014, Drake tweeted "CARTER V". On October 18, 2013, Cash Money Records Vice President of Promotion Mel Smith, tweeted: "Happy Friday!! New YMCMB music coming soon!! Carter 5." Nearly four months later, in an interview with The Griffin, released on February 14, 2014, Smith spoke on the upcoming album: "We're very close to dropping the album. It's going to be a huge surprise to everyone, it's an incredible album ... I can't release the date because he wants to surprise people, he wants his true fan base to get excited, but he's worked extremely hard on it and you won't be disappointed." On February 15, 2014, during the NBA All-Star Weekend festivities at Sprite's NBA All-Star concert at the House of Blues in New Orleans, Carter appeared as a special guest during Drake's set and performed various hits. Carter and Drake then announced that Tha Carter V would be released on May 5, 2014. However, on March 27, 2014, Carter's manager Cortez Bryant announced that the album had been delayed. Carter then serviced Tha Carter Vs first single "Believe Me", which features vocals from Drake, to mainstream urban radio in the United States on May 6, 2014. Three more singles, "Krazy", "Grindin'" (featuring Drake) and "Start a Fire" (featuring Christina Milian), were also released for the album.
On December 4, 2014, just five days before the album was due to be released again, Carter issued a statement saying the album would not be released on its expected release date, due to his displeasure with Cash Money Records label-boss Birdman, refusing to release the album although it had been completed. Carter also expressed his feelings by stating he felt both he and his creativity were being held "prisoner".
On January 20, 2015, Carter self-released Sorry 4 the Wait 2, a sequel to his 2011 mixtape, to compensate for the continued delay of Tha Carter V. Upon Sorry for the Wait 2s release, it was said Wayne disses Birdman and Cash Money Records, several times throughout the mixtape. Birdman was reported to be upset with this. In late January 2015, Carter sued Birdman and Cash Money Records for $51 million. In February 2015, due to Tha Carter Vs delay, Carter announced that a free album would be released prior to the fifth installment in his popular series. In June 2015, Carter joined Jay-Z's TIDAL, as an artist owner, kicking off the partnership by exclusively releasing a single on the service titled "Glory". He's also announced plans on his own TIDAL X concert series. On July 4, 2015, Carter released Free Weezy Album, exclusively through TIDAL, under Young Money and Republic Records.
Carter and Birdman supposedly reconciled after being seen at Drake's NYE Party, at Miami's Club Liv, and in studio. On January 27, 2016, when rapper 2 Chainz released his "Felt Like Cappin" EP, Carter is featured on the lead single titled "Back On That Bullshit". On March 4, 2016, 2 Chainz released his third studio album, ColleGrove. The album was initially a collaborative effort between 2 Chainz and Carter, but due to his record label issues, only 2 Chainz was credited as the primary artist. In 2017, Carter announced that he signed with Roc Nation. Later, Carter revealed that there was no official paperwork that he signed to the label. On June 28, 2016, Carter was one of the main singers in the song "Sucker for Pain", along with Wiz Khalifa and Imagine Dragons, for the DC Comics film Suicide Squad. X Ambassadors and Ty Dolla Sign were also featured in the song. On August 8, 2017, he released the song "Like a Man" with sound engineer Onhel.
On June 7, 2018, it was announced that Carter had been released from Cash Money Records and will be releasing Tha Carter V via Universal Records.
In September 2016, Carter's song "No Mercy" debuted as the theme song for Skip and Shannon: Undisputed sports talk on FS1. Carter is a frequent guest on the program. On Christmas 2017, Carter released the mixtape Dedication 6, the sixth instalment of the "Gangsta Grillz" chronology. The second part was released on January 26, 2018.
Tha Carter V was finally released on September 27, 2018, debuting at number one on the US Billboard 200 with 480,000 album-equivalent units, including 140,000 pure album sales. It is the second-largest streaming week for an album behind Drake's Scorpion with 433 million streams. It is also Carter's fourth US number-one album. Every song on the album charted on the Billboard 100, while simultaneously charting 4 songs in the top 10, also becoming the first artist to debut two songs in the top 5.
2020–present: Funeral, Young Money Radio, re-releases, I Am Not a Human Being III, Trust Fund Babies and Tha Carter VI
While Carter was working on Tha Carter V, it was announced that his next album would be titled Funeral. On January 23, 2020, he revealed the album's release date and album artwork. Funeral was released on January 31, and debuted at number-one on the US Billboard 200, with 139,000 album-equivalent units, becoming his fifth US number-one album. The album received generally positive reviews from music critics. On February 2, 2020, Lil Wayne competed in Season 3 of The Masked Singer after the Super Bowl LIV as "Robot". He was the first to be eliminated. Carter featured on Lil Baby's track "Forever", a track from Baby's second studio album, My Turn, which was released on February 28, 2020. Carter also participates in the music video for the song, which was released on March 3, 2020. This marked the second collaboration for the two artists in 2020, with the first being on Carter's single "I Do It".
On April 24, 2020, Lil Wayne along with Dash Radio, launched his own radio show, Young Money Radio, on Apple Music. Wayne described the show as having "heavyweights calling in discussing sports, music, comedy, everything!". On July 3, Lil Wayne released his eleventh studio album, Free Weezy Album (2015) on streaming services to commemorate its five-year anniversary. The album charted at number 77 on the Billboard 200 the following week. On May 29, Wayne released the deluxe edition of Funeral featuring artists such as Doja Cat, Tory Lanez, Lil Uzi Vert, Benny The Butcher, Conway the Machine and Jessie Reyez. On August 28, Wayne released another old project, his 2009 mixtape No Ceilings, for commercial release. He also celebrated the release by collaborating with ASAP Ferg on the song "No Ceilings". Wayne was featured on YoungBoy Never Broke Again's album Top on the track "My Window", released on September 11. His verse received praise from critics. On September 25, he released the deluxe edition of his twelfth album Tha Carter V, to celebrate the album's two-year anniversary; it consists of songs that did not make the cut on the original album.
On November 27, 2020, Lil Wayne released the mixtape No Ceilings 3, while announcing the album I Am Not a Human Being III for 2021, although it would not be released that year due to delays. On October 1, 2021, Wayne and Rich the Kid released a collaborative mixtape titled Trust Fund Babies, along with a music video for the single "Feelin' Like Tunechi". The mixtape took roughly a month and a half to record. On their working relationship, Wayne said, "For me, it's the chemistry, it's the camaraderie because first of all, Rich like my little bro and me and Rich been rockin' for a minute".
Wayne is currently working on Tha Carter VI.
Future projects
Carter has announced several possible upcoming projects, including a collaborative album entitled I Can't Feel My Face with Harlem-based rapper Juelz Santana, that has been in production for several years. In late 2011, it was announced by Mack Maine that Carter and Juelz Santana had gone back to work on their collaborative album I Can't Feel My Face, which had been delayed for a few years due to "label politics".
On June 19, 2008, Carter and T-Pain formed a duo called T-Wayne with plans to release an album, titled He Raps, He Sings; however, those plans have died down due to much of the material recorded for the album being leaked. T-Pain ultimately released T-Wayne in 2017.
According to an interview with Drake, in the December 2011 issue of XXL, plans for an upcoming album with Carter had been scrapped for the time being because of the Jay-Z and Kanye West collaboration album Watch the Throne (2011).
In April 2012, on the premiere of MTV's Hip Hop POV, Carter sat down with Amanda Seales and spoke briefly about an album he put together titled Devol (loved, backwards), an album full of "love songs" that he wrote during his imprisonment at Rikers Island. In May 2013 he confirmed the album will still be released.
Carter's once ongoing litigation with Cash Money prevented numerous completed projects from being released. In January 2017, Young Money revealed the title of a planned Carter album called Velvet. The album ended up leaking online in November 2018.
Retirement plans
On March 29, 2011, in an interview with Hot 97's Angie Martinez, Carter announced that he would retire at age 35; saying "I have four kids", and that "I would feel selfish still going to the studio when it's such a vital point in their lives." He said in November 2012 that Tha Carter V will be his last album as he wanted to go into other interests.
In March 2014, Carter reconfirmed at SXSW that Tha Carter V will be his last album during his keynote with interviewer Elliot Wilson.
In September 2016, in regards to his contract dispute with Cash Money, he indicated a possible retirement on Twitter saying "I AM NOW DEFENSELESS and mentally DEFEATED" and then said, "I leave gracefully and thankful I luh my fanz but I'm done." Many rappers responded with respect and encouragement.
Personal life
Relationships and children
Carter has four children. His first child, daughter Reginae, was born November 29, 1998, when he was 16, to his high school sweetheart Toya Johnson. They later married on Valentine's Day 2004 and divorced in 2006. Internet rumors started circulating in August 2008 that Carter's daughter had died in a car crash, which however he quickly cleared up as false saying "Please allow me to dispel any rumors or speculations and report that my daughter is alive, healthy and surrounded by family who cares and loves her dearly. The rumors are completely false and unfounded; neither Reginae nor any other member of my family has been involved in any car accident."
His second child, Dwayne III, was born on October 22, 2008, at The Christ Hospital in Cincinnati to radio broadcaster Sarah Vivan. His third child, Cameron, was born to actress Lauren London on September 9, 2009. His fourth child, Neal, was born on November 30, 2009, to singer Nivea. Trina also became pregnant with Carter's child, but later suffered a miscarriage.
In July 2014, it was rumored that Carter was dating singer Christina Milian whom he attended the ESPY Awards with. They later confirmed their relationship in mid-2015 after which they received criticism from their interconnected exes, singer Nivea and songwriter The-Dream. They split at the end of 2015 after collaborating on various singles, videos, and concert dates.
Wayne was engaged to model La'Tecia Thomas, but called off the engagement in May 2020.
In June 2020, it was announced that Wayne had started dating Denise Bidot, another model. In November 2020, they reportedly broke up over Wayne's endorsement of Donald Trump. Shortly after, it was reported that the couple had reconciled.
Beliefs and interests
In an interview with Blender, Carter revealed one of his favorite bands from childhood to be rock group Nirvana, and cites them as a major influence in his music.
Carter got his first tattoo at age 14 of his dad's name and his second was "Cash Money" across his stomach. His tattoos have grown to include a Jay-Z verse on his leg, "I Am Music" on his forehead and teardrops on his cheeks among many others. His most recent one is "Baked" on his forehead stylized as the Baker Skateboards logo. While playing in Newark Symphony Hall, Carter professed his belief "in God and His son, Jesus". During his 2011 tour in Australia with Eminem, before beginning his bracket he proclaimed his belief in God. One Christian minister says Carter's stated religiosity and the un-religious lyrical content of his music are incongruous.
After earning his GED, Carter enrolled at the University of Houston in January 2005. He dropped out in the same year due to his conflicting schedule. He also revealed on The View that he switched to the University of Phoenix and majored in psychology taking online courses. An article in Urb magazine in March 2007 asserted that Carter had been earning high grades at Houston.
On September 24, 2008, Carter published his first blog for ESPN in their issue, ESPN The Magazine. Carter revealed he was a fan of tennis, the Green Bay Packers, the Boston Bruins, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Red Sox. To commemorate the Packers' making it to Super Bowl XLV, he spoofed Wiz Khalifa's hit song "Black and Yellow" (which were the colors of the Packers' opponents, the Pittsburgh Steelers) in a song titled "Green and Yellow". He released a second version of the song in 2021, which was requested by the Packers, and updated with the current roster.Carter has continued writing for ESPN, notably reporting at the ESPN Super Bowl party. Carter made his debut on ESPN's daily sports round table show Around The Horn on February 10, 2009. Carter now currently sings the intro song "No Mercy" for the Fox Sports 1 sports debate show Undisputed.
Carter received criticism after a video released by TMZ showed him apparently stepping on the U.S. flag. Carter later explained that "It was never my intention to desecrate the flag of the United States", and that he was shooting a video for a song on his upcoming album, "God Bless Amerika". He says the purpose of the flag was to show that "behind the American Flag was the Hoods of America".
In late 2016, Carter made statements critical of the Black Lives Matter movement, saying, "I don't feel connected to a damn thing that ain't got nothin' to do with me. If you do, you crazy as shit," adding that his status as a wealthy black man who has white fans is evidence that black people are valued in the United States.
In 2016, Carter purchased Player's Rep. Sports Agency, and became Young Money APAA sports, which hired NFL's first female sports agent, Nicole Lynn. She currently represents Seth Roberts, Cory Nelson, Jordan Evans, Malik Jefferson, Eric Harris, Quennen Williams, as well as NCAA coaches, and two former #1 Pro Softball draft picks.
On October 29, 2020, less than a week before the presidential election, Carter posted an image of him and President Donald Trump to Twitter. In the caption for the photo, Carter revealed that he and Trump had recently met to discuss criminal justice reform and Trump's Platinum Plan, an initiative which aims to raise access to capital in Black communities by almost $500 billion. Carter claimed Trump "listened to what we had to say today and assured he will and can get it done".
Health problems
On October 25, 2012, Carter's private jet, bound for Los Angeles, made an emergency landing in Texas due to an in-flight medical episode. Lil Wayne was transferred to a local hospital upon arrival. TMZ and other media sources said that Carter had suffered a seizure aboard the plane. His publicist denied this, saying that he was in fact treated for "a severe migraine and dehydration".
The following day, while flying from Texas to Los Angeles, Carter's private jet was reportedly again forced to make an emergency landing, this time in Louisiana, after he suffered a second seizure and required further hospitalization. His representative said that the reports of Carter's condition had been exaggerated, and that he was resting at his Louisiana home. In a November 2012 interview with MTV, Carter revealed that he was taking seizure medication, on doctors' orders, due to the aforementioned incidents.
On March 14, 2013, TMZ reported that Carter had been treated at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on the evening of March 12, after suffering seizures while on a music video set with Young Money rapper Nicki Minaj. He was reportedly released in the early hours of March 13. On March 15, TMZ published a second story, claiming that hours after his release on March 13, Carter was found unconscious after experiencing further seizures, and was brought back to Cedars-Sinai, where he was admitted to the intensive care unit in critical condition. The article alleged the latest seizures were found to be linked to high amounts of codeine in Carter's system, possibly due to binging on purple drank after his initial hospital release. Multiple celebrities, including Drake and Birdman, were photographed on March 15 and 16 visiting Carter at Cedars-Sinai.
Several members of Young Money Entertainment, including president Mack Maine, criticized media reports on Carter's hospitalization, particularly those of TMZ, alleging that they exaggerated the severity of his condition and falsely implied that he was on his deathbed (such as by saying that he was in a medically induced coma), triggering what the Washington Post called "the most overheated celebrity deathwatch in recent years". In separate interviews on March 18, Mack Maine and Birdman disputed TMZ's reports, and stated that in fact there were not multiple seizures or multiple hospital visits. They explained that after Carter began seizing on the way to the music video shoot on March 12, an ambulance was called and he was transported to the hospital, where he was admitted and remained continuously thereafter. They also refuted the claims that Carter's seizures are drug-induced, saying that they are an ongoing problem for which doctors have been unable to identify a cause.
Carter was released from the hospital late on March 18, following a six-day stay. Lil Wayne addressed his condition via a vlog, on March 21 saying he was more than good.
Carter had two seizures in June 2016, during a cross-country flight from Wisconsin to California, and landed in Omaha, Nebraska. His plane was only two minutes in air when the second seizure occurred and was forced to land in Omaha once again. Less than a month later, he had another seizure, supposedly due to not taking his epilepsy medication.
Carter canceled a Las Vegas show on September 3, 2017, having had a seizure in a Chicago hospital earlier that day, where he was brought after being found unconscious in a hotel room.
Philanthropy
On February 19, 2008, Carter and Cortez Bryant revisited their alma mater McMain Secondary School to get students to design an invitation to the gala introducing Carter's nonprofit One Family Foundation.
Other ventures
Young Money Entertainment
Books
Carter wrote a memoir of his experience in Rikers Island called Gone Til' November: A Journal of Rikers Island that was released October 11, 2016.
Cannabis industry
In December 2019, Carter announced his own cannabis brand under the name of GKUA Ultra Premium.
Legal issues
Arrests and incarceration
On July 22, 2007, Carter was arrested in New York City following a performance at the Beacon Theatre; the New York City Police Department discovered Carter and another man smoking marijuana near a tour bus. After taking Carter into custody, police discovered a .40 caliber pistol near his person. The gun, which was registered to his manager, was in a bag located near the rapper. He was charged with criminal possession of a weapon and marijuana.
Following a performance at Qwest Arena in Boise, Idaho, Carter was arrested October 5, 2007 on felony fugitive charges after Georgia authorities accused the rapper of possessing a controlled substance. The incident was later described as a "mix-up" and the fugitive charges were dropped.
On January 23, 2008, Carter was arrested alongside two others. His tour bus was stopped by Border Patrol agents near Yuma, Arizona. A K-9 Unit recovered of marijuana, almost of cocaine, of ecstasy, and $22,000 in cash. Carter was charged with four felonies: possession of narcotic drug for sale, possession of dangerous drugs, misconduct involving weapons and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was granted permission to travel outside of the state and remain out of custody on the $10,185 bond he posted.
On May 6, 2008, Carter returned to court in Arizona to plead not guilty to the charges. A bench warrant was issued on March 17, 2010, when Carter did not show for a final trial management conference. However, he was already incarcerated, serving a one-year sentence in Rikers Island on weapons charges. On June 22, 2010, Carter pleaded guilty to the charges. As part of the plea deal he was able to serve 36 months of probation, which he was sentenced to on June 30, 2010.
On December 18, 2009, Carter and 11 others were detained at the Falfurrias, Texas border patrol checkpoint after an unknown amount of marijuana was found on two of his tour buses.
On October 22, 2009, Carter pleaded guilty to attempted criminal possession of a weapon. He was due for sentencing in February 2010 and was expected to receive a one-year county jail sentence, but on February 9, 2010, Carter's attorney announced that the sentencing was delayed until March 2 due to dental surgery, which was performed on February 16. The surgery included eight root canals, the replacement of several tooth implants, as well as the addition of a few new implants and work on his remaining original teeth. On March 2, 2010, sentencing was postponed again when the courthouse reported a fire in the basement.
On March 8, 2010, Carter was given a one-year sentence, which he served in Rikers Island. His lawyer said the rapper expected to be held in protective custody, separated from other prisoners. In May 2010, Carter was found by Rikers Island correctional staff to be in possession of contraband (an MP3 player, charger, and headphones). In April 2010, Carter's friends created a website called Weezy Thanx You, which publishes letters written by Carter while incarcerated. In the first letter, titled "Gone 'til November", Carter said he was staying in good spirits thinking about his children and spending his time working out regularly and reading the Bible every day. Carter was released from Rikers Island Jail on November 4, 2010, after serving eight months of his year-long sentence.
On December 12, 2020, Carter pleaded guilty to a federal firearms charge brought against him by the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. This plea stemmed from an incident during December of the previous year, when Carter was arrested in Florida after transporting a loaded handgun on his private jet from California. As a convicted felon, he is barred from possessing such weapons. He was pardoned by U.S. President Donald Trump on January 19, 2021, his last full day in office.
Lawsuits
On July 24, 2008, Abkco Music Inc filed a lawsuit against Carter for copyright infringement and unfair competition, specifically referring to Tha Carter III track "Playing with Fire". In the lawsuit, Abkco says that the song was obviously derived from The Rolling Stones' "Play with Fire", to which Abkco owns the rights. Subsequently, "Playing with Fire" was removed from the track list of Tha Carter III on all online music stores and replaced with the David Banner produced track, "Pussy Monster".
In February 2009, production company RMF Productions filed a $1.3 million lawsuit against Carter following a $100,000 advance payment for three shows, all of which were cancelled by the artist.
In October 2009, Carter, Birdman, Cash Money Records, and various music distribution outlets were sued for copyright infringement by Thomas Marasciullo, who says his voice was used without permission. The rappers asked him to record some "Italian-styled spoken word recordings" in 2006. The lyrics were allegedly used on "Respect" and other tracks from the rappers' collaboration album Like Father, Like Son and Birdman's 5 * Stunna.
In March 2011, producer Deezle (Darius Harrison) sued Carter and his parent labels Cash Money Records over unpaid royalties from Tha Carter III.
In May 2011, producer Bangladesh also filed a lawsuit against Weezy & Co. over unpaid royalties as well.
In early June 2011, another producer named David Kirkwood filed a lawsuit against Young Money Entertainment and Cash Money Records on claims that the labels have failed to pay him over $1.5 million in royalties and production services for his work on the album, also including his songwriting on "Love Me or Hate Me", a bonus song featured only on the deluxe edition of the album.
Also in June 2011, Dallas producers Play-N-Skillz filed a lawsuit against him, saying Carter owes them at least $1 million in unpaid royalties for "Got Money" from his album Tha Carter III. The single has sold over 2 million copies since being released.
In July 2011, Done Deal Enterprises, a production company based in Georgia, filed suit against Carter, Universal Music Group, Cash Money Records and Young Money Entertainment, claiming copyright infringement. The lawsuit alleges Carter stole the song "BedRock", featured on the compilation album We Are Young Money, and seeks damages of $15 million.
Feuds
Juvenile
Carter began feuding with former Hot Boys member and Cash Money Records labelmate Juvenile in 2002, after Juvenile took offense to Carter naming his third studio album 500 Degreez, a diss aimed towards Juvenile whose last album was named 400 Degreez. Juvenile responded with a diss track on his 2002 album 600 Degreez, titled "A Hoe". In the song, Juvenile questions Carter's sexuality, and says he's a fake gangster. The two squashed their beef for a short period in 2004, with Carter and Birdman appearing in the music video for Juvenile and Soulja Slim's song, Slow Motion. Carter later paid tribute to the Hot Boys with a song called "I Miss My Dawgs" on 2004's Tha Carter. Juvenile responded by calling the song "fake", and criticized Carter for releasing a tribute song and later promoting the album on BET and having "nothing good to say about them". The two eventually reconciled once again, and Juvenile re-signed with Cash Money Records in 2014.
Young Buck
Young Buck released a song called "Off Parole", featuring Tony Yayo, which insulted Carter. Young Buck said that Carter could not be angry, because Young Buck spoke the truth. Young Buck also said "You think you got a problem with Juve and B.G.; you'll have a true problem with me", referring to the Cash Money-Juvenile/B.G feud. One of the reasons 50 Cent stated he was dismissing Young Buck was what he called "inconsistent behavior" which included appearing on stage with Carter, then seemingly dissing him on records with G-Unit. After he was dismissed, Young Buck appeared in the music video "My Life" by The Game, which featured Carter in the vocals. As of 2009, Young Buck and Carter have squashed their beef and also linked up to record a track "Up's and Down's" for Young Buck's Back On My Buck Shit mixtape.
Pusha T
Tension between Wayne and American rapper, Pusha T, had been going on for years, beginning soon after Clipse and Birdman worked on "What Happened to That Boy", the latter's 2002 single. In 2006, Wayne felt the Clipse song "Mr. Me Too" was directed at him which caused more tension between the two. In 2012 after much speculation that Pusha T was subliminally dissing Canadian rapper and Wayne's Young Money signee Drake in several songs, the speculation heightened after the release of Pusha T's "Exodus 23:1" song. Lil Wayne quickly responded on online social networking service Twitter and later released a diss track titled "Goulish". In the first verse Wayne raps "Fuck Pusha T and anybody that love him / His head up his ass, I'mma have to head-butt him". Pusha T called Wayne's diss track "horrible" and said he felt it did not deserve a response. Both men have downplayed the feud, with Wayne saying he's over it. However, in late November, Pusha T dissed Wayne and Birdman on a new Ludacris song titled "Tell Me What They Mad For". However, once the feud between Lil Wayne and Birdman arose, Pusha T sent out a tweet encouraging Lil Wayne to sign to G.O.O.D. Music, which also insulted Birdman for his hand-rubbing habit.
Jay-Z
In a 2009 interview with Tropical TV, Birdman disputed the MTV poll that voted Jay-Z "The Hottest MC in the Game", stating that Lil Wayne was a better rapper and made more money. In early 2011, when Jay-Z and Kanye West's single "H•A•M" was released, Jay-Z took shots at Birdman, saying "Really, you got Baby money" and "[you] ain't got my lady's money!". On August 24, 2011, a song called "It's Good" by Lil Wayne (featuring Drake and Jadakiss) was leaked online and included Lil Wayne responding "Talkin' 'bout baby money? I gotcha baby money. Kidnap your bitch, get that, How much you love your lady? money". Jadakiss later absolved himself of involvement in any brewing beef on his official Twitter feed.
Discography
Studio albums
Tha Block Is Hot (1999)
Lights Out (2000)
500 Degreez (2002)
Tha Carter (2004)
Tha Carter II (2005)
Tha Carter III (2008)
Rebirth (2010)
I Am Not a Human Being (2010)
Tha Carter IV (2011)
I Am Not a Human Being II (2013)
Free Weezy Album (2015)
Tha Carter V (2018)
Funeral (2020)
I Am Not a Human Being III (TBA)
Filmography
Film
Television
Awards and nominations
See also
List of artists who reached number one in the United States
List of best-selling music artists in the United States
List of best-selling singles in the United States
List of best-selling singles worldwide
List of best-selling albums by year in the United States
List of artists who reached number one on the UK Singles Chart
References
External links
1982 births
Living people
20th-century American singers
21st-century American male actors
21st-century American rappers
21st-century American singers
African-American business executives
African-American businesspeople
African-American male actors
African-American male rappers
African-American male singers
African-American songwriters
American businesspeople convicted of crimes
American chief executives
American hip hop singers
American male rappers
American male singers
American male television actors
American music industry executives
American people convicted of drug offenses
American people of Nigerian descent
American shooting survivors
Bloods
Businesspeople from New Orleans
Cash Money Millionaires members
Cash Money Records artists
Gangsta rappers
Grammy Award winners for rap music
Hot Boys members
Male actors from New Orleans
People with epilepsy
Pop rappers
Rappers from New Orleans
Recipients of American presidential pardons
Republic Records artists
Singers from Louisiana
Songwriters from Louisiana
Southern hip hop musicians
Trap musicians
Universal Motown Records artists
Universal Records artists
University of Phoenix alumni
World Music Awards winners
Young Money Entertainment artists
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"Amoz (), also known as Amotz, was the father of the prophet Isaiah, mentioned in Isaiah 1:1; 2:1 and 13:1, and in II Kings 19:2, 20; 20:1. Nothing else is known for certain about him.\n\nThere is a Talmudic tradition that when the name of a prophet's father is given, the father was also a prophet, so that Amoz would have been a prophet like his son. Though it is mentioned frequently as the patronymic title of Isaiah, the name Amoz appears nowhere else in the Bible. The rabbis of the Talmud declared, based upon a rabbinic tradition, that Amoz was the brother of Amaziah (אמציה), the king of Judah at that time (and, as a result, that Isaiah himself was a member of the royal family). According to some traditions, Amoz is the \"man of God\" in 2 Chronicles 25:7–9 (Seder Olam Rabbah 20), who cautioned Amaziah to release the Israelite mercenaries that he had hired.\n\nReferences\n\nProphets in Judaism\nHebrew Bible people\nIsaiah",
"Bernard de Linton (fl. 1296) was the parson of Mordington mentioned in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, where he is styled persone del Eglife de Mordington, del counte de Berewyk, \"parson of the church of Mordington, in the county of Berwick\". Nothing else is known of him. He is famous because between 1726 and the 20th century he was wrongly identified with Bernard, Abbot of Kilwinning, also mentioned in the Ragman Rolls, who was later Chancellor of Scotland, Abbot of Arbroath and Bishop of the Isles.\n\nNotes\n\nReferences\n\n OCLC 9183509\n\nPeople of the Wars of Scottish Independence"
] |
[
"Lil Wayne",
"Public references by Barack Obama",
"What references were made by Obama?",
"Lil Wayne has been referenced in public speeches by President Barack Obama on at least two occasions, in mixed contexts.",
"What are some of the contexts?",
"Speaking to a largely African-American audience during a general election campaign town hall speech in Georgia, then-U.S. Senator Obama exhorted children to stay in school and achieve their dreams",
"When else was he mentioned?",
"\"You are probably not that good a rapper. Maybe you are the next Lil Wayne, but probably not, in which case you need to stay in school.\""
] |
C_28512ea4972147028539605dc2cd6986_0
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What else is significant about this?
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What else is significant about Lil Wayne being mentioned other than being praised as a good rapper?
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Lil Wayne
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Lil Wayne has been referenced in public speeches by President Barack Obama on at least two occasions, in mixed contexts. Speaking to a largely African-American audience during a general election campaign town hall speech in Georgia, then-U.S. Senator Obama exhorted children to stay in school and achieve their dreams through education and perseverance instead of hoping for shortcuts to fame and riches as professional athletes and entertainers via the fields of sports and entertainment, stating: "You are probably not that good a rapper. Maybe you are the next Lil Wayne, but probably not, in which case you need to stay in school." After assuming the Presidency, Obama later echoed this theme of personal and familial responsibility and the difficulty of achieving Lil Wayne's professional and financial success--during an address to a meeting commemorating the 100th anniversary of the NAACP, telling the audience: They might think they've got a pretty jump shot or a pretty good flow, but our kids can't all aspire to be LeBron or Lil Wayne. I want them aspiring to be scientists and engineers, doctors and teachers, not just ballers and rappers. I want them aspiring to be a Supreme Court justice. I want them aspiring to be President of the United States of America. Obama has also noted that the music on his iPod includes Lil Wayne: My rap palate has greatly improved. Jay-Z used to be sort of what predominated, but now I've got a little Nas and a little Lil Wayne and some other stuff. CANNOTANSWER
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After assuming the Presidency, Obama later echoed this theme of personal and familial responsibility and the difficulty of achieving Lil Wayne's professional and financial success
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Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. He is regarded by many contemporaries as one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generation, and often cited as one of the greatest rappers of all time. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman, joining Cash Money Records as the youngest member of the label. From then on, Wayne was the flagship artist of Cash Money Records before ending his association with the company in June 2018.
In 1995, Wayne was put in a duo with label-mate B.G. (at the time known as Lil Doogie) and they recorded an album, True Story, released that year, although Wayne (at the time known as Baby D) only appeared on three tracks. Wayne and B.G. soon joined the southern hip hop group Hot Boys, with Cash Money label-mates Juvenile and Turk in 1997; they released their debut album Get It How U Live! in October that year. The Hot Boys became popular following the release of the album Guerrilla Warfare (1999) and the song "Bling Bling".
Lil Wayne's solo debut album Tha Block Is Hot (1999) was his solo breakthrough, and he reached higher popularity with his fourth album Tha Carter (2004) and fifth album Tha Carter II (2005), as well as several mixtapes and collaborations throughout 2006 and 2007. He gained more prominence within the music industry with his sixth album Tha Carter III (2008), with first-week sales of over one million copies in the US. The album won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album and included successful singles "A Milli", "Got Money" (featuring T-Pain), and "Lollipop" (featuring Static Major)—the latter being his first single to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100. In February 2010, Wayne released his seventh studio album, Rebirth, which experimented with rap rock and was met with generally negative reviews. A month later in March 2010, Lil Wayne began serving an 8-month jail sentence in New York after being convicted of criminal possession of a weapon stemming from an incident in July 2007. His eighth studio album I Am Not a Human Being (2010) was released during his incarceration, while his 2011 album Tha Carter IV was released following his release. Tha Carter IV sold 964,000 copies in its first week in the United States. His twelfth studio album Tha Carter V was released in 2018 after multiple delays. Wayne's thirteenth album, Funeral, was released in early 2020.
Lil Wayne has sold over 120 million records worldwide, including more than 20 million albums and 70 million digital tracks in the United States, making him one of the world's best-selling music artists. He has won five Grammy Awards, 11 BET Awards, four Billboard Music Awards, two MTV Video Music Awards and eight NAACP Image Awards. On September 27, 2012, he became the first male artist to surpass Elvis Presley with the most entries on the Billboard Hot 100, with 109 songs. Lil Wayne also currently serves as the chief executive officer (CEO) of his own label, Young Money Entertainment.
Early life
Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. was born on September 27, 1982, and spent his first few years in the impoverished Hollygrove neighborhood of New Orleans, Louisiana. His mother, a cook, gave birth to him when she was 19 years old. His parents divorced when he was two and his father permanently abandoned the family. When CBS interviewer Katie Couric asked why he used the name Wayne instead of his given name, Carter explained that "I dropped the D because I'm a junior and my father is living and he's not in my life and he's never been in my life. So I don't want to be Dwayne, I'd rather be Wayne". Asked if his father knew of this, Carter replied, "He knows now". Carter has said that he considers his deceased stepfather Reginald "Rabbit" McDonald to be his real father. Carter has a tattoo dedicated to McDonald.
Carter was enrolled in the gifted program at Lafayette Elementary School. He later attended Eleanor McMain Secondary School for two years, where he was an honor student and a member of the drama club, playing the Tin Man in the school's production of The Wiz. After matriculating to Marion Abramson Senior High School, Carter dropped out at age 14 to focus on his musical career.
Carter wrote his first rap song at age eight. In the summer of 1991, he met rapper and Cash Money Records co-founder Bryan "Baby" Williams (known currently as Birdman), who mentored him and encouraged his love of hip-hop; Birdman included Carter on several Cash Money tracks, and Carter would often record freestyle raps on Williams' answering machine.
In 1994, at age 12, Carter suffered a near-fatal self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest. At the time he said the injury was accidental. Decades later Carter claimed that it was an attempted suicide after he was told by his mother that he would have to end his rap-related associations. Carter credits off-duty police officer Robert Hoobler, who he calls "Uncle Bob", with saving his life by insisting the dying child be driven immediately to hospital in a police car rather than waiting for an ambulance to become available. Other accounts indicate that several officers played a part in deciding on and implementing that course of action.
Career
1997–1999: Career beginnings and Hot Boys
In 1997, Carter joined the Hot Boys along with rappers Juvenile, B.G., and Turk. At age 14, Carter was the youngest member at the time. Hot Boys' debut album Get It How U Live! was released the same year, followed in 1999 by the group's major-label debut Guerrilla Warfare, which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 5 on the Billboard 200. During their career, the Hot Boys had two charting singles, "We on Fire" from Get It How U Live! and "I Need a Hot Girl" from Guerrilla Warfare. Carter was also featured on Juvenile's single "Back That Azz Up", which reached No. 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 5 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks. Let 'Em Burn, a compilation album of unreleased tracks recorded during 1999 and 2000, came out in 2003, several years after the group disbanded. It reached No. 3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 14 on the Billboard 200.
1999–2004: Tha Block Is Hot, Lights Out, and 500 Degreez
Carter's debut solo album, Tha Block Is Hot, was released when he was 17 and featured significant contributions from the Hot Boys. It debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200 and was later certified platinum by the RIAA. The album earned Carter a 1999 Source magazine nomination for "Best New Artist", and also became a Top Ten hit. The lead single was "Tha Block Is Hot". After the release of Tha Block Is Hot, Carter was featured on the single "Bling Bling", with B.G., Juvenile, and Big Tymers. Carter's verse appeared only on the radio version of the song, while on the album version he performed on the chorus.
His second album, Lights Out, was released in 2000, and failed to attain the level of success achieved by his debut but was certified gold by RIAA. Critics noted the lack of coherent narratives in his verses as evidence that he had yet to mature to the level of his fellow Hot Boys. The lead single was "Get Off the Corner", which was noticed for an improvement in its lyrical content and style. The second single, which received less attention, was "Shine" featuring the Hot Boys. Near the release of Lights Out, Carter was featured on the single, "Number One Stunna" with Big Tymers and Juvenile, which peaked at number 24 on the Hot Rap Tracks chart.
Carter's third album, 500 Degreez, was released in 2002. It followed the format of his previous two, with significant contributions from the Hot Boys and Mannie Fresh. While being certified gold like its predecessor, it also failed to match the success of his debut. The title was a reference to the recently estranged Hot Boys member Juvenile's recording, 400 Degreez. The lead single was "Way of Life" which failed to match the success of his previous singles. After the release of 500 Degreez, Carter was featured on the single "Neva Get Enuf" by 3LW.
2004–2006: Tha Carter, Tha Carter II, and Like Father, Like Son
In the summer of 2004, Carter's fourth studio album, Tha Carter, was released, marking what critics considered advancement in his rapping style and lyrical themes. In addition, the album's cover art featured the debut of Wayne's now-signature dreadlocks. Tha Carter gained Wayne significant recognition, selling 878,000 copies in the United States, while the single "Go DJ" became a Top 5 Hit on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart. After the release of Tha Carter, Lil Wayne was featured in Destiny's Child's single "Soldier" with T.I., which peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts.
Tha Carter II, the follow-up to the original Tha Carter album, was released in December 2005, this time without production by longtime Cash Money Records producer Mannie Fresh, who had left the label. Tha Carter II sold more than 238,000 copies in its first week of release, debuting at number 2 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, and went on to sell 2,000,000 copies worldwide. The lead single "Fireman" became a hit in the US, peaking at 32 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Other singles included "Grown Man" with Currensy, "Hustler Musik", and "Shooter" with R&B singer Robin Thicke. Carter also appeared on a remix of Bobby Valentino's "Tell Me", which rose to number 13 on the U.S. R&B Charts. In 2005, Carter was named president of Cash Money, and in the same year he founded Young Money Entertainment as an imprint of Cash Money. However, as of late 2007, Carter reported having stepped down from the management of both labels and had handed management of Young Money over to Cortez Bryant.
In 2006, Carter collaborated with Birdman for the album Like Father, Like Son, whose first single "Stuntin' Like My Daddy", reached number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100.
2006–2007: Mixtapes and collaborations
Instead of a follow-up solo album, Carter began to reach his audience through a plethora of mixtapes and guest appearances on a variety of pop and hip hop singles. Of his many mixtapes, Dedication 2 and Da Drought 3 received the most media exposure and critical review. Dedication 2, released in 2006, paired Carter with DJ Drama and contained the acclaimed socially conscious track "Georgia Bush", in which Carter critiqued former US president George W. Bush's response to the effects of Hurricane Katrina on the city of New Orleans. Da Drought 3 was released the following year and was available for free legal download. It contained Carter rapping over a variety of beats from recent hits by other musicians. A number of prominent hip hop magazines such as XXL and Vibe covered the mixtape. Christian Hoard of Rolling Stone magazine considered the mixtapes Da Drought 3 and The Drought Is Over 2 (The Carter 3 Sessions) "among the best albums of 2007".
Despite no album release for two years, Carter appeared in numerous singles as a featured performer, including "Gimme That" by Chris Brown, "Make It Rain" by Fat Joe, "You" by Lloyd, and "We Takin' Over" by DJ Khaled (also featuring Akon, T.I., Rick Ross, Fat Joe, and Birdman), "Duffle Bag Boy" by Playaz Circle, "Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)" by Wyclef Jean (also featuring Akon), and the remix to "I'm So Hood" by DJ Khaled (also featuring T-Pain, Young Jeezy, Ludacris, Busta Rhymes, Big Boi, Fat Joe, Birdman, and Rick Ross). All these singles charted within the top 20 spots on the Billboard Hot 100, Hot Rap Tracks, and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts. On Birdman's 2007 album, 5 * Stunna, Carter appeared on the singles "100 Million" and "I Run This" among several other tracks. Carter also appeared on tracks from albums Getback by Little Brother, American Gangster by Jay-Z, and Graduation by Kanye West and Insomniac by Enrique Iglesias. "Make it Rain", a Scott Storch production that peaked at number 13 on the Hot 100 and number two on the Hot Rap Tracks chart, was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for 2008.
Vibe magazine ranked a list of 77 of Lil Wayne's songs from 2007 and ranked his verse in DJ Khaled's "We Takin Over" as his best of 2007, with "Dough Is What I Got" (a freestyle over the beat of Jay-Z's "Show Me What You Got") from Da Drought 3. At the end of 2007, an MTV poll selected Lil Wayne as "Hottest MC in the Game", The New Yorker magazine ranked him "Rapper of the Year", and GQ magazine named him "Workaholic of the Year". In 2008 he was named "Best MC" by Rolling Stone. Another article, built around Lil Wayne's 2007 mixtape work, cites his creative practice as an example of post-performance creative practice.
2007–2010: Tha Carter III, We Are Young Money, and Rebirth
In 2007, Carter stated that he would reunite with Hot Boys, with plans to release an album after B.G.'s solo album Too Hood to Be Hollywood was completed. Tha Carter III was originally scheduled to be released in 2007, but it was delayed after several recordings were leaked and distributed through mixtapes, including The Drought Is Over Pt. 2 and The Drought Is Over Pt. 4. Lil Wayne initially planned to release The Leak, a separate album with leaked songs and four additional tracks, on December 18, 2007, with Tha Carter III delayed to March 18, 2008. Instead, The Leak became an EP with five songs and was released digitally on December 25, 2007.
Tha Carter III was released on June 10, 2008, with first-week sales of over 1 million copies, the first to do so since 50 Cent's The Massacre (2005). The album's first single "Lollipop", featuring Static Major, became the Carter's most successful song at the time, topping the Billboard Hot 100 and becoming his first top 10 single as a solo artist and his first number one on the chart. The third single "Got Money", featuring T-Pain, peaked at number 13 on the Billboard 100. Tha Carter III went on to win four Grammy Awards, including best rap album and best rap song, which he won for "Lollipop". On July 14, 2008, the Recording Industry Association of America certified Tha Carter III two times platinum. In October 2008, Lil Wayne announced plans to MTV News to re-release the album with new tracks, including a duet with Ludacris and remixes of "A Milli".
Carter also appeared on R&B singles "Girls Around the World" by Lloyd, "Love In This Club, Part II" by Usher, "Official Girl" by Cassie, "I'm So Paid" by Akon, "Turnin' Me On" by Keri Hilson, and "Can't Believe It" by T-Pain; rap singles "My Life" by The Game, "Shawty Say" by David Banner, "Swagga Like Us" by T.I., "Cutty Buddy" by Mike Jones, All My Life (In the Ghetto) by Jay Rock and the remix to "Certified" by Glasses Malone; and pop single "Let It Rock" by new Cash Money artist Kevin Rudolf.
In 2008, Carter performed at the Voodoo Experience in October in New Orleans, which was described by Jonathan Cohen of Billboard as his biggest hometown headlining set of his career. He also performed at the Virgin Mobile Music Fest with Kanye West, where they performed the remix of "Lollipop" and lip-synced to Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You". Lil Wayne also performed at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards with Kid Rock ("All Summer Long"), Leona Lewis ("DontGetIt (Misunderstood)") and T-Pain ("Got Money") and performed "Lollipop" and "Got Money" on the season premiere of Saturday Night Live. He later performed at the homecoming rally at Vanderbilt University and the 2008 BET Hip Hop Awards, where he received 12 nominations. He won eight awards at the BET Hip Hop Awards, one of which included the "MVP" title. After M.I.A. dropped out of performing on the I Am Music Tour due to her pregnancy, Jay-Z performed "Mr. Carter" with Lil Wayne at select shows.
Following Tha Carter III achievement of selling over 3 million copies, becoming 2008's best-selling record, Carter re-signed with Cash Money Records for a multi-album deal.
On November 11, 2008, Carter became the first hip hop act to perform at the Country Music Association Awards, playing "All Summer Long" alongside Kid Rock, in which Carter inaudibly strummed guitar strings alongside the guitarist in Kid Rock's band. Shortly after, Wayne was nominated for eight Grammys – the most for any artist nominated that year. He was then named the first MTV Man of the Year at the end of 2008. He won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance for "A Milli", Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for his appearance in T.I.'s single "Swagga Like Us", and Best Rap Song for "Lollipop". Tha Carter III won the award for Best Rap Album. MTV News listed Carter number two on their 2009 list of the Hottest MCs In The Game.
On January 6, 2009, Carter was a guest debater against Skip Bayless on the "1st & 10" segment of ESPN First Take. On February 10, 2009, he appeared on ESPN's Around the Horn and beat out veterans Woody Paige, Jay Mariotti and fellow New Orleanian Michael Smith to win that show's episode. Prior to the 2009 Grammy Awards, Wayne was featured in an interview with Katie Couric. On February 7, 2009, he presented the Top Ten List on CBS's Late Show with David Letterman. On April 24, 2009, he appeared on The View, discussing his GED and addictions. In September 2009, Carter was profiled in an episode of VH1's Behind the Music and was a presenter of the 2009 MTV Movie Awards. In film, Carter produced and composed music for and starred in the direct-to-video film Hurricane Season. A documentary of Carter, titled The Carter, was released at the Sundance Film Festival.
On December 23, 2009, Carter released a collaboration album with Young Money, We Are Young Money, with its lead single being "Every Girl". The second single was "BedRock", featuring Lloyd, with the third being "Roger That". On May 24, 2010, the album was certified gold by the RIAA with over 500,000 copies sold. Carter is featured on the song, "Revolver", with Madonna for her greatest hits album, Celebration (2009). He was also featured on a Weezer song, "Can't Stop Partying", on Raditude (2009). In late 2008, Carter announced plans to reissue Tha Carter III with leftover recordings, and was to be titled Rebirth, originally scheduled to be released on April 7, 2009, before being delayed several times. Rebirth instead became his sixth solo album, released on February 2, 2010.
To support its release and that of We Are Young Money, Carter was featured on the cover of Rolling Stone and headlined the 'Young Money Presents: America's Most Wanted Music Festival', a United States and Canada–only concert tour which began on July 29, 2009. "Prom Queen", the first official single, debuted on January 27, 2009, immediately after a live Internet broadcast on Ustream of his concert in San Diego. It peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. On December 3, 2009, the second single, "On Fire", produced by Cool & Dre "On Fire" peaked at number 33 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. "Drop the World", which features Eminem, was the third single from the Rebirth.
2010–2013: I Am Not a Human Being series and Tha Carter IV
In an interview on MTV's Mixtape Monday, Carter asserted the possibility of Tha Carter IV. He later announced that it would be released in late 2009 before the holiday season. Birdman had previously stated that Tha Carter IV would be packaged with Rebirth as a double disc album. However, Carter denied this idea saying that "Tha Carter IV deserves Tha Carter IV", adding that We Are Young Money may be packaged with Rebirth. However, both albums were released separately.
Originally thought to be an EP, Carter released his tenth album, I Am Not a Human Being, on his 28th birthday, September 27, 2010. The album has sold over 953,000 copies in the U.S. and spawned successful single "Right Above It", which peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. Tha Carter IV was later delayed into 2011, after Lil Wayne began recording from scratch after his release from prison. He described his first song since his release as "a 2010 version of A Milli on steroids". The album's lead single, "6 Foot 7 Foot" featuring Cory Gunz, was released on December 15, 2010, and made available for digital download on iTunes on December 16, 2010. The song is produced by Bangladesh, who also produced "A Milli".
On March 8, 2011, Carter released another song, "We Back Soon", produced by StreetRunner, though it was not included on the official track listing of Tha Carter IV. The second single, "John", was released on March 24, 2011, which features Rick Ross and is produced by Polow Da Don. The album's artwork was unveiled on April 20, 2011. The album was originally scheduled to be released on May 16, 2011, but Mack Maine had confirmed its delay until June 21. On May 26, 2011, the third single, "How to Love", was released. A song called "Dear Anne (Stan Part 2)" was released in June. Carter said the song was a throwaway track from Tha Carter III and was originally supposed to be on Tha Carter IV, but decided not to put it on there because of its age. Carter said that he liked the beat, but not the lyrics, and was thinking about revamping the song.
In July 2011, Carter confirmed in an interview with MTV that Tha Carter IV was finished, and was released on August 29, 2011. For preparation for Tha Carter IV, Carter released a mixtape, Sorry 4 the Wait, with all the beats coming from other artist's songs, similar to his mixtape No Ceilings. Tha Carter IV debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, with first-week sales of 964,000 copies, making it Carter's third chart-topping album of his career. On January 8, 2012, according to Nielsen SoundScan was elected the seventh artist (second male artist) all-time best-selling tracks digital with 36,788,000 million to the end of 2011.
In October 2011, it was reported that Carter was working on sequels to both I Am Not a Human Being and Rebirth. In January 2012, Birdman announced that he and Carter had finished recording Like Father, Like Son 2. On November 22, 2012, he announced that Tha Carter V would be his final album.
After numerous delays, I Am Not a Human Being II was released on March 26, 2013, debuting at number two on the Billboard 200 selling 217,000 copies in its first week; "My Homies Still", "Love Me", and "No Worries" were released as singles prior to its release. The album was met with generally mixed reviews, with most critics noticing the declining quality of his releases. Carter toured North America with 2 Chainz and T.I. on the second America's Most Wanted Festival. On May 3, 2013, Pepsi dropped Carter, who was a spokesperson for Mountain Dew, due to offensive lyrics about civil rights icon Emmett Till. On September 1, 2013, Carter released the fifth instalment of the "Dedication" mixtape series, with Dedication 5. The mixtape featured 29 tracks, with guest appearances from The Weeknd, Chance The Rapper, Jae Millz, Birdman, T.I., Vado, Kidd Kidd, and 2 Chainz among other members of Young Money.
2014–2019: Free Weezy Album and Tha Carter V
On February 10, 2014, Drake tweeted "CARTER V". On October 18, 2013, Cash Money Records Vice President of Promotion Mel Smith, tweeted: "Happy Friday!! New YMCMB music coming soon!! Carter 5." Nearly four months later, in an interview with The Griffin, released on February 14, 2014, Smith spoke on the upcoming album: "We're very close to dropping the album. It's going to be a huge surprise to everyone, it's an incredible album ... I can't release the date because he wants to surprise people, he wants his true fan base to get excited, but he's worked extremely hard on it and you won't be disappointed." On February 15, 2014, during the NBA All-Star Weekend festivities at Sprite's NBA All-Star concert at the House of Blues in New Orleans, Carter appeared as a special guest during Drake's set and performed various hits. Carter and Drake then announced that Tha Carter V would be released on May 5, 2014. However, on March 27, 2014, Carter's manager Cortez Bryant announced that the album had been delayed. Carter then serviced Tha Carter Vs first single "Believe Me", which features vocals from Drake, to mainstream urban radio in the United States on May 6, 2014. Three more singles, "Krazy", "Grindin'" (featuring Drake) and "Start a Fire" (featuring Christina Milian), were also released for the album.
On December 4, 2014, just five days before the album was due to be released again, Carter issued a statement saying the album would not be released on its expected release date, due to his displeasure with Cash Money Records label-boss Birdman, refusing to release the album although it had been completed. Carter also expressed his feelings by stating he felt both he and his creativity were being held "prisoner".
On January 20, 2015, Carter self-released Sorry 4 the Wait 2, a sequel to his 2011 mixtape, to compensate for the continued delay of Tha Carter V. Upon Sorry for the Wait 2s release, it was said Wayne disses Birdman and Cash Money Records, several times throughout the mixtape. Birdman was reported to be upset with this. In late January 2015, Carter sued Birdman and Cash Money Records for $51 million. In February 2015, due to Tha Carter Vs delay, Carter announced that a free album would be released prior to the fifth installment in his popular series. In June 2015, Carter joined Jay-Z's TIDAL, as an artist owner, kicking off the partnership by exclusively releasing a single on the service titled "Glory". He's also announced plans on his own TIDAL X concert series. On July 4, 2015, Carter released Free Weezy Album, exclusively through TIDAL, under Young Money and Republic Records.
Carter and Birdman supposedly reconciled after being seen at Drake's NYE Party, at Miami's Club Liv, and in studio. On January 27, 2016, when rapper 2 Chainz released his "Felt Like Cappin" EP, Carter is featured on the lead single titled "Back On That Bullshit". On March 4, 2016, 2 Chainz released his third studio album, ColleGrove. The album was initially a collaborative effort between 2 Chainz and Carter, but due to his record label issues, only 2 Chainz was credited as the primary artist. In 2017, Carter announced that he signed with Roc Nation. Later, Carter revealed that there was no official paperwork that he signed to the label. On June 28, 2016, Carter was one of the main singers in the song "Sucker for Pain", along with Wiz Khalifa and Imagine Dragons, for the DC Comics film Suicide Squad. X Ambassadors and Ty Dolla Sign were also featured in the song. On August 8, 2017, he released the song "Like a Man" with sound engineer Onhel.
On June 7, 2018, it was announced that Carter had been released from Cash Money Records and will be releasing Tha Carter V via Universal Records.
In September 2016, Carter's song "No Mercy" debuted as the theme song for Skip and Shannon: Undisputed sports talk on FS1. Carter is a frequent guest on the program. On Christmas 2017, Carter released the mixtape Dedication 6, the sixth instalment of the "Gangsta Grillz" chronology. The second part was released on January 26, 2018.
Tha Carter V was finally released on September 27, 2018, debuting at number one on the US Billboard 200 with 480,000 album-equivalent units, including 140,000 pure album sales. It is the second-largest streaming week for an album behind Drake's Scorpion with 433 million streams. It is also Carter's fourth US number-one album. Every song on the album charted on the Billboard 100, while simultaneously charting 4 songs in the top 10, also becoming the first artist to debut two songs in the top 5.
2020–present: Funeral, Young Money Radio, re-releases, I Am Not a Human Being III, Trust Fund Babies and Tha Carter VI
While Carter was working on Tha Carter V, it was announced that his next album would be titled Funeral. On January 23, 2020, he revealed the album's release date and album artwork. Funeral was released on January 31, and debuted at number-one on the US Billboard 200, with 139,000 album-equivalent units, becoming his fifth US number-one album. The album received generally positive reviews from music critics. On February 2, 2020, Lil Wayne competed in Season 3 of The Masked Singer after the Super Bowl LIV as "Robot". He was the first to be eliminated. Carter featured on Lil Baby's track "Forever", a track from Baby's second studio album, My Turn, which was released on February 28, 2020. Carter also participates in the music video for the song, which was released on March 3, 2020. This marked the second collaboration for the two artists in 2020, with the first being on Carter's single "I Do It".
On April 24, 2020, Lil Wayne along with Dash Radio, launched his own radio show, Young Money Radio, on Apple Music. Wayne described the show as having "heavyweights calling in discussing sports, music, comedy, everything!". On July 3, Lil Wayne released his eleventh studio album, Free Weezy Album (2015) on streaming services to commemorate its five-year anniversary. The album charted at number 77 on the Billboard 200 the following week. On May 29, Wayne released the deluxe edition of Funeral featuring artists such as Doja Cat, Tory Lanez, Lil Uzi Vert, Benny The Butcher, Conway the Machine and Jessie Reyez. On August 28, Wayne released another old project, his 2009 mixtape No Ceilings, for commercial release. He also celebrated the release by collaborating with ASAP Ferg on the song "No Ceilings". Wayne was featured on YoungBoy Never Broke Again's album Top on the track "My Window", released on September 11. His verse received praise from critics. On September 25, he released the deluxe edition of his twelfth album Tha Carter V, to celebrate the album's two-year anniversary; it consists of songs that did not make the cut on the original album.
On November 27, 2020, Lil Wayne released the mixtape No Ceilings 3, while announcing the album I Am Not a Human Being III for 2021, although it would not be released that year due to delays. On October 1, 2021, Wayne and Rich the Kid released a collaborative mixtape titled Trust Fund Babies, along with a music video for the single "Feelin' Like Tunechi". The mixtape took roughly a month and a half to record. On their working relationship, Wayne said, "For me, it's the chemistry, it's the camaraderie because first of all, Rich like my little bro and me and Rich been rockin' for a minute".
Wayne is currently working on Tha Carter VI.
Future projects
Carter has announced several possible upcoming projects, including a collaborative album entitled I Can't Feel My Face with Harlem-based rapper Juelz Santana, that has been in production for several years. In late 2011, it was announced by Mack Maine that Carter and Juelz Santana had gone back to work on their collaborative album I Can't Feel My Face, which had been delayed for a few years due to "label politics".
On June 19, 2008, Carter and T-Pain formed a duo called T-Wayne with plans to release an album, titled He Raps, He Sings; however, those plans have died down due to much of the material recorded for the album being leaked. T-Pain ultimately released T-Wayne in 2017.
According to an interview with Drake, in the December 2011 issue of XXL, plans for an upcoming album with Carter had been scrapped for the time being because of the Jay-Z and Kanye West collaboration album Watch the Throne (2011).
In April 2012, on the premiere of MTV's Hip Hop POV, Carter sat down with Amanda Seales and spoke briefly about an album he put together titled Devol (loved, backwards), an album full of "love songs" that he wrote during his imprisonment at Rikers Island. In May 2013 he confirmed the album will still be released.
Carter's once ongoing litigation with Cash Money prevented numerous completed projects from being released. In January 2017, Young Money revealed the title of a planned Carter album called Velvet. The album ended up leaking online in November 2018.
Retirement plans
On March 29, 2011, in an interview with Hot 97's Angie Martinez, Carter announced that he would retire at age 35; saying "I have four kids", and that "I would feel selfish still going to the studio when it's such a vital point in their lives." He said in November 2012 that Tha Carter V will be his last album as he wanted to go into other interests.
In March 2014, Carter reconfirmed at SXSW that Tha Carter V will be his last album during his keynote with interviewer Elliot Wilson.
In September 2016, in regards to his contract dispute with Cash Money, he indicated a possible retirement on Twitter saying "I AM NOW DEFENSELESS and mentally DEFEATED" and then said, "I leave gracefully and thankful I luh my fanz but I'm done." Many rappers responded with respect and encouragement.
Personal life
Relationships and children
Carter has four children. His first child, daughter Reginae, was born November 29, 1998, when he was 16, to his high school sweetheart Toya Johnson. They later married on Valentine's Day 2004 and divorced in 2006. Internet rumors started circulating in August 2008 that Carter's daughter had died in a car crash, which however he quickly cleared up as false saying "Please allow me to dispel any rumors or speculations and report that my daughter is alive, healthy and surrounded by family who cares and loves her dearly. The rumors are completely false and unfounded; neither Reginae nor any other member of my family has been involved in any car accident."
His second child, Dwayne III, was born on October 22, 2008, at The Christ Hospital in Cincinnati to radio broadcaster Sarah Vivan. His third child, Cameron, was born to actress Lauren London on September 9, 2009. His fourth child, Neal, was born on November 30, 2009, to singer Nivea. Trina also became pregnant with Carter's child, but later suffered a miscarriage.
In July 2014, it was rumored that Carter was dating singer Christina Milian whom he attended the ESPY Awards with. They later confirmed their relationship in mid-2015 after which they received criticism from their interconnected exes, singer Nivea and songwriter The-Dream. They split at the end of 2015 after collaborating on various singles, videos, and concert dates.
Wayne was engaged to model La'Tecia Thomas, but called off the engagement in May 2020.
In June 2020, it was announced that Wayne had started dating Denise Bidot, another model. In November 2020, they reportedly broke up over Wayne's endorsement of Donald Trump. Shortly after, it was reported that the couple had reconciled.
Beliefs and interests
In an interview with Blender, Carter revealed one of his favorite bands from childhood to be rock group Nirvana, and cites them as a major influence in his music.
Carter got his first tattoo at age 14 of his dad's name and his second was "Cash Money" across his stomach. His tattoos have grown to include a Jay-Z verse on his leg, "I Am Music" on his forehead and teardrops on his cheeks among many others. His most recent one is "Baked" on his forehead stylized as the Baker Skateboards logo. While playing in Newark Symphony Hall, Carter professed his belief "in God and His son, Jesus". During his 2011 tour in Australia with Eminem, before beginning his bracket he proclaimed his belief in God. One Christian minister says Carter's stated religiosity and the un-religious lyrical content of his music are incongruous.
After earning his GED, Carter enrolled at the University of Houston in January 2005. He dropped out in the same year due to his conflicting schedule. He also revealed on The View that he switched to the University of Phoenix and majored in psychology taking online courses. An article in Urb magazine in March 2007 asserted that Carter had been earning high grades at Houston.
On September 24, 2008, Carter published his first blog for ESPN in their issue, ESPN The Magazine. Carter revealed he was a fan of tennis, the Green Bay Packers, the Boston Bruins, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Red Sox. To commemorate the Packers' making it to Super Bowl XLV, he spoofed Wiz Khalifa's hit song "Black and Yellow" (which were the colors of the Packers' opponents, the Pittsburgh Steelers) in a song titled "Green and Yellow". He released a second version of the song in 2021, which was requested by the Packers, and updated with the current roster.Carter has continued writing for ESPN, notably reporting at the ESPN Super Bowl party. Carter made his debut on ESPN's daily sports round table show Around The Horn on February 10, 2009. Carter now currently sings the intro song "No Mercy" for the Fox Sports 1 sports debate show Undisputed.
Carter received criticism after a video released by TMZ showed him apparently stepping on the U.S. flag. Carter later explained that "It was never my intention to desecrate the flag of the United States", and that he was shooting a video for a song on his upcoming album, "God Bless Amerika". He says the purpose of the flag was to show that "behind the American Flag was the Hoods of America".
In late 2016, Carter made statements critical of the Black Lives Matter movement, saying, "I don't feel connected to a damn thing that ain't got nothin' to do with me. If you do, you crazy as shit," adding that his status as a wealthy black man who has white fans is evidence that black people are valued in the United States.
In 2016, Carter purchased Player's Rep. Sports Agency, and became Young Money APAA sports, which hired NFL's first female sports agent, Nicole Lynn. She currently represents Seth Roberts, Cory Nelson, Jordan Evans, Malik Jefferson, Eric Harris, Quennen Williams, as well as NCAA coaches, and two former #1 Pro Softball draft picks.
On October 29, 2020, less than a week before the presidential election, Carter posted an image of him and President Donald Trump to Twitter. In the caption for the photo, Carter revealed that he and Trump had recently met to discuss criminal justice reform and Trump's Platinum Plan, an initiative which aims to raise access to capital in Black communities by almost $500 billion. Carter claimed Trump "listened to what we had to say today and assured he will and can get it done".
Health problems
On October 25, 2012, Carter's private jet, bound for Los Angeles, made an emergency landing in Texas due to an in-flight medical episode. Lil Wayne was transferred to a local hospital upon arrival. TMZ and other media sources said that Carter had suffered a seizure aboard the plane. His publicist denied this, saying that he was in fact treated for "a severe migraine and dehydration".
The following day, while flying from Texas to Los Angeles, Carter's private jet was reportedly again forced to make an emergency landing, this time in Louisiana, after he suffered a second seizure and required further hospitalization. His representative said that the reports of Carter's condition had been exaggerated, and that he was resting at his Louisiana home. In a November 2012 interview with MTV, Carter revealed that he was taking seizure medication, on doctors' orders, due to the aforementioned incidents.
On March 14, 2013, TMZ reported that Carter had been treated at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on the evening of March 12, after suffering seizures while on a music video set with Young Money rapper Nicki Minaj. He was reportedly released in the early hours of March 13. On March 15, TMZ published a second story, claiming that hours after his release on March 13, Carter was found unconscious after experiencing further seizures, and was brought back to Cedars-Sinai, where he was admitted to the intensive care unit in critical condition. The article alleged the latest seizures were found to be linked to high amounts of codeine in Carter's system, possibly due to binging on purple drank after his initial hospital release. Multiple celebrities, including Drake and Birdman, were photographed on March 15 and 16 visiting Carter at Cedars-Sinai.
Several members of Young Money Entertainment, including president Mack Maine, criticized media reports on Carter's hospitalization, particularly those of TMZ, alleging that they exaggerated the severity of his condition and falsely implied that he was on his deathbed (such as by saying that he was in a medically induced coma), triggering what the Washington Post called "the most overheated celebrity deathwatch in recent years". In separate interviews on March 18, Mack Maine and Birdman disputed TMZ's reports, and stated that in fact there were not multiple seizures or multiple hospital visits. They explained that after Carter began seizing on the way to the music video shoot on March 12, an ambulance was called and he was transported to the hospital, where he was admitted and remained continuously thereafter. They also refuted the claims that Carter's seizures are drug-induced, saying that they are an ongoing problem for which doctors have been unable to identify a cause.
Carter was released from the hospital late on March 18, following a six-day stay. Lil Wayne addressed his condition via a vlog, on March 21 saying he was more than good.
Carter had two seizures in June 2016, during a cross-country flight from Wisconsin to California, and landed in Omaha, Nebraska. His plane was only two minutes in air when the second seizure occurred and was forced to land in Omaha once again. Less than a month later, he had another seizure, supposedly due to not taking his epilepsy medication.
Carter canceled a Las Vegas show on September 3, 2017, having had a seizure in a Chicago hospital earlier that day, where he was brought after being found unconscious in a hotel room.
Philanthropy
On February 19, 2008, Carter and Cortez Bryant revisited their alma mater McMain Secondary School to get students to design an invitation to the gala introducing Carter's nonprofit One Family Foundation.
Other ventures
Young Money Entertainment
Books
Carter wrote a memoir of his experience in Rikers Island called Gone Til' November: A Journal of Rikers Island that was released October 11, 2016.
Cannabis industry
In December 2019, Carter announced his own cannabis brand under the name of GKUA Ultra Premium.
Legal issues
Arrests and incarceration
On July 22, 2007, Carter was arrested in New York City following a performance at the Beacon Theatre; the New York City Police Department discovered Carter and another man smoking marijuana near a tour bus. After taking Carter into custody, police discovered a .40 caliber pistol near his person. The gun, which was registered to his manager, was in a bag located near the rapper. He was charged with criminal possession of a weapon and marijuana.
Following a performance at Qwest Arena in Boise, Idaho, Carter was arrested October 5, 2007 on felony fugitive charges after Georgia authorities accused the rapper of possessing a controlled substance. The incident was later described as a "mix-up" and the fugitive charges were dropped.
On January 23, 2008, Carter was arrested alongside two others. His tour bus was stopped by Border Patrol agents near Yuma, Arizona. A K-9 Unit recovered of marijuana, almost of cocaine, of ecstasy, and $22,000 in cash. Carter was charged with four felonies: possession of narcotic drug for sale, possession of dangerous drugs, misconduct involving weapons and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was granted permission to travel outside of the state and remain out of custody on the $10,185 bond he posted.
On May 6, 2008, Carter returned to court in Arizona to plead not guilty to the charges. A bench warrant was issued on March 17, 2010, when Carter did not show for a final trial management conference. However, he was already incarcerated, serving a one-year sentence in Rikers Island on weapons charges. On June 22, 2010, Carter pleaded guilty to the charges. As part of the plea deal he was able to serve 36 months of probation, which he was sentenced to on June 30, 2010.
On December 18, 2009, Carter and 11 others were detained at the Falfurrias, Texas border patrol checkpoint after an unknown amount of marijuana was found on two of his tour buses.
On October 22, 2009, Carter pleaded guilty to attempted criminal possession of a weapon. He was due for sentencing in February 2010 and was expected to receive a one-year county jail sentence, but on February 9, 2010, Carter's attorney announced that the sentencing was delayed until March 2 due to dental surgery, which was performed on February 16. The surgery included eight root canals, the replacement of several tooth implants, as well as the addition of a few new implants and work on his remaining original teeth. On March 2, 2010, sentencing was postponed again when the courthouse reported a fire in the basement.
On March 8, 2010, Carter was given a one-year sentence, which he served in Rikers Island. His lawyer said the rapper expected to be held in protective custody, separated from other prisoners. In May 2010, Carter was found by Rikers Island correctional staff to be in possession of contraband (an MP3 player, charger, and headphones). In April 2010, Carter's friends created a website called Weezy Thanx You, which publishes letters written by Carter while incarcerated. In the first letter, titled "Gone 'til November", Carter said he was staying in good spirits thinking about his children and spending his time working out regularly and reading the Bible every day. Carter was released from Rikers Island Jail on November 4, 2010, after serving eight months of his year-long sentence.
On December 12, 2020, Carter pleaded guilty to a federal firearms charge brought against him by the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. This plea stemmed from an incident during December of the previous year, when Carter was arrested in Florida after transporting a loaded handgun on his private jet from California. As a convicted felon, he is barred from possessing such weapons. He was pardoned by U.S. President Donald Trump on January 19, 2021, his last full day in office.
Lawsuits
On July 24, 2008, Abkco Music Inc filed a lawsuit against Carter for copyright infringement and unfair competition, specifically referring to Tha Carter III track "Playing with Fire". In the lawsuit, Abkco says that the song was obviously derived from The Rolling Stones' "Play with Fire", to which Abkco owns the rights. Subsequently, "Playing with Fire" was removed from the track list of Tha Carter III on all online music stores and replaced with the David Banner produced track, "Pussy Monster".
In February 2009, production company RMF Productions filed a $1.3 million lawsuit against Carter following a $100,000 advance payment for three shows, all of which were cancelled by the artist.
In October 2009, Carter, Birdman, Cash Money Records, and various music distribution outlets were sued for copyright infringement by Thomas Marasciullo, who says his voice was used without permission. The rappers asked him to record some "Italian-styled spoken word recordings" in 2006. The lyrics were allegedly used on "Respect" and other tracks from the rappers' collaboration album Like Father, Like Son and Birdman's 5 * Stunna.
In March 2011, producer Deezle (Darius Harrison) sued Carter and his parent labels Cash Money Records over unpaid royalties from Tha Carter III.
In May 2011, producer Bangladesh also filed a lawsuit against Weezy & Co. over unpaid royalties as well.
In early June 2011, another producer named David Kirkwood filed a lawsuit against Young Money Entertainment and Cash Money Records on claims that the labels have failed to pay him over $1.5 million in royalties and production services for his work on the album, also including his songwriting on "Love Me or Hate Me", a bonus song featured only on the deluxe edition of the album.
Also in June 2011, Dallas producers Play-N-Skillz filed a lawsuit against him, saying Carter owes them at least $1 million in unpaid royalties for "Got Money" from his album Tha Carter III. The single has sold over 2 million copies since being released.
In July 2011, Done Deal Enterprises, a production company based in Georgia, filed suit against Carter, Universal Music Group, Cash Money Records and Young Money Entertainment, claiming copyright infringement. The lawsuit alleges Carter stole the song "BedRock", featured on the compilation album We Are Young Money, and seeks damages of $15 million.
Feuds
Juvenile
Carter began feuding with former Hot Boys member and Cash Money Records labelmate Juvenile in 2002, after Juvenile took offense to Carter naming his third studio album 500 Degreez, a diss aimed towards Juvenile whose last album was named 400 Degreez. Juvenile responded with a diss track on his 2002 album 600 Degreez, titled "A Hoe". In the song, Juvenile questions Carter's sexuality, and says he's a fake gangster. The two squashed their beef for a short period in 2004, with Carter and Birdman appearing in the music video for Juvenile and Soulja Slim's song, Slow Motion. Carter later paid tribute to the Hot Boys with a song called "I Miss My Dawgs" on 2004's Tha Carter. Juvenile responded by calling the song "fake", and criticized Carter for releasing a tribute song and later promoting the album on BET and having "nothing good to say about them". The two eventually reconciled once again, and Juvenile re-signed with Cash Money Records in 2014.
Young Buck
Young Buck released a song called "Off Parole", featuring Tony Yayo, which insulted Carter. Young Buck said that Carter could not be angry, because Young Buck spoke the truth. Young Buck also said "You think you got a problem with Juve and B.G.; you'll have a true problem with me", referring to the Cash Money-Juvenile/B.G feud. One of the reasons 50 Cent stated he was dismissing Young Buck was what he called "inconsistent behavior" which included appearing on stage with Carter, then seemingly dissing him on records with G-Unit. After he was dismissed, Young Buck appeared in the music video "My Life" by The Game, which featured Carter in the vocals. As of 2009, Young Buck and Carter have squashed their beef and also linked up to record a track "Up's and Down's" for Young Buck's Back On My Buck Shit mixtape.
Pusha T
Tension between Wayne and American rapper, Pusha T, had been going on for years, beginning soon after Clipse and Birdman worked on "What Happened to That Boy", the latter's 2002 single. In 2006, Wayne felt the Clipse song "Mr. Me Too" was directed at him which caused more tension between the two. In 2012 after much speculation that Pusha T was subliminally dissing Canadian rapper and Wayne's Young Money signee Drake in several songs, the speculation heightened after the release of Pusha T's "Exodus 23:1" song. Lil Wayne quickly responded on online social networking service Twitter and later released a diss track titled "Goulish". In the first verse Wayne raps "Fuck Pusha T and anybody that love him / His head up his ass, I'mma have to head-butt him". Pusha T called Wayne's diss track "horrible" and said he felt it did not deserve a response. Both men have downplayed the feud, with Wayne saying he's over it. However, in late November, Pusha T dissed Wayne and Birdman on a new Ludacris song titled "Tell Me What They Mad For". However, once the feud between Lil Wayne and Birdman arose, Pusha T sent out a tweet encouraging Lil Wayne to sign to G.O.O.D. Music, which also insulted Birdman for his hand-rubbing habit.
Jay-Z
In a 2009 interview with Tropical TV, Birdman disputed the MTV poll that voted Jay-Z "The Hottest MC in the Game", stating that Lil Wayne was a better rapper and made more money. In early 2011, when Jay-Z and Kanye West's single "H•A•M" was released, Jay-Z took shots at Birdman, saying "Really, you got Baby money" and "[you] ain't got my lady's money!". On August 24, 2011, a song called "It's Good" by Lil Wayne (featuring Drake and Jadakiss) was leaked online and included Lil Wayne responding "Talkin' 'bout baby money? I gotcha baby money. Kidnap your bitch, get that, How much you love your lady? money". Jadakiss later absolved himself of involvement in any brewing beef on his official Twitter feed.
Discography
Studio albums
Tha Block Is Hot (1999)
Lights Out (2000)
500 Degreez (2002)
Tha Carter (2004)
Tha Carter II (2005)
Tha Carter III (2008)
Rebirth (2010)
I Am Not a Human Being (2010)
Tha Carter IV (2011)
I Am Not a Human Being II (2013)
Free Weezy Album (2015)
Tha Carter V (2018)
Funeral (2020)
I Am Not a Human Being III (TBA)
Filmography
Film
Television
Awards and nominations
See also
List of artists who reached number one in the United States
List of best-selling music artists in the United States
List of best-selling singles in the United States
List of best-selling singles worldwide
List of best-selling albums by year in the United States
List of artists who reached number one on the UK Singles Chart
References
External links
1982 births
Living people
20th-century American singers
21st-century American male actors
21st-century American rappers
21st-century American singers
African-American business executives
African-American businesspeople
African-American male actors
African-American male rappers
African-American male singers
African-American songwriters
American businesspeople convicted of crimes
American chief executives
American hip hop singers
American male rappers
American male singers
American male television actors
American music industry executives
American people convicted of drug offenses
American people of Nigerian descent
American shooting survivors
Bloods
Businesspeople from New Orleans
Cash Money Millionaires members
Cash Money Records artists
Gangsta rappers
Grammy Award winners for rap music
Hot Boys members
Male actors from New Orleans
People with epilepsy
Pop rappers
Rappers from New Orleans
Recipients of American presidential pardons
Republic Records artists
Singers from Louisiana
Songwriters from Louisiana
Southern hip hop musicians
Trap musicians
Universal Motown Records artists
Universal Records artists
University of Phoenix alumni
World Music Awards winners
Young Money Entertainment artists
| false |
[
"\"What Else Is There?\" is the third single from the Norwegian duo Röyksopp's second album The Understanding. It features the vocals of Karin Dreijer from the Swedish electronica duo The Knife. The album was released in the UK with the help of Astralwerks.\n\nThe single was used in an O2 television advertisement in the Czech Republic and in Slovakia during 2008. It was also used in the 2006 film Cashback and the 2007 film, Meet Bill. Trentemøller's remix of \"What Else is There?\" was featured in an episode of the HBO show Entourage.\n\nThe song was covered by extreme metal band Enslaved as a bonus track for their album E.\n\nThe song was listed as the 375th best song of the 2000s by Pitchfork Media.\n\nOfficial versions\n\"What Else Is There?\" (Album Version) – 5:17\n\"What Else Is There?\" (Radio Edit) – 3:38\n\"What Else Is There?\" (Jacques Lu Cont Radio Mix) – 3:46\n\"What Else Is There?\" (The Emperor Machine Vocal Version) – 8:03\n\"What Else Is There?\" (The Emperor Machine Dub Version) – 7:51\n\"What Else Is There?\" (Thin White Duke Mix) – 8:25\n\"What Else Is There?\" (Thin White Duke Edit) – 4:50\n\"What Else Is There?\" (Thin White Duke Remix) (Radio Edit) – 3:06\n\"What Else Is There?\" (Trentemøller Remix) – 7:42\n\"What Else Is There?\" (Vitalic Remix) – 5:14\n\nResponse\nThe single was officially released on 5 December 2005 in the UK. The single had a limited release on 21 November 2005 to promote the upcoming album. On the UK Singles Chart, it peaked at number 32, while on the UK Dance Chart, it reached number one.\n\nMusic video\nThe music video was directed by Martin de Thurah. It features Norwegian model Marianne Schröder who is shown lip-syncing Dreijer's voice. Schröder is depicted as a floating woman traveling across stormy landscapes and within empty houses. Dreijer makes a cameo appearance as a woman wearing an Elizabethan ruff while dining alone at a festive table.\n\nMovie spots\n\nThe song is also featured in the movie Meet Bill as characters played by Jessica Alba and Aaron Eckhart smoke marijuana while listening to it. It is also part of the end credits music of the film Cashback.\n\nCharts\n\nReferences\n\n2005 singles\nRöyksopp songs\nAstralwerks singles\nSongs written by Svein Berge\nSongs written by Torbjørn Brundtland\n2004 songs\nSongs written by Roger Greenaway\nSongs written by Olof Dreijer\nSongs written by Karin Dreijer",
"In computer science, the Tak function is a recursive function, named after Ikuo Takeuchi (竹内郁雄). It is defined as follows:\n\ndef tak( x, y, z)\n if y < x\n tak( \n tak(x-1, y, z),\n tak(y-1, z, x),\n tak(z-1, x, y)\n )\n else\n z\n end\nend\n\nThis function is often used as a benchmark for languages with optimization for recursion.\n\ntak() vs. tarai()\nThe original definition by Takeuchi was as follows:\n\ndef tarai( x, y, z)\n if y < x\n tarai( \n tarai(x-1, y, z),\n tarai(y-1, z, x),\n tarai(z-1, x, y)\n )\n else\n y # not z!\n end\nend\n\ntarai is short for たらい回し tarai mawashi, \"to pass around\" in Japanese.\n\nJohn McCarthy named this function tak() after Takeuchi.\n\nHowever, in certain later references, the y somehow got turned into the z.\nThis is a small, but significant difference because the original version benefits significantly by lazy evaluation.\nThough written in exactly the same manner as others, the Haskell code below runs much faster.\n\ntarai :: Int -> Int -> Int -> Int\ntarai x y z\n | x <= y = y\n | otherwise = tarai(tarai (x-1) y z)\n (tarai (y-1) z x)\n (tarai (z-1) x y)\n\nOne can easily accelerate this function via memoization yet lazy evaluation still wins.\n\nThe best known way to optimize tarai is to use mutually recursive helper function as follows.\n\ndef laziest_tarai(x, y, zx, zy, zz)\n unless y < x\n y\n else\n laziest_tarai(tarai(x-1, y, z),\n tarai(y-1, z, x),\n tarai(zx, zy, zz)-1, x, y)\n end\nend\n\ndef tarai(x, y, z)\n unless y < x\n y\n else\n laziest_tarai(tarai(x-1, y, z),\n tarai(y-1, z, x),\n z-1, x, y)\n end\nend\n\nHere is an efficient implementation of tarai() in C:\nint tarai(int x, int y, int z)\n{\n while (x > y) {\n int oldx = x, oldy = y;\n x = tarai(x - 1, y, z);\n y = tarai(y - 1, z, oldx);\n if (x <= y) break;\n z = tarai(z - 1, oldx, oldy);\n }\n return y;\n}\nNote the additional check for (x <= y) before z (the third argument) is evaluated, avoiding unnecessary recursive evaluation.\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\n\nTAK Function\n\nFunctions and mappings\nSpecial functions"
] |
[
"Travis (band)",
"Primrose's accident and change in direction (2002-06)"
] |
C_acd4a39c65e54983894878c8becd46d5_0
|
What caused Primrose's accident?
| 1 |
What caused Primrose's accident?
|
Travis (band)
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In 2002, however, things came to a halt for Travis, with the band almost calling it quits, after drummer Neil Primrose went head-first into a shallow swimming pool while on tour in France, just after a concert at Eurockeennes festival. Breaking his neck, he almost died due to spinal damage. If not for his road crew, he also would have drowned. Despite the severity of the accident, Primrose has since made a full recovery. With Primrose having recovered, Travis regrouped and re-evaluated. Moving into a cottage in Crear, Argyll and Bute, they set up a small studio, and over two weeks, came up with nine new songs that would form the basis of their fourth studio album, 2003's 12 Memories. Produced by Travis themselves, Tchad Blake, and Steve Orchard, the album marked a move into more organic, moody and political territory for the band. Although this seems to have alienated some fans, the album generally received very positive reviews (for example, "Then, of course, there's Travis and their album 12 Memories [Epic]. You just have to sit there and listen to it all the way through, and it will take you on a real journey. It's like an old album. It's like the Beatles' Revolver [1966]. Fran Healy's voice and lyrics are mesmerizing and beautiful"--Elton John), singles such as "Re-Offender" did very well on the UK chart, and the album itself reached No. 3. Yet it also saw them lose ground in the U.S., where Coldplay had usurped Travis during their 2002 absence. Much later, Fran Healy spoke about the album as a whole being about him working through his own clinical depression, and the 12 memories being 12 reasons for him reaching his depressed state. At the time this wasn't mentioned, but the revelation that Healy was depressed ties in with the band's decision to take longer writing and releasing their next work. In 2004, Travis embarked on a highly successful tour of Canada, the US, and Europe (supported by Keane in the UK), and on November 2004, the band released a successful compilation of their singles, Singles, as well as the new tracks, "Walking in the Sun" and "The Distance" (written by Dougie Payne). This was followed by a series of small, intimate gigs at UK venues such as Liverpool's Cavern Club, London's Mean Fiddler, and Glasgow's Barrowlands. While on tour, the band also made a series of impromptu acoustic "busks", raising money for the charity The Big Issue. In addition to other performances, they also headlined the 2005 Isle of Wight Festival and T in the Park. On 2 July 2005, Travis performed at Live 8's London concert, and four days later, at the Edinburgh 50,000 - The Final Push concert. Travis also participated in Band Aid 20's re-recording of "Do They Know It's Christmas?"--Healy and friend Nigel Godrich playing leading roles in its organisation. Healy is a part of the Make Poverty History movement, having recently made two trips to Sudan with the Save the Children organisation. On 13 July 2006, the members of Travis stuck a giant post-it sticker on the front door of the Downing Street home of British Prime Minister, Tony Blair. It read: "Tony Blair--Some steps forward, much to do at the G8, make poverty history." CANNOTANSWER
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after drummer Neil Primrose went head-first into a shallow swimming pool while on tour in France, just after a concert at Eurockeennes festival.
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Travis are a Scottish rock band formed in Glasgow in 1990, composed of Fran Healy (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Dougie Payne (bass guitar, backing vocals), Andy Dunlop (lead guitar, banjo, backing vocals) and Neil Primrose (drums, percussion). The band's name comes from the character Travis Henderson (played by Harry Dean Stanton) from the film Paris, Texas (1984).
The band released their debut album, Good Feeling (1997), to moderate success where it debuted at number nine on the UK Albums Chart and was later awarded a silver certification from the BPI in January 2000. The band gained greater success with their second album, The Man Who (1999), which spent nine weeks at number one on the UK Albums Chart, totalling 134 weeks in the top 100 of the chart. In 2003, The Man Who was certified 9x platinum by the BPI, representing sales of over 2.68 million in the UK alone. Following this success, the band released their third effort, The Invisible Band (2001) album. The Invisible Band went on to match the success found with their previous album, where it debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart and spent a total of four weeks at the top spot, fifteen weeks in the top ten, and a total of fifty-five weeks in the top 100 chart, as well as peaking at thirty-nine on the US Billboard 200 album chart, spending a duration of seven weeks in the Billboard 200 chart. A year following the release of The Invisible Band, the BPI awarded Travis with a 4x platinum certification for the album.
In recent years, the band's discography has included studio albums 12 Memories (2003), The Boy with No Name (2007), Ode to J. Smith (2008), Where You Stand (2013), Everything at Once (2016) and 10 Songs (2020). In 2004, the band released their first greatest hits album, Singles, which spent nineteen weeks in the top 100 of the UK albums chart. Travis have twice been awarded best band at the BRIT Awards and were awarded the NME Artist of the Year award at their 2000 ceremony, and in 2016 were honoured at the Scottish Music Awards for their outstanding contribution to music. The band are widely said by the media to have paved the way for other bands such as Keane and Coldplay to go on to achieve worldwide success throughout the 2000s, particularly with the success of The Man Who.
Craft Recordings celebrated the 20th anniversary of Travis' breakthrough year with two simultaneous releases: Live at Glastonbury '99, plus expanded editions of The Man Who – both of which were released on 21 June 2019.
History
Formation and early years (1990–1993)
The band that would become Travis was formed by brothers Chris Martyn (bass) and Geoff Martyn (keyboards) along with Simon Jarvis (drums). Andy Dunlop, a school friend at Lenzie Academy, was drafted in on guitar. The line-up was completed by a female vocalist, Catherine Maxwell, and the band's name became "Glass Onion", after the Beatles song of the same name. Neil Primrose joined to replace Jarvis. Parting company with their singer in the spring of 1991, they auditioned for a new vocalist. Having met each other through Primrose pouring him a pint, an untrained art student, Fran Healy, then joined after being invited to audition by Primrose. Healy joined the band on the day he enrolled at The Glasgow School of Art, in the autumn of 1991. Two years later, with the option of music holding more appeal, Healy dropped out of art school, and inspired by songwriters such as Joni Mitchell, assumed songwriting responsibilities. With brothers Chris and Geoff Martyn on bass and keyboards, in 1993, the fivesome released a privately made CD, The Glass Onion EP, featuring the tracks "Dream On", "The Day Before", "Free Soul" and "Whenever She Comes Round". 500 copies of the EP were made and were recently valued at £1000 each. Other songs they recorded but were left off are "She's So Strange" and "Not About to Change".
The band won a talent contest organised by the Music in Scotland Trust, who promised £2,000 so that Travis could deal-hunt at a new music seminar in New York. Two weeks before they were due to leave, however, the prize was instead given to the Music in Scotland Trust Directory.
The band showed promise but had yet to evolve into a decent line-up capable of fulfilling it and spent several years treading water. According to their publisher Charlie Pinder: "They were a band that everyone in the A&R community knew about and would go and see every now and then. But they weren’t very good. They had quite good songs; Fran always did write good songs." While on a visit to Scotland, American engineer and producer Niko Bolas, a long-time Neil Young and Rolling Stones associate, tuned into a Travis session on Radio Scotland, and heard something in the band's music which instantly made him travel to Perth to see them. Healy: "He told us we were shit, took us in the studio for four days, and taught us how to play properly, like a band. He was ballsy, rude, and New York pushy. He didn't believe my lyrics and told me to write what I believed in and not tell lies. He was Mary Poppins, he sorted us out." The band recorded a five-song demo, which included the song "All I Want to Do Is Rock".
Changes and debut album (1994–1997)
With the sudden death of his grandfather, a grief-stricken Healy shut himself away, refusing to talk to anyone. Emerging a week later, and with a clear vision of where he now wanted Travis and their music to go, Healy dispensed with the band's management and publicity agent. Having been repeatedly knocked back by the British record industry, the band couldn't afford to stay around the country for another few years and so decided to move to New York, feeling that the U.S. might be more suited to their style of music. Before leaving Healy told the band that they should send the demo to Charlie Pinder of Sony Music Publishing, who they had known for a few years and regularly sent songs to, saying: "If he's not into it, then we'll go." Pinder was immediately impressed by the song "All I Want to Do is Rock", which he felt was a dramatic change for the band: "It was harder, more exciting, sexy; all things that they never really were. They turned a corner." After performing a secret gig for Pinder and his boss at Sony, Blair McDonald, they were signed to Sony Music Publishing. The immediate impact of was that the founding member and keyboard player Geoff Martyn was removed while the bassist, his brother Chris, was replaced with Healy's best friend Dougie Payne. The band was moved to London where they were given a rehearsal room and a house.
Payne, a fellow art student who worked as a Levi's shop assistant, had not played bass guitar previously and initially proved reluctant to take up the new instrument. After having completed a crash course of a couple of weeks, Payne played with the new line-up for the first time in a free space above the Horse Shoe Bar in Glasgow.
Once set up in London the band spent between nine months and a year recording new songs. The band played their first London show at the Dublin Castle in Camden. With around twenty good songs ready they then approached managers Colin Lester and Ian McAndrew of Wildlife Entertainment who then introduced the band to Andy MacDonald, owner of Go! Discs Records and founder of Independiente Records. Sensing greatness, he negotiated with Wildlife Entertainment and signed Travis for a reputed £100,000 of his own money. The band is signed to MacDonald personally, not to the label—if MacDonald ever leaves the Sony-financed label Independiente Records, the band goes with him (commonly referred to in the industry as a "golden handcuffs" clause).
Produced by Steve Lillywhite of U2 fame, Travis' first studio album, 1997's Good Feeling, is a rockier, more upbeat record than the band's others to date. Recorded at the legendary Bearsville Studios in Woodstock, New York, the place where Travis favourite The Band recorded, the album contained singles such as "All I Want to Do Is Rock", "U16 Girls", the Beatle'esque "Tied to the 90s", "Happy" and "More Than Us". Guest musicians include Page McConnell of Phish playing keyboards on the title track "Good Feeling". The album reached No. 9 on the UK Albums Chart, but with little radio play, it slipped from the chart relatively quickly. Although it heralded Travis' arrival on the British music scene, received extremely positive reviews, and substantially broadened Travis' fan base, it sold just 40,000 copies. Following the release, Travis toured extensively, their live performances further enhancing their reputation. This included support slots in the UK for Oasis, after Noel Gallagher became an outspoken fan.
Mainstream success (1998–2001)
Travis' second album, 1999's The Man Who, was produced by Nigel Godrich and partially recorded at producer Mike Hedges' chateau in France. The band continued recording at, among other studios, Abbey Road Studios in London. Shortly after release, The Man Who initially looked as though it would mirror the release of Good Feeling. Although it entered the UK Albums Chart at No. 7, with little radio play of its singles, it quickly slipped down. Worse, many critics who had raved about the rocky Good Feeling rubbished the album for the band's move into more melodic, melancholic material (for example, "Travis will be best when they stop trying to make sad, classic records"—NME). When the album slipped as far as No. 19, it stopped. Word of mouth and increasing radio play of the single "Why Does It Always Rain on Me?" increased awareness of the band and the album began to rise back up the chart. When Travis took the stage to perform this song at the 1999 Glastonbury Festival, after being dry for several hours, it began to rain as soon as the first line was sung. The following day the story was all over the papers and television, and with word of mouth and increased radio play of this and the album's other singles, The Man Who rose to No. 1 on the UK chart. It also eventually took Best Album at the 2000 BRIT Awards, with Travis being named Best Band. Music industry magazine Music Week awarded them the same honours, while at the Ivor Novello Awards, Travis took the Best Songwriter(s) and Best Contemporary Song Awards.
Travis followed the release of The Man Who with an extensive 237-gig world tour, including headlining the 2000 Glastonbury, T in the Park and V Festivals, and a US tour leg with Oasis. In Los Angeles, an appearance of the band at an in-store signing forced police to close Sunset Strip. The gentle, melodic approach of The Man Who became a hallmark of the latter-day Britpop sound, and inspired a new wave of UK-based rock bands, with acts such as Coldplay and Starsailor soon joining Travis in challenging the chart dominance of urban and dance acts. The title "The Man Who" comes from the book The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by neurologist Oliver Sacks. The majority of songs for this album were written before Good Feeling was even released. "Writing to Reach You", "The Fear" and "Luv" being penned around 1995–96, with "As You Are", "Turn" and "She's So Strange" dating back as far as 1993 and the early Glass Onion EP.
The title of Travis' following album, 2001's The Invisible Band, again produced by Nigel Godrich, reflects the band's genuine belief that their music is more important than the group behind it. Featuring such songs as "Sing" (the most played song on British radio that summer), "Side", the McCartneyesque "Flowers in the Window", "Indefinitely", "Pipe Dream" and "The Cage", and recorded at Ocean Way Studios in Los Angeles, the album again made No. 1 on the UK chart, generally received widespread critical acclaim, with the band again taking Best British Band at the annual BRIT Awards. It also received Top of the Pops Album of the Year. The album also had an impact across the Atlantic, the popularity in the US of the single "Coming Around", a non-album track with Byrdsesque harmonies and 12-string guitar, enhancing this. Travis again followed the release of The Invisible Band with an extensive world tour.
Primrose's accident and change in direction (2002–2006)
In 2002 things came to a halt for Travis, with the band almost calling it quits, after drummer Neil Primrose went head-first into a shallow swimming pool while on tour in France, just after a concert at Eurockéennes festival. Breaking his neck, he almost died due to spinal damage. If not for his road crew, he also would have drowned. Despite the severity of the accident, Primrose has since made a full recovery.
With Primrose having recovered, Travis regrouped and re-evaluated. Moving into a cottage in Crear, Argyll and Bute, they set up a small studio, and over two weeks, came up with nine new songs that would form the basis of their fourth studio album, 2003's 12 Memories. Produced by Travis themselves, Tchad Blake, and Steve Orchard, the album marked a move into more organic, moody and political territory for the band. Although this seems to have alienated some fans, the album generally received very positive reviews (for example, "Then, of course, there's Travis and their album 12 Memories [Epic]. You just have to sit there and listen to it all the way through, and it will take you on a real journey. It's like an old album. It's like the Beatles' Revolver [1966]. Fran Healy's voice and lyrics are mesmerizing and beautiful"—Elton John), singles such as "Re-Offender" did very well on the UK chart, and the album itself reached No. 3. Yet it also saw them lose ground in the U.S., where Coldplay had usurped Travis during their 2002 absence. Much later, Fran Healy spoke about the album as a whole being about him working through his own clinical depression, and the 12 memories being 12 reasons for him reaching his depressed state. At the time this wasn't mentioned, but the revelation that Healy was depressed ties in with the band's decision to take longer writing and releasing their next work.
In 2004, Travis embarked on a highly successful tour of Canada, the US, and Europe (supported by Keane in the UK), and in November 2004, the band released a successful compilation of their singles, Singles, as well as the new tracks, "Walking in the Sun" and "The Distance" (written by Dougie Payne). This was followed by a series of small, intimate gigs at UK venues such as Liverpool's Cavern Club, London's Mean Fiddler, and Glasgow's Barrowlands. While on tour, the band made a series of impromptu acoustic "busks", raising money for the charity The Big Issue. In addition to other performances, they headlined the 2005 Isle of Wight Festival and T in the Park.
On 2 July 2005, Travis performed at Live 8's London concert, and four days later, at the Edinburgh 50,000 – The Final Push concert. Travis also participated in Band Aid 20's re-recording of "Do They Know It's Christmas?"—Healy and friend Nigel Godrich playing leading roles in its organisation. Healy is a part of the Make Poverty History movement, having recently made two trips to Sudan with the Save the Children organisation. On 13 July 2006, the members of Travis stuck a giant post-it sticker on the front door of the Downing Street home of British Prime Minister, Tony Blair. It read: "Tony Blair—Some steps forward, much to do at the G8, make poverty history."
Artistic re-evaluation (2007–2009)
Travis released a fifth studio album, The Boy with No Name, on 7 May 2007. Nigel Godrich was the album's executive producer, while Mike Hedges and Brian Eno were also involved. The album is named after Healy's son, Clay, whom Healy and his partner Nora were unable to name until four weeks after his birth. Healy has described the process of making the album as "like coming out of the forest", and that the band is now "in a good place", contrasting with the dark mood surrounding 12 Memories. Travis played at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival on 28 April 2007. At the Virgin Megastore tent in the festival, The Boy With No Name was available to purchase over a week early. Reviews of the album were mixed. The album's first single, "Closer", was released on 23 April 2007 and peaked at No. 10 in the UK Singles Chart. The music video for the single features a cameo role from actor and friend of the band, Ben Stiller. Stiller plays the role of a supermarket manager. The follow-up singles to "Closer" were "Selfish Jean" and "My Eyes".
For the promotional tour for the album (which started just before its release), Travis included a new touring pianist, Claes Björklund from Sweden. Björklund's first appearance with the band was when they played at the Oxford Brookes Union on 19 March 2007, prior to the album's release. The band dedicated their performance at the Vic Theater in Chicago to their producer Nigel Godrich. The album's tour lasted until December 2007 ending in a home-coming gig in Glasgow. The band visited for the first time places including Buenos Aires and Santiago de Chile (playing as part of a festival co-headlined with The Killers and Starsailor) during this tour.
Following a short UK tour, where the band tested some new material, Travis recorded their sixth album in two weeks in February/March 2008, having been inspired by the speed and simplicity of their recent recording session with Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick while participating in a BBC programme celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album. It was announced around this time that the band and long term record label Independiente had split amicably.
In early June 2008, a vinyl EP of the song "J. Smith" was announced online as the first release from Ode to J. Smith for 30 June. It was an EP limited to 1000 copies and not an 'official' single, instead more of a taster of the album for fans.
Fran Healy said, "The album is called Ode to J. Smith partly giving a heads up to the key song and partly because all the songs are written about nameless characters or to nameless characters." He has also described the album as a novel with 12 chapters, with each chapter being a song. In live shows promoting the album in spring 2009, Healy said the song Friends was written from the perspective of the girlfriend of the book's protagonist (J.Smith), about friends who are only there to ask for favours. The album would be released through their own record label Red Telephone Box, with the lead single "Something Anything" being released on 15 September. Two weeks later on 29 September, Ode to J. Smith was released. The band also headlined a 12-gig UK tour to coincide with the releases between 22 September and 8 October. Early reviews were very positive, with some calling it Travis' best record ever.
The second single released from Ode To J. Smith was "Song to Self", on 5 January 2009. In the December 2008 issue of Q Magazine, Ode To J Smith appeared at number 28 on a list of the Readers' Best Albums Of 2008.
Where You Stand (2010–2013)
A live acoustic album featuring Healy and Dunlop was released on 19 January 2010.
In 2011 Travis returned to live performances. They played at the Maxidrom Festival in Moscow, in May; at G! festival, Faroe Island and the Rock’n Coke Festival in Istanbul, Turkey in July. On 31 October, Fran Healy performed a concert in Berlin along with Keane's Tim Rice-Oxley. They performed several Keane songs. Travis recorded some songs for their next album at the end of September 2011 and they continued writing new songs in February 2012 with Keane. Fran Healy confirmed on his Twitter account that the new Travis album will be released in the first half of 2013. Travis played together on 4 May 2012 at the Sandance Festival in Dubai. They also played at the Porto Student Festival in Portugal on 9 May. The band performed in the Norwegian Festival in July 2012 and Belladrum Festival in August 2012.
A pre single teaser track called "Another Guy" from the band's forthcoming seventh album was released as a free download from the band's official website on 20 March 2013. On 25 April 2013, they revealed that the new album Where You Stand would be released on 19 August 2013 via Kobalt Label Services, and that the first eponymous single "Where You Stand" was released on 30 April.
Everything at Once, outstanding music contribution and Almost Fashionable (2013–2016)
A post from Travis on their Instagram page confirmed that recording had commenced on the band's eighth album at Hansa Tonstudio in Berlin in January 2015. On 25 November 2015, Travis shared a free download single 'Everything at Once' and announced two UK live shows in January 2016. A new album, also titled Everything at Once, was released on 29 April 2016.
In 2016 at the 18th annual Scottish Music Awards, Travis were presented with the award for their outstanding contribution to music.
Travis’ June 2016 tour of Mexico formed the backdrop for Almost Fashionable: A Film About Travis, a documentary directed by Healy. The film stars Wyndham Wallace, a music journalist and acquaintance of Healy's in Berlin who was invited to travel with Travis to Mexico because he had previously expressed his distaste for the band. The film had its premiere in 2018 at the 72nd Edinburgh International Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award.
The Man Who anniversary and 10 Songs (2017–present)
In 2017, Travis decided to celebrate the 18th anniversary of their seminal 1999 album The Man Who as they were currently writing songs and figured that they would be busy promoting a new album on what would have been The Man Who’s 20th anniversary. To mark the occasion, the band re-released the album as a limited edition box set.
In September 2017, the band also performed the album in full at two shows in Manchester and London, followed by more full album UK shows in June and December of the following year.
Finally, on the actual 20th anniversary year of The Man Who, the band re-released the album reissue box set, along with the live album Live at Glastonbury ‘99, a recording of the set which turned out to be a pivotal moment in kickstarting Travis’ commercial success despite the band members feeling that they had performed poorly.
On 10 December 2019, Travis released “Kissing in the Wind”, a song from their upcoming new album which had previously been included in their 2018 documentary Almost Fashionable: A Film About Travis. Another single, “A Ghost”, was released on 3 June 2020, along with details of the band's upcoming ninth studio album 10 Songs, released on 9 October of the same year.
Collaborations and solo work
The band have played with a number of other artists, including Paul McCartney, Graham Nash, Noel Gallagher, and Jason Falkner. Travis guest starred on Feeder's "Tumble and Fall", performing backing vocals at the end of the song. This, because Feeder were recording their album Pushing the Senses and Travis were in the next studio.
An adaptation of the Oasis song "Half the World Away", as performed by Healy, was used as the intro music for a sketch in The Adam and Joe Show entitled "The Imperial Family". The sketch itself was a parody of The Royle Family (to which the Oasis song lends itself as the theme music).
In June 2007, Travis participated in BBC Radio 2's project to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. All the album's tracks were re-recorded by contemporary artists, supervised by the original engineer, Geoff Emerick, using the same 4-track studio equipment. Travis contributed a rendition of "Lovely Rita". The band wanted to be as faithful to the original as possible, even to the extent of recording the guitars in the stairwell of Abbey Road Studios to recreate the acoustics.
In 2010, Travis contributed a live version of their song "Before You Were Young" to the Enough Project and Downtown Records' Raise Hope for Congo compilation. Proceeds from the compilation fund efforts to make the protection and empowerment of Congo's women a priority, as well as inspire individuals around the world to raise their voice for peace in Congo.
Healy released his first solo album entitled Wreckorder in October 2010. Recorded in Berlin, New York and Vermont and produced by Emery Dobyns (Patti Smith, Noah and the Whale), the album features Paul McCartney, Neko Case and Noah and the Whale's Tom Hobden.
Band members
Fran Healy – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, piano (1991–present)
Dougie Payne – bass guitar, backing vocals (1994–present)
Andy Dunlop – lead guitar, banjo, backing vocals (1990–present)
Neil Primrose – drums, percussion (1990–present)
Former members
Geoff Martyn – keyboards (1990–1996)
Chris Martyn – bass guitar (1990–1996)
Simon Jarvis – drums, percussion (1990)
Catherine Maxwell – lead vocals (1990– 1991)
Discography
Studio albums
Good Feeling (1997)
The Man Who (1999)
The Invisible Band (2001)
12 Memories (2003)
The Boy with No Name (2007)
Ode to J. Smith (2008)
Where You Stand (2013)
Everything at Once (2016)
10 Songs (2020)
Live albums
Live at Glastonbury ‘99 (2019)
Compilation albums
Singles (2004)
List of awards and nominations received by Travis
Brit Awards
The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards.
|-
| 1998 || Travis || British Breakthrough Act ||
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| rowspan="3" | 2000 || Travis || British Group ||
|-
| The Man Who || British Album of the Year ||
|-
| "Why Does It Always Rain on Me?" || British Single of the Year ||
|-
| 2001 || "Coming Around" || British Video of the Year ||
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2002 || Travis || British Group ||
|-
| The Invisible Band || British Album of the Year ||
|-
| "Sing" || British Video of the Year ||
|}
Q Awards
The Q Awards are the United Kingdom's annual music awards run by the music magazine Q.
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| rowspan="3" | 1999 || Travis || Best New Act ||
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| The Man Who || Best Album ||
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| "Why Does It Always Rain on Me?" || Best Single ||
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2000 || rowspan="2" | Travis || Best Act in the World Today ||
|-
| Best Live Act ||
|-
| "Coming Around" || Best Video ||
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2001 || Travis || Best Act in the World Today ||
|-
| The Invisible Band || Best Album ||
|}
References
External links
Scottish rock music groups
Post-Britpop groups
Britpop groups
British soft rock music groups
Musical groups from Glasgow
Musical groups established in 1990
Brit Award winners
Ivor Novello Award winners
NME Awards winners
Independiente Records artists
Epic Records artists
| false |
[
"Primrose may refer to:\n\nBotany\n Primulaceae, a family of flowering plants\n Primula vulgaris, commonly known as the primrose (also called the common primrose or English primrose)\n Oenothera, commonly known as evening primrose, a plant genus\n Onagraceae, commonly known as the willowherb family or evening primrose family\n\nPlaces\nBritain\n Primrose Hill in London\nCanada\n Primrose Lake on the Alberta/Saskatchewan border\nSouth Africa\n Primrose, Gauteng\nUnited States\n Primrose, Alaska\n Primrose, Georgia\n Primrose, Kentucky\n Primrose, Nebraska\n Primrose, Ohio\n Primrose, Rhode Island\n Primrose, Wisconsin, a town\n Primrose (community), Wisconsin, an unincorporated community\n\nPeople\n\nFamilies \n Clan Primrose, a Scottish clan headed by the Earl of Rosebery\nEarl of Rosebery, a title linked with the Clan Primrose \nLaird of Burnbrae, a title linked with the Clan Primrose\n\nSurname\n Archibald Primrose (disambiguation), various people\n Delphi Primrose (b. 2003), Scottish model\n Francis Ward Primrose (1785–1860), M.P. for Stirling District of Burghs\n George Anson Primrose (1849–1930), Vice-Admiral in the Royal Navy \n George Primrose, member of the blackface song-and-dance team Primrose and West\n Gilbert E. Primrose (1848–1935), Scottish international footballer\n John Primrose (disambiguation), various people\n Henry Primrose (1846–1923), Scottish civil servant who became Chairman of the Board of Inland Revenue\n Hannah Primrose, Countess of Rosebery\n Neil Primrose (musician), Scottish drummer with the rock band Travis\n Patrick Primrose (c. 1605–1671), Scottish Roman Catholic priest\n William Primrose, a violist\n\nFirst name\n Primrose (\"Prim\") Everdeen, Katniss's sister in The Hunger Games trilogy\n\nOther\n Primrose (musical), a musical comedy\n Primrose Brook, a tributary of the Passaic River\n Primrose Day, the anniversary of the death of British prime minister Benjamin Disraeli\n Primrose League, an organisation founded in 1883 to promote Toryism\n Primrose High School, an 11-19 comprehensive school in Leeds, UK\n Operation Primrose, the code name later given to the capture of German submarine U-110\n Primrose, a video game for the Nintendo DSi\n , several Royal Navy ships\n MV Primrose, a freight and passenger ferry\n MV Primrose, a Hong Kong freighter grounded on North Sentinel Island.\n\nSee also \n\n \n Primrose Path (disambiguation)",
"Archibald Primrose may refer to:\n Archibald Primrose, 1st Laird of Burnbrae (c.1538–?)\n Archibald Primrose, Lord Carrington (1616–1679), notable Scottish lawyer, judge, and Cavalier\n Archibald Primrose, 2nd Viscount of Primrose (died 1716), Viscount of Primrose\n Archibald Primrose, 1st Earl of Rosebery (1661–1723), Scottish politician\n Archibald Primrose, 4th Earl of Rosebery (1783–1868), British politician\n Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery (1847–1929), Prime Minister of the United Kingdom\n Archibald Primrose, Lord Dalmeny (1809–1851), Scottish Liberal politician\n Archie Primrose, Lord Dalmeny (1910–1931), English-born Scottish cricketer\n\nSee also\n Earl of Rosebery"
] |
[
"Travis (band)",
"Primrose's accident and change in direction (2002-06)",
"What caused Primrose's accident?",
"after drummer Neil Primrose went head-first into a shallow swimming pool while on tour in France, just after a concert at Eurockeennes festival."
] |
C_acd4a39c65e54983894878c8becd46d5_0
|
did he become paralyzed?
| 2 |
did Neil Primrose become paralyzed after his accident?
|
Travis (band)
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In 2002, however, things came to a halt for Travis, with the band almost calling it quits, after drummer Neil Primrose went head-first into a shallow swimming pool while on tour in France, just after a concert at Eurockeennes festival. Breaking his neck, he almost died due to spinal damage. If not for his road crew, he also would have drowned. Despite the severity of the accident, Primrose has since made a full recovery. With Primrose having recovered, Travis regrouped and re-evaluated. Moving into a cottage in Crear, Argyll and Bute, they set up a small studio, and over two weeks, came up with nine new songs that would form the basis of their fourth studio album, 2003's 12 Memories. Produced by Travis themselves, Tchad Blake, and Steve Orchard, the album marked a move into more organic, moody and political territory for the band. Although this seems to have alienated some fans, the album generally received very positive reviews (for example, "Then, of course, there's Travis and their album 12 Memories [Epic]. You just have to sit there and listen to it all the way through, and it will take you on a real journey. It's like an old album. It's like the Beatles' Revolver [1966]. Fran Healy's voice and lyrics are mesmerizing and beautiful"--Elton John), singles such as "Re-Offender" did very well on the UK chart, and the album itself reached No. 3. Yet it also saw them lose ground in the U.S., where Coldplay had usurped Travis during their 2002 absence. Much later, Fran Healy spoke about the album as a whole being about him working through his own clinical depression, and the 12 memories being 12 reasons for him reaching his depressed state. At the time this wasn't mentioned, but the revelation that Healy was depressed ties in with the band's decision to take longer writing and releasing their next work. In 2004, Travis embarked on a highly successful tour of Canada, the US, and Europe (supported by Keane in the UK), and on November 2004, the band released a successful compilation of their singles, Singles, as well as the new tracks, "Walking in the Sun" and "The Distance" (written by Dougie Payne). This was followed by a series of small, intimate gigs at UK venues such as Liverpool's Cavern Club, London's Mean Fiddler, and Glasgow's Barrowlands. While on tour, the band also made a series of impromptu acoustic "busks", raising money for the charity The Big Issue. In addition to other performances, they also headlined the 2005 Isle of Wight Festival and T in the Park. On 2 July 2005, Travis performed at Live 8's London concert, and four days later, at the Edinburgh 50,000 - The Final Push concert. Travis also participated in Band Aid 20's re-recording of "Do They Know It's Christmas?"--Healy and friend Nigel Godrich playing leading roles in its organisation. Healy is a part of the Make Poverty History movement, having recently made two trips to Sudan with the Save the Children organisation. On 13 July 2006, the members of Travis stuck a giant post-it sticker on the front door of the Downing Street home of British Prime Minister, Tony Blair. It read: "Tony Blair--Some steps forward, much to do at the G8, make poverty history." CANNOTANSWER
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Despite the severity of the accident, Primrose has since made a full recovery.
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Travis are a Scottish rock band formed in Glasgow in 1990, composed of Fran Healy (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Dougie Payne (bass guitar, backing vocals), Andy Dunlop (lead guitar, banjo, backing vocals) and Neil Primrose (drums, percussion). The band's name comes from the character Travis Henderson (played by Harry Dean Stanton) from the film Paris, Texas (1984).
The band released their debut album, Good Feeling (1997), to moderate success where it debuted at number nine on the UK Albums Chart and was later awarded a silver certification from the BPI in January 2000. The band gained greater success with their second album, The Man Who (1999), which spent nine weeks at number one on the UK Albums Chart, totalling 134 weeks in the top 100 of the chart. In 2003, The Man Who was certified 9x platinum by the BPI, representing sales of over 2.68 million in the UK alone. Following this success, the band released their third effort, The Invisible Band (2001) album. The Invisible Band went on to match the success found with their previous album, where it debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart and spent a total of four weeks at the top spot, fifteen weeks in the top ten, and a total of fifty-five weeks in the top 100 chart, as well as peaking at thirty-nine on the US Billboard 200 album chart, spending a duration of seven weeks in the Billboard 200 chart. A year following the release of The Invisible Band, the BPI awarded Travis with a 4x platinum certification for the album.
In recent years, the band's discography has included studio albums 12 Memories (2003), The Boy with No Name (2007), Ode to J. Smith (2008), Where You Stand (2013), Everything at Once (2016) and 10 Songs (2020). In 2004, the band released their first greatest hits album, Singles, which spent nineteen weeks in the top 100 of the UK albums chart. Travis have twice been awarded best band at the BRIT Awards and were awarded the NME Artist of the Year award at their 2000 ceremony, and in 2016 were honoured at the Scottish Music Awards for their outstanding contribution to music. The band are widely said by the media to have paved the way for other bands such as Keane and Coldplay to go on to achieve worldwide success throughout the 2000s, particularly with the success of The Man Who.
Craft Recordings celebrated the 20th anniversary of Travis' breakthrough year with two simultaneous releases: Live at Glastonbury '99, plus expanded editions of The Man Who – both of which were released on 21 June 2019.
History
Formation and early years (1990–1993)
The band that would become Travis was formed by brothers Chris Martyn (bass) and Geoff Martyn (keyboards) along with Simon Jarvis (drums). Andy Dunlop, a school friend at Lenzie Academy, was drafted in on guitar. The line-up was completed by a female vocalist, Catherine Maxwell, and the band's name became "Glass Onion", after the Beatles song of the same name. Neil Primrose joined to replace Jarvis. Parting company with their singer in the spring of 1991, they auditioned for a new vocalist. Having met each other through Primrose pouring him a pint, an untrained art student, Fran Healy, then joined after being invited to audition by Primrose. Healy joined the band on the day he enrolled at The Glasgow School of Art, in the autumn of 1991. Two years later, with the option of music holding more appeal, Healy dropped out of art school, and inspired by songwriters such as Joni Mitchell, assumed songwriting responsibilities. With brothers Chris and Geoff Martyn on bass and keyboards, in 1993, the fivesome released a privately made CD, The Glass Onion EP, featuring the tracks "Dream On", "The Day Before", "Free Soul" and "Whenever She Comes Round". 500 copies of the EP were made and were recently valued at £1000 each. Other songs they recorded but were left off are "She's So Strange" and "Not About to Change".
The band won a talent contest organised by the Music in Scotland Trust, who promised £2,000 so that Travis could deal-hunt at a new music seminar in New York. Two weeks before they were due to leave, however, the prize was instead given to the Music in Scotland Trust Directory.
The band showed promise but had yet to evolve into a decent line-up capable of fulfilling it and spent several years treading water. According to their publisher Charlie Pinder: "They were a band that everyone in the A&R community knew about and would go and see every now and then. But they weren’t very good. They had quite good songs; Fran always did write good songs." While on a visit to Scotland, American engineer and producer Niko Bolas, a long-time Neil Young and Rolling Stones associate, tuned into a Travis session on Radio Scotland, and heard something in the band's music which instantly made him travel to Perth to see them. Healy: "He told us we were shit, took us in the studio for four days, and taught us how to play properly, like a band. He was ballsy, rude, and New York pushy. He didn't believe my lyrics and told me to write what I believed in and not tell lies. He was Mary Poppins, he sorted us out." The band recorded a five-song demo, which included the song "All I Want to Do Is Rock".
Changes and debut album (1994–1997)
With the sudden death of his grandfather, a grief-stricken Healy shut himself away, refusing to talk to anyone. Emerging a week later, and with a clear vision of where he now wanted Travis and their music to go, Healy dispensed with the band's management and publicity agent. Having been repeatedly knocked back by the British record industry, the band couldn't afford to stay around the country for another few years and so decided to move to New York, feeling that the U.S. might be more suited to their style of music. Before leaving Healy told the band that they should send the demo to Charlie Pinder of Sony Music Publishing, who they had known for a few years and regularly sent songs to, saying: "If he's not into it, then we'll go." Pinder was immediately impressed by the song "All I Want to Do is Rock", which he felt was a dramatic change for the band: "It was harder, more exciting, sexy; all things that they never really were. They turned a corner." After performing a secret gig for Pinder and his boss at Sony, Blair McDonald, they were signed to Sony Music Publishing. The immediate impact of was that the founding member and keyboard player Geoff Martyn was removed while the bassist, his brother Chris, was replaced with Healy's best friend Dougie Payne. The band was moved to London where they were given a rehearsal room and a house.
Payne, a fellow art student who worked as a Levi's shop assistant, had not played bass guitar previously and initially proved reluctant to take up the new instrument. After having completed a crash course of a couple of weeks, Payne played with the new line-up for the first time in a free space above the Horse Shoe Bar in Glasgow.
Once set up in London the band spent between nine months and a year recording new songs. The band played their first London show at the Dublin Castle in Camden. With around twenty good songs ready they then approached managers Colin Lester and Ian McAndrew of Wildlife Entertainment who then introduced the band to Andy MacDonald, owner of Go! Discs Records and founder of Independiente Records. Sensing greatness, he negotiated with Wildlife Entertainment and signed Travis for a reputed £100,000 of his own money. The band is signed to MacDonald personally, not to the label—if MacDonald ever leaves the Sony-financed label Independiente Records, the band goes with him (commonly referred to in the industry as a "golden handcuffs" clause).
Produced by Steve Lillywhite of U2 fame, Travis' first studio album, 1997's Good Feeling, is a rockier, more upbeat record than the band's others to date. Recorded at the legendary Bearsville Studios in Woodstock, New York, the place where Travis favourite The Band recorded, the album contained singles such as "All I Want to Do Is Rock", "U16 Girls", the Beatle'esque "Tied to the 90s", "Happy" and "More Than Us". Guest musicians include Page McConnell of Phish playing keyboards on the title track "Good Feeling". The album reached No. 9 on the UK Albums Chart, but with little radio play, it slipped from the chart relatively quickly. Although it heralded Travis' arrival on the British music scene, received extremely positive reviews, and substantially broadened Travis' fan base, it sold just 40,000 copies. Following the release, Travis toured extensively, their live performances further enhancing their reputation. This included support slots in the UK for Oasis, after Noel Gallagher became an outspoken fan.
Mainstream success (1998–2001)
Travis' second album, 1999's The Man Who, was produced by Nigel Godrich and partially recorded at producer Mike Hedges' chateau in France. The band continued recording at, among other studios, Abbey Road Studios in London. Shortly after release, The Man Who initially looked as though it would mirror the release of Good Feeling. Although it entered the UK Albums Chart at No. 7, with little radio play of its singles, it quickly slipped down. Worse, many critics who had raved about the rocky Good Feeling rubbished the album for the band's move into more melodic, melancholic material (for example, "Travis will be best when they stop trying to make sad, classic records"—NME). When the album slipped as far as No. 19, it stopped. Word of mouth and increasing radio play of the single "Why Does It Always Rain on Me?" increased awareness of the band and the album began to rise back up the chart. When Travis took the stage to perform this song at the 1999 Glastonbury Festival, after being dry for several hours, it began to rain as soon as the first line was sung. The following day the story was all over the papers and television, and with word of mouth and increased radio play of this and the album's other singles, The Man Who rose to No. 1 on the UK chart. It also eventually took Best Album at the 2000 BRIT Awards, with Travis being named Best Band. Music industry magazine Music Week awarded them the same honours, while at the Ivor Novello Awards, Travis took the Best Songwriter(s) and Best Contemporary Song Awards.
Travis followed the release of The Man Who with an extensive 237-gig world tour, including headlining the 2000 Glastonbury, T in the Park and V Festivals, and a US tour leg with Oasis. In Los Angeles, an appearance of the band at an in-store signing forced police to close Sunset Strip. The gentle, melodic approach of The Man Who became a hallmark of the latter-day Britpop sound, and inspired a new wave of UK-based rock bands, with acts such as Coldplay and Starsailor soon joining Travis in challenging the chart dominance of urban and dance acts. The title "The Man Who" comes from the book The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by neurologist Oliver Sacks. The majority of songs for this album were written before Good Feeling was even released. "Writing to Reach You", "The Fear" and "Luv" being penned around 1995–96, with "As You Are", "Turn" and "She's So Strange" dating back as far as 1993 and the early Glass Onion EP.
The title of Travis' following album, 2001's The Invisible Band, again produced by Nigel Godrich, reflects the band's genuine belief that their music is more important than the group behind it. Featuring such songs as "Sing" (the most played song on British radio that summer), "Side", the McCartneyesque "Flowers in the Window", "Indefinitely", "Pipe Dream" and "The Cage", and recorded at Ocean Way Studios in Los Angeles, the album again made No. 1 on the UK chart, generally received widespread critical acclaim, with the band again taking Best British Band at the annual BRIT Awards. It also received Top of the Pops Album of the Year. The album also had an impact across the Atlantic, the popularity in the US of the single "Coming Around", a non-album track with Byrdsesque harmonies and 12-string guitar, enhancing this. Travis again followed the release of The Invisible Band with an extensive world tour.
Primrose's accident and change in direction (2002–2006)
In 2002 things came to a halt for Travis, with the band almost calling it quits, after drummer Neil Primrose went head-first into a shallow swimming pool while on tour in France, just after a concert at Eurockéennes festival. Breaking his neck, he almost died due to spinal damage. If not for his road crew, he also would have drowned. Despite the severity of the accident, Primrose has since made a full recovery.
With Primrose having recovered, Travis regrouped and re-evaluated. Moving into a cottage in Crear, Argyll and Bute, they set up a small studio, and over two weeks, came up with nine new songs that would form the basis of their fourth studio album, 2003's 12 Memories. Produced by Travis themselves, Tchad Blake, and Steve Orchard, the album marked a move into more organic, moody and political territory for the band. Although this seems to have alienated some fans, the album generally received very positive reviews (for example, "Then, of course, there's Travis and their album 12 Memories [Epic]. You just have to sit there and listen to it all the way through, and it will take you on a real journey. It's like an old album. It's like the Beatles' Revolver [1966]. Fran Healy's voice and lyrics are mesmerizing and beautiful"—Elton John), singles such as "Re-Offender" did very well on the UK chart, and the album itself reached No. 3. Yet it also saw them lose ground in the U.S., where Coldplay had usurped Travis during their 2002 absence. Much later, Fran Healy spoke about the album as a whole being about him working through his own clinical depression, and the 12 memories being 12 reasons for him reaching his depressed state. At the time this wasn't mentioned, but the revelation that Healy was depressed ties in with the band's decision to take longer writing and releasing their next work.
In 2004, Travis embarked on a highly successful tour of Canada, the US, and Europe (supported by Keane in the UK), and in November 2004, the band released a successful compilation of their singles, Singles, as well as the new tracks, "Walking in the Sun" and "The Distance" (written by Dougie Payne). This was followed by a series of small, intimate gigs at UK venues such as Liverpool's Cavern Club, London's Mean Fiddler, and Glasgow's Barrowlands. While on tour, the band made a series of impromptu acoustic "busks", raising money for the charity The Big Issue. In addition to other performances, they headlined the 2005 Isle of Wight Festival and T in the Park.
On 2 July 2005, Travis performed at Live 8's London concert, and four days later, at the Edinburgh 50,000 – The Final Push concert. Travis also participated in Band Aid 20's re-recording of "Do They Know It's Christmas?"—Healy and friend Nigel Godrich playing leading roles in its organisation. Healy is a part of the Make Poverty History movement, having recently made two trips to Sudan with the Save the Children organisation. On 13 July 2006, the members of Travis stuck a giant post-it sticker on the front door of the Downing Street home of British Prime Minister, Tony Blair. It read: "Tony Blair—Some steps forward, much to do at the G8, make poverty history."
Artistic re-evaluation (2007–2009)
Travis released a fifth studio album, The Boy with No Name, on 7 May 2007. Nigel Godrich was the album's executive producer, while Mike Hedges and Brian Eno were also involved. The album is named after Healy's son, Clay, whom Healy and his partner Nora were unable to name until four weeks after his birth. Healy has described the process of making the album as "like coming out of the forest", and that the band is now "in a good place", contrasting with the dark mood surrounding 12 Memories. Travis played at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival on 28 April 2007. At the Virgin Megastore tent in the festival, The Boy With No Name was available to purchase over a week early. Reviews of the album were mixed. The album's first single, "Closer", was released on 23 April 2007 and peaked at No. 10 in the UK Singles Chart. The music video for the single features a cameo role from actor and friend of the band, Ben Stiller. Stiller plays the role of a supermarket manager. The follow-up singles to "Closer" were "Selfish Jean" and "My Eyes".
For the promotional tour for the album (which started just before its release), Travis included a new touring pianist, Claes Björklund from Sweden. Björklund's first appearance with the band was when they played at the Oxford Brookes Union on 19 March 2007, prior to the album's release. The band dedicated their performance at the Vic Theater in Chicago to their producer Nigel Godrich. The album's tour lasted until December 2007 ending in a home-coming gig in Glasgow. The band visited for the first time places including Buenos Aires and Santiago de Chile (playing as part of a festival co-headlined with The Killers and Starsailor) during this tour.
Following a short UK tour, where the band tested some new material, Travis recorded their sixth album in two weeks in February/March 2008, having been inspired by the speed and simplicity of their recent recording session with Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick while participating in a BBC programme celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album. It was announced around this time that the band and long term record label Independiente had split amicably.
In early June 2008, a vinyl EP of the song "J. Smith" was announced online as the first release from Ode to J. Smith for 30 June. It was an EP limited to 1000 copies and not an 'official' single, instead more of a taster of the album for fans.
Fran Healy said, "The album is called Ode to J. Smith partly giving a heads up to the key song and partly because all the songs are written about nameless characters or to nameless characters." He has also described the album as a novel with 12 chapters, with each chapter being a song. In live shows promoting the album in spring 2009, Healy said the song Friends was written from the perspective of the girlfriend of the book's protagonist (J.Smith), about friends who are only there to ask for favours. The album would be released through their own record label Red Telephone Box, with the lead single "Something Anything" being released on 15 September. Two weeks later on 29 September, Ode to J. Smith was released. The band also headlined a 12-gig UK tour to coincide with the releases between 22 September and 8 October. Early reviews were very positive, with some calling it Travis' best record ever.
The second single released from Ode To J. Smith was "Song to Self", on 5 January 2009. In the December 2008 issue of Q Magazine, Ode To J Smith appeared at number 28 on a list of the Readers' Best Albums Of 2008.
Where You Stand (2010–2013)
A live acoustic album featuring Healy and Dunlop was released on 19 January 2010.
In 2011 Travis returned to live performances. They played at the Maxidrom Festival in Moscow, in May; at G! festival, Faroe Island and the Rock’n Coke Festival in Istanbul, Turkey in July. On 31 October, Fran Healy performed a concert in Berlin along with Keane's Tim Rice-Oxley. They performed several Keane songs. Travis recorded some songs for their next album at the end of September 2011 and they continued writing new songs in February 2012 with Keane. Fran Healy confirmed on his Twitter account that the new Travis album will be released in the first half of 2013. Travis played together on 4 May 2012 at the Sandance Festival in Dubai. They also played at the Porto Student Festival in Portugal on 9 May. The band performed in the Norwegian Festival in July 2012 and Belladrum Festival in August 2012.
A pre single teaser track called "Another Guy" from the band's forthcoming seventh album was released as a free download from the band's official website on 20 March 2013. On 25 April 2013, they revealed that the new album Where You Stand would be released on 19 August 2013 via Kobalt Label Services, and that the first eponymous single "Where You Stand" was released on 30 April.
Everything at Once, outstanding music contribution and Almost Fashionable (2013–2016)
A post from Travis on their Instagram page confirmed that recording had commenced on the band's eighth album at Hansa Tonstudio in Berlin in January 2015. On 25 November 2015, Travis shared a free download single 'Everything at Once' and announced two UK live shows in January 2016. A new album, also titled Everything at Once, was released on 29 April 2016.
In 2016 at the 18th annual Scottish Music Awards, Travis were presented with the award for their outstanding contribution to music.
Travis’ June 2016 tour of Mexico formed the backdrop for Almost Fashionable: A Film About Travis, a documentary directed by Healy. The film stars Wyndham Wallace, a music journalist and acquaintance of Healy's in Berlin who was invited to travel with Travis to Mexico because he had previously expressed his distaste for the band. The film had its premiere in 2018 at the 72nd Edinburgh International Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award.
The Man Who anniversary and 10 Songs (2017–present)
In 2017, Travis decided to celebrate the 18th anniversary of their seminal 1999 album The Man Who as they were currently writing songs and figured that they would be busy promoting a new album on what would have been The Man Who’s 20th anniversary. To mark the occasion, the band re-released the album as a limited edition box set.
In September 2017, the band also performed the album in full at two shows in Manchester and London, followed by more full album UK shows in June and December of the following year.
Finally, on the actual 20th anniversary year of The Man Who, the band re-released the album reissue box set, along with the live album Live at Glastonbury ‘99, a recording of the set which turned out to be a pivotal moment in kickstarting Travis’ commercial success despite the band members feeling that they had performed poorly.
On 10 December 2019, Travis released “Kissing in the Wind”, a song from their upcoming new album which had previously been included in their 2018 documentary Almost Fashionable: A Film About Travis. Another single, “A Ghost”, was released on 3 June 2020, along with details of the band's upcoming ninth studio album 10 Songs, released on 9 October of the same year.
Collaborations and solo work
The band have played with a number of other artists, including Paul McCartney, Graham Nash, Noel Gallagher, and Jason Falkner. Travis guest starred on Feeder's "Tumble and Fall", performing backing vocals at the end of the song. This, because Feeder were recording their album Pushing the Senses and Travis were in the next studio.
An adaptation of the Oasis song "Half the World Away", as performed by Healy, was used as the intro music for a sketch in The Adam and Joe Show entitled "The Imperial Family". The sketch itself was a parody of The Royle Family (to which the Oasis song lends itself as the theme music).
In June 2007, Travis participated in BBC Radio 2's project to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. All the album's tracks were re-recorded by contemporary artists, supervised by the original engineer, Geoff Emerick, using the same 4-track studio equipment. Travis contributed a rendition of "Lovely Rita". The band wanted to be as faithful to the original as possible, even to the extent of recording the guitars in the stairwell of Abbey Road Studios to recreate the acoustics.
In 2010, Travis contributed a live version of their song "Before You Were Young" to the Enough Project and Downtown Records' Raise Hope for Congo compilation. Proceeds from the compilation fund efforts to make the protection and empowerment of Congo's women a priority, as well as inspire individuals around the world to raise their voice for peace in Congo.
Healy released his first solo album entitled Wreckorder in October 2010. Recorded in Berlin, New York and Vermont and produced by Emery Dobyns (Patti Smith, Noah and the Whale), the album features Paul McCartney, Neko Case and Noah and the Whale's Tom Hobden.
Band members
Fran Healy – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, piano (1991–present)
Dougie Payne – bass guitar, backing vocals (1994–present)
Andy Dunlop – lead guitar, banjo, backing vocals (1990–present)
Neil Primrose – drums, percussion (1990–present)
Former members
Geoff Martyn – keyboards (1990–1996)
Chris Martyn – bass guitar (1990–1996)
Simon Jarvis – drums, percussion (1990)
Catherine Maxwell – lead vocals (1990– 1991)
Discography
Studio albums
Good Feeling (1997)
The Man Who (1999)
The Invisible Band (2001)
12 Memories (2003)
The Boy with No Name (2007)
Ode to J. Smith (2008)
Where You Stand (2013)
Everything at Once (2016)
10 Songs (2020)
Live albums
Live at Glastonbury ‘99 (2019)
Compilation albums
Singles (2004)
List of awards and nominations received by Travis
Brit Awards
The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards.
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| 1998 || Travis || British Breakthrough Act ||
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| rowspan="3" | 2000 || Travis || British Group ||
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| The Man Who || British Album of the Year ||
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| "Why Does It Always Rain on Me?" || British Single of the Year ||
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| 2001 || "Coming Around" || British Video of the Year ||
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| rowspan="3" | 2002 || Travis || British Group ||
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| The Invisible Band || British Album of the Year ||
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| "Sing" || British Video of the Year ||
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Q Awards
The Q Awards are the United Kingdom's annual music awards run by the music magazine Q.
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| rowspan="3" | 1999 || Travis || Best New Act ||
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| The Man Who || Best Album ||
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| "Why Does It Always Rain on Me?" || Best Single ||
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| rowspan="3" | 2000 || rowspan="2" | Travis || Best Act in the World Today ||
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| Best Live Act ||
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| "Coming Around" || Best Video ||
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| rowspan="2" | 2001 || Travis || Best Act in the World Today ||
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| The Invisible Band || Best Album ||
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References
External links
Scottish rock music groups
Post-Britpop groups
Britpop groups
British soft rock music groups
Musical groups from Glasgow
Musical groups established in 1990
Brit Award winners
Ivor Novello Award winners
NME Awards winners
Independiente Records artists
Epic Records artists
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[
"Paralysed or paralyzed may refer to:\nthe state of paralysis, the complete loss of muscle function for one or more muscle groups\n\nMusic\n\nAlbums \nParalyzed (album), a 2008 album by Witch\n\nSongs \n\"Paralyzed\" (Sueco song)\n\"Paralyzed\" (Elvis Presley song)\n\"Paralyzed\", by Agnes Monica from her album Agnes Is My Name\n\"Paralyzed\", by Big Time Rush from their album Elevate\n\"Paralyzed\", by The Cardigans from their album Gran Turismo\n\"Paralyzed\", by Failure Anthem from their album First World Problems\n\"Paralysed\", by Gang of Four from their album Solid Gold\n\"Paralyzed\", by Hardline from their album II\n\"Paralyzed\", by Legendary Stardust Cowboy\n\"Paralysed\", by Ride from their album Nowhere\n\"Paralyzed\", by Rock Kills Kid from their album Are You Nervous?\n\"Paralyzed\", by Sixpence None the Richer from their album Divine Discontent\n\"Paralysed\", by Suzi Quatro from her album Your Mamma Won't Like Me\n\"Paralyzed\", by The Used from their album Lies for the Liars\n\nSee also \n\"Paralyze\", song by Tila Tequila\n\"Paralyzer\", song by Finger Eleven\nParalyzer (disambiguation)",
"Tetraplegia, also known as quadriplegia, is paralysis caused by illness or injury that results in the partial or total loss of use of all four limbs and torso; paraplegia is similar but does not affect the arms. The loss is usually sensory and motor, which means that both sensation and control are lost. The paralysis may be flaccid or spastic.\n\nNotable people with quadriplegia\nAnne-Marie Alonzo (1951–2005) – Canadian writer and publisher; in 1966 she was the victim of a car accident which left her quadriplegic and using a wheelchair.\n Max Brito (born 1971) – Ivoirian international rugby union player; paralyzed in a match against Tonga in the 1995 Rugby World Cup.\n John Callahan (1951–2010) – Cartoonist, became a quadriplegic in an auto accident at age 21\n Walter Harris Callow (1896–1958) – inventor of the wheelchair accessible bus.\n Roy Campanella (1921–1993) – American baseball player. Paralyzed in a 1958 auto accident.\n John Carter (1815–1850) – English artist\n Vic Chesnutt (1964–2009) – Singer/songwriter\n Chuck Close (born 1940) – American painter\n Darren Drozdov (born 1969) – Professional wrestler, injured in a match with D'Lo Brown.\n Brooke Ellison (born 1978) – First quadriplegic to graduate from Harvard University. Paralyzed when struck by a car in 1990.\n Jeff Erlanger (1970–2007) – Activist, appeared on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.\n Steven Fletcher (born 1972) – Canadian Member of Parliament, paralyzed in an auto accident.\n Matt Hampson (born 1984) – England rugby player, paralysed in a scrummaging accident.\n Stephen Hawking (1942–2018) – Physicist, paralyzed due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis\n Kent Hehr (born 1969) – Canadian politician, Member of Parliament from 2015–present. Paralyzed in shooting accident at age 22.\n Jill Kinmont (1936–2012) – U.S. skier, paralyzed in a skiing accident in 1955, subject of the movie The Other Side of the Mountain\n Oksana Kononets (born 1992) – Ukrainian model\n Eric LeGrand (born 1990) – College football player. Paralyzed in a 2010 football game, but has since regained movement to his shoulders and feeling to most of his body.\n Jocelyn Lovell (born 1950) – Canadian cyclist hit by a truck while on a training ride.\n Tom Luckey (1940–2012) – American architect and sculptor best known for creating abstract playgrounds known as Luckey Climbers. Paralyzed due to a fall in 2005.\n Curtis Mayfield (1942–1999) – Soul singer/songwriter, paralyzed in a stage accident in 1990.\n Elena Mukhina (1960–2006) – Soviet gymnast and 1978 World AA Champion, paralyzed as a result of an under-rotation in a practice routine.\n Anam Najam – Pakistani quadriplegic psychiatrist.\n Dinesh Palipana (born 1984) – Australian doctor, the first quadriplegic intern in Queensland, the second quadriplegic medical graduate in Australia. A spinal cord injury was caused as a result of a car accident.\n Teddy Pendergrass (1950–2010) – soul singer, paralyzed in an auto accident in 1982.\n Edward Rainey (born 1961) – Scottish painter\n Christopher Reeve (1952–2004) – Actor, injured in a 1995 eventing accident.\n Ed Roberts (1939–1995) – Disability rights activist, first quadriplegic to attend the University of California, Berkeley.\n George Robinson (born 1997) – Actor, injured in a 2015 rugby match.\n Patrick Rummerfield (born 1953) – first fully recovered quadriplegic, athlete, motivational speaker\n Ramón Sampedro (1943–1998) – Spanish fisherman, whose struggle for the right to die was dramatized in the film Mar Adentro.\n Sam Schmidt (born 1964) – IndyCar racing driver, paralysed in 2000 testing crash.\n Ken Slater (1924–1963), Australian rules footballer and tennis player, paralyzed in car accident.\n Darryl Stingley (1951–2007) – American football player, paralyzed in a 1978 exhibition game.\n Sam Sullivan (born 1959) – Canadian politician, mayor of Vancouver from 2005–2008. Paralyzed in a skiing accident at age 19.\n Joni Eareckson Tada (born 1949) – Christian author and motivational speaker, paralyzed in a 1967 diving accident.\n Barbara Turnbull (1965–2015) – Canadian newspaper journalist, and motivational writer, paralyzed in a 1993 robbery.\n Mike Utley (born 1965) – Former Detroit Lions lineman, injured on a Barry Sanders touchdown run in 1991.\n Johnnie Wilder Jr. (1949–2006) – Co-founder and lead vocalist of the international R&B/funk group Heatwave.\n Frank Williams (1942-2021) – Co-founder of Williams Racing in Formula One. Injured in a 1986 car accident.\n Sheikh Ahmed Yassin (1937–2004) – Former leader of Hamas\n Mark Zupan (born 1975) – American wheelchair rugby player, featured in the film Murderball. Paralyzed in a 1993 auto accident.\n\nSee also\n List of people with paraplegia\n\nReferences\n\nQuadriplegia"
] |
[
"Travis (band)",
"Primrose's accident and change in direction (2002-06)",
"What caused Primrose's accident?",
"after drummer Neil Primrose went head-first into a shallow swimming pool while on tour in France, just after a concert at Eurockeennes festival.",
"did he become paralyzed?",
"Despite the severity of the accident, Primrose has since made a full recovery."
] |
C_acd4a39c65e54983894878c8becd46d5_0
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did primrose stay in the band?
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did primrose stay in Travis?
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Travis (band)
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In 2002, however, things came to a halt for Travis, with the band almost calling it quits, after drummer Neil Primrose went head-first into a shallow swimming pool while on tour in France, just after a concert at Eurockeennes festival. Breaking his neck, he almost died due to spinal damage. If not for his road crew, he also would have drowned. Despite the severity of the accident, Primrose has since made a full recovery. With Primrose having recovered, Travis regrouped and re-evaluated. Moving into a cottage in Crear, Argyll and Bute, they set up a small studio, and over two weeks, came up with nine new songs that would form the basis of their fourth studio album, 2003's 12 Memories. Produced by Travis themselves, Tchad Blake, and Steve Orchard, the album marked a move into more organic, moody and political territory for the band. Although this seems to have alienated some fans, the album generally received very positive reviews (for example, "Then, of course, there's Travis and their album 12 Memories [Epic]. You just have to sit there and listen to it all the way through, and it will take you on a real journey. It's like an old album. It's like the Beatles' Revolver [1966]. Fran Healy's voice and lyrics are mesmerizing and beautiful"--Elton John), singles such as "Re-Offender" did very well on the UK chart, and the album itself reached No. 3. Yet it also saw them lose ground in the U.S., where Coldplay had usurped Travis during their 2002 absence. Much later, Fran Healy spoke about the album as a whole being about him working through his own clinical depression, and the 12 memories being 12 reasons for him reaching his depressed state. At the time this wasn't mentioned, but the revelation that Healy was depressed ties in with the band's decision to take longer writing and releasing their next work. In 2004, Travis embarked on a highly successful tour of Canada, the US, and Europe (supported by Keane in the UK), and on November 2004, the band released a successful compilation of their singles, Singles, as well as the new tracks, "Walking in the Sun" and "The Distance" (written by Dougie Payne). This was followed by a series of small, intimate gigs at UK venues such as Liverpool's Cavern Club, London's Mean Fiddler, and Glasgow's Barrowlands. While on tour, the band also made a series of impromptu acoustic "busks", raising money for the charity The Big Issue. In addition to other performances, they also headlined the 2005 Isle of Wight Festival and T in the Park. On 2 July 2005, Travis performed at Live 8's London concert, and four days later, at the Edinburgh 50,000 - The Final Push concert. Travis also participated in Band Aid 20's re-recording of "Do They Know It's Christmas?"--Healy and friend Nigel Godrich playing leading roles in its organisation. Healy is a part of the Make Poverty History movement, having recently made two trips to Sudan with the Save the Children organisation. On 13 July 2006, the members of Travis stuck a giant post-it sticker on the front door of the Downing Street home of British Prime Minister, Tony Blair. It read: "Tony Blair--Some steps forward, much to do at the G8, make poverty history." CANNOTANSWER
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With Primrose having recovered, Travis regrouped and re-evaluated.
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Travis are a Scottish rock band formed in Glasgow in 1990, composed of Fran Healy (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Dougie Payne (bass guitar, backing vocals), Andy Dunlop (lead guitar, banjo, backing vocals) and Neil Primrose (drums, percussion). The band's name comes from the character Travis Henderson (played by Harry Dean Stanton) from the film Paris, Texas (1984).
The band released their debut album, Good Feeling (1997), to moderate success where it debuted at number nine on the UK Albums Chart and was later awarded a silver certification from the BPI in January 2000. The band gained greater success with their second album, The Man Who (1999), which spent nine weeks at number one on the UK Albums Chart, totalling 134 weeks in the top 100 of the chart. In 2003, The Man Who was certified 9x platinum by the BPI, representing sales of over 2.68 million in the UK alone. Following this success, the band released their third effort, The Invisible Band (2001) album. The Invisible Band went on to match the success found with their previous album, where it debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart and spent a total of four weeks at the top spot, fifteen weeks in the top ten, and a total of fifty-five weeks in the top 100 chart, as well as peaking at thirty-nine on the US Billboard 200 album chart, spending a duration of seven weeks in the Billboard 200 chart. A year following the release of The Invisible Band, the BPI awarded Travis with a 4x platinum certification for the album.
In recent years, the band's discography has included studio albums 12 Memories (2003), The Boy with No Name (2007), Ode to J. Smith (2008), Where You Stand (2013), Everything at Once (2016) and 10 Songs (2020). In 2004, the band released their first greatest hits album, Singles, which spent nineteen weeks in the top 100 of the UK albums chart. Travis have twice been awarded best band at the BRIT Awards and were awarded the NME Artist of the Year award at their 2000 ceremony, and in 2016 were honoured at the Scottish Music Awards for their outstanding contribution to music. The band are widely said by the media to have paved the way for other bands such as Keane and Coldplay to go on to achieve worldwide success throughout the 2000s, particularly with the success of The Man Who.
Craft Recordings celebrated the 20th anniversary of Travis' breakthrough year with two simultaneous releases: Live at Glastonbury '99, plus expanded editions of The Man Who – both of which were released on 21 June 2019.
History
Formation and early years (1990–1993)
The band that would become Travis was formed by brothers Chris Martyn (bass) and Geoff Martyn (keyboards) along with Simon Jarvis (drums). Andy Dunlop, a school friend at Lenzie Academy, was drafted in on guitar. The line-up was completed by a female vocalist, Catherine Maxwell, and the band's name became "Glass Onion", after the Beatles song of the same name. Neil Primrose joined to replace Jarvis. Parting company with their singer in the spring of 1991, they auditioned for a new vocalist. Having met each other through Primrose pouring him a pint, an untrained art student, Fran Healy, then joined after being invited to audition by Primrose. Healy joined the band on the day he enrolled at The Glasgow School of Art, in the autumn of 1991. Two years later, with the option of music holding more appeal, Healy dropped out of art school, and inspired by songwriters such as Joni Mitchell, assumed songwriting responsibilities. With brothers Chris and Geoff Martyn on bass and keyboards, in 1993, the fivesome released a privately made CD, The Glass Onion EP, featuring the tracks "Dream On", "The Day Before", "Free Soul" and "Whenever She Comes Round". 500 copies of the EP were made and were recently valued at £1000 each. Other songs they recorded but were left off are "She's So Strange" and "Not About to Change".
The band won a talent contest organised by the Music in Scotland Trust, who promised £2,000 so that Travis could deal-hunt at a new music seminar in New York. Two weeks before they were due to leave, however, the prize was instead given to the Music in Scotland Trust Directory.
The band showed promise but had yet to evolve into a decent line-up capable of fulfilling it and spent several years treading water. According to their publisher Charlie Pinder: "They were a band that everyone in the A&R community knew about and would go and see every now and then. But they weren’t very good. They had quite good songs; Fran always did write good songs." While on a visit to Scotland, American engineer and producer Niko Bolas, a long-time Neil Young and Rolling Stones associate, tuned into a Travis session on Radio Scotland, and heard something in the band's music which instantly made him travel to Perth to see them. Healy: "He told us we were shit, took us in the studio for four days, and taught us how to play properly, like a band. He was ballsy, rude, and New York pushy. He didn't believe my lyrics and told me to write what I believed in and not tell lies. He was Mary Poppins, he sorted us out." The band recorded a five-song demo, which included the song "All I Want to Do Is Rock".
Changes and debut album (1994–1997)
With the sudden death of his grandfather, a grief-stricken Healy shut himself away, refusing to talk to anyone. Emerging a week later, and with a clear vision of where he now wanted Travis and their music to go, Healy dispensed with the band's management and publicity agent. Having been repeatedly knocked back by the British record industry, the band couldn't afford to stay around the country for another few years and so decided to move to New York, feeling that the U.S. might be more suited to their style of music. Before leaving Healy told the band that they should send the demo to Charlie Pinder of Sony Music Publishing, who they had known for a few years and regularly sent songs to, saying: "If he's not into it, then we'll go." Pinder was immediately impressed by the song "All I Want to Do is Rock", which he felt was a dramatic change for the band: "It was harder, more exciting, sexy; all things that they never really were. They turned a corner." After performing a secret gig for Pinder and his boss at Sony, Blair McDonald, they were signed to Sony Music Publishing. The immediate impact of was that the founding member and keyboard player Geoff Martyn was removed while the bassist, his brother Chris, was replaced with Healy's best friend Dougie Payne. The band was moved to London where they were given a rehearsal room and a house.
Payne, a fellow art student who worked as a Levi's shop assistant, had not played bass guitar previously and initially proved reluctant to take up the new instrument. After having completed a crash course of a couple of weeks, Payne played with the new line-up for the first time in a free space above the Horse Shoe Bar in Glasgow.
Once set up in London the band spent between nine months and a year recording new songs. The band played their first London show at the Dublin Castle in Camden. With around twenty good songs ready they then approached managers Colin Lester and Ian McAndrew of Wildlife Entertainment who then introduced the band to Andy MacDonald, owner of Go! Discs Records and founder of Independiente Records. Sensing greatness, he negotiated with Wildlife Entertainment and signed Travis for a reputed £100,000 of his own money. The band is signed to MacDonald personally, not to the label—if MacDonald ever leaves the Sony-financed label Independiente Records, the band goes with him (commonly referred to in the industry as a "golden handcuffs" clause).
Produced by Steve Lillywhite of U2 fame, Travis' first studio album, 1997's Good Feeling, is a rockier, more upbeat record than the band's others to date. Recorded at the legendary Bearsville Studios in Woodstock, New York, the place where Travis favourite The Band recorded, the album contained singles such as "All I Want to Do Is Rock", "U16 Girls", the Beatle'esque "Tied to the 90s", "Happy" and "More Than Us". Guest musicians include Page McConnell of Phish playing keyboards on the title track "Good Feeling". The album reached No. 9 on the UK Albums Chart, but with little radio play, it slipped from the chart relatively quickly. Although it heralded Travis' arrival on the British music scene, received extremely positive reviews, and substantially broadened Travis' fan base, it sold just 40,000 copies. Following the release, Travis toured extensively, their live performances further enhancing their reputation. This included support slots in the UK for Oasis, after Noel Gallagher became an outspoken fan.
Mainstream success (1998–2001)
Travis' second album, 1999's The Man Who, was produced by Nigel Godrich and partially recorded at producer Mike Hedges' chateau in France. The band continued recording at, among other studios, Abbey Road Studios in London. Shortly after release, The Man Who initially looked as though it would mirror the release of Good Feeling. Although it entered the UK Albums Chart at No. 7, with little radio play of its singles, it quickly slipped down. Worse, many critics who had raved about the rocky Good Feeling rubbished the album for the band's move into more melodic, melancholic material (for example, "Travis will be best when they stop trying to make sad, classic records"—NME). When the album slipped as far as No. 19, it stopped. Word of mouth and increasing radio play of the single "Why Does It Always Rain on Me?" increased awareness of the band and the album began to rise back up the chart. When Travis took the stage to perform this song at the 1999 Glastonbury Festival, after being dry for several hours, it began to rain as soon as the first line was sung. The following day the story was all over the papers and television, and with word of mouth and increased radio play of this and the album's other singles, The Man Who rose to No. 1 on the UK chart. It also eventually took Best Album at the 2000 BRIT Awards, with Travis being named Best Band. Music industry magazine Music Week awarded them the same honours, while at the Ivor Novello Awards, Travis took the Best Songwriter(s) and Best Contemporary Song Awards.
Travis followed the release of The Man Who with an extensive 237-gig world tour, including headlining the 2000 Glastonbury, T in the Park and V Festivals, and a US tour leg with Oasis. In Los Angeles, an appearance of the band at an in-store signing forced police to close Sunset Strip. The gentle, melodic approach of The Man Who became a hallmark of the latter-day Britpop sound, and inspired a new wave of UK-based rock bands, with acts such as Coldplay and Starsailor soon joining Travis in challenging the chart dominance of urban and dance acts. The title "The Man Who" comes from the book The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by neurologist Oliver Sacks. The majority of songs for this album were written before Good Feeling was even released. "Writing to Reach You", "The Fear" and "Luv" being penned around 1995–96, with "As You Are", "Turn" and "She's So Strange" dating back as far as 1993 and the early Glass Onion EP.
The title of Travis' following album, 2001's The Invisible Band, again produced by Nigel Godrich, reflects the band's genuine belief that their music is more important than the group behind it. Featuring such songs as "Sing" (the most played song on British radio that summer), "Side", the McCartneyesque "Flowers in the Window", "Indefinitely", "Pipe Dream" and "The Cage", and recorded at Ocean Way Studios in Los Angeles, the album again made No. 1 on the UK chart, generally received widespread critical acclaim, with the band again taking Best British Band at the annual BRIT Awards. It also received Top of the Pops Album of the Year. The album also had an impact across the Atlantic, the popularity in the US of the single "Coming Around", a non-album track with Byrdsesque harmonies and 12-string guitar, enhancing this. Travis again followed the release of The Invisible Band with an extensive world tour.
Primrose's accident and change in direction (2002–2006)
In 2002 things came to a halt for Travis, with the band almost calling it quits, after drummer Neil Primrose went head-first into a shallow swimming pool while on tour in France, just after a concert at Eurockéennes festival. Breaking his neck, he almost died due to spinal damage. If not for his road crew, he also would have drowned. Despite the severity of the accident, Primrose has since made a full recovery.
With Primrose having recovered, Travis regrouped and re-evaluated. Moving into a cottage in Crear, Argyll and Bute, they set up a small studio, and over two weeks, came up with nine new songs that would form the basis of their fourth studio album, 2003's 12 Memories. Produced by Travis themselves, Tchad Blake, and Steve Orchard, the album marked a move into more organic, moody and political territory for the band. Although this seems to have alienated some fans, the album generally received very positive reviews (for example, "Then, of course, there's Travis and their album 12 Memories [Epic]. You just have to sit there and listen to it all the way through, and it will take you on a real journey. It's like an old album. It's like the Beatles' Revolver [1966]. Fran Healy's voice and lyrics are mesmerizing and beautiful"—Elton John), singles such as "Re-Offender" did very well on the UK chart, and the album itself reached No. 3. Yet it also saw them lose ground in the U.S., where Coldplay had usurped Travis during their 2002 absence. Much later, Fran Healy spoke about the album as a whole being about him working through his own clinical depression, and the 12 memories being 12 reasons for him reaching his depressed state. At the time this wasn't mentioned, but the revelation that Healy was depressed ties in with the band's decision to take longer writing and releasing their next work.
In 2004, Travis embarked on a highly successful tour of Canada, the US, and Europe (supported by Keane in the UK), and in November 2004, the band released a successful compilation of their singles, Singles, as well as the new tracks, "Walking in the Sun" and "The Distance" (written by Dougie Payne). This was followed by a series of small, intimate gigs at UK venues such as Liverpool's Cavern Club, London's Mean Fiddler, and Glasgow's Barrowlands. While on tour, the band made a series of impromptu acoustic "busks", raising money for the charity The Big Issue. In addition to other performances, they headlined the 2005 Isle of Wight Festival and T in the Park.
On 2 July 2005, Travis performed at Live 8's London concert, and four days later, at the Edinburgh 50,000 – The Final Push concert. Travis also participated in Band Aid 20's re-recording of "Do They Know It's Christmas?"—Healy and friend Nigel Godrich playing leading roles in its organisation. Healy is a part of the Make Poverty History movement, having recently made two trips to Sudan with the Save the Children organisation. On 13 July 2006, the members of Travis stuck a giant post-it sticker on the front door of the Downing Street home of British Prime Minister, Tony Blair. It read: "Tony Blair—Some steps forward, much to do at the G8, make poverty history."
Artistic re-evaluation (2007–2009)
Travis released a fifth studio album, The Boy with No Name, on 7 May 2007. Nigel Godrich was the album's executive producer, while Mike Hedges and Brian Eno were also involved. The album is named after Healy's son, Clay, whom Healy and his partner Nora were unable to name until four weeks after his birth. Healy has described the process of making the album as "like coming out of the forest", and that the band is now "in a good place", contrasting with the dark mood surrounding 12 Memories. Travis played at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival on 28 April 2007. At the Virgin Megastore tent in the festival, The Boy With No Name was available to purchase over a week early. Reviews of the album were mixed. The album's first single, "Closer", was released on 23 April 2007 and peaked at No. 10 in the UK Singles Chart. The music video for the single features a cameo role from actor and friend of the band, Ben Stiller. Stiller plays the role of a supermarket manager. The follow-up singles to "Closer" were "Selfish Jean" and "My Eyes".
For the promotional tour for the album (which started just before its release), Travis included a new touring pianist, Claes Björklund from Sweden. Björklund's first appearance with the band was when they played at the Oxford Brookes Union on 19 March 2007, prior to the album's release. The band dedicated their performance at the Vic Theater in Chicago to their producer Nigel Godrich. The album's tour lasted until December 2007 ending in a home-coming gig in Glasgow. The band visited for the first time places including Buenos Aires and Santiago de Chile (playing as part of a festival co-headlined with The Killers and Starsailor) during this tour.
Following a short UK tour, where the band tested some new material, Travis recorded their sixth album in two weeks in February/March 2008, having been inspired by the speed and simplicity of their recent recording session with Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick while participating in a BBC programme celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album. It was announced around this time that the band and long term record label Independiente had split amicably.
In early June 2008, a vinyl EP of the song "J. Smith" was announced online as the first release from Ode to J. Smith for 30 June. It was an EP limited to 1000 copies and not an 'official' single, instead more of a taster of the album for fans.
Fran Healy said, "The album is called Ode to J. Smith partly giving a heads up to the key song and partly because all the songs are written about nameless characters or to nameless characters." He has also described the album as a novel with 12 chapters, with each chapter being a song. In live shows promoting the album in spring 2009, Healy said the song Friends was written from the perspective of the girlfriend of the book's protagonist (J.Smith), about friends who are only there to ask for favours. The album would be released through their own record label Red Telephone Box, with the lead single "Something Anything" being released on 15 September. Two weeks later on 29 September, Ode to J. Smith was released. The band also headlined a 12-gig UK tour to coincide with the releases between 22 September and 8 October. Early reviews were very positive, with some calling it Travis' best record ever.
The second single released from Ode To J. Smith was "Song to Self", on 5 January 2009. In the December 2008 issue of Q Magazine, Ode To J Smith appeared at number 28 on a list of the Readers' Best Albums Of 2008.
Where You Stand (2010–2013)
A live acoustic album featuring Healy and Dunlop was released on 19 January 2010.
In 2011 Travis returned to live performances. They played at the Maxidrom Festival in Moscow, in May; at G! festival, Faroe Island and the Rock’n Coke Festival in Istanbul, Turkey in July. On 31 October, Fran Healy performed a concert in Berlin along with Keane's Tim Rice-Oxley. They performed several Keane songs. Travis recorded some songs for their next album at the end of September 2011 and they continued writing new songs in February 2012 with Keane. Fran Healy confirmed on his Twitter account that the new Travis album will be released in the first half of 2013. Travis played together on 4 May 2012 at the Sandance Festival in Dubai. They also played at the Porto Student Festival in Portugal on 9 May. The band performed in the Norwegian Festival in July 2012 and Belladrum Festival in August 2012.
A pre single teaser track called "Another Guy" from the band's forthcoming seventh album was released as a free download from the band's official website on 20 March 2013. On 25 April 2013, they revealed that the new album Where You Stand would be released on 19 August 2013 via Kobalt Label Services, and that the first eponymous single "Where You Stand" was released on 30 April.
Everything at Once, outstanding music contribution and Almost Fashionable (2013–2016)
A post from Travis on their Instagram page confirmed that recording had commenced on the band's eighth album at Hansa Tonstudio in Berlin in January 2015. On 25 November 2015, Travis shared a free download single 'Everything at Once' and announced two UK live shows in January 2016. A new album, also titled Everything at Once, was released on 29 April 2016.
In 2016 at the 18th annual Scottish Music Awards, Travis were presented with the award for their outstanding contribution to music.
Travis’ June 2016 tour of Mexico formed the backdrop for Almost Fashionable: A Film About Travis, a documentary directed by Healy. The film stars Wyndham Wallace, a music journalist and acquaintance of Healy's in Berlin who was invited to travel with Travis to Mexico because he had previously expressed his distaste for the band. The film had its premiere in 2018 at the 72nd Edinburgh International Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award.
The Man Who anniversary and 10 Songs (2017–present)
In 2017, Travis decided to celebrate the 18th anniversary of their seminal 1999 album The Man Who as they were currently writing songs and figured that they would be busy promoting a new album on what would have been The Man Who’s 20th anniversary. To mark the occasion, the band re-released the album as a limited edition box set.
In September 2017, the band also performed the album in full at two shows in Manchester and London, followed by more full album UK shows in June and December of the following year.
Finally, on the actual 20th anniversary year of The Man Who, the band re-released the album reissue box set, along with the live album Live at Glastonbury ‘99, a recording of the set which turned out to be a pivotal moment in kickstarting Travis’ commercial success despite the band members feeling that they had performed poorly.
On 10 December 2019, Travis released “Kissing in the Wind”, a song from their upcoming new album which had previously been included in their 2018 documentary Almost Fashionable: A Film About Travis. Another single, “A Ghost”, was released on 3 June 2020, along with details of the band's upcoming ninth studio album 10 Songs, released on 9 October of the same year.
Collaborations and solo work
The band have played with a number of other artists, including Paul McCartney, Graham Nash, Noel Gallagher, and Jason Falkner. Travis guest starred on Feeder's "Tumble and Fall", performing backing vocals at the end of the song. This, because Feeder were recording their album Pushing the Senses and Travis were in the next studio.
An adaptation of the Oasis song "Half the World Away", as performed by Healy, was used as the intro music for a sketch in The Adam and Joe Show entitled "The Imperial Family". The sketch itself was a parody of The Royle Family (to which the Oasis song lends itself as the theme music).
In June 2007, Travis participated in BBC Radio 2's project to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. All the album's tracks were re-recorded by contemporary artists, supervised by the original engineer, Geoff Emerick, using the same 4-track studio equipment. Travis contributed a rendition of "Lovely Rita". The band wanted to be as faithful to the original as possible, even to the extent of recording the guitars in the stairwell of Abbey Road Studios to recreate the acoustics.
In 2010, Travis contributed a live version of their song "Before You Were Young" to the Enough Project and Downtown Records' Raise Hope for Congo compilation. Proceeds from the compilation fund efforts to make the protection and empowerment of Congo's women a priority, as well as inspire individuals around the world to raise their voice for peace in Congo.
Healy released his first solo album entitled Wreckorder in October 2010. Recorded in Berlin, New York and Vermont and produced by Emery Dobyns (Patti Smith, Noah and the Whale), the album features Paul McCartney, Neko Case and Noah and the Whale's Tom Hobden.
Band members
Fran Healy – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, piano (1991–present)
Dougie Payne – bass guitar, backing vocals (1994–present)
Andy Dunlop – lead guitar, banjo, backing vocals (1990–present)
Neil Primrose – drums, percussion (1990–present)
Former members
Geoff Martyn – keyboards (1990–1996)
Chris Martyn – bass guitar (1990–1996)
Simon Jarvis – drums, percussion (1990)
Catherine Maxwell – lead vocals (1990– 1991)
Discography
Studio albums
Good Feeling (1997)
The Man Who (1999)
The Invisible Band (2001)
12 Memories (2003)
The Boy with No Name (2007)
Ode to J. Smith (2008)
Where You Stand (2013)
Everything at Once (2016)
10 Songs (2020)
Live albums
Live at Glastonbury ‘99 (2019)
Compilation albums
Singles (2004)
List of awards and nominations received by Travis
Brit Awards
The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards.
|-
| 1998 || Travis || British Breakthrough Act ||
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| rowspan="3" | 2000 || Travis || British Group ||
|-
| The Man Who || British Album of the Year ||
|-
| "Why Does It Always Rain on Me?" || British Single of the Year ||
|-
| 2001 || "Coming Around" || British Video of the Year ||
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2002 || Travis || British Group ||
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| The Invisible Band || British Album of the Year ||
|-
| "Sing" || British Video of the Year ||
|}
Q Awards
The Q Awards are the United Kingdom's annual music awards run by the music magazine Q.
|-
| rowspan="3" | 1999 || Travis || Best New Act ||
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| The Man Who || Best Album ||
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| "Why Does It Always Rain on Me?" || Best Single ||
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2000 || rowspan="2" | Travis || Best Act in the World Today ||
|-
| Best Live Act ||
|-
| "Coming Around" || Best Video ||
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2001 || Travis || Best Act in the World Today ||
|-
| The Invisible Band || Best Album ||
|}
References
External links
Scottish rock music groups
Post-Britpop groups
Britpop groups
British soft rock music groups
Musical groups from Glasgow
Musical groups established in 1990
Brit Award winners
Ivor Novello Award winners
NME Awards winners
Independiente Records artists
Epic Records artists
| true |
[
"Neil Primrose (born 20 February 1972) is the drummer of the Scottish rock quartet Travis.\n\nBiography\n\nPrimrose was born in Cumbernauld His father, a power station engineer, was posted to Middlesbrough, and this was followed by a series of moves across the northeast of England during the first ten years of Primrose's life. At the age of 15 in high school in Glasgow he was playing drums with friends in local bands. From the age of 17, the next step was going for as many auditions as possible and looking for like-minded players to form a group.\n\nThis led to his joining the band Glass Onion with Andy Dunlop along with brothers Chris and Geoff Martyn in the early 1990s. After years of touring and looking for success, the line-up changed with Fran Healy eventually joining the line-up and the group then splitting with the Martyn brothers and bringing Dougie Payne in for bass guitar. Eventually, the name for the band was changed to Travis.\n\nUnlike the other three members of the band, Primrose was not a student at the Glasgow School of Art instead working various jobs and studying Computer Science for a pre-degree course. Initially, Travis rehearsed in The Horse Shoe Bar where Primrose and Healy had met for the first time. The material for their first two albums was, in part, written and refined here. Travis moved to London in late spring 1996 and lived, rehearsed and toured from their North London base for many years.\n\nTravis' début album Good Feeling was released in 1997 with positive review, but lukewarm performance in the charts. Their 1999 follow-up, The Man Who, proved to be far more successful, selling millions of copies worldwide, shortly followed by The Invisible Band in 2001. During this period, Travis had several UK hit singles, including Sing and Why Does It Always Rain On Me?.\n\nBefore the recording of Travis' fourth album, 12 Memories, Primrose suffered a life-threatening spine injury while he was swimming on holiday in France. This led to the cancellation of several subsequent tour dates – most significantly a headline slot at V Festival. Primrose made a full recovery and was back on stage and recording with the band within months – including Isle of Wight Festival and Live 8 in 2005. As of 2021, Travis have released six more albums and continue to tour worldwide.\n\nPrimrose has played drums on the Canadian musician Ron Sexsmith's seventh album Retriever and other individual album tracks, along with albums by Jamie Scott, Yusaf Islam, Magne F and Cyril Paulus. In Scotland, Primrose plays with the MOVE Project along with various artists on the Wild Biscuit label.\n\nPersonal life\nPrimrose is married to Esther, and has two daughters.\n\nIn 2007, Primrose gained his first racing licence and has since driven in many racing events including the Classic Le Mans series and the SPA 25Hr FunCup.\n\nReferences \n\nTravis (band) members\n1972 births\nScottish rock drummers\nBritish male drummers\nLiving people\nPeople from Cumbernauld\n21st-century drummers\nBritcar drivers",
"\"For Tomorrow\" is a song by English alternative rock band Blur. It is the lead track to their second album, Modern Life Is Rubbish (the title appears in the lyric). Released 19 April 1993 as the first single from the album, \"For Tomorrow\" charted at number 28 in the UK Singles Chart. The Visit to Primrose Hill Extended version of \"For Tomorrow\" was included in the band's compilation albums, Blur: The Best of, (being the only song from Modern Life Is Rubbish to be featured) and Midlife: A Beginner's Guide to Blur.\n\nSingle background\nIn this period the band had gone on a tour of the US which they greatly detested, especially as the country was the home of grunge and audiences were not receptive to their music. After that tour lead singer Damon Albarn started to write songs with a very British feel. This was one such song, written on Christmas Day 1992 at the family piano in his parents' house. David Balfe, the head of the band's record company, commissioned this song as the original album did not have any hit singles.\n\nLike the rest of Modern Life Is Rubbish, the song was produced by Stephen Street, although Jeff Lynne was also considered as a possible producer.\nThe chorus features a la la la refrain, sung by female backing singers, whom Street instructed to sing like Thunderthighs on the classic Mott the Hoople singles. Guitarist Graham Coxon explained that \"Everyone, wherever they are in the world knows what la la la means.\" A string section, The Duke String Quartet, was also used by the band for the first time.\nThe single cover of the two World War II fighter planes was used by the band as a sense of Britishness.\n\nRelease and reception\nThe single was released without a 7\" vinyl format, possibly to emphasise the importance of the six-minute-long 'Visit to Primrose Hill extended' version which appears on the 12\" vinyl, cassette and CD1. CD2 however did feature the shorter 'single version'. The song charted at number 28 in the UK in its first week of release, a position matched by Blur's next single, \"Chemical World\". This was the third lowest chart position the band reached in the UK, the previous single \"Popscene\" had reached number 32 and \"She's So High\" in 1990 didn't make the Top 40, charting at number 48. The song did not chart in any other countries.\n\nMuch like the band's next single \"Chemical World\", the CD1 contained a big Compac-Plus box for both CD1 and CD2 to go in, but CD2 was sold separately.\n\nLyrical themes\nThe lyric of the song is about London, and especially Primrose Hill, a hill in the borough of Camden, North London. From there one can see the whole of central London before them. The complete phrase from the song says \"Take a drive to Primrose Hill // It's windy there, and the view's so nice\". Part of the promotional video was also filmed at Primrose Hill.\n\nThe ending of the song has a line about a man, Jim, entering his house in Emperors' Gate, SW7 (Kensington). When Albarn's parents first moved to London, they lived in a flat nextdoor to The Beatles. In a 2005 interview Damon Albarn stated that he used Emperors' Gate in the lyric because of this (13 Emperors' Gate was the first London-based home for the Lennons; they lived there in 1964 ). He found it \"romantic\" that his parents lived right next to these people.\n\nIncrease in stature\nLike Modern Life is Rubbish, the album this song appears on, \"For Tomorrow\" has increased in stature since its release. The song charted at number 15 in a Time Out poll about the best songs about London, the magazine labelled the track as an \"indie anthem\". In addition, Mojo magazine chose this song in their \"50 Greatest British Tracks Ever\" list. In a blurtalk.com vote, For Tomorrow was voted fifth out of all of the band's singles, despite being the third lowest charting on its release.\n\nMusic video\nThe video, directed by Julien Temple, was filmed in a classic black and white style. The video was shot entirely in London. Some repeated scenes include:\n The band at Trafalgar Square\n Shots of Nelson's Column\n Albarn leaning out of a London bus\n The band flying kites atop Primrose Hill\n Albarn floating in the River Thames\n Young and old residents lip-syncing the song in front of Trellick Tower \nThe video ends with Albarn rolling down Primrose Hill with a girl.\n\nTrack listings\nAll songs written by Albarn, Coxon, James and Rowntree.\n\nCD1\n\"For Tomorrow\" (Visit to Primrose Hill extended) – 6:00\n\"Peach\" – 3:57\n\"Bone Bag\" – 4:03\n\nCD2\n\"For Tomorrow\" (Single version) – 4:20\n\"When the Cows Come Home\" – 3:49\n\"Beachcoma\" – 3:37\n\"For Tomorrow\" (Acoustic version) – 4:41\n\n12\" and Cassette\n\"For Tomorrow\" (Visit to Primrose Hill extended) – 6:00\n\"Into Another\" – 3:54\n\"Hanging Over\" – 4:27\n\nCharts\n\nPersonnel\nDamon Albarn: Lead vocals, organ\nGraham Coxon: Guitar, backing vocals\nAlex James: Bass guitar, backing vocals\nDave Rowntree: Drums, backing vocals\nAdditional brass by: The Kick Horns\nstrings by Duke Strings\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\n[ 12\"], [ CD1], [ CD2] – \"For Tomorrow\" single reviews at Allmusic\n\n1993 singles\nBlur (band) songs\nSongs about London\nSongs written by Damon Albarn\nSongs written by Graham Coxon\nSongs written by Alex James (musician)\nSongs written by Dave Rowntree\nSong recordings produced by Stephen Street\nMusic videos directed by Julien Temple\n1993 songs\nFood Records singles"
] |
[
"Travis (band)",
"Primrose's accident and change in direction (2002-06)",
"What caused Primrose's accident?",
"after drummer Neil Primrose went head-first into a shallow swimming pool while on tour in France, just after a concert at Eurockeennes festival.",
"did he become paralyzed?",
"Despite the severity of the accident, Primrose has since made a full recovery.",
"did primrose stay in the band?",
"With Primrose having recovered, Travis regrouped and re-evaluated."
] |
C_acd4a39c65e54983894878c8becd46d5_0
|
what changed after Primrose recovered?
| 4 |
what changed in Travis after Primrose recovered?
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Travis (band)
|
In 2002, however, things came to a halt for Travis, with the band almost calling it quits, after drummer Neil Primrose went head-first into a shallow swimming pool while on tour in France, just after a concert at Eurockeennes festival. Breaking his neck, he almost died due to spinal damage. If not for his road crew, he also would have drowned. Despite the severity of the accident, Primrose has since made a full recovery. With Primrose having recovered, Travis regrouped and re-evaluated. Moving into a cottage in Crear, Argyll and Bute, they set up a small studio, and over two weeks, came up with nine new songs that would form the basis of their fourth studio album, 2003's 12 Memories. Produced by Travis themselves, Tchad Blake, and Steve Orchard, the album marked a move into more organic, moody and political territory for the band. Although this seems to have alienated some fans, the album generally received very positive reviews (for example, "Then, of course, there's Travis and their album 12 Memories [Epic]. You just have to sit there and listen to it all the way through, and it will take you on a real journey. It's like an old album. It's like the Beatles' Revolver [1966]. Fran Healy's voice and lyrics are mesmerizing and beautiful"--Elton John), singles such as "Re-Offender" did very well on the UK chart, and the album itself reached No. 3. Yet it also saw them lose ground in the U.S., where Coldplay had usurped Travis during their 2002 absence. Much later, Fran Healy spoke about the album as a whole being about him working through his own clinical depression, and the 12 memories being 12 reasons for him reaching his depressed state. At the time this wasn't mentioned, but the revelation that Healy was depressed ties in with the band's decision to take longer writing and releasing their next work. In 2004, Travis embarked on a highly successful tour of Canada, the US, and Europe (supported by Keane in the UK), and on November 2004, the band released a successful compilation of their singles, Singles, as well as the new tracks, "Walking in the Sun" and "The Distance" (written by Dougie Payne). This was followed by a series of small, intimate gigs at UK venues such as Liverpool's Cavern Club, London's Mean Fiddler, and Glasgow's Barrowlands. While on tour, the band also made a series of impromptu acoustic "busks", raising money for the charity The Big Issue. In addition to other performances, they also headlined the 2005 Isle of Wight Festival and T in the Park. On 2 July 2005, Travis performed at Live 8's London concert, and four days later, at the Edinburgh 50,000 - The Final Push concert. Travis also participated in Band Aid 20's re-recording of "Do They Know It's Christmas?"--Healy and friend Nigel Godrich playing leading roles in its organisation. Healy is a part of the Make Poverty History movement, having recently made two trips to Sudan with the Save the Children organisation. On 13 July 2006, the members of Travis stuck a giant post-it sticker on the front door of the Downing Street home of British Prime Minister, Tony Blair. It read: "Tony Blair--Some steps forward, much to do at the G8, make poverty history." CANNOTANSWER
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Produced by Travis themselves, Tchad Blake, and Steve Orchard, the album marked a move into more organic, moody and political territory for the band.
|
Travis are a Scottish rock band formed in Glasgow in 1990, composed of Fran Healy (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Dougie Payne (bass guitar, backing vocals), Andy Dunlop (lead guitar, banjo, backing vocals) and Neil Primrose (drums, percussion). The band's name comes from the character Travis Henderson (played by Harry Dean Stanton) from the film Paris, Texas (1984).
The band released their debut album, Good Feeling (1997), to moderate success where it debuted at number nine on the UK Albums Chart and was later awarded a silver certification from the BPI in January 2000. The band gained greater success with their second album, The Man Who (1999), which spent nine weeks at number one on the UK Albums Chart, totalling 134 weeks in the top 100 of the chart. In 2003, The Man Who was certified 9x platinum by the BPI, representing sales of over 2.68 million in the UK alone. Following this success, the band released their third effort, The Invisible Band (2001) album. The Invisible Band went on to match the success found with their previous album, where it debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart and spent a total of four weeks at the top spot, fifteen weeks in the top ten, and a total of fifty-five weeks in the top 100 chart, as well as peaking at thirty-nine on the US Billboard 200 album chart, spending a duration of seven weeks in the Billboard 200 chart. A year following the release of The Invisible Band, the BPI awarded Travis with a 4x platinum certification for the album.
In recent years, the band's discography has included studio albums 12 Memories (2003), The Boy with No Name (2007), Ode to J. Smith (2008), Where You Stand (2013), Everything at Once (2016) and 10 Songs (2020). In 2004, the band released their first greatest hits album, Singles, which spent nineteen weeks in the top 100 of the UK albums chart. Travis have twice been awarded best band at the BRIT Awards and were awarded the NME Artist of the Year award at their 2000 ceremony, and in 2016 were honoured at the Scottish Music Awards for their outstanding contribution to music. The band are widely said by the media to have paved the way for other bands such as Keane and Coldplay to go on to achieve worldwide success throughout the 2000s, particularly with the success of The Man Who.
Craft Recordings celebrated the 20th anniversary of Travis' breakthrough year with two simultaneous releases: Live at Glastonbury '99, plus expanded editions of The Man Who – both of which were released on 21 June 2019.
History
Formation and early years (1990–1993)
The band that would become Travis was formed by brothers Chris Martyn (bass) and Geoff Martyn (keyboards) along with Simon Jarvis (drums). Andy Dunlop, a school friend at Lenzie Academy, was drafted in on guitar. The line-up was completed by a female vocalist, Catherine Maxwell, and the band's name became "Glass Onion", after the Beatles song of the same name. Neil Primrose joined to replace Jarvis. Parting company with their singer in the spring of 1991, they auditioned for a new vocalist. Having met each other through Primrose pouring him a pint, an untrained art student, Fran Healy, then joined after being invited to audition by Primrose. Healy joined the band on the day he enrolled at The Glasgow School of Art, in the autumn of 1991. Two years later, with the option of music holding more appeal, Healy dropped out of art school, and inspired by songwriters such as Joni Mitchell, assumed songwriting responsibilities. With brothers Chris and Geoff Martyn on bass and keyboards, in 1993, the fivesome released a privately made CD, The Glass Onion EP, featuring the tracks "Dream On", "The Day Before", "Free Soul" and "Whenever She Comes Round". 500 copies of the EP were made and were recently valued at £1000 each. Other songs they recorded but were left off are "She's So Strange" and "Not About to Change".
The band won a talent contest organised by the Music in Scotland Trust, who promised £2,000 so that Travis could deal-hunt at a new music seminar in New York. Two weeks before they were due to leave, however, the prize was instead given to the Music in Scotland Trust Directory.
The band showed promise but had yet to evolve into a decent line-up capable of fulfilling it and spent several years treading water. According to their publisher Charlie Pinder: "They were a band that everyone in the A&R community knew about and would go and see every now and then. But they weren’t very good. They had quite good songs; Fran always did write good songs." While on a visit to Scotland, American engineer and producer Niko Bolas, a long-time Neil Young and Rolling Stones associate, tuned into a Travis session on Radio Scotland, and heard something in the band's music which instantly made him travel to Perth to see them. Healy: "He told us we were shit, took us in the studio for four days, and taught us how to play properly, like a band. He was ballsy, rude, and New York pushy. He didn't believe my lyrics and told me to write what I believed in and not tell lies. He was Mary Poppins, he sorted us out." The band recorded a five-song demo, which included the song "All I Want to Do Is Rock".
Changes and debut album (1994–1997)
With the sudden death of his grandfather, a grief-stricken Healy shut himself away, refusing to talk to anyone. Emerging a week later, and with a clear vision of where he now wanted Travis and their music to go, Healy dispensed with the band's management and publicity agent. Having been repeatedly knocked back by the British record industry, the band couldn't afford to stay around the country for another few years and so decided to move to New York, feeling that the U.S. might be more suited to their style of music. Before leaving Healy told the band that they should send the demo to Charlie Pinder of Sony Music Publishing, who they had known for a few years and regularly sent songs to, saying: "If he's not into it, then we'll go." Pinder was immediately impressed by the song "All I Want to Do is Rock", which he felt was a dramatic change for the band: "It was harder, more exciting, sexy; all things that they never really were. They turned a corner." After performing a secret gig for Pinder and his boss at Sony, Blair McDonald, they were signed to Sony Music Publishing. The immediate impact of was that the founding member and keyboard player Geoff Martyn was removed while the bassist, his brother Chris, was replaced with Healy's best friend Dougie Payne. The band was moved to London where they were given a rehearsal room and a house.
Payne, a fellow art student who worked as a Levi's shop assistant, had not played bass guitar previously and initially proved reluctant to take up the new instrument. After having completed a crash course of a couple of weeks, Payne played with the new line-up for the first time in a free space above the Horse Shoe Bar in Glasgow.
Once set up in London the band spent between nine months and a year recording new songs. The band played their first London show at the Dublin Castle in Camden. With around twenty good songs ready they then approached managers Colin Lester and Ian McAndrew of Wildlife Entertainment who then introduced the band to Andy MacDonald, owner of Go! Discs Records and founder of Independiente Records. Sensing greatness, he negotiated with Wildlife Entertainment and signed Travis for a reputed £100,000 of his own money. The band is signed to MacDonald personally, not to the label—if MacDonald ever leaves the Sony-financed label Independiente Records, the band goes with him (commonly referred to in the industry as a "golden handcuffs" clause).
Produced by Steve Lillywhite of U2 fame, Travis' first studio album, 1997's Good Feeling, is a rockier, more upbeat record than the band's others to date. Recorded at the legendary Bearsville Studios in Woodstock, New York, the place where Travis favourite The Band recorded, the album contained singles such as "All I Want to Do Is Rock", "U16 Girls", the Beatle'esque "Tied to the 90s", "Happy" and "More Than Us". Guest musicians include Page McConnell of Phish playing keyboards on the title track "Good Feeling". The album reached No. 9 on the UK Albums Chart, but with little radio play, it slipped from the chart relatively quickly. Although it heralded Travis' arrival on the British music scene, received extremely positive reviews, and substantially broadened Travis' fan base, it sold just 40,000 copies. Following the release, Travis toured extensively, their live performances further enhancing their reputation. This included support slots in the UK for Oasis, after Noel Gallagher became an outspoken fan.
Mainstream success (1998–2001)
Travis' second album, 1999's The Man Who, was produced by Nigel Godrich and partially recorded at producer Mike Hedges' chateau in France. The band continued recording at, among other studios, Abbey Road Studios in London. Shortly after release, The Man Who initially looked as though it would mirror the release of Good Feeling. Although it entered the UK Albums Chart at No. 7, with little radio play of its singles, it quickly slipped down. Worse, many critics who had raved about the rocky Good Feeling rubbished the album for the band's move into more melodic, melancholic material (for example, "Travis will be best when they stop trying to make sad, classic records"—NME). When the album slipped as far as No. 19, it stopped. Word of mouth and increasing radio play of the single "Why Does It Always Rain on Me?" increased awareness of the band and the album began to rise back up the chart. When Travis took the stage to perform this song at the 1999 Glastonbury Festival, after being dry for several hours, it began to rain as soon as the first line was sung. The following day the story was all over the papers and television, and with word of mouth and increased radio play of this and the album's other singles, The Man Who rose to No. 1 on the UK chart. It also eventually took Best Album at the 2000 BRIT Awards, with Travis being named Best Band. Music industry magazine Music Week awarded them the same honours, while at the Ivor Novello Awards, Travis took the Best Songwriter(s) and Best Contemporary Song Awards.
Travis followed the release of The Man Who with an extensive 237-gig world tour, including headlining the 2000 Glastonbury, T in the Park and V Festivals, and a US tour leg with Oasis. In Los Angeles, an appearance of the band at an in-store signing forced police to close Sunset Strip. The gentle, melodic approach of The Man Who became a hallmark of the latter-day Britpop sound, and inspired a new wave of UK-based rock bands, with acts such as Coldplay and Starsailor soon joining Travis in challenging the chart dominance of urban and dance acts. The title "The Man Who" comes from the book The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by neurologist Oliver Sacks. The majority of songs for this album were written before Good Feeling was even released. "Writing to Reach You", "The Fear" and "Luv" being penned around 1995–96, with "As You Are", "Turn" and "She's So Strange" dating back as far as 1993 and the early Glass Onion EP.
The title of Travis' following album, 2001's The Invisible Band, again produced by Nigel Godrich, reflects the band's genuine belief that their music is more important than the group behind it. Featuring such songs as "Sing" (the most played song on British radio that summer), "Side", the McCartneyesque "Flowers in the Window", "Indefinitely", "Pipe Dream" and "The Cage", and recorded at Ocean Way Studios in Los Angeles, the album again made No. 1 on the UK chart, generally received widespread critical acclaim, with the band again taking Best British Band at the annual BRIT Awards. It also received Top of the Pops Album of the Year. The album also had an impact across the Atlantic, the popularity in the US of the single "Coming Around", a non-album track with Byrdsesque harmonies and 12-string guitar, enhancing this. Travis again followed the release of The Invisible Band with an extensive world tour.
Primrose's accident and change in direction (2002–2006)
In 2002 things came to a halt for Travis, with the band almost calling it quits, after drummer Neil Primrose went head-first into a shallow swimming pool while on tour in France, just after a concert at Eurockéennes festival. Breaking his neck, he almost died due to spinal damage. If not for his road crew, he also would have drowned. Despite the severity of the accident, Primrose has since made a full recovery.
With Primrose having recovered, Travis regrouped and re-evaluated. Moving into a cottage in Crear, Argyll and Bute, they set up a small studio, and over two weeks, came up with nine new songs that would form the basis of their fourth studio album, 2003's 12 Memories. Produced by Travis themselves, Tchad Blake, and Steve Orchard, the album marked a move into more organic, moody and political territory for the band. Although this seems to have alienated some fans, the album generally received very positive reviews (for example, "Then, of course, there's Travis and their album 12 Memories [Epic]. You just have to sit there and listen to it all the way through, and it will take you on a real journey. It's like an old album. It's like the Beatles' Revolver [1966]. Fran Healy's voice and lyrics are mesmerizing and beautiful"—Elton John), singles such as "Re-Offender" did very well on the UK chart, and the album itself reached No. 3. Yet it also saw them lose ground in the U.S., where Coldplay had usurped Travis during their 2002 absence. Much later, Fran Healy spoke about the album as a whole being about him working through his own clinical depression, and the 12 memories being 12 reasons for him reaching his depressed state. At the time this wasn't mentioned, but the revelation that Healy was depressed ties in with the band's decision to take longer writing and releasing their next work.
In 2004, Travis embarked on a highly successful tour of Canada, the US, and Europe (supported by Keane in the UK), and in November 2004, the band released a successful compilation of their singles, Singles, as well as the new tracks, "Walking in the Sun" and "The Distance" (written by Dougie Payne). This was followed by a series of small, intimate gigs at UK venues such as Liverpool's Cavern Club, London's Mean Fiddler, and Glasgow's Barrowlands. While on tour, the band made a series of impromptu acoustic "busks", raising money for the charity The Big Issue. In addition to other performances, they headlined the 2005 Isle of Wight Festival and T in the Park.
On 2 July 2005, Travis performed at Live 8's London concert, and four days later, at the Edinburgh 50,000 – The Final Push concert. Travis also participated in Band Aid 20's re-recording of "Do They Know It's Christmas?"—Healy and friend Nigel Godrich playing leading roles in its organisation. Healy is a part of the Make Poverty History movement, having recently made two trips to Sudan with the Save the Children organisation. On 13 July 2006, the members of Travis stuck a giant post-it sticker on the front door of the Downing Street home of British Prime Minister, Tony Blair. It read: "Tony Blair—Some steps forward, much to do at the G8, make poverty history."
Artistic re-evaluation (2007–2009)
Travis released a fifth studio album, The Boy with No Name, on 7 May 2007. Nigel Godrich was the album's executive producer, while Mike Hedges and Brian Eno were also involved. The album is named after Healy's son, Clay, whom Healy and his partner Nora were unable to name until four weeks after his birth. Healy has described the process of making the album as "like coming out of the forest", and that the band is now "in a good place", contrasting with the dark mood surrounding 12 Memories. Travis played at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival on 28 April 2007. At the Virgin Megastore tent in the festival, The Boy With No Name was available to purchase over a week early. Reviews of the album were mixed. The album's first single, "Closer", was released on 23 April 2007 and peaked at No. 10 in the UK Singles Chart. The music video for the single features a cameo role from actor and friend of the band, Ben Stiller. Stiller plays the role of a supermarket manager. The follow-up singles to "Closer" were "Selfish Jean" and "My Eyes".
For the promotional tour for the album (which started just before its release), Travis included a new touring pianist, Claes Björklund from Sweden. Björklund's first appearance with the band was when they played at the Oxford Brookes Union on 19 March 2007, prior to the album's release. The band dedicated their performance at the Vic Theater in Chicago to their producer Nigel Godrich. The album's tour lasted until December 2007 ending in a home-coming gig in Glasgow. The band visited for the first time places including Buenos Aires and Santiago de Chile (playing as part of a festival co-headlined with The Killers and Starsailor) during this tour.
Following a short UK tour, where the band tested some new material, Travis recorded their sixth album in two weeks in February/March 2008, having been inspired by the speed and simplicity of their recent recording session with Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick while participating in a BBC programme celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album. It was announced around this time that the band and long term record label Independiente had split amicably.
In early June 2008, a vinyl EP of the song "J. Smith" was announced online as the first release from Ode to J. Smith for 30 June. It was an EP limited to 1000 copies and not an 'official' single, instead more of a taster of the album for fans.
Fran Healy said, "The album is called Ode to J. Smith partly giving a heads up to the key song and partly because all the songs are written about nameless characters or to nameless characters." He has also described the album as a novel with 12 chapters, with each chapter being a song. In live shows promoting the album in spring 2009, Healy said the song Friends was written from the perspective of the girlfriend of the book's protagonist (J.Smith), about friends who are only there to ask for favours. The album would be released through their own record label Red Telephone Box, with the lead single "Something Anything" being released on 15 September. Two weeks later on 29 September, Ode to J. Smith was released. The band also headlined a 12-gig UK tour to coincide with the releases between 22 September and 8 October. Early reviews were very positive, with some calling it Travis' best record ever.
The second single released from Ode To J. Smith was "Song to Self", on 5 January 2009. In the December 2008 issue of Q Magazine, Ode To J Smith appeared at number 28 on a list of the Readers' Best Albums Of 2008.
Where You Stand (2010–2013)
A live acoustic album featuring Healy and Dunlop was released on 19 January 2010.
In 2011 Travis returned to live performances. They played at the Maxidrom Festival in Moscow, in May; at G! festival, Faroe Island and the Rock’n Coke Festival in Istanbul, Turkey in July. On 31 October, Fran Healy performed a concert in Berlin along with Keane's Tim Rice-Oxley. They performed several Keane songs. Travis recorded some songs for their next album at the end of September 2011 and they continued writing new songs in February 2012 with Keane. Fran Healy confirmed on his Twitter account that the new Travis album will be released in the first half of 2013. Travis played together on 4 May 2012 at the Sandance Festival in Dubai. They also played at the Porto Student Festival in Portugal on 9 May. The band performed in the Norwegian Festival in July 2012 and Belladrum Festival in August 2012.
A pre single teaser track called "Another Guy" from the band's forthcoming seventh album was released as a free download from the band's official website on 20 March 2013. On 25 April 2013, they revealed that the new album Where You Stand would be released on 19 August 2013 via Kobalt Label Services, and that the first eponymous single "Where You Stand" was released on 30 April.
Everything at Once, outstanding music contribution and Almost Fashionable (2013–2016)
A post from Travis on their Instagram page confirmed that recording had commenced on the band's eighth album at Hansa Tonstudio in Berlin in January 2015. On 25 November 2015, Travis shared a free download single 'Everything at Once' and announced two UK live shows in January 2016. A new album, also titled Everything at Once, was released on 29 April 2016.
In 2016 at the 18th annual Scottish Music Awards, Travis were presented with the award for their outstanding contribution to music.
Travis’ June 2016 tour of Mexico formed the backdrop for Almost Fashionable: A Film About Travis, a documentary directed by Healy. The film stars Wyndham Wallace, a music journalist and acquaintance of Healy's in Berlin who was invited to travel with Travis to Mexico because he had previously expressed his distaste for the band. The film had its premiere in 2018 at the 72nd Edinburgh International Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award.
The Man Who anniversary and 10 Songs (2017–present)
In 2017, Travis decided to celebrate the 18th anniversary of their seminal 1999 album The Man Who as they were currently writing songs and figured that they would be busy promoting a new album on what would have been The Man Who’s 20th anniversary. To mark the occasion, the band re-released the album as a limited edition box set.
In September 2017, the band also performed the album in full at two shows in Manchester and London, followed by more full album UK shows in June and December of the following year.
Finally, on the actual 20th anniversary year of The Man Who, the band re-released the album reissue box set, along with the live album Live at Glastonbury ‘99, a recording of the set which turned out to be a pivotal moment in kickstarting Travis’ commercial success despite the band members feeling that they had performed poorly.
On 10 December 2019, Travis released “Kissing in the Wind”, a song from their upcoming new album which had previously been included in their 2018 documentary Almost Fashionable: A Film About Travis. Another single, “A Ghost”, was released on 3 June 2020, along with details of the band's upcoming ninth studio album 10 Songs, released on 9 October of the same year.
Collaborations and solo work
The band have played with a number of other artists, including Paul McCartney, Graham Nash, Noel Gallagher, and Jason Falkner. Travis guest starred on Feeder's "Tumble and Fall", performing backing vocals at the end of the song. This, because Feeder were recording their album Pushing the Senses and Travis were in the next studio.
An adaptation of the Oasis song "Half the World Away", as performed by Healy, was used as the intro music for a sketch in The Adam and Joe Show entitled "The Imperial Family". The sketch itself was a parody of The Royle Family (to which the Oasis song lends itself as the theme music).
In June 2007, Travis participated in BBC Radio 2's project to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. All the album's tracks were re-recorded by contemporary artists, supervised by the original engineer, Geoff Emerick, using the same 4-track studio equipment. Travis contributed a rendition of "Lovely Rita". The band wanted to be as faithful to the original as possible, even to the extent of recording the guitars in the stairwell of Abbey Road Studios to recreate the acoustics.
In 2010, Travis contributed a live version of their song "Before You Were Young" to the Enough Project and Downtown Records' Raise Hope for Congo compilation. Proceeds from the compilation fund efforts to make the protection and empowerment of Congo's women a priority, as well as inspire individuals around the world to raise their voice for peace in Congo.
Healy released his first solo album entitled Wreckorder in October 2010. Recorded in Berlin, New York and Vermont and produced by Emery Dobyns (Patti Smith, Noah and the Whale), the album features Paul McCartney, Neko Case and Noah and the Whale's Tom Hobden.
Band members
Fran Healy – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, piano (1991–present)
Dougie Payne – bass guitar, backing vocals (1994–present)
Andy Dunlop – lead guitar, banjo, backing vocals (1990–present)
Neil Primrose – drums, percussion (1990–present)
Former members
Geoff Martyn – keyboards (1990–1996)
Chris Martyn – bass guitar (1990–1996)
Simon Jarvis – drums, percussion (1990)
Catherine Maxwell – lead vocals (1990– 1991)
Discography
Studio albums
Good Feeling (1997)
The Man Who (1999)
The Invisible Band (2001)
12 Memories (2003)
The Boy with No Name (2007)
Ode to J. Smith (2008)
Where You Stand (2013)
Everything at Once (2016)
10 Songs (2020)
Live albums
Live at Glastonbury ‘99 (2019)
Compilation albums
Singles (2004)
List of awards and nominations received by Travis
Brit Awards
The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards.
|-
| 1998 || Travis || British Breakthrough Act ||
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2000 || Travis || British Group ||
|-
| The Man Who || British Album of the Year ||
|-
| "Why Does It Always Rain on Me?" || British Single of the Year ||
|-
| 2001 || "Coming Around" || British Video of the Year ||
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2002 || Travis || British Group ||
|-
| The Invisible Band || British Album of the Year ||
|-
| "Sing" || British Video of the Year ||
|}
Q Awards
The Q Awards are the United Kingdom's annual music awards run by the music magazine Q.
|-
| rowspan="3" | 1999 || Travis || Best New Act ||
|-
| The Man Who || Best Album ||
|-
| "Why Does It Always Rain on Me?" || Best Single ||
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2000 || rowspan="2" | Travis || Best Act in the World Today ||
|-
| Best Live Act ||
|-
| "Coming Around" || Best Video ||
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2001 || Travis || Best Act in the World Today ||
|-
| The Invisible Band || Best Album ||
|}
References
External links
Scottish rock music groups
Post-Britpop groups
Britpop groups
British soft rock music groups
Musical groups from Glasgow
Musical groups established in 1990
Brit Award winners
Ivor Novello Award winners
NME Awards winners
Independiente Records artists
Epic Records artists
| true |
[
"The Primrose International Viola Archive (PIVA) is the official viola archive of both the International Viola Society and American Viola Society. It is located in the Harold B. Lee Library at Brigham Young University. Scottish-American violist William Primrose started the archive with the donation of his many materials on the viola.\n\nHistory\n\nBrigham Young University faculty violist emeritus David Dalton studied viola under William Primrose at Indiana University. While writing Primrose's memoirs, Dalton suggested that the Harold B. Lee library could preserve Primrose's papers. After meeting with library officials in 1974, Primrose decided to donate his memorabilia to the Harold B. Lee library as part of a project to start a national-scale viola archive. In 1979, the archive was established, and the library's existing viola holdings along with Primrose's contributions formed the Primrose Viola Archive.\n\nIn 1981, the International Viola Society combined its archive in Austria with the Primrose archive, and the archive's name changed to the Primrose International Viola Archive. From 1983, the archive has collected newly published viola music and made a special effort to make its repository of viola music exhaustive. Notable donors include Jan Albrecht, Paul Doktor, Ulrich Druner, Walter Lebermann, Rudolf Tretzsch, Ernst Wallfisch, and Franz Zeyringer, founder of the International Viola Society. In 2005, Brigham Young University hosted the American Viola Society's Primrose International Viola Competition and Festival.\n\nHoldings\nThe PIVA includes over 6,000 published scores, around 250 sound recordings, and hundreds of manuscripts and correspondence.\n\nThe collection includes viola manuscripts from Primrose's collection, a viola manuscript by Ernst Toch with a dedication to Primrose, a holograph score of Efrem Zimbalist's \"Sarasateana: Suite of Spanish Dances,\" Milhaud's second viola concerto with a dedication from the composer, the working manuscript for Béla Bartók's viola concerto, and the manuscript for George Rochberg's Viola Sonata. The collection also includes Primrose recordings and a Primrose photo archive.\n\nGallery\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\n Primrose International Viola Archive\n\nViolas\nBrigham Young University\n1979 establishments in Utah\nArchives in the United States\nHarold B. Lee library-related music articles",
"Neil Primrose (born 20 February 1972) is the drummer of the Scottish rock quartet Travis.\n\nBiography\n\nPrimrose was born in Cumbernauld His father, a power station engineer, was posted to Middlesbrough, and this was followed by a series of moves across the northeast of England during the first ten years of Primrose's life. At the age of 15 in high school in Glasgow he was playing drums with friends in local bands. From the age of 17, the next step was going for as many auditions as possible and looking for like-minded players to form a group.\n\nThis led to his joining the band Glass Onion with Andy Dunlop along with brothers Chris and Geoff Martyn in the early 1990s. After years of touring and looking for success, the line-up changed with Fran Healy eventually joining the line-up and the group then splitting with the Martyn brothers and bringing Dougie Payne in for bass guitar. Eventually, the name for the band was changed to Travis.\n\nUnlike the other three members of the band, Primrose was not a student at the Glasgow School of Art instead working various jobs and studying Computer Science for a pre-degree course. Initially, Travis rehearsed in The Horse Shoe Bar where Primrose and Healy had met for the first time. The material for their first two albums was, in part, written and refined here. Travis moved to London in late spring 1996 and lived, rehearsed and toured from their North London base for many years.\n\nTravis' début album Good Feeling was released in 1997 with positive review, but lukewarm performance in the charts. Their 1999 follow-up, The Man Who, proved to be far more successful, selling millions of copies worldwide, shortly followed by The Invisible Band in 2001. During this period, Travis had several UK hit singles, including Sing and Why Does It Always Rain On Me?.\n\nBefore the recording of Travis' fourth album, 12 Memories, Primrose suffered a life-threatening spine injury while he was swimming on holiday in France. This led to the cancellation of several subsequent tour dates – most significantly a headline slot at V Festival. Primrose made a full recovery and was back on stage and recording with the band within months – including Isle of Wight Festival and Live 8 in 2005. As of 2021, Travis have released six more albums and continue to tour worldwide.\n\nPrimrose has played drums on the Canadian musician Ron Sexsmith's seventh album Retriever and other individual album tracks, along with albums by Jamie Scott, Yusaf Islam, Magne F and Cyril Paulus. In Scotland, Primrose plays with the MOVE Project along with various artists on the Wild Biscuit label.\n\nPersonal life\nPrimrose is married to Esther, and has two daughters.\n\nIn 2007, Primrose gained his first racing licence and has since driven in many racing events including the Classic Le Mans series and the SPA 25Hr FunCup.\n\nReferences \n\nTravis (band) members\n1972 births\nScottish rock drummers\nBritish male drummers\nLiving people\nPeople from Cumbernauld\n21st-century drummers\nBritcar drivers"
] |
[
"Travis (band)",
"Primrose's accident and change in direction (2002-06)",
"What caused Primrose's accident?",
"after drummer Neil Primrose went head-first into a shallow swimming pool while on tour in France, just after a concert at Eurockeennes festival.",
"did he become paralyzed?",
"Despite the severity of the accident, Primrose has since made a full recovery.",
"did primrose stay in the band?",
"With Primrose having recovered, Travis regrouped and re-evaluated.",
"what changed after Primrose recovered?",
"Produced by Travis themselves, Tchad Blake, and Steve Orchard, the album marked a move into more organic, moody and political territory for the band."
] |
C_acd4a39c65e54983894878c8becd46d5_0
|
what were their politics?
| 5 |
what were the politics of Travis's album released after Primrose's accident?
|
Travis (band)
|
In 2002, however, things came to a halt for Travis, with the band almost calling it quits, after drummer Neil Primrose went head-first into a shallow swimming pool while on tour in France, just after a concert at Eurockeennes festival. Breaking his neck, he almost died due to spinal damage. If not for his road crew, he also would have drowned. Despite the severity of the accident, Primrose has since made a full recovery. With Primrose having recovered, Travis regrouped and re-evaluated. Moving into a cottage in Crear, Argyll and Bute, they set up a small studio, and over two weeks, came up with nine new songs that would form the basis of their fourth studio album, 2003's 12 Memories. Produced by Travis themselves, Tchad Blake, and Steve Orchard, the album marked a move into more organic, moody and political territory for the band. Although this seems to have alienated some fans, the album generally received very positive reviews (for example, "Then, of course, there's Travis and their album 12 Memories [Epic]. You just have to sit there and listen to it all the way through, and it will take you on a real journey. It's like an old album. It's like the Beatles' Revolver [1966]. Fran Healy's voice and lyrics are mesmerizing and beautiful"--Elton John), singles such as "Re-Offender" did very well on the UK chart, and the album itself reached No. 3. Yet it also saw them lose ground in the U.S., where Coldplay had usurped Travis during their 2002 absence. Much later, Fran Healy spoke about the album as a whole being about him working through his own clinical depression, and the 12 memories being 12 reasons for him reaching his depressed state. At the time this wasn't mentioned, but the revelation that Healy was depressed ties in with the band's decision to take longer writing and releasing their next work. In 2004, Travis embarked on a highly successful tour of Canada, the US, and Europe (supported by Keane in the UK), and on November 2004, the band released a successful compilation of their singles, Singles, as well as the new tracks, "Walking in the Sun" and "The Distance" (written by Dougie Payne). This was followed by a series of small, intimate gigs at UK venues such as Liverpool's Cavern Club, London's Mean Fiddler, and Glasgow's Barrowlands. While on tour, the band also made a series of impromptu acoustic "busks", raising money for the charity The Big Issue. In addition to other performances, they also headlined the 2005 Isle of Wight Festival and T in the Park. On 2 July 2005, Travis performed at Live 8's London concert, and four days later, at the Edinburgh 50,000 - The Final Push concert. Travis also participated in Band Aid 20's re-recording of "Do They Know It's Christmas?"--Healy and friend Nigel Godrich playing leading roles in its organisation. Healy is a part of the Make Poverty History movement, having recently made two trips to Sudan with the Save the Children organisation. On 13 July 2006, the members of Travis stuck a giant post-it sticker on the front door of the Downing Street home of British Prime Minister, Tony Blair. It read: "Tony Blair--Some steps forward, much to do at the G8, make poverty history." CANNOTANSWER
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CANNOTANSWER
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Travis are a Scottish rock band formed in Glasgow in 1990, composed of Fran Healy (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Dougie Payne (bass guitar, backing vocals), Andy Dunlop (lead guitar, banjo, backing vocals) and Neil Primrose (drums, percussion). The band's name comes from the character Travis Henderson (played by Harry Dean Stanton) from the film Paris, Texas (1984).
The band released their debut album, Good Feeling (1997), to moderate success where it debuted at number nine on the UK Albums Chart and was later awarded a silver certification from the BPI in January 2000. The band gained greater success with their second album, The Man Who (1999), which spent nine weeks at number one on the UK Albums Chart, totalling 134 weeks in the top 100 of the chart. In 2003, The Man Who was certified 9x platinum by the BPI, representing sales of over 2.68 million in the UK alone. Following this success, the band released their third effort, The Invisible Band (2001) album. The Invisible Band went on to match the success found with their previous album, where it debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart and spent a total of four weeks at the top spot, fifteen weeks in the top ten, and a total of fifty-five weeks in the top 100 chart, as well as peaking at thirty-nine on the US Billboard 200 album chart, spending a duration of seven weeks in the Billboard 200 chart. A year following the release of The Invisible Band, the BPI awarded Travis with a 4x platinum certification for the album.
In recent years, the band's discography has included studio albums 12 Memories (2003), The Boy with No Name (2007), Ode to J. Smith (2008), Where You Stand (2013), Everything at Once (2016) and 10 Songs (2020). In 2004, the band released their first greatest hits album, Singles, which spent nineteen weeks in the top 100 of the UK albums chart. Travis have twice been awarded best band at the BRIT Awards and were awarded the NME Artist of the Year award at their 2000 ceremony, and in 2016 were honoured at the Scottish Music Awards for their outstanding contribution to music. The band are widely said by the media to have paved the way for other bands such as Keane and Coldplay to go on to achieve worldwide success throughout the 2000s, particularly with the success of The Man Who.
Craft Recordings celebrated the 20th anniversary of Travis' breakthrough year with two simultaneous releases: Live at Glastonbury '99, plus expanded editions of The Man Who – both of which were released on 21 June 2019.
History
Formation and early years (1990–1993)
The band that would become Travis was formed by brothers Chris Martyn (bass) and Geoff Martyn (keyboards) along with Simon Jarvis (drums). Andy Dunlop, a school friend at Lenzie Academy, was drafted in on guitar. The line-up was completed by a female vocalist, Catherine Maxwell, and the band's name became "Glass Onion", after the Beatles song of the same name. Neil Primrose joined to replace Jarvis. Parting company with their singer in the spring of 1991, they auditioned for a new vocalist. Having met each other through Primrose pouring him a pint, an untrained art student, Fran Healy, then joined after being invited to audition by Primrose. Healy joined the band on the day he enrolled at The Glasgow School of Art, in the autumn of 1991. Two years later, with the option of music holding more appeal, Healy dropped out of art school, and inspired by songwriters such as Joni Mitchell, assumed songwriting responsibilities. With brothers Chris and Geoff Martyn on bass and keyboards, in 1993, the fivesome released a privately made CD, The Glass Onion EP, featuring the tracks "Dream On", "The Day Before", "Free Soul" and "Whenever She Comes Round". 500 copies of the EP were made and were recently valued at £1000 each. Other songs they recorded but were left off are "She's So Strange" and "Not About to Change".
The band won a talent contest organised by the Music in Scotland Trust, who promised £2,000 so that Travis could deal-hunt at a new music seminar in New York. Two weeks before they were due to leave, however, the prize was instead given to the Music in Scotland Trust Directory.
The band showed promise but had yet to evolve into a decent line-up capable of fulfilling it and spent several years treading water. According to their publisher Charlie Pinder: "They were a band that everyone in the A&R community knew about and would go and see every now and then. But they weren’t very good. They had quite good songs; Fran always did write good songs." While on a visit to Scotland, American engineer and producer Niko Bolas, a long-time Neil Young and Rolling Stones associate, tuned into a Travis session on Radio Scotland, and heard something in the band's music which instantly made him travel to Perth to see them. Healy: "He told us we were shit, took us in the studio for four days, and taught us how to play properly, like a band. He was ballsy, rude, and New York pushy. He didn't believe my lyrics and told me to write what I believed in and not tell lies. He was Mary Poppins, he sorted us out." The band recorded a five-song demo, which included the song "All I Want to Do Is Rock".
Changes and debut album (1994–1997)
With the sudden death of his grandfather, a grief-stricken Healy shut himself away, refusing to talk to anyone. Emerging a week later, and with a clear vision of where he now wanted Travis and their music to go, Healy dispensed with the band's management and publicity agent. Having been repeatedly knocked back by the British record industry, the band couldn't afford to stay around the country for another few years and so decided to move to New York, feeling that the U.S. might be more suited to their style of music. Before leaving Healy told the band that they should send the demo to Charlie Pinder of Sony Music Publishing, who they had known for a few years and regularly sent songs to, saying: "If he's not into it, then we'll go." Pinder was immediately impressed by the song "All I Want to Do is Rock", which he felt was a dramatic change for the band: "It was harder, more exciting, sexy; all things that they never really were. They turned a corner." After performing a secret gig for Pinder and his boss at Sony, Blair McDonald, they were signed to Sony Music Publishing. The immediate impact of was that the founding member and keyboard player Geoff Martyn was removed while the bassist, his brother Chris, was replaced with Healy's best friend Dougie Payne. The band was moved to London where they were given a rehearsal room and a house.
Payne, a fellow art student who worked as a Levi's shop assistant, had not played bass guitar previously and initially proved reluctant to take up the new instrument. After having completed a crash course of a couple of weeks, Payne played with the new line-up for the first time in a free space above the Horse Shoe Bar in Glasgow.
Once set up in London the band spent between nine months and a year recording new songs. The band played their first London show at the Dublin Castle in Camden. With around twenty good songs ready they then approached managers Colin Lester and Ian McAndrew of Wildlife Entertainment who then introduced the band to Andy MacDonald, owner of Go! Discs Records and founder of Independiente Records. Sensing greatness, he negotiated with Wildlife Entertainment and signed Travis for a reputed £100,000 of his own money. The band is signed to MacDonald personally, not to the label—if MacDonald ever leaves the Sony-financed label Independiente Records, the band goes with him (commonly referred to in the industry as a "golden handcuffs" clause).
Produced by Steve Lillywhite of U2 fame, Travis' first studio album, 1997's Good Feeling, is a rockier, more upbeat record than the band's others to date. Recorded at the legendary Bearsville Studios in Woodstock, New York, the place where Travis favourite The Band recorded, the album contained singles such as "All I Want to Do Is Rock", "U16 Girls", the Beatle'esque "Tied to the 90s", "Happy" and "More Than Us". Guest musicians include Page McConnell of Phish playing keyboards on the title track "Good Feeling". The album reached No. 9 on the UK Albums Chart, but with little radio play, it slipped from the chart relatively quickly. Although it heralded Travis' arrival on the British music scene, received extremely positive reviews, and substantially broadened Travis' fan base, it sold just 40,000 copies. Following the release, Travis toured extensively, their live performances further enhancing their reputation. This included support slots in the UK for Oasis, after Noel Gallagher became an outspoken fan.
Mainstream success (1998–2001)
Travis' second album, 1999's The Man Who, was produced by Nigel Godrich and partially recorded at producer Mike Hedges' chateau in France. The band continued recording at, among other studios, Abbey Road Studios in London. Shortly after release, The Man Who initially looked as though it would mirror the release of Good Feeling. Although it entered the UK Albums Chart at No. 7, with little radio play of its singles, it quickly slipped down. Worse, many critics who had raved about the rocky Good Feeling rubbished the album for the band's move into more melodic, melancholic material (for example, "Travis will be best when they stop trying to make sad, classic records"—NME). When the album slipped as far as No. 19, it stopped. Word of mouth and increasing radio play of the single "Why Does It Always Rain on Me?" increased awareness of the band and the album began to rise back up the chart. When Travis took the stage to perform this song at the 1999 Glastonbury Festival, after being dry for several hours, it began to rain as soon as the first line was sung. The following day the story was all over the papers and television, and with word of mouth and increased radio play of this and the album's other singles, The Man Who rose to No. 1 on the UK chart. It also eventually took Best Album at the 2000 BRIT Awards, with Travis being named Best Band. Music industry magazine Music Week awarded them the same honours, while at the Ivor Novello Awards, Travis took the Best Songwriter(s) and Best Contemporary Song Awards.
Travis followed the release of The Man Who with an extensive 237-gig world tour, including headlining the 2000 Glastonbury, T in the Park and V Festivals, and a US tour leg with Oasis. In Los Angeles, an appearance of the band at an in-store signing forced police to close Sunset Strip. The gentle, melodic approach of The Man Who became a hallmark of the latter-day Britpop sound, and inspired a new wave of UK-based rock bands, with acts such as Coldplay and Starsailor soon joining Travis in challenging the chart dominance of urban and dance acts. The title "The Man Who" comes from the book The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by neurologist Oliver Sacks. The majority of songs for this album were written before Good Feeling was even released. "Writing to Reach You", "The Fear" and "Luv" being penned around 1995–96, with "As You Are", "Turn" and "She's So Strange" dating back as far as 1993 and the early Glass Onion EP.
The title of Travis' following album, 2001's The Invisible Band, again produced by Nigel Godrich, reflects the band's genuine belief that their music is more important than the group behind it. Featuring such songs as "Sing" (the most played song on British radio that summer), "Side", the McCartneyesque "Flowers in the Window", "Indefinitely", "Pipe Dream" and "The Cage", and recorded at Ocean Way Studios in Los Angeles, the album again made No. 1 on the UK chart, generally received widespread critical acclaim, with the band again taking Best British Band at the annual BRIT Awards. It also received Top of the Pops Album of the Year. The album also had an impact across the Atlantic, the popularity in the US of the single "Coming Around", a non-album track with Byrdsesque harmonies and 12-string guitar, enhancing this. Travis again followed the release of The Invisible Band with an extensive world tour.
Primrose's accident and change in direction (2002–2006)
In 2002 things came to a halt for Travis, with the band almost calling it quits, after drummer Neil Primrose went head-first into a shallow swimming pool while on tour in France, just after a concert at Eurockéennes festival. Breaking his neck, he almost died due to spinal damage. If not for his road crew, he also would have drowned. Despite the severity of the accident, Primrose has since made a full recovery.
With Primrose having recovered, Travis regrouped and re-evaluated. Moving into a cottage in Crear, Argyll and Bute, they set up a small studio, and over two weeks, came up with nine new songs that would form the basis of their fourth studio album, 2003's 12 Memories. Produced by Travis themselves, Tchad Blake, and Steve Orchard, the album marked a move into more organic, moody and political territory for the band. Although this seems to have alienated some fans, the album generally received very positive reviews (for example, "Then, of course, there's Travis and their album 12 Memories [Epic]. You just have to sit there and listen to it all the way through, and it will take you on a real journey. It's like an old album. It's like the Beatles' Revolver [1966]. Fran Healy's voice and lyrics are mesmerizing and beautiful"—Elton John), singles such as "Re-Offender" did very well on the UK chart, and the album itself reached No. 3. Yet it also saw them lose ground in the U.S., where Coldplay had usurped Travis during their 2002 absence. Much later, Fran Healy spoke about the album as a whole being about him working through his own clinical depression, and the 12 memories being 12 reasons for him reaching his depressed state. At the time this wasn't mentioned, but the revelation that Healy was depressed ties in with the band's decision to take longer writing and releasing their next work.
In 2004, Travis embarked on a highly successful tour of Canada, the US, and Europe (supported by Keane in the UK), and in November 2004, the band released a successful compilation of their singles, Singles, as well as the new tracks, "Walking in the Sun" and "The Distance" (written by Dougie Payne). This was followed by a series of small, intimate gigs at UK venues such as Liverpool's Cavern Club, London's Mean Fiddler, and Glasgow's Barrowlands. While on tour, the band made a series of impromptu acoustic "busks", raising money for the charity The Big Issue. In addition to other performances, they headlined the 2005 Isle of Wight Festival and T in the Park.
On 2 July 2005, Travis performed at Live 8's London concert, and four days later, at the Edinburgh 50,000 – The Final Push concert. Travis also participated in Band Aid 20's re-recording of "Do They Know It's Christmas?"—Healy and friend Nigel Godrich playing leading roles in its organisation. Healy is a part of the Make Poverty History movement, having recently made two trips to Sudan with the Save the Children organisation. On 13 July 2006, the members of Travis stuck a giant post-it sticker on the front door of the Downing Street home of British Prime Minister, Tony Blair. It read: "Tony Blair—Some steps forward, much to do at the G8, make poverty history."
Artistic re-evaluation (2007–2009)
Travis released a fifth studio album, The Boy with No Name, on 7 May 2007. Nigel Godrich was the album's executive producer, while Mike Hedges and Brian Eno were also involved. The album is named after Healy's son, Clay, whom Healy and his partner Nora were unable to name until four weeks after his birth. Healy has described the process of making the album as "like coming out of the forest", and that the band is now "in a good place", contrasting with the dark mood surrounding 12 Memories. Travis played at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival on 28 April 2007. At the Virgin Megastore tent in the festival, The Boy With No Name was available to purchase over a week early. Reviews of the album were mixed. The album's first single, "Closer", was released on 23 April 2007 and peaked at No. 10 in the UK Singles Chart. The music video for the single features a cameo role from actor and friend of the band, Ben Stiller. Stiller plays the role of a supermarket manager. The follow-up singles to "Closer" were "Selfish Jean" and "My Eyes".
For the promotional tour for the album (which started just before its release), Travis included a new touring pianist, Claes Björklund from Sweden. Björklund's first appearance with the band was when they played at the Oxford Brookes Union on 19 March 2007, prior to the album's release. The band dedicated their performance at the Vic Theater in Chicago to their producer Nigel Godrich. The album's tour lasted until December 2007 ending in a home-coming gig in Glasgow. The band visited for the first time places including Buenos Aires and Santiago de Chile (playing as part of a festival co-headlined with The Killers and Starsailor) during this tour.
Following a short UK tour, where the band tested some new material, Travis recorded their sixth album in two weeks in February/March 2008, having been inspired by the speed and simplicity of their recent recording session with Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick while participating in a BBC programme celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album. It was announced around this time that the band and long term record label Independiente had split amicably.
In early June 2008, a vinyl EP of the song "J. Smith" was announced online as the first release from Ode to J. Smith for 30 June. It was an EP limited to 1000 copies and not an 'official' single, instead more of a taster of the album for fans.
Fran Healy said, "The album is called Ode to J. Smith partly giving a heads up to the key song and partly because all the songs are written about nameless characters or to nameless characters." He has also described the album as a novel with 12 chapters, with each chapter being a song. In live shows promoting the album in spring 2009, Healy said the song Friends was written from the perspective of the girlfriend of the book's protagonist (J.Smith), about friends who are only there to ask for favours. The album would be released through their own record label Red Telephone Box, with the lead single "Something Anything" being released on 15 September. Two weeks later on 29 September, Ode to J. Smith was released. The band also headlined a 12-gig UK tour to coincide with the releases between 22 September and 8 October. Early reviews were very positive, with some calling it Travis' best record ever.
The second single released from Ode To J. Smith was "Song to Self", on 5 January 2009. In the December 2008 issue of Q Magazine, Ode To J Smith appeared at number 28 on a list of the Readers' Best Albums Of 2008.
Where You Stand (2010–2013)
A live acoustic album featuring Healy and Dunlop was released on 19 January 2010.
In 2011 Travis returned to live performances. They played at the Maxidrom Festival in Moscow, in May; at G! festival, Faroe Island and the Rock’n Coke Festival in Istanbul, Turkey in July. On 31 October, Fran Healy performed a concert in Berlin along with Keane's Tim Rice-Oxley. They performed several Keane songs. Travis recorded some songs for their next album at the end of September 2011 and they continued writing new songs in February 2012 with Keane. Fran Healy confirmed on his Twitter account that the new Travis album will be released in the first half of 2013. Travis played together on 4 May 2012 at the Sandance Festival in Dubai. They also played at the Porto Student Festival in Portugal on 9 May. The band performed in the Norwegian Festival in July 2012 and Belladrum Festival in August 2012.
A pre single teaser track called "Another Guy" from the band's forthcoming seventh album was released as a free download from the band's official website on 20 March 2013. On 25 April 2013, they revealed that the new album Where You Stand would be released on 19 August 2013 via Kobalt Label Services, and that the first eponymous single "Where You Stand" was released on 30 April.
Everything at Once, outstanding music contribution and Almost Fashionable (2013–2016)
A post from Travis on their Instagram page confirmed that recording had commenced on the band's eighth album at Hansa Tonstudio in Berlin in January 2015. On 25 November 2015, Travis shared a free download single 'Everything at Once' and announced two UK live shows in January 2016. A new album, also titled Everything at Once, was released on 29 April 2016.
In 2016 at the 18th annual Scottish Music Awards, Travis were presented with the award for their outstanding contribution to music.
Travis’ June 2016 tour of Mexico formed the backdrop for Almost Fashionable: A Film About Travis, a documentary directed by Healy. The film stars Wyndham Wallace, a music journalist and acquaintance of Healy's in Berlin who was invited to travel with Travis to Mexico because he had previously expressed his distaste for the band. The film had its premiere in 2018 at the 72nd Edinburgh International Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award.
The Man Who anniversary and 10 Songs (2017–present)
In 2017, Travis decided to celebrate the 18th anniversary of their seminal 1999 album The Man Who as they were currently writing songs and figured that they would be busy promoting a new album on what would have been The Man Who’s 20th anniversary. To mark the occasion, the band re-released the album as a limited edition box set.
In September 2017, the band also performed the album in full at two shows in Manchester and London, followed by more full album UK shows in June and December of the following year.
Finally, on the actual 20th anniversary year of The Man Who, the band re-released the album reissue box set, along with the live album Live at Glastonbury ‘99, a recording of the set which turned out to be a pivotal moment in kickstarting Travis’ commercial success despite the band members feeling that they had performed poorly.
On 10 December 2019, Travis released “Kissing in the Wind”, a song from their upcoming new album which had previously been included in their 2018 documentary Almost Fashionable: A Film About Travis. Another single, “A Ghost”, was released on 3 June 2020, along with details of the band's upcoming ninth studio album 10 Songs, released on 9 October of the same year.
Collaborations and solo work
The band have played with a number of other artists, including Paul McCartney, Graham Nash, Noel Gallagher, and Jason Falkner. Travis guest starred on Feeder's "Tumble and Fall", performing backing vocals at the end of the song. This, because Feeder were recording their album Pushing the Senses and Travis were in the next studio.
An adaptation of the Oasis song "Half the World Away", as performed by Healy, was used as the intro music for a sketch in The Adam and Joe Show entitled "The Imperial Family". The sketch itself was a parody of The Royle Family (to which the Oasis song lends itself as the theme music).
In June 2007, Travis participated in BBC Radio 2's project to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. All the album's tracks were re-recorded by contemporary artists, supervised by the original engineer, Geoff Emerick, using the same 4-track studio equipment. Travis contributed a rendition of "Lovely Rita". The band wanted to be as faithful to the original as possible, even to the extent of recording the guitars in the stairwell of Abbey Road Studios to recreate the acoustics.
In 2010, Travis contributed a live version of their song "Before You Were Young" to the Enough Project and Downtown Records' Raise Hope for Congo compilation. Proceeds from the compilation fund efforts to make the protection and empowerment of Congo's women a priority, as well as inspire individuals around the world to raise their voice for peace in Congo.
Healy released his first solo album entitled Wreckorder in October 2010. Recorded in Berlin, New York and Vermont and produced by Emery Dobyns (Patti Smith, Noah and the Whale), the album features Paul McCartney, Neko Case and Noah and the Whale's Tom Hobden.
Band members
Fran Healy – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, piano (1991–present)
Dougie Payne – bass guitar, backing vocals (1994–present)
Andy Dunlop – lead guitar, banjo, backing vocals (1990–present)
Neil Primrose – drums, percussion (1990–present)
Former members
Geoff Martyn – keyboards (1990–1996)
Chris Martyn – bass guitar (1990–1996)
Simon Jarvis – drums, percussion (1990)
Catherine Maxwell – lead vocals (1990– 1991)
Discography
Studio albums
Good Feeling (1997)
The Man Who (1999)
The Invisible Band (2001)
12 Memories (2003)
The Boy with No Name (2007)
Ode to J. Smith (2008)
Where You Stand (2013)
Everything at Once (2016)
10 Songs (2020)
Live albums
Live at Glastonbury ‘99 (2019)
Compilation albums
Singles (2004)
List of awards and nominations received by Travis
Brit Awards
The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards.
|-
| 1998 || Travis || British Breakthrough Act ||
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2000 || Travis || British Group ||
|-
| The Man Who || British Album of the Year ||
|-
| "Why Does It Always Rain on Me?" || British Single of the Year ||
|-
| 2001 || "Coming Around" || British Video of the Year ||
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2002 || Travis || British Group ||
|-
| The Invisible Band || British Album of the Year ||
|-
| "Sing" || British Video of the Year ||
|}
Q Awards
The Q Awards are the United Kingdom's annual music awards run by the music magazine Q.
|-
| rowspan="3" | 1999 || Travis || Best New Act ||
|-
| The Man Who || Best Album ||
|-
| "Why Does It Always Rain on Me?" || Best Single ||
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2000 || rowspan="2" | Travis || Best Act in the World Today ||
|-
| Best Live Act ||
|-
| "Coming Around" || Best Video ||
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2001 || Travis || Best Act in the World Today ||
|-
| The Invisible Band || Best Album ||
|}
References
External links
Scottish rock music groups
Post-Britpop groups
Britpop groups
British soft rock music groups
Musical groups from Glasgow
Musical groups established in 1990
Brit Award winners
Ivor Novello Award winners
NME Awards winners
Independiente Records artists
Epic Records artists
| false |
[
"In political science (and within the subfield of international relations in particular), the concept high politics covers all matters that are vital to the very survival of the state: namely national and international security concerns. It is often used in opposition to low politics, which often designates economic, cultural or social affairs.\n\nHistory\nAlthough the idea of high politics has been present in all cultures and epochs, Hobbes was the first to enunciate that survival (of trade, the laws, societal order) hinges upon a finite number of ingredients; these ingredients were embodied and provided by the state. However, interpreting Hobbes, these ingredients are what one can call \"high politics\".\n\nThe term \"high politics\" in itself was probably coined during the Cold War, given the stakes of an atomic war. The advent of the atomic bomb made it clear what was ultimately worth fighting for and what was not, hence, made clear what \"high politics\" meant. In that sense, the United States and the former Soviet Union would have gone to war for a direct atomic threat (Cuban Missile Crisis), but would have never gone to war over \"low politics\", a boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics. Trade, for all its importance, is considered by most political scientists as \"low politics\", as it depends on specific security conditions to come into effect.\n\nLow politics is a concept that covers all matters that are not absolutely vital to the survival of the state as the economics and the social affairs. The low politics are the domain of the state's welfare. It concerns all things about social or human security. Robert Keohane and Joseph Nye describe that previously, the international relations were based on a simple interdependence scheme based on national security (high politics); nowadays the international relations are ruled by a complex interdependence based on domestic issues: low politics.\n\nThe classical realism theory of international relations only considers the high politics as relevant and completely rejects the low politics. The complex interdependence of the liberal theory considers the low politics as fundamental without rejecting the high politics.\n\nReferences\n\nBibliography \n\n Keohane and Joseph S. Nye, Power and. Interdependence: World Politics in Transition (Boston: Little, Brown, 1977)\n\nPolitical science terminology",
"\"Harlem\" is a song by alternative rock band New Politics, released as the first single from their second album A Bad Girl in Harlem.\n\nThe song was featured in NHL 14, Guitar Hero Live and Windows 8.1. It is also featured as a \"Now! What's Next\" bonus track on Now That's What I Call Music! 48. It also appears on the trailer for the 2013 Disney film Frozen.\n\nCharts\n\nYear-end charts\n\nCertifications\n\nReferences\n\nNew Politics (band) songs\n2013 songs\n2013 singles\nRCA Records singles"
] |
[
"Travis (band)",
"Primrose's accident and change in direction (2002-06)",
"What caused Primrose's accident?",
"after drummer Neil Primrose went head-first into a shallow swimming pool while on tour in France, just after a concert at Eurockeennes festival.",
"did he become paralyzed?",
"Despite the severity of the accident, Primrose has since made a full recovery.",
"did primrose stay in the band?",
"With Primrose having recovered, Travis regrouped and re-evaluated.",
"what changed after Primrose recovered?",
"Produced by Travis themselves, Tchad Blake, and Steve Orchard, the album marked a move into more organic, moody and political territory for the band.",
"what were their politics?",
"I don't know."
] |
C_acd4a39c65e54983894878c8becd46d5_0
|
did Primrose ever talk about his accident?
| 6 |
did Primrose ever talk about the swimming pool accident?
|
Travis (band)
|
In 2002, however, things came to a halt for Travis, with the band almost calling it quits, after drummer Neil Primrose went head-first into a shallow swimming pool while on tour in France, just after a concert at Eurockeennes festival. Breaking his neck, he almost died due to spinal damage. If not for his road crew, he also would have drowned. Despite the severity of the accident, Primrose has since made a full recovery. With Primrose having recovered, Travis regrouped and re-evaluated. Moving into a cottage in Crear, Argyll and Bute, they set up a small studio, and over two weeks, came up with nine new songs that would form the basis of their fourth studio album, 2003's 12 Memories. Produced by Travis themselves, Tchad Blake, and Steve Orchard, the album marked a move into more organic, moody and political territory for the band. Although this seems to have alienated some fans, the album generally received very positive reviews (for example, "Then, of course, there's Travis and their album 12 Memories [Epic]. You just have to sit there and listen to it all the way through, and it will take you on a real journey. It's like an old album. It's like the Beatles' Revolver [1966]. Fran Healy's voice and lyrics are mesmerizing and beautiful"--Elton John), singles such as "Re-Offender" did very well on the UK chart, and the album itself reached No. 3. Yet it also saw them lose ground in the U.S., where Coldplay had usurped Travis during their 2002 absence. Much later, Fran Healy spoke about the album as a whole being about him working through his own clinical depression, and the 12 memories being 12 reasons for him reaching his depressed state. At the time this wasn't mentioned, but the revelation that Healy was depressed ties in with the band's decision to take longer writing and releasing their next work. In 2004, Travis embarked on a highly successful tour of Canada, the US, and Europe (supported by Keane in the UK), and on November 2004, the band released a successful compilation of their singles, Singles, as well as the new tracks, "Walking in the Sun" and "The Distance" (written by Dougie Payne). This was followed by a series of small, intimate gigs at UK venues such as Liverpool's Cavern Club, London's Mean Fiddler, and Glasgow's Barrowlands. While on tour, the band also made a series of impromptu acoustic "busks", raising money for the charity The Big Issue. In addition to other performances, they also headlined the 2005 Isle of Wight Festival and T in the Park. On 2 July 2005, Travis performed at Live 8's London concert, and four days later, at the Edinburgh 50,000 - The Final Push concert. Travis also participated in Band Aid 20's re-recording of "Do They Know It's Christmas?"--Healy and friend Nigel Godrich playing leading roles in its organisation. Healy is a part of the Make Poverty History movement, having recently made two trips to Sudan with the Save the Children organisation. On 13 July 2006, the members of Travis stuck a giant post-it sticker on the front door of the Downing Street home of British Prime Minister, Tony Blair. It read: "Tony Blair--Some steps forward, much to do at the G8, make poverty history." CANNOTANSWER
|
CANNOTANSWER
|
Travis are a Scottish rock band formed in Glasgow in 1990, composed of Fran Healy (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Dougie Payne (bass guitar, backing vocals), Andy Dunlop (lead guitar, banjo, backing vocals) and Neil Primrose (drums, percussion). The band's name comes from the character Travis Henderson (played by Harry Dean Stanton) from the film Paris, Texas (1984).
The band released their debut album, Good Feeling (1997), to moderate success where it debuted at number nine on the UK Albums Chart and was later awarded a silver certification from the BPI in January 2000. The band gained greater success with their second album, The Man Who (1999), which spent nine weeks at number one on the UK Albums Chart, totalling 134 weeks in the top 100 of the chart. In 2003, The Man Who was certified 9x platinum by the BPI, representing sales of over 2.68 million in the UK alone. Following this success, the band released their third effort, The Invisible Band (2001) album. The Invisible Band went on to match the success found with their previous album, where it debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart and spent a total of four weeks at the top spot, fifteen weeks in the top ten, and a total of fifty-five weeks in the top 100 chart, as well as peaking at thirty-nine on the US Billboard 200 album chart, spending a duration of seven weeks in the Billboard 200 chart. A year following the release of The Invisible Band, the BPI awarded Travis with a 4x platinum certification for the album.
In recent years, the band's discography has included studio albums 12 Memories (2003), The Boy with No Name (2007), Ode to J. Smith (2008), Where You Stand (2013), Everything at Once (2016) and 10 Songs (2020). In 2004, the band released their first greatest hits album, Singles, which spent nineteen weeks in the top 100 of the UK albums chart. Travis have twice been awarded best band at the BRIT Awards and were awarded the NME Artist of the Year award at their 2000 ceremony, and in 2016 were honoured at the Scottish Music Awards for their outstanding contribution to music. The band are widely said by the media to have paved the way for other bands such as Keane and Coldplay to go on to achieve worldwide success throughout the 2000s, particularly with the success of The Man Who.
Craft Recordings celebrated the 20th anniversary of Travis' breakthrough year with two simultaneous releases: Live at Glastonbury '99, plus expanded editions of The Man Who – both of which were released on 21 June 2019.
History
Formation and early years (1990–1993)
The band that would become Travis was formed by brothers Chris Martyn (bass) and Geoff Martyn (keyboards) along with Simon Jarvis (drums). Andy Dunlop, a school friend at Lenzie Academy, was drafted in on guitar. The line-up was completed by a female vocalist, Catherine Maxwell, and the band's name became "Glass Onion", after the Beatles song of the same name. Neil Primrose joined to replace Jarvis. Parting company with their singer in the spring of 1991, they auditioned for a new vocalist. Having met each other through Primrose pouring him a pint, an untrained art student, Fran Healy, then joined after being invited to audition by Primrose. Healy joined the band on the day he enrolled at The Glasgow School of Art, in the autumn of 1991. Two years later, with the option of music holding more appeal, Healy dropped out of art school, and inspired by songwriters such as Joni Mitchell, assumed songwriting responsibilities. With brothers Chris and Geoff Martyn on bass and keyboards, in 1993, the fivesome released a privately made CD, The Glass Onion EP, featuring the tracks "Dream On", "The Day Before", "Free Soul" and "Whenever She Comes Round". 500 copies of the EP were made and were recently valued at £1000 each. Other songs they recorded but were left off are "She's So Strange" and "Not About to Change".
The band won a talent contest organised by the Music in Scotland Trust, who promised £2,000 so that Travis could deal-hunt at a new music seminar in New York. Two weeks before they were due to leave, however, the prize was instead given to the Music in Scotland Trust Directory.
The band showed promise but had yet to evolve into a decent line-up capable of fulfilling it and spent several years treading water. According to their publisher Charlie Pinder: "They were a band that everyone in the A&R community knew about and would go and see every now and then. But they weren’t very good. They had quite good songs; Fran always did write good songs." While on a visit to Scotland, American engineer and producer Niko Bolas, a long-time Neil Young and Rolling Stones associate, tuned into a Travis session on Radio Scotland, and heard something in the band's music which instantly made him travel to Perth to see them. Healy: "He told us we were shit, took us in the studio for four days, and taught us how to play properly, like a band. He was ballsy, rude, and New York pushy. He didn't believe my lyrics and told me to write what I believed in and not tell lies. He was Mary Poppins, he sorted us out." The band recorded a five-song demo, which included the song "All I Want to Do Is Rock".
Changes and debut album (1994–1997)
With the sudden death of his grandfather, a grief-stricken Healy shut himself away, refusing to talk to anyone. Emerging a week later, and with a clear vision of where he now wanted Travis and their music to go, Healy dispensed with the band's management and publicity agent. Having been repeatedly knocked back by the British record industry, the band couldn't afford to stay around the country for another few years and so decided to move to New York, feeling that the U.S. might be more suited to their style of music. Before leaving Healy told the band that they should send the demo to Charlie Pinder of Sony Music Publishing, who they had known for a few years and regularly sent songs to, saying: "If he's not into it, then we'll go." Pinder was immediately impressed by the song "All I Want to Do is Rock", which he felt was a dramatic change for the band: "It was harder, more exciting, sexy; all things that they never really were. They turned a corner." After performing a secret gig for Pinder and his boss at Sony, Blair McDonald, they were signed to Sony Music Publishing. The immediate impact of was that the founding member and keyboard player Geoff Martyn was removed while the bassist, his brother Chris, was replaced with Healy's best friend Dougie Payne. The band was moved to London where they were given a rehearsal room and a house.
Payne, a fellow art student who worked as a Levi's shop assistant, had not played bass guitar previously and initially proved reluctant to take up the new instrument. After having completed a crash course of a couple of weeks, Payne played with the new line-up for the first time in a free space above the Horse Shoe Bar in Glasgow.
Once set up in London the band spent between nine months and a year recording new songs. The band played their first London show at the Dublin Castle in Camden. With around twenty good songs ready they then approached managers Colin Lester and Ian McAndrew of Wildlife Entertainment who then introduced the band to Andy MacDonald, owner of Go! Discs Records and founder of Independiente Records. Sensing greatness, he negotiated with Wildlife Entertainment and signed Travis for a reputed £100,000 of his own money. The band is signed to MacDonald personally, not to the label—if MacDonald ever leaves the Sony-financed label Independiente Records, the band goes with him (commonly referred to in the industry as a "golden handcuffs" clause).
Produced by Steve Lillywhite of U2 fame, Travis' first studio album, 1997's Good Feeling, is a rockier, more upbeat record than the band's others to date. Recorded at the legendary Bearsville Studios in Woodstock, New York, the place where Travis favourite The Band recorded, the album contained singles such as "All I Want to Do Is Rock", "U16 Girls", the Beatle'esque "Tied to the 90s", "Happy" and "More Than Us". Guest musicians include Page McConnell of Phish playing keyboards on the title track "Good Feeling". The album reached No. 9 on the UK Albums Chart, but with little radio play, it slipped from the chart relatively quickly. Although it heralded Travis' arrival on the British music scene, received extremely positive reviews, and substantially broadened Travis' fan base, it sold just 40,000 copies. Following the release, Travis toured extensively, their live performances further enhancing their reputation. This included support slots in the UK for Oasis, after Noel Gallagher became an outspoken fan.
Mainstream success (1998–2001)
Travis' second album, 1999's The Man Who, was produced by Nigel Godrich and partially recorded at producer Mike Hedges' chateau in France. The band continued recording at, among other studios, Abbey Road Studios in London. Shortly after release, The Man Who initially looked as though it would mirror the release of Good Feeling. Although it entered the UK Albums Chart at No. 7, with little radio play of its singles, it quickly slipped down. Worse, many critics who had raved about the rocky Good Feeling rubbished the album for the band's move into more melodic, melancholic material (for example, "Travis will be best when they stop trying to make sad, classic records"—NME). When the album slipped as far as No. 19, it stopped. Word of mouth and increasing radio play of the single "Why Does It Always Rain on Me?" increased awareness of the band and the album began to rise back up the chart. When Travis took the stage to perform this song at the 1999 Glastonbury Festival, after being dry for several hours, it began to rain as soon as the first line was sung. The following day the story was all over the papers and television, and with word of mouth and increased radio play of this and the album's other singles, The Man Who rose to No. 1 on the UK chart. It also eventually took Best Album at the 2000 BRIT Awards, with Travis being named Best Band. Music industry magazine Music Week awarded them the same honours, while at the Ivor Novello Awards, Travis took the Best Songwriter(s) and Best Contemporary Song Awards.
Travis followed the release of The Man Who with an extensive 237-gig world tour, including headlining the 2000 Glastonbury, T in the Park and V Festivals, and a US tour leg with Oasis. In Los Angeles, an appearance of the band at an in-store signing forced police to close Sunset Strip. The gentle, melodic approach of The Man Who became a hallmark of the latter-day Britpop sound, and inspired a new wave of UK-based rock bands, with acts such as Coldplay and Starsailor soon joining Travis in challenging the chart dominance of urban and dance acts. The title "The Man Who" comes from the book The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by neurologist Oliver Sacks. The majority of songs for this album were written before Good Feeling was even released. "Writing to Reach You", "The Fear" and "Luv" being penned around 1995–96, with "As You Are", "Turn" and "She's So Strange" dating back as far as 1993 and the early Glass Onion EP.
The title of Travis' following album, 2001's The Invisible Band, again produced by Nigel Godrich, reflects the band's genuine belief that their music is more important than the group behind it. Featuring such songs as "Sing" (the most played song on British radio that summer), "Side", the McCartneyesque "Flowers in the Window", "Indefinitely", "Pipe Dream" and "The Cage", and recorded at Ocean Way Studios in Los Angeles, the album again made No. 1 on the UK chart, generally received widespread critical acclaim, with the band again taking Best British Band at the annual BRIT Awards. It also received Top of the Pops Album of the Year. The album also had an impact across the Atlantic, the popularity in the US of the single "Coming Around", a non-album track with Byrdsesque harmonies and 12-string guitar, enhancing this. Travis again followed the release of The Invisible Band with an extensive world tour.
Primrose's accident and change in direction (2002–2006)
In 2002 things came to a halt for Travis, with the band almost calling it quits, after drummer Neil Primrose went head-first into a shallow swimming pool while on tour in France, just after a concert at Eurockéennes festival. Breaking his neck, he almost died due to spinal damage. If not for his road crew, he also would have drowned. Despite the severity of the accident, Primrose has since made a full recovery.
With Primrose having recovered, Travis regrouped and re-evaluated. Moving into a cottage in Crear, Argyll and Bute, they set up a small studio, and over two weeks, came up with nine new songs that would form the basis of their fourth studio album, 2003's 12 Memories. Produced by Travis themselves, Tchad Blake, and Steve Orchard, the album marked a move into more organic, moody and political territory for the band. Although this seems to have alienated some fans, the album generally received very positive reviews (for example, "Then, of course, there's Travis and their album 12 Memories [Epic]. You just have to sit there and listen to it all the way through, and it will take you on a real journey. It's like an old album. It's like the Beatles' Revolver [1966]. Fran Healy's voice and lyrics are mesmerizing and beautiful"—Elton John), singles such as "Re-Offender" did very well on the UK chart, and the album itself reached No. 3. Yet it also saw them lose ground in the U.S., where Coldplay had usurped Travis during their 2002 absence. Much later, Fran Healy spoke about the album as a whole being about him working through his own clinical depression, and the 12 memories being 12 reasons for him reaching his depressed state. At the time this wasn't mentioned, but the revelation that Healy was depressed ties in with the band's decision to take longer writing and releasing their next work.
In 2004, Travis embarked on a highly successful tour of Canada, the US, and Europe (supported by Keane in the UK), and in November 2004, the band released a successful compilation of their singles, Singles, as well as the new tracks, "Walking in the Sun" and "The Distance" (written by Dougie Payne). This was followed by a series of small, intimate gigs at UK venues such as Liverpool's Cavern Club, London's Mean Fiddler, and Glasgow's Barrowlands. While on tour, the band made a series of impromptu acoustic "busks", raising money for the charity The Big Issue. In addition to other performances, they headlined the 2005 Isle of Wight Festival and T in the Park.
On 2 July 2005, Travis performed at Live 8's London concert, and four days later, at the Edinburgh 50,000 – The Final Push concert. Travis also participated in Band Aid 20's re-recording of "Do They Know It's Christmas?"—Healy and friend Nigel Godrich playing leading roles in its organisation. Healy is a part of the Make Poverty History movement, having recently made two trips to Sudan with the Save the Children organisation. On 13 July 2006, the members of Travis stuck a giant post-it sticker on the front door of the Downing Street home of British Prime Minister, Tony Blair. It read: "Tony Blair—Some steps forward, much to do at the G8, make poverty history."
Artistic re-evaluation (2007–2009)
Travis released a fifth studio album, The Boy with No Name, on 7 May 2007. Nigel Godrich was the album's executive producer, while Mike Hedges and Brian Eno were also involved. The album is named after Healy's son, Clay, whom Healy and his partner Nora were unable to name until four weeks after his birth. Healy has described the process of making the album as "like coming out of the forest", and that the band is now "in a good place", contrasting with the dark mood surrounding 12 Memories. Travis played at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival on 28 April 2007. At the Virgin Megastore tent in the festival, The Boy With No Name was available to purchase over a week early. Reviews of the album were mixed. The album's first single, "Closer", was released on 23 April 2007 and peaked at No. 10 in the UK Singles Chart. The music video for the single features a cameo role from actor and friend of the band, Ben Stiller. Stiller plays the role of a supermarket manager. The follow-up singles to "Closer" were "Selfish Jean" and "My Eyes".
For the promotional tour for the album (which started just before its release), Travis included a new touring pianist, Claes Björklund from Sweden. Björklund's first appearance with the band was when they played at the Oxford Brookes Union on 19 March 2007, prior to the album's release. The band dedicated their performance at the Vic Theater in Chicago to their producer Nigel Godrich. The album's tour lasted until December 2007 ending in a home-coming gig in Glasgow. The band visited for the first time places including Buenos Aires and Santiago de Chile (playing as part of a festival co-headlined with The Killers and Starsailor) during this tour.
Following a short UK tour, where the band tested some new material, Travis recorded their sixth album in two weeks in February/March 2008, having been inspired by the speed and simplicity of their recent recording session with Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick while participating in a BBC programme celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album. It was announced around this time that the band and long term record label Independiente had split amicably.
In early June 2008, a vinyl EP of the song "J. Smith" was announced online as the first release from Ode to J. Smith for 30 June. It was an EP limited to 1000 copies and not an 'official' single, instead more of a taster of the album for fans.
Fran Healy said, "The album is called Ode to J. Smith partly giving a heads up to the key song and partly because all the songs are written about nameless characters or to nameless characters." He has also described the album as a novel with 12 chapters, with each chapter being a song. In live shows promoting the album in spring 2009, Healy said the song Friends was written from the perspective of the girlfriend of the book's protagonist (J.Smith), about friends who are only there to ask for favours. The album would be released through their own record label Red Telephone Box, with the lead single "Something Anything" being released on 15 September. Two weeks later on 29 September, Ode to J. Smith was released. The band also headlined a 12-gig UK tour to coincide with the releases between 22 September and 8 October. Early reviews were very positive, with some calling it Travis' best record ever.
The second single released from Ode To J. Smith was "Song to Self", on 5 January 2009. In the December 2008 issue of Q Magazine, Ode To J Smith appeared at number 28 on a list of the Readers' Best Albums Of 2008.
Where You Stand (2010–2013)
A live acoustic album featuring Healy and Dunlop was released on 19 January 2010.
In 2011 Travis returned to live performances. They played at the Maxidrom Festival in Moscow, in May; at G! festival, Faroe Island and the Rock’n Coke Festival in Istanbul, Turkey in July. On 31 October, Fran Healy performed a concert in Berlin along with Keane's Tim Rice-Oxley. They performed several Keane songs. Travis recorded some songs for their next album at the end of September 2011 and they continued writing new songs in February 2012 with Keane. Fran Healy confirmed on his Twitter account that the new Travis album will be released in the first half of 2013. Travis played together on 4 May 2012 at the Sandance Festival in Dubai. They also played at the Porto Student Festival in Portugal on 9 May. The band performed in the Norwegian Festival in July 2012 and Belladrum Festival in August 2012.
A pre single teaser track called "Another Guy" from the band's forthcoming seventh album was released as a free download from the band's official website on 20 March 2013. On 25 April 2013, they revealed that the new album Where You Stand would be released on 19 August 2013 via Kobalt Label Services, and that the first eponymous single "Where You Stand" was released on 30 April.
Everything at Once, outstanding music contribution and Almost Fashionable (2013–2016)
A post from Travis on their Instagram page confirmed that recording had commenced on the band's eighth album at Hansa Tonstudio in Berlin in January 2015. On 25 November 2015, Travis shared a free download single 'Everything at Once' and announced two UK live shows in January 2016. A new album, also titled Everything at Once, was released on 29 April 2016.
In 2016 at the 18th annual Scottish Music Awards, Travis were presented with the award for their outstanding contribution to music.
Travis’ June 2016 tour of Mexico formed the backdrop for Almost Fashionable: A Film About Travis, a documentary directed by Healy. The film stars Wyndham Wallace, a music journalist and acquaintance of Healy's in Berlin who was invited to travel with Travis to Mexico because he had previously expressed his distaste for the band. The film had its premiere in 2018 at the 72nd Edinburgh International Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award.
The Man Who anniversary and 10 Songs (2017–present)
In 2017, Travis decided to celebrate the 18th anniversary of their seminal 1999 album The Man Who as they were currently writing songs and figured that they would be busy promoting a new album on what would have been The Man Who’s 20th anniversary. To mark the occasion, the band re-released the album as a limited edition box set.
In September 2017, the band also performed the album in full at two shows in Manchester and London, followed by more full album UK shows in June and December of the following year.
Finally, on the actual 20th anniversary year of The Man Who, the band re-released the album reissue box set, along with the live album Live at Glastonbury ‘99, a recording of the set which turned out to be a pivotal moment in kickstarting Travis’ commercial success despite the band members feeling that they had performed poorly.
On 10 December 2019, Travis released “Kissing in the Wind”, a song from their upcoming new album which had previously been included in their 2018 documentary Almost Fashionable: A Film About Travis. Another single, “A Ghost”, was released on 3 June 2020, along with details of the band's upcoming ninth studio album 10 Songs, released on 9 October of the same year.
Collaborations and solo work
The band have played with a number of other artists, including Paul McCartney, Graham Nash, Noel Gallagher, and Jason Falkner. Travis guest starred on Feeder's "Tumble and Fall", performing backing vocals at the end of the song. This, because Feeder were recording their album Pushing the Senses and Travis were in the next studio.
An adaptation of the Oasis song "Half the World Away", as performed by Healy, was used as the intro music for a sketch in The Adam and Joe Show entitled "The Imperial Family". The sketch itself was a parody of The Royle Family (to which the Oasis song lends itself as the theme music).
In June 2007, Travis participated in BBC Radio 2's project to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. All the album's tracks were re-recorded by contemporary artists, supervised by the original engineer, Geoff Emerick, using the same 4-track studio equipment. Travis contributed a rendition of "Lovely Rita". The band wanted to be as faithful to the original as possible, even to the extent of recording the guitars in the stairwell of Abbey Road Studios to recreate the acoustics.
In 2010, Travis contributed a live version of their song "Before You Were Young" to the Enough Project and Downtown Records' Raise Hope for Congo compilation. Proceeds from the compilation fund efforts to make the protection and empowerment of Congo's women a priority, as well as inspire individuals around the world to raise their voice for peace in Congo.
Healy released his first solo album entitled Wreckorder in October 2010. Recorded in Berlin, New York and Vermont and produced by Emery Dobyns (Patti Smith, Noah and the Whale), the album features Paul McCartney, Neko Case and Noah and the Whale's Tom Hobden.
Band members
Fran Healy – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, piano (1991–present)
Dougie Payne – bass guitar, backing vocals (1994–present)
Andy Dunlop – lead guitar, banjo, backing vocals (1990–present)
Neil Primrose – drums, percussion (1990–present)
Former members
Geoff Martyn – keyboards (1990–1996)
Chris Martyn – bass guitar (1990–1996)
Simon Jarvis – drums, percussion (1990)
Catherine Maxwell – lead vocals (1990– 1991)
Discography
Studio albums
Good Feeling (1997)
The Man Who (1999)
The Invisible Band (2001)
12 Memories (2003)
The Boy with No Name (2007)
Ode to J. Smith (2008)
Where You Stand (2013)
Everything at Once (2016)
10 Songs (2020)
Live albums
Live at Glastonbury ‘99 (2019)
Compilation albums
Singles (2004)
List of awards and nominations received by Travis
Brit Awards
The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards.
|-
| 1998 || Travis || British Breakthrough Act ||
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2000 || Travis || British Group ||
|-
| The Man Who || British Album of the Year ||
|-
| "Why Does It Always Rain on Me?" || British Single of the Year ||
|-
| 2001 || "Coming Around" || British Video of the Year ||
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2002 || Travis || British Group ||
|-
| The Invisible Band || British Album of the Year ||
|-
| "Sing" || British Video of the Year ||
|}
Q Awards
The Q Awards are the United Kingdom's annual music awards run by the music magazine Q.
|-
| rowspan="3" | 1999 || Travis || Best New Act ||
|-
| The Man Who || Best Album ||
|-
| "Why Does It Always Rain on Me?" || Best Single ||
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2000 || rowspan="2" | Travis || Best Act in the World Today ||
|-
| Best Live Act ||
|-
| "Coming Around" || Best Video ||
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2001 || Travis || Best Act in the World Today ||
|-
| The Invisible Band || Best Album ||
|}
References
External links
Scottish rock music groups
Post-Britpop groups
Britpop groups
British soft rock music groups
Musical groups from Glasgow
Musical groups established in 1990
Brit Award winners
Ivor Novello Award winners
NME Awards winners
Independiente Records artists
Epic Records artists
| false |
[
"Laird of Burnbrae was a hereditary title in Scotland that was held by several generations in the Primrose family. The Lands of Burnbrae was situated near Kincardine, and has since been joined with Kincardine.\n\nThe book, Culross and Tulliallan, states that the Lands of Burnbrae were previously held by the Blaw family until it was passed on to the Primrose family when Margaret Blaw married Archibald Primrose, who then became the first proprietor of that name to hold the lands of Burnbrae. The Primrose family held the title to the Lands of Burnbrae for over two hundred years until it became incorporated with the Tulliallan estate.\n\nThe Lairds of Burnbrae resided in Tulliallan, formerly in Perthshire, Scotland although in some early sources Tulliallan is cited as part of Fife, where it currently lies. The family is related to the Lord Dalmeny (a subordinate title of the Earl of Rosebery), whose family surname is also Primrose.\n\nLairds of Burnbrae \nArchibald Primrose was the first Laird of Burnbrae. He was born about 1538 in Culross to Duncan Primrose and Helen Smyth. Archibald married Margaret Blaw about 1564 in Culross.\n\nPeter Primrose is the second known Laird of Burnbrae and uncle of the first Laird. He was born about 1512 and died in July 1584.\n\nHenry Primrose is the third known Laird of Burnbrae. He was born in 1536 to Peter Primrose. Henry married Margaret Beveridge in about 1558 and died in 1576.\n\nPeter Primrose is the fourth known Laird of Burnbrae. He was born in 1560 to Henry Primrose and Margaret Beverage. Peter married Margaret Callender and died in 1609.\n\nJohn Primrose is the fifth known Laird of Burnbrae. He was born about 1590 to Peter Primrose and Margaret Callender. It is unknown who the mother(s) of his children are but it is recorded that he married Elizabeth Sands on 20 September 1665 in Culross, Fife, Scotland. John died in December 1669.\n\nJohn Primrose is the sixth known Laird of Burnbrae. He was born about 1617 to John Primrose, and married Margaret Reiddock.\n\nJohn Primrose is the seventh known Laird of Burnbrae. He was christened on 26 December 1648 in Culross, Fife, Scotland to John Primrose and Margaret Reiddock. John married Christian Wannan on 24 October 1680.\n\nWilliam Primrose is the eighth known Laird of Burnbrae. He was born on 16 May 1685 to John Primrose and Christian Wannan. William married Janet Drysdale on 6 April 1716. Janet was born on 3 February 1689 to John Drysdale and Margaret Love.\n\nJohn Primrose is the ninth known Laird of Burnbrae. He was christened on 3 May 1719 to William Primrose and Janet Drysdale. John married Janet Primrose about 1745.\n\nJames Primrose is the tenth and last known Laird of Burnbrae. He was born about 1746 to John Primrose and Janet Primrose. He was also known by the title \"esquire\". James married Jane Lawrie about 1784 and died November 1827; his wife died in April 1832.\n\nReferences\n\nBurnbrae\nPeople from Kincardine, Fife",
"Gilbert Primrose (c.1535 -18 April 1616) was a Scottish surgeon who became Surgeon to King James VI of Scots and moved with the court to London as Serjeant-Surgeon to King James VI and I on the Union of the Crowns. He was Deacon of the Incorporation of Surgeons and Barbers of Edinburgh on three occasions.\n\nEarly life and education\nGilbert Primrose was born c.1540, at Culross, Fife, Scotland. He was the son of Duncan Primrose and Helen Smyth, whose niece, Euphan Primrose, married Sir George Bruce, from whom the Earls of Rosebery are descended. On 6 June 1558 he was admitted to the Incorporation of Surgeons and Barbers of Edinburgh as apprentice to Robert Henrysoun, one of the founder members of the Incorporation.\n\nCareer\nIn 1558 Scotland was threatened by an invasion from \"\", the Edinburgh craft guilds were required to list those men who could be mustered in the event of an attack and Primrose was included. In September 1575 Regent Morton sent him to Coldingham to mend the broken leg of the messenger Ninian Cockburn.\n\nIn March 1580 Primrose was one of a number of Edinburgh surgeons who examined and treated Robert Aslowane, the victim of an assault by James Douglas of Parkhead and his accomplices. When the surgeons declared that Aslowane was likely to recover, the burgh council released Parkhead and his followers.\n\nIn September 1584 he was imprisoned in Dumbarton Castle. He was allowed bail or caution for future loyalty at £1,000 Scots, guaranteed by the textile merchant Robert Jousie and the apothecary Alexander Barclay.\n\nPrimrose went on to become Surgeon to King James VI. In June 1592 the Earl of Angus was injured falling from his horse and sent for Primrose. On 10 February 1594 he was appointed to attend Anne of Denmark at Stirling Castle, when she gave birth to Prince Henry, with the physicians Martin Schöner and Gilbert Moncreiff, Alexander Barclay, and the midwife.\n\nHe was a friend of Dr Peter Lowe, the co-founder of the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, who dedicated the first edition (1597) of his surgical textbook The Whole course of Chirurgerie (which was renamed Discourse of the Whole Art of Chirurgerie for the 2nd and 3rd editions) to Gilbert Primrose. \nPimrose was elected Deacon of the Incorporation of Surgeons and Barbers on no fewer than three occasions. Whilst he was Deacon in 1581 the Surgeons became first in the order of precedence of the 14 crafts of the City of Edinburgh. \nWhen he was elected Deacon for the third time in 1602 his status was such that he was able to impose considerable discipline on the Incorporation. Under his leadership all members of the Incorporation swore that they would uphold all aspects of the Seal of Cause (the Charter of the Incorporation) and any violations were punished. Primrose was also responsible for passing new Laws which sought to maintain even higher standards within the craft. Admission and examination fees were established and each member of the Incorporation was required to pay a subscription. The Incorporation thrived under his leadership.\n\nOn 30 April 1597 his mother Helen Smith, over 80 years old and blind, was assaulted and robbed in her house at Culross.\n\nAs principal surgeon to King James VI he accompanied the Court to London on the Union of the Crowns in 1603. He became Serjeant-Surgeon or chief surgeon to the King, now James VI and I and Queen Anne.\n\nFirst name on Fellows’ Roll\nWhilst the names of the earliest members of the Incorporation appear in the Edinburgh Burgh records, the assignation of a roll number for Members and Fellows starts from 1581 when the Deacon of the Incorporation was Gilbert Primrose. His name is first in the Roll of Fellows which has continued in an uninterrupted sequence ever since.\n\nPrimrose’s mortar\nSurgeons’ Hall Museum has a treasured relic of Gilbert Primrose. It is labelled \"a replica of the mortar used by Gilbert Primrose, an ancestor of the Earl of Rosebery and a Deacon of the Chirurgeon-Barbers in 1581\". This mortar was presented to the College by Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery, a descendant of Gilbert Primrose in December 1909. The original is held in the National Museums of Scotland.\n\nFamily\nHis brother Archibald Primrose became 1st Laird of Burnbrae. Other brothers included David Primrose, Henry Primrose, Duncan Primrose and Peter Primrose.\n\nHe married Alison Graham. Their cildren included:\n Gilbert Primrose (c. 1580–1641) who became a Calvinist pastor.\n Marion Primrose (1566-1637), who married Alexander Clark of Balbirnie.\n David Primrose.\n Robert Primrose.\n\nDeath\nGilbert Primrose died in Westminster, London on 18 April 1616 and was buried in Greyfriars Churchyard, Edinburgh where his monument still stands. His grave carries a Latin inscription translated as:To Gilbert Primrose, Chief Surgeon to James and Anne, King and Queen of Great Britain, France and Ireland. His heirs erected this monument. He lived happily 80 years. To the end of his life he was Chief Surgeon to the King, and died, adorned with testimonials of public sorrow from Prince and people, in the year of our Lord 1616 on the 8th of April.\nGreat Gilbert Primrose shut his mortal eyes\n\nFull fraught with honours as with length of days\n\nMy will and life to Christ I still resign'd\n\nHence neither life nor death did bitter find\n\nReferences\n\nScottish surgeons\n1616 deaths\nFellows of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh\nPresidents of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh\nYear of birth uncertain\nPeople from Culross\nGilbert\nBurials at Greyfriars Kirkyard"
] |
[
"Travis (band)",
"Primrose's accident and change in direction (2002-06)",
"What caused Primrose's accident?",
"after drummer Neil Primrose went head-first into a shallow swimming pool while on tour in France, just after a concert at Eurockeennes festival.",
"did he become paralyzed?",
"Despite the severity of the accident, Primrose has since made a full recovery.",
"did primrose stay in the band?",
"With Primrose having recovered, Travis regrouped and re-evaluated.",
"what changed after Primrose recovered?",
"Produced by Travis themselves, Tchad Blake, and Steve Orchard, the album marked a move into more organic, moody and political territory for the band.",
"what were their politics?",
"I don't know.",
"did Primrose ever talk about his accident?",
"I don't know."
] |
C_acd4a39c65e54983894878c8becd46d5_0
|
is there anything else interesting about the accident?
| 7 |
Besides Primrose's recovery and Travis's album release, is there anything else interesting about the accident?
|
Travis (band)
|
In 2002, however, things came to a halt for Travis, with the band almost calling it quits, after drummer Neil Primrose went head-first into a shallow swimming pool while on tour in France, just after a concert at Eurockeennes festival. Breaking his neck, he almost died due to spinal damage. If not for his road crew, he also would have drowned. Despite the severity of the accident, Primrose has since made a full recovery. With Primrose having recovered, Travis regrouped and re-evaluated. Moving into a cottage in Crear, Argyll and Bute, they set up a small studio, and over two weeks, came up with nine new songs that would form the basis of their fourth studio album, 2003's 12 Memories. Produced by Travis themselves, Tchad Blake, and Steve Orchard, the album marked a move into more organic, moody and political territory for the band. Although this seems to have alienated some fans, the album generally received very positive reviews (for example, "Then, of course, there's Travis and their album 12 Memories [Epic]. You just have to sit there and listen to it all the way through, and it will take you on a real journey. It's like an old album. It's like the Beatles' Revolver [1966]. Fran Healy's voice and lyrics are mesmerizing and beautiful"--Elton John), singles such as "Re-Offender" did very well on the UK chart, and the album itself reached No. 3. Yet it also saw them lose ground in the U.S., where Coldplay had usurped Travis during their 2002 absence. Much later, Fran Healy spoke about the album as a whole being about him working through his own clinical depression, and the 12 memories being 12 reasons for him reaching his depressed state. At the time this wasn't mentioned, but the revelation that Healy was depressed ties in with the band's decision to take longer writing and releasing their next work. In 2004, Travis embarked on a highly successful tour of Canada, the US, and Europe (supported by Keane in the UK), and on November 2004, the band released a successful compilation of their singles, Singles, as well as the new tracks, "Walking in the Sun" and "The Distance" (written by Dougie Payne). This was followed by a series of small, intimate gigs at UK venues such as Liverpool's Cavern Club, London's Mean Fiddler, and Glasgow's Barrowlands. While on tour, the band also made a series of impromptu acoustic "busks", raising money for the charity The Big Issue. In addition to other performances, they also headlined the 2005 Isle of Wight Festival and T in the Park. On 2 July 2005, Travis performed at Live 8's London concert, and four days later, at the Edinburgh 50,000 - The Final Push concert. Travis also participated in Band Aid 20's re-recording of "Do They Know It's Christmas?"--Healy and friend Nigel Godrich playing leading roles in its organisation. Healy is a part of the Make Poverty History movement, having recently made two trips to Sudan with the Save the Children organisation. On 13 July 2006, the members of Travis stuck a giant post-it sticker on the front door of the Downing Street home of British Prime Minister, Tony Blair. It read: "Tony Blair--Some steps forward, much to do at the G8, make poverty history." CANNOTANSWER
|
Breaking his neck, he almost died due to spinal damage. If not for his road crew, he also would have drowned.
|
Travis are a Scottish rock band formed in Glasgow in 1990, composed of Fran Healy (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Dougie Payne (bass guitar, backing vocals), Andy Dunlop (lead guitar, banjo, backing vocals) and Neil Primrose (drums, percussion). The band's name comes from the character Travis Henderson (played by Harry Dean Stanton) from the film Paris, Texas (1984).
The band released their debut album, Good Feeling (1997), to moderate success where it debuted at number nine on the UK Albums Chart and was later awarded a silver certification from the BPI in January 2000. The band gained greater success with their second album, The Man Who (1999), which spent nine weeks at number one on the UK Albums Chart, totalling 134 weeks in the top 100 of the chart. In 2003, The Man Who was certified 9x platinum by the BPI, representing sales of over 2.68 million in the UK alone. Following this success, the band released their third effort, The Invisible Band (2001) album. The Invisible Band went on to match the success found with their previous album, where it debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart and spent a total of four weeks at the top spot, fifteen weeks in the top ten, and a total of fifty-five weeks in the top 100 chart, as well as peaking at thirty-nine on the US Billboard 200 album chart, spending a duration of seven weeks in the Billboard 200 chart. A year following the release of The Invisible Band, the BPI awarded Travis with a 4x platinum certification for the album.
In recent years, the band's discography has included studio albums 12 Memories (2003), The Boy with No Name (2007), Ode to J. Smith (2008), Where You Stand (2013), Everything at Once (2016) and 10 Songs (2020). In 2004, the band released their first greatest hits album, Singles, which spent nineteen weeks in the top 100 of the UK albums chart. Travis have twice been awarded best band at the BRIT Awards and were awarded the NME Artist of the Year award at their 2000 ceremony, and in 2016 were honoured at the Scottish Music Awards for their outstanding contribution to music. The band are widely said by the media to have paved the way for other bands such as Keane and Coldplay to go on to achieve worldwide success throughout the 2000s, particularly with the success of The Man Who.
Craft Recordings celebrated the 20th anniversary of Travis' breakthrough year with two simultaneous releases: Live at Glastonbury '99, plus expanded editions of The Man Who – both of which were released on 21 June 2019.
History
Formation and early years (1990–1993)
The band that would become Travis was formed by brothers Chris Martyn (bass) and Geoff Martyn (keyboards) along with Simon Jarvis (drums). Andy Dunlop, a school friend at Lenzie Academy, was drafted in on guitar. The line-up was completed by a female vocalist, Catherine Maxwell, and the band's name became "Glass Onion", after the Beatles song of the same name. Neil Primrose joined to replace Jarvis. Parting company with their singer in the spring of 1991, they auditioned for a new vocalist. Having met each other through Primrose pouring him a pint, an untrained art student, Fran Healy, then joined after being invited to audition by Primrose. Healy joined the band on the day he enrolled at The Glasgow School of Art, in the autumn of 1991. Two years later, with the option of music holding more appeal, Healy dropped out of art school, and inspired by songwriters such as Joni Mitchell, assumed songwriting responsibilities. With brothers Chris and Geoff Martyn on bass and keyboards, in 1993, the fivesome released a privately made CD, The Glass Onion EP, featuring the tracks "Dream On", "The Day Before", "Free Soul" and "Whenever She Comes Round". 500 copies of the EP were made and were recently valued at £1000 each. Other songs they recorded but were left off are "She's So Strange" and "Not About to Change".
The band won a talent contest organised by the Music in Scotland Trust, who promised £2,000 so that Travis could deal-hunt at a new music seminar in New York. Two weeks before they were due to leave, however, the prize was instead given to the Music in Scotland Trust Directory.
The band showed promise but had yet to evolve into a decent line-up capable of fulfilling it and spent several years treading water. According to their publisher Charlie Pinder: "They were a band that everyone in the A&R community knew about and would go and see every now and then. But they weren’t very good. They had quite good songs; Fran always did write good songs." While on a visit to Scotland, American engineer and producer Niko Bolas, a long-time Neil Young and Rolling Stones associate, tuned into a Travis session on Radio Scotland, and heard something in the band's music which instantly made him travel to Perth to see them. Healy: "He told us we were shit, took us in the studio for four days, and taught us how to play properly, like a band. He was ballsy, rude, and New York pushy. He didn't believe my lyrics and told me to write what I believed in and not tell lies. He was Mary Poppins, he sorted us out." The band recorded a five-song demo, which included the song "All I Want to Do Is Rock".
Changes and debut album (1994–1997)
With the sudden death of his grandfather, a grief-stricken Healy shut himself away, refusing to talk to anyone. Emerging a week later, and with a clear vision of where he now wanted Travis and their music to go, Healy dispensed with the band's management and publicity agent. Having been repeatedly knocked back by the British record industry, the band couldn't afford to stay around the country for another few years and so decided to move to New York, feeling that the U.S. might be more suited to their style of music. Before leaving Healy told the band that they should send the demo to Charlie Pinder of Sony Music Publishing, who they had known for a few years and regularly sent songs to, saying: "If he's not into it, then we'll go." Pinder was immediately impressed by the song "All I Want to Do is Rock", which he felt was a dramatic change for the band: "It was harder, more exciting, sexy; all things that they never really were. They turned a corner." After performing a secret gig for Pinder and his boss at Sony, Blair McDonald, they were signed to Sony Music Publishing. The immediate impact of was that the founding member and keyboard player Geoff Martyn was removed while the bassist, his brother Chris, was replaced with Healy's best friend Dougie Payne. The band was moved to London where they were given a rehearsal room and a house.
Payne, a fellow art student who worked as a Levi's shop assistant, had not played bass guitar previously and initially proved reluctant to take up the new instrument. After having completed a crash course of a couple of weeks, Payne played with the new line-up for the first time in a free space above the Horse Shoe Bar in Glasgow.
Once set up in London the band spent between nine months and a year recording new songs. The band played their first London show at the Dublin Castle in Camden. With around twenty good songs ready they then approached managers Colin Lester and Ian McAndrew of Wildlife Entertainment who then introduced the band to Andy MacDonald, owner of Go! Discs Records and founder of Independiente Records. Sensing greatness, he negotiated with Wildlife Entertainment and signed Travis for a reputed £100,000 of his own money. The band is signed to MacDonald personally, not to the label—if MacDonald ever leaves the Sony-financed label Independiente Records, the band goes with him (commonly referred to in the industry as a "golden handcuffs" clause).
Produced by Steve Lillywhite of U2 fame, Travis' first studio album, 1997's Good Feeling, is a rockier, more upbeat record than the band's others to date. Recorded at the legendary Bearsville Studios in Woodstock, New York, the place where Travis favourite The Band recorded, the album contained singles such as "All I Want to Do Is Rock", "U16 Girls", the Beatle'esque "Tied to the 90s", "Happy" and "More Than Us". Guest musicians include Page McConnell of Phish playing keyboards on the title track "Good Feeling". The album reached No. 9 on the UK Albums Chart, but with little radio play, it slipped from the chart relatively quickly. Although it heralded Travis' arrival on the British music scene, received extremely positive reviews, and substantially broadened Travis' fan base, it sold just 40,000 copies. Following the release, Travis toured extensively, their live performances further enhancing their reputation. This included support slots in the UK for Oasis, after Noel Gallagher became an outspoken fan.
Mainstream success (1998–2001)
Travis' second album, 1999's The Man Who, was produced by Nigel Godrich and partially recorded at producer Mike Hedges' chateau in France. The band continued recording at, among other studios, Abbey Road Studios in London. Shortly after release, The Man Who initially looked as though it would mirror the release of Good Feeling. Although it entered the UK Albums Chart at No. 7, with little radio play of its singles, it quickly slipped down. Worse, many critics who had raved about the rocky Good Feeling rubbished the album for the band's move into more melodic, melancholic material (for example, "Travis will be best when they stop trying to make sad, classic records"—NME). When the album slipped as far as No. 19, it stopped. Word of mouth and increasing radio play of the single "Why Does It Always Rain on Me?" increased awareness of the band and the album began to rise back up the chart. When Travis took the stage to perform this song at the 1999 Glastonbury Festival, after being dry for several hours, it began to rain as soon as the first line was sung. The following day the story was all over the papers and television, and with word of mouth and increased radio play of this and the album's other singles, The Man Who rose to No. 1 on the UK chart. It also eventually took Best Album at the 2000 BRIT Awards, with Travis being named Best Band. Music industry magazine Music Week awarded them the same honours, while at the Ivor Novello Awards, Travis took the Best Songwriter(s) and Best Contemporary Song Awards.
Travis followed the release of The Man Who with an extensive 237-gig world tour, including headlining the 2000 Glastonbury, T in the Park and V Festivals, and a US tour leg with Oasis. In Los Angeles, an appearance of the band at an in-store signing forced police to close Sunset Strip. The gentle, melodic approach of The Man Who became a hallmark of the latter-day Britpop sound, and inspired a new wave of UK-based rock bands, with acts such as Coldplay and Starsailor soon joining Travis in challenging the chart dominance of urban and dance acts. The title "The Man Who" comes from the book The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by neurologist Oliver Sacks. The majority of songs for this album were written before Good Feeling was even released. "Writing to Reach You", "The Fear" and "Luv" being penned around 1995–96, with "As You Are", "Turn" and "She's So Strange" dating back as far as 1993 and the early Glass Onion EP.
The title of Travis' following album, 2001's The Invisible Band, again produced by Nigel Godrich, reflects the band's genuine belief that their music is more important than the group behind it. Featuring such songs as "Sing" (the most played song on British radio that summer), "Side", the McCartneyesque "Flowers in the Window", "Indefinitely", "Pipe Dream" and "The Cage", and recorded at Ocean Way Studios in Los Angeles, the album again made No. 1 on the UK chart, generally received widespread critical acclaim, with the band again taking Best British Band at the annual BRIT Awards. It also received Top of the Pops Album of the Year. The album also had an impact across the Atlantic, the popularity in the US of the single "Coming Around", a non-album track with Byrdsesque harmonies and 12-string guitar, enhancing this. Travis again followed the release of The Invisible Band with an extensive world tour.
Primrose's accident and change in direction (2002–2006)
In 2002 things came to a halt for Travis, with the band almost calling it quits, after drummer Neil Primrose went head-first into a shallow swimming pool while on tour in France, just after a concert at Eurockéennes festival. Breaking his neck, he almost died due to spinal damage. If not for his road crew, he also would have drowned. Despite the severity of the accident, Primrose has since made a full recovery.
With Primrose having recovered, Travis regrouped and re-evaluated. Moving into a cottage in Crear, Argyll and Bute, they set up a small studio, and over two weeks, came up with nine new songs that would form the basis of their fourth studio album, 2003's 12 Memories. Produced by Travis themselves, Tchad Blake, and Steve Orchard, the album marked a move into more organic, moody and political territory for the band. Although this seems to have alienated some fans, the album generally received very positive reviews (for example, "Then, of course, there's Travis and their album 12 Memories [Epic]. You just have to sit there and listen to it all the way through, and it will take you on a real journey. It's like an old album. It's like the Beatles' Revolver [1966]. Fran Healy's voice and lyrics are mesmerizing and beautiful"—Elton John), singles such as "Re-Offender" did very well on the UK chart, and the album itself reached No. 3. Yet it also saw them lose ground in the U.S., where Coldplay had usurped Travis during their 2002 absence. Much later, Fran Healy spoke about the album as a whole being about him working through his own clinical depression, and the 12 memories being 12 reasons for him reaching his depressed state. At the time this wasn't mentioned, but the revelation that Healy was depressed ties in with the band's decision to take longer writing and releasing their next work.
In 2004, Travis embarked on a highly successful tour of Canada, the US, and Europe (supported by Keane in the UK), and in November 2004, the band released a successful compilation of their singles, Singles, as well as the new tracks, "Walking in the Sun" and "The Distance" (written by Dougie Payne). This was followed by a series of small, intimate gigs at UK venues such as Liverpool's Cavern Club, London's Mean Fiddler, and Glasgow's Barrowlands. While on tour, the band made a series of impromptu acoustic "busks", raising money for the charity The Big Issue. In addition to other performances, they headlined the 2005 Isle of Wight Festival and T in the Park.
On 2 July 2005, Travis performed at Live 8's London concert, and four days later, at the Edinburgh 50,000 – The Final Push concert. Travis also participated in Band Aid 20's re-recording of "Do They Know It's Christmas?"—Healy and friend Nigel Godrich playing leading roles in its organisation. Healy is a part of the Make Poverty History movement, having recently made two trips to Sudan with the Save the Children organisation. On 13 July 2006, the members of Travis stuck a giant post-it sticker on the front door of the Downing Street home of British Prime Minister, Tony Blair. It read: "Tony Blair—Some steps forward, much to do at the G8, make poverty history."
Artistic re-evaluation (2007–2009)
Travis released a fifth studio album, The Boy with No Name, on 7 May 2007. Nigel Godrich was the album's executive producer, while Mike Hedges and Brian Eno were also involved. The album is named after Healy's son, Clay, whom Healy and his partner Nora were unable to name until four weeks after his birth. Healy has described the process of making the album as "like coming out of the forest", and that the band is now "in a good place", contrasting with the dark mood surrounding 12 Memories. Travis played at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival on 28 April 2007. At the Virgin Megastore tent in the festival, The Boy With No Name was available to purchase over a week early. Reviews of the album were mixed. The album's first single, "Closer", was released on 23 April 2007 and peaked at No. 10 in the UK Singles Chart. The music video for the single features a cameo role from actor and friend of the band, Ben Stiller. Stiller plays the role of a supermarket manager. The follow-up singles to "Closer" were "Selfish Jean" and "My Eyes".
For the promotional tour for the album (which started just before its release), Travis included a new touring pianist, Claes Björklund from Sweden. Björklund's first appearance with the band was when they played at the Oxford Brookes Union on 19 March 2007, prior to the album's release. The band dedicated their performance at the Vic Theater in Chicago to their producer Nigel Godrich. The album's tour lasted until December 2007 ending in a home-coming gig in Glasgow. The band visited for the first time places including Buenos Aires and Santiago de Chile (playing as part of a festival co-headlined with The Killers and Starsailor) during this tour.
Following a short UK tour, where the band tested some new material, Travis recorded their sixth album in two weeks in February/March 2008, having been inspired by the speed and simplicity of their recent recording session with Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick while participating in a BBC programme celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album. It was announced around this time that the band and long term record label Independiente had split amicably.
In early June 2008, a vinyl EP of the song "J. Smith" was announced online as the first release from Ode to J. Smith for 30 June. It was an EP limited to 1000 copies and not an 'official' single, instead more of a taster of the album for fans.
Fran Healy said, "The album is called Ode to J. Smith partly giving a heads up to the key song and partly because all the songs are written about nameless characters or to nameless characters." He has also described the album as a novel with 12 chapters, with each chapter being a song. In live shows promoting the album in spring 2009, Healy said the song Friends was written from the perspective of the girlfriend of the book's protagonist (J.Smith), about friends who are only there to ask for favours. The album would be released through their own record label Red Telephone Box, with the lead single "Something Anything" being released on 15 September. Two weeks later on 29 September, Ode to J. Smith was released. The band also headlined a 12-gig UK tour to coincide with the releases between 22 September and 8 October. Early reviews were very positive, with some calling it Travis' best record ever.
The second single released from Ode To J. Smith was "Song to Self", on 5 January 2009. In the December 2008 issue of Q Magazine, Ode To J Smith appeared at number 28 on a list of the Readers' Best Albums Of 2008.
Where You Stand (2010–2013)
A live acoustic album featuring Healy and Dunlop was released on 19 January 2010.
In 2011 Travis returned to live performances. They played at the Maxidrom Festival in Moscow, in May; at G! festival, Faroe Island and the Rock’n Coke Festival in Istanbul, Turkey in July. On 31 October, Fran Healy performed a concert in Berlin along with Keane's Tim Rice-Oxley. They performed several Keane songs. Travis recorded some songs for their next album at the end of September 2011 and they continued writing new songs in February 2012 with Keane. Fran Healy confirmed on his Twitter account that the new Travis album will be released in the first half of 2013. Travis played together on 4 May 2012 at the Sandance Festival in Dubai. They also played at the Porto Student Festival in Portugal on 9 May. The band performed in the Norwegian Festival in July 2012 and Belladrum Festival in August 2012.
A pre single teaser track called "Another Guy" from the band's forthcoming seventh album was released as a free download from the band's official website on 20 March 2013. On 25 April 2013, they revealed that the new album Where You Stand would be released on 19 August 2013 via Kobalt Label Services, and that the first eponymous single "Where You Stand" was released on 30 April.
Everything at Once, outstanding music contribution and Almost Fashionable (2013–2016)
A post from Travis on their Instagram page confirmed that recording had commenced on the band's eighth album at Hansa Tonstudio in Berlin in January 2015. On 25 November 2015, Travis shared a free download single 'Everything at Once' and announced two UK live shows in January 2016. A new album, also titled Everything at Once, was released on 29 April 2016.
In 2016 at the 18th annual Scottish Music Awards, Travis were presented with the award for their outstanding contribution to music.
Travis’ June 2016 tour of Mexico formed the backdrop for Almost Fashionable: A Film About Travis, a documentary directed by Healy. The film stars Wyndham Wallace, a music journalist and acquaintance of Healy's in Berlin who was invited to travel with Travis to Mexico because he had previously expressed his distaste for the band. The film had its premiere in 2018 at the 72nd Edinburgh International Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award.
The Man Who anniversary and 10 Songs (2017–present)
In 2017, Travis decided to celebrate the 18th anniversary of their seminal 1999 album The Man Who as they were currently writing songs and figured that they would be busy promoting a new album on what would have been The Man Who’s 20th anniversary. To mark the occasion, the band re-released the album as a limited edition box set.
In September 2017, the band also performed the album in full at two shows in Manchester and London, followed by more full album UK shows in June and December of the following year.
Finally, on the actual 20th anniversary year of The Man Who, the band re-released the album reissue box set, along with the live album Live at Glastonbury ‘99, a recording of the set which turned out to be a pivotal moment in kickstarting Travis’ commercial success despite the band members feeling that they had performed poorly.
On 10 December 2019, Travis released “Kissing in the Wind”, a song from their upcoming new album which had previously been included in their 2018 documentary Almost Fashionable: A Film About Travis. Another single, “A Ghost”, was released on 3 June 2020, along with details of the band's upcoming ninth studio album 10 Songs, released on 9 October of the same year.
Collaborations and solo work
The band have played with a number of other artists, including Paul McCartney, Graham Nash, Noel Gallagher, and Jason Falkner. Travis guest starred on Feeder's "Tumble and Fall", performing backing vocals at the end of the song. This, because Feeder were recording their album Pushing the Senses and Travis were in the next studio.
An adaptation of the Oasis song "Half the World Away", as performed by Healy, was used as the intro music for a sketch in The Adam and Joe Show entitled "The Imperial Family". The sketch itself was a parody of The Royle Family (to which the Oasis song lends itself as the theme music).
In June 2007, Travis participated in BBC Radio 2's project to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. All the album's tracks were re-recorded by contemporary artists, supervised by the original engineer, Geoff Emerick, using the same 4-track studio equipment. Travis contributed a rendition of "Lovely Rita". The band wanted to be as faithful to the original as possible, even to the extent of recording the guitars in the stairwell of Abbey Road Studios to recreate the acoustics.
In 2010, Travis contributed a live version of their song "Before You Were Young" to the Enough Project and Downtown Records' Raise Hope for Congo compilation. Proceeds from the compilation fund efforts to make the protection and empowerment of Congo's women a priority, as well as inspire individuals around the world to raise their voice for peace in Congo.
Healy released his first solo album entitled Wreckorder in October 2010. Recorded in Berlin, New York and Vermont and produced by Emery Dobyns (Patti Smith, Noah and the Whale), the album features Paul McCartney, Neko Case and Noah and the Whale's Tom Hobden.
Band members
Fran Healy – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, piano (1991–present)
Dougie Payne – bass guitar, backing vocals (1994–present)
Andy Dunlop – lead guitar, banjo, backing vocals (1990–present)
Neil Primrose – drums, percussion (1990–present)
Former members
Geoff Martyn – keyboards (1990–1996)
Chris Martyn – bass guitar (1990–1996)
Simon Jarvis – drums, percussion (1990)
Catherine Maxwell – lead vocals (1990– 1991)
Discography
Studio albums
Good Feeling (1997)
The Man Who (1999)
The Invisible Band (2001)
12 Memories (2003)
The Boy with No Name (2007)
Ode to J. Smith (2008)
Where You Stand (2013)
Everything at Once (2016)
10 Songs (2020)
Live albums
Live at Glastonbury ‘99 (2019)
Compilation albums
Singles (2004)
List of awards and nominations received by Travis
Brit Awards
The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards.
|-
| 1998 || Travis || British Breakthrough Act ||
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| rowspan="3" | 2000 || Travis || British Group ||
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| The Man Who || British Album of the Year ||
|-
| "Why Does It Always Rain on Me?" || British Single of the Year ||
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| 2001 || "Coming Around" || British Video of the Year ||
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2002 || Travis || British Group ||
|-
| The Invisible Band || British Album of the Year ||
|-
| "Sing" || British Video of the Year ||
|}
Q Awards
The Q Awards are the United Kingdom's annual music awards run by the music magazine Q.
|-
| rowspan="3" | 1999 || Travis || Best New Act ||
|-
| The Man Who || Best Album ||
|-
| "Why Does It Always Rain on Me?" || Best Single ||
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2000 || rowspan="2" | Travis || Best Act in the World Today ||
|-
| Best Live Act ||
|-
| "Coming Around" || Best Video ||
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2001 || Travis || Best Act in the World Today ||
|-
| The Invisible Band || Best Album ||
|}
References
External links
Scottish rock music groups
Post-Britpop groups
Britpop groups
British soft rock music groups
Musical groups from Glasgow
Musical groups established in 1990
Brit Award winners
Ivor Novello Award winners
NME Awards winners
Independiente Records artists
Epic Records artists
| true |
[
"\"How Interesting: A Tiny Man\" is a 2010 science fiction/magical realism short story by American writer Harlan Ellison. It was first published in Realms of Fantasy.\n\nPlot summary\nA scientist creates a tiny man. The tiny man is initially very popular, but then draws the hatred of the world, and so the tiny man must flee, together with the scientist (who is now likewise hated, for having created the tiny man).\n\nReception\n\"How Interesting: A Tiny Man\" won the 2010 Nebula Award for Best Short Story, tied with Kij Johnson's \"Ponies\". It was Ellison's final Nebula nomination and win, of his record-setting eight nominations and three wins.\n\nTor.com calls the story \"deceptively simple\", with \"execution (that) is flawless\" and a \"Geppetto-like\" narrator, while Publishers Weekly describes it as \"memorably depict(ing) humanity's smallness of spirit\". The SF Site, however, felt it was \"contrived and less than profound\".\n\nNick Mamatas compared \"How Interesting: A Tiny Man\" negatively to Ellison's other Nebula-winning short stories, and stated that the story's two mutually exclusive endings (in one, the tiny man is killed; in the other, he becomes God) are evocative of the process of writing short stories. Ben Peek considered it to be \"more allegory than (...) anything else\", and interpreted it as being about how the media \"give(s) everyone a voice\", and also about how Ellison was treated by science fiction fandom.\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\nAudio version of ''How Interesting: A Tiny Man, at StarShipSofa\nHow Interesting: A Tiny Man, at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database\n\nNebula Award for Best Short Story-winning works\nShort stories by Harlan Ellison",
"In baseball, a fair ball is a batted ball that entitles the batter to attempt to reach first base. By contrast, a foul ball is a batted ball that does not entitle the batter to attempt to reach first base. Whether a batted ball is fair or foul is determined by the location of the ball at the appropriate reference point, as follows:\n\n if the ball leaves the playing field without touching anything, the point where the ball leaves the field;\n else, if the ball first lands past first or third base without touching anything, the point where the ball lands;\n else, if the ball rolls or bounces past first or third base without touching anything other than the ground, the point where the ball passes the base;\n else, if the ball touches anything other than the ground (such as an umpire, a player, or any equipment left on the field) before any of the above happens, the point of such touching;\n else (the ball comes to a rest before reaching first or third base), the point where the ball comes to a rest.\n\nIf any part of the ball is on or above fair territory at the appropriate reference point, it is fair; else it is foul. Fair territory or fair ground is defined as the area of the playing field between the two foul lines, and includes the foul lines themselves and the foul poles. However, certain exceptions exist:\n\n A ball that touches first, second, or third base is always fair.\n Under Rule 5.09(a)(7)-(8), if a batted ball touches the batter or his bat while the batter is in the batter's box and not intentionally interfering with the course of the ball, the ball is foul.\n A ball that hits the foul pole without first having touched anything else off the bat is fair.\n Ground rules may provide whether a ball hitting specific objects (e.g. roof, overhead speaker) is fair or foul.\n\nOn a fair ball, the batter attempts to reach first base or any subsequent base, runners attempt to advance and fielders try to record outs. A fair ball is considered a live ball until the ball becomes dead by leaving the field or any other method.\n\nReferences\n\nBaseball rules"
] |
[
"AFI (band)",
"Crash Love (2008-2012)"
] |
C_0bfe0dfe02b04ae196ba2bec3fc86408_0
|
Was Crash Love an album?
| 1 |
Was Crash Love an album of AFI (band)?
|
AFI (band)
|
A new EP was set for a December release, however, Havok announced through the Despair Faction forums that it would not be available until early 2008. The EP was to contain previously unreleased songs from the Decemberunderground and Sing the Sorrow sessions. It was later announced that the EP would be released after Crash Love, but then Havok said that due to political issues, it would not be released. The songs that were to be on the EP would instead be distributed on various versions of Crash Love. In July 2009, Havok released a statement saying that after two years of writing and recording, the upcoming album would be released on September 29, 2009. It was recorded with producer David Bottrill (who was later dismissed in favor of Joe McGrath and Jacknife Lee). AFI previewed Crash Love on their MySpace page for two days starting September 22, 2009, seven days ahead of the official album release. In regard to the process of writing the album, Puget said "I've got my guitar and [Davey's] got his tape recorder ... anything can happen. We don't know what kind of song we're going to write; it could be the best song you've ever written or nothing, just the amount of possibilities is exciting to me." The first single from the album, "Medicate", was released on August 25, 2009, and reached number 7 on the Billboard Alternative Songs Chart. A music video directed by Paul Minor premiered October 2. In January 2010, AFI released a teaser for the video of their new single "Beautiful Thieves". The full video officially premiered on February 4, 2010, on MTV television networks and websites. On September 8, 2011, a post was made to the band's official forum, DespairFaction.com, from frontman Davey Havok's forum account, which said that the band had split up. This was shortly confirmed by the management to be a hoax, and the thread in question was deleted. CANNOTANSWER
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songs that were to be on the EP would instead be distributed on various versions of Crash Love.
|
AFI (abbreviation for A Fire Inside) is an American rock band from Ukiah, California, formed in 1991. Since 1998, it consists of lead vocalist Davey Havok, drummer and backing vocalist Adam Carson, bassist, backing vocalist and keyboardist Hunter Burgan, and guitarist, backing vocalist and keyboardist Jade Puget. Havok and Carson are the sole remaining original members. Originally a hardcore punk band, they have since delved into many genres, starting with horror punk and following through post-hardcore and emo into alternative rock and gothic rock.
AFI has released eleven studio albums, ten EPs, one live album and one DVD. The band first reached substantial commercial success with their fifth album, The Art of Drowning (2000), which peaked at number 174 on the Billboard 200. They then broke into the mainstream with their sixth, Sing the Sorrow (2003), which peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 and remained on the chart for 51 weeks. The album was supported by popular singles "Girl's Not Grey" and "Silver and Cold", both of which peaked at number seven on America's Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart in 2003. "The Leaving Song Pt. II" was also released as a single, reaching number 16 on the chart. Sing the Sorrow was certified Platinum by the RIAA in 2006 and is AFI's best-selling release, having sold over 1.26 million copies .
AFI's seventh album, Decemberunderground (2006), debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and featured the hit single "Miss Murder", which topped the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart, reached number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 and appeared in the video game Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. The album was certified Platinum by the RIAA in 2013. Their next three albums, Crash Love (2009), Burials (2013) and AFI (2017), were also successful, peaking at increasing positions on the Billboard 200. An EP, The Missing Man, followed in December 2018. The band released their 11th album, Bodies, on June 11, 2021.
History
Early years (1991–1994)
While still in high school in Ukiah, California, Davey Havok (vocals), Mark Stopholese and Vic Chalker formed a band called AFI in November 1991. At the time, the band did not know how to play any instruments. Stopholese suggested that his friend, Adam Carson (who had a drum set), join the band. Stopholese learned guitar and Chalker learned bass, but Chalker was soon replaced by Geoff Kresge. By the end of October 1992, the band had played their first three shows, generally as an opener for a few other punk bands, including Influence 13, which featured future AFI lead guitarist Jade Puget and frequent collaborator Nick 13. AFI recorded their first EP, Dork (1993), with the now defunct band Loose Change, which also featured Puget.
The band briefly broke up in 1993, when the members left Ukiah to attend different colleges. They decided to commit to AFI full-time after an extremely positive experience and enthusiastic crowd response at a reunion show they played at The Phoenix Theater over Christmas break.
AFI relocated to Berkeley, California and lived in a squat that was a decommissioned fraternity house. Between 1993 and 1995, the band independently released vinyl EPs such as Behind the Times, Eddie Picnic's All Wet and Fly in the Ointment, as well as the compilation EPs This Is Berkeley, Not West Bay, AFI/Heckle, and Bombing the Bay (with Swingin' Utters).
First three albums (1995–1998)
AFI's first full-length album, Answer That and Stay Fashionable was released July 4, 1995, on Wingnut Records. It was produced by Rancid's Tim Armstrong and Brett Reed. The album featured fast and upbeat hardcore songs, with humorous lyrical themes, which are vocalized in songs such as "Nyquil", "Cereal Wars", and "I Wanna Get a Mohawk (But Mom Won't Let Me Get One)". Around this time, they coined the term 'East Bay hardcore' to describe their genre.
AFI signed on to Nitro Records, a record label started by The Offspring's Dexter Holland and Greg K. AFI would remain with the label until the release of the 336 EP (2002). In 1996, they released their second album, Very Proud of Ya. Two songs from their previous album, "Yurf Rendenmein" and "Two of A Kind", were re-recorded for this album. After several tours in support of the album, Kresge decided to leave the group. His spot was filled by current AFI bassist Hunter Burgan for the remaining album tour dates.
Burgan went on to help AFI record Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes (1997) and was invited to become their full-time bassist. Jade Puget, a former member of Influence 13 and Havok's close friend, also provided background vocals and additional guitar on the album, making it the first to feature all four current members of the band. It is also the first album to be copyrighted to the band's official moniker, A Fire Inside. Subsequently, the A Fire Inside EP (1998) was released, after which Stopholese left the band and was replaced by Puget.
Darker sound and wider reach (1999–2001)
The band's next album, Black Sails in the Sunset (1999), was a musical turning point which featured a darker sound, mixing the band's original hardcore roots with dark romantic influences and an emphasis on a more somber atmosphere and lyrics. The New York Times later referred to this as the point where Havok "developed into a singer and songwriter of substance". During this period, AFI's style was considered punk rock. The influence of death rock and goth rock was also apparent. Offspring frontman Dexter Holland was featured as a backing vocalist on two tracks.
The All Hallow's E.P. (1999) further explored the horror punk genre, featuring artwork and lyrics containing Halloween themes, including a cover of the Misfits song "Halloween". The song "The Boy Who Destroyed the World" was featured in the video game Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3, and the single "Totalimmortal" was later covered by The Offspring.
On September 19, 2000, AFI released The Art of Drowning, which debuted on the Billboard Charts at number 174, and peaked at number 9 on the Heatseekers chart. It continued to touch base with the horror punk genre, but expanded into styles that were a departure from previous works. The album featured slower, more melodic songs that were more reminiscent of alternative rock, such as "Ever and a Day" and "6 to 8". Hardcore influences were present, more overtly on some tracks. The album sold over 100,000 copies. "The Days of the Phoenix" was released as a single and video and had some moderate mainstream success, garnering the band more TV and radio airplay. The song reached the UK Singles Chart with its titular EP in 2001, peaking at number 152. The success of The Art of Drowning helped to encourage the band to pursue higher mainstream notoriety.
Mainstream labels and popularity (2002–2007)
In 2002, AFI left Nitro Records. DreamWorks Records artists and repertoire executive Luke Wood signed them to the label following intense interest. Their first album for the label, Sing the Sorrow, was released in 2003. The album opened in Billboards top ten and scored enthusiastic lead reviews in major music magazines. The songs "Girl's Not Grey", "The Leaving Song Pt. II", and "Silver and Cold" had some Billboard chart success and exposed the band to even larger audiences. They were nominated in the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards for the MTV2 award category for the "Girl's Not Grey" video, which came to be their first VMA.
In June 2006, AFI's seventh studio album, Decemberunderground, was released on Interscope Records. The album's first single, "Miss Murder", reached No. 1 on the Billboard Modern Rock Charts. The release reflects the continually changing and growing fan base of the band, and the album debuted as No. 1 on the Billboard charts. The album has been certified Gold by the RIAA for sales of over 500,000 copies of the album. The album's second single, "Love Like Winter", was successful on MTV's Total Request Live and was retired after 40 days on the countdown.
On December 12, 2006, AFI released their first DVD, I Heard a Voice – Live from Long Beach Arena, featuring a live performance shot in Long Beach, California. The performance was later released on December 13, 2007, as a live album, and charted at number 133 on the Billboard 200, and number 16 on the Hard Rock Albums chart. The album was well-received, with punknews.org giving it a four-star rating and commenting that when hearing or seeing the performance "you begin to realize AFI are truly a great live band," and that at some points "Pantera would say turn the noise down."
On July 7, 2007, AFI performed on the American leg of Live Earth. They performed "The Missing Frame", "Love Like Winter", "Miss Murder", and a cover of David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust".
Maturity and resurgence (2008–2017)
In July 2009, Havok released a statement saying that after two years of writing and recording, an upcoming album titled Crash Love would be released on September 29, 2009. It was recorded with producer David Bottrill (who was later dismissed in favor of Joe McGrath and Jacknife Lee). The first single from the album, "Medicate", was released on August 25, 2009, and reached number 7 on the Billboard Alternative Songs Chart. Another single, "Beautiful Thieves", followed later in the year. Havok called Crash Love "the album by which we'll be remembered". It was the band's first release to make a significantly smaller impact than their previous effort, but peaked at number 12 on the Billboard 200.
From April to June 2013, several teaser videos were released on AFI's website.
The band was announced to play Riot Fest 2013, as well as being signed to Republic Records. A single titled "I Hope You Suffer" was released on July 23, and the title of the album, Burials, was announced. Another single, "17 Crimes", was released on August 6. The third single from the album, titled "The Conductor", was released on September 9. The album was released on October 22, produced by Gil Norton. It peaked at number 9 on the Billboard 200.
In a June 2016 interview with Aggressive Tendencies, Puget confirmed that AFI had begun working on new material for their tenth studio album. On October 27, the band released two new songs via Spotify, "Snow Cats" and "White Offerings".
The band's tenth album, AFI (also known as The Blood Album), was released on January 20, 2017. Puget served as the main producer. The album peaked at number 5 on the Billboard 200. Other singles were released, including "Aurelia" and "Hidden Knives".
Recent releases (2018–present)
On October 26, 2018, the band surprise-released a new single called "Get Dark" on Spotify and iTunes. This was followed by The Missing Man EP on December 7, featuring five new songs.
On March 25, 2020, AFI was announced as a headliner for the Two Thousand Trees Festival on July 10 of the same year. Puget was interviewed by Kerrang! to promote the festival appearance and said that "hopefully at least a couple of songs" from the band's eleventh album would be released by then. On April 27, 2020, Puget said that the album was finished, but that its release date was being pushed back as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The next day, it was announced that the Two Thousand Trees Festival was being pushed back to 2021, also due to the pandemic.
On January 15, 2021, the band released the tracks "Twisted Tongues" and "Escape from Los Angeles". On February 25, it was revealed that the album would be called Bodies, and be released on June 11. Along with the announcement, the band revealed two new songs as another joint single, "Looking Tragic / Begging for Trouble". On April 9, "Dulceria / Far Too Near" were released, followed by "Tied to a Tree" on May 25.
Musical style
AFI's music has been classified under many genres of music, including punk rock, horror punk, garage punk, pop punk, hardcore punk, skate punk, emo, screamo, alternative rock, and gothic rock. AFI has often been called "goth-punk" due to the band's appearance, but AFI never considered the label accurate. AFI guitarist Jade Puget has said, "Goth-punk isn't a style of music, it doesn't even exist."
AFI's sound has constantly changed. AFI originally were a hardcore punk band. AFI's first three albums, Answer That and Stay Fashionable (1995), Very Proud of Ya (1996), and Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes (1997), all have been described as hardcore punk. AFI's fourth album Black Sails in the Sunset and the band's fifth album The Art of Drowning both have been described as horror punk. AFI's 2003 album Sing the Sorrow is considered post-hardcore and emo. Decemberunderground, which features elements of music genres like electronic, new wave, industrial, punk rock, hardcore punk, and synthpop, is considered alternative rock, post-hardcore and emo. AFI's 2009 album Crash Love is considered alternative rock and pop rock. AFI's 2013 album Burials is considered alternative rock and gothic rock. AFI's 2017 self-titled album, also referred to as The Blood Album, has been described as new wave, post-punk and gothic rock.
Puget, who has produced much of the band's music, stated in 2021:
Anyone who knows our catalog knows that no two records really sit together. Some sit a little closer, maybe. We do certain things, just by virtue of who we are, that are consistent, but those things come about organically. Every time we do something, I have to judge it on its own merits. Some fans are going to judge a new album, or a new song, based on what's come before. But as artists, we can't do that, because it would only hinder our creativity.
Influences
In an interview, Davey Havok described the band's influences: "We have many, many influences that span the musical spectrum. Each of us grew up on everything from punk to hardcore to dark '80s UK stuff like The Cure, Bauhaus, Joy Division, and The Sisters of Mercy. And there were rock bands like The Misfits, Samhain, and Danzig and industrial bands like Skinny Puppy, Ministry, Front 242 and Alien Sex Fiend. And we all love The Smiths." AFI have also been influenced by British electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), whom Havok said "have and will continue to musically and emotionally inspire" him. Other bands that have influenced AFI include Minor Threat, 7 Seconds, Descendents, Suicide, the Germs, Black Flag, Slayer, Metallica, T.S.O.L., D.R.I., State of Alert, and the Angry Samoans.
Legacy
The Sydney Morning Herald has written that AFI have been "hailed as being responsible for bringing back the big '80s rock chorus." The band has received much praise in particular from Alternative Press, which has supported the group since the mid-1990s. The publication rated the band's major label debut, Sing the Sorrow as the most anticipated album of 2003, and noted that it "blew the doors off goth-punk as we knew it". AFI has also been granted responsibility for paving the way for the rise of the visual element of rock bands in the 2000s; in a December 2006 article, Revolver Magazine wrote that "AFI have increased the importance of a band's visual identity and the flair for the theatrical," adding that "when a group like Panic! at the Disco borrows imagery from a movie such as Moulin Rouge!, you have to consider the precedent AFI set when they borrowed cues from Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas." Shoutmouth.com placed AFI at number 22 on its list of the 25 most influential punk bands, noting that the band "have evolved with each album, showing that a punk band can not only change, but stay true to their sound at the same time. AFI have been on a constant rise through their career, and as such, out the honors". After Sing The Sorrow release, Yorkshire Evening Post described Havok's voice as one of those "you'll love or hate, but one thing can't be denied, this guy has range beyond belief". Recognized by his trademark flair and vocal style, Havok has been recognized as "a bona fide rock god" by Alternative Press.
In 2003, The Pitch described the band's fan club as a "particularly excitable bunch", adding that "there's also the type of sentiments that put the cult back into cult success, such as links to something called 'the Church of Havok'."
Members
Current
Davey Havok – lead vocals
Adam Carson – drums, backing vocals
Hunter Burgan – bass, backing vocals, keyboards, programming
Jade Puget – guitars, backing vocals, keyboards, piano, programming, synthesizers
Former
Vic Chalker – bass, backing vocals
Geoff Kresge – bass, backing vocals
Mark Stopholese – guitars
Timeline
Discography
Studio albums
Answer That and Stay Fashionable (1995)
Very Proud of Ya (1996)
Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes (1997)
Black Sails in the Sunset (1999)
The Art of Drowning (2000)
Sing the Sorrow (2003)
Decemberunderground (2006)
Crash Love (2009)
Burials (2013)
AFI (2017)
Bodies (2021)
References
Footnotes
Citations
External links
Alternative rock groups from California
Punk rock groups from California
Hardcore punk groups from California
Musical groups established in 1991
Musical quartets
Horror punk groups
Interscope Records artists
DreamWorks Records artists
Emo musical groups from California
American gothic rock groups
American post-hardcore musical groups
Nitro Records artists
Adeline Records artists
Rise Records artists
Articles which contain graphical timelines
1991 establishments in California
| false |
[
"Two Sides of \"Crash\" (also known as Afraid I'll Want to Love Her One More Time) is an album by country singer Billy \"Crash\" Craddock. It was released in 1973 on ABC Records. It was produced by Ron Chancey.\n\nTrack listing \n\"Afraid I'll Want to Love Her One More Time\"\n\"What Does a Loser Say\"\n\"Another Cup of Memories\"\n\"Don't Be Angry\"\n\"A Living Example\"\n\"I'm a White Boy\"\n\"I'm Gonna Knock on Your Door\"\n\"Come a Little Bit Closer\"\n\"You Can't Judge a Book By the Cover\"\n\"Ain't Nothin' Shakin'\"\n\nReferences\n\nBilly \"Crash\" Craddock albums\n1973 albums\nAlbums produced by Ron Chancey\nABC Records albums",
"Mr. Country Rock is an album by the country singer Billy \"Crash\" Craddock. It was released in 1973 on ABC Records. The album included several hits including, \"'Till The Water Stops Runnin'\" and \"Sweet Magnolia Blossom\".\n\nTrack listing\n\"'Till the Water Stops Runnin'\"\n\"Honey Love\"\n\"She's Mine\"\n\"I'm in Love Again\"\n\"Everybody Likes It\"\n\"Slippin' and Slidin'\"\n\"Holy Cow\"\n\"Sweet Magnolia Blossom\"\n\"Peggy Sue\"\n\"Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin On\"\n\nReferences\n\nBilly \"Crash\" Craddock albums\n1973 albums\nAlbums produced by Ron Chancey\nABC Records albums"
] |
[
"AFI (band)",
"Crash Love (2008-2012)",
"Was Crash Love an album?",
"songs that were to be on the EP would instead be distributed on various versions of Crash Love."
] |
C_0bfe0dfe02b04ae196ba2bec3fc86408_0
|
what songs were released?
| 2 |
what songs were released by AFI (band) Crash Love album ?
|
AFI (band)
|
A new EP was set for a December release, however, Havok announced through the Despair Faction forums that it would not be available until early 2008. The EP was to contain previously unreleased songs from the Decemberunderground and Sing the Sorrow sessions. It was later announced that the EP would be released after Crash Love, but then Havok said that due to political issues, it would not be released. The songs that were to be on the EP would instead be distributed on various versions of Crash Love. In July 2009, Havok released a statement saying that after two years of writing and recording, the upcoming album would be released on September 29, 2009. It was recorded with producer David Bottrill (who was later dismissed in favor of Joe McGrath and Jacknife Lee). AFI previewed Crash Love on their MySpace page for two days starting September 22, 2009, seven days ahead of the official album release. In regard to the process of writing the album, Puget said "I've got my guitar and [Davey's] got his tape recorder ... anything can happen. We don't know what kind of song we're going to write; it could be the best song you've ever written or nothing, just the amount of possibilities is exciting to me." The first single from the album, "Medicate", was released on August 25, 2009, and reached number 7 on the Billboard Alternative Songs Chart. A music video directed by Paul Minor premiered October 2. In January 2010, AFI released a teaser for the video of their new single "Beautiful Thieves". The full video officially premiered on February 4, 2010, on MTV television networks and websites. On September 8, 2011, a post was made to the band's official forum, DespairFaction.com, from frontman Davey Havok's forum account, which said that the band had split up. This was shortly confirmed by the management to be a hoax, and the thread in question was deleted. CANNOTANSWER
|
The first single from the album, "Medicate",
|
AFI (abbreviation for A Fire Inside) is an American rock band from Ukiah, California, formed in 1991. Since 1998, it consists of lead vocalist Davey Havok, drummer and backing vocalist Adam Carson, bassist, backing vocalist and keyboardist Hunter Burgan, and guitarist, backing vocalist and keyboardist Jade Puget. Havok and Carson are the sole remaining original members. Originally a hardcore punk band, they have since delved into many genres, starting with horror punk and following through post-hardcore and emo into alternative rock and gothic rock.
AFI has released eleven studio albums, ten EPs, one live album and one DVD. The band first reached substantial commercial success with their fifth album, The Art of Drowning (2000), which peaked at number 174 on the Billboard 200. They then broke into the mainstream with their sixth, Sing the Sorrow (2003), which peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 and remained on the chart for 51 weeks. The album was supported by popular singles "Girl's Not Grey" and "Silver and Cold", both of which peaked at number seven on America's Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart in 2003. "The Leaving Song Pt. II" was also released as a single, reaching number 16 on the chart. Sing the Sorrow was certified Platinum by the RIAA in 2006 and is AFI's best-selling release, having sold over 1.26 million copies .
AFI's seventh album, Decemberunderground (2006), debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and featured the hit single "Miss Murder", which topped the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart, reached number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 and appeared in the video game Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. The album was certified Platinum by the RIAA in 2013. Their next three albums, Crash Love (2009), Burials (2013) and AFI (2017), were also successful, peaking at increasing positions on the Billboard 200. An EP, The Missing Man, followed in December 2018. The band released their 11th album, Bodies, on June 11, 2021.
History
Early years (1991–1994)
While still in high school in Ukiah, California, Davey Havok (vocals), Mark Stopholese and Vic Chalker formed a band called AFI in November 1991. At the time, the band did not know how to play any instruments. Stopholese suggested that his friend, Adam Carson (who had a drum set), join the band. Stopholese learned guitar and Chalker learned bass, but Chalker was soon replaced by Geoff Kresge. By the end of October 1992, the band had played their first three shows, generally as an opener for a few other punk bands, including Influence 13, which featured future AFI lead guitarist Jade Puget and frequent collaborator Nick 13. AFI recorded their first EP, Dork (1993), with the now defunct band Loose Change, which also featured Puget.
The band briefly broke up in 1993, when the members left Ukiah to attend different colleges. They decided to commit to AFI full-time after an extremely positive experience and enthusiastic crowd response at a reunion show they played at The Phoenix Theater over Christmas break.
AFI relocated to Berkeley, California and lived in a squat that was a decommissioned fraternity house. Between 1993 and 1995, the band independently released vinyl EPs such as Behind the Times, Eddie Picnic's All Wet and Fly in the Ointment, as well as the compilation EPs This Is Berkeley, Not West Bay, AFI/Heckle, and Bombing the Bay (with Swingin' Utters).
First three albums (1995–1998)
AFI's first full-length album, Answer That and Stay Fashionable was released July 4, 1995, on Wingnut Records. It was produced by Rancid's Tim Armstrong and Brett Reed. The album featured fast and upbeat hardcore songs, with humorous lyrical themes, which are vocalized in songs such as "Nyquil", "Cereal Wars", and "I Wanna Get a Mohawk (But Mom Won't Let Me Get One)". Around this time, they coined the term 'East Bay hardcore' to describe their genre.
AFI signed on to Nitro Records, a record label started by The Offspring's Dexter Holland and Greg K. AFI would remain with the label until the release of the 336 EP (2002). In 1996, they released their second album, Very Proud of Ya. Two songs from their previous album, "Yurf Rendenmein" and "Two of A Kind", were re-recorded for this album. After several tours in support of the album, Kresge decided to leave the group. His spot was filled by current AFI bassist Hunter Burgan for the remaining album tour dates.
Burgan went on to help AFI record Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes (1997) and was invited to become their full-time bassist. Jade Puget, a former member of Influence 13 and Havok's close friend, also provided background vocals and additional guitar on the album, making it the first to feature all four current members of the band. It is also the first album to be copyrighted to the band's official moniker, A Fire Inside. Subsequently, the A Fire Inside EP (1998) was released, after which Stopholese left the band and was replaced by Puget.
Darker sound and wider reach (1999–2001)
The band's next album, Black Sails in the Sunset (1999), was a musical turning point which featured a darker sound, mixing the band's original hardcore roots with dark romantic influences and an emphasis on a more somber atmosphere and lyrics. The New York Times later referred to this as the point where Havok "developed into a singer and songwriter of substance". During this period, AFI's style was considered punk rock. The influence of death rock and goth rock was also apparent. Offspring frontman Dexter Holland was featured as a backing vocalist on two tracks.
The All Hallow's E.P. (1999) further explored the horror punk genre, featuring artwork and lyrics containing Halloween themes, including a cover of the Misfits song "Halloween". The song "The Boy Who Destroyed the World" was featured in the video game Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3, and the single "Totalimmortal" was later covered by The Offspring.
On September 19, 2000, AFI released The Art of Drowning, which debuted on the Billboard Charts at number 174, and peaked at number 9 on the Heatseekers chart. It continued to touch base with the horror punk genre, but expanded into styles that were a departure from previous works. The album featured slower, more melodic songs that were more reminiscent of alternative rock, such as "Ever and a Day" and "6 to 8". Hardcore influences were present, more overtly on some tracks. The album sold over 100,000 copies. "The Days of the Phoenix" was released as a single and video and had some moderate mainstream success, garnering the band more TV and radio airplay. The song reached the UK Singles Chart with its titular EP in 2001, peaking at number 152. The success of The Art of Drowning helped to encourage the band to pursue higher mainstream notoriety.
Mainstream labels and popularity (2002–2007)
In 2002, AFI left Nitro Records. DreamWorks Records artists and repertoire executive Luke Wood signed them to the label following intense interest. Their first album for the label, Sing the Sorrow, was released in 2003. The album opened in Billboards top ten and scored enthusiastic lead reviews in major music magazines. The songs "Girl's Not Grey", "The Leaving Song Pt. II", and "Silver and Cold" had some Billboard chart success and exposed the band to even larger audiences. They were nominated in the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards for the MTV2 award category for the "Girl's Not Grey" video, which came to be their first VMA.
In June 2006, AFI's seventh studio album, Decemberunderground, was released on Interscope Records. The album's first single, "Miss Murder", reached No. 1 on the Billboard Modern Rock Charts. The release reflects the continually changing and growing fan base of the band, and the album debuted as No. 1 on the Billboard charts. The album has been certified Gold by the RIAA for sales of over 500,000 copies of the album. The album's second single, "Love Like Winter", was successful on MTV's Total Request Live and was retired after 40 days on the countdown.
On December 12, 2006, AFI released their first DVD, I Heard a Voice – Live from Long Beach Arena, featuring a live performance shot in Long Beach, California. The performance was later released on December 13, 2007, as a live album, and charted at number 133 on the Billboard 200, and number 16 on the Hard Rock Albums chart. The album was well-received, with punknews.org giving it a four-star rating and commenting that when hearing or seeing the performance "you begin to realize AFI are truly a great live band," and that at some points "Pantera would say turn the noise down."
On July 7, 2007, AFI performed on the American leg of Live Earth. They performed "The Missing Frame", "Love Like Winter", "Miss Murder", and a cover of David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust".
Maturity and resurgence (2008–2017)
In July 2009, Havok released a statement saying that after two years of writing and recording, an upcoming album titled Crash Love would be released on September 29, 2009. It was recorded with producer David Bottrill (who was later dismissed in favor of Joe McGrath and Jacknife Lee). The first single from the album, "Medicate", was released on August 25, 2009, and reached number 7 on the Billboard Alternative Songs Chart. Another single, "Beautiful Thieves", followed later in the year. Havok called Crash Love "the album by which we'll be remembered". It was the band's first release to make a significantly smaller impact than their previous effort, but peaked at number 12 on the Billboard 200.
From April to June 2013, several teaser videos were released on AFI's website.
The band was announced to play Riot Fest 2013, as well as being signed to Republic Records. A single titled "I Hope You Suffer" was released on July 23, and the title of the album, Burials, was announced. Another single, "17 Crimes", was released on August 6. The third single from the album, titled "The Conductor", was released on September 9. The album was released on October 22, produced by Gil Norton. It peaked at number 9 on the Billboard 200.
In a June 2016 interview with Aggressive Tendencies, Puget confirmed that AFI had begun working on new material for their tenth studio album. On October 27, the band released two new songs via Spotify, "Snow Cats" and "White Offerings".
The band's tenth album, AFI (also known as The Blood Album), was released on January 20, 2017. Puget served as the main producer. The album peaked at number 5 on the Billboard 200. Other singles were released, including "Aurelia" and "Hidden Knives".
Recent releases (2018–present)
On October 26, 2018, the band surprise-released a new single called "Get Dark" on Spotify and iTunes. This was followed by The Missing Man EP on December 7, featuring five new songs.
On March 25, 2020, AFI was announced as a headliner for the Two Thousand Trees Festival on July 10 of the same year. Puget was interviewed by Kerrang! to promote the festival appearance and said that "hopefully at least a couple of songs" from the band's eleventh album would be released by then. On April 27, 2020, Puget said that the album was finished, but that its release date was being pushed back as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The next day, it was announced that the Two Thousand Trees Festival was being pushed back to 2021, also due to the pandemic.
On January 15, 2021, the band released the tracks "Twisted Tongues" and "Escape from Los Angeles". On February 25, it was revealed that the album would be called Bodies, and be released on June 11. Along with the announcement, the band revealed two new songs as another joint single, "Looking Tragic / Begging for Trouble". On April 9, "Dulceria / Far Too Near" were released, followed by "Tied to a Tree" on May 25.
Musical style
AFI's music has been classified under many genres of music, including punk rock, horror punk, garage punk, pop punk, hardcore punk, skate punk, emo, screamo, alternative rock, and gothic rock. AFI has often been called "goth-punk" due to the band's appearance, but AFI never considered the label accurate. AFI guitarist Jade Puget has said, "Goth-punk isn't a style of music, it doesn't even exist."
AFI's sound has constantly changed. AFI originally were a hardcore punk band. AFI's first three albums, Answer That and Stay Fashionable (1995), Very Proud of Ya (1996), and Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes (1997), all have been described as hardcore punk. AFI's fourth album Black Sails in the Sunset and the band's fifth album The Art of Drowning both have been described as horror punk. AFI's 2003 album Sing the Sorrow is considered post-hardcore and emo. Decemberunderground, which features elements of music genres like electronic, new wave, industrial, punk rock, hardcore punk, and synthpop, is considered alternative rock, post-hardcore and emo. AFI's 2009 album Crash Love is considered alternative rock and pop rock. AFI's 2013 album Burials is considered alternative rock and gothic rock. AFI's 2017 self-titled album, also referred to as The Blood Album, has been described as new wave, post-punk and gothic rock.
Puget, who has produced much of the band's music, stated in 2021:
Anyone who knows our catalog knows that no two records really sit together. Some sit a little closer, maybe. We do certain things, just by virtue of who we are, that are consistent, but those things come about organically. Every time we do something, I have to judge it on its own merits. Some fans are going to judge a new album, or a new song, based on what's come before. But as artists, we can't do that, because it would only hinder our creativity.
Influences
In an interview, Davey Havok described the band's influences: "We have many, many influences that span the musical spectrum. Each of us grew up on everything from punk to hardcore to dark '80s UK stuff like The Cure, Bauhaus, Joy Division, and The Sisters of Mercy. And there were rock bands like The Misfits, Samhain, and Danzig and industrial bands like Skinny Puppy, Ministry, Front 242 and Alien Sex Fiend. And we all love The Smiths." AFI have also been influenced by British electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), whom Havok said "have and will continue to musically and emotionally inspire" him. Other bands that have influenced AFI include Minor Threat, 7 Seconds, Descendents, Suicide, the Germs, Black Flag, Slayer, Metallica, T.S.O.L., D.R.I., State of Alert, and the Angry Samoans.
Legacy
The Sydney Morning Herald has written that AFI have been "hailed as being responsible for bringing back the big '80s rock chorus." The band has received much praise in particular from Alternative Press, which has supported the group since the mid-1990s. The publication rated the band's major label debut, Sing the Sorrow as the most anticipated album of 2003, and noted that it "blew the doors off goth-punk as we knew it". AFI has also been granted responsibility for paving the way for the rise of the visual element of rock bands in the 2000s; in a December 2006 article, Revolver Magazine wrote that "AFI have increased the importance of a band's visual identity and the flair for the theatrical," adding that "when a group like Panic! at the Disco borrows imagery from a movie such as Moulin Rouge!, you have to consider the precedent AFI set when they borrowed cues from Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas." Shoutmouth.com placed AFI at number 22 on its list of the 25 most influential punk bands, noting that the band "have evolved with each album, showing that a punk band can not only change, but stay true to their sound at the same time. AFI have been on a constant rise through their career, and as such, out the honors". After Sing The Sorrow release, Yorkshire Evening Post described Havok's voice as one of those "you'll love or hate, but one thing can't be denied, this guy has range beyond belief". Recognized by his trademark flair and vocal style, Havok has been recognized as "a bona fide rock god" by Alternative Press.
In 2003, The Pitch described the band's fan club as a "particularly excitable bunch", adding that "there's also the type of sentiments that put the cult back into cult success, such as links to something called 'the Church of Havok'."
Members
Current
Davey Havok – lead vocals
Adam Carson – drums, backing vocals
Hunter Burgan – bass, backing vocals, keyboards, programming
Jade Puget – guitars, backing vocals, keyboards, piano, programming, synthesizers
Former
Vic Chalker – bass, backing vocals
Geoff Kresge – bass, backing vocals
Mark Stopholese – guitars
Timeline
Discography
Studio albums
Answer That and Stay Fashionable (1995)
Very Proud of Ya (1996)
Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes (1997)
Black Sails in the Sunset (1999)
The Art of Drowning (2000)
Sing the Sorrow (2003)
Decemberunderground (2006)
Crash Love (2009)
Burials (2013)
AFI (2017)
Bodies (2021)
References
Footnotes
Citations
External links
Alternative rock groups from California
Punk rock groups from California
Hardcore punk groups from California
Musical groups established in 1991
Musical quartets
Horror punk groups
Interscope Records artists
DreamWorks Records artists
Emo musical groups from California
American gothic rock groups
American post-hardcore musical groups
Nitro Records artists
Adeline Records artists
Rise Records artists
Articles which contain graphical timelines
1991 establishments in California
| true |
[
"\"What a Night\" is a song performed by British band, Loveable Rogues. It was their debut single and was intended to feature on a debut album. The single was released in Ireland and the United Kingdom on 19 April 2013. The band were dropped from Syco in October 2013, but the single was featured on their debut album This and That, released in 2014 on Super Duper Records.\n\nBackground\nLoveable Rogues first announced that they're signed to Syco on June, 2012. In late 2012, the band released a free mixtape through their Soundcloud channel. The collection of songs was released as a free download and was called 'First Things First'. \"What A Night\" was previewed along with new songs such as \"Maybe Baby\", \"Talking Monkeys\" and \"Honest\".\n\nMusic video\n\nTwo teaser videos were released before the music video. The first teaser video was uploaded to their Vevo channel on 11 February 2013. The second teaser released two days after or a week before the music video released; on 19 February 2013, the music video was uploaded to their Vevo channel.\nThe video features the band having a night party with their friends.\n\nChart performance\n\"What a Night\" debuted on the UK Singles Chart at number 9 on 27 April 2013 after debuting at number 5 on the UK Singles Chart Update.\n\nTrack listing\nDigital download\n What a Night - 2:50\n Nuthouse - 3:58\n What a Night (feat. Lucky Mason) Sonny J Mason Remix] - 3:41\n What a Night (Supasound Radio Remix) - 2:42\n\nCharts\n\nReferences\n\n2013 debut singles\n2013 songs\nSyco Music singles\nSong recordings produced by Red Triangle (production team)\nSongs written by Rick Parkhouse\nSongs written by George Tizzard",
"\"Don't Cry / I Love to Party\" is a double A-sided single released by Belgian singer/songwriter Kaye Styles and Australian born Irish singer/songwriter Johnny Logan. The songs are re-working of Logan's two winning Eurovision Song Contest songs, \"Hold Me Now\" and \"What's Another Year\". The single was released in July 2006 and included on Styles' album It Iz What It Iz.\n\nBackground and release\nIn 2006, Kaye Styles entered Eurosong '06, which was the Belgian national final for choosing the Belgian entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2006, with the song \"Profile\". The song placed 6th in the final. During the final, two-time winner Johnny Logan was part of the professional jury awarding points. Following the final, the pair collaborated with Style re-working Logan's \"Hold Me Now\" as \"Don't Cry\" and \"What's Another Year\" as \"I Love to Party\". The single was released as a double-A sided single, and video clips were produced for both songs.\n\nTrack listings\n\nCharts\n\nReferences\n\n2006 singles\n2006 songs\nJohnny Logan (singer) songs\nSongs written by Johnny Logan (singer)"
] |
[
"AFI (band)",
"Crash Love (2008-2012)",
"Was Crash Love an album?",
"songs that were to be on the EP would instead be distributed on various versions of Crash Love.",
"what songs were released?",
"The first single from the album, \"Medicate\","
] |
C_0bfe0dfe02b04ae196ba2bec3fc86408_0
|
Are there any other interesting aspects about this article?
| 3 |
In addition to the AFI's (band) 'Crash Love' album, are there any other interesting aspects about this article?
|
AFI (band)
|
A new EP was set for a December release, however, Havok announced through the Despair Faction forums that it would not be available until early 2008. The EP was to contain previously unreleased songs from the Decemberunderground and Sing the Sorrow sessions. It was later announced that the EP would be released after Crash Love, but then Havok said that due to political issues, it would not be released. The songs that were to be on the EP would instead be distributed on various versions of Crash Love. In July 2009, Havok released a statement saying that after two years of writing and recording, the upcoming album would be released on September 29, 2009. It was recorded with producer David Bottrill (who was later dismissed in favor of Joe McGrath and Jacknife Lee). AFI previewed Crash Love on their MySpace page for two days starting September 22, 2009, seven days ahead of the official album release. In regard to the process of writing the album, Puget said "I've got my guitar and [Davey's] got his tape recorder ... anything can happen. We don't know what kind of song we're going to write; it could be the best song you've ever written or nothing, just the amount of possibilities is exciting to me." The first single from the album, "Medicate", was released on August 25, 2009, and reached number 7 on the Billboard Alternative Songs Chart. A music video directed by Paul Minor premiered October 2. In January 2010, AFI released a teaser for the video of their new single "Beautiful Thieves". The full video officially premiered on February 4, 2010, on MTV television networks and websites. On September 8, 2011, a post was made to the band's official forum, DespairFaction.com, from frontman Davey Havok's forum account, which said that the band had split up. This was shortly confirmed by the management to be a hoax, and the thread in question was deleted. CANNOTANSWER
|
the band had split up. This was shortly confirmed by the management to be a hoax, and the thread in question was deleted.
|
AFI (abbreviation for A Fire Inside) is an American rock band from Ukiah, California, formed in 1991. Since 1998, it consists of lead vocalist Davey Havok, drummer and backing vocalist Adam Carson, bassist, backing vocalist and keyboardist Hunter Burgan, and guitarist, backing vocalist and keyboardist Jade Puget. Havok and Carson are the sole remaining original members. Originally a hardcore punk band, they have since delved into many genres, starting with horror punk and following through post-hardcore and emo into alternative rock and gothic rock.
AFI has released eleven studio albums, ten EPs, one live album and one DVD. The band first reached substantial commercial success with their fifth album, The Art of Drowning (2000), which peaked at number 174 on the Billboard 200. They then broke into the mainstream with their sixth, Sing the Sorrow (2003), which peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 and remained on the chart for 51 weeks. The album was supported by popular singles "Girl's Not Grey" and "Silver and Cold", both of which peaked at number seven on America's Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart in 2003. "The Leaving Song Pt. II" was also released as a single, reaching number 16 on the chart. Sing the Sorrow was certified Platinum by the RIAA in 2006 and is AFI's best-selling release, having sold over 1.26 million copies .
AFI's seventh album, Decemberunderground (2006), debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and featured the hit single "Miss Murder", which topped the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart, reached number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 and appeared in the video game Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. The album was certified Platinum by the RIAA in 2013. Their next three albums, Crash Love (2009), Burials (2013) and AFI (2017), were also successful, peaking at increasing positions on the Billboard 200. An EP, The Missing Man, followed in December 2018. The band released their 11th album, Bodies, on June 11, 2021.
History
Early years (1991–1994)
While still in high school in Ukiah, California, Davey Havok (vocals), Mark Stopholese and Vic Chalker formed a band called AFI in November 1991. At the time, the band did not know how to play any instruments. Stopholese suggested that his friend, Adam Carson (who had a drum set), join the band. Stopholese learned guitar and Chalker learned bass, but Chalker was soon replaced by Geoff Kresge. By the end of October 1992, the band had played their first three shows, generally as an opener for a few other punk bands, including Influence 13, which featured future AFI lead guitarist Jade Puget and frequent collaborator Nick 13. AFI recorded their first EP, Dork (1993), with the now defunct band Loose Change, which also featured Puget.
The band briefly broke up in 1993, when the members left Ukiah to attend different colleges. They decided to commit to AFI full-time after an extremely positive experience and enthusiastic crowd response at a reunion show they played at The Phoenix Theater over Christmas break.
AFI relocated to Berkeley, California and lived in a squat that was a decommissioned fraternity house. Between 1993 and 1995, the band independently released vinyl EPs such as Behind the Times, Eddie Picnic's All Wet and Fly in the Ointment, as well as the compilation EPs This Is Berkeley, Not West Bay, AFI/Heckle, and Bombing the Bay (with Swingin' Utters).
First three albums (1995–1998)
AFI's first full-length album, Answer That and Stay Fashionable was released July 4, 1995, on Wingnut Records. It was produced by Rancid's Tim Armstrong and Brett Reed. The album featured fast and upbeat hardcore songs, with humorous lyrical themes, which are vocalized in songs such as "Nyquil", "Cereal Wars", and "I Wanna Get a Mohawk (But Mom Won't Let Me Get One)". Around this time, they coined the term 'East Bay hardcore' to describe their genre.
AFI signed on to Nitro Records, a record label started by The Offspring's Dexter Holland and Greg K. AFI would remain with the label until the release of the 336 EP (2002). In 1996, they released their second album, Very Proud of Ya. Two songs from their previous album, "Yurf Rendenmein" and "Two of A Kind", were re-recorded for this album. After several tours in support of the album, Kresge decided to leave the group. His spot was filled by current AFI bassist Hunter Burgan for the remaining album tour dates.
Burgan went on to help AFI record Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes (1997) and was invited to become their full-time bassist. Jade Puget, a former member of Influence 13 and Havok's close friend, also provided background vocals and additional guitar on the album, making it the first to feature all four current members of the band. It is also the first album to be copyrighted to the band's official moniker, A Fire Inside. Subsequently, the A Fire Inside EP (1998) was released, after which Stopholese left the band and was replaced by Puget.
Darker sound and wider reach (1999–2001)
The band's next album, Black Sails in the Sunset (1999), was a musical turning point which featured a darker sound, mixing the band's original hardcore roots with dark romantic influences and an emphasis on a more somber atmosphere and lyrics. The New York Times later referred to this as the point where Havok "developed into a singer and songwriter of substance". During this period, AFI's style was considered punk rock. The influence of death rock and goth rock was also apparent. Offspring frontman Dexter Holland was featured as a backing vocalist on two tracks.
The All Hallow's E.P. (1999) further explored the horror punk genre, featuring artwork and lyrics containing Halloween themes, including a cover of the Misfits song "Halloween". The song "The Boy Who Destroyed the World" was featured in the video game Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3, and the single "Totalimmortal" was later covered by The Offspring.
On September 19, 2000, AFI released The Art of Drowning, which debuted on the Billboard Charts at number 174, and peaked at number 9 on the Heatseekers chart. It continued to touch base with the horror punk genre, but expanded into styles that were a departure from previous works. The album featured slower, more melodic songs that were more reminiscent of alternative rock, such as "Ever and a Day" and "6 to 8". Hardcore influences were present, more overtly on some tracks. The album sold over 100,000 copies. "The Days of the Phoenix" was released as a single and video and had some moderate mainstream success, garnering the band more TV and radio airplay. The song reached the UK Singles Chart with its titular EP in 2001, peaking at number 152. The success of The Art of Drowning helped to encourage the band to pursue higher mainstream notoriety.
Mainstream labels and popularity (2002–2007)
In 2002, AFI left Nitro Records. DreamWorks Records artists and repertoire executive Luke Wood signed them to the label following intense interest. Their first album for the label, Sing the Sorrow, was released in 2003. The album opened in Billboards top ten and scored enthusiastic lead reviews in major music magazines. The songs "Girl's Not Grey", "The Leaving Song Pt. II", and "Silver and Cold" had some Billboard chart success and exposed the band to even larger audiences. They were nominated in the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards for the MTV2 award category for the "Girl's Not Grey" video, which came to be their first VMA.
In June 2006, AFI's seventh studio album, Decemberunderground, was released on Interscope Records. The album's first single, "Miss Murder", reached No. 1 on the Billboard Modern Rock Charts. The release reflects the continually changing and growing fan base of the band, and the album debuted as No. 1 on the Billboard charts. The album has been certified Gold by the RIAA for sales of over 500,000 copies of the album. The album's second single, "Love Like Winter", was successful on MTV's Total Request Live and was retired after 40 days on the countdown.
On December 12, 2006, AFI released their first DVD, I Heard a Voice – Live from Long Beach Arena, featuring a live performance shot in Long Beach, California. The performance was later released on December 13, 2007, as a live album, and charted at number 133 on the Billboard 200, and number 16 on the Hard Rock Albums chart. The album was well-received, with punknews.org giving it a four-star rating and commenting that when hearing or seeing the performance "you begin to realize AFI are truly a great live band," and that at some points "Pantera would say turn the noise down."
On July 7, 2007, AFI performed on the American leg of Live Earth. They performed "The Missing Frame", "Love Like Winter", "Miss Murder", and a cover of David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust".
Maturity and resurgence (2008–2017)
In July 2009, Havok released a statement saying that after two years of writing and recording, an upcoming album titled Crash Love would be released on September 29, 2009. It was recorded with producer David Bottrill (who was later dismissed in favor of Joe McGrath and Jacknife Lee). The first single from the album, "Medicate", was released on August 25, 2009, and reached number 7 on the Billboard Alternative Songs Chart. Another single, "Beautiful Thieves", followed later in the year. Havok called Crash Love "the album by which we'll be remembered". It was the band's first release to make a significantly smaller impact than their previous effort, but peaked at number 12 on the Billboard 200.
From April to June 2013, several teaser videos were released on AFI's website.
The band was announced to play Riot Fest 2013, as well as being signed to Republic Records. A single titled "I Hope You Suffer" was released on July 23, and the title of the album, Burials, was announced. Another single, "17 Crimes", was released on August 6. The third single from the album, titled "The Conductor", was released on September 9. The album was released on October 22, produced by Gil Norton. It peaked at number 9 on the Billboard 200.
In a June 2016 interview with Aggressive Tendencies, Puget confirmed that AFI had begun working on new material for their tenth studio album. On October 27, the band released two new songs via Spotify, "Snow Cats" and "White Offerings".
The band's tenth album, AFI (also known as The Blood Album), was released on January 20, 2017. Puget served as the main producer. The album peaked at number 5 on the Billboard 200. Other singles were released, including "Aurelia" and "Hidden Knives".
Recent releases (2018–present)
On October 26, 2018, the band surprise-released a new single called "Get Dark" on Spotify and iTunes. This was followed by The Missing Man EP on December 7, featuring five new songs.
On March 25, 2020, AFI was announced as a headliner for the Two Thousand Trees Festival on July 10 of the same year. Puget was interviewed by Kerrang! to promote the festival appearance and said that "hopefully at least a couple of songs" from the band's eleventh album would be released by then. On April 27, 2020, Puget said that the album was finished, but that its release date was being pushed back as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The next day, it was announced that the Two Thousand Trees Festival was being pushed back to 2021, also due to the pandemic.
On January 15, 2021, the band released the tracks "Twisted Tongues" and "Escape from Los Angeles". On February 25, it was revealed that the album would be called Bodies, and be released on June 11. Along with the announcement, the band revealed two new songs as another joint single, "Looking Tragic / Begging for Trouble". On April 9, "Dulceria / Far Too Near" were released, followed by "Tied to a Tree" on May 25.
Musical style
AFI's music has been classified under many genres of music, including punk rock, horror punk, garage punk, pop punk, hardcore punk, skate punk, emo, screamo, alternative rock, and gothic rock. AFI has often been called "goth-punk" due to the band's appearance, but AFI never considered the label accurate. AFI guitarist Jade Puget has said, "Goth-punk isn't a style of music, it doesn't even exist."
AFI's sound has constantly changed. AFI originally were a hardcore punk band. AFI's first three albums, Answer That and Stay Fashionable (1995), Very Proud of Ya (1996), and Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes (1997), all have been described as hardcore punk. AFI's fourth album Black Sails in the Sunset and the band's fifth album The Art of Drowning both have been described as horror punk. AFI's 2003 album Sing the Sorrow is considered post-hardcore and emo. Decemberunderground, which features elements of music genres like electronic, new wave, industrial, punk rock, hardcore punk, and synthpop, is considered alternative rock, post-hardcore and emo. AFI's 2009 album Crash Love is considered alternative rock and pop rock. AFI's 2013 album Burials is considered alternative rock and gothic rock. AFI's 2017 self-titled album, also referred to as The Blood Album, has been described as new wave, post-punk and gothic rock.
Puget, who has produced much of the band's music, stated in 2021:
Anyone who knows our catalog knows that no two records really sit together. Some sit a little closer, maybe. We do certain things, just by virtue of who we are, that are consistent, but those things come about organically. Every time we do something, I have to judge it on its own merits. Some fans are going to judge a new album, or a new song, based on what's come before. But as artists, we can't do that, because it would only hinder our creativity.
Influences
In an interview, Davey Havok described the band's influences: "We have many, many influences that span the musical spectrum. Each of us grew up on everything from punk to hardcore to dark '80s UK stuff like The Cure, Bauhaus, Joy Division, and The Sisters of Mercy. And there were rock bands like The Misfits, Samhain, and Danzig and industrial bands like Skinny Puppy, Ministry, Front 242 and Alien Sex Fiend. And we all love The Smiths." AFI have also been influenced by British electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), whom Havok said "have and will continue to musically and emotionally inspire" him. Other bands that have influenced AFI include Minor Threat, 7 Seconds, Descendents, Suicide, the Germs, Black Flag, Slayer, Metallica, T.S.O.L., D.R.I., State of Alert, and the Angry Samoans.
Legacy
The Sydney Morning Herald has written that AFI have been "hailed as being responsible for bringing back the big '80s rock chorus." The band has received much praise in particular from Alternative Press, which has supported the group since the mid-1990s. The publication rated the band's major label debut, Sing the Sorrow as the most anticipated album of 2003, and noted that it "blew the doors off goth-punk as we knew it". AFI has also been granted responsibility for paving the way for the rise of the visual element of rock bands in the 2000s; in a December 2006 article, Revolver Magazine wrote that "AFI have increased the importance of a band's visual identity and the flair for the theatrical," adding that "when a group like Panic! at the Disco borrows imagery from a movie such as Moulin Rouge!, you have to consider the precedent AFI set when they borrowed cues from Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas." Shoutmouth.com placed AFI at number 22 on its list of the 25 most influential punk bands, noting that the band "have evolved with each album, showing that a punk band can not only change, but stay true to their sound at the same time. AFI have been on a constant rise through their career, and as such, out the honors". After Sing The Sorrow release, Yorkshire Evening Post described Havok's voice as one of those "you'll love or hate, but one thing can't be denied, this guy has range beyond belief". Recognized by his trademark flair and vocal style, Havok has been recognized as "a bona fide rock god" by Alternative Press.
In 2003, The Pitch described the band's fan club as a "particularly excitable bunch", adding that "there's also the type of sentiments that put the cult back into cult success, such as links to something called 'the Church of Havok'."
Members
Current
Davey Havok – lead vocals
Adam Carson – drums, backing vocals
Hunter Burgan – bass, backing vocals, keyboards, programming
Jade Puget – guitars, backing vocals, keyboards, piano, programming, synthesizers
Former
Vic Chalker – bass, backing vocals
Geoff Kresge – bass, backing vocals
Mark Stopholese – guitars
Timeline
Discography
Studio albums
Answer That and Stay Fashionable (1995)
Very Proud of Ya (1996)
Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes (1997)
Black Sails in the Sunset (1999)
The Art of Drowning (2000)
Sing the Sorrow (2003)
Decemberunderground (2006)
Crash Love (2009)
Burials (2013)
AFI (2017)
Bodies (2021)
References
Footnotes
Citations
External links
Alternative rock groups from California
Punk rock groups from California
Hardcore punk groups from California
Musical groups established in 1991
Musical quartets
Horror punk groups
Interscope Records artists
DreamWorks Records artists
Emo musical groups from California
American gothic rock groups
American post-hardcore musical groups
Nitro Records artists
Adeline Records artists
Rise Records artists
Articles which contain graphical timelines
1991 establishments in California
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"Přírodní park Třebíčsko (before Oblast klidu Třebíčsko) is a natural park near Třebíč in the Czech Republic. There are many interesting plants. The park was founded in 1983.\n\nKobylinec and Ptáčovský kopeček\n\nKobylinec is a natural monument situated ca 0,5 km from the village of Trnava.\nThe area of this monument is 0,44 ha. Pulsatilla grandis can be found here and in the Ptáčovský kopeček park near Ptáčov near Třebíč. Both monuments are very popular for tourists.\n\nPonds\n\nIn the natural park there are some interesting ponds such as Velký Bor, Malý Bor, Buršík near Přeckov and a brook Březinka. Dams on the brook are examples of European beaver activity.\n\nSyenitové skály near Pocoucov\n\nSyenitové skály (rocks of syenit) near Pocoucov is one of famed locations. There are interesting granite boulders. The area of the reservation is 0,77 ha.\n\nExternal links\nParts of this article or all article was translated from Czech. The original article is :cs:Přírodní park Třebíčsko.\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\nNature near the village Trnava which is there\n\nTřebíč\nParks in the Czech Republic\nTourist attractions in the Vysočina Region",
"Damn Interesting is an independent website founded by Alan Bellows in 2005. The website presents true stories from science, history, and psychology, primarily as long-form articles, often illustrated with original artwork. Works are written by various authors, and published at irregular intervals. The website openly rejects advertising, relying on reader and listener donations to cover operating costs.\n\nAs of October 2012, each article is also published as a podcast under the same name. In November 2019, a second podcast was launched under the title Damn Interesting Week, featuring unscripted commentary on an assortment of news articles featured on the website's \"Curated Links\" section that week. In mid-2020, a third podcast called Damn Interesting Curio Cabinet began highlighting the website's periodic short-form articles in the same radioplay format as the original podcast.\n\nIn July 2009, Damn Interesting published the print book Alien Hand Syndrome through Workman Publishing. It contains some favorites from the site and some exclusive content.\n\nAwards and recognition \nIn August 2007, PC Magazine named Damn Interesting one of the \"Top 100 Undiscovered Web Sites\".\nThe article \"The Zero-Armed Bandit\" by Alan Bellows won a 2015 Sidney Award from David Brooks in The New York Times.\nThe article \"Ghoulish Acts and Dastardly Deeds\" by Alan Bellows was cited as \"nonfiction journalism from 2017 that will stand the test of time\" by Conor Friedersdorf in The Atlantic.\nThe article \"Dupes and Duplicity\" by Jennifer Lee Noonan won a 2020 Sidney Award from David Brooks in the New York Times.\n\nAccusing The Dollop of plagiarism \n\nOn July 9, 2015, Bellows posted an open letter accusing The Dollop, a comedy podcast about history, of plagiarism due to their repeated use of verbatim text from Damn Interesting articles without permission or attribution. Dave Anthony, the writer of The Dollop, responded on reddit, admitting to using Damn Interesting content, but claiming that the use was protected by fair use, and that \"historical facts are not copyrightable.\" In an article about the controversy on Plagiarism Today, Jonathan Bailey concluded, \"Any way one looks at it, The Dollop failed its ethical obligations to all of the people, not just those writing for Damn Interesting, who put in the time, energy and expertise into writing the original content upon which their show is based.\"\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links \n Official website\n\n2005 podcast debuts"
] |
[
"AFI (band)",
"Crash Love (2008-2012)",
"Was Crash Love an album?",
"songs that were to be on the EP would instead be distributed on various versions of Crash Love.",
"what songs were released?",
"The first single from the album, \"Medicate\",",
"Are there any other interesting aspects about this article?",
"the band had split up. This was shortly confirmed by the management to be a hoax, and the thread in question was deleted."
] |
C_0bfe0dfe02b04ae196ba2bec3fc86408_0
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What thread was in question
| 4 |
What thread about AFI (band) was in question?
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AFI (band)
|
A new EP was set for a December release, however, Havok announced through the Despair Faction forums that it would not be available until early 2008. The EP was to contain previously unreleased songs from the Decemberunderground and Sing the Sorrow sessions. It was later announced that the EP would be released after Crash Love, but then Havok said that due to political issues, it would not be released. The songs that were to be on the EP would instead be distributed on various versions of Crash Love. In July 2009, Havok released a statement saying that after two years of writing and recording, the upcoming album would be released on September 29, 2009. It was recorded with producer David Bottrill (who was later dismissed in favor of Joe McGrath and Jacknife Lee). AFI previewed Crash Love on their MySpace page for two days starting September 22, 2009, seven days ahead of the official album release. In regard to the process of writing the album, Puget said "I've got my guitar and [Davey's] got his tape recorder ... anything can happen. We don't know what kind of song we're going to write; it could be the best song you've ever written or nothing, just the amount of possibilities is exciting to me." The first single from the album, "Medicate", was released on August 25, 2009, and reached number 7 on the Billboard Alternative Songs Chart. A music video directed by Paul Minor premiered October 2. In January 2010, AFI released a teaser for the video of their new single "Beautiful Thieves". The full video officially premiered on February 4, 2010, on MTV television networks and websites. On September 8, 2011, a post was made to the band's official forum, DespairFaction.com, from frontman Davey Havok's forum account, which said that the band had split up. This was shortly confirmed by the management to be a hoax, and the thread in question was deleted. CANNOTANSWER
|
the band's official forum, DespairFaction.com,
|
AFI (abbreviation for A Fire Inside) is an American rock band from Ukiah, California, formed in 1991. Since 1998, it consists of lead vocalist Davey Havok, drummer and backing vocalist Adam Carson, bassist, backing vocalist and keyboardist Hunter Burgan, and guitarist, backing vocalist and keyboardist Jade Puget. Havok and Carson are the sole remaining original members. Originally a hardcore punk band, they have since delved into many genres, starting with horror punk and following through post-hardcore and emo into alternative rock and gothic rock.
AFI has released eleven studio albums, ten EPs, one live album and one DVD. The band first reached substantial commercial success with their fifth album, The Art of Drowning (2000), which peaked at number 174 on the Billboard 200. They then broke into the mainstream with their sixth, Sing the Sorrow (2003), which peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 and remained on the chart for 51 weeks. The album was supported by popular singles "Girl's Not Grey" and "Silver and Cold", both of which peaked at number seven on America's Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart in 2003. "The Leaving Song Pt. II" was also released as a single, reaching number 16 on the chart. Sing the Sorrow was certified Platinum by the RIAA in 2006 and is AFI's best-selling release, having sold over 1.26 million copies .
AFI's seventh album, Decemberunderground (2006), debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and featured the hit single "Miss Murder", which topped the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart, reached number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 and appeared in the video game Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. The album was certified Platinum by the RIAA in 2013. Their next three albums, Crash Love (2009), Burials (2013) and AFI (2017), were also successful, peaking at increasing positions on the Billboard 200. An EP, The Missing Man, followed in December 2018. The band released their 11th album, Bodies, on June 11, 2021.
History
Early years (1991–1994)
While still in high school in Ukiah, California, Davey Havok (vocals), Mark Stopholese and Vic Chalker formed a band called AFI in November 1991. At the time, the band did not know how to play any instruments. Stopholese suggested that his friend, Adam Carson (who had a drum set), join the band. Stopholese learned guitar and Chalker learned bass, but Chalker was soon replaced by Geoff Kresge. By the end of October 1992, the band had played their first three shows, generally as an opener for a few other punk bands, including Influence 13, which featured future AFI lead guitarist Jade Puget and frequent collaborator Nick 13. AFI recorded their first EP, Dork (1993), with the now defunct band Loose Change, which also featured Puget.
The band briefly broke up in 1993, when the members left Ukiah to attend different colleges. They decided to commit to AFI full-time after an extremely positive experience and enthusiastic crowd response at a reunion show they played at The Phoenix Theater over Christmas break.
AFI relocated to Berkeley, California and lived in a squat that was a decommissioned fraternity house. Between 1993 and 1995, the band independently released vinyl EPs such as Behind the Times, Eddie Picnic's All Wet and Fly in the Ointment, as well as the compilation EPs This Is Berkeley, Not West Bay, AFI/Heckle, and Bombing the Bay (with Swingin' Utters).
First three albums (1995–1998)
AFI's first full-length album, Answer That and Stay Fashionable was released July 4, 1995, on Wingnut Records. It was produced by Rancid's Tim Armstrong and Brett Reed. The album featured fast and upbeat hardcore songs, with humorous lyrical themes, which are vocalized in songs such as "Nyquil", "Cereal Wars", and "I Wanna Get a Mohawk (But Mom Won't Let Me Get One)". Around this time, they coined the term 'East Bay hardcore' to describe their genre.
AFI signed on to Nitro Records, a record label started by The Offspring's Dexter Holland and Greg K. AFI would remain with the label until the release of the 336 EP (2002). In 1996, they released their second album, Very Proud of Ya. Two songs from their previous album, "Yurf Rendenmein" and "Two of A Kind", were re-recorded for this album. After several tours in support of the album, Kresge decided to leave the group. His spot was filled by current AFI bassist Hunter Burgan for the remaining album tour dates.
Burgan went on to help AFI record Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes (1997) and was invited to become their full-time bassist. Jade Puget, a former member of Influence 13 and Havok's close friend, also provided background vocals and additional guitar on the album, making it the first to feature all four current members of the band. It is also the first album to be copyrighted to the band's official moniker, A Fire Inside. Subsequently, the A Fire Inside EP (1998) was released, after which Stopholese left the band and was replaced by Puget.
Darker sound and wider reach (1999–2001)
The band's next album, Black Sails in the Sunset (1999), was a musical turning point which featured a darker sound, mixing the band's original hardcore roots with dark romantic influences and an emphasis on a more somber atmosphere and lyrics. The New York Times later referred to this as the point where Havok "developed into a singer and songwriter of substance". During this period, AFI's style was considered punk rock. The influence of death rock and goth rock was also apparent. Offspring frontman Dexter Holland was featured as a backing vocalist on two tracks.
The All Hallow's E.P. (1999) further explored the horror punk genre, featuring artwork and lyrics containing Halloween themes, including a cover of the Misfits song "Halloween". The song "The Boy Who Destroyed the World" was featured in the video game Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3, and the single "Totalimmortal" was later covered by The Offspring.
On September 19, 2000, AFI released The Art of Drowning, which debuted on the Billboard Charts at number 174, and peaked at number 9 on the Heatseekers chart. It continued to touch base with the horror punk genre, but expanded into styles that were a departure from previous works. The album featured slower, more melodic songs that were more reminiscent of alternative rock, such as "Ever and a Day" and "6 to 8". Hardcore influences were present, more overtly on some tracks. The album sold over 100,000 copies. "The Days of the Phoenix" was released as a single and video and had some moderate mainstream success, garnering the band more TV and radio airplay. The song reached the UK Singles Chart with its titular EP in 2001, peaking at number 152. The success of The Art of Drowning helped to encourage the band to pursue higher mainstream notoriety.
Mainstream labels and popularity (2002–2007)
In 2002, AFI left Nitro Records. DreamWorks Records artists and repertoire executive Luke Wood signed them to the label following intense interest. Their first album for the label, Sing the Sorrow, was released in 2003. The album opened in Billboards top ten and scored enthusiastic lead reviews in major music magazines. The songs "Girl's Not Grey", "The Leaving Song Pt. II", and "Silver and Cold" had some Billboard chart success and exposed the band to even larger audiences. They were nominated in the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards for the MTV2 award category for the "Girl's Not Grey" video, which came to be their first VMA.
In June 2006, AFI's seventh studio album, Decemberunderground, was released on Interscope Records. The album's first single, "Miss Murder", reached No. 1 on the Billboard Modern Rock Charts. The release reflects the continually changing and growing fan base of the band, and the album debuted as No. 1 on the Billboard charts. The album has been certified Gold by the RIAA for sales of over 500,000 copies of the album. The album's second single, "Love Like Winter", was successful on MTV's Total Request Live and was retired after 40 days on the countdown.
On December 12, 2006, AFI released their first DVD, I Heard a Voice – Live from Long Beach Arena, featuring a live performance shot in Long Beach, California. The performance was later released on December 13, 2007, as a live album, and charted at number 133 on the Billboard 200, and number 16 on the Hard Rock Albums chart. The album was well-received, with punknews.org giving it a four-star rating and commenting that when hearing or seeing the performance "you begin to realize AFI are truly a great live band," and that at some points "Pantera would say turn the noise down."
On July 7, 2007, AFI performed on the American leg of Live Earth. They performed "The Missing Frame", "Love Like Winter", "Miss Murder", and a cover of David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust".
Maturity and resurgence (2008–2017)
In July 2009, Havok released a statement saying that after two years of writing and recording, an upcoming album titled Crash Love would be released on September 29, 2009. It was recorded with producer David Bottrill (who was later dismissed in favor of Joe McGrath and Jacknife Lee). The first single from the album, "Medicate", was released on August 25, 2009, and reached number 7 on the Billboard Alternative Songs Chart. Another single, "Beautiful Thieves", followed later in the year. Havok called Crash Love "the album by which we'll be remembered". It was the band's first release to make a significantly smaller impact than their previous effort, but peaked at number 12 on the Billboard 200.
From April to June 2013, several teaser videos were released on AFI's website.
The band was announced to play Riot Fest 2013, as well as being signed to Republic Records. A single titled "I Hope You Suffer" was released on July 23, and the title of the album, Burials, was announced. Another single, "17 Crimes", was released on August 6. The third single from the album, titled "The Conductor", was released on September 9. The album was released on October 22, produced by Gil Norton. It peaked at number 9 on the Billboard 200.
In a June 2016 interview with Aggressive Tendencies, Puget confirmed that AFI had begun working on new material for their tenth studio album. On October 27, the band released two new songs via Spotify, "Snow Cats" and "White Offerings".
The band's tenth album, AFI (also known as The Blood Album), was released on January 20, 2017. Puget served as the main producer. The album peaked at number 5 on the Billboard 200. Other singles were released, including "Aurelia" and "Hidden Knives".
Recent releases (2018–present)
On October 26, 2018, the band surprise-released a new single called "Get Dark" on Spotify and iTunes. This was followed by The Missing Man EP on December 7, featuring five new songs.
On March 25, 2020, AFI was announced as a headliner for the Two Thousand Trees Festival on July 10 of the same year. Puget was interviewed by Kerrang! to promote the festival appearance and said that "hopefully at least a couple of songs" from the band's eleventh album would be released by then. On April 27, 2020, Puget said that the album was finished, but that its release date was being pushed back as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The next day, it was announced that the Two Thousand Trees Festival was being pushed back to 2021, also due to the pandemic.
On January 15, 2021, the band released the tracks "Twisted Tongues" and "Escape from Los Angeles". On February 25, it was revealed that the album would be called Bodies, and be released on June 11. Along with the announcement, the band revealed two new songs as another joint single, "Looking Tragic / Begging for Trouble". On April 9, "Dulceria / Far Too Near" were released, followed by "Tied to a Tree" on May 25.
Musical style
AFI's music has been classified under many genres of music, including punk rock, horror punk, garage punk, pop punk, hardcore punk, skate punk, emo, screamo, alternative rock, and gothic rock. AFI has often been called "goth-punk" due to the band's appearance, but AFI never considered the label accurate. AFI guitarist Jade Puget has said, "Goth-punk isn't a style of music, it doesn't even exist."
AFI's sound has constantly changed. AFI originally were a hardcore punk band. AFI's first three albums, Answer That and Stay Fashionable (1995), Very Proud of Ya (1996), and Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes (1997), all have been described as hardcore punk. AFI's fourth album Black Sails in the Sunset and the band's fifth album The Art of Drowning both have been described as horror punk. AFI's 2003 album Sing the Sorrow is considered post-hardcore and emo. Decemberunderground, which features elements of music genres like electronic, new wave, industrial, punk rock, hardcore punk, and synthpop, is considered alternative rock, post-hardcore and emo. AFI's 2009 album Crash Love is considered alternative rock and pop rock. AFI's 2013 album Burials is considered alternative rock and gothic rock. AFI's 2017 self-titled album, also referred to as The Blood Album, has been described as new wave, post-punk and gothic rock.
Puget, who has produced much of the band's music, stated in 2021:
Anyone who knows our catalog knows that no two records really sit together. Some sit a little closer, maybe. We do certain things, just by virtue of who we are, that are consistent, but those things come about organically. Every time we do something, I have to judge it on its own merits. Some fans are going to judge a new album, or a new song, based on what's come before. But as artists, we can't do that, because it would only hinder our creativity.
Influences
In an interview, Davey Havok described the band's influences: "We have many, many influences that span the musical spectrum. Each of us grew up on everything from punk to hardcore to dark '80s UK stuff like The Cure, Bauhaus, Joy Division, and The Sisters of Mercy. And there were rock bands like The Misfits, Samhain, and Danzig and industrial bands like Skinny Puppy, Ministry, Front 242 and Alien Sex Fiend. And we all love The Smiths." AFI have also been influenced by British electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), whom Havok said "have and will continue to musically and emotionally inspire" him. Other bands that have influenced AFI include Minor Threat, 7 Seconds, Descendents, Suicide, the Germs, Black Flag, Slayer, Metallica, T.S.O.L., D.R.I., State of Alert, and the Angry Samoans.
Legacy
The Sydney Morning Herald has written that AFI have been "hailed as being responsible for bringing back the big '80s rock chorus." The band has received much praise in particular from Alternative Press, which has supported the group since the mid-1990s. The publication rated the band's major label debut, Sing the Sorrow as the most anticipated album of 2003, and noted that it "blew the doors off goth-punk as we knew it". AFI has also been granted responsibility for paving the way for the rise of the visual element of rock bands in the 2000s; in a December 2006 article, Revolver Magazine wrote that "AFI have increased the importance of a band's visual identity and the flair for the theatrical," adding that "when a group like Panic! at the Disco borrows imagery from a movie such as Moulin Rouge!, you have to consider the precedent AFI set when they borrowed cues from Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas." Shoutmouth.com placed AFI at number 22 on its list of the 25 most influential punk bands, noting that the band "have evolved with each album, showing that a punk band can not only change, but stay true to their sound at the same time. AFI have been on a constant rise through their career, and as such, out the honors". After Sing The Sorrow release, Yorkshire Evening Post described Havok's voice as one of those "you'll love or hate, but one thing can't be denied, this guy has range beyond belief". Recognized by his trademark flair and vocal style, Havok has been recognized as "a bona fide rock god" by Alternative Press.
In 2003, The Pitch described the band's fan club as a "particularly excitable bunch", adding that "there's also the type of sentiments that put the cult back into cult success, such as links to something called 'the Church of Havok'."
Members
Current
Davey Havok – lead vocals
Adam Carson – drums, backing vocals
Hunter Burgan – bass, backing vocals, keyboards, programming
Jade Puget – guitars, backing vocals, keyboards, piano, programming, synthesizers
Former
Vic Chalker – bass, backing vocals
Geoff Kresge – bass, backing vocals
Mark Stopholese – guitars
Timeline
Discography
Studio albums
Answer That and Stay Fashionable (1995)
Very Proud of Ya (1996)
Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes (1997)
Black Sails in the Sunset (1999)
The Art of Drowning (2000)
Sing the Sorrow (2003)
Decemberunderground (2006)
Crash Love (2009)
Burials (2013)
AFI (2017)
Bodies (2021)
References
Footnotes
Citations
External links
Alternative rock groups from California
Punk rock groups from California
Hardcore punk groups from California
Musical groups established in 1991
Musical quartets
Horror punk groups
Interscope Records artists
DreamWorks Records artists
Emo musical groups from California
American gothic rock groups
American post-hardcore musical groups
Nitro Records artists
Adeline Records artists
Rise Records artists
Articles which contain graphical timelines
1991 establishments in California
| false |
[
"\"i am lonely will anyone speak to me\" was the title of a thread that was posted on the Internet forum of the video codec downloads site Moviecodec.com, and had become \"the web's top hangout for lonely folk\". The thread began July 14, 2004; it was the first hit when the phrase \"I am lonely\" was entered into the Google search engine though it has since dropped.\n\nIt was featured in the magazines Wired, Guardian Unlimited, and The New Yorker. Bjarne Lundgren, the webmaster of Moviecodec.com, has stated \"Like-minded people tend to flock together and, in this case, Google helped in flocking them together on my site\".\n\nMark Griffiths, a researcher in internet psychology at Nottingham Trent University in the UK, also addressed this question, stating: \"There are a lot of lonely people out there. Some people rely heavily on technology and end up treating it as an electronic friend, a sounding board—just writing it down can make you feel better... That doesn't change their psychological world at that moment, but creating a kinship with like-minded people can help. You're all in this virtual space together.\"\n\nDue to its large community, Bjarne created a new forum entitled \"A Lonely Life\", for the thread's numerous lonely inhabitants to move to. The original thread was later moved to Moviecodec.com's branch site, The Lounge Forums, but as of December 24, 2016, the website the thread is hosted on was shut down and can no longer be accessed.\n\nSee also\n Loneliness\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\n . Original thread on Moviecodec forums.\n\nInternet memes\n2004 works\nInternet forums",
"The Löwenherz thread is a largely obsolete metric thread form designed in the late nineteenth century and frequently applied in precision instruments. It is named after Dr. Leopold Löwenherz, who was the director of the metrology institute Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt in Berlin.\n\nHistory \n\nIn 1888, the Verein Deutscher Ingenieure introduced a thread form that specified threads for diameters from sizes 6 millimeters in diameter to 40 millimeters in diameter. In 1892, at the Congress for Introduction of Standardized Threads for Fixing Screws in Fine Mechanics in Munich, it was decided that the thread form would be truncated. The final form was announced in Berlin in 1894, where the series of thread forms was expanded to include sizes as small as 1 millimeter in diameter.\n\nDescription \n\nThe Löwenherz thread form is unique in having a thread pitch angle of 53°8′ (53.1333°), which is a smaller angle than the ISO metric thread form but a larger angle than the Thury thread form. The unusual angle was chosen so that the pitch would be approximately equal to the thread's triangular height; however, the design was later truncated (flattened) at the roots and crests of the thread by a factor of one-eight the pitch, so the pitch is about 25% larger than the height, and the thread's depth is about 75% the length of its pitch. The Löwenherz fastener is specified for 31 diameters at irregular intervals ranging 1–40mm, each with a single corresponding pitch. (This further differentiates the Löwenherz thread from the ISO metric thread, where screws must be specified by both their diameter and pitch because multiple pitches exist for a single diameter.) Löwenherz fasteners are assembled using standard metric wrenches or sockets, and often the hex size for bolt heads and nuts is repeated (so 17mm wrenches can be used on both 9mm and 10mm Löwenherz hardware).\n\nApplications and competing thread forms \n\nThe Löwenherz thread was used extensively in measuring instruments (like micrometers, which achieve greater precision with finer thread pitches) and in shell manufacturing. It was also popular choice for use in optical instruments, especially in Germany. In addition to seeing its use in instruments designed in Germany, Austria and France, the Löwenhetz thread was once adopted by the Bureau of Standards in the United States as a solution to the lack of uniformity in the type of screws used in American-made instruments.\n\nAs a precision or scientific thread, the Löwenherz form was rivaled by two contemporary forms: Swiss-designed Thury thread and its derivative the British Association thread. In modern applications, the Löwenherz thread has been replaced with the DIN 13 standard for metric screws. ISO fasteners are available in many of the same pitches and diameters as Löwenherz fasteners; however, ISO and Löwenherz fasteners are not directly interchangeable because the difference in the thread geometry prevents proper mating of fastening components (so an M6x1.0 screw could not be safely installed in a hole tapped for a 6mm Löwenherz screw, even though they share the same pitch and nominal diameter).\n\nReferences \n\nThread standards\nStandards of Germany"
] |
[
"AFI (band)",
"Crash Love (2008-2012)",
"Was Crash Love an album?",
"songs that were to be on the EP would instead be distributed on various versions of Crash Love.",
"what songs were released?",
"The first single from the album, \"Medicate\",",
"Are there any other interesting aspects about this article?",
"the band had split up. This was shortly confirmed by the management to be a hoax, and the thread in question was deleted.",
"What thread was in question",
"the band's official forum, DespairFaction.com,"
] |
C_0bfe0dfe02b04ae196ba2bec3fc86408_0
|
When was it posted that they split up?
| 5 |
When did AFI (band) split up?
|
AFI (band)
|
A new EP was set for a December release, however, Havok announced through the Despair Faction forums that it would not be available until early 2008. The EP was to contain previously unreleased songs from the Decemberunderground and Sing the Sorrow sessions. It was later announced that the EP would be released after Crash Love, but then Havok said that due to political issues, it would not be released. The songs that were to be on the EP would instead be distributed on various versions of Crash Love. In July 2009, Havok released a statement saying that after two years of writing and recording, the upcoming album would be released on September 29, 2009. It was recorded with producer David Bottrill (who was later dismissed in favor of Joe McGrath and Jacknife Lee). AFI previewed Crash Love on their MySpace page for two days starting September 22, 2009, seven days ahead of the official album release. In regard to the process of writing the album, Puget said "I've got my guitar and [Davey's] got his tape recorder ... anything can happen. We don't know what kind of song we're going to write; it could be the best song you've ever written or nothing, just the amount of possibilities is exciting to me." The first single from the album, "Medicate", was released on August 25, 2009, and reached number 7 on the Billboard Alternative Songs Chart. A music video directed by Paul Minor premiered October 2. In January 2010, AFI released a teaser for the video of their new single "Beautiful Thieves". The full video officially premiered on February 4, 2010, on MTV television networks and websites. On September 8, 2011, a post was made to the band's official forum, DespairFaction.com, from frontman Davey Havok's forum account, which said that the band had split up. This was shortly confirmed by the management to be a hoax, and the thread in question was deleted. CANNOTANSWER
|
On September 8, 2011, a post was made to the band's official forum,
|
AFI (abbreviation for A Fire Inside) is an American rock band from Ukiah, California, formed in 1991. Since 1998, it consists of lead vocalist Davey Havok, drummer and backing vocalist Adam Carson, bassist, backing vocalist and keyboardist Hunter Burgan, and guitarist, backing vocalist and keyboardist Jade Puget. Havok and Carson are the sole remaining original members. Originally a hardcore punk band, they have since delved into many genres, starting with horror punk and following through post-hardcore and emo into alternative rock and gothic rock.
AFI has released eleven studio albums, ten EPs, one live album and one DVD. The band first reached substantial commercial success with their fifth album, The Art of Drowning (2000), which peaked at number 174 on the Billboard 200. They then broke into the mainstream with their sixth, Sing the Sorrow (2003), which peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 and remained on the chart for 51 weeks. The album was supported by popular singles "Girl's Not Grey" and "Silver and Cold", both of which peaked at number seven on America's Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart in 2003. "The Leaving Song Pt. II" was also released as a single, reaching number 16 on the chart. Sing the Sorrow was certified Platinum by the RIAA in 2006 and is AFI's best-selling release, having sold over 1.26 million copies .
AFI's seventh album, Decemberunderground (2006), debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and featured the hit single "Miss Murder", which topped the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart, reached number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 and appeared in the video game Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. The album was certified Platinum by the RIAA in 2013. Their next three albums, Crash Love (2009), Burials (2013) and AFI (2017), were also successful, peaking at increasing positions on the Billboard 200. An EP, The Missing Man, followed in December 2018. The band released their 11th album, Bodies, on June 11, 2021.
History
Early years (1991–1994)
While still in high school in Ukiah, California, Davey Havok (vocals), Mark Stopholese and Vic Chalker formed a band called AFI in November 1991. At the time, the band did not know how to play any instruments. Stopholese suggested that his friend, Adam Carson (who had a drum set), join the band. Stopholese learned guitar and Chalker learned bass, but Chalker was soon replaced by Geoff Kresge. By the end of October 1992, the band had played their first three shows, generally as an opener for a few other punk bands, including Influence 13, which featured future AFI lead guitarist Jade Puget and frequent collaborator Nick 13. AFI recorded their first EP, Dork (1993), with the now defunct band Loose Change, which also featured Puget.
The band briefly broke up in 1993, when the members left Ukiah to attend different colleges. They decided to commit to AFI full-time after an extremely positive experience and enthusiastic crowd response at a reunion show they played at The Phoenix Theater over Christmas break.
AFI relocated to Berkeley, California and lived in a squat that was a decommissioned fraternity house. Between 1993 and 1995, the band independently released vinyl EPs such as Behind the Times, Eddie Picnic's All Wet and Fly in the Ointment, as well as the compilation EPs This Is Berkeley, Not West Bay, AFI/Heckle, and Bombing the Bay (with Swingin' Utters).
First three albums (1995–1998)
AFI's first full-length album, Answer That and Stay Fashionable was released July 4, 1995, on Wingnut Records. It was produced by Rancid's Tim Armstrong and Brett Reed. The album featured fast and upbeat hardcore songs, with humorous lyrical themes, which are vocalized in songs such as "Nyquil", "Cereal Wars", and "I Wanna Get a Mohawk (But Mom Won't Let Me Get One)". Around this time, they coined the term 'East Bay hardcore' to describe their genre.
AFI signed on to Nitro Records, a record label started by The Offspring's Dexter Holland and Greg K. AFI would remain with the label until the release of the 336 EP (2002). In 1996, they released their second album, Very Proud of Ya. Two songs from their previous album, "Yurf Rendenmein" and "Two of A Kind", were re-recorded for this album. After several tours in support of the album, Kresge decided to leave the group. His spot was filled by current AFI bassist Hunter Burgan for the remaining album tour dates.
Burgan went on to help AFI record Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes (1997) and was invited to become their full-time bassist. Jade Puget, a former member of Influence 13 and Havok's close friend, also provided background vocals and additional guitar on the album, making it the first to feature all four current members of the band. It is also the first album to be copyrighted to the band's official moniker, A Fire Inside. Subsequently, the A Fire Inside EP (1998) was released, after which Stopholese left the band and was replaced by Puget.
Darker sound and wider reach (1999–2001)
The band's next album, Black Sails in the Sunset (1999), was a musical turning point which featured a darker sound, mixing the band's original hardcore roots with dark romantic influences and an emphasis on a more somber atmosphere and lyrics. The New York Times later referred to this as the point where Havok "developed into a singer and songwriter of substance". During this period, AFI's style was considered punk rock. The influence of death rock and goth rock was also apparent. Offspring frontman Dexter Holland was featured as a backing vocalist on two tracks.
The All Hallow's E.P. (1999) further explored the horror punk genre, featuring artwork and lyrics containing Halloween themes, including a cover of the Misfits song "Halloween". The song "The Boy Who Destroyed the World" was featured in the video game Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3, and the single "Totalimmortal" was later covered by The Offspring.
On September 19, 2000, AFI released The Art of Drowning, which debuted on the Billboard Charts at number 174, and peaked at number 9 on the Heatseekers chart. It continued to touch base with the horror punk genre, but expanded into styles that were a departure from previous works. The album featured slower, more melodic songs that were more reminiscent of alternative rock, such as "Ever and a Day" and "6 to 8". Hardcore influences were present, more overtly on some tracks. The album sold over 100,000 copies. "The Days of the Phoenix" was released as a single and video and had some moderate mainstream success, garnering the band more TV and radio airplay. The song reached the UK Singles Chart with its titular EP in 2001, peaking at number 152. The success of The Art of Drowning helped to encourage the band to pursue higher mainstream notoriety.
Mainstream labels and popularity (2002–2007)
In 2002, AFI left Nitro Records. DreamWorks Records artists and repertoire executive Luke Wood signed them to the label following intense interest. Their first album for the label, Sing the Sorrow, was released in 2003. The album opened in Billboards top ten and scored enthusiastic lead reviews in major music magazines. The songs "Girl's Not Grey", "The Leaving Song Pt. II", and "Silver and Cold" had some Billboard chart success and exposed the band to even larger audiences. They were nominated in the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards for the MTV2 award category for the "Girl's Not Grey" video, which came to be their first VMA.
In June 2006, AFI's seventh studio album, Decemberunderground, was released on Interscope Records. The album's first single, "Miss Murder", reached No. 1 on the Billboard Modern Rock Charts. The release reflects the continually changing and growing fan base of the band, and the album debuted as No. 1 on the Billboard charts. The album has been certified Gold by the RIAA for sales of over 500,000 copies of the album. The album's second single, "Love Like Winter", was successful on MTV's Total Request Live and was retired after 40 days on the countdown.
On December 12, 2006, AFI released their first DVD, I Heard a Voice – Live from Long Beach Arena, featuring a live performance shot in Long Beach, California. The performance was later released on December 13, 2007, as a live album, and charted at number 133 on the Billboard 200, and number 16 on the Hard Rock Albums chart. The album was well-received, with punknews.org giving it a four-star rating and commenting that when hearing or seeing the performance "you begin to realize AFI are truly a great live band," and that at some points "Pantera would say turn the noise down."
On July 7, 2007, AFI performed on the American leg of Live Earth. They performed "The Missing Frame", "Love Like Winter", "Miss Murder", and a cover of David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust".
Maturity and resurgence (2008–2017)
In July 2009, Havok released a statement saying that after two years of writing and recording, an upcoming album titled Crash Love would be released on September 29, 2009. It was recorded with producer David Bottrill (who was later dismissed in favor of Joe McGrath and Jacknife Lee). The first single from the album, "Medicate", was released on August 25, 2009, and reached number 7 on the Billboard Alternative Songs Chart. Another single, "Beautiful Thieves", followed later in the year. Havok called Crash Love "the album by which we'll be remembered". It was the band's first release to make a significantly smaller impact than their previous effort, but peaked at number 12 on the Billboard 200.
From April to June 2013, several teaser videos were released on AFI's website.
The band was announced to play Riot Fest 2013, as well as being signed to Republic Records. A single titled "I Hope You Suffer" was released on July 23, and the title of the album, Burials, was announced. Another single, "17 Crimes", was released on August 6. The third single from the album, titled "The Conductor", was released on September 9. The album was released on October 22, produced by Gil Norton. It peaked at number 9 on the Billboard 200.
In a June 2016 interview with Aggressive Tendencies, Puget confirmed that AFI had begun working on new material for their tenth studio album. On October 27, the band released two new songs via Spotify, "Snow Cats" and "White Offerings".
The band's tenth album, AFI (also known as The Blood Album), was released on January 20, 2017. Puget served as the main producer. The album peaked at number 5 on the Billboard 200. Other singles were released, including "Aurelia" and "Hidden Knives".
Recent releases (2018–present)
On October 26, 2018, the band surprise-released a new single called "Get Dark" on Spotify and iTunes. This was followed by The Missing Man EP on December 7, featuring five new songs.
On March 25, 2020, AFI was announced as a headliner for the Two Thousand Trees Festival on July 10 of the same year. Puget was interviewed by Kerrang! to promote the festival appearance and said that "hopefully at least a couple of songs" from the band's eleventh album would be released by then. On April 27, 2020, Puget said that the album was finished, but that its release date was being pushed back as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The next day, it was announced that the Two Thousand Trees Festival was being pushed back to 2021, also due to the pandemic.
On January 15, 2021, the band released the tracks "Twisted Tongues" and "Escape from Los Angeles". On February 25, it was revealed that the album would be called Bodies, and be released on June 11. Along with the announcement, the band revealed two new songs as another joint single, "Looking Tragic / Begging for Trouble". On April 9, "Dulceria / Far Too Near" were released, followed by "Tied to a Tree" on May 25.
Musical style
AFI's music has been classified under many genres of music, including punk rock, horror punk, garage punk, pop punk, hardcore punk, skate punk, emo, screamo, alternative rock, and gothic rock. AFI has often been called "goth-punk" due to the band's appearance, but AFI never considered the label accurate. AFI guitarist Jade Puget has said, "Goth-punk isn't a style of music, it doesn't even exist."
AFI's sound has constantly changed. AFI originally were a hardcore punk band. AFI's first three albums, Answer That and Stay Fashionable (1995), Very Proud of Ya (1996), and Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes (1997), all have been described as hardcore punk. AFI's fourth album Black Sails in the Sunset and the band's fifth album The Art of Drowning both have been described as horror punk. AFI's 2003 album Sing the Sorrow is considered post-hardcore and emo. Decemberunderground, which features elements of music genres like electronic, new wave, industrial, punk rock, hardcore punk, and synthpop, is considered alternative rock, post-hardcore and emo. AFI's 2009 album Crash Love is considered alternative rock and pop rock. AFI's 2013 album Burials is considered alternative rock and gothic rock. AFI's 2017 self-titled album, also referred to as The Blood Album, has been described as new wave, post-punk and gothic rock.
Puget, who has produced much of the band's music, stated in 2021:
Anyone who knows our catalog knows that no two records really sit together. Some sit a little closer, maybe. We do certain things, just by virtue of who we are, that are consistent, but those things come about organically. Every time we do something, I have to judge it on its own merits. Some fans are going to judge a new album, or a new song, based on what's come before. But as artists, we can't do that, because it would only hinder our creativity.
Influences
In an interview, Davey Havok described the band's influences: "We have many, many influences that span the musical spectrum. Each of us grew up on everything from punk to hardcore to dark '80s UK stuff like The Cure, Bauhaus, Joy Division, and The Sisters of Mercy. And there were rock bands like The Misfits, Samhain, and Danzig and industrial bands like Skinny Puppy, Ministry, Front 242 and Alien Sex Fiend. And we all love The Smiths." AFI have also been influenced by British electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), whom Havok said "have and will continue to musically and emotionally inspire" him. Other bands that have influenced AFI include Minor Threat, 7 Seconds, Descendents, Suicide, the Germs, Black Flag, Slayer, Metallica, T.S.O.L., D.R.I., State of Alert, and the Angry Samoans.
Legacy
The Sydney Morning Herald has written that AFI have been "hailed as being responsible for bringing back the big '80s rock chorus." The band has received much praise in particular from Alternative Press, which has supported the group since the mid-1990s. The publication rated the band's major label debut, Sing the Sorrow as the most anticipated album of 2003, and noted that it "blew the doors off goth-punk as we knew it". AFI has also been granted responsibility for paving the way for the rise of the visual element of rock bands in the 2000s; in a December 2006 article, Revolver Magazine wrote that "AFI have increased the importance of a band's visual identity and the flair for the theatrical," adding that "when a group like Panic! at the Disco borrows imagery from a movie such as Moulin Rouge!, you have to consider the precedent AFI set when they borrowed cues from Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas." Shoutmouth.com placed AFI at number 22 on its list of the 25 most influential punk bands, noting that the band "have evolved with each album, showing that a punk band can not only change, but stay true to their sound at the same time. AFI have been on a constant rise through their career, and as such, out the honors". After Sing The Sorrow release, Yorkshire Evening Post described Havok's voice as one of those "you'll love or hate, but one thing can't be denied, this guy has range beyond belief". Recognized by his trademark flair and vocal style, Havok has been recognized as "a bona fide rock god" by Alternative Press.
In 2003, The Pitch described the band's fan club as a "particularly excitable bunch", adding that "there's also the type of sentiments that put the cult back into cult success, such as links to something called 'the Church of Havok'."
Members
Current
Davey Havok – lead vocals
Adam Carson – drums, backing vocals
Hunter Burgan – bass, backing vocals, keyboards, programming
Jade Puget – guitars, backing vocals, keyboards, piano, programming, synthesizers
Former
Vic Chalker – bass, backing vocals
Geoff Kresge – bass, backing vocals
Mark Stopholese – guitars
Timeline
Discography
Studio albums
Answer That and Stay Fashionable (1995)
Very Proud of Ya (1996)
Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes (1997)
Black Sails in the Sunset (1999)
The Art of Drowning (2000)
Sing the Sorrow (2003)
Decemberunderground (2006)
Crash Love (2009)
Burials (2013)
AFI (2017)
Bodies (2021)
References
Footnotes
Citations
External links
Alternative rock groups from California
Punk rock groups from California
Hardcore punk groups from California
Musical groups established in 1991
Musical quartets
Horror punk groups
Interscope Records artists
DreamWorks Records artists
Emo musical groups from California
American gothic rock groups
American post-hardcore musical groups
Nitro Records artists
Adeline Records artists
Rise Records artists
Articles which contain graphical timelines
1991 establishments in California
| false |
[
"Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate) was an American emo band from Michigan. It was formed in 2006 originally as a solo project of band member Keith Latinen. The band's music is most often described as emotional indie rock reminiscent of '90s emo bands such as Mineral and American Football. The band's first release was in 2007 with an EP titled When The Sea Became A Giant. The band released a full-length album, What It Takes To Move Forward, in 2009. The band is signed to Count Your Lucky Stars Records and has released albums on a number of other labels, such as strictly no capital letters (UK), Topshelf Records, Stiff Slack (Japan), and Hobbledehoy Record Co (Australia). The band released their second album You Will Eventually Be Forgotten on August 19, 2014. On February 16, 2016, the band announced their final tour before their breakup on their official Facebook page.\n\nHistory\n\n2006–2008: Early Years \n\nEmpire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate) was started as a solo project by Keith so that he \"could get good enough to record\" for his and Cathy's current project called Anna Flyaway. After they stopped making music under Anna Flyaway, they continued on with the new project.\n\nIn January 2007, Empire! Empire! self-released their first LP titled When The Sea Became A Giant on CD. Later, they would re-issue it on their label Count Your Lucky Stars Records.\n\n2009–2013: What It Takes To Move Forward \nIn September 2009, the band released their first studio album titled What It Takes To Move Forward on Count Your Lucky Stars Records. A few months later, a Japanese version would be released on Stiff Slack records which included alternate cover art and 2 bonus tracks.\n\nFollowing their album release, the band went on a short US tour in 2010 with various supporting bands. Vulture.com listed \"Keep What You Have Built Up Here\" as number 87 of the 100 greatest emo songs.\n\nBeginning in March 2012, the band went on a West Coast tour of the US with Warren Franklin, followed by a month-long tour of the United Kingdom in November with fellow Michigan band The Reptilian. The tour included stops in Ireland and Scotland.\n\nIn April 2013, Empire! Empire! returned to Europe for a tour supporting The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die.\n\n2014–2016: You Will Eventually Be Forgotten \n\n5 years after the last full-length album was released, the band announced in June 2014 their next album You Will Eventually Be Forgotten would be released in August with an accompanying graphic novel, Ribbon. The first single from You Will Eventually Be Forgotten, entitled If It's Bad News, It Can Wait, premiered on Stereogum on July 7th.\n\nIn the summer of 2014, the band joined The Early November and Warren Franklin & the Founding Fathers on an all-acoustic US tour. According to Keith, this was their first such tour. The first song from the new album was released on July 22 entitled A Keepsake and premiered on NPR.\n\nOn August 13, 2014, Interview Magazine exclusively premiered the new album on their site, allowing users to stream the full album 6 days before the physical release. That fall, the band toured with Free Throw in support of the new album. The first chapter of the accompanying graphic novel Ribbon was posted on Wondering Sound and featured illustrations by Ben Sears with story by Keith. On the heels of this new album, the band released a split 7-inch record with Joie de Vivre in November, with a single premiering on stereogum a month prior to release.\n\nThen, in late January 2015, a drunk man driving a pickup truck crashed into Keith and Cathy's house in rural Michigan. The driver slammed into Empire!'s parked van and lodged the truck in the front of their house. To help recoup the cost of a new used van, a GoFundMe page was created for donations. Despite this setback, the band followed through with their planned tour alongside Warren Franklin and The Founding Fathers which started just 4 days after the crash.\n\nIn May, Empire! Empire! toured the US with Dikembe, then went out with The Saddest Landscape in November on their record release tour. Later that year, the band posted 2 bonus tracks from You Will Eventually Be Forgotten that were included with the Japanese release on Stiff Slack records. The tracks were posted to the band's Bandcamp page. Then, in July 2016, they performed and recorded a 3-song set for Little Elephant which was available as a 12-inch record.\n\nAfter making music for 10 years, the band announced on February 16, 2016, that they would be breaking up after going on one last tour with Warren Franklin & the Founding Fathers in April of the same year. The band played their final show On May 7, 2016, in Flint, MI at Flint Local 432. They had support from The Cardboard Swords, The Island of Misfit Toys, Mountains for Clouds, The Reptilian, Joie De Vivre, and Warren Franklin & the Founding Fathers.\n\nOn April 5, Empire! Empire! released a music video for A Keepsake off of their final album: a song which features vocals by Bob Nanna of Braid. It was released exclusively on music site Brooklyn Vegan and was the band's first-ever video.\n\nName \nLatinen thought of the band's long name when it was still his solo project. He wanted a name that sounded \"elaborate and artistic\" but admits that if he would have known that the project would form into a full band he would have chosen something easier to remember.\n\nKeith explains the name:\n\nMembers\n\nFinal lineup \n Keith Latinen – vocals, guitar, bass, drums, trumpet, cello\n Cathy Latinen – guitar, vocals\n Jon Steinhoff – drums, vocals\n Joseph \"Gooey\" Dane – bass\n\nPast members \n Drums – Jon Steinhoff, Ryan Stailey, Jon Murrell, Matt Brim\n Bass – DJ Degennaro, Ahmad Naboulsi, Rich Ayers, Danny Miller, Derek McNelly\n\nJon Murrell, Rich, Ahmad, or Danny have never written/recorded anything with the band.\n\nDiscography\n\nStudio albums \n What It Takes to Move Forward (2009)\n You Will Eventually Be Forgotten (2014)\n\nEPs \n When the Sea Became a Giant EP (2007)\n Summer Tour EP '09 (2009)\n Home After Three Months Away 7-inch (2011)\n On Time Spent Waiting, or Placing the Weight of the World on the Shoulders of Those You Love the Most 7-inch (2011)\n In Which the Choices We Didn't Make Were Better Than the Ones That We Did (2013)\n\n7-inches \n Year of the Rabbit 7-inch (2008)\n SXSW Promo 7-inch (2011)\n Bramble Jam II Promo 7-inch (2012)\n\n Splits \n Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate) / Football, etc. Split (2009)\n Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate) / Into It. Over It. Split (2010)\n Annabel/Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate) / Joie De Vivre/The Reptilian 4-Way Split 7-inch (2011)\n Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate)/ Mountains For Clouds/ Two Knights/ Driving On City Sidewalks 4-Way Split 7-inch (2012)\n Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate)/ Arrows Split 7-inch (2012) Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate)/ Rika Split 7-inch (2012)\n Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate)/ Malegoat Split (2013)\n Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate)/ Your Neighbour, the Liar/ The Smithsonian Split 7-inch (2013)\n Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate)/Joie De Vivre Split 7-inch (2013)\n Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate)/ Dikembe/ The Hotel Year/ Modern Baseball/ Old Gray/ Pentimento (2013)\n\n Compilations \n Early Discography CS (2010)\n Middle Discography'' (2011)\n\nReviews\nCollective Zine: What it Takes to Move Forward\nSputnik Music: What it Takes to Move Forward\nPositivexposure: What it Takes to Move Forward\nAltsounds: Year of the Rabbit\nDecoy Music: Year of the Rabbit\nMusic Emissions: When The Sea Became A Giant\nAbsolute Punk: When The Sea Became A Giant\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links \n \n\nAmerican emo musical groups\nEmo revival groups\nMusical groups established in 2006\nMusical groups disestablished in 2016\nTopshelf Records artists\nCount Your Lucky Stars Records artists",
"Over It is a rock band based in Orange County, California. Originally from Alexandria, Virginia, the band formed in 1998 to play pop punk. Most recently signed to Virgin Records, Over It is currently unsigned and inactive.\n\nHistory\nThe band, originally a four-piece, started out on Negative Progression Records, who released their debut album The Ready Series on April 25, 2000. They promoted it with a US tour between June and August 2000. In December 2000 and January 2001, the band toured the south-eastern and midwestern US states with the Stryder. The band signed to Lobster Records in December 2001. In early 2002, Over It toured across the US with And So It Begins. Over It released a split with My Captain in June 2002, following which both bands toured in July and August. In June, the band played two weeks of shows with Near Miss. Preceded by the free download of \"Nothing Serious\" on July 18, 2002, the band released Timing Is Everything on September 3, 2002.\n\nIn October and November 2002, Over It toured across the US east coast; in January and February 2003, they toured across California. In June, the band released an acoustic split with Junction 18. The following month, the band appeared on the Radioactive Stage of Warped Tour. Between September and November 2003, the band supported Rufio and Motion City Soundtrack on a co-headlining cross country tour. On November 18, Timing Is Everything was reissued as an enhanced CD. In April 2004, the band went on tour with the Matches, which was followed by a stint with A Wilhelm Scream in May. In July and August, the band appeared on Warped Tour. They toured the West Coast with Tokyo Rose, My New Life and Park, and then toured with the Gamits and National Product the following month.\n\nThe music video for \"Siren on the 101\" was posted online on January 24, 2005. Over It went on an West Coast tour in February 2005 with Killradio and Acceptance. They released Silverstrand on March 8, 2005; in the two months leading up to its release, a new song from it was posted online on a weekly basis. Silverstrand chronicles the band's move to southern California, and is their most focused work to date. The band added Ryan Ogren as an extra guitar player. Over It toured the US in March and April 2005 with Tsunami Bomb and the F-Ups. Following this, they appeared at The Bamboozle festival in April 2005, tour with Gatsbys American Dream and Rufio, and released a split single with Punchline on April 26, 2005. In June 2005, they supported Halifax on their headlining tour, and played a few shows with Motion City Soundtrack, prior to an appearance on that year's Warped Tour.\n\nIn October and November 2005, Over It supported Relient K on their headlining US tour. On December 12, 2005, the band announced they had signed to major label Virgin Records. They went on a brief tour of Japan with Rufio and This Day and Age. In March 2006, the band began recording their upcoming album for Virgin Records with producer Mike Green. In April and May 2006, the band performed on the Virgin College Mega Tour alongside Yellowcard, leading up to an appearance at The Bamboozle festival. On June 13, 2006, \"Too Much Information\" was posted on the band's Myspace profile, followed by \"Gunslinger\" a month later. On July 20, 2006, Step Outside Yourself was announced for release in the following month.\n\nNegative Progression combined the band's early EPs into the compilation Outer Banks, and reissued The Ready Series under the name Welcome to Virginia; both of these were released on July 25, 2006. On August 1, 2006, \"Think Against the Grain\" was posted on the band's Myspace. Step Outside Yourself was released on August 29, 2006. On September 20, 2006, the music video for \"Siren on the 101\" was posted online. In November and December 2006, the band supported Goo Goo Dolls on their headlining US tour.\n\nMembers of Over It have also performed as a second band, Runner Runner, in which Ogren sings lead. On August 28, 2012, Munters released his first solo acoustic album, Wood & Wire. During interviews to promote that album, he confirmed that Over It has not disbanded, and speculated about a reunion and new material. On May 31st, 2020, Munters appeared on the song \"Wasteland\" which can be found the \"Chasm\" EP by Vice Years.\n\nDiscography \n\nEPs\n Over It (1999)\n Hindsight 20/20 (2001)\nBoth Over It and Hindsight 20/20 were remastered and re-released as Outer Banks in 2006.\n The Acoustic Split with Junction 18 (2003)\n\nAlbums\n The Ready Series (2000)\nThe Ready Series was remastered and re-released as Welcome to Virginia in 2006.\n Timing is Everything (2002)\n Silverstrand (2005)\n Step Outside Yourself (2006)\n The Strand (2008)\n\nPersonnel \n Peter Munters (lead vocals, guitar)\n Nick Bailey (guitar)\n Ryan Ogren (guitar, background vocals)\n Seth Watts (bass, background vocals)\n James Ulrich (drums)\n\nReferences\n\nAmerican pop punk groups\nMusical groups from Orange County, California"
] |
[
"AFI (band)",
"Crash Love (2008-2012)",
"Was Crash Love an album?",
"songs that were to be on the EP would instead be distributed on various versions of Crash Love.",
"what songs were released?",
"The first single from the album, \"Medicate\",",
"Are there any other interesting aspects about this article?",
"the band had split up. This was shortly confirmed by the management to be a hoax, and the thread in question was deleted.",
"What thread was in question",
"the band's official forum, DespairFaction.com,",
"When was it posted that they split up?",
"On September 8, 2011, a post was made to the band's official forum,"
] |
C_0bfe0dfe02b04ae196ba2bec3fc86408_0
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Did the band tour for this album?
| 6 |
Did AFI (band) tour for Crash Love album?
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AFI (band)
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A new EP was set for a December release, however, Havok announced through the Despair Faction forums that it would not be available until early 2008. The EP was to contain previously unreleased songs from the Decemberunderground and Sing the Sorrow sessions. It was later announced that the EP would be released after Crash Love, but then Havok said that due to political issues, it would not be released. The songs that were to be on the EP would instead be distributed on various versions of Crash Love. In July 2009, Havok released a statement saying that after two years of writing and recording, the upcoming album would be released on September 29, 2009. It was recorded with producer David Bottrill (who was later dismissed in favor of Joe McGrath and Jacknife Lee). AFI previewed Crash Love on their MySpace page for two days starting September 22, 2009, seven days ahead of the official album release. In regard to the process of writing the album, Puget said "I've got my guitar and [Davey's] got his tape recorder ... anything can happen. We don't know what kind of song we're going to write; it could be the best song you've ever written or nothing, just the amount of possibilities is exciting to me." The first single from the album, "Medicate", was released on August 25, 2009, and reached number 7 on the Billboard Alternative Songs Chart. A music video directed by Paul Minor premiered October 2. In January 2010, AFI released a teaser for the video of their new single "Beautiful Thieves". The full video officially premiered on February 4, 2010, on MTV television networks and websites. On September 8, 2011, a post was made to the band's official forum, DespairFaction.com, from frontman Davey Havok's forum account, which said that the band had split up. This was shortly confirmed by the management to be a hoax, and the thread in question was deleted. CANNOTANSWER
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CANNOTANSWER
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AFI (abbreviation for A Fire Inside) is an American rock band from Ukiah, California, formed in 1991. Since 1998, it consists of lead vocalist Davey Havok, drummer and backing vocalist Adam Carson, bassist, backing vocalist and keyboardist Hunter Burgan, and guitarist, backing vocalist and keyboardist Jade Puget. Havok and Carson are the sole remaining original members. Originally a hardcore punk band, they have since delved into many genres, starting with horror punk and following through post-hardcore and emo into alternative rock and gothic rock.
AFI has released eleven studio albums, ten EPs, one live album and one DVD. The band first reached substantial commercial success with their fifth album, The Art of Drowning (2000), which peaked at number 174 on the Billboard 200. They then broke into the mainstream with their sixth, Sing the Sorrow (2003), which peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 and remained on the chart for 51 weeks. The album was supported by popular singles "Girl's Not Grey" and "Silver and Cold", both of which peaked at number seven on America's Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart in 2003. "The Leaving Song Pt. II" was also released as a single, reaching number 16 on the chart. Sing the Sorrow was certified Platinum by the RIAA in 2006 and is AFI's best-selling release, having sold over 1.26 million copies .
AFI's seventh album, Decemberunderground (2006), debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and featured the hit single "Miss Murder", which topped the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart, reached number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 and appeared in the video game Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. The album was certified Platinum by the RIAA in 2013. Their next three albums, Crash Love (2009), Burials (2013) and AFI (2017), were also successful, peaking at increasing positions on the Billboard 200. An EP, The Missing Man, followed in December 2018. The band released their 11th album, Bodies, on June 11, 2021.
History
Early years (1991–1994)
While still in high school in Ukiah, California, Davey Havok (vocals), Mark Stopholese and Vic Chalker formed a band called AFI in November 1991. At the time, the band did not know how to play any instruments. Stopholese suggested that his friend, Adam Carson (who had a drum set), join the band. Stopholese learned guitar and Chalker learned bass, but Chalker was soon replaced by Geoff Kresge. By the end of October 1992, the band had played their first three shows, generally as an opener for a few other punk bands, including Influence 13, which featured future AFI lead guitarist Jade Puget and frequent collaborator Nick 13. AFI recorded their first EP, Dork (1993), with the now defunct band Loose Change, which also featured Puget.
The band briefly broke up in 1993, when the members left Ukiah to attend different colleges. They decided to commit to AFI full-time after an extremely positive experience and enthusiastic crowd response at a reunion show they played at The Phoenix Theater over Christmas break.
AFI relocated to Berkeley, California and lived in a squat that was a decommissioned fraternity house. Between 1993 and 1995, the band independently released vinyl EPs such as Behind the Times, Eddie Picnic's All Wet and Fly in the Ointment, as well as the compilation EPs This Is Berkeley, Not West Bay, AFI/Heckle, and Bombing the Bay (with Swingin' Utters).
First three albums (1995–1998)
AFI's first full-length album, Answer That and Stay Fashionable was released July 4, 1995, on Wingnut Records. It was produced by Rancid's Tim Armstrong and Brett Reed. The album featured fast and upbeat hardcore songs, with humorous lyrical themes, which are vocalized in songs such as "Nyquil", "Cereal Wars", and "I Wanna Get a Mohawk (But Mom Won't Let Me Get One)". Around this time, they coined the term 'East Bay hardcore' to describe their genre.
AFI signed on to Nitro Records, a record label started by The Offspring's Dexter Holland and Greg K. AFI would remain with the label until the release of the 336 EP (2002). In 1996, they released their second album, Very Proud of Ya. Two songs from their previous album, "Yurf Rendenmein" and "Two of A Kind", were re-recorded for this album. After several tours in support of the album, Kresge decided to leave the group. His spot was filled by current AFI bassist Hunter Burgan for the remaining album tour dates.
Burgan went on to help AFI record Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes (1997) and was invited to become their full-time bassist. Jade Puget, a former member of Influence 13 and Havok's close friend, also provided background vocals and additional guitar on the album, making it the first to feature all four current members of the band. It is also the first album to be copyrighted to the band's official moniker, A Fire Inside. Subsequently, the A Fire Inside EP (1998) was released, after which Stopholese left the band and was replaced by Puget.
Darker sound and wider reach (1999–2001)
The band's next album, Black Sails in the Sunset (1999), was a musical turning point which featured a darker sound, mixing the band's original hardcore roots with dark romantic influences and an emphasis on a more somber atmosphere and lyrics. The New York Times later referred to this as the point where Havok "developed into a singer and songwriter of substance". During this period, AFI's style was considered punk rock. The influence of death rock and goth rock was also apparent. Offspring frontman Dexter Holland was featured as a backing vocalist on two tracks.
The All Hallow's E.P. (1999) further explored the horror punk genre, featuring artwork and lyrics containing Halloween themes, including a cover of the Misfits song "Halloween". The song "The Boy Who Destroyed the World" was featured in the video game Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3, and the single "Totalimmortal" was later covered by The Offspring.
On September 19, 2000, AFI released The Art of Drowning, which debuted on the Billboard Charts at number 174, and peaked at number 9 on the Heatseekers chart. It continued to touch base with the horror punk genre, but expanded into styles that were a departure from previous works. The album featured slower, more melodic songs that were more reminiscent of alternative rock, such as "Ever and a Day" and "6 to 8". Hardcore influences were present, more overtly on some tracks. The album sold over 100,000 copies. "The Days of the Phoenix" was released as a single and video and had some moderate mainstream success, garnering the band more TV and radio airplay. The song reached the UK Singles Chart with its titular EP in 2001, peaking at number 152. The success of The Art of Drowning helped to encourage the band to pursue higher mainstream notoriety.
Mainstream labels and popularity (2002–2007)
In 2002, AFI left Nitro Records. DreamWorks Records artists and repertoire executive Luke Wood signed them to the label following intense interest. Their first album for the label, Sing the Sorrow, was released in 2003. The album opened in Billboards top ten and scored enthusiastic lead reviews in major music magazines. The songs "Girl's Not Grey", "The Leaving Song Pt. II", and "Silver and Cold" had some Billboard chart success and exposed the band to even larger audiences. They were nominated in the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards for the MTV2 award category for the "Girl's Not Grey" video, which came to be their first VMA.
In June 2006, AFI's seventh studio album, Decemberunderground, was released on Interscope Records. The album's first single, "Miss Murder", reached No. 1 on the Billboard Modern Rock Charts. The release reflects the continually changing and growing fan base of the band, and the album debuted as No. 1 on the Billboard charts. The album has been certified Gold by the RIAA for sales of over 500,000 copies of the album. The album's second single, "Love Like Winter", was successful on MTV's Total Request Live and was retired after 40 days on the countdown.
On December 12, 2006, AFI released their first DVD, I Heard a Voice – Live from Long Beach Arena, featuring a live performance shot in Long Beach, California. The performance was later released on December 13, 2007, as a live album, and charted at number 133 on the Billboard 200, and number 16 on the Hard Rock Albums chart. The album was well-received, with punknews.org giving it a four-star rating and commenting that when hearing or seeing the performance "you begin to realize AFI are truly a great live band," and that at some points "Pantera would say turn the noise down."
On July 7, 2007, AFI performed on the American leg of Live Earth. They performed "The Missing Frame", "Love Like Winter", "Miss Murder", and a cover of David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust".
Maturity and resurgence (2008–2017)
In July 2009, Havok released a statement saying that after two years of writing and recording, an upcoming album titled Crash Love would be released on September 29, 2009. It was recorded with producer David Bottrill (who was later dismissed in favor of Joe McGrath and Jacknife Lee). The first single from the album, "Medicate", was released on August 25, 2009, and reached number 7 on the Billboard Alternative Songs Chart. Another single, "Beautiful Thieves", followed later in the year. Havok called Crash Love "the album by which we'll be remembered". It was the band's first release to make a significantly smaller impact than their previous effort, but peaked at number 12 on the Billboard 200.
From April to June 2013, several teaser videos were released on AFI's website.
The band was announced to play Riot Fest 2013, as well as being signed to Republic Records. A single titled "I Hope You Suffer" was released on July 23, and the title of the album, Burials, was announced. Another single, "17 Crimes", was released on August 6. The third single from the album, titled "The Conductor", was released on September 9. The album was released on October 22, produced by Gil Norton. It peaked at number 9 on the Billboard 200.
In a June 2016 interview with Aggressive Tendencies, Puget confirmed that AFI had begun working on new material for their tenth studio album. On October 27, the band released two new songs via Spotify, "Snow Cats" and "White Offerings".
The band's tenth album, AFI (also known as The Blood Album), was released on January 20, 2017. Puget served as the main producer. The album peaked at number 5 on the Billboard 200. Other singles were released, including "Aurelia" and "Hidden Knives".
Recent releases (2018–present)
On October 26, 2018, the band surprise-released a new single called "Get Dark" on Spotify and iTunes. This was followed by The Missing Man EP on December 7, featuring five new songs.
On March 25, 2020, AFI was announced as a headliner for the Two Thousand Trees Festival on July 10 of the same year. Puget was interviewed by Kerrang! to promote the festival appearance and said that "hopefully at least a couple of songs" from the band's eleventh album would be released by then. On April 27, 2020, Puget said that the album was finished, but that its release date was being pushed back as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The next day, it was announced that the Two Thousand Trees Festival was being pushed back to 2021, also due to the pandemic.
On January 15, 2021, the band released the tracks "Twisted Tongues" and "Escape from Los Angeles". On February 25, it was revealed that the album would be called Bodies, and be released on June 11. Along with the announcement, the band revealed two new songs as another joint single, "Looking Tragic / Begging for Trouble". On April 9, "Dulceria / Far Too Near" were released, followed by "Tied to a Tree" on May 25.
Musical style
AFI's music has been classified under many genres of music, including punk rock, horror punk, garage punk, pop punk, hardcore punk, skate punk, emo, screamo, alternative rock, and gothic rock. AFI has often been called "goth-punk" due to the band's appearance, but AFI never considered the label accurate. AFI guitarist Jade Puget has said, "Goth-punk isn't a style of music, it doesn't even exist."
AFI's sound has constantly changed. AFI originally were a hardcore punk band. AFI's first three albums, Answer That and Stay Fashionable (1995), Very Proud of Ya (1996), and Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes (1997), all have been described as hardcore punk. AFI's fourth album Black Sails in the Sunset and the band's fifth album The Art of Drowning both have been described as horror punk. AFI's 2003 album Sing the Sorrow is considered post-hardcore and emo. Decemberunderground, which features elements of music genres like electronic, new wave, industrial, punk rock, hardcore punk, and synthpop, is considered alternative rock, post-hardcore and emo. AFI's 2009 album Crash Love is considered alternative rock and pop rock. AFI's 2013 album Burials is considered alternative rock and gothic rock. AFI's 2017 self-titled album, also referred to as The Blood Album, has been described as new wave, post-punk and gothic rock.
Puget, who has produced much of the band's music, stated in 2021:
Anyone who knows our catalog knows that no two records really sit together. Some sit a little closer, maybe. We do certain things, just by virtue of who we are, that are consistent, but those things come about organically. Every time we do something, I have to judge it on its own merits. Some fans are going to judge a new album, or a new song, based on what's come before. But as artists, we can't do that, because it would only hinder our creativity.
Influences
In an interview, Davey Havok described the band's influences: "We have many, many influences that span the musical spectrum. Each of us grew up on everything from punk to hardcore to dark '80s UK stuff like The Cure, Bauhaus, Joy Division, and The Sisters of Mercy. And there were rock bands like The Misfits, Samhain, and Danzig and industrial bands like Skinny Puppy, Ministry, Front 242 and Alien Sex Fiend. And we all love The Smiths." AFI have also been influenced by British electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), whom Havok said "have and will continue to musically and emotionally inspire" him. Other bands that have influenced AFI include Minor Threat, 7 Seconds, Descendents, Suicide, the Germs, Black Flag, Slayer, Metallica, T.S.O.L., D.R.I., State of Alert, and the Angry Samoans.
Legacy
The Sydney Morning Herald has written that AFI have been "hailed as being responsible for bringing back the big '80s rock chorus." The band has received much praise in particular from Alternative Press, which has supported the group since the mid-1990s. The publication rated the band's major label debut, Sing the Sorrow as the most anticipated album of 2003, and noted that it "blew the doors off goth-punk as we knew it". AFI has also been granted responsibility for paving the way for the rise of the visual element of rock bands in the 2000s; in a December 2006 article, Revolver Magazine wrote that "AFI have increased the importance of a band's visual identity and the flair for the theatrical," adding that "when a group like Panic! at the Disco borrows imagery from a movie such as Moulin Rouge!, you have to consider the precedent AFI set when they borrowed cues from Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas." Shoutmouth.com placed AFI at number 22 on its list of the 25 most influential punk bands, noting that the band "have evolved with each album, showing that a punk band can not only change, but stay true to their sound at the same time. AFI have been on a constant rise through their career, and as such, out the honors". After Sing The Sorrow release, Yorkshire Evening Post described Havok's voice as one of those "you'll love or hate, but one thing can't be denied, this guy has range beyond belief". Recognized by his trademark flair and vocal style, Havok has been recognized as "a bona fide rock god" by Alternative Press.
In 2003, The Pitch described the band's fan club as a "particularly excitable bunch", adding that "there's also the type of sentiments that put the cult back into cult success, such as links to something called 'the Church of Havok'."
Members
Current
Davey Havok – lead vocals
Adam Carson – drums, backing vocals
Hunter Burgan – bass, backing vocals, keyboards, programming
Jade Puget – guitars, backing vocals, keyboards, piano, programming, synthesizers
Former
Vic Chalker – bass, backing vocals
Geoff Kresge – bass, backing vocals
Mark Stopholese – guitars
Timeline
Discography
Studio albums
Answer That and Stay Fashionable (1995)
Very Proud of Ya (1996)
Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes (1997)
Black Sails in the Sunset (1999)
The Art of Drowning (2000)
Sing the Sorrow (2003)
Decemberunderground (2006)
Crash Love (2009)
Burials (2013)
AFI (2017)
Bodies (2021)
References
Footnotes
Citations
External links
Alternative rock groups from California
Punk rock groups from California
Hardcore punk groups from California
Musical groups established in 1991
Musical quartets
Horror punk groups
Interscope Records artists
DreamWorks Records artists
Emo musical groups from California
American gothic rock groups
American post-hardcore musical groups
Nitro Records artists
Adeline Records artists
Rise Records artists
Articles which contain graphical timelines
1991 establishments in California
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[
"Travel III EP is the sixth album by the Christian rock band Future of Forestry, and the third in the \"Travel Series.\" The recording of the album “officially” started on February 11. It was released on June 29, 2010. Frontman Eric Owyoung wrote all of the songs for this EP and his wife, Tamara Owyoung, painted the cover art for the album. The band subsequently departed on what was called \"The 3 Tour\" to go along with the release. The tour was self-booked and took place in the West and Midwest regions of the United States starting on June 27, 2010 and ending on July 13, 2010.\n\nTrack listing\nThe names (and respective order) of the songs were released on the band's Myspace page leading up to the release of the CD, as they did for the rest of the Travel Series EPs. However, on Travel III, for the first time, Future of Forestry released the tracks out-of-order.\n\n \"Bold and Underlined\" - 4:04\n \"Working to Be Loved\" - 3:48\n \"Did You Lose Yourself\" - 4:47\n \"Protection\" - 4:14\n \"Horizon Rainfall\" - 2:53\n \"Your Day's Not Over\" - 5:00\n\nAwards\nThe album was nominated for a Dove Award for Rock Album of the Year at the 42nd GMA Dove Awards.\n\nReferences \n\n2010 EPs\nFuture of Forestry albums",
"Wolfsbane Save the World is the fourth studio album by the British heavy metal band Wolfsbane, released in 2012. This is the first album of new material that Wolfsbane have released since their self-titled album in 1994, although they did record one new song for their 2011 EP Did It for the Money. The album is available on the band's official website, as well as via the merchandise stand on the band's upcoming tour.\n\nTrack listing\n \"Blue Sky\" - 5:10\n \"Teacher\" - 4:05\n \"Buy My Pain\" - 3:47\n \"Starlight\" - 4:00\n \"Smoke and Red Light\" - 3:44\n \"Illusion of Love\" - 6:03\n \"Live Before I Die\" - 5:09\n \"Who Are You Now\" - 3:21\n \"Everybody's Looking for Something Baby\" - 4:06\n \"Child of the Sun\" - 3:39\n \"Did It for the Money\" - 3:34\n\nPersonnel\n\nWolfsbane\n Blaze Bayley - vocals\n Jason Edwards - guitar, producer, engineer\n Jeff Hateley - bass\n Steve \"Danger\" Ellett - drums\n\nAdditional musicians\nGivvi Flynn - vocals on track 6, backing vocals on track 8\nChris Catalyst - additional vocals on track 6\nGlen Buglass - backing vocals on track 4\n\nReferences\n\n2012 albums\nWolfsbane (band) albums"
] |
[
"AFI (band)",
"Crash Love (2008-2012)",
"Was Crash Love an album?",
"songs that were to be on the EP would instead be distributed on various versions of Crash Love.",
"what songs were released?",
"The first single from the album, \"Medicate\",",
"Are there any other interesting aspects about this article?",
"the band had split up. This was shortly confirmed by the management to be a hoax, and the thread in question was deleted.",
"What thread was in question",
"the band's official forum, DespairFaction.com,",
"When was it posted that they split up?",
"On September 8, 2011, a post was made to the band's official forum,",
"Did the band tour for this album?",
"I don't know."
] |
C_0bfe0dfe02b04ae196ba2bec3fc86408_0
|
Did the perform any songs?
| 7 |
Did AFI (band) perform any songs?
|
AFI (band)
|
A new EP was set for a December release, however, Havok announced through the Despair Faction forums that it would not be available until early 2008. The EP was to contain previously unreleased songs from the Decemberunderground and Sing the Sorrow sessions. It was later announced that the EP would be released after Crash Love, but then Havok said that due to political issues, it would not be released. The songs that were to be on the EP would instead be distributed on various versions of Crash Love. In July 2009, Havok released a statement saying that after two years of writing and recording, the upcoming album would be released on September 29, 2009. It was recorded with producer David Bottrill (who was later dismissed in favor of Joe McGrath and Jacknife Lee). AFI previewed Crash Love on their MySpace page for two days starting September 22, 2009, seven days ahead of the official album release. In regard to the process of writing the album, Puget said "I've got my guitar and [Davey's] got his tape recorder ... anything can happen. We don't know what kind of song we're going to write; it could be the best song you've ever written or nothing, just the amount of possibilities is exciting to me." The first single from the album, "Medicate", was released on August 25, 2009, and reached number 7 on the Billboard Alternative Songs Chart. A music video directed by Paul Minor premiered October 2. In January 2010, AFI released a teaser for the video of their new single "Beautiful Thieves". The full video officially premiered on February 4, 2010, on MTV television networks and websites. On September 8, 2011, a post was made to the band's official forum, DespairFaction.com, from frontman Davey Havok's forum account, which said that the band had split up. This was shortly confirmed by the management to be a hoax, and the thread in question was deleted. CANNOTANSWER
|
A music video directed by Paul Minor premiered October 2. In January 2010,
|
AFI (abbreviation for A Fire Inside) is an American rock band from Ukiah, California, formed in 1991. Since 1998, it consists of lead vocalist Davey Havok, drummer and backing vocalist Adam Carson, bassist, backing vocalist and keyboardist Hunter Burgan, and guitarist, backing vocalist and keyboardist Jade Puget. Havok and Carson are the sole remaining original members. Originally a hardcore punk band, they have since delved into many genres, starting with horror punk and following through post-hardcore and emo into alternative rock and gothic rock.
AFI has released eleven studio albums, ten EPs, one live album and one DVD. The band first reached substantial commercial success with their fifth album, The Art of Drowning (2000), which peaked at number 174 on the Billboard 200. They then broke into the mainstream with their sixth, Sing the Sorrow (2003), which peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 and remained on the chart for 51 weeks. The album was supported by popular singles "Girl's Not Grey" and "Silver and Cold", both of which peaked at number seven on America's Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart in 2003. "The Leaving Song Pt. II" was also released as a single, reaching number 16 on the chart. Sing the Sorrow was certified Platinum by the RIAA in 2006 and is AFI's best-selling release, having sold over 1.26 million copies .
AFI's seventh album, Decemberunderground (2006), debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and featured the hit single "Miss Murder", which topped the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart, reached number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 and appeared in the video game Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. The album was certified Platinum by the RIAA in 2013. Their next three albums, Crash Love (2009), Burials (2013) and AFI (2017), were also successful, peaking at increasing positions on the Billboard 200. An EP, The Missing Man, followed in December 2018. The band released their 11th album, Bodies, on June 11, 2021.
History
Early years (1991–1994)
While still in high school in Ukiah, California, Davey Havok (vocals), Mark Stopholese and Vic Chalker formed a band called AFI in November 1991. At the time, the band did not know how to play any instruments. Stopholese suggested that his friend, Adam Carson (who had a drum set), join the band. Stopholese learned guitar and Chalker learned bass, but Chalker was soon replaced by Geoff Kresge. By the end of October 1992, the band had played their first three shows, generally as an opener for a few other punk bands, including Influence 13, which featured future AFI lead guitarist Jade Puget and frequent collaborator Nick 13. AFI recorded their first EP, Dork (1993), with the now defunct band Loose Change, which also featured Puget.
The band briefly broke up in 1993, when the members left Ukiah to attend different colleges. They decided to commit to AFI full-time after an extremely positive experience and enthusiastic crowd response at a reunion show they played at The Phoenix Theater over Christmas break.
AFI relocated to Berkeley, California and lived in a squat that was a decommissioned fraternity house. Between 1993 and 1995, the band independently released vinyl EPs such as Behind the Times, Eddie Picnic's All Wet and Fly in the Ointment, as well as the compilation EPs This Is Berkeley, Not West Bay, AFI/Heckle, and Bombing the Bay (with Swingin' Utters).
First three albums (1995–1998)
AFI's first full-length album, Answer That and Stay Fashionable was released July 4, 1995, on Wingnut Records. It was produced by Rancid's Tim Armstrong and Brett Reed. The album featured fast and upbeat hardcore songs, with humorous lyrical themes, which are vocalized in songs such as "Nyquil", "Cereal Wars", and "I Wanna Get a Mohawk (But Mom Won't Let Me Get One)". Around this time, they coined the term 'East Bay hardcore' to describe their genre.
AFI signed on to Nitro Records, a record label started by The Offspring's Dexter Holland and Greg K. AFI would remain with the label until the release of the 336 EP (2002). In 1996, they released their second album, Very Proud of Ya. Two songs from their previous album, "Yurf Rendenmein" and "Two of A Kind", were re-recorded for this album. After several tours in support of the album, Kresge decided to leave the group. His spot was filled by current AFI bassist Hunter Burgan for the remaining album tour dates.
Burgan went on to help AFI record Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes (1997) and was invited to become their full-time bassist. Jade Puget, a former member of Influence 13 and Havok's close friend, also provided background vocals and additional guitar on the album, making it the first to feature all four current members of the band. It is also the first album to be copyrighted to the band's official moniker, A Fire Inside. Subsequently, the A Fire Inside EP (1998) was released, after which Stopholese left the band and was replaced by Puget.
Darker sound and wider reach (1999–2001)
The band's next album, Black Sails in the Sunset (1999), was a musical turning point which featured a darker sound, mixing the band's original hardcore roots with dark romantic influences and an emphasis on a more somber atmosphere and lyrics. The New York Times later referred to this as the point where Havok "developed into a singer and songwriter of substance". During this period, AFI's style was considered punk rock. The influence of death rock and goth rock was also apparent. Offspring frontman Dexter Holland was featured as a backing vocalist on two tracks.
The All Hallow's E.P. (1999) further explored the horror punk genre, featuring artwork and lyrics containing Halloween themes, including a cover of the Misfits song "Halloween". The song "The Boy Who Destroyed the World" was featured in the video game Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3, and the single "Totalimmortal" was later covered by The Offspring.
On September 19, 2000, AFI released The Art of Drowning, which debuted on the Billboard Charts at number 174, and peaked at number 9 on the Heatseekers chart. It continued to touch base with the horror punk genre, but expanded into styles that were a departure from previous works. The album featured slower, more melodic songs that were more reminiscent of alternative rock, such as "Ever and a Day" and "6 to 8". Hardcore influences were present, more overtly on some tracks. The album sold over 100,000 copies. "The Days of the Phoenix" was released as a single and video and had some moderate mainstream success, garnering the band more TV and radio airplay. The song reached the UK Singles Chart with its titular EP in 2001, peaking at number 152. The success of The Art of Drowning helped to encourage the band to pursue higher mainstream notoriety.
Mainstream labels and popularity (2002–2007)
In 2002, AFI left Nitro Records. DreamWorks Records artists and repertoire executive Luke Wood signed them to the label following intense interest. Their first album for the label, Sing the Sorrow, was released in 2003. The album opened in Billboards top ten and scored enthusiastic lead reviews in major music magazines. The songs "Girl's Not Grey", "The Leaving Song Pt. II", and "Silver and Cold" had some Billboard chart success and exposed the band to even larger audiences. They were nominated in the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards for the MTV2 award category for the "Girl's Not Grey" video, which came to be their first VMA.
In June 2006, AFI's seventh studio album, Decemberunderground, was released on Interscope Records. The album's first single, "Miss Murder", reached No. 1 on the Billboard Modern Rock Charts. The release reflects the continually changing and growing fan base of the band, and the album debuted as No. 1 on the Billboard charts. The album has been certified Gold by the RIAA for sales of over 500,000 copies of the album. The album's second single, "Love Like Winter", was successful on MTV's Total Request Live and was retired after 40 days on the countdown.
On December 12, 2006, AFI released their first DVD, I Heard a Voice – Live from Long Beach Arena, featuring a live performance shot in Long Beach, California. The performance was later released on December 13, 2007, as a live album, and charted at number 133 on the Billboard 200, and number 16 on the Hard Rock Albums chart. The album was well-received, with punknews.org giving it a four-star rating and commenting that when hearing or seeing the performance "you begin to realize AFI are truly a great live band," and that at some points "Pantera would say turn the noise down."
On July 7, 2007, AFI performed on the American leg of Live Earth. They performed "The Missing Frame", "Love Like Winter", "Miss Murder", and a cover of David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust".
Maturity and resurgence (2008–2017)
In July 2009, Havok released a statement saying that after two years of writing and recording, an upcoming album titled Crash Love would be released on September 29, 2009. It was recorded with producer David Bottrill (who was later dismissed in favor of Joe McGrath and Jacknife Lee). The first single from the album, "Medicate", was released on August 25, 2009, and reached number 7 on the Billboard Alternative Songs Chart. Another single, "Beautiful Thieves", followed later in the year. Havok called Crash Love "the album by which we'll be remembered". It was the band's first release to make a significantly smaller impact than their previous effort, but peaked at number 12 on the Billboard 200.
From April to June 2013, several teaser videos were released on AFI's website.
The band was announced to play Riot Fest 2013, as well as being signed to Republic Records. A single titled "I Hope You Suffer" was released on July 23, and the title of the album, Burials, was announced. Another single, "17 Crimes", was released on August 6. The third single from the album, titled "The Conductor", was released on September 9. The album was released on October 22, produced by Gil Norton. It peaked at number 9 on the Billboard 200.
In a June 2016 interview with Aggressive Tendencies, Puget confirmed that AFI had begun working on new material for their tenth studio album. On October 27, the band released two new songs via Spotify, "Snow Cats" and "White Offerings".
The band's tenth album, AFI (also known as The Blood Album), was released on January 20, 2017. Puget served as the main producer. The album peaked at number 5 on the Billboard 200. Other singles were released, including "Aurelia" and "Hidden Knives".
Recent releases (2018–present)
On October 26, 2018, the band surprise-released a new single called "Get Dark" on Spotify and iTunes. This was followed by The Missing Man EP on December 7, featuring five new songs.
On March 25, 2020, AFI was announced as a headliner for the Two Thousand Trees Festival on July 10 of the same year. Puget was interviewed by Kerrang! to promote the festival appearance and said that "hopefully at least a couple of songs" from the band's eleventh album would be released by then. On April 27, 2020, Puget said that the album was finished, but that its release date was being pushed back as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The next day, it was announced that the Two Thousand Trees Festival was being pushed back to 2021, also due to the pandemic.
On January 15, 2021, the band released the tracks "Twisted Tongues" and "Escape from Los Angeles". On February 25, it was revealed that the album would be called Bodies, and be released on June 11. Along with the announcement, the band revealed two new songs as another joint single, "Looking Tragic / Begging for Trouble". On April 9, "Dulceria / Far Too Near" were released, followed by "Tied to a Tree" on May 25.
Musical style
AFI's music has been classified under many genres of music, including punk rock, horror punk, garage punk, pop punk, hardcore punk, skate punk, emo, screamo, alternative rock, and gothic rock. AFI has often been called "goth-punk" due to the band's appearance, but AFI never considered the label accurate. AFI guitarist Jade Puget has said, "Goth-punk isn't a style of music, it doesn't even exist."
AFI's sound has constantly changed. AFI originally were a hardcore punk band. AFI's first three albums, Answer That and Stay Fashionable (1995), Very Proud of Ya (1996), and Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes (1997), all have been described as hardcore punk. AFI's fourth album Black Sails in the Sunset and the band's fifth album The Art of Drowning both have been described as horror punk. AFI's 2003 album Sing the Sorrow is considered post-hardcore and emo. Decemberunderground, which features elements of music genres like electronic, new wave, industrial, punk rock, hardcore punk, and synthpop, is considered alternative rock, post-hardcore and emo. AFI's 2009 album Crash Love is considered alternative rock and pop rock. AFI's 2013 album Burials is considered alternative rock and gothic rock. AFI's 2017 self-titled album, also referred to as The Blood Album, has been described as new wave, post-punk and gothic rock.
Puget, who has produced much of the band's music, stated in 2021:
Anyone who knows our catalog knows that no two records really sit together. Some sit a little closer, maybe. We do certain things, just by virtue of who we are, that are consistent, but those things come about organically. Every time we do something, I have to judge it on its own merits. Some fans are going to judge a new album, or a new song, based on what's come before. But as artists, we can't do that, because it would only hinder our creativity.
Influences
In an interview, Davey Havok described the band's influences: "We have many, many influences that span the musical spectrum. Each of us grew up on everything from punk to hardcore to dark '80s UK stuff like The Cure, Bauhaus, Joy Division, and The Sisters of Mercy. And there were rock bands like The Misfits, Samhain, and Danzig and industrial bands like Skinny Puppy, Ministry, Front 242 and Alien Sex Fiend. And we all love The Smiths." AFI have also been influenced by British electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), whom Havok said "have and will continue to musically and emotionally inspire" him. Other bands that have influenced AFI include Minor Threat, 7 Seconds, Descendents, Suicide, the Germs, Black Flag, Slayer, Metallica, T.S.O.L., D.R.I., State of Alert, and the Angry Samoans.
Legacy
The Sydney Morning Herald has written that AFI have been "hailed as being responsible for bringing back the big '80s rock chorus." The band has received much praise in particular from Alternative Press, which has supported the group since the mid-1990s. The publication rated the band's major label debut, Sing the Sorrow as the most anticipated album of 2003, and noted that it "blew the doors off goth-punk as we knew it". AFI has also been granted responsibility for paving the way for the rise of the visual element of rock bands in the 2000s; in a December 2006 article, Revolver Magazine wrote that "AFI have increased the importance of a band's visual identity and the flair for the theatrical," adding that "when a group like Panic! at the Disco borrows imagery from a movie such as Moulin Rouge!, you have to consider the precedent AFI set when they borrowed cues from Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas." Shoutmouth.com placed AFI at number 22 on its list of the 25 most influential punk bands, noting that the band "have evolved with each album, showing that a punk band can not only change, but stay true to their sound at the same time. AFI have been on a constant rise through their career, and as such, out the honors". After Sing The Sorrow release, Yorkshire Evening Post described Havok's voice as one of those "you'll love or hate, but one thing can't be denied, this guy has range beyond belief". Recognized by his trademark flair and vocal style, Havok has been recognized as "a bona fide rock god" by Alternative Press.
In 2003, The Pitch described the band's fan club as a "particularly excitable bunch", adding that "there's also the type of sentiments that put the cult back into cult success, such as links to something called 'the Church of Havok'."
Members
Current
Davey Havok – lead vocals
Adam Carson – drums, backing vocals
Hunter Burgan – bass, backing vocals, keyboards, programming
Jade Puget – guitars, backing vocals, keyboards, piano, programming, synthesizers
Former
Vic Chalker – bass, backing vocals
Geoff Kresge – bass, backing vocals
Mark Stopholese – guitars
Timeline
Discography
Studio albums
Answer That and Stay Fashionable (1995)
Very Proud of Ya (1996)
Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes (1997)
Black Sails in the Sunset (1999)
The Art of Drowning (2000)
Sing the Sorrow (2003)
Decemberunderground (2006)
Crash Love (2009)
Burials (2013)
AFI (2017)
Bodies (2021)
References
Footnotes
Citations
External links
Alternative rock groups from California
Punk rock groups from California
Hardcore punk groups from California
Musical groups established in 1991
Musical quartets
Horror punk groups
Interscope Records artists
DreamWorks Records artists
Emo musical groups from California
American gothic rock groups
American post-hardcore musical groups
Nitro Records artists
Adeline Records artists
Rise Records artists
Articles which contain graphical timelines
1991 establishments in California
| false |
[
"\"Heaven\" is a song performed by Montenegrin vocal group D mol. It was chosen to represent Montenegro in the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 on 9 February 2019. The song did not progress to the final.\n\nEurovision Song Contest\n\nThe song represented Montenegro in the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 through Montevizija 2019, the national final organised by RTCG to select Montenegro's entry. On 28 January 2019, a special allocation draw was held which placed each country into one of the two semi-finals, as well as which half of the show they would perform in. Montenegro was placed into the first semi-final, to be held on 14 May 2019, and was scheduled to perform in the first half of the show. Once all the competing songs for the 2019 contest had been released, the running order for the semi-finals was decided by the show's producers rather than through another draw, so that similar songs were not placed next to each other. Montenegro performed in position 2, and did not qualify for the final.\n\nTrack listing\n\nReferences\n\n2019 songs\nEurovision songs of 2019\nEurovision songs of Montenegro\n2019 debut singles\nPop songs\nSongs about Heaven\nUniversal Music Group singles",
"\"Look Away\" is a song by Darude and Sebastian Rejman. The song represented Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 in Tel Aviv, Israel. The song did not progress to the final.\n\nEurovision Song Contest\n\nThe song was selected to represent Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 after Darude and Sebastian Rejman were selected through Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu 2019, the music competition that selects Finland's entries for the Eurovision Song Contest. On 28 January 2019, a special allocation draw was held which placed each country into one of the two semi-finals, as well as which half of the show they would perform in. Finland was placed into the first semi-final, to be held on 14 May 2019, and was scheduled to perform in the first half of the show. Once all the competing songs for the 2019 contest had been released, the running order for the semi-finals was decided by the show's producers rather than through another draw, so that similar songs were not placed next to each other. Finland performed in position 3. It did not qualify for the final.\n\nTrack listing\n\nReferences\n\n2019 songs\nEurovision songs of 2019\nEurovision songs of Finland\nDarude songs"
] |
[
"AFI (band)",
"Crash Love (2008-2012)",
"Was Crash Love an album?",
"songs that were to be on the EP would instead be distributed on various versions of Crash Love.",
"what songs were released?",
"The first single from the album, \"Medicate\",",
"Are there any other interesting aspects about this article?",
"the band had split up. This was shortly confirmed by the management to be a hoax, and the thread in question was deleted.",
"What thread was in question",
"the band's official forum, DespairFaction.com,",
"When was it posted that they split up?",
"On September 8, 2011, a post was made to the band's official forum,",
"Did the band tour for this album?",
"I don't know.",
"Did the perform any songs?",
"A music video directed by Paul Minor premiered October 2. In January 2010,"
] |
C_0bfe0dfe02b04ae196ba2bec3fc86408_0
|
What happened in Jan 2010?
| 8 |
What happened in Jan 2010 with AFI (band)?
|
AFI (band)
|
A new EP was set for a December release, however, Havok announced through the Despair Faction forums that it would not be available until early 2008. The EP was to contain previously unreleased songs from the Decemberunderground and Sing the Sorrow sessions. It was later announced that the EP would be released after Crash Love, but then Havok said that due to political issues, it would not be released. The songs that were to be on the EP would instead be distributed on various versions of Crash Love. In July 2009, Havok released a statement saying that after two years of writing and recording, the upcoming album would be released on September 29, 2009. It was recorded with producer David Bottrill (who was later dismissed in favor of Joe McGrath and Jacknife Lee). AFI previewed Crash Love on their MySpace page for two days starting September 22, 2009, seven days ahead of the official album release. In regard to the process of writing the album, Puget said "I've got my guitar and [Davey's] got his tape recorder ... anything can happen. We don't know what kind of song we're going to write; it could be the best song you've ever written or nothing, just the amount of possibilities is exciting to me." The first single from the album, "Medicate", was released on August 25, 2009, and reached number 7 on the Billboard Alternative Songs Chart. A music video directed by Paul Minor premiered October 2. In January 2010, AFI released a teaser for the video of their new single "Beautiful Thieves". The full video officially premiered on February 4, 2010, on MTV television networks and websites. On September 8, 2011, a post was made to the band's official forum, DespairFaction.com, from frontman Davey Havok's forum account, which said that the band had split up. This was shortly confirmed by the management to be a hoax, and the thread in question was deleted. CANNOTANSWER
|
A music video directed by Paul Minor premiered October 2. In January 2010,
|
AFI (abbreviation for A Fire Inside) is an American rock band from Ukiah, California, formed in 1991. Since 1998, it consists of lead vocalist Davey Havok, drummer and backing vocalist Adam Carson, bassist, backing vocalist and keyboardist Hunter Burgan, and guitarist, backing vocalist and keyboardist Jade Puget. Havok and Carson are the sole remaining original members. Originally a hardcore punk band, they have since delved into many genres, starting with horror punk and following through post-hardcore and emo into alternative rock and gothic rock.
AFI has released eleven studio albums, ten EPs, one live album and one DVD. The band first reached substantial commercial success with their fifth album, The Art of Drowning (2000), which peaked at number 174 on the Billboard 200. They then broke into the mainstream with their sixth, Sing the Sorrow (2003), which peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 and remained on the chart for 51 weeks. The album was supported by popular singles "Girl's Not Grey" and "Silver and Cold", both of which peaked at number seven on America's Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart in 2003. "The Leaving Song Pt. II" was also released as a single, reaching number 16 on the chart. Sing the Sorrow was certified Platinum by the RIAA in 2006 and is AFI's best-selling release, having sold over 1.26 million copies .
AFI's seventh album, Decemberunderground (2006), debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and featured the hit single "Miss Murder", which topped the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart, reached number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 and appeared in the video game Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. The album was certified Platinum by the RIAA in 2013. Their next three albums, Crash Love (2009), Burials (2013) and AFI (2017), were also successful, peaking at increasing positions on the Billboard 200. An EP, The Missing Man, followed in December 2018. The band released their 11th album, Bodies, on June 11, 2021.
History
Early years (1991–1994)
While still in high school in Ukiah, California, Davey Havok (vocals), Mark Stopholese and Vic Chalker formed a band called AFI in November 1991. At the time, the band did not know how to play any instruments. Stopholese suggested that his friend, Adam Carson (who had a drum set), join the band. Stopholese learned guitar and Chalker learned bass, but Chalker was soon replaced by Geoff Kresge. By the end of October 1992, the band had played their first three shows, generally as an opener for a few other punk bands, including Influence 13, which featured future AFI lead guitarist Jade Puget and frequent collaborator Nick 13. AFI recorded their first EP, Dork (1993), with the now defunct band Loose Change, which also featured Puget.
The band briefly broke up in 1993, when the members left Ukiah to attend different colleges. They decided to commit to AFI full-time after an extremely positive experience and enthusiastic crowd response at a reunion show they played at The Phoenix Theater over Christmas break.
AFI relocated to Berkeley, California and lived in a squat that was a decommissioned fraternity house. Between 1993 and 1995, the band independently released vinyl EPs such as Behind the Times, Eddie Picnic's All Wet and Fly in the Ointment, as well as the compilation EPs This Is Berkeley, Not West Bay, AFI/Heckle, and Bombing the Bay (with Swingin' Utters).
First three albums (1995–1998)
AFI's first full-length album, Answer That and Stay Fashionable was released July 4, 1995, on Wingnut Records. It was produced by Rancid's Tim Armstrong and Brett Reed. The album featured fast and upbeat hardcore songs, with humorous lyrical themes, which are vocalized in songs such as "Nyquil", "Cereal Wars", and "I Wanna Get a Mohawk (But Mom Won't Let Me Get One)". Around this time, they coined the term 'East Bay hardcore' to describe their genre.
AFI signed on to Nitro Records, a record label started by The Offspring's Dexter Holland and Greg K. AFI would remain with the label until the release of the 336 EP (2002). In 1996, they released their second album, Very Proud of Ya. Two songs from their previous album, "Yurf Rendenmein" and "Two of A Kind", were re-recorded for this album. After several tours in support of the album, Kresge decided to leave the group. His spot was filled by current AFI bassist Hunter Burgan for the remaining album tour dates.
Burgan went on to help AFI record Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes (1997) and was invited to become their full-time bassist. Jade Puget, a former member of Influence 13 and Havok's close friend, also provided background vocals and additional guitar on the album, making it the first to feature all four current members of the band. It is also the first album to be copyrighted to the band's official moniker, A Fire Inside. Subsequently, the A Fire Inside EP (1998) was released, after which Stopholese left the band and was replaced by Puget.
Darker sound and wider reach (1999–2001)
The band's next album, Black Sails in the Sunset (1999), was a musical turning point which featured a darker sound, mixing the band's original hardcore roots with dark romantic influences and an emphasis on a more somber atmosphere and lyrics. The New York Times later referred to this as the point where Havok "developed into a singer and songwriter of substance". During this period, AFI's style was considered punk rock. The influence of death rock and goth rock was also apparent. Offspring frontman Dexter Holland was featured as a backing vocalist on two tracks.
The All Hallow's E.P. (1999) further explored the horror punk genre, featuring artwork and lyrics containing Halloween themes, including a cover of the Misfits song "Halloween". The song "The Boy Who Destroyed the World" was featured in the video game Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3, and the single "Totalimmortal" was later covered by The Offspring.
On September 19, 2000, AFI released The Art of Drowning, which debuted on the Billboard Charts at number 174, and peaked at number 9 on the Heatseekers chart. It continued to touch base with the horror punk genre, but expanded into styles that were a departure from previous works. The album featured slower, more melodic songs that were more reminiscent of alternative rock, such as "Ever and a Day" and "6 to 8". Hardcore influences were present, more overtly on some tracks. The album sold over 100,000 copies. "The Days of the Phoenix" was released as a single and video and had some moderate mainstream success, garnering the band more TV and radio airplay. The song reached the UK Singles Chart with its titular EP in 2001, peaking at number 152. The success of The Art of Drowning helped to encourage the band to pursue higher mainstream notoriety.
Mainstream labels and popularity (2002–2007)
In 2002, AFI left Nitro Records. DreamWorks Records artists and repertoire executive Luke Wood signed them to the label following intense interest. Their first album for the label, Sing the Sorrow, was released in 2003. The album opened in Billboards top ten and scored enthusiastic lead reviews in major music magazines. The songs "Girl's Not Grey", "The Leaving Song Pt. II", and "Silver and Cold" had some Billboard chart success and exposed the band to even larger audiences. They were nominated in the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards for the MTV2 award category for the "Girl's Not Grey" video, which came to be their first VMA.
In June 2006, AFI's seventh studio album, Decemberunderground, was released on Interscope Records. The album's first single, "Miss Murder", reached No. 1 on the Billboard Modern Rock Charts. The release reflects the continually changing and growing fan base of the band, and the album debuted as No. 1 on the Billboard charts. The album has been certified Gold by the RIAA for sales of over 500,000 copies of the album. The album's second single, "Love Like Winter", was successful on MTV's Total Request Live and was retired after 40 days on the countdown.
On December 12, 2006, AFI released their first DVD, I Heard a Voice – Live from Long Beach Arena, featuring a live performance shot in Long Beach, California. The performance was later released on December 13, 2007, as a live album, and charted at number 133 on the Billboard 200, and number 16 on the Hard Rock Albums chart. The album was well-received, with punknews.org giving it a four-star rating and commenting that when hearing or seeing the performance "you begin to realize AFI are truly a great live band," and that at some points "Pantera would say turn the noise down."
On July 7, 2007, AFI performed on the American leg of Live Earth. They performed "The Missing Frame", "Love Like Winter", "Miss Murder", and a cover of David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust".
Maturity and resurgence (2008–2017)
In July 2009, Havok released a statement saying that after two years of writing and recording, an upcoming album titled Crash Love would be released on September 29, 2009. It was recorded with producer David Bottrill (who was later dismissed in favor of Joe McGrath and Jacknife Lee). The first single from the album, "Medicate", was released on August 25, 2009, and reached number 7 on the Billboard Alternative Songs Chart. Another single, "Beautiful Thieves", followed later in the year. Havok called Crash Love "the album by which we'll be remembered". It was the band's first release to make a significantly smaller impact than their previous effort, but peaked at number 12 on the Billboard 200.
From April to June 2013, several teaser videos were released on AFI's website.
The band was announced to play Riot Fest 2013, as well as being signed to Republic Records. A single titled "I Hope You Suffer" was released on July 23, and the title of the album, Burials, was announced. Another single, "17 Crimes", was released on August 6. The third single from the album, titled "The Conductor", was released on September 9. The album was released on October 22, produced by Gil Norton. It peaked at number 9 on the Billboard 200.
In a June 2016 interview with Aggressive Tendencies, Puget confirmed that AFI had begun working on new material for their tenth studio album. On October 27, the band released two new songs via Spotify, "Snow Cats" and "White Offerings".
The band's tenth album, AFI (also known as The Blood Album), was released on January 20, 2017. Puget served as the main producer. The album peaked at number 5 on the Billboard 200. Other singles were released, including "Aurelia" and "Hidden Knives".
Recent releases (2018–present)
On October 26, 2018, the band surprise-released a new single called "Get Dark" on Spotify and iTunes. This was followed by The Missing Man EP on December 7, featuring five new songs.
On March 25, 2020, AFI was announced as a headliner for the Two Thousand Trees Festival on July 10 of the same year. Puget was interviewed by Kerrang! to promote the festival appearance and said that "hopefully at least a couple of songs" from the band's eleventh album would be released by then. On April 27, 2020, Puget said that the album was finished, but that its release date was being pushed back as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The next day, it was announced that the Two Thousand Trees Festival was being pushed back to 2021, also due to the pandemic.
On January 15, 2021, the band released the tracks "Twisted Tongues" and "Escape from Los Angeles". On February 25, it was revealed that the album would be called Bodies, and be released on June 11. Along with the announcement, the band revealed two new songs as another joint single, "Looking Tragic / Begging for Trouble". On April 9, "Dulceria / Far Too Near" were released, followed by "Tied to a Tree" on May 25.
Musical style
AFI's music has been classified under many genres of music, including punk rock, horror punk, garage punk, pop punk, hardcore punk, skate punk, emo, screamo, alternative rock, and gothic rock. AFI has often been called "goth-punk" due to the band's appearance, but AFI never considered the label accurate. AFI guitarist Jade Puget has said, "Goth-punk isn't a style of music, it doesn't even exist."
AFI's sound has constantly changed. AFI originally were a hardcore punk band. AFI's first three albums, Answer That and Stay Fashionable (1995), Very Proud of Ya (1996), and Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes (1997), all have been described as hardcore punk. AFI's fourth album Black Sails in the Sunset and the band's fifth album The Art of Drowning both have been described as horror punk. AFI's 2003 album Sing the Sorrow is considered post-hardcore and emo. Decemberunderground, which features elements of music genres like electronic, new wave, industrial, punk rock, hardcore punk, and synthpop, is considered alternative rock, post-hardcore and emo. AFI's 2009 album Crash Love is considered alternative rock and pop rock. AFI's 2013 album Burials is considered alternative rock and gothic rock. AFI's 2017 self-titled album, also referred to as The Blood Album, has been described as new wave, post-punk and gothic rock.
Puget, who has produced much of the band's music, stated in 2021:
Anyone who knows our catalog knows that no two records really sit together. Some sit a little closer, maybe. We do certain things, just by virtue of who we are, that are consistent, but those things come about organically. Every time we do something, I have to judge it on its own merits. Some fans are going to judge a new album, or a new song, based on what's come before. But as artists, we can't do that, because it would only hinder our creativity.
Influences
In an interview, Davey Havok described the band's influences: "We have many, many influences that span the musical spectrum. Each of us grew up on everything from punk to hardcore to dark '80s UK stuff like The Cure, Bauhaus, Joy Division, and The Sisters of Mercy. And there were rock bands like The Misfits, Samhain, and Danzig and industrial bands like Skinny Puppy, Ministry, Front 242 and Alien Sex Fiend. And we all love The Smiths." AFI have also been influenced by British electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), whom Havok said "have and will continue to musically and emotionally inspire" him. Other bands that have influenced AFI include Minor Threat, 7 Seconds, Descendents, Suicide, the Germs, Black Flag, Slayer, Metallica, T.S.O.L., D.R.I., State of Alert, and the Angry Samoans.
Legacy
The Sydney Morning Herald has written that AFI have been "hailed as being responsible for bringing back the big '80s rock chorus." The band has received much praise in particular from Alternative Press, which has supported the group since the mid-1990s. The publication rated the band's major label debut, Sing the Sorrow as the most anticipated album of 2003, and noted that it "blew the doors off goth-punk as we knew it". AFI has also been granted responsibility for paving the way for the rise of the visual element of rock bands in the 2000s; in a December 2006 article, Revolver Magazine wrote that "AFI have increased the importance of a band's visual identity and the flair for the theatrical," adding that "when a group like Panic! at the Disco borrows imagery from a movie such as Moulin Rouge!, you have to consider the precedent AFI set when they borrowed cues from Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas." Shoutmouth.com placed AFI at number 22 on its list of the 25 most influential punk bands, noting that the band "have evolved with each album, showing that a punk band can not only change, but stay true to their sound at the same time. AFI have been on a constant rise through their career, and as such, out the honors". After Sing The Sorrow release, Yorkshire Evening Post described Havok's voice as one of those "you'll love or hate, but one thing can't be denied, this guy has range beyond belief". Recognized by his trademark flair and vocal style, Havok has been recognized as "a bona fide rock god" by Alternative Press.
In 2003, The Pitch described the band's fan club as a "particularly excitable bunch", adding that "there's also the type of sentiments that put the cult back into cult success, such as links to something called 'the Church of Havok'."
Members
Current
Davey Havok – lead vocals
Adam Carson – drums, backing vocals
Hunter Burgan – bass, backing vocals, keyboards, programming
Jade Puget – guitars, backing vocals, keyboards, piano, programming, synthesizers
Former
Vic Chalker – bass, backing vocals
Geoff Kresge – bass, backing vocals
Mark Stopholese – guitars
Timeline
Discography
Studio albums
Answer That and Stay Fashionable (1995)
Very Proud of Ya (1996)
Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes (1997)
Black Sails in the Sunset (1999)
The Art of Drowning (2000)
Sing the Sorrow (2003)
Decemberunderground (2006)
Crash Love (2009)
Burials (2013)
AFI (2017)
Bodies (2021)
References
Footnotes
Citations
External links
Alternative rock groups from California
Punk rock groups from California
Hardcore punk groups from California
Musical groups established in 1991
Musical quartets
Horror punk groups
Interscope Records artists
DreamWorks Records artists
Emo musical groups from California
American gothic rock groups
American post-hardcore musical groups
Nitro Records artists
Adeline Records artists
Rise Records artists
Articles which contain graphical timelines
1991 establishments in California
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[
"Don Juan Manuel's Tales of Count Lucanor, in Spanish Libro de los ejemplos del conde Lucanor y de Patronio (Book of the Examples of Count Lucanor and of Patronio), also commonly known as El Conde Lucanor, Libro de Patronio, or Libro de los ejemplos (original Old Castilian: Libro de los enxiemplos del Conde Lucanor et de Patronio), is one of the earliest works of prose in Castilian Spanish. It was first written in 1335.\n\nThe book is divided into four parts. The first and most well-known part is a series of 51 short stories (some no more than a page or two) drawn from various sources, such as Aesop and other classical writers, and Arabic folktales.\n\nTales of Count Lucanor was first printed in 1575 when it was published at Seville under the auspices of Argote de Molina. It was again printed at Madrid in 1642, after which it lay forgotten for nearly two centuries.\n\nPurpose and structure\n\nA didactic, moralistic purpose, which would color so much of the Spanish literature to follow (see Novela picaresca), is the mark of this book. Count Lucanor engages in conversation with his advisor Patronio, putting to him a problem (\"Some man has made me a proposition...\" or \"I fear that such and such person intends to...\") and asking for advice. Patronio responds always with the greatest humility, claiming not to wish to offer advice to so illustrious a person as the Count, but offering to tell him a story of which the Count's problem reminds him. (Thus, the stories are \"examples\" [ejemplos] of wise action.) At the end he advises the Count to do as the protagonist of his story did.\n\nEach chapter ends in more or less the same way, with slight variations on: \"And this pleased the Count greatly and he did just so, and found it well. And Don Johán (Juan) saw that this example was very good, and had it written in this book, and composed the following verses.\" A rhymed couplet closes, giving the moral of the story.\n\nOrigin of stories and influence on later literature\nMany of the stories written in the book are the first examples written in a modern European language of various stories, which many other writers would use in the proceeding centuries. Many of the stories he included were themselves derived from other stories, coming from western and Arab sources.\n\nShakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew has the basic elements of Tale 35, \"What Happened to a Young Man Who Married a Strong and Ill-tempered Woman\".\n\nTale 32, \"What Happened to the King and the Tricksters Who Made Cloth\" tells the story that Hans Christian Andersen made popular as The Emperor's New Clothes.\n\nStory 7, \"What Happened to a Woman Named Truhana\", a version of Aesop's The Milkmaid and Her Pail, was claimed by Max Müller to originate in the Hindu cycle Panchatantra.\n\nTale 2, \"What happened to a good Man and his Son, leading a beast to market,\" is the familiar fable The miller, his son and the donkey.\n\nIn 2016, Baroque Decay released a game under the name \"The Count Lucanor\". As well as some protagonists' names, certain events from the books inspired past events in the game.\n\nThe stories\n\nThe book opens with a prologue which introduces the characters of the Count and Patronio. The titles in the following list are those given in Keller and Keating's 1977 translation into English. James York's 1868 translation into English gives a significantly different ordering of the stories and omits the fifty-first.\n\n What Happened to a King and His Favorite \n What Happened to a Good Man and His Son \n How King Richard of England Leapt into the Sea against the Moors\n What a Genoese Said to His Soul When He Was about to Die \n What Happened to a Fox and a Crow Who Had a Piece of Cheese in His Beak\n How the Swallow Warned the Other Birds When She Saw Flax Being Sown \n What Happened to a Woman Named Truhana \n What Happened to a Man Whose Liver Had to Be Washed \n What Happened to Two Horses Which Were Thrown to the Lion \n What Happened to a Man Who on Account of Poverty and Lack of Other Food Was Eating Bitter Lentils \n What Happened to a Dean of Santiago de Compostela and Don Yllán, the Grand Master of Toledo\n What Happened to the Fox and the Rooster \n What Happened to a Man Who Was Hunting Partridges \n The Miracle of Saint Dominick When He Preached against the Usurer \n What Happened to Lorenzo Suárez at the Siege of Seville \n The Reply that count Fernán González Gave to His Relative Núño Laynes \n What Happened to a Very Hungry Man Who Was Half-heartedly Invited to Dinner \n What Happened to Pero Meléndez de Valdés When He Broke His Leg \n What Happened to the Crows and the Owls \n What Happened to a King for Whom a Man Promised to Perform Alchemy \n What Happened to a Young King and a Philosopher to Whom his Father Commended Him \n What Happened to the Lion and the Bull \n How the Ants Provide for Themselves \n What Happened to the King Who Wanted to Test His Three Sons \n What Happened to the Count of Provence and How He Was Freed from Prison by the Advice of Saladin\n What Happened to the Tree of Lies \n What Happened to an Emperor and to Don Alvarfáñez Minaya and Their Wives \n What Happened in Granada to Don Lorenzo Suárez Gallinato When He Beheaded the Renegade Chaplain \n What Happened to a Fox Who Lay down in the Street to Play Dead \n What Happened to King Abenabet of Seville and Ramayquía His Wife \n How a Cardinal Judged between the Canons of Paris and the Friars Minor \n What Happened to the King and the Tricksters Who Made Cloth \n What Happened to Don Juan Manuel's Saker Falcon and an Eagle and a Heron \n What Happened to a Blind Man Who Was Leading Another \n What Happened to a Young Man Who Married a Strong and Ill-tempered Woman\n What Happened to a Merchant When He Found His Son and His Wife Sleeping Together \n What Happened to Count Fernán González with His Men after He Had Won the Battle of Hacinas \n What Happened to a Man Who Was Loaded down with Precious Stones and Drowned in the River \n What Happened to a Man and a Swallow and a Sparrow \n Why the Seneschal of Carcassonne Lost His Soul \n What Happened to a King of Córdova Named Al-Haquem \n What Happened to a Woman of Sham Piety \n What Happened to Good and Evil and the Wise Man and the Madman \n What Happened to Don Pero Núñez the Loyal, to Don Ruy González de Zavallos, and to Don Gutier Roiz de Blaguiello with Don Rodrigo the Generous \n What Happened to a Man Who Became the Devil's Friend and Vassal \n What Happened to a Philosopher who by Accident Went down a Street Where Prostitutes Lived \n What Befell a Moor and His Sister Who Pretended That She Was Timid \n What Happened to a Man Who Tested His Friends \n What Happened to the Man Whom They Cast out Naked on an Island When They Took away from Him the Kingdom He Ruled \n What Happened to Saladin and a Lady, the Wife of a Knight Who Was His Vassal \n What Happened to a Christian King Who Was Very Powerful and Haughty\n\nReferences\n\nNotes\n\nBibliography\n\n Sturm, Harlan\n\n Wacks, David\n\nExternal links\n\nThe Internet Archive provides free access to the 1868 translation by James York.\nJSTOR has the to the 1977 translation by Keller and Keating.\nSelections in English and Spanish (pedagogical edition) with introduction, notes, and bibliography in Open Iberia/América (open access teaching anthology)\n\n14th-century books\nSpanish literature\n1335 books",
"What Happened to Mr. Cha? is a 2021 South Korean comedy film directed and written by Dong-kyu Kim and starring Cha In-pyo and Jae-Ryong Song.\n\nSynopsis \nCha In-Pyo was once a famous actor but is now barely relevant. He refuses to accept reality even when disaster strikes.\n\nCast \n Cha In-pyo as Cha In-Pyo\n Song Jae-ryong as A-Ram\n Jo Jan-Joon\n Cho Dal-hwan\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links \n \n \n \n\n2021 films\nKorean-language films\nSouth Korean films\nSouth Korean comedy films\nKorean-language Netflix original films\n2021 comedy films\nSouth Korean satirical films\n2020s satirical films\nFilms about actors\nComedy films based on actual events"
] |
[
"Mike Tyson",
"Undisputed champion"
] |
C_1b5dc9e3e91746cebf8036796b03646b_0
|
What is the undisputed champion?
| 1 |
Who is the undisputed boxing champion?
|
Mike Tyson
|
Expectations for Tyson were extremely high, and he embarked on an ambitious campaign to fight all of the top heavyweights in the world. Tyson defended his title against James Smith on March 7, 1987, in Las Vegas, Nevada. He won by unanimous decision and added Smith's World Boxing Association (WBA) title to his existing belt. "Tyson-mania" in the media was becoming rampant. He beat Pinklon Thomas in May with a knockout in the sixth round. On August 1 he took the International Boxing Federation (IBF) title from Tony Tucker in a twelve round unanimous decision. He became the first heavyweight to own all three major belts - WBA, WBC, and IBF - at the same time. Another fight, in October of that year, ended with a victory for Tyson over 1984 Olympic super heavyweight gold medalist Tyrell Biggs by knockout in the seventh round. During this time, Tyson came to the attention of gaming company Nintendo. After witnessing one of Tyson's fights, Nintendo of America president, Minoru Arakawa was impressed by the fighter's "power and skill", prompting him to suggest Tyson be included in the upcoming Nintendo Entertainment System port of the Punch Out!! arcade game. In 1987, Nintendo released Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!, which was well received and sold more than a million copies. Tyson had three fights in 1988. He faced Larry Holmes on January 22, 1988, and defeated the legendary former champion by a fourth round KO. This was the only knockout loss Holmes suffered in 75 professional bouts. In March, Tyson then fought contender Tony Tubbs in Tokyo, Japan, fitting in an easy two-round victory amid promotional and marketing work. On June 27, 1988, Tyson faced Michael Spinks. Spinks, who had taken the heavyweight championship from Larry Holmes via a 15-round decision in 1985, had not lost his title in the ring but was not recognized as champion by the major boxing organizations. Holmes had previously given up all but the IBF title, and that was eventually stripped from Spinks after he elected to fight Gerry Cooney (winning by a 5th-round TKO) rather than IBF Number 1 Contender Tony Tucker, as the Cooney fight provided him a larger purse. However, Spinks did become the lineal champion by beating Holmes and many (including Ring magazine) considered him to have a legitimate claim to being the true heavyweight champion. The bout was, at the time, the richest fight in history and expectations were very high. Boxing pundits were predicting a titanic battle of styles, with Tyson's aggressive infighting conflicting with Spinks' skillful out-boxing and footwork. The fight ended after 91 seconds when Tyson knocked Spinks out in the first round; many consider this to be the pinnacle of Tyson's fame and boxing ability. CANNOTANSWER
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Expectations for Tyson were extremely high, and he embarked on an ambitious campaign to fight all of the top heavyweights in the world. Tyson defended his title
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Michael Gerard Tyson (born June 30, 1966) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1985 to 2005. Nicknamed "Iron Mike" and "Kid Dynamite" in his early career, and later known as "The Baddest Man on the Planet", Tyson is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. He reigned as the undisputed world heavyweight champion from 1987 to 1990. Tyson won his first 19 professional fights by knockout, 12 of them in the first round. Claiming his first belt at 20 years, four months, and 22 days old, Tyson holds the record as the youngest boxer ever to win a heavyweight title. He was the first heavyweight boxer to simultaneously hold the WBA, WBC and IBF titles, as well as the only heavyweight to unify them in succession. The following year, Tyson became the lineal champion when he knocked out Michael Spinks in 91 seconds of the first round. In 1990, Tyson was knocked out by underdog Buster Douglas in one of the biggest upsets in history.
In 1992, Tyson was convicted of rape and sentenced to six years in prison, although he was released on parole after three years. After his release in 1995, he engaged in a series of comeback fights, regaining the WBA and WBC titles in 1996 to join Floyd Patterson, Muhammad Ali, Tim Witherspoon, Evander Holyfield and George Foreman as the only men in boxing history to have regained a heavyweight championship after losing it. After being stripped of the WBC title in the same year, Tyson lost the WBA title to Evander Holyfield by an eleventh round stoppage. Their 1997 rematch ended when Tyson was disqualified for biting Holyfield's ears, one bite notoriously being strong enough to remove a portion of his right ear. In 2002, Tyson fought for the world heavyweight title, losing by knockout to Lennox Lewis.
Tyson was known for his ferocious and intimidating boxing style as well as his controversial behavior inside and outside the ring. With a knockout-to-win percentage of 88%, he was ranked 16th on The Ring magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time, and first on ESPN's list of "The Hardest Hitters in Heavyweight History". Sky Sports described him as "perhaps the most ferocious fighter to step into a professional ring". He has been inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame.
Early life
Michael Gerard Tyson was born in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, New York City on June 30, 1966. He has an older brother named Rodney (born c. 1961) and an older sister named Denise, who died of a heart attack at age 24 in February 1990. Tyson's biological father is listed as "Purcell Tyson" (who was from Jamaica) on his birth certificate, but the man Tyson had known as his father was Jimmy Kirkpatrick. Kirkpatrick was from Grier Town, North Carolina (a predominantly black neighborhood that was annexed by the city of Charlotte), where he was one of the neighborhood's top baseball players. Kirkpatrick married and had a son, Tyson's half-brother Jimmie Lee Kirkpatrick, who would help to integrate Charlotte high school football in 1965. In 1959, Jimmy Kirkpatrick left his family and moved to Brooklyn, where he met Tyson's mother, Lorna Mae (Smith) Tyson. Kirkpatrick frequented pool halls, gambled and hung out on the streets. "My father was just a regular street guy caught up in the street world," Tyson said. Kirkpatrick abandoned the Tyson family around the time Mike was born, leaving Tyson's mother to care for the children on her own. Kirkpatrick died in 1992.
The family lived in Bedford-Stuyvesant until their financial burdens necessitated a move to Brownsville when Tyson was 10 years old. Tyson's mother died six years later, leaving 16-year-old Tyson in the care of boxing manager and trainer Cus D'Amato, who would become his legal guardian. Tyson later said, "I never saw my mother happy with me and proud of me for doing something: she only knew me as being a wild kid running the streets, coming home with new clothes that she knew I didn't pay for. I never got a chance to talk to her or know about her. Professionally, it has no effect, but it's crushing emotionally and personally."
Throughout his childhood, Tyson lived in and around neighborhoods with a high rate of crime. According to an interview in Details, his first fight was with a bigger youth who had pulled the head off one of Tyson's pigeons. Tyson was repeatedly caught committing petty crimes and fighting those who ridiculed his high-pitched voice and lisp. By the age of 13, he had been arrested 38 times. He ended up at the Tryon School for Boys in Johnstown, New York. Tyson's emerging boxing ability was discovered there by Bobby Stewart, a juvenile detention center counselor and former boxer. Stewart considered Tyson to be an outstanding fighter and trained him for a few months before introducing him to Cus D'Amato. Tyson dropped out of high school as a junior. He would be awarded an honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from Central State University in 1989. Kevin Rooney also trained Tyson, and he was occasionally assisted by Teddy Atlas, although Atlas was dismissed by D'Amato when Tyson was 15. Rooney eventually took over all training duties for the young fighter.
Amateur career
As an amateur, Tyson won gold medals at the 1981 and 1982 Junior Olympic Games, defeating Joe Cortez in 1981 and beating Kelton Brown in 1982. Brown's corner threw in the towel in the first round. In 1984 Tyson won the gold medal at the Nation Golden Gloves held in New York, beating Jonathan Littles. He fought Henry Tillman twice as an amateur, losing both bouts by decision. Tillman went on to win heavyweight gold at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Professional career
Rise to stardom
Tyson made his professional debut as an 18-year-old on March 6, 1985, in Albany, New York. He defeated Hector Mercedes via first-round TKO. He had 15 bouts in his first year as a professional. Fighting frequently, Tyson won 26 of his first 28 fights by KO or TKO; 16 of those came in the first round. The quality of his opponents gradually increased to journeyman fighters and borderline contenders, like James Tillis, David Jaco, Jesse Ferguson, Mitch Green, and Marvis Frazier. His win streak attracted media attention and Tyson was billed as the next great heavyweight champion. D'Amato died in November 1985, relatively early into Tyson's professional career, and some speculate that his death was the catalyst to many of the troubles Tyson was to experience as his life and career progressed.
Tyson's first nationally televised bout took place on February 16, 1986, at Houston Field House in Troy, New York, against journeyman heavyweight Jesse Ferguson, and was carried by ABC Sports. Tyson knocked down Ferguson with an uppercut in the fifth round that broke Ferguson's nose. During the sixth round, Ferguson began to hold and clinch Tyson in an apparent attempt to avoid further punishment. After admonishing Ferguson several times to obey his commands to box, the referee finally stopped the fight near the middle of the sixth round. The fight was initially ruled a win for Tyson by disqualification (DQ) of his opponent. The ruling was "adjusted" to a win by technical knockout (TKO) after Tyson's corner protested that a DQ win would end Tyson's string of knockout victories, and that a knockout would have been the inevitable result.
In July, after recording six more knockout victories, Tyson fought former world title challenger Marvis Frazier in Glens Falls, New York, on another ABC Sports broadcast. Tyson won easily, charging at Frazier at the opening bell and hitting him with an uppercut that knocked Frazier unconscious thirty seconds into the fight.
On November 22, 1986, Tyson was given his first title fight against Trevor Berbick for the World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight championship. Tyson won the title by TKO in the second round, and at the age of 20 years and 4 months became the youngest heavyweight champion in history. He added the WBA and IBF titles after defeating James Smith and Tony Tucker in 1987. Tyson's dominant performance brought many accolades. Donald Saunders wrote: "The noble and manly art of boxing can at least cease worrying about its immediate future, now [that] it has discovered a heavyweight champion fit to stand alongside Dempsey, Tunney, Louis, Marciano, and Ali."
Tyson intimidated fighters with his strength, combined with outstanding hand speed, accuracy, coordination and timing. Tyson also possessed notable defensive abilities, holding his hands high in the peek-a-boo style taught by his mentor Cus D'Amato to slip under and weave around his opponent's punches while timing his own. Tyson's explosive punching technique was due in large part to crouching immediately prior to throwing a hook or an uppercut: this allowed the 'spring' of his legs to add power to the punch. Among his signature moves was a right hook to his opponent's body followed by a right uppercut to his opponent's chin. Lorenzo Boyd, Jesse Ferguson and José Ribalta were each knocked down by this combination.
Undisputed champion
Expectations for Tyson were extremely high, and he was the favorite to win the heavyweight unification series, a tournament designed to establish an undisputed heavyweight champion. Tyson defended his title against James Smith on March 7, 1987, in Las Vegas, Nevada. He won by unanimous decision and added Smith's World Boxing Association (WBA) title to his existing belt. "Tyson-mania" in the media was becoming rampant. He beat Pinklon Thomas in May by TKO in the sixth round. On August 1 he took the International Boxing Federation (IBF) title from Tony Tucker in a twelve-round unanimous decision 119–111, 118–113, and 116–112. He became the first heavyweight to own all three major belts – WBA, WBC, and IBF – at the same time. Another fight, in October of that year, ended with a victory for Tyson over 1984 Olympic super heavyweight gold medalist Tyrell Biggs by TKO in the seventh round.
During this time, Tyson came to the attention of gaming company Nintendo. After witnessing one of Tyson's fights, Nintendo of America president Minoru Arakawa was impressed by the fighter's "power and skill", prompting him to suggest Tyson be included in the upcoming Nintendo Entertainment System port of the Punch Out!! arcade game. In 1987, Nintendo released Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!, which was well received and sold more than a million copies.
Tyson had three fights in 1988. He faced Larry Holmes on January 22, 1988, and defeated the legendary former champion by KO in the fourth round. This was the only knockout loss Holmes suffered in 75 professional bouts. In March, Tyson then fought contender Tony Tubbs in Tokyo, Japan, fitting in an easy second-round TKO victory amid promotional and marketing work.
On June 27, 1988, Tyson faced Michael Spinks. Spinks, who had taken the heavyweight championship from Larry Holmes via fifteen-round decision in 1985, had not lost his title in the ring but was not recognized as champion by the major boxing organizations. Holmes had previously given up all but the IBF title, and that was eventually stripped from Spinks after he elected to fight Gerry Cooney (winning by TKO in the fifth round) rather than IBF Number 1 Contender Tony Tucker, as the Cooney fight provided him a larger purse. However, Spinks did become the lineal champion by beating Holmes and many (including Ring magazine) considered him to have a legitimate claim to being the true heavyweight champion. The bout was, at the time, the richest fight in history and expectations were very high. Boxing pundits were predicting a titanic battle of styles, with Tyson's aggressive infighting conflicting with Spinks's skillful out-boxing and footwork. The fight ended after 91 seconds when Tyson knocked Spinks out in the first round; many consider this to be the pinnacle of Tyson's fame and boxing ability.
Controversy and upset
During this period, Tyson's problems outside the ring were also starting to emerge. His marriage to Robin Givens was heading for divorce, and his future contract was being fought over by Don King and Bill Cayton. In late 1988, Tyson parted with manager Bill Cayton and fired longtime trainer Kevin Rooney, the man many credit for honing Tyson's craft after the death of D'Amato. Following Rooney's departure, critics alleged that Tyson began to show less head movement and combination punching. In 1989, Tyson had only two fights amid personal turmoil. He faced the British boxer Frank Bruno in February. Bruno managed to stun Tyson at the end of the first round, although Tyson went on to knock Bruno out in the fifth round. Tyson then knocked out Carl "The Truth" Williams in the first round in July.
By 1990, Tyson seemed to have lost direction, and his personal life was in disarray amidst reports of less vigorous training prior to the Buster Douglas match. In a fight on February 11, 1990, he lost the undisputed championship to Douglas in Tokyo. Tyson was a huge betting favorite; indeed, the Mirage, the only casino to put out odds for the fight, made Tyson a 42/1 favorite. Tyson failed to find a way past Douglas's quick jab that had a reach advantage over his own. Tyson did catch Douglas with an uppercut in the eighth round and knocked him to the floor, but Douglas recovered sufficiently to hand Tyson a heavy beating in the subsequent two rounds. After the fight, the Tyson camp would complain that the count was slow and that Douglas had taken longer than ten seconds to get back on his feet. Just 35 seconds into the tenth round, Douglas unleashed a brutal uppercut, followed by a four-punch combination of hooks that sent Tyson to the canvas for the first time in his career. He was counted out by referee Octavio Meyran.
The knockout victory by Douglas over Tyson, the previously undefeated "baddest man on the planet" and arguably the most feared boxer in professional boxing at that time, has been described as one of the most shocking upsets in modern sports history.
After Douglas
Despite the shocking loss, Tyson has said that losing to Douglas was the greatest moment of his career. “I needed that fight to make me a better person and fighter. I have a broader perspective of myself and boxing.”
After the loss, Tyson recovered with first-round knockouts of Henry Tillman and Alex Stewart in his next two fights. Tyson's victory over Tillman, the 1984 Olympic heavyweight gold medalist, enabled Tyson to avenge his amateur losses at Tillman's hands. These bouts set up an elimination match for another shot at the undisputed world heavyweight championship, which Evander Holyfield had taken from Douglas in his first defense of the title.
Tyson, who was the number one contender, faced number two contender Donovan "Razor" Ruddock on March 18, 1991, in Las Vegas. Ruddock was seen as the most dangerous heavyweight around and was thought of as one of the hardest punching heavyweights. Tyson and Ruddock went back and forth for most of the fight, until referee Richard Steele controversially stopped the fight during the seventh round in favor of Tyson. This decision infuriated the fans in attendance, sparking a post-fight melee in the audience. The referee had to be escorted from the ring.
Tyson and Ruddock met again on June 28 that year, with Tyson knocking down Ruddock twice and winning a twelve-round unanimous decision 113–109, 114–108, and 114–108. A fight between Tyson and Holyfield for the undisputed championship was scheduled for November 8, 1991, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, but Tyson pulled out after sustaining a rib cartilage injury during training.
Rape trial and prison
Tyson was arrested in July 1991 for the rape of 18-year-old Desiree Washington, Miss Black Rhode Island, in an Indianapolis hotel room. Tyson's rape trial took place in the Marion County superior court from January 26 to February 10, 1992.
Partial corroboration of Washington's story came via testimony from Tyson's chauffeur who confirmed Desiree Washington's state of shock after the incident. Further testimony came from the emergency room physician who examined Washington more than 24 hours after the incident and confirmed that Washington's physical condition was consistent with rape.
Under lead defense lawyer Vincent J. Fuller's direct examination, Tyson claimed that everything had taken place with Washington's full consent and he claimed not to have forced himself upon her. When he was cross-examined by lead prosecutor Gregory Garrison, Tyson denied claims that he had misled Washington and insisted that she wanted to have sex with him. Tyson was convicted on the rape charge on February 10, 1992, after the jury deliberated for nearly 10 hours.
Alan Dershowitz, acting as Tyson's counsel, filed an appeal urging error of law in the Court's exclusion of evidence of the victim's past sexual conduct (known as the Rape Shield Law), the exclusion of three potential defense witnesses, and the lack of a jury instruction on honest and reasonable mistake of fact. The Indiana Court of Appeals ruled against Tyson in a 2–1 vote. The Indiana Supreme Court let the lower court opinion stand due to a 2–2 split in its review. The tie vote was due to the fact that the Chief Justice of the Indiana Supreme Court recused himself from the case. The Chief Justice later revealed he did so because of a heated argument between his wife and Dershowitz at a Yale Law School reunion concerning the case. On March 26, 1992, Tyson was sentenced to six years in prison along with four years of probation. He was assigned to the Indiana Youth Center (now the Plainfield Correctional Facility) in April 1992, and he was released in March 1995 after serving less than three years of the sentence.
It has been widely reported that while in prison, Tyson converted to Islam and adopted the Muslim name Malik Abdul Aziz (though some sources report the adoption of a different Islamic name, Malik Shabazz). However, Tyson has stated that he converted to Islam before entering prison, but made no efforts to correct the misinformation in the media. Due to his conviction, Tyson is required to register as a Tier II sex offender under federal law.
Comeback
After being paroled from prison, Tyson easily won his comeback bouts against Peter McNeeley and Buster Mathis Jr. Tyson's first comeback fight grossed more than US$96 million worldwide, including a United States record $63 million for PPV television. The viewing of the fight was purchased by 1.52 million homes, setting both PPV viewership and revenue records. The 89-second fight elicited criticism that Tyson's management lined up "tomato cans" to ensure easy victories for his return. TV Guide included the Tyson–McNeeley fight in their list of the 50 Greatest TV Sports Moments of All Time in 1998.
Tyson regained one belt by easily winning the WBC title against Frank Bruno in March 1996. It was the second fight between the two, and Tyson knocked out Bruno in the third round. In 1996, Lennox Lewis turned down a $13.5 million guarantee to fight Tyson. This would've been Lewis's highest fight purse to date. Lewis then accepted $4 million from Don King to step aside and allow Tyson to fight Bruce Seldon for an expected $30 million instead with the intention that if Tyson defeated Seldon, he would fight Lewis next. Tyson added the WBA belt by defeating champion Seldon in the first round in September that year. Seldon was severely criticized and mocked in the popular press for seemingly collapsing to innocuous punches from Tyson.
Tyson–Holyfield fights
Tyson vs. Holyfield I
Tyson attempted to defend the WBA title against Evander Holyfield, who was in the fourth fight of his own comeback. Holyfield had retired in 1994 following the loss of his championship to Michael Moorer. It was said that Don King and others saw former champion Holyfield, who was 34 at the time of the fight and a huge underdog, as a washed-up fighter.
On November 9, 1996, in Las Vegas, Nevada, Tyson faced Holyfield in a title bout dubbed "Finally". In a surprising turn of events, Holyfield, who was given virtually no chance to win by numerous commentators, defeated Tyson by TKO when referee Mitch Halpern stopped the bout in round eleven. Holyfield became the second boxer to win a heavyweight championship belt three times. Holyfield's victory was marred by allegations from Tyson's camp of Holyfield's frequent headbutts during the bout. Although the headbutts were ruled accidental by the referee, they would become a point of contention in the subsequent rematch.
Tyson vs. Holyfield II and aftermath
Tyson and Holyfield fought again on June 28, 1997. Originally, Halpern was supposed to be the referee, but after Tyson's camp protested, Halpern stepped aside in favor of Mills Lane. The highly anticipated rematch was dubbed The Sound and the Fury, and it was held at the Las Vegas MGM Grand Garden Arena, site of the first bout. It was a lucrative event, drawing even more attention than the first bout and grossing $100 million. Tyson received $30 million and Holyfield $35 million, the highest paid professional boxing purses until 2007. The fight was purchased by 1.99 million households, setting a pay-per-view buy rate record that stood until May 5, 2007, being surpassed by Oscar De La Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Soon to become one of the most controversial events in modern sports, the fight was stopped at the end of the third round, with Tyson disqualified for biting Holyfield on both ears. The first time Tyson bit him, the match was temporarily stopped. Referee Mills Lane deducted two points from Tyson and the fight resumed. However, after the match resumed, Tyson bit him again, resulting in his disqualification, and Holyfield won the match. The first bite was severe enough to remove a piece of Holyfield's right ear, which was found on the ring floor after the fight. Tyson later stated that his actions were retaliation for Holyfield repeatedly headbutting him without penalty. In the confusion that followed the ending of the bout and announcement of the decision, a near riot occurred in the arena and several people were injured. Tyson Holyfield II was the first heavyweight title fight in over 50 years to end in a disqualification.
As a subsequent fallout from the incident, US$3 million was immediately withheld from Tyson's $30-million purse by the Nevada state boxing commission (the most it could legally hold back at the time). Two days after the fight, Tyson issued a statement, apologizing to Holyfield for his actions and asked not to be banned for life over the incident. Tyson was roundly condemned in the news media but was not without defenders. Novelist and commentator Katherine Dunn wrote a column that criticized Holyfield's sportsmanship in the controversial bout and charged the news media with being biased against Tyson.
On July 9, 1997, Tyson's boxing license was rescinded by the Nevada State Athletic Commission in a unanimous voice vote; he was also fined US$3 million and ordered to pay the legal costs of the hearing. As most state athletic commissions honor sanctions imposed by other states, this effectively made Tyson unable to box in the United States. The revocation was not permanent, as the commission voted 4–1 to restore Tyson's boxing license on October 18, 1998.
During his time away from boxing in 1998, Tyson made a guest appearance at WrestleMania XIV as an enforcer for the main event match between Shawn Michaels and Steve Austin. During this time, Tyson was also an unofficial member of Michaels's stable, D-Generation X. Tyson was paid $3 million for being guest enforcer of the match at WrestleMania XIV.
1999–2005
In January 1999, Tyson returned to the ring for a match against the South African Francois Botha. This match also ended in controversy. While Botha initially controlled the fight, Tyson allegedly attempted to break Botha's arms during a tie-up and both boxers were cautioned by the referee in the ill-tempered bout. Botha was ahead on points on all scorecards and was confident enough to mock Tyson as the fight continued. Nonetheless, Tyson landed a straight right hand in the fifth round that knocked out Botha. Critics noticed Tyson stopped using the bob and weave defense altogether following this return. Promoting the fight on Secaucus, New Jersey television station WWOR-TV, Tyson launched into an expletive-laden tirade that forced sports anchor Russ Salzberg to cut the interview short.
Legal problems arose with Tyson once again. On February 5, 1999, Tyson was sentenced to a year's imprisonment, fined $5,000, and ordered to serve two years probation along with undergoing 200 hours of community service for assaulting two motorists after a traffic accident on August 31, 1998. He served nine months of that sentence. After his release, he fought Orlin Norris on October 23, 1999. Tyson knocked down Norris with a left hook thrown after the bell sounded to end the first round. Norris injured his knee when he went down and said that he was unable to continue. Consequently, the bout was ruled a no contest.
In 2000, Tyson had three fights. The first match in January was staged at the MEN Arena in Manchester, England against Julius Francis. Following controversy as to whether Tyson was allowed into the country, he took four minutes to knock out Francis, ending the bout in the second round. He also fought Lou Savarese in June 2000 in Glasgow, winning in the first round; the fight lasted only 38 seconds. Tyson continued punching after the referee had stopped the fight, knocking the referee to the floor as he tried to separate the boxers. In October, Tyson fought the similarly controversial Andrew Golota, winning in round three after Gołota was unable to continue due to a broken cheekbone, concussion, and neck injury. The result was later changed to no contest after Tyson refused to take a pre-fight drug test and then tested positive for marijuana in a post-fight urine test. Tyson fought only once in 2001, beating Brian Nielsen in Copenhagen by TKO in the seventh round.
Lewis vs. Tyson
Tyson once again had the opportunity to fight for a heavyweight championship in 2002. Lennox Lewis held the WBC, IBF, IBO and Lineal titles at the time. As promising fighters, Tyson and Lewis had sparred at a training camp in a meeting arranged by Cus D'Amato in 1984. Tyson sought to fight Lewis in Nevada for a more lucrative box-office venue, but the Nevada Boxing Commission refused him a license to box as he was facing possible sexual assault charges at the time.
Two years prior to the bout, Tyson had made several inflammatory remarks to Lewis in an interview following the Savarese fight. The remarks included the statement "I want your heart, I want to eat your children." On January 22, 2002, the two boxers and their entourages were involved in a brawl at a New York press conference to publicize the planned event. A few weeks later, the Nevada State Athletic Commission refused to grant Tyson a license for the fight, and the promoters had to make alternative arrangements. After multiple states balked at granting Tyson a license, the fight eventually occurred on June 8 at the Pyramid Arena in Memphis, Tennessee. Lewis dominated the fight and knocked out Tyson with a right hand in the eighth round. Tyson was respectful after the fight and praised Lewis on his victory. This fight was the highest-grossing event in pay-per-view history at that time, generating $106.9 million from 1.95 million buys in the US.
Later career, bankruptcy, and retirement
In another Memphis fight on February 22, 2003, Tyson beat fringe contender Clifford Etienne 49 seconds into round one. The pre-fight was marred by rumors of Tyson's lack of fitness. Some said that he took time out from training to party in Las Vegas and get a new facial tattoo. This eventually proved to be Tyson's final professional victory in the ring.
In August 2003, after years of financial struggles, Tyson finally filed for bankruptcy. Tyson earned over $30 million for several of his fights and $300 million during his career. At the time, the media reported that he had approximately $23 million in debt.
On August 13, 2003, Tyson entered the ring for a face-to-face confrontation against K-1 fighting phenom, Bob Sapp, immediately after Sapp's win against Kimo Leopoldo in Las Vegas. K-1 signed Tyson to a contract with the hopes of making a fight happen between the two, but Tyson's felony history made it impossible for him to obtain a visa to enter Japan, where the fight would have been most profitable. Alternative locations were discussed, but the fight ultimately failed to happen.
On July 30, 2004, Tyson had a match against British boxer Danny Williams in another comeback fight, and this time, staged in Louisville, Kentucky. Tyson dominated the opening two rounds. The third round was even, with Williams getting in some clean blows and also a few illegal ones, for which he was penalized. In the fourth round, Tyson was unexpectedly knocked out. After the fight, it was revealed that Tyson was trying to fight on one leg, having torn a ligament in his other knee in the first round. This was Tyson's fifth career defeat. He underwent surgery for the ligament four days after the fight. His manager, Shelly Finkel, claimed that Tyson was unable to throw meaningful right-hand punches since he had a knee injury.
On June 11, 2005, Tyson stunned the boxing world by quitting before the start of the seventh round in a close bout against journeyman Kevin McBride. In the 2008 documentary Tyson, he stated that he fought McBride for a payday, that he did not anticipate winning, that he was in poor physical condition and fed up with taking boxing seriously. After losing three of his last four fights, Tyson said he would quit boxing because he felt he had lost his passion for the sport.
In 2000 Tyson fired everyone working for him and enlisted new accountants, who prepared a statement showing he started the year $3.3 million in debt but earned $65.7 million. In August 2007, Tyson pleaded guilty to drug possession and driving under the influence in an Arizona court, which stemmed from an arrest in December where authorities said Tyson, who has a long history of legal problems, admitted to using cocaine that day and to being addicted to the drug.
Exhibition bouts
Mike Tyson's World Tour
To help pay off his debts, Tyson announced he would be doing a series of exhibition bouts, calling it Tyson's World Tour. For his first bout, Tyson returned to the ring in 2006 for a four-round exhibition against journeyman heavyweight Corey Sanders in Youngstown, Ohio. Tyson, without headgear at 5 ft 10.5 in and 216 pounds, was in quality shape, but far from his prime against Sanders, at 6 ft 6 in who wore headgear. Tyson appeared to be "holding back" in the exhibition to prevent an early end to the "show". "If I don't get out of this financial quagmire there's a possibility I may have to be a punching bag for somebody. The money I make isn't going to help my bills from a tremendous standpoint, but I'm going to feel better about myself. I'm not going to be depressed", explained Tyson about the reasons for his "comeback". After the bout was poorly received by fans the remainder of the tour was cancelled.
Tyson vs. Jones
It was announced in July 2020 that Tyson had signed a contract to face former four-division world champion, Roy Jones Jr., in an eight-round exhibition fight. Mixed martial arts coach Rafael Cordeiro was selected to be Tyson's trainer and cornerman. The bout—officially sanctioned by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC)—was initially scheduled to take place on September 12 at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, however, the date was pushed back to November 28 in order to maximize revenue for the event. The fight went the full 8 rounds, and was declared a draw. The fight was a split draw and the three judges scored the fight as follows: Chad Dawson (76–76 draw), Christy Martin (79–73 for Tyson), and Vinny Pazienza (76–80 for Jones).
Mike Tyson's Legends Only League
In July 2020, Mike Tyson announced the creation of Mike Tyson's Legends Only League. Tyson formed the league in partnership with Sophie Watts and her company, Eros Innovations. The league provides retired professional athletes the opportunity to compete in their respective sport. On November 28, 2020, Mike Tyson fought Roy Jones Jr. at the Staples Center in the first event produced under Legends Only League. The event received largely positive reviews and was the highest selling PPV event of 2020, which ranks in the Top-10 for PPV purchased events all-time.
Legacy
Tyson was The Ring magazine's Fighter of the Year in 1986 and 1988. A 1998 ranking of "The Greatest Heavyweights of All-Time" by The Ring magazine placed Tyson at number 14 on the list. Despite criticism of facing underwhelming competition during his run as champion, Tyson's knockout power and intimidation factor made him the sport's most dynamic box-office draw. According to Douglas Quenqua of The New York Times, "The [1990s] began with Mike Tyson, considered by many to be the last great heavyweight champion, losing his title to the little-known Buster Douglas. Seven years later, Mr. Tyson bit Evander Holyfield's ear in a heavyweight champion bout—hardly a proud moment for the sport."
He is remembered for his attire of black trunks, black shoes with no socks, and a plain white towel fit around his neck in place of a traditional robe, as well as his habit of rapidly pacing the ring before the start of a fight. In his prime, Tyson rarely took a step back and had never been knocked down or seriously challenged. According to Martial Arts World Report, it gave Tyson an Honorable Mention in its Ten Greatest Heavyweights of All Time rather than a ranking because longevity is a factor and the peak period of Tyson's career lasted only about 5 years.
BoxRec currently ranks Tyson at number 13 among the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. In The Ring magazine's list of the 80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years, released in 2002, Tyson was ranked at number 72. He is ranked number 16 on The Ring magazine's 2003 list of 100 greatest punchers of all time. Tyson has defeated 11 boxers for the world heavyweight title, the seventh-most in history.
On June 12, 2011, Tyson was inducted to the International Boxing Hall of Fame alongside legendary Mexican champion Julio César Chávez, light welterweight champion Kostya Tszyu, and actor/screenwriter Sylvester Stallone. In 2011, Bleacher Report omitted Tyson from its list of top 10 heavyweights, saying that that "Mike Tyson is not a top 10 heavyweight. He killed the fighters he was supposed to beat, but when he fought another elite fighter, he always lost. I'm not talking about some of those B-level fighters he took a belt from. I'm talking about the handful of good boxers he fought throughout his career."
In 2013, Tyson was inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame and headlined the induction ceremony. Tyson was inducted into the Southern Nevada Hall of Fame in 2015 along with four other inductees with ties to Southern Nevada.
Tyson reflected on his strongest opponents in ten categories for a 2014 interview with The Ring magazine, including best jab, best defense, fastest hands, fastest feet, best chin, smartest, strongest, best puncher, best boxer, and best overall.
In 2017, The Ring magazine ranked Tyson as number 9 of 20 heavyweight champions based on a poll of panelists that included trainers, matchmakers, media, historians, and boxers, including:
Trainers: Teddy Atlas, Pat Burns, Virgil Hunter, and Don Turner
Matchmakers: Eric Bottjer, Don Chargin, Don Elbaum, Bobby Goodman, Ron Katz, Mike Marchionte, Russell Peltz, and Bruce Trampler.
Media: Al Bernstein, Ron Borges, Gareth A Davies, Norm Frauenheim, Jerry Izenberg, Harold Lederman, Paulie Malignaggi, Dan Rafael, and Michael Rosenthal
Historians: Craig Hamilton, Steve Lott, Don McRae, Bob Mee, Clay Moyle, Adam Pollack, and Randy Roberts
Boxers: Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson participated in the poll, but neither fighter ranked himself. Instead, a weighted average from the other panelists was assigned to their respective slots on their ballots.
In 2020, Bill Caplan of The Ring magazine listed Tyson as number 17 of the 20 greatest heavyweights of all time. Tyson spoke with The Ring magazine in 2020 about his six greatest victories, which included knockouts of Trevor Berbick, Pinklon Thomas, Tony Tucker, Tyrell Biggs, Larry Holmes, and Michael Spinks. In 2020, CBS Sports boxing experts Brian Campbell and Brent Brookhouse ranked the top 10 heavyweights of the last 50 years and Tyson was ranked number 7.
Life after boxing
In an interview with USA Today published on June 3, 2005, Tyson said, "My whole life has been a waste – I've been a failure." He continued: "I just want to escape. I'm really embarrassed with myself and my life. I want to be a missionary. I think I could do that while keeping my dignity without letting people know they chased me out of the country. I want to get this part of my life over as soon as possible. In this country nothing good is going to come of me. People put me so high; I wanted to tear that image down." Tyson began to spend much of his time tending to his 350 pigeons in Paradise Valley, an upscale enclave near Phoenix, Arizona.
Tyson has stayed in the limelight by promoting various websites and companies. In the past Tyson had shunned endorsements, accusing other athletes of putting on a false front to obtain them. Tyson has held entertainment boxing shows at a casino in Las Vegas and started a tour of exhibition bouts to pay off his numerous debts.
On December 29, 2006, Tyson was arrested in Scottsdale, Arizona, on suspicion of DUI and felony drug possession; he nearly crashed into a police SUV shortly after leaving a nightclub. According to a police probable-cause statement, filed in Maricopa County Superior Court, "[Tyson] admitted to using [drugs] today and stated he is an addict and has a problem." Tyson pleaded not guilty on January 22, 2007, in Maricopa County Superior Court to felony drug possession and paraphernalia possession counts and two misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence of drugs. On February 8 he checked himself into an inpatient treatment program for "various addictions" while awaiting trial on the drug charges.
On September 24, 2007, Tyson pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine and driving under the influence. He was convicted of these charges in November 2007 and sentenced to 24 hours in jail. After his release, he was ordered to serve three years' probation and complete 360 hours of community service. Prosecutors had requested a year-long jail sentence, but the judge praised Tyson for seeking help with his drug problems. On November 11, 2009, Tyson was arrested after getting into a scuffle at Los Angeles International airport with a photographer. No charges were filed.
Tyson has taken acting roles in movies and television, most famously playing a fictionalized version of himself in the 2009 film The Hangover.
In September 2011, Tyson gave an interview in which he made comments about former Alaska governor Sarah Palin including crude and violent descriptions of interracial sex. These comments were reprinted on The Daily Caller website. Journalist Greta van Susteren criticized Tyson and The Daily Caller over the comments, which she described as "smut" and "violence against women".
After debuting a one-man show in Las Vegas, Tyson collaborated with film director Spike Lee and brought the show to Broadway in August 2012. In February 2013, Tyson took his one-man show Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth on a 36-city, three-month national tour. Tyson talks about his personal and professional life on stage. The one-man show was aired on HBO on November 16, 2013.
In October 2012, Tyson launched the Mike Tyson Cares Foundation. The mission of the Mike Tyson Cares Foundation is to "give kids a fighting chance" by providing innovative centers that provide for the comprehensive needs of kids from broken homes.
In August 2013, Tyson teamed up with Acquinity Sports to form Iron Mike Productions, a boxing promotions company.
In September 2013, Tyson was featured on a six-episode television series on Fox Sports 1 that documented his personal and private life entitled Being: Mike Tyson.
In November 2013, Tyson's Undisputed Truth was published, which appeared on The New York Times Best Seller list. At the Golden Podium Awards Ceremony, Tyson received the SPORTEL Special Prize for the best autobiography.
In May 2017, Tyson published his second book, Iron Ambition, which details his time with trainer and surrogate father Cus D'Amato.
In February 2018, Tyson attended the international mixed martial arts (MMA) tournament in the Russian city of Chelyabinsk. Tyson said: "As I have travelled all over the country of Russia I have realised that the people are very sensitive and kind. But most Americans do not have any experience of that."
On May 12, 2020, Tyson posted a video on his Instagram of him training again. At the end of the video, Tyson hinted at a return to boxing by saying, "I'm back".
On May 23, 2020, at All Elite Wrestling's Double or Nothing, Tyson helped Cody defeat Lance Archer alongside Jake Roberts and presented him the inaugural AEW TNT Championship. Tyson alongside Henry Cejudo, Rashad Evans, and Vitor Belfort appeared on the May 27 episode of AEW Dynamite facing off against Chris Jericho and his stable The Inner Circle. Tyson returned to AEW on the April 7, 2021 episode of Dynamite and helped Jericho from being attacked by The Pinnacle, beating down Shawn Spears in the process. He was the special guest enforcer on the April 14 episode of Dynamite for a match between Jericho and Dax Harwood of The Pinnacle, a preview of the upcoming Inner Circle vs. Pinnacle match at Blood and Guts.
Personal life
Tyson resides in Seven Hills, Nevada. He has been married three times, and has seven children, one deceased, with three women; in addition to his biological children, Tyson includes his second wife's oldest daughter as one of his own.
His first marriage was to actress Robin Givens from February 7, 1988, to February 14, 1989. Givens was known at the time for her role on the sitcom Head of the Class. Tyson's marriage to Givens was especially tumultuous, with allegations of violence, spousal abuse, and mental instability on Tyson's part.
Matters came to a head when Tyson and Givens gave a joint interview with Barbara Walters on the ABC TV newsmagazine show 20/20 in September 1988, in which Givens described life with Tyson as "torture, pure hell, worse than anything I could possibly imagine." Givens also described Tyson as "manic depressive" – which was later confirmed by doctors – on national television while Tyson looked on with an intent and calm expression. A month later, Givens announced that she was seeking a divorce from the allegedly abusive Tyson.
According to the book Fire and Fear: The Inside Story of Mike Tyson, Tyson admitted that he punched Givens and stated, "that was the best punch I've ever thrown in my entire life." Tyson claimed that book was "filled with inaccuracies." They had no children but she reported having had a miscarriage; Tyson claimed that she was never pregnant and only used that to get him to marry her. During their marriage, the couple lived in a mansion in Bernardsville, New Jersey.
Tyson's second marriage was to Monica Turner from April 19, 1997, to January 14, 2003. At the time of the divorce filing, Turner worked as a pediatric resident at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C. She is the sister of Michael Steele, the former Lieutenant Governor of Maryland and former Republican National Committee. Turner filed for divorce from Tyson in January 2002, claiming that he committed adultery during their five-year marriage, an act that "has neither been forgiven nor condoned." The couple had two children; son Amir and Ramsey who is non-binary.
On May 25, 2009, Tyson's four-year-old daughter Exodus was found by her seven-year-old brother Miguel unconscious and tangled in a cord, dangling from an exercise treadmill. The child's mother, Sol Xochitl, untangled her, administered CPR and called for medical attention. Tyson, who was in Las Vegas at the time of the incident, traveled back to Phoenix to be with her. She died of her injuries on May 26, 2009.
Eleven days after his daughter's death, Tyson wed for the third time, to longtime girlfriend Lakiha "Kiki" Spicer, age 32, exchanging vows on Saturday, June 6, 2009, in a short, private ceremony at the La Bella Wedding Chapel at the Las Vegas Hilton. They have two children; daughter Milan and son Morocco.
In March 2011, Tyson appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show to discuss his new Animal Planet reality series Taking on Tyson. In the interview with DeGeneres, Tyson discussed some of the ways he had improved his life in the past two years, including sober living and a vegan diet. However, in August 2013 he admitted publicly that he had lied about his sobriety and was on the verge of death from alcoholism.
In November 2013, Tyson stated "the more I look at churches and mosques, the more I see the devil". But, just a month later, in a December 2013 interview with Fox News, Tyson said that he is very grateful to be a Muslim and that he needs Allah in his life. In the same interview Tyson talked about his progress with sobriety and how being in the company of good people has made him want to be a better and more humble person.
Tyson also revealed that he is no longer vegan, stating, "I was a vegan for four years but not anymore. I eat chicken every now and then. I should be a vegan. [No red meat] at all, no way! I would be very sick if I ate red meat. That's probably why I was so crazy before."
In 2015, Tyson announced that he was supporting Donald Trump's presidential candidacy.
In popular culture
At the height of his fame and career in the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s, Tyson was among the most recognized sports personalities in the world. In addition to his many sporting accomplishments, his outrageous and controversial behavior in the ring and in his private life has kept him in the public eye and in the courtroom. As such, Tyson has been the subject of myriad popular media including movies, television, books and music. He has also been featured in video games and as a subject of parody or satire. Tyson became involved in professional wrestling and has made many cameo appearances in film and television.
The film Tyson was released in 1995 and was directed by Uli Edel. It explores the life of Mike Tyson, from the death of his guardian and trainer Cus D'Amato to his rape conviction. Tyson is played by Michael Jai White.
Published in 2007, author Joe Layden's book The Last Great Fight: The Extraordinary Tale of Two Men and How One Fight Changed Their Lives Forever, chronicled the lives of Tyson and Douglas before and after their heavyweight championship fight.
In 2008, the documentary Tyson premiered at the annual Cannes Film Festival in France.
He is the titular character in Mike Tyson Mysteries, which started airing on October 27, 2014, on Adult Swim. In the animated series, Tyson voices a fictionalized version of himself, solving mysteries in the style of Scooby-Doo.
In early March 2015, Tyson appeared on the track "Iconic" on Madonna's album Rebel Heart. Tyson says some lines at the beginning of the song.
In late March 2015, Ip Man 3 was announced. With Donnie Yen reprising his role as the titular character, Bruce Lee's martial arts master, Ip Man, while Mike Tyson has been confirmed to join the cast. Principal photography began on March 25, 2015, and was premiered in Hong Kong on December 16, 2015.
In January 2017, Tyson launched his YouTube channel with Shots Studios, a comedy video and comedy music production company with young digital stars like Lele Pons and Rudy Mancuso. Tyson's channel includes parody music videos and comedy sketches.
He hosts the podcast Hotboxin' with Mike Tyson.
In October 2017, Tyson was announced as the new face of Australian car servicing franchise Ultra Tune. He has taken over from Jean-Claude van Damme in fronting television commercials for the brand, and the first advert is due to air in January 2018 during the Australian Open.
A joint Mainland China-Hong Kong-directed film on female friendship titled Girls 2: Girls vs Gangsters () that was shot earlier from July–August 2016 at several locations around Vietnam was released in March 2018, featuring Tyson as "Dragon".
Tiki Lau released a dance music single, Mike Tyson in October 2020 which includes vocals from Tyson.
In 2021, Mike's Hard Lemonade Seltzer featured ads with Tyson.
In March 2021, it was announced that Jamie Foxx will star in, and also executive produce the official scripted series, “Tyson". The limited series will be directed by Antoine Fuqua and executive produced by Martin Scorsese.
A two-part documentary series titled Mike Tyson: The Knockout premiered on May 25, 2021, on ABC
Professional boxing record
Exhibition boxing record
Pay-per-view bouts
Boxing
PPV home television
Closed-circuit theatre TV
Select pay-per-view boxing buy rates at American closed-circuit theatre television venues:
Professional wrestling
World Wrestling Federation
All Elite Wrestling
Awards and honors
Humane letters
The Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, in 1989 awarded Tyson an honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters: "Mike demonstrates that hard work, determination and perseverance can enable one to overcome any obstacles."
Boxing
Ring magazine Prospect of the Year (1985)
2× Ring magazine Fighter of the Year (1986, 1988)
2× Sugar Ray Robinson Award winner (1987, 1989)
BBC Sports Personality of the Year Overseas Personality (1989)
International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee (Class of 2011)
"Guirlande d'Honneur" by the FICTS (Milan, 2010)
Professional wrestling
WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2012)
See also
List of undisputed boxing champions
List of heavyweight boxing champions
World heavyweight boxing championship records and statistics
Notes
References
External links
Boxing Hall of Fame
ESPN.com
ESPN.com – additional information
ESPN.com – Boxing Topics: Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson amateur boxing record
"Mike Tyson Film Takes a Swing at His Old Image", 2008 article at The New York Times
"Mike Tyson Moves to the Suburbs", 2011 article at The New York Times
1966 births
Living people
20th-century American criminals
African-American boxers
African-American male professional wrestlers
African-American Muslims
American autobiographers
American male boxers
American male criminals
American male voice actors
American people convicted of assault
American people convicted of drug offenses
American people convicted of rape
American prisoners and detainees
American sportspeople convicted of crimes
BBC Sports Personality World Sport Star of the Year winners
Boxers from New York (state)
Converts to Islam
Criminals from New York (state)
Criminals from New York City
D-Generation X members
International Boxing Federation champions
International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees
Mixed martial arts referees
National Golden Gloves champions
Participants in Bulgarian reality television series
People from Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn
People from Bernardsville, New Jersey
People from Brownsville, Brooklyn
People from Catskill, New York
People from Henderson, Nevada
People from Trumbull County, Ohio
People with bipolar disorder
People with speech impediment
Prisoners and detainees of Indiana
Sportspeople from Brooklyn
Sportspeople from Las Vegas
The Ring (magazine) champions
World Boxing Association champions
World Boxing Council champions
World heavyweight boxing champions
Writers from Brooklyn
WWE Hall of Fame inductees
Participants in Argentine reality television series
Bailando por un Sueño (Argentine TV series) participants
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[
"This is a list of WBA world champions, showing every world champion certified by the World Boxing Association (WBA). The list also includes champions certified by the National Boxing Association (NBA), the predecessor to the WBA. \n\nBoxers who won the title but was immediately stripped and the title bout being overturned to a no contest will not be listed.\n\nIn December 2000, the WBA created an unprecedented situation of having a split championship in the same weight class by introducing a new title called Super world, commonly referred to simply as Super. The Super champion is highly regarded as the WBA's primary champion, while the World champion – commonly known as the Regular champion by boxing publications – is only considered the primary champion by the other three major sanctioning bodies (WBC, IBF, and WBO) if the Super title is vacant.\n\nA Unified champion is a boxer that holds the Regular title and a world title from another major sanctioning body (WBC, IBF, WBO) simultaneously. An Undisputed champion as defined by the WBA, only needs to hold three of the four major titles but in some cases they may change a Super champion into an Undisputed champion after a failed title defense (e.g. Anselmo Moreno losing to Juan Payano and Chris John losing to Simpiwe Vetyeka). This is not to be confused by professional boxing's own definition of an undisputed champion, in which a boxer must hold all four major titles.\n\nThere are two tables per section. The primary champion lineage prioritizes the Super champions. If the Super title is vacant, then the Undisputed / Unified title is listed. If both are vacant, then the Regular title becomes the primary champion. The secondary champion lineage lists the Regular or Unified champions while the primary champion is occupied.\n\nEvery Super champion is the primary champion.\nA Regular champion is a primary champion only if Super, Undisputed and Unified is vacant.\nA Unified champion is a primary champion only if Super is vacant.\nNot every Regular or Unified champion gets promoted to Super if it is vacant. \nNot every Regular champion gets to fight for the vacant Super title.\nA Regular or Unified champion that is considered the primary champion is relegated to secondary champion if Super gets occupied.\n\nHeavyweight\n\nPrimary champion lineage\n\nSecondary champion lineage\n\nCruiserweight\n\nPrimary champion lineage\n\nSecondary champion lineage\n\nLight heavyweight\n\nPrimary champion lineage\n\nSecondary champion lineage\n\nSuper middleweight\n\nPrimary champion lineage\n\nSecondary champion lineage\n\nMiddleweight\n\nPrimary champion lineage\n\nSecondary champion lineage\n\nSuper welterweight\n\nPrimary champion lineage\n\nSecondary champion lineage\n\nWelterweight\n\nPrimary champion lineage\n\nSecondary champion lineage\n\nSuper lightweight\n\nPrimary champion lineage\n\nSecondary champion lineage\n\nLightweight\n\nPrimary champion lineage\n\nSecondary champion lineage\n\nSuper featherweight\n\nPrimary champion lineage\n\nSecondary champion lineage\n\nFeatherweight\n\nPrimary champion lineage\n\nSecondary champion lineage\n\nSuper bantamweight\n\nPrimary champion lineage\n\nSecondary champion lineage\n\nBantamweight\n\nPrimary champion lineage\n\nSecondary champion lineage\n\nSuper flyweight\n\nPrimary champion lineage\n\nSecondary champion lineage\n\nFlyweight\n\nPrimary champion lineage\n\nSecondary champion lineage\n\nLight flyweight\n\nPrimary champion lineage\n\nSecondary champion lineage\n\nMinimumweight\n\nPrimary champion lineage\n\nSecondary champion lineage\n\nSee also\nList of current world boxing champions\nList of undisputed boxing champions\nList of WBC world champions\nList of IBF world champions\nList of WBO world champions\nList of The Ring world champions\nList of WBA female world champions\nList of IBO world champions\n\nNotes\n\nExternal links\nOfficial list of current WBA champions\nhttps://boxrec.com/media/index.php/National_Boxing_Association\nhttps://boxrec.com/media/index.php/NBA_World_Heavyweight_Title_Fights\nhttps://boxrec.com/media/index.php/NBA_World_Heavyweight_Champion\nhttps://titlehistories.com/boxing/wba/\nAll-time WBA World champions - Reference book\nKen Buchanan - Lightweight Champion of the World - Ken Buchanan site with detailed bio, statistics, full fights and more\n\nWBA\n\nWBA",
"An undisputed championship is a professional wrestling term for a champion who has obtained all of the major individual championships in his field during his era. The undisputed championship is an extremely rare and prestigious accomplishment.\n\nThe first undisputed champions \nThe reported first undisputed champion was George Hackenschmidt, who won a series of tournaments in Europe, including a world championship tournament to win the title. Amongst the other tournaments he won were the annual major tournaments in Paris, France; Hamburg, Germany; St. Petersburg, Russia; and Berlin, Germany. Hackenschmidt also defeated European Greco-Roman Champion Tom Cannon on September 4, 1902, in Liverpool, England to become the first undisputed World Heavyweight Champion.\n\nThe only other reigning champion with claim to the belt at the time was Tom Jenkins the American Heavyweight Championship, which unified the American Greco-Roman Championship with the American Catch-As-Catch Can Championship. Jenkins was eventually defeated by Frank Gotch, who took over as the only man with a potentially legitimate claim to being \"the true champion\".\n\nHackenschmidt and Gotch finally met in the ring on April 3, 1908, in Chicago, Illinois. Gotch defeated Hackenschmidt to win the World Heavyweight Championship, then abandoned the American Heavyweight Championship in a process similar to today's championship unification. Gotch wrestled for several years before retiring as undisputed champion\n\nOther wrestlers who were recognized as the only major World Champion following Gotch's retirement were Earl Caddock, Joe Stecher, Ed \"Strangler\" Lewis, Stanislaus Zbyszko, and Wayne Munn. The championship became disputed in the late 1920s, and remained that way for over 20 years, when several major World Heavyweight Championships split from the primary title (namely, Boston's American Wrestling Association World Heavyweight Championship, the National Boxing Association (later, National Wrestling Association) World Championship of Wrestling, and the New York State Athletic Commission World Heavyweight Championship). Other governing bodies would create their own version of the World Championship in the 1930s and 1940s, as well.\n\nLou Thesz and the National Wrestling Alliance \nAfter Gotch's retirement, several other men proceeded to hold the then World Heavyweight Championship, including periods of time where the National Wrestling Association formed a second World Heavyweight Championship to contend with the formerly undisputed belt. From that point onward, there was no undisputed champion, as multiple men laid claim to the title without ever backing it up by defeating multiple other contenders.\n\nThis all changed in July 1948, when the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) was formed by multiple promotions and awarded the NWA World Heavyweight Championship to Orville Brown. After Brown suffered career-ending injuries in an automobile accident on November 1, 1949, the NWA recognised Lou Thesz as the champion. Thesz had earlier won the National Wrestling Association's World Heavyweight Championship on July 10, 1948, from Wild Bill Longson.\n\nThesz traveled to many areas and defeated various champions. He defeated the American Wrestling Association (a Boston-based federation different from Verne Gagne's more famous organization of the same name) World Heavyweight Champion Gorgeous George on July 27, 1950, in a non-title match, and, finally, Baron Michele Leon on May 21, 1952, for the Los Angeles Olympic Auditorium World Heavyweight Championship.\n\nIn light of having unified three of the major world heavyweight championships of his time (as well as numerous other lesser-prestige titles) and defeating the reigning AWA World Heavyweight Champion in a non-title match (a major title that was abandoned soon after), Thesz became the Undisputed Champion for some time. From that point onward, the National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship (the championship belt that Thesz opted to keep as the designation of all the championships he had won) became the undisputed world heavyweight title for all contenders to seek.\n\nThis, however, would change over the years and decades to come as professional wrestling grew and evolved. The American Wrestling Association, owned by Verne Gagne split off from the NWA and declared their primary singles title a world title in 1960. The World Wide Wrestling Federation, owned by Vince McMahon, Sr. followed suit in 1963 and declared their major singles title a world championship. Many other NWA affiliated promotions would split from the NWA over the years with Ted Turner's World Championship Wrestling in 1993, and Tod Gordon's Eastern Championship Wrestling in 1994. Each of these promotions declared their primary singles championship to be a world championship.\n\nWorld Wrestling Federation/Entertainment \n\nWhen the AWA folded in 1991 with Larry Zbyszko as their final champion, one of the last major world titles was gone. Meanwhile, the NWA became less prevalent during the Monday night television ratings war that engrossed the WWF and WCW during the 1990s. ECW shut down in 2001 with Rhino as their last champion, seemingly leaving the group of prominent world championships down to two, and with WCW's subsequent fall and purchase by the WWF during the same year, the World Wrestling Federation Championship remained.\n\nWWF took full advantage of their situation, unifying the unbranded \"World Championship\" (formerly the WCW World Heavyweight Championship) and WWF Championship at Vengeance in 2001, with Chris Jericho becoming the first Undisputed WWF Champion (and the first undisputed champion in over 50 years in professional wrestling in general). The championship was then represented by the belts of its two predecessors until a singular belt design was commissioned. By May 2002, the WWF had been renamed to World Wrestling Entertainment and the Undisputed WWE Championship, as it was now called, became the top championship of the promotion.\n\nWith the purchase of WCW during the previous year, WWE's roster had doubled in size and with newly obtained properties and a desire to further expand, the promotion was essentially divided in what became known as the WWE Brand Extension. This resulted in WWE's two main programs, Raw and SmackDown, becoming distinct brands, acting as complementing promotions under WWE. The WWE Undisputed Championship was then consequently shared between both brands and soon conflict began brewing over the title. In late August 2002, after becoming the youngest WWE world champion at the time by winning the WWE Undisputed Championship, Brock Lesnar and his title were made exclusive to SmackDown. To remedy this, the Big Gold Belt was brought back the following month to represent the new World Heavyweight Championship and became Raw's top championship, thus making the WWE Championship no longer undisputed.\n\nIn 2011, the WWE Championship was temporarily referred to as \"undisputed\" again. After a storyline in which John Cena and CM Punk both claimed the WWE Championship, the two faced off at the 2011 Summerslam, resulting in a single title holder. This was not, however, the same as the undisputed title that existed between 2001 and 2002, as the World Heavyweight Championship was unaffected.\n\nImmediately following Summerslam 2011, the brand extension officially ended, meaning that both the WWE Champion and the World Heavyweight Champion could appear on both Raw and SmackDown. In November 2013, then World Heavyweight Champion John Cena made a challenge to then WWE Champion Randy Orton to determine an undisputed world champion; the match would take place at the TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs pay-per-view the following month. Randy Orton defeated John Cena in a TLC match and unified the titles. Subsequently, the World Heavyweight Championship was retired and the WWE Championship was renamed the WWE World Heavyweight Championship and retained its lineage. Like the WWE Undisputed Championship, the WWE World Heavyweight Championship was represented by the belts of its two predecessors until a singular belt design was commissioned in August 2014.\n\nIn June 2016, the WWE World Heavyweight Championship reverted to being called the WWE Championship before WWE reintroduced the brand extension the following month. The WWE Champion was drafted to SmackDown and it was renamed the WWE World Championship though reverted to WWE Championship in December 2016. In response, Raw created their own world championship, the WWE Universal Championship. With this, WWE no longer has an undisputed world champion as there are multiple world championships in the promotion again, as in addition to the WWE Championship and Universal Championship, there is also the NXT Championship of the promotion's former developmental territory NXT, which became WWE's third main brand in 2019 and its championship was elevated to world title status.\n\nImpact Wrestling\nIn early 2020, Impact Wrestling started a storyline where Moose dubbed himself \"Mr. TNA,\" claiming to represent the company's history while battling former stars—Impact Wrestling was formerly called Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) from 2002 to 2017. During the second part of Rebellion (taped April 8–10 and aired on April 28), Moose defeated Hernandez and Michael Elgin in a triple threat match which was originally scheduled to be for the Impact World Championship, but reigning champion Tessa Blanchard missed the tapings due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the match, Moose brought back the championship belt that represented the then-TNA World Heavyweight Championship from 2011 to 2017 and declared himself the TNA World Heavyweight Champion. While Impact did not officially recognize Moose as champion, Moose defended his self-appointed title several times. The following year on the February 23, 2021, episode of Impact!, the promotion's Executive Vice President Scott D'Amore announced that Moose's self-proclaimed championship was officially sanctioned with Moose immediately recognized as TNA World Heavyweight Champion. A championship unification match was then scheduled for Sacrifice on March 13, 2021, in which Impact World Champion Rich Swann would face TNA World Heavyweight Champion Moose to determine Impact's undisputed world champion. At the event, Swann defeated Moose, deactivating the TNA World Heavyweight Championship while the Impact World Championship became briefly known as the Impact Unified World Championship before reverting to Impact World Championship. The unified championship is represented by both belts.\n\nTitles disputed again \nIn 2002, two current major promotions started business; Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) and Ring of Honor (ROH). TNA took the quick route to success, gaining usage of the NWA titles through a working agreement with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). With the NWA World Heavyweight Championship back in the spotlight, TNA presented the title defenses on an international scale. TNA eventually left the NWA in 2007 and thus replaced the NWA World Heavyweight Championship with their own TNA World Heavyweight Championship. TNA was later renamed to Impact Wrestling in 2017. Meanwhile, Ring of Honor established their ROH World Championship, defending the title internationally over several continents by 2003. Another major promotion, All Elite Wrestling (AEW), started up in 2019, which quickly became the United States' second largest promotion behind WWE; their AEW World Championship was introduced later that year.\n\nAdditionally, following ECW's original closure in 2001, WWE had purchased its assets and remaining properties. In 2006, WWE re-established the Extreme Championship Wrestling franchise as a third brand to complement the existing Raw and SmackDown brands while the ECW World Heavyweight Championship was recommissioned for the new ECW brand. The brand and the title remained active within WWE until 2010.\n\nAt this moment, there is only one undisputed world heavyweight title, the Impact World Championship in Impact Wrestling. The title came from the unification of the Impact World Championship and the TNA World Heavyweight Championship on March 13, 2021; the unified title was briefly referred to as the Impact Unified World Championship before reverting to Impact World Championship. The title retains the lineage of the Impact World Championship while the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, which was only briefly sanctioned, was deactivated. The unified championship is represented by both championship belts.\n\nWWE is the only other promotion with potential claim to have an undisputed world championship, as the company currently has three world championships due to the reintroduction of the brand extension in mid-2016. Their original WWE Championship is on Raw, their newer WWE Universal Championship is on SmackDown, and the NXT Championship is on NXT, a brand that was previously a developmental territory but became one of WWE's three main brands in 2019, subsequently elevating their championship to world title status.\n\nSee also \n Championship unification\n List of early world heavyweight champions in professional wrestling\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links \n The Wrestling Information Archive\n TitleHistories.com\n Pro-Wrestling Title Histories\n\nProfessional wrestling championships\nProfessional wrestling slang"
] |
[
"Mike Tyson",
"Undisputed champion",
"What is the undisputed champion?",
"Expectations for Tyson were extremely high, and he embarked on an ambitious campaign to fight all of the top heavyweights in the world. Tyson defended his title"
] |
C_1b5dc9e3e91746cebf8036796b03646b_0
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What year did he start that journey?
| 2 |
What year did Mike Tyson start that campaign to fight all of the world's top heavyweights?
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Mike Tyson
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Expectations for Tyson were extremely high, and he embarked on an ambitious campaign to fight all of the top heavyweights in the world. Tyson defended his title against James Smith on March 7, 1987, in Las Vegas, Nevada. He won by unanimous decision and added Smith's World Boxing Association (WBA) title to his existing belt. "Tyson-mania" in the media was becoming rampant. He beat Pinklon Thomas in May with a knockout in the sixth round. On August 1 he took the International Boxing Federation (IBF) title from Tony Tucker in a twelve round unanimous decision. He became the first heavyweight to own all three major belts - WBA, WBC, and IBF - at the same time. Another fight, in October of that year, ended with a victory for Tyson over 1984 Olympic super heavyweight gold medalist Tyrell Biggs by knockout in the seventh round. During this time, Tyson came to the attention of gaming company Nintendo. After witnessing one of Tyson's fights, Nintendo of America president, Minoru Arakawa was impressed by the fighter's "power and skill", prompting him to suggest Tyson be included in the upcoming Nintendo Entertainment System port of the Punch Out!! arcade game. In 1987, Nintendo released Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!, which was well received and sold more than a million copies. Tyson had three fights in 1988. He faced Larry Holmes on January 22, 1988, and defeated the legendary former champion by a fourth round KO. This was the only knockout loss Holmes suffered in 75 professional bouts. In March, Tyson then fought contender Tony Tubbs in Tokyo, Japan, fitting in an easy two-round victory amid promotional and marketing work. On June 27, 1988, Tyson faced Michael Spinks. Spinks, who had taken the heavyweight championship from Larry Holmes via a 15-round decision in 1985, had not lost his title in the ring but was not recognized as champion by the major boxing organizations. Holmes had previously given up all but the IBF title, and that was eventually stripped from Spinks after he elected to fight Gerry Cooney (winning by a 5th-round TKO) rather than IBF Number 1 Contender Tony Tucker, as the Cooney fight provided him a larger purse. However, Spinks did become the lineal champion by beating Holmes and many (including Ring magazine) considered him to have a legitimate claim to being the true heavyweight champion. The bout was, at the time, the richest fight in history and expectations were very high. Boxing pundits were predicting a titanic battle of styles, with Tyson's aggressive infighting conflicting with Spinks' skillful out-boxing and footwork. The fight ended after 91 seconds when Tyson knocked Spinks out in the first round; many consider this to be the pinnacle of Tyson's fame and boxing ability. CANNOTANSWER
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Tyson defended his title against James Smith on March 7, 1987, in Las Vegas, Nevada. He won by unanimous decision
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Michael Gerard Tyson (born June 30, 1966) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1985 to 2005. Nicknamed "Iron Mike" and "Kid Dynamite" in his early career, and later known as "The Baddest Man on the Planet", Tyson is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. He reigned as the undisputed world heavyweight champion from 1987 to 1990. Tyson won his first 19 professional fights by knockout, 12 of them in the first round. Claiming his first belt at 20 years, four months, and 22 days old, Tyson holds the record as the youngest boxer ever to win a heavyweight title. He was the first heavyweight boxer to simultaneously hold the WBA, WBC and IBF titles, as well as the only heavyweight to unify them in succession. The following year, Tyson became the lineal champion when he knocked out Michael Spinks in 91 seconds of the first round. In 1990, Tyson was knocked out by underdog Buster Douglas in one of the biggest upsets in history.
In 1992, Tyson was convicted of rape and sentenced to six years in prison, although he was released on parole after three years. After his release in 1995, he engaged in a series of comeback fights, regaining the WBA and WBC titles in 1996 to join Floyd Patterson, Muhammad Ali, Tim Witherspoon, Evander Holyfield and George Foreman as the only men in boxing history to have regained a heavyweight championship after losing it. After being stripped of the WBC title in the same year, Tyson lost the WBA title to Evander Holyfield by an eleventh round stoppage. Their 1997 rematch ended when Tyson was disqualified for biting Holyfield's ears, one bite notoriously being strong enough to remove a portion of his right ear. In 2002, Tyson fought for the world heavyweight title, losing by knockout to Lennox Lewis.
Tyson was known for his ferocious and intimidating boxing style as well as his controversial behavior inside and outside the ring. With a knockout-to-win percentage of 88%, he was ranked 16th on The Ring magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time, and first on ESPN's list of "The Hardest Hitters in Heavyweight History". Sky Sports described him as "perhaps the most ferocious fighter to step into a professional ring". He has been inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame.
Early life
Michael Gerard Tyson was born in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, New York City on June 30, 1966. He has an older brother named Rodney (born c. 1961) and an older sister named Denise, who died of a heart attack at age 24 in February 1990. Tyson's biological father is listed as "Purcell Tyson" (who was from Jamaica) on his birth certificate, but the man Tyson had known as his father was Jimmy Kirkpatrick. Kirkpatrick was from Grier Town, North Carolina (a predominantly black neighborhood that was annexed by the city of Charlotte), where he was one of the neighborhood's top baseball players. Kirkpatrick married and had a son, Tyson's half-brother Jimmie Lee Kirkpatrick, who would help to integrate Charlotte high school football in 1965. In 1959, Jimmy Kirkpatrick left his family and moved to Brooklyn, where he met Tyson's mother, Lorna Mae (Smith) Tyson. Kirkpatrick frequented pool halls, gambled and hung out on the streets. "My father was just a regular street guy caught up in the street world," Tyson said. Kirkpatrick abandoned the Tyson family around the time Mike was born, leaving Tyson's mother to care for the children on her own. Kirkpatrick died in 1992.
The family lived in Bedford-Stuyvesant until their financial burdens necessitated a move to Brownsville when Tyson was 10 years old. Tyson's mother died six years later, leaving 16-year-old Tyson in the care of boxing manager and trainer Cus D'Amato, who would become his legal guardian. Tyson later said, "I never saw my mother happy with me and proud of me for doing something: she only knew me as being a wild kid running the streets, coming home with new clothes that she knew I didn't pay for. I never got a chance to talk to her or know about her. Professionally, it has no effect, but it's crushing emotionally and personally."
Throughout his childhood, Tyson lived in and around neighborhoods with a high rate of crime. According to an interview in Details, his first fight was with a bigger youth who had pulled the head off one of Tyson's pigeons. Tyson was repeatedly caught committing petty crimes and fighting those who ridiculed his high-pitched voice and lisp. By the age of 13, he had been arrested 38 times. He ended up at the Tryon School for Boys in Johnstown, New York. Tyson's emerging boxing ability was discovered there by Bobby Stewart, a juvenile detention center counselor and former boxer. Stewart considered Tyson to be an outstanding fighter and trained him for a few months before introducing him to Cus D'Amato. Tyson dropped out of high school as a junior. He would be awarded an honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from Central State University in 1989. Kevin Rooney also trained Tyson, and he was occasionally assisted by Teddy Atlas, although Atlas was dismissed by D'Amato when Tyson was 15. Rooney eventually took over all training duties for the young fighter.
Amateur career
As an amateur, Tyson won gold medals at the 1981 and 1982 Junior Olympic Games, defeating Joe Cortez in 1981 and beating Kelton Brown in 1982. Brown's corner threw in the towel in the first round. In 1984 Tyson won the gold medal at the Nation Golden Gloves held in New York, beating Jonathan Littles. He fought Henry Tillman twice as an amateur, losing both bouts by decision. Tillman went on to win heavyweight gold at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Professional career
Rise to stardom
Tyson made his professional debut as an 18-year-old on March 6, 1985, in Albany, New York. He defeated Hector Mercedes via first-round TKO. He had 15 bouts in his first year as a professional. Fighting frequently, Tyson won 26 of his first 28 fights by KO or TKO; 16 of those came in the first round. The quality of his opponents gradually increased to journeyman fighters and borderline contenders, like James Tillis, David Jaco, Jesse Ferguson, Mitch Green, and Marvis Frazier. His win streak attracted media attention and Tyson was billed as the next great heavyweight champion. D'Amato died in November 1985, relatively early into Tyson's professional career, and some speculate that his death was the catalyst to many of the troubles Tyson was to experience as his life and career progressed.
Tyson's first nationally televised bout took place on February 16, 1986, at Houston Field House in Troy, New York, against journeyman heavyweight Jesse Ferguson, and was carried by ABC Sports. Tyson knocked down Ferguson with an uppercut in the fifth round that broke Ferguson's nose. During the sixth round, Ferguson began to hold and clinch Tyson in an apparent attempt to avoid further punishment. After admonishing Ferguson several times to obey his commands to box, the referee finally stopped the fight near the middle of the sixth round. The fight was initially ruled a win for Tyson by disqualification (DQ) of his opponent. The ruling was "adjusted" to a win by technical knockout (TKO) after Tyson's corner protested that a DQ win would end Tyson's string of knockout victories, and that a knockout would have been the inevitable result.
In July, after recording six more knockout victories, Tyson fought former world title challenger Marvis Frazier in Glens Falls, New York, on another ABC Sports broadcast. Tyson won easily, charging at Frazier at the opening bell and hitting him with an uppercut that knocked Frazier unconscious thirty seconds into the fight.
On November 22, 1986, Tyson was given his first title fight against Trevor Berbick for the World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight championship. Tyson won the title by TKO in the second round, and at the age of 20 years and 4 months became the youngest heavyweight champion in history. He added the WBA and IBF titles after defeating James Smith and Tony Tucker in 1987. Tyson's dominant performance brought many accolades. Donald Saunders wrote: "The noble and manly art of boxing can at least cease worrying about its immediate future, now [that] it has discovered a heavyweight champion fit to stand alongside Dempsey, Tunney, Louis, Marciano, and Ali."
Tyson intimidated fighters with his strength, combined with outstanding hand speed, accuracy, coordination and timing. Tyson also possessed notable defensive abilities, holding his hands high in the peek-a-boo style taught by his mentor Cus D'Amato to slip under and weave around his opponent's punches while timing his own. Tyson's explosive punching technique was due in large part to crouching immediately prior to throwing a hook or an uppercut: this allowed the 'spring' of his legs to add power to the punch. Among his signature moves was a right hook to his opponent's body followed by a right uppercut to his opponent's chin. Lorenzo Boyd, Jesse Ferguson and José Ribalta were each knocked down by this combination.
Undisputed champion
Expectations for Tyson were extremely high, and he was the favorite to win the heavyweight unification series, a tournament designed to establish an undisputed heavyweight champion. Tyson defended his title against James Smith on March 7, 1987, in Las Vegas, Nevada. He won by unanimous decision and added Smith's World Boxing Association (WBA) title to his existing belt. "Tyson-mania" in the media was becoming rampant. He beat Pinklon Thomas in May by TKO in the sixth round. On August 1 he took the International Boxing Federation (IBF) title from Tony Tucker in a twelve-round unanimous decision 119–111, 118–113, and 116–112. He became the first heavyweight to own all three major belts – WBA, WBC, and IBF – at the same time. Another fight, in October of that year, ended with a victory for Tyson over 1984 Olympic super heavyweight gold medalist Tyrell Biggs by TKO in the seventh round.
During this time, Tyson came to the attention of gaming company Nintendo. After witnessing one of Tyson's fights, Nintendo of America president Minoru Arakawa was impressed by the fighter's "power and skill", prompting him to suggest Tyson be included in the upcoming Nintendo Entertainment System port of the Punch Out!! arcade game. In 1987, Nintendo released Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!, which was well received and sold more than a million copies.
Tyson had three fights in 1988. He faced Larry Holmes on January 22, 1988, and defeated the legendary former champion by KO in the fourth round. This was the only knockout loss Holmes suffered in 75 professional bouts. In March, Tyson then fought contender Tony Tubbs in Tokyo, Japan, fitting in an easy second-round TKO victory amid promotional and marketing work.
On June 27, 1988, Tyson faced Michael Spinks. Spinks, who had taken the heavyweight championship from Larry Holmes via fifteen-round decision in 1985, had not lost his title in the ring but was not recognized as champion by the major boxing organizations. Holmes had previously given up all but the IBF title, and that was eventually stripped from Spinks after he elected to fight Gerry Cooney (winning by TKO in the fifth round) rather than IBF Number 1 Contender Tony Tucker, as the Cooney fight provided him a larger purse. However, Spinks did become the lineal champion by beating Holmes and many (including Ring magazine) considered him to have a legitimate claim to being the true heavyweight champion. The bout was, at the time, the richest fight in history and expectations were very high. Boxing pundits were predicting a titanic battle of styles, with Tyson's aggressive infighting conflicting with Spinks's skillful out-boxing and footwork. The fight ended after 91 seconds when Tyson knocked Spinks out in the first round; many consider this to be the pinnacle of Tyson's fame and boxing ability.
Controversy and upset
During this period, Tyson's problems outside the ring were also starting to emerge. His marriage to Robin Givens was heading for divorce, and his future contract was being fought over by Don King and Bill Cayton. In late 1988, Tyson parted with manager Bill Cayton and fired longtime trainer Kevin Rooney, the man many credit for honing Tyson's craft after the death of D'Amato. Following Rooney's departure, critics alleged that Tyson began to show less head movement and combination punching. In 1989, Tyson had only two fights amid personal turmoil. He faced the British boxer Frank Bruno in February. Bruno managed to stun Tyson at the end of the first round, although Tyson went on to knock Bruno out in the fifth round. Tyson then knocked out Carl "The Truth" Williams in the first round in July.
By 1990, Tyson seemed to have lost direction, and his personal life was in disarray amidst reports of less vigorous training prior to the Buster Douglas match. In a fight on February 11, 1990, he lost the undisputed championship to Douglas in Tokyo. Tyson was a huge betting favorite; indeed, the Mirage, the only casino to put out odds for the fight, made Tyson a 42/1 favorite. Tyson failed to find a way past Douglas's quick jab that had a reach advantage over his own. Tyson did catch Douglas with an uppercut in the eighth round and knocked him to the floor, but Douglas recovered sufficiently to hand Tyson a heavy beating in the subsequent two rounds. After the fight, the Tyson camp would complain that the count was slow and that Douglas had taken longer than ten seconds to get back on his feet. Just 35 seconds into the tenth round, Douglas unleashed a brutal uppercut, followed by a four-punch combination of hooks that sent Tyson to the canvas for the first time in his career. He was counted out by referee Octavio Meyran.
The knockout victory by Douglas over Tyson, the previously undefeated "baddest man on the planet" and arguably the most feared boxer in professional boxing at that time, has been described as one of the most shocking upsets in modern sports history.
After Douglas
Despite the shocking loss, Tyson has said that losing to Douglas was the greatest moment of his career. “I needed that fight to make me a better person and fighter. I have a broader perspective of myself and boxing.”
After the loss, Tyson recovered with first-round knockouts of Henry Tillman and Alex Stewart in his next two fights. Tyson's victory over Tillman, the 1984 Olympic heavyweight gold medalist, enabled Tyson to avenge his amateur losses at Tillman's hands. These bouts set up an elimination match for another shot at the undisputed world heavyweight championship, which Evander Holyfield had taken from Douglas in his first defense of the title.
Tyson, who was the number one contender, faced number two contender Donovan "Razor" Ruddock on March 18, 1991, in Las Vegas. Ruddock was seen as the most dangerous heavyweight around and was thought of as one of the hardest punching heavyweights. Tyson and Ruddock went back and forth for most of the fight, until referee Richard Steele controversially stopped the fight during the seventh round in favor of Tyson. This decision infuriated the fans in attendance, sparking a post-fight melee in the audience. The referee had to be escorted from the ring.
Tyson and Ruddock met again on June 28 that year, with Tyson knocking down Ruddock twice and winning a twelve-round unanimous decision 113–109, 114–108, and 114–108. A fight between Tyson and Holyfield for the undisputed championship was scheduled for November 8, 1991, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, but Tyson pulled out after sustaining a rib cartilage injury during training.
Rape trial and prison
Tyson was arrested in July 1991 for the rape of 18-year-old Desiree Washington, Miss Black Rhode Island, in an Indianapolis hotel room. Tyson's rape trial took place in the Marion County superior court from January 26 to February 10, 1992.
Partial corroboration of Washington's story came via testimony from Tyson's chauffeur who confirmed Desiree Washington's state of shock after the incident. Further testimony came from the emergency room physician who examined Washington more than 24 hours after the incident and confirmed that Washington's physical condition was consistent with rape.
Under lead defense lawyer Vincent J. Fuller's direct examination, Tyson claimed that everything had taken place with Washington's full consent and he claimed not to have forced himself upon her. When he was cross-examined by lead prosecutor Gregory Garrison, Tyson denied claims that he had misled Washington and insisted that she wanted to have sex with him. Tyson was convicted on the rape charge on February 10, 1992, after the jury deliberated for nearly 10 hours.
Alan Dershowitz, acting as Tyson's counsel, filed an appeal urging error of law in the Court's exclusion of evidence of the victim's past sexual conduct (known as the Rape Shield Law), the exclusion of three potential defense witnesses, and the lack of a jury instruction on honest and reasonable mistake of fact. The Indiana Court of Appeals ruled against Tyson in a 2–1 vote. The Indiana Supreme Court let the lower court opinion stand due to a 2–2 split in its review. The tie vote was due to the fact that the Chief Justice of the Indiana Supreme Court recused himself from the case. The Chief Justice later revealed he did so because of a heated argument between his wife and Dershowitz at a Yale Law School reunion concerning the case. On March 26, 1992, Tyson was sentenced to six years in prison along with four years of probation. He was assigned to the Indiana Youth Center (now the Plainfield Correctional Facility) in April 1992, and he was released in March 1995 after serving less than three years of the sentence.
It has been widely reported that while in prison, Tyson converted to Islam and adopted the Muslim name Malik Abdul Aziz (though some sources report the adoption of a different Islamic name, Malik Shabazz). However, Tyson has stated that he converted to Islam before entering prison, but made no efforts to correct the misinformation in the media. Due to his conviction, Tyson is required to register as a Tier II sex offender under federal law.
Comeback
After being paroled from prison, Tyson easily won his comeback bouts against Peter McNeeley and Buster Mathis Jr. Tyson's first comeback fight grossed more than US$96 million worldwide, including a United States record $63 million for PPV television. The viewing of the fight was purchased by 1.52 million homes, setting both PPV viewership and revenue records. The 89-second fight elicited criticism that Tyson's management lined up "tomato cans" to ensure easy victories for his return. TV Guide included the Tyson–McNeeley fight in their list of the 50 Greatest TV Sports Moments of All Time in 1998.
Tyson regained one belt by easily winning the WBC title against Frank Bruno in March 1996. It was the second fight between the two, and Tyson knocked out Bruno in the third round. In 1996, Lennox Lewis turned down a $13.5 million guarantee to fight Tyson. This would've been Lewis's highest fight purse to date. Lewis then accepted $4 million from Don King to step aside and allow Tyson to fight Bruce Seldon for an expected $30 million instead with the intention that if Tyson defeated Seldon, he would fight Lewis next. Tyson added the WBA belt by defeating champion Seldon in the first round in September that year. Seldon was severely criticized and mocked in the popular press for seemingly collapsing to innocuous punches from Tyson.
Tyson–Holyfield fights
Tyson vs. Holyfield I
Tyson attempted to defend the WBA title against Evander Holyfield, who was in the fourth fight of his own comeback. Holyfield had retired in 1994 following the loss of his championship to Michael Moorer. It was said that Don King and others saw former champion Holyfield, who was 34 at the time of the fight and a huge underdog, as a washed-up fighter.
On November 9, 1996, in Las Vegas, Nevada, Tyson faced Holyfield in a title bout dubbed "Finally". In a surprising turn of events, Holyfield, who was given virtually no chance to win by numerous commentators, defeated Tyson by TKO when referee Mitch Halpern stopped the bout in round eleven. Holyfield became the second boxer to win a heavyweight championship belt three times. Holyfield's victory was marred by allegations from Tyson's camp of Holyfield's frequent headbutts during the bout. Although the headbutts were ruled accidental by the referee, they would become a point of contention in the subsequent rematch.
Tyson vs. Holyfield II and aftermath
Tyson and Holyfield fought again on June 28, 1997. Originally, Halpern was supposed to be the referee, but after Tyson's camp protested, Halpern stepped aside in favor of Mills Lane. The highly anticipated rematch was dubbed The Sound and the Fury, and it was held at the Las Vegas MGM Grand Garden Arena, site of the first bout. It was a lucrative event, drawing even more attention than the first bout and grossing $100 million. Tyson received $30 million and Holyfield $35 million, the highest paid professional boxing purses until 2007. The fight was purchased by 1.99 million households, setting a pay-per-view buy rate record that stood until May 5, 2007, being surpassed by Oscar De La Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Soon to become one of the most controversial events in modern sports, the fight was stopped at the end of the third round, with Tyson disqualified for biting Holyfield on both ears. The first time Tyson bit him, the match was temporarily stopped. Referee Mills Lane deducted two points from Tyson and the fight resumed. However, after the match resumed, Tyson bit him again, resulting in his disqualification, and Holyfield won the match. The first bite was severe enough to remove a piece of Holyfield's right ear, which was found on the ring floor after the fight. Tyson later stated that his actions were retaliation for Holyfield repeatedly headbutting him without penalty. In the confusion that followed the ending of the bout and announcement of the decision, a near riot occurred in the arena and several people were injured. Tyson Holyfield II was the first heavyweight title fight in over 50 years to end in a disqualification.
As a subsequent fallout from the incident, US$3 million was immediately withheld from Tyson's $30-million purse by the Nevada state boxing commission (the most it could legally hold back at the time). Two days after the fight, Tyson issued a statement, apologizing to Holyfield for his actions and asked not to be banned for life over the incident. Tyson was roundly condemned in the news media but was not without defenders. Novelist and commentator Katherine Dunn wrote a column that criticized Holyfield's sportsmanship in the controversial bout and charged the news media with being biased against Tyson.
On July 9, 1997, Tyson's boxing license was rescinded by the Nevada State Athletic Commission in a unanimous voice vote; he was also fined US$3 million and ordered to pay the legal costs of the hearing. As most state athletic commissions honor sanctions imposed by other states, this effectively made Tyson unable to box in the United States. The revocation was not permanent, as the commission voted 4–1 to restore Tyson's boxing license on October 18, 1998.
During his time away from boxing in 1998, Tyson made a guest appearance at WrestleMania XIV as an enforcer for the main event match between Shawn Michaels and Steve Austin. During this time, Tyson was also an unofficial member of Michaels's stable, D-Generation X. Tyson was paid $3 million for being guest enforcer of the match at WrestleMania XIV.
1999–2005
In January 1999, Tyson returned to the ring for a match against the South African Francois Botha. This match also ended in controversy. While Botha initially controlled the fight, Tyson allegedly attempted to break Botha's arms during a tie-up and both boxers were cautioned by the referee in the ill-tempered bout. Botha was ahead on points on all scorecards and was confident enough to mock Tyson as the fight continued. Nonetheless, Tyson landed a straight right hand in the fifth round that knocked out Botha. Critics noticed Tyson stopped using the bob and weave defense altogether following this return. Promoting the fight on Secaucus, New Jersey television station WWOR-TV, Tyson launched into an expletive-laden tirade that forced sports anchor Russ Salzberg to cut the interview short.
Legal problems arose with Tyson once again. On February 5, 1999, Tyson was sentenced to a year's imprisonment, fined $5,000, and ordered to serve two years probation along with undergoing 200 hours of community service for assaulting two motorists after a traffic accident on August 31, 1998. He served nine months of that sentence. After his release, he fought Orlin Norris on October 23, 1999. Tyson knocked down Norris with a left hook thrown after the bell sounded to end the first round. Norris injured his knee when he went down and said that he was unable to continue. Consequently, the bout was ruled a no contest.
In 2000, Tyson had three fights. The first match in January was staged at the MEN Arena in Manchester, England against Julius Francis. Following controversy as to whether Tyson was allowed into the country, he took four minutes to knock out Francis, ending the bout in the second round. He also fought Lou Savarese in June 2000 in Glasgow, winning in the first round; the fight lasted only 38 seconds. Tyson continued punching after the referee had stopped the fight, knocking the referee to the floor as he tried to separate the boxers. In October, Tyson fought the similarly controversial Andrew Golota, winning in round three after Gołota was unable to continue due to a broken cheekbone, concussion, and neck injury. The result was later changed to no contest after Tyson refused to take a pre-fight drug test and then tested positive for marijuana in a post-fight urine test. Tyson fought only once in 2001, beating Brian Nielsen in Copenhagen by TKO in the seventh round.
Lewis vs. Tyson
Tyson once again had the opportunity to fight for a heavyweight championship in 2002. Lennox Lewis held the WBC, IBF, IBO and Lineal titles at the time. As promising fighters, Tyson and Lewis had sparred at a training camp in a meeting arranged by Cus D'Amato in 1984. Tyson sought to fight Lewis in Nevada for a more lucrative box-office venue, but the Nevada Boxing Commission refused him a license to box as he was facing possible sexual assault charges at the time.
Two years prior to the bout, Tyson had made several inflammatory remarks to Lewis in an interview following the Savarese fight. The remarks included the statement "I want your heart, I want to eat your children." On January 22, 2002, the two boxers and their entourages were involved in a brawl at a New York press conference to publicize the planned event. A few weeks later, the Nevada State Athletic Commission refused to grant Tyson a license for the fight, and the promoters had to make alternative arrangements. After multiple states balked at granting Tyson a license, the fight eventually occurred on June 8 at the Pyramid Arena in Memphis, Tennessee. Lewis dominated the fight and knocked out Tyson with a right hand in the eighth round. Tyson was respectful after the fight and praised Lewis on his victory. This fight was the highest-grossing event in pay-per-view history at that time, generating $106.9 million from 1.95 million buys in the US.
Later career, bankruptcy, and retirement
In another Memphis fight on February 22, 2003, Tyson beat fringe contender Clifford Etienne 49 seconds into round one. The pre-fight was marred by rumors of Tyson's lack of fitness. Some said that he took time out from training to party in Las Vegas and get a new facial tattoo. This eventually proved to be Tyson's final professional victory in the ring.
In August 2003, after years of financial struggles, Tyson finally filed for bankruptcy. Tyson earned over $30 million for several of his fights and $300 million during his career. At the time, the media reported that he had approximately $23 million in debt.
On August 13, 2003, Tyson entered the ring for a face-to-face confrontation against K-1 fighting phenom, Bob Sapp, immediately after Sapp's win against Kimo Leopoldo in Las Vegas. K-1 signed Tyson to a contract with the hopes of making a fight happen between the two, but Tyson's felony history made it impossible for him to obtain a visa to enter Japan, where the fight would have been most profitable. Alternative locations were discussed, but the fight ultimately failed to happen.
On July 30, 2004, Tyson had a match against British boxer Danny Williams in another comeback fight, and this time, staged in Louisville, Kentucky. Tyson dominated the opening two rounds. The third round was even, with Williams getting in some clean blows and also a few illegal ones, for which he was penalized. In the fourth round, Tyson was unexpectedly knocked out. After the fight, it was revealed that Tyson was trying to fight on one leg, having torn a ligament in his other knee in the first round. This was Tyson's fifth career defeat. He underwent surgery for the ligament four days after the fight. His manager, Shelly Finkel, claimed that Tyson was unable to throw meaningful right-hand punches since he had a knee injury.
On June 11, 2005, Tyson stunned the boxing world by quitting before the start of the seventh round in a close bout against journeyman Kevin McBride. In the 2008 documentary Tyson, he stated that he fought McBride for a payday, that he did not anticipate winning, that he was in poor physical condition and fed up with taking boxing seriously. After losing three of his last four fights, Tyson said he would quit boxing because he felt he had lost his passion for the sport.
In 2000 Tyson fired everyone working for him and enlisted new accountants, who prepared a statement showing he started the year $3.3 million in debt but earned $65.7 million. In August 2007, Tyson pleaded guilty to drug possession and driving under the influence in an Arizona court, which stemmed from an arrest in December where authorities said Tyson, who has a long history of legal problems, admitted to using cocaine that day and to being addicted to the drug.
Exhibition bouts
Mike Tyson's World Tour
To help pay off his debts, Tyson announced he would be doing a series of exhibition bouts, calling it Tyson's World Tour. For his first bout, Tyson returned to the ring in 2006 for a four-round exhibition against journeyman heavyweight Corey Sanders in Youngstown, Ohio. Tyson, without headgear at 5 ft 10.5 in and 216 pounds, was in quality shape, but far from his prime against Sanders, at 6 ft 6 in who wore headgear. Tyson appeared to be "holding back" in the exhibition to prevent an early end to the "show". "If I don't get out of this financial quagmire there's a possibility I may have to be a punching bag for somebody. The money I make isn't going to help my bills from a tremendous standpoint, but I'm going to feel better about myself. I'm not going to be depressed", explained Tyson about the reasons for his "comeback". After the bout was poorly received by fans the remainder of the tour was cancelled.
Tyson vs. Jones
It was announced in July 2020 that Tyson had signed a contract to face former four-division world champion, Roy Jones Jr., in an eight-round exhibition fight. Mixed martial arts coach Rafael Cordeiro was selected to be Tyson's trainer and cornerman. The bout—officially sanctioned by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC)—was initially scheduled to take place on September 12 at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, however, the date was pushed back to November 28 in order to maximize revenue for the event. The fight went the full 8 rounds, and was declared a draw. The fight was a split draw and the three judges scored the fight as follows: Chad Dawson (76–76 draw), Christy Martin (79–73 for Tyson), and Vinny Pazienza (76–80 for Jones).
Mike Tyson's Legends Only League
In July 2020, Mike Tyson announced the creation of Mike Tyson's Legends Only League. Tyson formed the league in partnership with Sophie Watts and her company, Eros Innovations. The league provides retired professional athletes the opportunity to compete in their respective sport. On November 28, 2020, Mike Tyson fought Roy Jones Jr. at the Staples Center in the first event produced under Legends Only League. The event received largely positive reviews and was the highest selling PPV event of 2020, which ranks in the Top-10 for PPV purchased events all-time.
Legacy
Tyson was The Ring magazine's Fighter of the Year in 1986 and 1988. A 1998 ranking of "The Greatest Heavyweights of All-Time" by The Ring magazine placed Tyson at number 14 on the list. Despite criticism of facing underwhelming competition during his run as champion, Tyson's knockout power and intimidation factor made him the sport's most dynamic box-office draw. According to Douglas Quenqua of The New York Times, "The [1990s] began with Mike Tyson, considered by many to be the last great heavyweight champion, losing his title to the little-known Buster Douglas. Seven years later, Mr. Tyson bit Evander Holyfield's ear in a heavyweight champion bout—hardly a proud moment for the sport."
He is remembered for his attire of black trunks, black shoes with no socks, and a plain white towel fit around his neck in place of a traditional robe, as well as his habit of rapidly pacing the ring before the start of a fight. In his prime, Tyson rarely took a step back and had never been knocked down or seriously challenged. According to Martial Arts World Report, it gave Tyson an Honorable Mention in its Ten Greatest Heavyweights of All Time rather than a ranking because longevity is a factor and the peak period of Tyson's career lasted only about 5 years.
BoxRec currently ranks Tyson at number 13 among the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. In The Ring magazine's list of the 80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years, released in 2002, Tyson was ranked at number 72. He is ranked number 16 on The Ring magazine's 2003 list of 100 greatest punchers of all time. Tyson has defeated 11 boxers for the world heavyweight title, the seventh-most in history.
On June 12, 2011, Tyson was inducted to the International Boxing Hall of Fame alongside legendary Mexican champion Julio César Chávez, light welterweight champion Kostya Tszyu, and actor/screenwriter Sylvester Stallone. In 2011, Bleacher Report omitted Tyson from its list of top 10 heavyweights, saying that that "Mike Tyson is not a top 10 heavyweight. He killed the fighters he was supposed to beat, but when he fought another elite fighter, he always lost. I'm not talking about some of those B-level fighters he took a belt from. I'm talking about the handful of good boxers he fought throughout his career."
In 2013, Tyson was inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame and headlined the induction ceremony. Tyson was inducted into the Southern Nevada Hall of Fame in 2015 along with four other inductees with ties to Southern Nevada.
Tyson reflected on his strongest opponents in ten categories for a 2014 interview with The Ring magazine, including best jab, best defense, fastest hands, fastest feet, best chin, smartest, strongest, best puncher, best boxer, and best overall.
In 2017, The Ring magazine ranked Tyson as number 9 of 20 heavyweight champions based on a poll of panelists that included trainers, matchmakers, media, historians, and boxers, including:
Trainers: Teddy Atlas, Pat Burns, Virgil Hunter, and Don Turner
Matchmakers: Eric Bottjer, Don Chargin, Don Elbaum, Bobby Goodman, Ron Katz, Mike Marchionte, Russell Peltz, and Bruce Trampler.
Media: Al Bernstein, Ron Borges, Gareth A Davies, Norm Frauenheim, Jerry Izenberg, Harold Lederman, Paulie Malignaggi, Dan Rafael, and Michael Rosenthal
Historians: Craig Hamilton, Steve Lott, Don McRae, Bob Mee, Clay Moyle, Adam Pollack, and Randy Roberts
Boxers: Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson participated in the poll, but neither fighter ranked himself. Instead, a weighted average from the other panelists was assigned to their respective slots on their ballots.
In 2020, Bill Caplan of The Ring magazine listed Tyson as number 17 of the 20 greatest heavyweights of all time. Tyson spoke with The Ring magazine in 2020 about his six greatest victories, which included knockouts of Trevor Berbick, Pinklon Thomas, Tony Tucker, Tyrell Biggs, Larry Holmes, and Michael Spinks. In 2020, CBS Sports boxing experts Brian Campbell and Brent Brookhouse ranked the top 10 heavyweights of the last 50 years and Tyson was ranked number 7.
Life after boxing
In an interview with USA Today published on June 3, 2005, Tyson said, "My whole life has been a waste – I've been a failure." He continued: "I just want to escape. I'm really embarrassed with myself and my life. I want to be a missionary. I think I could do that while keeping my dignity without letting people know they chased me out of the country. I want to get this part of my life over as soon as possible. In this country nothing good is going to come of me. People put me so high; I wanted to tear that image down." Tyson began to spend much of his time tending to his 350 pigeons in Paradise Valley, an upscale enclave near Phoenix, Arizona.
Tyson has stayed in the limelight by promoting various websites and companies. In the past Tyson had shunned endorsements, accusing other athletes of putting on a false front to obtain them. Tyson has held entertainment boxing shows at a casino in Las Vegas and started a tour of exhibition bouts to pay off his numerous debts.
On December 29, 2006, Tyson was arrested in Scottsdale, Arizona, on suspicion of DUI and felony drug possession; he nearly crashed into a police SUV shortly after leaving a nightclub. According to a police probable-cause statement, filed in Maricopa County Superior Court, "[Tyson] admitted to using [drugs] today and stated he is an addict and has a problem." Tyson pleaded not guilty on January 22, 2007, in Maricopa County Superior Court to felony drug possession and paraphernalia possession counts and two misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence of drugs. On February 8 he checked himself into an inpatient treatment program for "various addictions" while awaiting trial on the drug charges.
On September 24, 2007, Tyson pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine and driving under the influence. He was convicted of these charges in November 2007 and sentenced to 24 hours in jail. After his release, he was ordered to serve three years' probation and complete 360 hours of community service. Prosecutors had requested a year-long jail sentence, but the judge praised Tyson for seeking help with his drug problems. On November 11, 2009, Tyson was arrested after getting into a scuffle at Los Angeles International airport with a photographer. No charges were filed.
Tyson has taken acting roles in movies and television, most famously playing a fictionalized version of himself in the 2009 film The Hangover.
In September 2011, Tyson gave an interview in which he made comments about former Alaska governor Sarah Palin including crude and violent descriptions of interracial sex. These comments were reprinted on The Daily Caller website. Journalist Greta van Susteren criticized Tyson and The Daily Caller over the comments, which she described as "smut" and "violence against women".
After debuting a one-man show in Las Vegas, Tyson collaborated with film director Spike Lee and brought the show to Broadway in August 2012. In February 2013, Tyson took his one-man show Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth on a 36-city, three-month national tour. Tyson talks about his personal and professional life on stage. The one-man show was aired on HBO on November 16, 2013.
In October 2012, Tyson launched the Mike Tyson Cares Foundation. The mission of the Mike Tyson Cares Foundation is to "give kids a fighting chance" by providing innovative centers that provide for the comprehensive needs of kids from broken homes.
In August 2013, Tyson teamed up with Acquinity Sports to form Iron Mike Productions, a boxing promotions company.
In September 2013, Tyson was featured on a six-episode television series on Fox Sports 1 that documented his personal and private life entitled Being: Mike Tyson.
In November 2013, Tyson's Undisputed Truth was published, which appeared on The New York Times Best Seller list. At the Golden Podium Awards Ceremony, Tyson received the SPORTEL Special Prize for the best autobiography.
In May 2017, Tyson published his second book, Iron Ambition, which details his time with trainer and surrogate father Cus D'Amato.
In February 2018, Tyson attended the international mixed martial arts (MMA) tournament in the Russian city of Chelyabinsk. Tyson said: "As I have travelled all over the country of Russia I have realised that the people are very sensitive and kind. But most Americans do not have any experience of that."
On May 12, 2020, Tyson posted a video on his Instagram of him training again. At the end of the video, Tyson hinted at a return to boxing by saying, "I'm back".
On May 23, 2020, at All Elite Wrestling's Double or Nothing, Tyson helped Cody defeat Lance Archer alongside Jake Roberts and presented him the inaugural AEW TNT Championship. Tyson alongside Henry Cejudo, Rashad Evans, and Vitor Belfort appeared on the May 27 episode of AEW Dynamite facing off against Chris Jericho and his stable The Inner Circle. Tyson returned to AEW on the April 7, 2021 episode of Dynamite and helped Jericho from being attacked by The Pinnacle, beating down Shawn Spears in the process. He was the special guest enforcer on the April 14 episode of Dynamite for a match between Jericho and Dax Harwood of The Pinnacle, a preview of the upcoming Inner Circle vs. Pinnacle match at Blood and Guts.
Personal life
Tyson resides in Seven Hills, Nevada. He has been married three times, and has seven children, one deceased, with three women; in addition to his biological children, Tyson includes his second wife's oldest daughter as one of his own.
His first marriage was to actress Robin Givens from February 7, 1988, to February 14, 1989. Givens was known at the time for her role on the sitcom Head of the Class. Tyson's marriage to Givens was especially tumultuous, with allegations of violence, spousal abuse, and mental instability on Tyson's part.
Matters came to a head when Tyson and Givens gave a joint interview with Barbara Walters on the ABC TV newsmagazine show 20/20 in September 1988, in which Givens described life with Tyson as "torture, pure hell, worse than anything I could possibly imagine." Givens also described Tyson as "manic depressive" – which was later confirmed by doctors – on national television while Tyson looked on with an intent and calm expression. A month later, Givens announced that she was seeking a divorce from the allegedly abusive Tyson.
According to the book Fire and Fear: The Inside Story of Mike Tyson, Tyson admitted that he punched Givens and stated, "that was the best punch I've ever thrown in my entire life." Tyson claimed that book was "filled with inaccuracies." They had no children but she reported having had a miscarriage; Tyson claimed that she was never pregnant and only used that to get him to marry her. During their marriage, the couple lived in a mansion in Bernardsville, New Jersey.
Tyson's second marriage was to Monica Turner from April 19, 1997, to January 14, 2003. At the time of the divorce filing, Turner worked as a pediatric resident at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C. She is the sister of Michael Steele, the former Lieutenant Governor of Maryland and former Republican National Committee. Turner filed for divorce from Tyson in January 2002, claiming that he committed adultery during their five-year marriage, an act that "has neither been forgiven nor condoned." The couple had two children; son Amir and Ramsey who is non-binary.
On May 25, 2009, Tyson's four-year-old daughter Exodus was found by her seven-year-old brother Miguel unconscious and tangled in a cord, dangling from an exercise treadmill. The child's mother, Sol Xochitl, untangled her, administered CPR and called for medical attention. Tyson, who was in Las Vegas at the time of the incident, traveled back to Phoenix to be with her. She died of her injuries on May 26, 2009.
Eleven days after his daughter's death, Tyson wed for the third time, to longtime girlfriend Lakiha "Kiki" Spicer, age 32, exchanging vows on Saturday, June 6, 2009, in a short, private ceremony at the La Bella Wedding Chapel at the Las Vegas Hilton. They have two children; daughter Milan and son Morocco.
In March 2011, Tyson appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show to discuss his new Animal Planet reality series Taking on Tyson. In the interview with DeGeneres, Tyson discussed some of the ways he had improved his life in the past two years, including sober living and a vegan diet. However, in August 2013 he admitted publicly that he had lied about his sobriety and was on the verge of death from alcoholism.
In November 2013, Tyson stated "the more I look at churches and mosques, the more I see the devil". But, just a month later, in a December 2013 interview with Fox News, Tyson said that he is very grateful to be a Muslim and that he needs Allah in his life. In the same interview Tyson talked about his progress with sobriety and how being in the company of good people has made him want to be a better and more humble person.
Tyson also revealed that he is no longer vegan, stating, "I was a vegan for four years but not anymore. I eat chicken every now and then. I should be a vegan. [No red meat] at all, no way! I would be very sick if I ate red meat. That's probably why I was so crazy before."
In 2015, Tyson announced that he was supporting Donald Trump's presidential candidacy.
In popular culture
At the height of his fame and career in the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s, Tyson was among the most recognized sports personalities in the world. In addition to his many sporting accomplishments, his outrageous and controversial behavior in the ring and in his private life has kept him in the public eye and in the courtroom. As such, Tyson has been the subject of myriad popular media including movies, television, books and music. He has also been featured in video games and as a subject of parody or satire. Tyson became involved in professional wrestling and has made many cameo appearances in film and television.
The film Tyson was released in 1995 and was directed by Uli Edel. It explores the life of Mike Tyson, from the death of his guardian and trainer Cus D'Amato to his rape conviction. Tyson is played by Michael Jai White.
Published in 2007, author Joe Layden's book The Last Great Fight: The Extraordinary Tale of Two Men and How One Fight Changed Their Lives Forever, chronicled the lives of Tyson and Douglas before and after their heavyweight championship fight.
In 2008, the documentary Tyson premiered at the annual Cannes Film Festival in France.
He is the titular character in Mike Tyson Mysteries, which started airing on October 27, 2014, on Adult Swim. In the animated series, Tyson voices a fictionalized version of himself, solving mysteries in the style of Scooby-Doo.
In early March 2015, Tyson appeared on the track "Iconic" on Madonna's album Rebel Heart. Tyson says some lines at the beginning of the song.
In late March 2015, Ip Man 3 was announced. With Donnie Yen reprising his role as the titular character, Bruce Lee's martial arts master, Ip Man, while Mike Tyson has been confirmed to join the cast. Principal photography began on March 25, 2015, and was premiered in Hong Kong on December 16, 2015.
In January 2017, Tyson launched his YouTube channel with Shots Studios, a comedy video and comedy music production company with young digital stars like Lele Pons and Rudy Mancuso. Tyson's channel includes parody music videos and comedy sketches.
He hosts the podcast Hotboxin' with Mike Tyson.
In October 2017, Tyson was announced as the new face of Australian car servicing franchise Ultra Tune. He has taken over from Jean-Claude van Damme in fronting television commercials for the brand, and the first advert is due to air in January 2018 during the Australian Open.
A joint Mainland China-Hong Kong-directed film on female friendship titled Girls 2: Girls vs Gangsters () that was shot earlier from July–August 2016 at several locations around Vietnam was released in March 2018, featuring Tyson as "Dragon".
Tiki Lau released a dance music single, Mike Tyson in October 2020 which includes vocals from Tyson.
In 2021, Mike's Hard Lemonade Seltzer featured ads with Tyson.
In March 2021, it was announced that Jamie Foxx will star in, and also executive produce the official scripted series, “Tyson". The limited series will be directed by Antoine Fuqua and executive produced by Martin Scorsese.
A two-part documentary series titled Mike Tyson: The Knockout premiered on May 25, 2021, on ABC
Professional boxing record
Exhibition boxing record
Pay-per-view bouts
Boxing
PPV home television
Closed-circuit theatre TV
Select pay-per-view boxing buy rates at American closed-circuit theatre television venues:
Professional wrestling
World Wrestling Federation
All Elite Wrestling
Awards and honors
Humane letters
The Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, in 1989 awarded Tyson an honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters: "Mike demonstrates that hard work, determination and perseverance can enable one to overcome any obstacles."
Boxing
Ring magazine Prospect of the Year (1985)
2× Ring magazine Fighter of the Year (1986, 1988)
2× Sugar Ray Robinson Award winner (1987, 1989)
BBC Sports Personality of the Year Overseas Personality (1989)
International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee (Class of 2011)
"Guirlande d'Honneur" by the FICTS (Milan, 2010)
Professional wrestling
WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2012)
See also
List of undisputed boxing champions
List of heavyweight boxing champions
World heavyweight boxing championship records and statistics
Notes
References
External links
Boxing Hall of Fame
ESPN.com
ESPN.com – additional information
ESPN.com – Boxing Topics: Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson amateur boxing record
"Mike Tyson Film Takes a Swing at His Old Image", 2008 article at The New York Times
"Mike Tyson Moves to the Suburbs", 2011 article at The New York Times
1966 births
Living people
20th-century American criminals
African-American boxers
African-American male professional wrestlers
African-American Muslims
American autobiographers
American male boxers
American male criminals
American male voice actors
American people convicted of assault
American people convicted of drug offenses
American people convicted of rape
American prisoners and detainees
American sportspeople convicted of crimes
BBC Sports Personality World Sport Star of the Year winners
Boxers from New York (state)
Converts to Islam
Criminals from New York (state)
Criminals from New York City
D-Generation X members
International Boxing Federation champions
International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees
Mixed martial arts referees
National Golden Gloves champions
Participants in Bulgarian reality television series
People from Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn
People from Bernardsville, New Jersey
People from Brownsville, Brooklyn
People from Catskill, New York
People from Henderson, Nevada
People from Trumbull County, Ohio
People with bipolar disorder
People with speech impediment
Prisoners and detainees of Indiana
Sportspeople from Brooklyn
Sportspeople from Las Vegas
The Ring (magazine) champions
World Boxing Association champions
World Boxing Council champions
World heavyweight boxing champions
Writers from Brooklyn
WWE Hall of Fame inductees
Participants in Argentine reality television series
Bailando por un Sueño (Argentine TV series) participants
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[
"Ramanand Swami (born Rama Sharma) to a Brahmin family in Ayodhya in Vikram Samvat 1795 (1738 AD). His parents were Ajay Sharma (father) and Sumati (mother). He was considered to be the incarnation of Uddhava, a close friend of Krishna. Ramanand was the founder and head of the Uddhav Sampraday. Ramanand Swami adopted the Vishishtadvaita doctrine of the Vaishnava which was first propounded by Ramanuja several centuries earlier. In his travels to Srirangam in southern India in his early life, Ramanand Swami said that Ramanuja gave him diksha (initiation) in a dream and appointed him in his line as an acharya. Ramanand Swami then travelled West to Saurastra to spread the philosophy of Ramanuja. Before dying in 1858, Ramanand Swami passed the reins of the Uddhav Sampraday to Swaminarayan.\n\nSwaminarayan and initiation\n\nRamanand Swami was the guru of Swaminarayan.\n\nSwaminarayan (then Ghanshyam Pande) left his home at age 11 on 28 June 1792 after the death of both his parents. He began a journey across India that took 7 years 1 month and 11 days. He took the name Nilkanth Varni while on his journey. Nilkanth Varni traveled across India and parts of Nepal in search of an ashram or sampradaya that practiced what he considered a correct understanding of Vedanta, Samkhya, Yoga, and Pancaratra (the four primary schools of Hinduism).\n\nTo find an ashram that correctly practiced the meaning of these four primary schools of Hinduism, he asked the following five questions on the basic Vaishnava Vedanta categories:\n\n What is ?\n What is ?\n What is ?\n What is ?\n What is ?\n\nWhile on his journey, Nilkanth Varni mastered ashtanga yoga or eightfold yoga. In the year 1799, Nilkanth Varni's journey as a yogi eventually concluded in Loj, a village in the Junagadh district of Gujarat. In Loj, Nilkanth Varni was introduced to Muktanand Swami, a senior disciple of Ramanand Swami who answered the five questions satisfactorily. He then persuaded Nilkanth Varni to stay to get an opportunity to meet Ramanand Swami, whose disciple Nilkanth Varni later became.\n\nReferences \nFootnotes\n\nBibliography\n\nSwaminarayan Sampradaya\n1738 births\n18th-century Hindu religious leaders\nVaishnava saints\nScholars from Uttar Pradesh\n1802 deaths",
"Trial by Fire is the tenth studio album by American rock band Journey. Released on October 22, 1996, the album marked the reunion of the classic 1980s lineup, which had not recorded together since 1983's Frontiers. Trial by Fire was produced by Kevin Shirley, who continues to produce the band's albums. The first album to feature bassist Ross Valory since Frontiers and the last to feature vocalist Steve Perry and drummer Steve Smith.\n\nTrial by Fire includes the Top 20 hit and Grammy nominated single \"When You Love a Woman\", which reached No. 12 and No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Adult Contemporary charts respectively. \"Message of Love\", \"Can't Tame the Lion\" and \"If He Should Break Your Heart\" were released as singles and received radio airplay.\n\nThe album reflected a growing maturity with the members of Journey and could be loosely termed a concept album with many tracks reflecting a more overt spirituality in lyrical content. The title track, for example, is taken directly from Paul's Second Epistle to the Corinthians.\n\nTrial by Fire is Journey's only album to not be accompanied by a supporting tour. That was due to internal disputes over a tour (originally scheduled for the summer and fall of 1997), as a result of Perry's hip injury as he prolonged getting the necessary surgery. If the band had toured, that tour would not have started until over a year after the album's release. Perry left the band feeling that he was being forced out. He was unsure about undergoing necessary surgery and because of pressure to tour sooner than later. Drummer Steve Smith also quit citing that the band without Perry did not interest him; he would subsequently return in 2015, but was dismissed from the band again in 2020.\n\nOn November 9, 1996, the album entered at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and was eventually certified platinum in the United States by the RIAA. The band did not receive another platinum award until Revelation in 2008.\n\nBackground\nTrial by Fire was Journey's first studio album in ten years, following Raised on Radio in 1986 and the band's subsequent split. Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain had formed supergroup Bad English and released albums in 1989 and 1991, while singer Steve Perry released his second solo album, For the Love of Strange Medicine (1994). While on a solo tour in 1994, it became apparent to Perry that \"underneath it all, I was missing more and more being the singer in Journey than I ever thought I would.\" When A&R executive John Kalodner of Columbia Records suggested the band reform, Cain, Perry, and Schon began writing together. According to Perry, they wanted to \"see if we had the spark to write again\" instead of simply reforming for a comeback tour. \"I was invited – and quickly uninvited,\" recalled Gregg Rolie, who had left in 1980.\n\nPerry said the band did not try to reinvent themselves on the album: \"Nothing sounds more pretentious than someone being something they're not. One of the things we've always known is that there are certain musical directions that fit what [our] chemistry is about. We're going to sink or swim being what we are and not by trying to reinvent ourselves and not by trying to be the flavor of the month.\"\n\nTrack listing\n\nPersonnel\nJourney\nSteve Perry – lead vocals\nNeal Schon – rhythm and lead guitar, background vocals\nJonathan Cain – keyboards, piano, additional acoustic and rhythm guitar, background vocals, engineer\nRoss Valory – bass, background vocals\nSteve Smith – drums, percussion\n\nAdditional musicians\nPaulinho da Costa – percussion\nScott Pinkerton – programming\nDavid Campbell – string arrangements\n\nProduction\nKevin Shirley – producer, engineer, mixing\nGeorge Massenburg – engineer, mixing\nJohn Hurlbut, Bob Levy – engineers\nGeorge Marino – mastering\nJohn Kalodner – A&R\n\nCharts\n\nWeekly charts\n\nSingles\n\nCertifications\n\nReferences\n\nJourney (band) albums\n1996 albums\nColumbia Records albums\nAlbums produced by Kevin Shirley"
] |
[
"Mike Tyson",
"Undisputed champion",
"What is the undisputed champion?",
"Expectations for Tyson were extremely high, and he embarked on an ambitious campaign to fight all of the top heavyweights in the world. Tyson defended his title",
"What year did he start that journey?",
"Tyson defended his title against James Smith on March 7, 1987, in Las Vegas, Nevada. He won by unanimous decision"
] |
C_1b5dc9e3e91746cebf8036796b03646b_0
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Who did he fight after this?
| 3 |
Who did Mike Tyson fight after James Smith?
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Mike Tyson
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Expectations for Tyson were extremely high, and he embarked on an ambitious campaign to fight all of the top heavyweights in the world. Tyson defended his title against James Smith on March 7, 1987, in Las Vegas, Nevada. He won by unanimous decision and added Smith's World Boxing Association (WBA) title to his existing belt. "Tyson-mania" in the media was becoming rampant. He beat Pinklon Thomas in May with a knockout in the sixth round. On August 1 he took the International Boxing Federation (IBF) title from Tony Tucker in a twelve round unanimous decision. He became the first heavyweight to own all three major belts - WBA, WBC, and IBF - at the same time. Another fight, in October of that year, ended with a victory for Tyson over 1984 Olympic super heavyweight gold medalist Tyrell Biggs by knockout in the seventh round. During this time, Tyson came to the attention of gaming company Nintendo. After witnessing one of Tyson's fights, Nintendo of America president, Minoru Arakawa was impressed by the fighter's "power and skill", prompting him to suggest Tyson be included in the upcoming Nintendo Entertainment System port of the Punch Out!! arcade game. In 1987, Nintendo released Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!, which was well received and sold more than a million copies. Tyson had three fights in 1988. He faced Larry Holmes on January 22, 1988, and defeated the legendary former champion by a fourth round KO. This was the only knockout loss Holmes suffered in 75 professional bouts. In March, Tyson then fought contender Tony Tubbs in Tokyo, Japan, fitting in an easy two-round victory amid promotional and marketing work. On June 27, 1988, Tyson faced Michael Spinks. Spinks, who had taken the heavyweight championship from Larry Holmes via a 15-round decision in 1985, had not lost his title in the ring but was not recognized as champion by the major boxing organizations. Holmes had previously given up all but the IBF title, and that was eventually stripped from Spinks after he elected to fight Gerry Cooney (winning by a 5th-round TKO) rather than IBF Number 1 Contender Tony Tucker, as the Cooney fight provided him a larger purse. However, Spinks did become the lineal champion by beating Holmes and many (including Ring magazine) considered him to have a legitimate claim to being the true heavyweight champion. The bout was, at the time, the richest fight in history and expectations were very high. Boxing pundits were predicting a titanic battle of styles, with Tyson's aggressive infighting conflicting with Spinks' skillful out-boxing and footwork. The fight ended after 91 seconds when Tyson knocked Spinks out in the first round; many consider this to be the pinnacle of Tyson's fame and boxing ability. CANNOTANSWER
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He beat Pinklon Thomas in May with a knockout in the sixth round. On August 1 he took the International Boxing Federation (IBF) title from Tony Tucker
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Michael Gerard Tyson (born June 30, 1966) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1985 to 2005. Nicknamed "Iron Mike" and "Kid Dynamite" in his early career, and later known as "The Baddest Man on the Planet", Tyson is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. He reigned as the undisputed world heavyweight champion from 1987 to 1990. Tyson won his first 19 professional fights by knockout, 12 of them in the first round. Claiming his first belt at 20 years, four months, and 22 days old, Tyson holds the record as the youngest boxer ever to win a heavyweight title. He was the first heavyweight boxer to simultaneously hold the WBA, WBC and IBF titles, as well as the only heavyweight to unify them in succession. The following year, Tyson became the lineal champion when he knocked out Michael Spinks in 91 seconds of the first round. In 1990, Tyson was knocked out by underdog Buster Douglas in one of the biggest upsets in history.
In 1992, Tyson was convicted of rape and sentenced to six years in prison, although he was released on parole after three years. After his release in 1995, he engaged in a series of comeback fights, regaining the WBA and WBC titles in 1996 to join Floyd Patterson, Muhammad Ali, Tim Witherspoon, Evander Holyfield and George Foreman as the only men in boxing history to have regained a heavyweight championship after losing it. After being stripped of the WBC title in the same year, Tyson lost the WBA title to Evander Holyfield by an eleventh round stoppage. Their 1997 rematch ended when Tyson was disqualified for biting Holyfield's ears, one bite notoriously being strong enough to remove a portion of his right ear. In 2002, Tyson fought for the world heavyweight title, losing by knockout to Lennox Lewis.
Tyson was known for his ferocious and intimidating boxing style as well as his controversial behavior inside and outside the ring. With a knockout-to-win percentage of 88%, he was ranked 16th on The Ring magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time, and first on ESPN's list of "The Hardest Hitters in Heavyweight History". Sky Sports described him as "perhaps the most ferocious fighter to step into a professional ring". He has been inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame.
Early life
Michael Gerard Tyson was born in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, New York City on June 30, 1966. He has an older brother named Rodney (born c. 1961) and an older sister named Denise, who died of a heart attack at age 24 in February 1990. Tyson's biological father is listed as "Purcell Tyson" (who was from Jamaica) on his birth certificate, but the man Tyson had known as his father was Jimmy Kirkpatrick. Kirkpatrick was from Grier Town, North Carolina (a predominantly black neighborhood that was annexed by the city of Charlotte), where he was one of the neighborhood's top baseball players. Kirkpatrick married and had a son, Tyson's half-brother Jimmie Lee Kirkpatrick, who would help to integrate Charlotte high school football in 1965. In 1959, Jimmy Kirkpatrick left his family and moved to Brooklyn, where he met Tyson's mother, Lorna Mae (Smith) Tyson. Kirkpatrick frequented pool halls, gambled and hung out on the streets. "My father was just a regular street guy caught up in the street world," Tyson said. Kirkpatrick abandoned the Tyson family around the time Mike was born, leaving Tyson's mother to care for the children on her own. Kirkpatrick died in 1992.
The family lived in Bedford-Stuyvesant until their financial burdens necessitated a move to Brownsville when Tyson was 10 years old. Tyson's mother died six years later, leaving 16-year-old Tyson in the care of boxing manager and trainer Cus D'Amato, who would become his legal guardian. Tyson later said, "I never saw my mother happy with me and proud of me for doing something: she only knew me as being a wild kid running the streets, coming home with new clothes that she knew I didn't pay for. I never got a chance to talk to her or know about her. Professionally, it has no effect, but it's crushing emotionally and personally."
Throughout his childhood, Tyson lived in and around neighborhoods with a high rate of crime. According to an interview in Details, his first fight was with a bigger youth who had pulled the head off one of Tyson's pigeons. Tyson was repeatedly caught committing petty crimes and fighting those who ridiculed his high-pitched voice and lisp. By the age of 13, he had been arrested 38 times. He ended up at the Tryon School for Boys in Johnstown, New York. Tyson's emerging boxing ability was discovered there by Bobby Stewart, a juvenile detention center counselor and former boxer. Stewart considered Tyson to be an outstanding fighter and trained him for a few months before introducing him to Cus D'Amato. Tyson dropped out of high school as a junior. He would be awarded an honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from Central State University in 1989. Kevin Rooney also trained Tyson, and he was occasionally assisted by Teddy Atlas, although Atlas was dismissed by D'Amato when Tyson was 15. Rooney eventually took over all training duties for the young fighter.
Amateur career
As an amateur, Tyson won gold medals at the 1981 and 1982 Junior Olympic Games, defeating Joe Cortez in 1981 and beating Kelton Brown in 1982. Brown's corner threw in the towel in the first round. In 1984 Tyson won the gold medal at the Nation Golden Gloves held in New York, beating Jonathan Littles. He fought Henry Tillman twice as an amateur, losing both bouts by decision. Tillman went on to win heavyweight gold at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Professional career
Rise to stardom
Tyson made his professional debut as an 18-year-old on March 6, 1985, in Albany, New York. He defeated Hector Mercedes via first-round TKO. He had 15 bouts in his first year as a professional. Fighting frequently, Tyson won 26 of his first 28 fights by KO or TKO; 16 of those came in the first round. The quality of his opponents gradually increased to journeyman fighters and borderline contenders, like James Tillis, David Jaco, Jesse Ferguson, Mitch Green, and Marvis Frazier. His win streak attracted media attention and Tyson was billed as the next great heavyweight champion. D'Amato died in November 1985, relatively early into Tyson's professional career, and some speculate that his death was the catalyst to many of the troubles Tyson was to experience as his life and career progressed.
Tyson's first nationally televised bout took place on February 16, 1986, at Houston Field House in Troy, New York, against journeyman heavyweight Jesse Ferguson, and was carried by ABC Sports. Tyson knocked down Ferguson with an uppercut in the fifth round that broke Ferguson's nose. During the sixth round, Ferguson began to hold and clinch Tyson in an apparent attempt to avoid further punishment. After admonishing Ferguson several times to obey his commands to box, the referee finally stopped the fight near the middle of the sixth round. The fight was initially ruled a win for Tyson by disqualification (DQ) of his opponent. The ruling was "adjusted" to a win by technical knockout (TKO) after Tyson's corner protested that a DQ win would end Tyson's string of knockout victories, and that a knockout would have been the inevitable result.
In July, after recording six more knockout victories, Tyson fought former world title challenger Marvis Frazier in Glens Falls, New York, on another ABC Sports broadcast. Tyson won easily, charging at Frazier at the opening bell and hitting him with an uppercut that knocked Frazier unconscious thirty seconds into the fight.
On November 22, 1986, Tyson was given his first title fight against Trevor Berbick for the World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight championship. Tyson won the title by TKO in the second round, and at the age of 20 years and 4 months became the youngest heavyweight champion in history. He added the WBA and IBF titles after defeating James Smith and Tony Tucker in 1987. Tyson's dominant performance brought many accolades. Donald Saunders wrote: "The noble and manly art of boxing can at least cease worrying about its immediate future, now [that] it has discovered a heavyweight champion fit to stand alongside Dempsey, Tunney, Louis, Marciano, and Ali."
Tyson intimidated fighters with his strength, combined with outstanding hand speed, accuracy, coordination and timing. Tyson also possessed notable defensive abilities, holding his hands high in the peek-a-boo style taught by his mentor Cus D'Amato to slip under and weave around his opponent's punches while timing his own. Tyson's explosive punching technique was due in large part to crouching immediately prior to throwing a hook or an uppercut: this allowed the 'spring' of his legs to add power to the punch. Among his signature moves was a right hook to his opponent's body followed by a right uppercut to his opponent's chin. Lorenzo Boyd, Jesse Ferguson and José Ribalta were each knocked down by this combination.
Undisputed champion
Expectations for Tyson were extremely high, and he was the favorite to win the heavyweight unification series, a tournament designed to establish an undisputed heavyweight champion. Tyson defended his title against James Smith on March 7, 1987, in Las Vegas, Nevada. He won by unanimous decision and added Smith's World Boxing Association (WBA) title to his existing belt. "Tyson-mania" in the media was becoming rampant. He beat Pinklon Thomas in May by TKO in the sixth round. On August 1 he took the International Boxing Federation (IBF) title from Tony Tucker in a twelve-round unanimous decision 119–111, 118–113, and 116–112. He became the first heavyweight to own all three major belts – WBA, WBC, and IBF – at the same time. Another fight, in October of that year, ended with a victory for Tyson over 1984 Olympic super heavyweight gold medalist Tyrell Biggs by TKO in the seventh round.
During this time, Tyson came to the attention of gaming company Nintendo. After witnessing one of Tyson's fights, Nintendo of America president Minoru Arakawa was impressed by the fighter's "power and skill", prompting him to suggest Tyson be included in the upcoming Nintendo Entertainment System port of the Punch Out!! arcade game. In 1987, Nintendo released Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!, which was well received and sold more than a million copies.
Tyson had three fights in 1988. He faced Larry Holmes on January 22, 1988, and defeated the legendary former champion by KO in the fourth round. This was the only knockout loss Holmes suffered in 75 professional bouts. In March, Tyson then fought contender Tony Tubbs in Tokyo, Japan, fitting in an easy second-round TKO victory amid promotional and marketing work.
On June 27, 1988, Tyson faced Michael Spinks. Spinks, who had taken the heavyweight championship from Larry Holmes via fifteen-round decision in 1985, had not lost his title in the ring but was not recognized as champion by the major boxing organizations. Holmes had previously given up all but the IBF title, and that was eventually stripped from Spinks after he elected to fight Gerry Cooney (winning by TKO in the fifth round) rather than IBF Number 1 Contender Tony Tucker, as the Cooney fight provided him a larger purse. However, Spinks did become the lineal champion by beating Holmes and many (including Ring magazine) considered him to have a legitimate claim to being the true heavyweight champion. The bout was, at the time, the richest fight in history and expectations were very high. Boxing pundits were predicting a titanic battle of styles, with Tyson's aggressive infighting conflicting with Spinks's skillful out-boxing and footwork. The fight ended after 91 seconds when Tyson knocked Spinks out in the first round; many consider this to be the pinnacle of Tyson's fame and boxing ability.
Controversy and upset
During this period, Tyson's problems outside the ring were also starting to emerge. His marriage to Robin Givens was heading for divorce, and his future contract was being fought over by Don King and Bill Cayton. In late 1988, Tyson parted with manager Bill Cayton and fired longtime trainer Kevin Rooney, the man many credit for honing Tyson's craft after the death of D'Amato. Following Rooney's departure, critics alleged that Tyson began to show less head movement and combination punching. In 1989, Tyson had only two fights amid personal turmoil. He faced the British boxer Frank Bruno in February. Bruno managed to stun Tyson at the end of the first round, although Tyson went on to knock Bruno out in the fifth round. Tyson then knocked out Carl "The Truth" Williams in the first round in July.
By 1990, Tyson seemed to have lost direction, and his personal life was in disarray amidst reports of less vigorous training prior to the Buster Douglas match. In a fight on February 11, 1990, he lost the undisputed championship to Douglas in Tokyo. Tyson was a huge betting favorite; indeed, the Mirage, the only casino to put out odds for the fight, made Tyson a 42/1 favorite. Tyson failed to find a way past Douglas's quick jab that had a reach advantage over his own. Tyson did catch Douglas with an uppercut in the eighth round and knocked him to the floor, but Douglas recovered sufficiently to hand Tyson a heavy beating in the subsequent two rounds. After the fight, the Tyson camp would complain that the count was slow and that Douglas had taken longer than ten seconds to get back on his feet. Just 35 seconds into the tenth round, Douglas unleashed a brutal uppercut, followed by a four-punch combination of hooks that sent Tyson to the canvas for the first time in his career. He was counted out by referee Octavio Meyran.
The knockout victory by Douglas over Tyson, the previously undefeated "baddest man on the planet" and arguably the most feared boxer in professional boxing at that time, has been described as one of the most shocking upsets in modern sports history.
After Douglas
Despite the shocking loss, Tyson has said that losing to Douglas was the greatest moment of his career. “I needed that fight to make me a better person and fighter. I have a broader perspective of myself and boxing.”
After the loss, Tyson recovered with first-round knockouts of Henry Tillman and Alex Stewart in his next two fights. Tyson's victory over Tillman, the 1984 Olympic heavyweight gold medalist, enabled Tyson to avenge his amateur losses at Tillman's hands. These bouts set up an elimination match for another shot at the undisputed world heavyweight championship, which Evander Holyfield had taken from Douglas in his first defense of the title.
Tyson, who was the number one contender, faced number two contender Donovan "Razor" Ruddock on March 18, 1991, in Las Vegas. Ruddock was seen as the most dangerous heavyweight around and was thought of as one of the hardest punching heavyweights. Tyson and Ruddock went back and forth for most of the fight, until referee Richard Steele controversially stopped the fight during the seventh round in favor of Tyson. This decision infuriated the fans in attendance, sparking a post-fight melee in the audience. The referee had to be escorted from the ring.
Tyson and Ruddock met again on June 28 that year, with Tyson knocking down Ruddock twice and winning a twelve-round unanimous decision 113–109, 114–108, and 114–108. A fight between Tyson and Holyfield for the undisputed championship was scheduled for November 8, 1991, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, but Tyson pulled out after sustaining a rib cartilage injury during training.
Rape trial and prison
Tyson was arrested in July 1991 for the rape of 18-year-old Desiree Washington, Miss Black Rhode Island, in an Indianapolis hotel room. Tyson's rape trial took place in the Marion County superior court from January 26 to February 10, 1992.
Partial corroboration of Washington's story came via testimony from Tyson's chauffeur who confirmed Desiree Washington's state of shock after the incident. Further testimony came from the emergency room physician who examined Washington more than 24 hours after the incident and confirmed that Washington's physical condition was consistent with rape.
Under lead defense lawyer Vincent J. Fuller's direct examination, Tyson claimed that everything had taken place with Washington's full consent and he claimed not to have forced himself upon her. When he was cross-examined by lead prosecutor Gregory Garrison, Tyson denied claims that he had misled Washington and insisted that she wanted to have sex with him. Tyson was convicted on the rape charge on February 10, 1992, after the jury deliberated for nearly 10 hours.
Alan Dershowitz, acting as Tyson's counsel, filed an appeal urging error of law in the Court's exclusion of evidence of the victim's past sexual conduct (known as the Rape Shield Law), the exclusion of three potential defense witnesses, and the lack of a jury instruction on honest and reasonable mistake of fact. The Indiana Court of Appeals ruled against Tyson in a 2–1 vote. The Indiana Supreme Court let the lower court opinion stand due to a 2–2 split in its review. The tie vote was due to the fact that the Chief Justice of the Indiana Supreme Court recused himself from the case. The Chief Justice later revealed he did so because of a heated argument between his wife and Dershowitz at a Yale Law School reunion concerning the case. On March 26, 1992, Tyson was sentenced to six years in prison along with four years of probation. He was assigned to the Indiana Youth Center (now the Plainfield Correctional Facility) in April 1992, and he was released in March 1995 after serving less than three years of the sentence.
It has been widely reported that while in prison, Tyson converted to Islam and adopted the Muslim name Malik Abdul Aziz (though some sources report the adoption of a different Islamic name, Malik Shabazz). However, Tyson has stated that he converted to Islam before entering prison, but made no efforts to correct the misinformation in the media. Due to his conviction, Tyson is required to register as a Tier II sex offender under federal law.
Comeback
After being paroled from prison, Tyson easily won his comeback bouts against Peter McNeeley and Buster Mathis Jr. Tyson's first comeback fight grossed more than US$96 million worldwide, including a United States record $63 million for PPV television. The viewing of the fight was purchased by 1.52 million homes, setting both PPV viewership and revenue records. The 89-second fight elicited criticism that Tyson's management lined up "tomato cans" to ensure easy victories for his return. TV Guide included the Tyson–McNeeley fight in their list of the 50 Greatest TV Sports Moments of All Time in 1998.
Tyson regained one belt by easily winning the WBC title against Frank Bruno in March 1996. It was the second fight between the two, and Tyson knocked out Bruno in the third round. In 1996, Lennox Lewis turned down a $13.5 million guarantee to fight Tyson. This would've been Lewis's highest fight purse to date. Lewis then accepted $4 million from Don King to step aside and allow Tyson to fight Bruce Seldon for an expected $30 million instead with the intention that if Tyson defeated Seldon, he would fight Lewis next. Tyson added the WBA belt by defeating champion Seldon in the first round in September that year. Seldon was severely criticized and mocked in the popular press for seemingly collapsing to innocuous punches from Tyson.
Tyson–Holyfield fights
Tyson vs. Holyfield I
Tyson attempted to defend the WBA title against Evander Holyfield, who was in the fourth fight of his own comeback. Holyfield had retired in 1994 following the loss of his championship to Michael Moorer. It was said that Don King and others saw former champion Holyfield, who was 34 at the time of the fight and a huge underdog, as a washed-up fighter.
On November 9, 1996, in Las Vegas, Nevada, Tyson faced Holyfield in a title bout dubbed "Finally". In a surprising turn of events, Holyfield, who was given virtually no chance to win by numerous commentators, defeated Tyson by TKO when referee Mitch Halpern stopped the bout in round eleven. Holyfield became the second boxer to win a heavyweight championship belt three times. Holyfield's victory was marred by allegations from Tyson's camp of Holyfield's frequent headbutts during the bout. Although the headbutts were ruled accidental by the referee, they would become a point of contention in the subsequent rematch.
Tyson vs. Holyfield II and aftermath
Tyson and Holyfield fought again on June 28, 1997. Originally, Halpern was supposed to be the referee, but after Tyson's camp protested, Halpern stepped aside in favor of Mills Lane. The highly anticipated rematch was dubbed The Sound and the Fury, and it was held at the Las Vegas MGM Grand Garden Arena, site of the first bout. It was a lucrative event, drawing even more attention than the first bout and grossing $100 million. Tyson received $30 million and Holyfield $35 million, the highest paid professional boxing purses until 2007. The fight was purchased by 1.99 million households, setting a pay-per-view buy rate record that stood until May 5, 2007, being surpassed by Oscar De La Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Soon to become one of the most controversial events in modern sports, the fight was stopped at the end of the third round, with Tyson disqualified for biting Holyfield on both ears. The first time Tyson bit him, the match was temporarily stopped. Referee Mills Lane deducted two points from Tyson and the fight resumed. However, after the match resumed, Tyson bit him again, resulting in his disqualification, and Holyfield won the match. The first bite was severe enough to remove a piece of Holyfield's right ear, which was found on the ring floor after the fight. Tyson later stated that his actions were retaliation for Holyfield repeatedly headbutting him without penalty. In the confusion that followed the ending of the bout and announcement of the decision, a near riot occurred in the arena and several people were injured. Tyson Holyfield II was the first heavyweight title fight in over 50 years to end in a disqualification.
As a subsequent fallout from the incident, US$3 million was immediately withheld from Tyson's $30-million purse by the Nevada state boxing commission (the most it could legally hold back at the time). Two days after the fight, Tyson issued a statement, apologizing to Holyfield for his actions and asked not to be banned for life over the incident. Tyson was roundly condemned in the news media but was not without defenders. Novelist and commentator Katherine Dunn wrote a column that criticized Holyfield's sportsmanship in the controversial bout and charged the news media with being biased against Tyson.
On July 9, 1997, Tyson's boxing license was rescinded by the Nevada State Athletic Commission in a unanimous voice vote; he was also fined US$3 million and ordered to pay the legal costs of the hearing. As most state athletic commissions honor sanctions imposed by other states, this effectively made Tyson unable to box in the United States. The revocation was not permanent, as the commission voted 4–1 to restore Tyson's boxing license on October 18, 1998.
During his time away from boxing in 1998, Tyson made a guest appearance at WrestleMania XIV as an enforcer for the main event match between Shawn Michaels and Steve Austin. During this time, Tyson was also an unofficial member of Michaels's stable, D-Generation X. Tyson was paid $3 million for being guest enforcer of the match at WrestleMania XIV.
1999–2005
In January 1999, Tyson returned to the ring for a match against the South African Francois Botha. This match also ended in controversy. While Botha initially controlled the fight, Tyson allegedly attempted to break Botha's arms during a tie-up and both boxers were cautioned by the referee in the ill-tempered bout. Botha was ahead on points on all scorecards and was confident enough to mock Tyson as the fight continued. Nonetheless, Tyson landed a straight right hand in the fifth round that knocked out Botha. Critics noticed Tyson stopped using the bob and weave defense altogether following this return. Promoting the fight on Secaucus, New Jersey television station WWOR-TV, Tyson launched into an expletive-laden tirade that forced sports anchor Russ Salzberg to cut the interview short.
Legal problems arose with Tyson once again. On February 5, 1999, Tyson was sentenced to a year's imprisonment, fined $5,000, and ordered to serve two years probation along with undergoing 200 hours of community service for assaulting two motorists after a traffic accident on August 31, 1998. He served nine months of that sentence. After his release, he fought Orlin Norris on October 23, 1999. Tyson knocked down Norris with a left hook thrown after the bell sounded to end the first round. Norris injured his knee when he went down and said that he was unable to continue. Consequently, the bout was ruled a no contest.
In 2000, Tyson had three fights. The first match in January was staged at the MEN Arena in Manchester, England against Julius Francis. Following controversy as to whether Tyson was allowed into the country, he took four minutes to knock out Francis, ending the bout in the second round. He also fought Lou Savarese in June 2000 in Glasgow, winning in the first round; the fight lasted only 38 seconds. Tyson continued punching after the referee had stopped the fight, knocking the referee to the floor as he tried to separate the boxers. In October, Tyson fought the similarly controversial Andrew Golota, winning in round three after Gołota was unable to continue due to a broken cheekbone, concussion, and neck injury. The result was later changed to no contest after Tyson refused to take a pre-fight drug test and then tested positive for marijuana in a post-fight urine test. Tyson fought only once in 2001, beating Brian Nielsen in Copenhagen by TKO in the seventh round.
Lewis vs. Tyson
Tyson once again had the opportunity to fight for a heavyweight championship in 2002. Lennox Lewis held the WBC, IBF, IBO and Lineal titles at the time. As promising fighters, Tyson and Lewis had sparred at a training camp in a meeting arranged by Cus D'Amato in 1984. Tyson sought to fight Lewis in Nevada for a more lucrative box-office venue, but the Nevada Boxing Commission refused him a license to box as he was facing possible sexual assault charges at the time.
Two years prior to the bout, Tyson had made several inflammatory remarks to Lewis in an interview following the Savarese fight. The remarks included the statement "I want your heart, I want to eat your children." On January 22, 2002, the two boxers and their entourages were involved in a brawl at a New York press conference to publicize the planned event. A few weeks later, the Nevada State Athletic Commission refused to grant Tyson a license for the fight, and the promoters had to make alternative arrangements. After multiple states balked at granting Tyson a license, the fight eventually occurred on June 8 at the Pyramid Arena in Memphis, Tennessee. Lewis dominated the fight and knocked out Tyson with a right hand in the eighth round. Tyson was respectful after the fight and praised Lewis on his victory. This fight was the highest-grossing event in pay-per-view history at that time, generating $106.9 million from 1.95 million buys in the US.
Later career, bankruptcy, and retirement
In another Memphis fight on February 22, 2003, Tyson beat fringe contender Clifford Etienne 49 seconds into round one. The pre-fight was marred by rumors of Tyson's lack of fitness. Some said that he took time out from training to party in Las Vegas and get a new facial tattoo. This eventually proved to be Tyson's final professional victory in the ring.
In August 2003, after years of financial struggles, Tyson finally filed for bankruptcy. Tyson earned over $30 million for several of his fights and $300 million during his career. At the time, the media reported that he had approximately $23 million in debt.
On August 13, 2003, Tyson entered the ring for a face-to-face confrontation against K-1 fighting phenom, Bob Sapp, immediately after Sapp's win against Kimo Leopoldo in Las Vegas. K-1 signed Tyson to a contract with the hopes of making a fight happen between the two, but Tyson's felony history made it impossible for him to obtain a visa to enter Japan, where the fight would have been most profitable. Alternative locations were discussed, but the fight ultimately failed to happen.
On July 30, 2004, Tyson had a match against British boxer Danny Williams in another comeback fight, and this time, staged in Louisville, Kentucky. Tyson dominated the opening two rounds. The third round was even, with Williams getting in some clean blows and also a few illegal ones, for which he was penalized. In the fourth round, Tyson was unexpectedly knocked out. After the fight, it was revealed that Tyson was trying to fight on one leg, having torn a ligament in his other knee in the first round. This was Tyson's fifth career defeat. He underwent surgery for the ligament four days after the fight. His manager, Shelly Finkel, claimed that Tyson was unable to throw meaningful right-hand punches since he had a knee injury.
On June 11, 2005, Tyson stunned the boxing world by quitting before the start of the seventh round in a close bout against journeyman Kevin McBride. In the 2008 documentary Tyson, he stated that he fought McBride for a payday, that he did not anticipate winning, that he was in poor physical condition and fed up with taking boxing seriously. After losing three of his last four fights, Tyson said he would quit boxing because he felt he had lost his passion for the sport.
In 2000 Tyson fired everyone working for him and enlisted new accountants, who prepared a statement showing he started the year $3.3 million in debt but earned $65.7 million. In August 2007, Tyson pleaded guilty to drug possession and driving under the influence in an Arizona court, which stemmed from an arrest in December where authorities said Tyson, who has a long history of legal problems, admitted to using cocaine that day and to being addicted to the drug.
Exhibition bouts
Mike Tyson's World Tour
To help pay off his debts, Tyson announced he would be doing a series of exhibition bouts, calling it Tyson's World Tour. For his first bout, Tyson returned to the ring in 2006 for a four-round exhibition against journeyman heavyweight Corey Sanders in Youngstown, Ohio. Tyson, without headgear at 5 ft 10.5 in and 216 pounds, was in quality shape, but far from his prime against Sanders, at 6 ft 6 in who wore headgear. Tyson appeared to be "holding back" in the exhibition to prevent an early end to the "show". "If I don't get out of this financial quagmire there's a possibility I may have to be a punching bag for somebody. The money I make isn't going to help my bills from a tremendous standpoint, but I'm going to feel better about myself. I'm not going to be depressed", explained Tyson about the reasons for his "comeback". After the bout was poorly received by fans the remainder of the tour was cancelled.
Tyson vs. Jones
It was announced in July 2020 that Tyson had signed a contract to face former four-division world champion, Roy Jones Jr., in an eight-round exhibition fight. Mixed martial arts coach Rafael Cordeiro was selected to be Tyson's trainer and cornerman. The bout—officially sanctioned by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC)—was initially scheduled to take place on September 12 at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, however, the date was pushed back to November 28 in order to maximize revenue for the event. The fight went the full 8 rounds, and was declared a draw. The fight was a split draw and the three judges scored the fight as follows: Chad Dawson (76–76 draw), Christy Martin (79–73 for Tyson), and Vinny Pazienza (76–80 for Jones).
Mike Tyson's Legends Only League
In July 2020, Mike Tyson announced the creation of Mike Tyson's Legends Only League. Tyson formed the league in partnership with Sophie Watts and her company, Eros Innovations. The league provides retired professional athletes the opportunity to compete in their respective sport. On November 28, 2020, Mike Tyson fought Roy Jones Jr. at the Staples Center in the first event produced under Legends Only League. The event received largely positive reviews and was the highest selling PPV event of 2020, which ranks in the Top-10 for PPV purchased events all-time.
Legacy
Tyson was The Ring magazine's Fighter of the Year in 1986 and 1988. A 1998 ranking of "The Greatest Heavyweights of All-Time" by The Ring magazine placed Tyson at number 14 on the list. Despite criticism of facing underwhelming competition during his run as champion, Tyson's knockout power and intimidation factor made him the sport's most dynamic box-office draw. According to Douglas Quenqua of The New York Times, "The [1990s] began with Mike Tyson, considered by many to be the last great heavyweight champion, losing his title to the little-known Buster Douglas. Seven years later, Mr. Tyson bit Evander Holyfield's ear in a heavyweight champion bout—hardly a proud moment for the sport."
He is remembered for his attire of black trunks, black shoes with no socks, and a plain white towel fit around his neck in place of a traditional robe, as well as his habit of rapidly pacing the ring before the start of a fight. In his prime, Tyson rarely took a step back and had never been knocked down or seriously challenged. According to Martial Arts World Report, it gave Tyson an Honorable Mention in its Ten Greatest Heavyweights of All Time rather than a ranking because longevity is a factor and the peak period of Tyson's career lasted only about 5 years.
BoxRec currently ranks Tyson at number 13 among the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. In The Ring magazine's list of the 80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years, released in 2002, Tyson was ranked at number 72. He is ranked number 16 on The Ring magazine's 2003 list of 100 greatest punchers of all time. Tyson has defeated 11 boxers for the world heavyweight title, the seventh-most in history.
On June 12, 2011, Tyson was inducted to the International Boxing Hall of Fame alongside legendary Mexican champion Julio César Chávez, light welterweight champion Kostya Tszyu, and actor/screenwriter Sylvester Stallone. In 2011, Bleacher Report omitted Tyson from its list of top 10 heavyweights, saying that that "Mike Tyson is not a top 10 heavyweight. He killed the fighters he was supposed to beat, but when he fought another elite fighter, he always lost. I'm not talking about some of those B-level fighters he took a belt from. I'm talking about the handful of good boxers he fought throughout his career."
In 2013, Tyson was inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame and headlined the induction ceremony. Tyson was inducted into the Southern Nevada Hall of Fame in 2015 along with four other inductees with ties to Southern Nevada.
Tyson reflected on his strongest opponents in ten categories for a 2014 interview with The Ring magazine, including best jab, best defense, fastest hands, fastest feet, best chin, smartest, strongest, best puncher, best boxer, and best overall.
In 2017, The Ring magazine ranked Tyson as number 9 of 20 heavyweight champions based on a poll of panelists that included trainers, matchmakers, media, historians, and boxers, including:
Trainers: Teddy Atlas, Pat Burns, Virgil Hunter, and Don Turner
Matchmakers: Eric Bottjer, Don Chargin, Don Elbaum, Bobby Goodman, Ron Katz, Mike Marchionte, Russell Peltz, and Bruce Trampler.
Media: Al Bernstein, Ron Borges, Gareth A Davies, Norm Frauenheim, Jerry Izenberg, Harold Lederman, Paulie Malignaggi, Dan Rafael, and Michael Rosenthal
Historians: Craig Hamilton, Steve Lott, Don McRae, Bob Mee, Clay Moyle, Adam Pollack, and Randy Roberts
Boxers: Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson participated in the poll, but neither fighter ranked himself. Instead, a weighted average from the other panelists was assigned to their respective slots on their ballots.
In 2020, Bill Caplan of The Ring magazine listed Tyson as number 17 of the 20 greatest heavyweights of all time. Tyson spoke with The Ring magazine in 2020 about his six greatest victories, which included knockouts of Trevor Berbick, Pinklon Thomas, Tony Tucker, Tyrell Biggs, Larry Holmes, and Michael Spinks. In 2020, CBS Sports boxing experts Brian Campbell and Brent Brookhouse ranked the top 10 heavyweights of the last 50 years and Tyson was ranked number 7.
Life after boxing
In an interview with USA Today published on June 3, 2005, Tyson said, "My whole life has been a waste – I've been a failure." He continued: "I just want to escape. I'm really embarrassed with myself and my life. I want to be a missionary. I think I could do that while keeping my dignity without letting people know they chased me out of the country. I want to get this part of my life over as soon as possible. In this country nothing good is going to come of me. People put me so high; I wanted to tear that image down." Tyson began to spend much of his time tending to his 350 pigeons in Paradise Valley, an upscale enclave near Phoenix, Arizona.
Tyson has stayed in the limelight by promoting various websites and companies. In the past Tyson had shunned endorsements, accusing other athletes of putting on a false front to obtain them. Tyson has held entertainment boxing shows at a casino in Las Vegas and started a tour of exhibition bouts to pay off his numerous debts.
On December 29, 2006, Tyson was arrested in Scottsdale, Arizona, on suspicion of DUI and felony drug possession; he nearly crashed into a police SUV shortly after leaving a nightclub. According to a police probable-cause statement, filed in Maricopa County Superior Court, "[Tyson] admitted to using [drugs] today and stated he is an addict and has a problem." Tyson pleaded not guilty on January 22, 2007, in Maricopa County Superior Court to felony drug possession and paraphernalia possession counts and two misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence of drugs. On February 8 he checked himself into an inpatient treatment program for "various addictions" while awaiting trial on the drug charges.
On September 24, 2007, Tyson pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine and driving under the influence. He was convicted of these charges in November 2007 and sentenced to 24 hours in jail. After his release, he was ordered to serve three years' probation and complete 360 hours of community service. Prosecutors had requested a year-long jail sentence, but the judge praised Tyson for seeking help with his drug problems. On November 11, 2009, Tyson was arrested after getting into a scuffle at Los Angeles International airport with a photographer. No charges were filed.
Tyson has taken acting roles in movies and television, most famously playing a fictionalized version of himself in the 2009 film The Hangover.
In September 2011, Tyson gave an interview in which he made comments about former Alaska governor Sarah Palin including crude and violent descriptions of interracial sex. These comments were reprinted on The Daily Caller website. Journalist Greta van Susteren criticized Tyson and The Daily Caller over the comments, which she described as "smut" and "violence against women".
After debuting a one-man show in Las Vegas, Tyson collaborated with film director Spike Lee and brought the show to Broadway in August 2012. In February 2013, Tyson took his one-man show Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth on a 36-city, three-month national tour. Tyson talks about his personal and professional life on stage. The one-man show was aired on HBO on November 16, 2013.
In October 2012, Tyson launched the Mike Tyson Cares Foundation. The mission of the Mike Tyson Cares Foundation is to "give kids a fighting chance" by providing innovative centers that provide for the comprehensive needs of kids from broken homes.
In August 2013, Tyson teamed up with Acquinity Sports to form Iron Mike Productions, a boxing promotions company.
In September 2013, Tyson was featured on a six-episode television series on Fox Sports 1 that documented his personal and private life entitled Being: Mike Tyson.
In November 2013, Tyson's Undisputed Truth was published, which appeared on The New York Times Best Seller list. At the Golden Podium Awards Ceremony, Tyson received the SPORTEL Special Prize for the best autobiography.
In May 2017, Tyson published his second book, Iron Ambition, which details his time with trainer and surrogate father Cus D'Amato.
In February 2018, Tyson attended the international mixed martial arts (MMA) tournament in the Russian city of Chelyabinsk. Tyson said: "As I have travelled all over the country of Russia I have realised that the people are very sensitive and kind. But most Americans do not have any experience of that."
On May 12, 2020, Tyson posted a video on his Instagram of him training again. At the end of the video, Tyson hinted at a return to boxing by saying, "I'm back".
On May 23, 2020, at All Elite Wrestling's Double or Nothing, Tyson helped Cody defeat Lance Archer alongside Jake Roberts and presented him the inaugural AEW TNT Championship. Tyson alongside Henry Cejudo, Rashad Evans, and Vitor Belfort appeared on the May 27 episode of AEW Dynamite facing off against Chris Jericho and his stable The Inner Circle. Tyson returned to AEW on the April 7, 2021 episode of Dynamite and helped Jericho from being attacked by The Pinnacle, beating down Shawn Spears in the process. He was the special guest enforcer on the April 14 episode of Dynamite for a match between Jericho and Dax Harwood of The Pinnacle, a preview of the upcoming Inner Circle vs. Pinnacle match at Blood and Guts.
Personal life
Tyson resides in Seven Hills, Nevada. He has been married three times, and has seven children, one deceased, with three women; in addition to his biological children, Tyson includes his second wife's oldest daughter as one of his own.
His first marriage was to actress Robin Givens from February 7, 1988, to February 14, 1989. Givens was known at the time for her role on the sitcom Head of the Class. Tyson's marriage to Givens was especially tumultuous, with allegations of violence, spousal abuse, and mental instability on Tyson's part.
Matters came to a head when Tyson and Givens gave a joint interview with Barbara Walters on the ABC TV newsmagazine show 20/20 in September 1988, in which Givens described life with Tyson as "torture, pure hell, worse than anything I could possibly imagine." Givens also described Tyson as "manic depressive" – which was later confirmed by doctors – on national television while Tyson looked on with an intent and calm expression. A month later, Givens announced that she was seeking a divorce from the allegedly abusive Tyson.
According to the book Fire and Fear: The Inside Story of Mike Tyson, Tyson admitted that he punched Givens and stated, "that was the best punch I've ever thrown in my entire life." Tyson claimed that book was "filled with inaccuracies." They had no children but she reported having had a miscarriage; Tyson claimed that she was never pregnant and only used that to get him to marry her. During their marriage, the couple lived in a mansion in Bernardsville, New Jersey.
Tyson's second marriage was to Monica Turner from April 19, 1997, to January 14, 2003. At the time of the divorce filing, Turner worked as a pediatric resident at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C. She is the sister of Michael Steele, the former Lieutenant Governor of Maryland and former Republican National Committee. Turner filed for divorce from Tyson in January 2002, claiming that he committed adultery during their five-year marriage, an act that "has neither been forgiven nor condoned." The couple had two children; son Amir and Ramsey who is non-binary.
On May 25, 2009, Tyson's four-year-old daughter Exodus was found by her seven-year-old brother Miguel unconscious and tangled in a cord, dangling from an exercise treadmill. The child's mother, Sol Xochitl, untangled her, administered CPR and called for medical attention. Tyson, who was in Las Vegas at the time of the incident, traveled back to Phoenix to be with her. She died of her injuries on May 26, 2009.
Eleven days after his daughter's death, Tyson wed for the third time, to longtime girlfriend Lakiha "Kiki" Spicer, age 32, exchanging vows on Saturday, June 6, 2009, in a short, private ceremony at the La Bella Wedding Chapel at the Las Vegas Hilton. They have two children; daughter Milan and son Morocco.
In March 2011, Tyson appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show to discuss his new Animal Planet reality series Taking on Tyson. In the interview with DeGeneres, Tyson discussed some of the ways he had improved his life in the past two years, including sober living and a vegan diet. However, in August 2013 he admitted publicly that he had lied about his sobriety and was on the verge of death from alcoholism.
In November 2013, Tyson stated "the more I look at churches and mosques, the more I see the devil". But, just a month later, in a December 2013 interview with Fox News, Tyson said that he is very grateful to be a Muslim and that he needs Allah in his life. In the same interview Tyson talked about his progress with sobriety and how being in the company of good people has made him want to be a better and more humble person.
Tyson also revealed that he is no longer vegan, stating, "I was a vegan for four years but not anymore. I eat chicken every now and then. I should be a vegan. [No red meat] at all, no way! I would be very sick if I ate red meat. That's probably why I was so crazy before."
In 2015, Tyson announced that he was supporting Donald Trump's presidential candidacy.
In popular culture
At the height of his fame and career in the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s, Tyson was among the most recognized sports personalities in the world. In addition to his many sporting accomplishments, his outrageous and controversial behavior in the ring and in his private life has kept him in the public eye and in the courtroom. As such, Tyson has been the subject of myriad popular media including movies, television, books and music. He has also been featured in video games and as a subject of parody or satire. Tyson became involved in professional wrestling and has made many cameo appearances in film and television.
The film Tyson was released in 1995 and was directed by Uli Edel. It explores the life of Mike Tyson, from the death of his guardian and trainer Cus D'Amato to his rape conviction. Tyson is played by Michael Jai White.
Published in 2007, author Joe Layden's book The Last Great Fight: The Extraordinary Tale of Two Men and How One Fight Changed Their Lives Forever, chronicled the lives of Tyson and Douglas before and after their heavyweight championship fight.
In 2008, the documentary Tyson premiered at the annual Cannes Film Festival in France.
He is the titular character in Mike Tyson Mysteries, which started airing on October 27, 2014, on Adult Swim. In the animated series, Tyson voices a fictionalized version of himself, solving mysteries in the style of Scooby-Doo.
In early March 2015, Tyson appeared on the track "Iconic" on Madonna's album Rebel Heart. Tyson says some lines at the beginning of the song.
In late March 2015, Ip Man 3 was announced. With Donnie Yen reprising his role as the titular character, Bruce Lee's martial arts master, Ip Man, while Mike Tyson has been confirmed to join the cast. Principal photography began on March 25, 2015, and was premiered in Hong Kong on December 16, 2015.
In January 2017, Tyson launched his YouTube channel with Shots Studios, a comedy video and comedy music production company with young digital stars like Lele Pons and Rudy Mancuso. Tyson's channel includes parody music videos and comedy sketches.
He hosts the podcast Hotboxin' with Mike Tyson.
In October 2017, Tyson was announced as the new face of Australian car servicing franchise Ultra Tune. He has taken over from Jean-Claude van Damme in fronting television commercials for the brand, and the first advert is due to air in January 2018 during the Australian Open.
A joint Mainland China-Hong Kong-directed film on female friendship titled Girls 2: Girls vs Gangsters () that was shot earlier from July–August 2016 at several locations around Vietnam was released in March 2018, featuring Tyson as "Dragon".
Tiki Lau released a dance music single, Mike Tyson in October 2020 which includes vocals from Tyson.
In 2021, Mike's Hard Lemonade Seltzer featured ads with Tyson.
In March 2021, it was announced that Jamie Foxx will star in, and also executive produce the official scripted series, “Tyson". The limited series will be directed by Antoine Fuqua and executive produced by Martin Scorsese.
A two-part documentary series titled Mike Tyson: The Knockout premiered on May 25, 2021, on ABC
Professional boxing record
Exhibition boxing record
Pay-per-view bouts
Boxing
PPV home television
Closed-circuit theatre TV
Select pay-per-view boxing buy rates at American closed-circuit theatre television venues:
Professional wrestling
World Wrestling Federation
All Elite Wrestling
Awards and honors
Humane letters
The Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, in 1989 awarded Tyson an honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters: "Mike demonstrates that hard work, determination and perseverance can enable one to overcome any obstacles."
Boxing
Ring magazine Prospect of the Year (1985)
2× Ring magazine Fighter of the Year (1986, 1988)
2× Sugar Ray Robinson Award winner (1987, 1989)
BBC Sports Personality of the Year Overseas Personality (1989)
International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee (Class of 2011)
"Guirlande d'Honneur" by the FICTS (Milan, 2010)
Professional wrestling
WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2012)
See also
List of undisputed boxing champions
List of heavyweight boxing champions
World heavyweight boxing championship records and statistics
Notes
References
External links
Boxing Hall of Fame
ESPN.com
ESPN.com – additional information
ESPN.com – Boxing Topics: Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson amateur boxing record
"Mike Tyson Film Takes a Swing at His Old Image", 2008 article at The New York Times
"Mike Tyson Moves to the Suburbs", 2011 article at The New York Times
1966 births
Living people
20th-century American criminals
African-American boxers
African-American male professional wrestlers
African-American Muslims
American autobiographers
American male boxers
American male criminals
American male voice actors
American people convicted of assault
American people convicted of drug offenses
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American prisoners and detainees
American sportspeople convicted of crimes
BBC Sports Personality World Sport Star of the Year winners
Boxers from New York (state)
Converts to Islam
Criminals from New York (state)
Criminals from New York City
D-Generation X members
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The Ring (magazine) champions
World Boxing Association champions
World Boxing Council champions
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Writers from Brooklyn
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Participants in Argentine reality television series
Bailando por un Sueño (Argentine TV series) participants
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"The Trinidad versus Mayorga fight, also known as \"Back with a Vengeance\", was a boxing event pitting former world champions Felix Tito Trinidad and Ricardo Mayorga. The fight took place on October 2, 2004, under the promotion of Don King, at the Madison Square Garden in New York City, United States.\n\nGeneral information\nThe fight involved no world titles, but that did not prevent it from being a large boxing event: With Bernard Hopkins's knockout of Oscar De La Hoya and Roy Jones Jr.'s knockout defeat weeks before, there were no more immediate big fights in the future, and both boxers had impressive knockout records.\n\nThe behind the scenes storylines involving this fight helped build up fan interest too: Mayorga, nicknamed \"El Matador\" (\"The Killer\"), had been active for the two previous years, settling for a no contest and a knockout win (in a rematch) against Andrew Lewis, then defeating Vernon Forrest twice before losing to Cory Spinks, all in world title fights. He had also won one fight at the Middleweight division. Mayorga, who prides himself in living a \"wild style\" type of life, had been arrested by the Nicaraguan government one month before the fight, stemming from charges of raping a woman. During the weight-in the day before the fight, Mayorga, feeling taunted by Trinidad's fans, responded by grabbing his genitals towards those fans. For the Trinidad fight, Mayorga dyed his hair red. Asked why he did that, he answered that he dyed his hair just because he felt like it.\n\nTrinidad, for his part, had not been active for two years. He lost his motivation, according to him, after Hopkins refused to give him a rematch of their September 28, 2001 bout, in which Hopkins unified the WBA, WBC, and IBF titles by knocking Trinidad out in twelve rounds. After a win against Hacine Cherifi in four rounds in 2002, Trinidad retired. Félix Trinidad reportedly reached a weight of 200 pounds (91 kg) during his retirement.\n\nBecause of those circumstances, many experts predicted that this fight would be like the fight between Joe Louis and Rocky Marciano or the one between Larry Holmes and Muhammad Ali: A former great who had been out of the ring for a considerable amount of time taking on an opponent who was, on the other hand, very good, but not to be considered as good as the retired champion ever was, therefore, many predicted Trinidad's doom at the hands of a man like Mayorga, who had won a world title and proven himself against some of the best boxers available while Trinidad was away from boxing.\n\nThe fight was telecast on HBO's Pay Per View, and commented by Jim Lampley, Larry Merchant and Roy Jones Jr. The fact it was held in New York guaranteed that many fans from both countries, especially Puerto Ricans, would come to cheer for their boxer.\n\nSynopsis\nMayorga started the fight by almost falling Trinidad with a jab. A famous part of this round sees Mayorga drop his hands sticking his chin in the air daring the vicious puncher Trinidad to try his best. Trinidad threw three left hooks and Mayorga simply did a mocking dance to taunt Trinidad. In round two, Trinidad and Mayorga traded power punches evenly, with most experts agreeing that Trinidad landed with a little more power.\n\nMayorga struck in round three with a right to the chin, that caused Trinidad to reel back and touch his glove to the mat. Although this was ruled a knockdown, Trinidad recuperated quickly, and went back into trading with Mayorga. By the end of the round, Mayorga was wobbled again. It has been alleged that, at some point after falling, Trinidad told Mayorga something in Spanish that sounded like \"I've tasted your power now. Let's see if you can take mine(power)!\".\n\nBy round four, Mayorga began to spurt a cut. Trinidad started to move to take advantage of the cut. Nevertheless, the round featured many furious exchanges between the two rivals.\n\nRound five was similar to round four. Both fighters stood in the center of the ring, trading power punches until the bell. This style set the pattern for the rest of the fight, but Mayorga was noticeably tiring after six rounds, and he had sustained two more injuries.\n\nThe end of the fight came in round eight. Trinidad, seizing an opportunity for a knockout, dropped Mayorga three times, forcing the referee to stop the bout, giving Trinidad the TKO win.\n\nAftermath \nThere was the possibility of a rematch between Trinidad and de la Hoya, who was defeated by Trinidad in 1999 via a controversial decision. A fight against Hopkins, based on the outcome of Hopkins-de la Hoya, was also very considered, just like a fight with Roy Jones Jr. Soon after the fight with Mayorga, though, Trinidad only fought Winky Wright in May 2005, losing in 12 rounds for only the second loss of his career. Eventually, Trinidad would fight Jones Jr. in January 2008, losing by unanimous 12-round decision.\n\nAs for Mayorga, he required hospitalization due to the injuries he sustained. Immediately after being released from the hospital (three days after the fight), he flew back to Nicaragua, where he would immediately begin a law process to determine whether he was guilty or not of rape. On October 5, he announced his retirement from boxing, although he later returned onto the ring to fight Michele Piccirillo and then Oscar De La Hoya.\n\nThe fight between Trinidad and Mayorga went on to be considered by some respected critics as a candidate for 2004's \"fight of the year\" immediately after it was over.\n\nPromoter Don King went on a tirade against HBO days after the fight, complaining that HBO had dedicated 6 months to promote the Hopkins-de la Hoya fight and only six days to promote the Trinidad-Mayorga showdown. HBO executives replied by saying that King was apparently too caught up with the political debates of 2004, and that HBO and King have enjoyed a mutual working relationship for many years.\n\n2004 in boxing\n2004 in sports in New York City\n2000s in Manhattan\nBoxing matches at Madison Square Garden\nOctober 2004 sports events in the United States",
"Muhammad Ali and Chuck Wepner fought each other in a boxing match on March 24, 1975, at the Richfield Coliseum in Richfield Township, Summit County, Ohio. \n\nThis was Ali's first boxing bout after The Rumble in the Jungle. The fight was billed as Give the White Guy a Break. \n\nAli won the fight after he knocked out Wepner in the fifteenth round. The fight is notable for being among the four fights in which Ali was officially knocked down in the ring, and for inspiring the 1976 film Rocky.\n\nBackground\nWepner was 35 years old at this time. His professional record comprised thirty wins, nine losses, and two draws. He had earned the moniker \"The Bayonne Bleeder\" because he would readily get cut during boxing fights, and because he was from Bayonne, New Jersey. Prior to the Ali fight, Wepner had fought with Sonny Liston in Liston's final boxing match; after the bout Wepner had required 120 stitches.\n\nThe fight was expected to be an easy win for Ali who did minimal training for it. Asked why he had not trained harder for this fight, Ali had commented:\n\nBuildup\n\"Don King induced a Cleveland tycoon named Carl Lombardo to underwrite the show for $1.3‐million. Video Techniques put in $200,000 and that just about took care of the nut. Video Techniques had snatched the champion out of Top Rank's clutches but now had a mismatch in a cornfield; a million‐dollar turkey in a 5 and 10 cent store.\"\n\nAli and Wepner did some television interviews together to promote the fight. They were on 'The Mike Douglas Show' when Ali leaned towards Wepner during a break and said: \n\nUpon Wepner's refusal to grant him the favor he sought, Ali started shouting as soon as the show's host reappeared on the set: \"Do you know what he called me? Do you know what he called me?\" Wepner then covered Ali's mouth with his hand.\" Ali was a promoter. He was a great promoter and they were trying to hype up the fight,\" Wepner explained.\n\nMrs Wepner and Stallone\nBefore the fight, Wepner was lying in bed with his wife when he told her something like \"Even if I don't win, I just want to prove I belong there.\" Wepner later shared this line with Sylvester Stallone who used it in Rocky. On the day of the fight Wepner presented a \"very sexy\" blue negligee to his wife and told her to wear it that night in bed since she would be sleeping with the heavyweight champion of the world. On the night of the fight, Mrs. Wepner was wearing the negligee when Wepner returned to their hotel room, after the fight, with twenty three stitches. She asked him: \"Okay, bigshot...Do I go to Ali's room, or does he come to mine?\"\n\nThe Fight\nBesides his courage and stamina, Wepner had a huge repertoire of \"fouls and dirty tricks\", some of which were used in this fight. Prior to the fight Wepner told his manager \"Ali is the king of boxin'\", whereupon the manager responded with \"Yeah, yeah, Chuck, but in the ring you're the king of dirty fighting. You're both royalty.\"\n\nAli would later complain that Wepner had thrown \"rabbit punches\"—punches on the back of the head—on him, and had expressed his displeasure that Tony Perez, the referee, allowed the usage of this tactic. Ali retaliated by throwing 6 punches to the back of Wepner's head in the first round. Ali also claimed that the referee incorrectly designated his fall in the ninth round an official knockdown. According to Ali, Wepner had stepped on his foot, and then pushed him causing him to lose his balance and fall. Film and photographic records prove Ali's claim, although Wepner claims it was a genuine knockdown.\n\nAfter knocking down Ali, Wepner went to his corner and told his manager: \"Start the car up, Al, we're going to the bank, we're millionaires!\", whereupon the manager told Wepner: \"You better turn around--your guy's getting up and he looks pissed off.\"\n\nAli punished Wepner for the rest of the fight culminating with a final flurry of punches in the last round which knocked out Wepner.\n\nAftermath\nAli later commented that Wepner \"was dirty and fought like a woman.\" However, Wepner's effort was sufficiently inspiring for Sylvester Stallone to base the character of Rocky on Wepner, and of Apollo Creed on Ali.\n\nReferences\n\nWepner\n1975 in boxing\nWorld Boxing Association heavyweight championship matches\nWorld Boxing Council heavyweight championship matches\nMarch 1975 sports events in the United States\nSports in Richfield Township, Summit County, Ohio\nBoxing in Ohio"
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[
"Mike Tyson",
"Undisputed champion",
"What is the undisputed champion?",
"Expectations for Tyson were extremely high, and he embarked on an ambitious campaign to fight all of the top heavyweights in the world. Tyson defended his title",
"What year did he start that journey?",
"Tyson defended his title against James Smith on March 7, 1987, in Las Vegas, Nevada. He won by unanimous decision",
"Who did he fight after this?",
"He beat Pinklon Thomas in May with a knockout in the sixth round. On August 1 he took the International Boxing Federation (IBF) title from Tony Tucker"
] |
C_1b5dc9e3e91746cebf8036796b03646b_0
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What year was that fight?
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What year Did Mike Tyson fight Pinklon Thomas??
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Mike Tyson
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Expectations for Tyson were extremely high, and he embarked on an ambitious campaign to fight all of the top heavyweights in the world. Tyson defended his title against James Smith on March 7, 1987, in Las Vegas, Nevada. He won by unanimous decision and added Smith's World Boxing Association (WBA) title to his existing belt. "Tyson-mania" in the media was becoming rampant. He beat Pinklon Thomas in May with a knockout in the sixth round. On August 1 he took the International Boxing Federation (IBF) title from Tony Tucker in a twelve round unanimous decision. He became the first heavyweight to own all three major belts - WBA, WBC, and IBF - at the same time. Another fight, in October of that year, ended with a victory for Tyson over 1984 Olympic super heavyweight gold medalist Tyrell Biggs by knockout in the seventh round. During this time, Tyson came to the attention of gaming company Nintendo. After witnessing one of Tyson's fights, Nintendo of America president, Minoru Arakawa was impressed by the fighter's "power and skill", prompting him to suggest Tyson be included in the upcoming Nintendo Entertainment System port of the Punch Out!! arcade game. In 1987, Nintendo released Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!, which was well received and sold more than a million copies. Tyson had three fights in 1988. He faced Larry Holmes on January 22, 1988, and defeated the legendary former champion by a fourth round KO. This was the only knockout loss Holmes suffered in 75 professional bouts. In March, Tyson then fought contender Tony Tubbs in Tokyo, Japan, fitting in an easy two-round victory amid promotional and marketing work. On June 27, 1988, Tyson faced Michael Spinks. Spinks, who had taken the heavyweight championship from Larry Holmes via a 15-round decision in 1985, had not lost his title in the ring but was not recognized as champion by the major boxing organizations. Holmes had previously given up all but the IBF title, and that was eventually stripped from Spinks after he elected to fight Gerry Cooney (winning by a 5th-round TKO) rather than IBF Number 1 Contender Tony Tucker, as the Cooney fight provided him a larger purse. However, Spinks did become the lineal champion by beating Holmes and many (including Ring magazine) considered him to have a legitimate claim to being the true heavyweight champion. The bout was, at the time, the richest fight in history and expectations were very high. Boxing pundits were predicting a titanic battle of styles, with Tyson's aggressive infighting conflicting with Spinks' skillful out-boxing and footwork. The fight ended after 91 seconds when Tyson knocked Spinks out in the first round; many consider this to be the pinnacle of Tyson's fame and boxing ability. CANNOTANSWER
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On August 1
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Michael Gerard Tyson (born June 30, 1966) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1985 to 2005. Nicknamed "Iron Mike" and "Kid Dynamite" in his early career, and later known as "The Baddest Man on the Planet", Tyson is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. He reigned as the undisputed world heavyweight champion from 1987 to 1990. Tyson won his first 19 professional fights by knockout, 12 of them in the first round. Claiming his first belt at 20 years, four months, and 22 days old, Tyson holds the record as the youngest boxer ever to win a heavyweight title. He was the first heavyweight boxer to simultaneously hold the WBA, WBC and IBF titles, as well as the only heavyweight to unify them in succession. The following year, Tyson became the lineal champion when he knocked out Michael Spinks in 91 seconds of the first round. In 1990, Tyson was knocked out by underdog Buster Douglas in one of the biggest upsets in history.
In 1992, Tyson was convicted of rape and sentenced to six years in prison, although he was released on parole after three years. After his release in 1995, he engaged in a series of comeback fights, regaining the WBA and WBC titles in 1996 to join Floyd Patterson, Muhammad Ali, Tim Witherspoon, Evander Holyfield and George Foreman as the only men in boxing history to have regained a heavyweight championship after losing it. After being stripped of the WBC title in the same year, Tyson lost the WBA title to Evander Holyfield by an eleventh round stoppage. Their 1997 rematch ended when Tyson was disqualified for biting Holyfield's ears, one bite notoriously being strong enough to remove a portion of his right ear. In 2002, Tyson fought for the world heavyweight title, losing by knockout to Lennox Lewis.
Tyson was known for his ferocious and intimidating boxing style as well as his controversial behavior inside and outside the ring. With a knockout-to-win percentage of 88%, he was ranked 16th on The Ring magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time, and first on ESPN's list of "The Hardest Hitters in Heavyweight History". Sky Sports described him as "perhaps the most ferocious fighter to step into a professional ring". He has been inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame.
Early life
Michael Gerard Tyson was born in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, New York City on June 30, 1966. He has an older brother named Rodney (born c. 1961) and an older sister named Denise, who died of a heart attack at age 24 in February 1990. Tyson's biological father is listed as "Purcell Tyson" (who was from Jamaica) on his birth certificate, but the man Tyson had known as his father was Jimmy Kirkpatrick. Kirkpatrick was from Grier Town, North Carolina (a predominantly black neighborhood that was annexed by the city of Charlotte), where he was one of the neighborhood's top baseball players. Kirkpatrick married and had a son, Tyson's half-brother Jimmie Lee Kirkpatrick, who would help to integrate Charlotte high school football in 1965. In 1959, Jimmy Kirkpatrick left his family and moved to Brooklyn, where he met Tyson's mother, Lorna Mae (Smith) Tyson. Kirkpatrick frequented pool halls, gambled and hung out on the streets. "My father was just a regular street guy caught up in the street world," Tyson said. Kirkpatrick abandoned the Tyson family around the time Mike was born, leaving Tyson's mother to care for the children on her own. Kirkpatrick died in 1992.
The family lived in Bedford-Stuyvesant until their financial burdens necessitated a move to Brownsville when Tyson was 10 years old. Tyson's mother died six years later, leaving 16-year-old Tyson in the care of boxing manager and trainer Cus D'Amato, who would become his legal guardian. Tyson later said, "I never saw my mother happy with me and proud of me for doing something: she only knew me as being a wild kid running the streets, coming home with new clothes that she knew I didn't pay for. I never got a chance to talk to her or know about her. Professionally, it has no effect, but it's crushing emotionally and personally."
Throughout his childhood, Tyson lived in and around neighborhoods with a high rate of crime. According to an interview in Details, his first fight was with a bigger youth who had pulled the head off one of Tyson's pigeons. Tyson was repeatedly caught committing petty crimes and fighting those who ridiculed his high-pitched voice and lisp. By the age of 13, he had been arrested 38 times. He ended up at the Tryon School for Boys in Johnstown, New York. Tyson's emerging boxing ability was discovered there by Bobby Stewart, a juvenile detention center counselor and former boxer. Stewart considered Tyson to be an outstanding fighter and trained him for a few months before introducing him to Cus D'Amato. Tyson dropped out of high school as a junior. He would be awarded an honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from Central State University in 1989. Kevin Rooney also trained Tyson, and he was occasionally assisted by Teddy Atlas, although Atlas was dismissed by D'Amato when Tyson was 15. Rooney eventually took over all training duties for the young fighter.
Amateur career
As an amateur, Tyson won gold medals at the 1981 and 1982 Junior Olympic Games, defeating Joe Cortez in 1981 and beating Kelton Brown in 1982. Brown's corner threw in the towel in the first round. In 1984 Tyson won the gold medal at the Nation Golden Gloves held in New York, beating Jonathan Littles. He fought Henry Tillman twice as an amateur, losing both bouts by decision. Tillman went on to win heavyweight gold at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Professional career
Rise to stardom
Tyson made his professional debut as an 18-year-old on March 6, 1985, in Albany, New York. He defeated Hector Mercedes via first-round TKO. He had 15 bouts in his first year as a professional. Fighting frequently, Tyson won 26 of his first 28 fights by KO or TKO; 16 of those came in the first round. The quality of his opponents gradually increased to journeyman fighters and borderline contenders, like James Tillis, David Jaco, Jesse Ferguson, Mitch Green, and Marvis Frazier. His win streak attracted media attention and Tyson was billed as the next great heavyweight champion. D'Amato died in November 1985, relatively early into Tyson's professional career, and some speculate that his death was the catalyst to many of the troubles Tyson was to experience as his life and career progressed.
Tyson's first nationally televised bout took place on February 16, 1986, at Houston Field House in Troy, New York, against journeyman heavyweight Jesse Ferguson, and was carried by ABC Sports. Tyson knocked down Ferguson with an uppercut in the fifth round that broke Ferguson's nose. During the sixth round, Ferguson began to hold and clinch Tyson in an apparent attempt to avoid further punishment. After admonishing Ferguson several times to obey his commands to box, the referee finally stopped the fight near the middle of the sixth round. The fight was initially ruled a win for Tyson by disqualification (DQ) of his opponent. The ruling was "adjusted" to a win by technical knockout (TKO) after Tyson's corner protested that a DQ win would end Tyson's string of knockout victories, and that a knockout would have been the inevitable result.
In July, after recording six more knockout victories, Tyson fought former world title challenger Marvis Frazier in Glens Falls, New York, on another ABC Sports broadcast. Tyson won easily, charging at Frazier at the opening bell and hitting him with an uppercut that knocked Frazier unconscious thirty seconds into the fight.
On November 22, 1986, Tyson was given his first title fight against Trevor Berbick for the World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight championship. Tyson won the title by TKO in the second round, and at the age of 20 years and 4 months became the youngest heavyweight champion in history. He added the WBA and IBF titles after defeating James Smith and Tony Tucker in 1987. Tyson's dominant performance brought many accolades. Donald Saunders wrote: "The noble and manly art of boxing can at least cease worrying about its immediate future, now [that] it has discovered a heavyweight champion fit to stand alongside Dempsey, Tunney, Louis, Marciano, and Ali."
Tyson intimidated fighters with his strength, combined with outstanding hand speed, accuracy, coordination and timing. Tyson also possessed notable defensive abilities, holding his hands high in the peek-a-boo style taught by his mentor Cus D'Amato to slip under and weave around his opponent's punches while timing his own. Tyson's explosive punching technique was due in large part to crouching immediately prior to throwing a hook or an uppercut: this allowed the 'spring' of his legs to add power to the punch. Among his signature moves was a right hook to his opponent's body followed by a right uppercut to his opponent's chin. Lorenzo Boyd, Jesse Ferguson and José Ribalta were each knocked down by this combination.
Undisputed champion
Expectations for Tyson were extremely high, and he was the favorite to win the heavyweight unification series, a tournament designed to establish an undisputed heavyweight champion. Tyson defended his title against James Smith on March 7, 1987, in Las Vegas, Nevada. He won by unanimous decision and added Smith's World Boxing Association (WBA) title to his existing belt. "Tyson-mania" in the media was becoming rampant. He beat Pinklon Thomas in May by TKO in the sixth round. On August 1 he took the International Boxing Federation (IBF) title from Tony Tucker in a twelve-round unanimous decision 119–111, 118–113, and 116–112. He became the first heavyweight to own all three major belts – WBA, WBC, and IBF – at the same time. Another fight, in October of that year, ended with a victory for Tyson over 1984 Olympic super heavyweight gold medalist Tyrell Biggs by TKO in the seventh round.
During this time, Tyson came to the attention of gaming company Nintendo. After witnessing one of Tyson's fights, Nintendo of America president Minoru Arakawa was impressed by the fighter's "power and skill", prompting him to suggest Tyson be included in the upcoming Nintendo Entertainment System port of the Punch Out!! arcade game. In 1987, Nintendo released Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!, which was well received and sold more than a million copies.
Tyson had three fights in 1988. He faced Larry Holmes on January 22, 1988, and defeated the legendary former champion by KO in the fourth round. This was the only knockout loss Holmes suffered in 75 professional bouts. In March, Tyson then fought contender Tony Tubbs in Tokyo, Japan, fitting in an easy second-round TKO victory amid promotional and marketing work.
On June 27, 1988, Tyson faced Michael Spinks. Spinks, who had taken the heavyweight championship from Larry Holmes via fifteen-round decision in 1985, had not lost his title in the ring but was not recognized as champion by the major boxing organizations. Holmes had previously given up all but the IBF title, and that was eventually stripped from Spinks after he elected to fight Gerry Cooney (winning by TKO in the fifth round) rather than IBF Number 1 Contender Tony Tucker, as the Cooney fight provided him a larger purse. However, Spinks did become the lineal champion by beating Holmes and many (including Ring magazine) considered him to have a legitimate claim to being the true heavyweight champion. The bout was, at the time, the richest fight in history and expectations were very high. Boxing pundits were predicting a titanic battle of styles, with Tyson's aggressive infighting conflicting with Spinks's skillful out-boxing and footwork. The fight ended after 91 seconds when Tyson knocked Spinks out in the first round; many consider this to be the pinnacle of Tyson's fame and boxing ability.
Controversy and upset
During this period, Tyson's problems outside the ring were also starting to emerge. His marriage to Robin Givens was heading for divorce, and his future contract was being fought over by Don King and Bill Cayton. In late 1988, Tyson parted with manager Bill Cayton and fired longtime trainer Kevin Rooney, the man many credit for honing Tyson's craft after the death of D'Amato. Following Rooney's departure, critics alleged that Tyson began to show less head movement and combination punching. In 1989, Tyson had only two fights amid personal turmoil. He faced the British boxer Frank Bruno in February. Bruno managed to stun Tyson at the end of the first round, although Tyson went on to knock Bruno out in the fifth round. Tyson then knocked out Carl "The Truth" Williams in the first round in July.
By 1990, Tyson seemed to have lost direction, and his personal life was in disarray amidst reports of less vigorous training prior to the Buster Douglas match. In a fight on February 11, 1990, he lost the undisputed championship to Douglas in Tokyo. Tyson was a huge betting favorite; indeed, the Mirage, the only casino to put out odds for the fight, made Tyson a 42/1 favorite. Tyson failed to find a way past Douglas's quick jab that had a reach advantage over his own. Tyson did catch Douglas with an uppercut in the eighth round and knocked him to the floor, but Douglas recovered sufficiently to hand Tyson a heavy beating in the subsequent two rounds. After the fight, the Tyson camp would complain that the count was slow and that Douglas had taken longer than ten seconds to get back on his feet. Just 35 seconds into the tenth round, Douglas unleashed a brutal uppercut, followed by a four-punch combination of hooks that sent Tyson to the canvas for the first time in his career. He was counted out by referee Octavio Meyran.
The knockout victory by Douglas over Tyson, the previously undefeated "baddest man on the planet" and arguably the most feared boxer in professional boxing at that time, has been described as one of the most shocking upsets in modern sports history.
After Douglas
Despite the shocking loss, Tyson has said that losing to Douglas was the greatest moment of his career. “I needed that fight to make me a better person and fighter. I have a broader perspective of myself and boxing.”
After the loss, Tyson recovered with first-round knockouts of Henry Tillman and Alex Stewart in his next two fights. Tyson's victory over Tillman, the 1984 Olympic heavyweight gold medalist, enabled Tyson to avenge his amateur losses at Tillman's hands. These bouts set up an elimination match for another shot at the undisputed world heavyweight championship, which Evander Holyfield had taken from Douglas in his first defense of the title.
Tyson, who was the number one contender, faced number two contender Donovan "Razor" Ruddock on March 18, 1991, in Las Vegas. Ruddock was seen as the most dangerous heavyweight around and was thought of as one of the hardest punching heavyweights. Tyson and Ruddock went back and forth for most of the fight, until referee Richard Steele controversially stopped the fight during the seventh round in favor of Tyson. This decision infuriated the fans in attendance, sparking a post-fight melee in the audience. The referee had to be escorted from the ring.
Tyson and Ruddock met again on June 28 that year, with Tyson knocking down Ruddock twice and winning a twelve-round unanimous decision 113–109, 114–108, and 114–108. A fight between Tyson and Holyfield for the undisputed championship was scheduled for November 8, 1991, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, but Tyson pulled out after sustaining a rib cartilage injury during training.
Rape trial and prison
Tyson was arrested in July 1991 for the rape of 18-year-old Desiree Washington, Miss Black Rhode Island, in an Indianapolis hotel room. Tyson's rape trial took place in the Marion County superior court from January 26 to February 10, 1992.
Partial corroboration of Washington's story came via testimony from Tyson's chauffeur who confirmed Desiree Washington's state of shock after the incident. Further testimony came from the emergency room physician who examined Washington more than 24 hours after the incident and confirmed that Washington's physical condition was consistent with rape.
Under lead defense lawyer Vincent J. Fuller's direct examination, Tyson claimed that everything had taken place with Washington's full consent and he claimed not to have forced himself upon her. When he was cross-examined by lead prosecutor Gregory Garrison, Tyson denied claims that he had misled Washington and insisted that she wanted to have sex with him. Tyson was convicted on the rape charge on February 10, 1992, after the jury deliberated for nearly 10 hours.
Alan Dershowitz, acting as Tyson's counsel, filed an appeal urging error of law in the Court's exclusion of evidence of the victim's past sexual conduct (known as the Rape Shield Law), the exclusion of three potential defense witnesses, and the lack of a jury instruction on honest and reasonable mistake of fact. The Indiana Court of Appeals ruled against Tyson in a 2–1 vote. The Indiana Supreme Court let the lower court opinion stand due to a 2–2 split in its review. The tie vote was due to the fact that the Chief Justice of the Indiana Supreme Court recused himself from the case. The Chief Justice later revealed he did so because of a heated argument between his wife and Dershowitz at a Yale Law School reunion concerning the case. On March 26, 1992, Tyson was sentenced to six years in prison along with four years of probation. He was assigned to the Indiana Youth Center (now the Plainfield Correctional Facility) in April 1992, and he was released in March 1995 after serving less than three years of the sentence.
It has been widely reported that while in prison, Tyson converted to Islam and adopted the Muslim name Malik Abdul Aziz (though some sources report the adoption of a different Islamic name, Malik Shabazz). However, Tyson has stated that he converted to Islam before entering prison, but made no efforts to correct the misinformation in the media. Due to his conviction, Tyson is required to register as a Tier II sex offender under federal law.
Comeback
After being paroled from prison, Tyson easily won his comeback bouts against Peter McNeeley and Buster Mathis Jr. Tyson's first comeback fight grossed more than US$96 million worldwide, including a United States record $63 million for PPV television. The viewing of the fight was purchased by 1.52 million homes, setting both PPV viewership and revenue records. The 89-second fight elicited criticism that Tyson's management lined up "tomato cans" to ensure easy victories for his return. TV Guide included the Tyson–McNeeley fight in their list of the 50 Greatest TV Sports Moments of All Time in 1998.
Tyson regained one belt by easily winning the WBC title against Frank Bruno in March 1996. It was the second fight between the two, and Tyson knocked out Bruno in the third round. In 1996, Lennox Lewis turned down a $13.5 million guarantee to fight Tyson. This would've been Lewis's highest fight purse to date. Lewis then accepted $4 million from Don King to step aside and allow Tyson to fight Bruce Seldon for an expected $30 million instead with the intention that if Tyson defeated Seldon, he would fight Lewis next. Tyson added the WBA belt by defeating champion Seldon in the first round in September that year. Seldon was severely criticized and mocked in the popular press for seemingly collapsing to innocuous punches from Tyson.
Tyson–Holyfield fights
Tyson vs. Holyfield I
Tyson attempted to defend the WBA title against Evander Holyfield, who was in the fourth fight of his own comeback. Holyfield had retired in 1994 following the loss of his championship to Michael Moorer. It was said that Don King and others saw former champion Holyfield, who was 34 at the time of the fight and a huge underdog, as a washed-up fighter.
On November 9, 1996, in Las Vegas, Nevada, Tyson faced Holyfield in a title bout dubbed "Finally". In a surprising turn of events, Holyfield, who was given virtually no chance to win by numerous commentators, defeated Tyson by TKO when referee Mitch Halpern stopped the bout in round eleven. Holyfield became the second boxer to win a heavyweight championship belt three times. Holyfield's victory was marred by allegations from Tyson's camp of Holyfield's frequent headbutts during the bout. Although the headbutts were ruled accidental by the referee, they would become a point of contention in the subsequent rematch.
Tyson vs. Holyfield II and aftermath
Tyson and Holyfield fought again on June 28, 1997. Originally, Halpern was supposed to be the referee, but after Tyson's camp protested, Halpern stepped aside in favor of Mills Lane. The highly anticipated rematch was dubbed The Sound and the Fury, and it was held at the Las Vegas MGM Grand Garden Arena, site of the first bout. It was a lucrative event, drawing even more attention than the first bout and grossing $100 million. Tyson received $30 million and Holyfield $35 million, the highest paid professional boxing purses until 2007. The fight was purchased by 1.99 million households, setting a pay-per-view buy rate record that stood until May 5, 2007, being surpassed by Oscar De La Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Soon to become one of the most controversial events in modern sports, the fight was stopped at the end of the third round, with Tyson disqualified for biting Holyfield on both ears. The first time Tyson bit him, the match was temporarily stopped. Referee Mills Lane deducted two points from Tyson and the fight resumed. However, after the match resumed, Tyson bit him again, resulting in his disqualification, and Holyfield won the match. The first bite was severe enough to remove a piece of Holyfield's right ear, which was found on the ring floor after the fight. Tyson later stated that his actions were retaliation for Holyfield repeatedly headbutting him without penalty. In the confusion that followed the ending of the bout and announcement of the decision, a near riot occurred in the arena and several people were injured. Tyson Holyfield II was the first heavyweight title fight in over 50 years to end in a disqualification.
As a subsequent fallout from the incident, US$3 million was immediately withheld from Tyson's $30-million purse by the Nevada state boxing commission (the most it could legally hold back at the time). Two days after the fight, Tyson issued a statement, apologizing to Holyfield for his actions and asked not to be banned for life over the incident. Tyson was roundly condemned in the news media but was not without defenders. Novelist and commentator Katherine Dunn wrote a column that criticized Holyfield's sportsmanship in the controversial bout and charged the news media with being biased against Tyson.
On July 9, 1997, Tyson's boxing license was rescinded by the Nevada State Athletic Commission in a unanimous voice vote; he was also fined US$3 million and ordered to pay the legal costs of the hearing. As most state athletic commissions honor sanctions imposed by other states, this effectively made Tyson unable to box in the United States. The revocation was not permanent, as the commission voted 4–1 to restore Tyson's boxing license on October 18, 1998.
During his time away from boxing in 1998, Tyson made a guest appearance at WrestleMania XIV as an enforcer for the main event match between Shawn Michaels and Steve Austin. During this time, Tyson was also an unofficial member of Michaels's stable, D-Generation X. Tyson was paid $3 million for being guest enforcer of the match at WrestleMania XIV.
1999–2005
In January 1999, Tyson returned to the ring for a match against the South African Francois Botha. This match also ended in controversy. While Botha initially controlled the fight, Tyson allegedly attempted to break Botha's arms during a tie-up and both boxers were cautioned by the referee in the ill-tempered bout. Botha was ahead on points on all scorecards and was confident enough to mock Tyson as the fight continued. Nonetheless, Tyson landed a straight right hand in the fifth round that knocked out Botha. Critics noticed Tyson stopped using the bob and weave defense altogether following this return. Promoting the fight on Secaucus, New Jersey television station WWOR-TV, Tyson launched into an expletive-laden tirade that forced sports anchor Russ Salzberg to cut the interview short.
Legal problems arose with Tyson once again. On February 5, 1999, Tyson was sentenced to a year's imprisonment, fined $5,000, and ordered to serve two years probation along with undergoing 200 hours of community service for assaulting two motorists after a traffic accident on August 31, 1998. He served nine months of that sentence. After his release, he fought Orlin Norris on October 23, 1999. Tyson knocked down Norris with a left hook thrown after the bell sounded to end the first round. Norris injured his knee when he went down and said that he was unable to continue. Consequently, the bout was ruled a no contest.
In 2000, Tyson had three fights. The first match in January was staged at the MEN Arena in Manchester, England against Julius Francis. Following controversy as to whether Tyson was allowed into the country, he took four minutes to knock out Francis, ending the bout in the second round. He also fought Lou Savarese in June 2000 in Glasgow, winning in the first round; the fight lasted only 38 seconds. Tyson continued punching after the referee had stopped the fight, knocking the referee to the floor as he tried to separate the boxers. In October, Tyson fought the similarly controversial Andrew Golota, winning in round three after Gołota was unable to continue due to a broken cheekbone, concussion, and neck injury. The result was later changed to no contest after Tyson refused to take a pre-fight drug test and then tested positive for marijuana in a post-fight urine test. Tyson fought only once in 2001, beating Brian Nielsen in Copenhagen by TKO in the seventh round.
Lewis vs. Tyson
Tyson once again had the opportunity to fight for a heavyweight championship in 2002. Lennox Lewis held the WBC, IBF, IBO and Lineal titles at the time. As promising fighters, Tyson and Lewis had sparred at a training camp in a meeting arranged by Cus D'Amato in 1984. Tyson sought to fight Lewis in Nevada for a more lucrative box-office venue, but the Nevada Boxing Commission refused him a license to box as he was facing possible sexual assault charges at the time.
Two years prior to the bout, Tyson had made several inflammatory remarks to Lewis in an interview following the Savarese fight. The remarks included the statement "I want your heart, I want to eat your children." On January 22, 2002, the two boxers and their entourages were involved in a brawl at a New York press conference to publicize the planned event. A few weeks later, the Nevada State Athletic Commission refused to grant Tyson a license for the fight, and the promoters had to make alternative arrangements. After multiple states balked at granting Tyson a license, the fight eventually occurred on June 8 at the Pyramid Arena in Memphis, Tennessee. Lewis dominated the fight and knocked out Tyson with a right hand in the eighth round. Tyson was respectful after the fight and praised Lewis on his victory. This fight was the highest-grossing event in pay-per-view history at that time, generating $106.9 million from 1.95 million buys in the US.
Later career, bankruptcy, and retirement
In another Memphis fight on February 22, 2003, Tyson beat fringe contender Clifford Etienne 49 seconds into round one. The pre-fight was marred by rumors of Tyson's lack of fitness. Some said that he took time out from training to party in Las Vegas and get a new facial tattoo. This eventually proved to be Tyson's final professional victory in the ring.
In August 2003, after years of financial struggles, Tyson finally filed for bankruptcy. Tyson earned over $30 million for several of his fights and $300 million during his career. At the time, the media reported that he had approximately $23 million in debt.
On August 13, 2003, Tyson entered the ring for a face-to-face confrontation against K-1 fighting phenom, Bob Sapp, immediately after Sapp's win against Kimo Leopoldo in Las Vegas. K-1 signed Tyson to a contract with the hopes of making a fight happen between the two, but Tyson's felony history made it impossible for him to obtain a visa to enter Japan, where the fight would have been most profitable. Alternative locations were discussed, but the fight ultimately failed to happen.
On July 30, 2004, Tyson had a match against British boxer Danny Williams in another comeback fight, and this time, staged in Louisville, Kentucky. Tyson dominated the opening two rounds. The third round was even, with Williams getting in some clean blows and also a few illegal ones, for which he was penalized. In the fourth round, Tyson was unexpectedly knocked out. After the fight, it was revealed that Tyson was trying to fight on one leg, having torn a ligament in his other knee in the first round. This was Tyson's fifth career defeat. He underwent surgery for the ligament four days after the fight. His manager, Shelly Finkel, claimed that Tyson was unable to throw meaningful right-hand punches since he had a knee injury.
On June 11, 2005, Tyson stunned the boxing world by quitting before the start of the seventh round in a close bout against journeyman Kevin McBride. In the 2008 documentary Tyson, he stated that he fought McBride for a payday, that he did not anticipate winning, that he was in poor physical condition and fed up with taking boxing seriously. After losing three of his last four fights, Tyson said he would quit boxing because he felt he had lost his passion for the sport.
In 2000 Tyson fired everyone working for him and enlisted new accountants, who prepared a statement showing he started the year $3.3 million in debt but earned $65.7 million. In August 2007, Tyson pleaded guilty to drug possession and driving under the influence in an Arizona court, which stemmed from an arrest in December where authorities said Tyson, who has a long history of legal problems, admitted to using cocaine that day and to being addicted to the drug.
Exhibition bouts
Mike Tyson's World Tour
To help pay off his debts, Tyson announced he would be doing a series of exhibition bouts, calling it Tyson's World Tour. For his first bout, Tyson returned to the ring in 2006 for a four-round exhibition against journeyman heavyweight Corey Sanders in Youngstown, Ohio. Tyson, without headgear at 5 ft 10.5 in and 216 pounds, was in quality shape, but far from his prime against Sanders, at 6 ft 6 in who wore headgear. Tyson appeared to be "holding back" in the exhibition to prevent an early end to the "show". "If I don't get out of this financial quagmire there's a possibility I may have to be a punching bag for somebody. The money I make isn't going to help my bills from a tremendous standpoint, but I'm going to feel better about myself. I'm not going to be depressed", explained Tyson about the reasons for his "comeback". After the bout was poorly received by fans the remainder of the tour was cancelled.
Tyson vs. Jones
It was announced in July 2020 that Tyson had signed a contract to face former four-division world champion, Roy Jones Jr., in an eight-round exhibition fight. Mixed martial arts coach Rafael Cordeiro was selected to be Tyson's trainer and cornerman. The bout—officially sanctioned by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC)—was initially scheduled to take place on September 12 at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, however, the date was pushed back to November 28 in order to maximize revenue for the event. The fight went the full 8 rounds, and was declared a draw. The fight was a split draw and the three judges scored the fight as follows: Chad Dawson (76–76 draw), Christy Martin (79–73 for Tyson), and Vinny Pazienza (76–80 for Jones).
Mike Tyson's Legends Only League
In July 2020, Mike Tyson announced the creation of Mike Tyson's Legends Only League. Tyson formed the league in partnership with Sophie Watts and her company, Eros Innovations. The league provides retired professional athletes the opportunity to compete in their respective sport. On November 28, 2020, Mike Tyson fought Roy Jones Jr. at the Staples Center in the first event produced under Legends Only League. The event received largely positive reviews and was the highest selling PPV event of 2020, which ranks in the Top-10 for PPV purchased events all-time.
Legacy
Tyson was The Ring magazine's Fighter of the Year in 1986 and 1988. A 1998 ranking of "The Greatest Heavyweights of All-Time" by The Ring magazine placed Tyson at number 14 on the list. Despite criticism of facing underwhelming competition during his run as champion, Tyson's knockout power and intimidation factor made him the sport's most dynamic box-office draw. According to Douglas Quenqua of The New York Times, "The [1990s] began with Mike Tyson, considered by many to be the last great heavyweight champion, losing his title to the little-known Buster Douglas. Seven years later, Mr. Tyson bit Evander Holyfield's ear in a heavyweight champion bout—hardly a proud moment for the sport."
He is remembered for his attire of black trunks, black shoes with no socks, and a plain white towel fit around his neck in place of a traditional robe, as well as his habit of rapidly pacing the ring before the start of a fight. In his prime, Tyson rarely took a step back and had never been knocked down or seriously challenged. According to Martial Arts World Report, it gave Tyson an Honorable Mention in its Ten Greatest Heavyweights of All Time rather than a ranking because longevity is a factor and the peak period of Tyson's career lasted only about 5 years.
BoxRec currently ranks Tyson at number 13 among the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. In The Ring magazine's list of the 80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years, released in 2002, Tyson was ranked at number 72. He is ranked number 16 on The Ring magazine's 2003 list of 100 greatest punchers of all time. Tyson has defeated 11 boxers for the world heavyweight title, the seventh-most in history.
On June 12, 2011, Tyson was inducted to the International Boxing Hall of Fame alongside legendary Mexican champion Julio César Chávez, light welterweight champion Kostya Tszyu, and actor/screenwriter Sylvester Stallone. In 2011, Bleacher Report omitted Tyson from its list of top 10 heavyweights, saying that that "Mike Tyson is not a top 10 heavyweight. He killed the fighters he was supposed to beat, but when he fought another elite fighter, he always lost. I'm not talking about some of those B-level fighters he took a belt from. I'm talking about the handful of good boxers he fought throughout his career."
In 2013, Tyson was inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame and headlined the induction ceremony. Tyson was inducted into the Southern Nevada Hall of Fame in 2015 along with four other inductees with ties to Southern Nevada.
Tyson reflected on his strongest opponents in ten categories for a 2014 interview with The Ring magazine, including best jab, best defense, fastest hands, fastest feet, best chin, smartest, strongest, best puncher, best boxer, and best overall.
In 2017, The Ring magazine ranked Tyson as number 9 of 20 heavyweight champions based on a poll of panelists that included trainers, matchmakers, media, historians, and boxers, including:
Trainers: Teddy Atlas, Pat Burns, Virgil Hunter, and Don Turner
Matchmakers: Eric Bottjer, Don Chargin, Don Elbaum, Bobby Goodman, Ron Katz, Mike Marchionte, Russell Peltz, and Bruce Trampler.
Media: Al Bernstein, Ron Borges, Gareth A Davies, Norm Frauenheim, Jerry Izenberg, Harold Lederman, Paulie Malignaggi, Dan Rafael, and Michael Rosenthal
Historians: Craig Hamilton, Steve Lott, Don McRae, Bob Mee, Clay Moyle, Adam Pollack, and Randy Roberts
Boxers: Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson participated in the poll, but neither fighter ranked himself. Instead, a weighted average from the other panelists was assigned to their respective slots on their ballots.
In 2020, Bill Caplan of The Ring magazine listed Tyson as number 17 of the 20 greatest heavyweights of all time. Tyson spoke with The Ring magazine in 2020 about his six greatest victories, which included knockouts of Trevor Berbick, Pinklon Thomas, Tony Tucker, Tyrell Biggs, Larry Holmes, and Michael Spinks. In 2020, CBS Sports boxing experts Brian Campbell and Brent Brookhouse ranked the top 10 heavyweights of the last 50 years and Tyson was ranked number 7.
Life after boxing
In an interview with USA Today published on June 3, 2005, Tyson said, "My whole life has been a waste – I've been a failure." He continued: "I just want to escape. I'm really embarrassed with myself and my life. I want to be a missionary. I think I could do that while keeping my dignity without letting people know they chased me out of the country. I want to get this part of my life over as soon as possible. In this country nothing good is going to come of me. People put me so high; I wanted to tear that image down." Tyson began to spend much of his time tending to his 350 pigeons in Paradise Valley, an upscale enclave near Phoenix, Arizona.
Tyson has stayed in the limelight by promoting various websites and companies. In the past Tyson had shunned endorsements, accusing other athletes of putting on a false front to obtain them. Tyson has held entertainment boxing shows at a casino in Las Vegas and started a tour of exhibition bouts to pay off his numerous debts.
On December 29, 2006, Tyson was arrested in Scottsdale, Arizona, on suspicion of DUI and felony drug possession; he nearly crashed into a police SUV shortly after leaving a nightclub. According to a police probable-cause statement, filed in Maricopa County Superior Court, "[Tyson] admitted to using [drugs] today and stated he is an addict and has a problem." Tyson pleaded not guilty on January 22, 2007, in Maricopa County Superior Court to felony drug possession and paraphernalia possession counts and two misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence of drugs. On February 8 he checked himself into an inpatient treatment program for "various addictions" while awaiting trial on the drug charges.
On September 24, 2007, Tyson pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine and driving under the influence. He was convicted of these charges in November 2007 and sentenced to 24 hours in jail. After his release, he was ordered to serve three years' probation and complete 360 hours of community service. Prosecutors had requested a year-long jail sentence, but the judge praised Tyson for seeking help with his drug problems. On November 11, 2009, Tyson was arrested after getting into a scuffle at Los Angeles International airport with a photographer. No charges were filed.
Tyson has taken acting roles in movies and television, most famously playing a fictionalized version of himself in the 2009 film The Hangover.
In September 2011, Tyson gave an interview in which he made comments about former Alaska governor Sarah Palin including crude and violent descriptions of interracial sex. These comments were reprinted on The Daily Caller website. Journalist Greta van Susteren criticized Tyson and The Daily Caller over the comments, which she described as "smut" and "violence against women".
After debuting a one-man show in Las Vegas, Tyson collaborated with film director Spike Lee and brought the show to Broadway in August 2012. In February 2013, Tyson took his one-man show Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth on a 36-city, three-month national tour. Tyson talks about his personal and professional life on stage. The one-man show was aired on HBO on November 16, 2013.
In October 2012, Tyson launched the Mike Tyson Cares Foundation. The mission of the Mike Tyson Cares Foundation is to "give kids a fighting chance" by providing innovative centers that provide for the comprehensive needs of kids from broken homes.
In August 2013, Tyson teamed up with Acquinity Sports to form Iron Mike Productions, a boxing promotions company.
In September 2013, Tyson was featured on a six-episode television series on Fox Sports 1 that documented his personal and private life entitled Being: Mike Tyson.
In November 2013, Tyson's Undisputed Truth was published, which appeared on The New York Times Best Seller list. At the Golden Podium Awards Ceremony, Tyson received the SPORTEL Special Prize for the best autobiography.
In May 2017, Tyson published his second book, Iron Ambition, which details his time with trainer and surrogate father Cus D'Amato.
In February 2018, Tyson attended the international mixed martial arts (MMA) tournament in the Russian city of Chelyabinsk. Tyson said: "As I have travelled all over the country of Russia I have realised that the people are very sensitive and kind. But most Americans do not have any experience of that."
On May 12, 2020, Tyson posted a video on his Instagram of him training again. At the end of the video, Tyson hinted at a return to boxing by saying, "I'm back".
On May 23, 2020, at All Elite Wrestling's Double or Nothing, Tyson helped Cody defeat Lance Archer alongside Jake Roberts and presented him the inaugural AEW TNT Championship. Tyson alongside Henry Cejudo, Rashad Evans, and Vitor Belfort appeared on the May 27 episode of AEW Dynamite facing off against Chris Jericho and his stable The Inner Circle. Tyson returned to AEW on the April 7, 2021 episode of Dynamite and helped Jericho from being attacked by The Pinnacle, beating down Shawn Spears in the process. He was the special guest enforcer on the April 14 episode of Dynamite for a match between Jericho and Dax Harwood of The Pinnacle, a preview of the upcoming Inner Circle vs. Pinnacle match at Blood and Guts.
Personal life
Tyson resides in Seven Hills, Nevada. He has been married three times, and has seven children, one deceased, with three women; in addition to his biological children, Tyson includes his second wife's oldest daughter as one of his own.
His first marriage was to actress Robin Givens from February 7, 1988, to February 14, 1989. Givens was known at the time for her role on the sitcom Head of the Class. Tyson's marriage to Givens was especially tumultuous, with allegations of violence, spousal abuse, and mental instability on Tyson's part.
Matters came to a head when Tyson and Givens gave a joint interview with Barbara Walters on the ABC TV newsmagazine show 20/20 in September 1988, in which Givens described life with Tyson as "torture, pure hell, worse than anything I could possibly imagine." Givens also described Tyson as "manic depressive" – which was later confirmed by doctors – on national television while Tyson looked on with an intent and calm expression. A month later, Givens announced that she was seeking a divorce from the allegedly abusive Tyson.
According to the book Fire and Fear: The Inside Story of Mike Tyson, Tyson admitted that he punched Givens and stated, "that was the best punch I've ever thrown in my entire life." Tyson claimed that book was "filled with inaccuracies." They had no children but she reported having had a miscarriage; Tyson claimed that she was never pregnant and only used that to get him to marry her. During their marriage, the couple lived in a mansion in Bernardsville, New Jersey.
Tyson's second marriage was to Monica Turner from April 19, 1997, to January 14, 2003. At the time of the divorce filing, Turner worked as a pediatric resident at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C. She is the sister of Michael Steele, the former Lieutenant Governor of Maryland and former Republican National Committee. Turner filed for divorce from Tyson in January 2002, claiming that he committed adultery during their five-year marriage, an act that "has neither been forgiven nor condoned." The couple had two children; son Amir and Ramsey who is non-binary.
On May 25, 2009, Tyson's four-year-old daughter Exodus was found by her seven-year-old brother Miguel unconscious and tangled in a cord, dangling from an exercise treadmill. The child's mother, Sol Xochitl, untangled her, administered CPR and called for medical attention. Tyson, who was in Las Vegas at the time of the incident, traveled back to Phoenix to be with her. She died of her injuries on May 26, 2009.
Eleven days after his daughter's death, Tyson wed for the third time, to longtime girlfriend Lakiha "Kiki" Spicer, age 32, exchanging vows on Saturday, June 6, 2009, in a short, private ceremony at the La Bella Wedding Chapel at the Las Vegas Hilton. They have two children; daughter Milan and son Morocco.
In March 2011, Tyson appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show to discuss his new Animal Planet reality series Taking on Tyson. In the interview with DeGeneres, Tyson discussed some of the ways he had improved his life in the past two years, including sober living and a vegan diet. However, in August 2013 he admitted publicly that he had lied about his sobriety and was on the verge of death from alcoholism.
In November 2013, Tyson stated "the more I look at churches and mosques, the more I see the devil". But, just a month later, in a December 2013 interview with Fox News, Tyson said that he is very grateful to be a Muslim and that he needs Allah in his life. In the same interview Tyson talked about his progress with sobriety and how being in the company of good people has made him want to be a better and more humble person.
Tyson also revealed that he is no longer vegan, stating, "I was a vegan for four years but not anymore. I eat chicken every now and then. I should be a vegan. [No red meat] at all, no way! I would be very sick if I ate red meat. That's probably why I was so crazy before."
In 2015, Tyson announced that he was supporting Donald Trump's presidential candidacy.
In popular culture
At the height of his fame and career in the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s, Tyson was among the most recognized sports personalities in the world. In addition to his many sporting accomplishments, his outrageous and controversial behavior in the ring and in his private life has kept him in the public eye and in the courtroom. As such, Tyson has been the subject of myriad popular media including movies, television, books and music. He has also been featured in video games and as a subject of parody or satire. Tyson became involved in professional wrestling and has made many cameo appearances in film and television.
The film Tyson was released in 1995 and was directed by Uli Edel. It explores the life of Mike Tyson, from the death of his guardian and trainer Cus D'Amato to his rape conviction. Tyson is played by Michael Jai White.
Published in 2007, author Joe Layden's book The Last Great Fight: The Extraordinary Tale of Two Men and How One Fight Changed Their Lives Forever, chronicled the lives of Tyson and Douglas before and after their heavyweight championship fight.
In 2008, the documentary Tyson premiered at the annual Cannes Film Festival in France.
He is the titular character in Mike Tyson Mysteries, which started airing on October 27, 2014, on Adult Swim. In the animated series, Tyson voices a fictionalized version of himself, solving mysteries in the style of Scooby-Doo.
In early March 2015, Tyson appeared on the track "Iconic" on Madonna's album Rebel Heart. Tyson says some lines at the beginning of the song.
In late March 2015, Ip Man 3 was announced. With Donnie Yen reprising his role as the titular character, Bruce Lee's martial arts master, Ip Man, while Mike Tyson has been confirmed to join the cast. Principal photography began on March 25, 2015, and was premiered in Hong Kong on December 16, 2015.
In January 2017, Tyson launched his YouTube channel with Shots Studios, a comedy video and comedy music production company with young digital stars like Lele Pons and Rudy Mancuso. Tyson's channel includes parody music videos and comedy sketches.
He hosts the podcast Hotboxin' with Mike Tyson.
In October 2017, Tyson was announced as the new face of Australian car servicing franchise Ultra Tune. He has taken over from Jean-Claude van Damme in fronting television commercials for the brand, and the first advert is due to air in January 2018 during the Australian Open.
A joint Mainland China-Hong Kong-directed film on female friendship titled Girls 2: Girls vs Gangsters () that was shot earlier from July–August 2016 at several locations around Vietnam was released in March 2018, featuring Tyson as "Dragon".
Tiki Lau released a dance music single, Mike Tyson in October 2020 which includes vocals from Tyson.
In 2021, Mike's Hard Lemonade Seltzer featured ads with Tyson.
In March 2021, it was announced that Jamie Foxx will star in, and also executive produce the official scripted series, “Tyson". The limited series will be directed by Antoine Fuqua and executive produced by Martin Scorsese.
A two-part documentary series titled Mike Tyson: The Knockout premiered on May 25, 2021, on ABC
Professional boxing record
Exhibition boxing record
Pay-per-view bouts
Boxing
PPV home television
Closed-circuit theatre TV
Select pay-per-view boxing buy rates at American closed-circuit theatre television venues:
Professional wrestling
World Wrestling Federation
All Elite Wrestling
Awards and honors
Humane letters
The Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, in 1989 awarded Tyson an honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters: "Mike demonstrates that hard work, determination and perseverance can enable one to overcome any obstacles."
Boxing
Ring magazine Prospect of the Year (1985)
2× Ring magazine Fighter of the Year (1986, 1988)
2× Sugar Ray Robinson Award winner (1987, 1989)
BBC Sports Personality of the Year Overseas Personality (1989)
International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee (Class of 2011)
"Guirlande d'Honneur" by the FICTS (Milan, 2010)
Professional wrestling
WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2012)
See also
List of undisputed boxing champions
List of heavyweight boxing champions
World heavyweight boxing championship records and statistics
Notes
References
External links
Boxing Hall of Fame
ESPN.com
ESPN.com – additional information
ESPN.com – Boxing Topics: Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson amateur boxing record
"Mike Tyson Film Takes a Swing at His Old Image", 2008 article at The New York Times
"Mike Tyson Moves to the Suburbs", 2011 article at The New York Times
1966 births
Living people
20th-century American criminals
African-American boxers
African-American male professional wrestlers
African-American Muslims
American autobiographers
American male boxers
American male criminals
American male voice actors
American people convicted of assault
American people convicted of drug offenses
American people convicted of rape
American prisoners and detainees
American sportspeople convicted of crimes
BBC Sports Personality World Sport Star of the Year winners
Boxers from New York (state)
Converts to Islam
Criminals from New York (state)
Criminals from New York City
D-Generation X members
International Boxing Federation champions
International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees
Mixed martial arts referees
National Golden Gloves champions
Participants in Bulgarian reality television series
People from Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn
People from Bernardsville, New Jersey
People from Brownsville, Brooklyn
People from Catskill, New York
People from Henderson, Nevada
People from Trumbull County, Ohio
People with bipolar disorder
People with speech impediment
Prisoners and detainees of Indiana
Sportspeople from Brooklyn
Sportspeople from Las Vegas
The Ring (magazine) champions
World Boxing Association champions
World Boxing Council champions
World heavyweight boxing champions
Writers from Brooklyn
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Participants in Argentine reality television series
Bailando por un Sueño (Argentine TV series) participants
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"Geovana Peres vs Claire Hafner was a world title fight that took place on 4 October 2019 at SkyCity Convention Centre in Auckland, New Zealand. Peres won the fight by referee stoppage between the 8th and 9th round. This was considered a history making moment as Geovana Peres was the first New Zealand female boxer to win and successfully defend a world title in her home country. Geovana Peres was also the first LGBT person representing New Zealand to hold a world boxing title. Claire Hafner was born in the USA but considers herself a Canadian. She came into the fight ranked first on Boxrec, above Geovana who was ranked second. The winner of the fight would also be recognized as the official Lineal World Heavyweight champion.\n\nHistory\n\nBackground\nGeovana Peres won her WBO World Light Heavyweight title on 30 March against Lani Daniels, which was dubbed \"history in the making\". Peres won the fight by unanimous decision. Claire Hafner won her first boxing title fight on 29 September 2018 against former world number one Sonja Fox, winning the ABO American female heavyweight title. Claire reached the top ranking after she defeated former WBC world title contender Carlette Ewell on June 15, 2019. Claire Hafner dropped down in weight for the fight against Peres, losing 9 kg.\n\nOn 5 May 2019, Bruce Glozier announced that he was in negotiations for Geovana Peres' first world title defence with Claire Hafner. Shortly after, it was announced that Steve Deane had joined Bruce Glozier to form a new company called Rival Sports Promotion. At this time they signed a three-fight deal with both Geovana Peres and Lani Daniels. On 31 July, it was announced that the fight between Peres and Hafner was official. To promote the fight Peres set a record by doing boxing pad training on top of the Auckland Sky Tower 193 metres in the air.\n\nLeading up to the event it was noted that no fights or training material from Claire Hafner were available on the internet. For this reason Peres had to literally train for everything, as they did not know what to expect. Peres had some fight footage online which gave Hafner material to study and train with. A few days before the fight, the two boxers met each other for the first time at a media and photo shoot at Cheltenham Beach. Hafner told the media that her opponent was exactly what she had expected and that she was very confident leading into the fight.\n\nFight Card\n\nFight details \nGeovana Peres vs Claire Hafner was held at SkyCity Convention Centre in Auckland, New Zealand. Tickets for the fight went on sale on 31 July 2019 after Bruce Glozier announced that general admission and corporate tables tickets would start at $65. Rival Sports Promotion elected to distribute the tickets themselves through the event Facebook page and their website. They sold out the event with a little over 1000 tickets between general admission and corporate tables.\n\nThe fight announcer was Daniel Hennessey. Singapore born Australian Phil Austin served as the in-ring referee and New Zealanders Arden Fatu and Ioana Schwalger, along with Australian Chris Condon, were the ringside judges. Danny Leigh served as the supervisor and representative for the WBO.\n\nBefore the event began, the national anthems of Canada and New Zealand were sung. Claire Hafner sang the Canadian national anthem before her fight.\n\nBroadcasting \nIt was announced that the event would be televised through Sky Sports on Sky TV, with a live broadcast. It was also announced that Samoa would broadcast the fight live on Samoa TV3.\n\nWeigh in \nOn 3 October 2019 the weigh in was held at Skycity Auckland at Sammy's, which is located on the gaming floor in the casino.\n\nRecap\n\nAftermath\nAfter the fight Geovana Peres was interviewed in the ring. \"It feels dream-like. This is for us New Zealand... I'm proud to be a Kiwi now. This is ours and it will stay here... The only thing that was missing was a TKO and I have it now. I'm going to get better... I don't know what will happen next. That's for my manager now. Back to training and set some goals for next year.\" On 26 January 2021, it was announced that Geovana Peres had officially retired from boxing, ending her career as a world champion. On the 16 April 2021, Geovana Peres made her amateur muay thai fight debut against IFMA Junior Gold Medalist and GAMMA World Champion Roezala Su’e. On the 13th of August, Peres won her first kickboxing fight against Gina Gee. Peres won the fight by unanimous decision with her winning the inaugural Fau Vake Warrior's Heart Memorial Shield.\n\nReferences\n\nBoxing matches\n2019 in women's boxing\nOctober 2019 sports events in New Zealand\nBoxing in New Zealand\nSport in Auckland",
"Evander Holyfield vs. Larry Holmes, billed as \"Class of Champions\", was a professional boxing match contested on June 19, 1992, for the WBA, WBC, and IBF heavyweight championships.\n\nBackground\nHolyfield's previous fight was a tough victory over journeyman fighter Bert Cooper, who was a last-minute replacement for Francesco Damiani, who himself was a replacement for Mike Tyson, after Damiani determined that he could not compete due to a foot injury. Cooper nearly managed to dethrone Holyfield of his title in the third round when he was able to deliver the first knockdown of Holyfield's professional career. Holyfield, however, was able to rebound from the knockdown to earn the victory via 7th round technical knockout. After his defeat of Cooper, Holyfield had hoped to next fight Tyson. The two men were originally scheduled to fight each other on November 8, 1991, before Tyson pulled out of the fight with a rib injury. Then on February 10, 1992, Tyson was convicted of rape and sentenced to six years in prison, leading to the cancellation of the Holyfield–Tyson fight. On March 5, 1992, it was announced that Holyfield's next opponent would be 42-year-old former Heavyweight champion Larry Holmes. Holmes had twice retired, first after losing a rematch to Michael Spinks in 1986 for the IBF Heavyweight Championship, and then again after a loss to Mike Tyson in 1988 for the Undisputed Heavyweight Championship. In 1991, Holmes launched a successful comeback, winning five consecutive fights before facing undefeated Olympic Gold Medalist Ray Mercer in a match to determine the number one contender. Though Holmes came into the fight as an underdog, he was able to outpoint Mercer en route to a victory by unanimous decision.\n\nThe fight\nThe fight went the full 12 rounds with Evander Holyfield earning the victory via unanimous decision with two scores of 116–112 and one score of 117–111. Holyfield was able to control most of the fight as Holmes took a more defensive approach. Holmes' best offensive showing came in round 2 when he was able to hit Holyfield with a combination of uppercuts and hooks in the second minute of the round. Holmes was also able to open a cut above Holyfield's right eye after catching him with an elbow following a missed right hand. Nevertheless, Holyfield was the aggressor for the entire duration of the fight with Holmes spending most of the fight seemingly trying to avoid trading punches with Holyfield. Ultimately, neither man was able gain a knockdown throughout the relatively uneventful fight. In what was surely not intended as a reflection on the evening's proceedings, Holmes vomited as the final bell rang.\n\nAftermath\nHolyfield would next face arguably his toughest opponent, the undefeated Riddick Bowe. In what was named The Ring magazine's Fight of the Year, Riddick Bowe was able to defeat Holyfield by a close unanimous decision to become the new Undisputed Heavyweight Champion.\n\nThough it was not known if Holmes would continue to fight after his loss to Holyfield, he ultimately decided to continue his comeback, racking up seven consecutive victories after the Holyfield defeat to earn another chance at a major heavyweight title, this time facing Oliver McCall for the WBC Heavyweight Championship on April 8, 1995. Though he was again able to go the full 12 rounds, he was unable to pick up the victory, instead losing to McCall by another unanimous decision.\n\nReferences\n\n1992 in boxing\nBoxing in Las Vegas\n1992 in sports in Nevada\nHolmes\nWorld Boxing Association heavyweight championship matches\nWorld Boxing Council heavyweight championship matches\nInternational Boxing Federation heavyweight championship matches\nJune 1992 sports events in the United States\nCaesars Palace"
] |
[
"Mike Tyson",
"Undisputed champion",
"What is the undisputed champion?",
"Expectations for Tyson were extremely high, and he embarked on an ambitious campaign to fight all of the top heavyweights in the world. Tyson defended his title",
"What year did he start that journey?",
"Tyson defended his title against James Smith on March 7, 1987, in Las Vegas, Nevada. He won by unanimous decision",
"Who did he fight after this?",
"He beat Pinklon Thomas in May with a knockout in the sixth round. On August 1 he took the International Boxing Federation (IBF) title from Tony Tucker",
"What year was that fight?",
"On August 1"
] |
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Was there anything else interesting in this section?
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Other than Mike Tyson's fights was there anything else interesting?
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Mike Tyson
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Expectations for Tyson were extremely high, and he embarked on an ambitious campaign to fight all of the top heavyweights in the world. Tyson defended his title against James Smith on March 7, 1987, in Las Vegas, Nevada. He won by unanimous decision and added Smith's World Boxing Association (WBA) title to his existing belt. "Tyson-mania" in the media was becoming rampant. He beat Pinklon Thomas in May with a knockout in the sixth round. On August 1 he took the International Boxing Federation (IBF) title from Tony Tucker in a twelve round unanimous decision. He became the first heavyweight to own all three major belts - WBA, WBC, and IBF - at the same time. Another fight, in October of that year, ended with a victory for Tyson over 1984 Olympic super heavyweight gold medalist Tyrell Biggs by knockout in the seventh round. During this time, Tyson came to the attention of gaming company Nintendo. After witnessing one of Tyson's fights, Nintendo of America president, Minoru Arakawa was impressed by the fighter's "power and skill", prompting him to suggest Tyson be included in the upcoming Nintendo Entertainment System port of the Punch Out!! arcade game. In 1987, Nintendo released Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!, which was well received and sold more than a million copies. Tyson had three fights in 1988. He faced Larry Holmes on January 22, 1988, and defeated the legendary former champion by a fourth round KO. This was the only knockout loss Holmes suffered in 75 professional bouts. In March, Tyson then fought contender Tony Tubbs in Tokyo, Japan, fitting in an easy two-round victory amid promotional and marketing work. On June 27, 1988, Tyson faced Michael Spinks. Spinks, who had taken the heavyweight championship from Larry Holmes via a 15-round decision in 1985, had not lost his title in the ring but was not recognized as champion by the major boxing organizations. Holmes had previously given up all but the IBF title, and that was eventually stripped from Spinks after he elected to fight Gerry Cooney (winning by a 5th-round TKO) rather than IBF Number 1 Contender Tony Tucker, as the Cooney fight provided him a larger purse. However, Spinks did become the lineal champion by beating Holmes and many (including Ring magazine) considered him to have a legitimate claim to being the true heavyweight champion. The bout was, at the time, the richest fight in history and expectations were very high. Boxing pundits were predicting a titanic battle of styles, with Tyson's aggressive infighting conflicting with Spinks' skillful out-boxing and footwork. The fight ended after 91 seconds when Tyson knocked Spinks out in the first round; many consider this to be the pinnacle of Tyson's fame and boxing ability. CANNOTANSWER
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During this time, Tyson came to the attention of gaming company Nintendo.
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Michael Gerard Tyson (born June 30, 1966) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1985 to 2005. Nicknamed "Iron Mike" and "Kid Dynamite" in his early career, and later known as "The Baddest Man on the Planet", Tyson is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. He reigned as the undisputed world heavyweight champion from 1987 to 1990. Tyson won his first 19 professional fights by knockout, 12 of them in the first round. Claiming his first belt at 20 years, four months, and 22 days old, Tyson holds the record as the youngest boxer ever to win a heavyweight title. He was the first heavyweight boxer to simultaneously hold the WBA, WBC and IBF titles, as well as the only heavyweight to unify them in succession. The following year, Tyson became the lineal champion when he knocked out Michael Spinks in 91 seconds of the first round. In 1990, Tyson was knocked out by underdog Buster Douglas in one of the biggest upsets in history.
In 1992, Tyson was convicted of rape and sentenced to six years in prison, although he was released on parole after three years. After his release in 1995, he engaged in a series of comeback fights, regaining the WBA and WBC titles in 1996 to join Floyd Patterson, Muhammad Ali, Tim Witherspoon, Evander Holyfield and George Foreman as the only men in boxing history to have regained a heavyweight championship after losing it. After being stripped of the WBC title in the same year, Tyson lost the WBA title to Evander Holyfield by an eleventh round stoppage. Their 1997 rematch ended when Tyson was disqualified for biting Holyfield's ears, one bite notoriously being strong enough to remove a portion of his right ear. In 2002, Tyson fought for the world heavyweight title, losing by knockout to Lennox Lewis.
Tyson was known for his ferocious and intimidating boxing style as well as his controversial behavior inside and outside the ring. With a knockout-to-win percentage of 88%, he was ranked 16th on The Ring magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time, and first on ESPN's list of "The Hardest Hitters in Heavyweight History". Sky Sports described him as "perhaps the most ferocious fighter to step into a professional ring". He has been inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame.
Early life
Michael Gerard Tyson was born in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, New York City on June 30, 1966. He has an older brother named Rodney (born c. 1961) and an older sister named Denise, who died of a heart attack at age 24 in February 1990. Tyson's biological father is listed as "Purcell Tyson" (who was from Jamaica) on his birth certificate, but the man Tyson had known as his father was Jimmy Kirkpatrick. Kirkpatrick was from Grier Town, North Carolina (a predominantly black neighborhood that was annexed by the city of Charlotte), where he was one of the neighborhood's top baseball players. Kirkpatrick married and had a son, Tyson's half-brother Jimmie Lee Kirkpatrick, who would help to integrate Charlotte high school football in 1965. In 1959, Jimmy Kirkpatrick left his family and moved to Brooklyn, where he met Tyson's mother, Lorna Mae (Smith) Tyson. Kirkpatrick frequented pool halls, gambled and hung out on the streets. "My father was just a regular street guy caught up in the street world," Tyson said. Kirkpatrick abandoned the Tyson family around the time Mike was born, leaving Tyson's mother to care for the children on her own. Kirkpatrick died in 1992.
The family lived in Bedford-Stuyvesant until their financial burdens necessitated a move to Brownsville when Tyson was 10 years old. Tyson's mother died six years later, leaving 16-year-old Tyson in the care of boxing manager and trainer Cus D'Amato, who would become his legal guardian. Tyson later said, "I never saw my mother happy with me and proud of me for doing something: she only knew me as being a wild kid running the streets, coming home with new clothes that she knew I didn't pay for. I never got a chance to talk to her or know about her. Professionally, it has no effect, but it's crushing emotionally and personally."
Throughout his childhood, Tyson lived in and around neighborhoods with a high rate of crime. According to an interview in Details, his first fight was with a bigger youth who had pulled the head off one of Tyson's pigeons. Tyson was repeatedly caught committing petty crimes and fighting those who ridiculed his high-pitched voice and lisp. By the age of 13, he had been arrested 38 times. He ended up at the Tryon School for Boys in Johnstown, New York. Tyson's emerging boxing ability was discovered there by Bobby Stewart, a juvenile detention center counselor and former boxer. Stewart considered Tyson to be an outstanding fighter and trained him for a few months before introducing him to Cus D'Amato. Tyson dropped out of high school as a junior. He would be awarded an honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from Central State University in 1989. Kevin Rooney also trained Tyson, and he was occasionally assisted by Teddy Atlas, although Atlas was dismissed by D'Amato when Tyson was 15. Rooney eventually took over all training duties for the young fighter.
Amateur career
As an amateur, Tyson won gold medals at the 1981 and 1982 Junior Olympic Games, defeating Joe Cortez in 1981 and beating Kelton Brown in 1982. Brown's corner threw in the towel in the first round. In 1984 Tyson won the gold medal at the Nation Golden Gloves held in New York, beating Jonathan Littles. He fought Henry Tillman twice as an amateur, losing both bouts by decision. Tillman went on to win heavyweight gold at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Professional career
Rise to stardom
Tyson made his professional debut as an 18-year-old on March 6, 1985, in Albany, New York. He defeated Hector Mercedes via first-round TKO. He had 15 bouts in his first year as a professional. Fighting frequently, Tyson won 26 of his first 28 fights by KO or TKO; 16 of those came in the first round. The quality of his opponents gradually increased to journeyman fighters and borderline contenders, like James Tillis, David Jaco, Jesse Ferguson, Mitch Green, and Marvis Frazier. His win streak attracted media attention and Tyson was billed as the next great heavyweight champion. D'Amato died in November 1985, relatively early into Tyson's professional career, and some speculate that his death was the catalyst to many of the troubles Tyson was to experience as his life and career progressed.
Tyson's first nationally televised bout took place on February 16, 1986, at Houston Field House in Troy, New York, against journeyman heavyweight Jesse Ferguson, and was carried by ABC Sports. Tyson knocked down Ferguson with an uppercut in the fifth round that broke Ferguson's nose. During the sixth round, Ferguson began to hold and clinch Tyson in an apparent attempt to avoid further punishment. After admonishing Ferguson several times to obey his commands to box, the referee finally stopped the fight near the middle of the sixth round. The fight was initially ruled a win for Tyson by disqualification (DQ) of his opponent. The ruling was "adjusted" to a win by technical knockout (TKO) after Tyson's corner protested that a DQ win would end Tyson's string of knockout victories, and that a knockout would have been the inevitable result.
In July, after recording six more knockout victories, Tyson fought former world title challenger Marvis Frazier in Glens Falls, New York, on another ABC Sports broadcast. Tyson won easily, charging at Frazier at the opening bell and hitting him with an uppercut that knocked Frazier unconscious thirty seconds into the fight.
On November 22, 1986, Tyson was given his first title fight against Trevor Berbick for the World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight championship. Tyson won the title by TKO in the second round, and at the age of 20 years and 4 months became the youngest heavyweight champion in history. He added the WBA and IBF titles after defeating James Smith and Tony Tucker in 1987. Tyson's dominant performance brought many accolades. Donald Saunders wrote: "The noble and manly art of boxing can at least cease worrying about its immediate future, now [that] it has discovered a heavyweight champion fit to stand alongside Dempsey, Tunney, Louis, Marciano, and Ali."
Tyson intimidated fighters with his strength, combined with outstanding hand speed, accuracy, coordination and timing. Tyson also possessed notable defensive abilities, holding his hands high in the peek-a-boo style taught by his mentor Cus D'Amato to slip under and weave around his opponent's punches while timing his own. Tyson's explosive punching technique was due in large part to crouching immediately prior to throwing a hook or an uppercut: this allowed the 'spring' of his legs to add power to the punch. Among his signature moves was a right hook to his opponent's body followed by a right uppercut to his opponent's chin. Lorenzo Boyd, Jesse Ferguson and José Ribalta were each knocked down by this combination.
Undisputed champion
Expectations for Tyson were extremely high, and he was the favorite to win the heavyweight unification series, a tournament designed to establish an undisputed heavyweight champion. Tyson defended his title against James Smith on March 7, 1987, in Las Vegas, Nevada. He won by unanimous decision and added Smith's World Boxing Association (WBA) title to his existing belt. "Tyson-mania" in the media was becoming rampant. He beat Pinklon Thomas in May by TKO in the sixth round. On August 1 he took the International Boxing Federation (IBF) title from Tony Tucker in a twelve-round unanimous decision 119–111, 118–113, and 116–112. He became the first heavyweight to own all three major belts – WBA, WBC, and IBF – at the same time. Another fight, in October of that year, ended with a victory for Tyson over 1984 Olympic super heavyweight gold medalist Tyrell Biggs by TKO in the seventh round.
During this time, Tyson came to the attention of gaming company Nintendo. After witnessing one of Tyson's fights, Nintendo of America president Minoru Arakawa was impressed by the fighter's "power and skill", prompting him to suggest Tyson be included in the upcoming Nintendo Entertainment System port of the Punch Out!! arcade game. In 1987, Nintendo released Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!, which was well received and sold more than a million copies.
Tyson had three fights in 1988. He faced Larry Holmes on January 22, 1988, and defeated the legendary former champion by KO in the fourth round. This was the only knockout loss Holmes suffered in 75 professional bouts. In March, Tyson then fought contender Tony Tubbs in Tokyo, Japan, fitting in an easy second-round TKO victory amid promotional and marketing work.
On June 27, 1988, Tyson faced Michael Spinks. Spinks, who had taken the heavyweight championship from Larry Holmes via fifteen-round decision in 1985, had not lost his title in the ring but was not recognized as champion by the major boxing organizations. Holmes had previously given up all but the IBF title, and that was eventually stripped from Spinks after he elected to fight Gerry Cooney (winning by TKO in the fifth round) rather than IBF Number 1 Contender Tony Tucker, as the Cooney fight provided him a larger purse. However, Spinks did become the lineal champion by beating Holmes and many (including Ring magazine) considered him to have a legitimate claim to being the true heavyweight champion. The bout was, at the time, the richest fight in history and expectations were very high. Boxing pundits were predicting a titanic battle of styles, with Tyson's aggressive infighting conflicting with Spinks's skillful out-boxing and footwork. The fight ended after 91 seconds when Tyson knocked Spinks out in the first round; many consider this to be the pinnacle of Tyson's fame and boxing ability.
Controversy and upset
During this period, Tyson's problems outside the ring were also starting to emerge. His marriage to Robin Givens was heading for divorce, and his future contract was being fought over by Don King and Bill Cayton. In late 1988, Tyson parted with manager Bill Cayton and fired longtime trainer Kevin Rooney, the man many credit for honing Tyson's craft after the death of D'Amato. Following Rooney's departure, critics alleged that Tyson began to show less head movement and combination punching. In 1989, Tyson had only two fights amid personal turmoil. He faced the British boxer Frank Bruno in February. Bruno managed to stun Tyson at the end of the first round, although Tyson went on to knock Bruno out in the fifth round. Tyson then knocked out Carl "The Truth" Williams in the first round in July.
By 1990, Tyson seemed to have lost direction, and his personal life was in disarray amidst reports of less vigorous training prior to the Buster Douglas match. In a fight on February 11, 1990, he lost the undisputed championship to Douglas in Tokyo. Tyson was a huge betting favorite; indeed, the Mirage, the only casino to put out odds for the fight, made Tyson a 42/1 favorite. Tyson failed to find a way past Douglas's quick jab that had a reach advantage over his own. Tyson did catch Douglas with an uppercut in the eighth round and knocked him to the floor, but Douglas recovered sufficiently to hand Tyson a heavy beating in the subsequent two rounds. After the fight, the Tyson camp would complain that the count was slow and that Douglas had taken longer than ten seconds to get back on his feet. Just 35 seconds into the tenth round, Douglas unleashed a brutal uppercut, followed by a four-punch combination of hooks that sent Tyson to the canvas for the first time in his career. He was counted out by referee Octavio Meyran.
The knockout victory by Douglas over Tyson, the previously undefeated "baddest man on the planet" and arguably the most feared boxer in professional boxing at that time, has been described as one of the most shocking upsets in modern sports history.
After Douglas
Despite the shocking loss, Tyson has said that losing to Douglas was the greatest moment of his career. “I needed that fight to make me a better person and fighter. I have a broader perspective of myself and boxing.”
After the loss, Tyson recovered with first-round knockouts of Henry Tillman and Alex Stewart in his next two fights. Tyson's victory over Tillman, the 1984 Olympic heavyweight gold medalist, enabled Tyson to avenge his amateur losses at Tillman's hands. These bouts set up an elimination match for another shot at the undisputed world heavyweight championship, which Evander Holyfield had taken from Douglas in his first defense of the title.
Tyson, who was the number one contender, faced number two contender Donovan "Razor" Ruddock on March 18, 1991, in Las Vegas. Ruddock was seen as the most dangerous heavyweight around and was thought of as one of the hardest punching heavyweights. Tyson and Ruddock went back and forth for most of the fight, until referee Richard Steele controversially stopped the fight during the seventh round in favor of Tyson. This decision infuriated the fans in attendance, sparking a post-fight melee in the audience. The referee had to be escorted from the ring.
Tyson and Ruddock met again on June 28 that year, with Tyson knocking down Ruddock twice and winning a twelve-round unanimous decision 113–109, 114–108, and 114–108. A fight between Tyson and Holyfield for the undisputed championship was scheduled for November 8, 1991, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, but Tyson pulled out after sustaining a rib cartilage injury during training.
Rape trial and prison
Tyson was arrested in July 1991 for the rape of 18-year-old Desiree Washington, Miss Black Rhode Island, in an Indianapolis hotel room. Tyson's rape trial took place in the Marion County superior court from January 26 to February 10, 1992.
Partial corroboration of Washington's story came via testimony from Tyson's chauffeur who confirmed Desiree Washington's state of shock after the incident. Further testimony came from the emergency room physician who examined Washington more than 24 hours after the incident and confirmed that Washington's physical condition was consistent with rape.
Under lead defense lawyer Vincent J. Fuller's direct examination, Tyson claimed that everything had taken place with Washington's full consent and he claimed not to have forced himself upon her. When he was cross-examined by lead prosecutor Gregory Garrison, Tyson denied claims that he had misled Washington and insisted that she wanted to have sex with him. Tyson was convicted on the rape charge on February 10, 1992, after the jury deliberated for nearly 10 hours.
Alan Dershowitz, acting as Tyson's counsel, filed an appeal urging error of law in the Court's exclusion of evidence of the victim's past sexual conduct (known as the Rape Shield Law), the exclusion of three potential defense witnesses, and the lack of a jury instruction on honest and reasonable mistake of fact. The Indiana Court of Appeals ruled against Tyson in a 2–1 vote. The Indiana Supreme Court let the lower court opinion stand due to a 2–2 split in its review. The tie vote was due to the fact that the Chief Justice of the Indiana Supreme Court recused himself from the case. The Chief Justice later revealed he did so because of a heated argument between his wife and Dershowitz at a Yale Law School reunion concerning the case. On March 26, 1992, Tyson was sentenced to six years in prison along with four years of probation. He was assigned to the Indiana Youth Center (now the Plainfield Correctional Facility) in April 1992, and he was released in March 1995 after serving less than three years of the sentence.
It has been widely reported that while in prison, Tyson converted to Islam and adopted the Muslim name Malik Abdul Aziz (though some sources report the adoption of a different Islamic name, Malik Shabazz). However, Tyson has stated that he converted to Islam before entering prison, but made no efforts to correct the misinformation in the media. Due to his conviction, Tyson is required to register as a Tier II sex offender under federal law.
Comeback
After being paroled from prison, Tyson easily won his comeback bouts against Peter McNeeley and Buster Mathis Jr. Tyson's first comeback fight grossed more than US$96 million worldwide, including a United States record $63 million for PPV television. The viewing of the fight was purchased by 1.52 million homes, setting both PPV viewership and revenue records. The 89-second fight elicited criticism that Tyson's management lined up "tomato cans" to ensure easy victories for his return. TV Guide included the Tyson–McNeeley fight in their list of the 50 Greatest TV Sports Moments of All Time in 1998.
Tyson regained one belt by easily winning the WBC title against Frank Bruno in March 1996. It was the second fight between the two, and Tyson knocked out Bruno in the third round. In 1996, Lennox Lewis turned down a $13.5 million guarantee to fight Tyson. This would've been Lewis's highest fight purse to date. Lewis then accepted $4 million from Don King to step aside and allow Tyson to fight Bruce Seldon for an expected $30 million instead with the intention that if Tyson defeated Seldon, he would fight Lewis next. Tyson added the WBA belt by defeating champion Seldon in the first round in September that year. Seldon was severely criticized and mocked in the popular press for seemingly collapsing to innocuous punches from Tyson.
Tyson–Holyfield fights
Tyson vs. Holyfield I
Tyson attempted to defend the WBA title against Evander Holyfield, who was in the fourth fight of his own comeback. Holyfield had retired in 1994 following the loss of his championship to Michael Moorer. It was said that Don King and others saw former champion Holyfield, who was 34 at the time of the fight and a huge underdog, as a washed-up fighter.
On November 9, 1996, in Las Vegas, Nevada, Tyson faced Holyfield in a title bout dubbed "Finally". In a surprising turn of events, Holyfield, who was given virtually no chance to win by numerous commentators, defeated Tyson by TKO when referee Mitch Halpern stopped the bout in round eleven. Holyfield became the second boxer to win a heavyweight championship belt three times. Holyfield's victory was marred by allegations from Tyson's camp of Holyfield's frequent headbutts during the bout. Although the headbutts were ruled accidental by the referee, they would become a point of contention in the subsequent rematch.
Tyson vs. Holyfield II and aftermath
Tyson and Holyfield fought again on June 28, 1997. Originally, Halpern was supposed to be the referee, but after Tyson's camp protested, Halpern stepped aside in favor of Mills Lane. The highly anticipated rematch was dubbed The Sound and the Fury, and it was held at the Las Vegas MGM Grand Garden Arena, site of the first bout. It was a lucrative event, drawing even more attention than the first bout and grossing $100 million. Tyson received $30 million and Holyfield $35 million, the highest paid professional boxing purses until 2007. The fight was purchased by 1.99 million households, setting a pay-per-view buy rate record that stood until May 5, 2007, being surpassed by Oscar De La Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Soon to become one of the most controversial events in modern sports, the fight was stopped at the end of the third round, with Tyson disqualified for biting Holyfield on both ears. The first time Tyson bit him, the match was temporarily stopped. Referee Mills Lane deducted two points from Tyson and the fight resumed. However, after the match resumed, Tyson bit him again, resulting in his disqualification, and Holyfield won the match. The first bite was severe enough to remove a piece of Holyfield's right ear, which was found on the ring floor after the fight. Tyson later stated that his actions were retaliation for Holyfield repeatedly headbutting him without penalty. In the confusion that followed the ending of the bout and announcement of the decision, a near riot occurred in the arena and several people were injured. Tyson Holyfield II was the first heavyweight title fight in over 50 years to end in a disqualification.
As a subsequent fallout from the incident, US$3 million was immediately withheld from Tyson's $30-million purse by the Nevada state boxing commission (the most it could legally hold back at the time). Two days after the fight, Tyson issued a statement, apologizing to Holyfield for his actions and asked not to be banned for life over the incident. Tyson was roundly condemned in the news media but was not without defenders. Novelist and commentator Katherine Dunn wrote a column that criticized Holyfield's sportsmanship in the controversial bout and charged the news media with being biased against Tyson.
On July 9, 1997, Tyson's boxing license was rescinded by the Nevada State Athletic Commission in a unanimous voice vote; he was also fined US$3 million and ordered to pay the legal costs of the hearing. As most state athletic commissions honor sanctions imposed by other states, this effectively made Tyson unable to box in the United States. The revocation was not permanent, as the commission voted 4–1 to restore Tyson's boxing license on October 18, 1998.
During his time away from boxing in 1998, Tyson made a guest appearance at WrestleMania XIV as an enforcer for the main event match between Shawn Michaels and Steve Austin. During this time, Tyson was also an unofficial member of Michaels's stable, D-Generation X. Tyson was paid $3 million for being guest enforcer of the match at WrestleMania XIV.
1999–2005
In January 1999, Tyson returned to the ring for a match against the South African Francois Botha. This match also ended in controversy. While Botha initially controlled the fight, Tyson allegedly attempted to break Botha's arms during a tie-up and both boxers were cautioned by the referee in the ill-tempered bout. Botha was ahead on points on all scorecards and was confident enough to mock Tyson as the fight continued. Nonetheless, Tyson landed a straight right hand in the fifth round that knocked out Botha. Critics noticed Tyson stopped using the bob and weave defense altogether following this return. Promoting the fight on Secaucus, New Jersey television station WWOR-TV, Tyson launched into an expletive-laden tirade that forced sports anchor Russ Salzberg to cut the interview short.
Legal problems arose with Tyson once again. On February 5, 1999, Tyson was sentenced to a year's imprisonment, fined $5,000, and ordered to serve two years probation along with undergoing 200 hours of community service for assaulting two motorists after a traffic accident on August 31, 1998. He served nine months of that sentence. After his release, he fought Orlin Norris on October 23, 1999. Tyson knocked down Norris with a left hook thrown after the bell sounded to end the first round. Norris injured his knee when he went down and said that he was unable to continue. Consequently, the bout was ruled a no contest.
In 2000, Tyson had three fights. The first match in January was staged at the MEN Arena in Manchester, England against Julius Francis. Following controversy as to whether Tyson was allowed into the country, he took four minutes to knock out Francis, ending the bout in the second round. He also fought Lou Savarese in June 2000 in Glasgow, winning in the first round; the fight lasted only 38 seconds. Tyson continued punching after the referee had stopped the fight, knocking the referee to the floor as he tried to separate the boxers. In October, Tyson fought the similarly controversial Andrew Golota, winning in round three after Gołota was unable to continue due to a broken cheekbone, concussion, and neck injury. The result was later changed to no contest after Tyson refused to take a pre-fight drug test and then tested positive for marijuana in a post-fight urine test. Tyson fought only once in 2001, beating Brian Nielsen in Copenhagen by TKO in the seventh round.
Lewis vs. Tyson
Tyson once again had the opportunity to fight for a heavyweight championship in 2002. Lennox Lewis held the WBC, IBF, IBO and Lineal titles at the time. As promising fighters, Tyson and Lewis had sparred at a training camp in a meeting arranged by Cus D'Amato in 1984. Tyson sought to fight Lewis in Nevada for a more lucrative box-office venue, but the Nevada Boxing Commission refused him a license to box as he was facing possible sexual assault charges at the time.
Two years prior to the bout, Tyson had made several inflammatory remarks to Lewis in an interview following the Savarese fight. The remarks included the statement "I want your heart, I want to eat your children." On January 22, 2002, the two boxers and their entourages were involved in a brawl at a New York press conference to publicize the planned event. A few weeks later, the Nevada State Athletic Commission refused to grant Tyson a license for the fight, and the promoters had to make alternative arrangements. After multiple states balked at granting Tyson a license, the fight eventually occurred on June 8 at the Pyramid Arena in Memphis, Tennessee. Lewis dominated the fight and knocked out Tyson with a right hand in the eighth round. Tyson was respectful after the fight and praised Lewis on his victory. This fight was the highest-grossing event in pay-per-view history at that time, generating $106.9 million from 1.95 million buys in the US.
Later career, bankruptcy, and retirement
In another Memphis fight on February 22, 2003, Tyson beat fringe contender Clifford Etienne 49 seconds into round one. The pre-fight was marred by rumors of Tyson's lack of fitness. Some said that he took time out from training to party in Las Vegas and get a new facial tattoo. This eventually proved to be Tyson's final professional victory in the ring.
In August 2003, after years of financial struggles, Tyson finally filed for bankruptcy. Tyson earned over $30 million for several of his fights and $300 million during his career. At the time, the media reported that he had approximately $23 million in debt.
On August 13, 2003, Tyson entered the ring for a face-to-face confrontation against K-1 fighting phenom, Bob Sapp, immediately after Sapp's win against Kimo Leopoldo in Las Vegas. K-1 signed Tyson to a contract with the hopes of making a fight happen between the two, but Tyson's felony history made it impossible for him to obtain a visa to enter Japan, where the fight would have been most profitable. Alternative locations were discussed, but the fight ultimately failed to happen.
On July 30, 2004, Tyson had a match against British boxer Danny Williams in another comeback fight, and this time, staged in Louisville, Kentucky. Tyson dominated the opening two rounds. The third round was even, with Williams getting in some clean blows and also a few illegal ones, for which he was penalized. In the fourth round, Tyson was unexpectedly knocked out. After the fight, it was revealed that Tyson was trying to fight on one leg, having torn a ligament in his other knee in the first round. This was Tyson's fifth career defeat. He underwent surgery for the ligament four days after the fight. His manager, Shelly Finkel, claimed that Tyson was unable to throw meaningful right-hand punches since he had a knee injury.
On June 11, 2005, Tyson stunned the boxing world by quitting before the start of the seventh round in a close bout against journeyman Kevin McBride. In the 2008 documentary Tyson, he stated that he fought McBride for a payday, that he did not anticipate winning, that he was in poor physical condition and fed up with taking boxing seriously. After losing three of his last four fights, Tyson said he would quit boxing because he felt he had lost his passion for the sport.
In 2000 Tyson fired everyone working for him and enlisted new accountants, who prepared a statement showing he started the year $3.3 million in debt but earned $65.7 million. In August 2007, Tyson pleaded guilty to drug possession and driving under the influence in an Arizona court, which stemmed from an arrest in December where authorities said Tyson, who has a long history of legal problems, admitted to using cocaine that day and to being addicted to the drug.
Exhibition bouts
Mike Tyson's World Tour
To help pay off his debts, Tyson announced he would be doing a series of exhibition bouts, calling it Tyson's World Tour. For his first bout, Tyson returned to the ring in 2006 for a four-round exhibition against journeyman heavyweight Corey Sanders in Youngstown, Ohio. Tyson, without headgear at 5 ft 10.5 in and 216 pounds, was in quality shape, but far from his prime against Sanders, at 6 ft 6 in who wore headgear. Tyson appeared to be "holding back" in the exhibition to prevent an early end to the "show". "If I don't get out of this financial quagmire there's a possibility I may have to be a punching bag for somebody. The money I make isn't going to help my bills from a tremendous standpoint, but I'm going to feel better about myself. I'm not going to be depressed", explained Tyson about the reasons for his "comeback". After the bout was poorly received by fans the remainder of the tour was cancelled.
Tyson vs. Jones
It was announced in July 2020 that Tyson had signed a contract to face former four-division world champion, Roy Jones Jr., in an eight-round exhibition fight. Mixed martial arts coach Rafael Cordeiro was selected to be Tyson's trainer and cornerman. The bout—officially sanctioned by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC)—was initially scheduled to take place on September 12 at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, however, the date was pushed back to November 28 in order to maximize revenue for the event. The fight went the full 8 rounds, and was declared a draw. The fight was a split draw and the three judges scored the fight as follows: Chad Dawson (76–76 draw), Christy Martin (79–73 for Tyson), and Vinny Pazienza (76–80 for Jones).
Mike Tyson's Legends Only League
In July 2020, Mike Tyson announced the creation of Mike Tyson's Legends Only League. Tyson formed the league in partnership with Sophie Watts and her company, Eros Innovations. The league provides retired professional athletes the opportunity to compete in their respective sport. On November 28, 2020, Mike Tyson fought Roy Jones Jr. at the Staples Center in the first event produced under Legends Only League. The event received largely positive reviews and was the highest selling PPV event of 2020, which ranks in the Top-10 for PPV purchased events all-time.
Legacy
Tyson was The Ring magazine's Fighter of the Year in 1986 and 1988. A 1998 ranking of "The Greatest Heavyweights of All-Time" by The Ring magazine placed Tyson at number 14 on the list. Despite criticism of facing underwhelming competition during his run as champion, Tyson's knockout power and intimidation factor made him the sport's most dynamic box-office draw. According to Douglas Quenqua of The New York Times, "The [1990s] began with Mike Tyson, considered by many to be the last great heavyweight champion, losing his title to the little-known Buster Douglas. Seven years later, Mr. Tyson bit Evander Holyfield's ear in a heavyweight champion bout—hardly a proud moment for the sport."
He is remembered for his attire of black trunks, black shoes with no socks, and a plain white towel fit around his neck in place of a traditional robe, as well as his habit of rapidly pacing the ring before the start of a fight. In his prime, Tyson rarely took a step back and had never been knocked down or seriously challenged. According to Martial Arts World Report, it gave Tyson an Honorable Mention in its Ten Greatest Heavyweights of All Time rather than a ranking because longevity is a factor and the peak period of Tyson's career lasted only about 5 years.
BoxRec currently ranks Tyson at number 13 among the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. In The Ring magazine's list of the 80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years, released in 2002, Tyson was ranked at number 72. He is ranked number 16 on The Ring magazine's 2003 list of 100 greatest punchers of all time. Tyson has defeated 11 boxers for the world heavyweight title, the seventh-most in history.
On June 12, 2011, Tyson was inducted to the International Boxing Hall of Fame alongside legendary Mexican champion Julio César Chávez, light welterweight champion Kostya Tszyu, and actor/screenwriter Sylvester Stallone. In 2011, Bleacher Report omitted Tyson from its list of top 10 heavyweights, saying that that "Mike Tyson is not a top 10 heavyweight. He killed the fighters he was supposed to beat, but when he fought another elite fighter, he always lost. I'm not talking about some of those B-level fighters he took a belt from. I'm talking about the handful of good boxers he fought throughout his career."
In 2013, Tyson was inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame and headlined the induction ceremony. Tyson was inducted into the Southern Nevada Hall of Fame in 2015 along with four other inductees with ties to Southern Nevada.
Tyson reflected on his strongest opponents in ten categories for a 2014 interview with The Ring magazine, including best jab, best defense, fastest hands, fastest feet, best chin, smartest, strongest, best puncher, best boxer, and best overall.
In 2017, The Ring magazine ranked Tyson as number 9 of 20 heavyweight champions based on a poll of panelists that included trainers, matchmakers, media, historians, and boxers, including:
Trainers: Teddy Atlas, Pat Burns, Virgil Hunter, and Don Turner
Matchmakers: Eric Bottjer, Don Chargin, Don Elbaum, Bobby Goodman, Ron Katz, Mike Marchionte, Russell Peltz, and Bruce Trampler.
Media: Al Bernstein, Ron Borges, Gareth A Davies, Norm Frauenheim, Jerry Izenberg, Harold Lederman, Paulie Malignaggi, Dan Rafael, and Michael Rosenthal
Historians: Craig Hamilton, Steve Lott, Don McRae, Bob Mee, Clay Moyle, Adam Pollack, and Randy Roberts
Boxers: Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson participated in the poll, but neither fighter ranked himself. Instead, a weighted average from the other panelists was assigned to their respective slots on their ballots.
In 2020, Bill Caplan of The Ring magazine listed Tyson as number 17 of the 20 greatest heavyweights of all time. Tyson spoke with The Ring magazine in 2020 about his six greatest victories, which included knockouts of Trevor Berbick, Pinklon Thomas, Tony Tucker, Tyrell Biggs, Larry Holmes, and Michael Spinks. In 2020, CBS Sports boxing experts Brian Campbell and Brent Brookhouse ranked the top 10 heavyweights of the last 50 years and Tyson was ranked number 7.
Life after boxing
In an interview with USA Today published on June 3, 2005, Tyson said, "My whole life has been a waste – I've been a failure." He continued: "I just want to escape. I'm really embarrassed with myself and my life. I want to be a missionary. I think I could do that while keeping my dignity without letting people know they chased me out of the country. I want to get this part of my life over as soon as possible. In this country nothing good is going to come of me. People put me so high; I wanted to tear that image down." Tyson began to spend much of his time tending to his 350 pigeons in Paradise Valley, an upscale enclave near Phoenix, Arizona.
Tyson has stayed in the limelight by promoting various websites and companies. In the past Tyson had shunned endorsements, accusing other athletes of putting on a false front to obtain them. Tyson has held entertainment boxing shows at a casino in Las Vegas and started a tour of exhibition bouts to pay off his numerous debts.
On December 29, 2006, Tyson was arrested in Scottsdale, Arizona, on suspicion of DUI and felony drug possession; he nearly crashed into a police SUV shortly after leaving a nightclub. According to a police probable-cause statement, filed in Maricopa County Superior Court, "[Tyson] admitted to using [drugs] today and stated he is an addict and has a problem." Tyson pleaded not guilty on January 22, 2007, in Maricopa County Superior Court to felony drug possession and paraphernalia possession counts and two misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence of drugs. On February 8 he checked himself into an inpatient treatment program for "various addictions" while awaiting trial on the drug charges.
On September 24, 2007, Tyson pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine and driving under the influence. He was convicted of these charges in November 2007 and sentenced to 24 hours in jail. After his release, he was ordered to serve three years' probation and complete 360 hours of community service. Prosecutors had requested a year-long jail sentence, but the judge praised Tyson for seeking help with his drug problems. On November 11, 2009, Tyson was arrested after getting into a scuffle at Los Angeles International airport with a photographer. No charges were filed.
Tyson has taken acting roles in movies and television, most famously playing a fictionalized version of himself in the 2009 film The Hangover.
In September 2011, Tyson gave an interview in which he made comments about former Alaska governor Sarah Palin including crude and violent descriptions of interracial sex. These comments were reprinted on The Daily Caller website. Journalist Greta van Susteren criticized Tyson and The Daily Caller over the comments, which she described as "smut" and "violence against women".
After debuting a one-man show in Las Vegas, Tyson collaborated with film director Spike Lee and brought the show to Broadway in August 2012. In February 2013, Tyson took his one-man show Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth on a 36-city, three-month national tour. Tyson talks about his personal and professional life on stage. The one-man show was aired on HBO on November 16, 2013.
In October 2012, Tyson launched the Mike Tyson Cares Foundation. The mission of the Mike Tyson Cares Foundation is to "give kids a fighting chance" by providing innovative centers that provide for the comprehensive needs of kids from broken homes.
In August 2013, Tyson teamed up with Acquinity Sports to form Iron Mike Productions, a boxing promotions company.
In September 2013, Tyson was featured on a six-episode television series on Fox Sports 1 that documented his personal and private life entitled Being: Mike Tyson.
In November 2013, Tyson's Undisputed Truth was published, which appeared on The New York Times Best Seller list. At the Golden Podium Awards Ceremony, Tyson received the SPORTEL Special Prize for the best autobiography.
In May 2017, Tyson published his second book, Iron Ambition, which details his time with trainer and surrogate father Cus D'Amato.
In February 2018, Tyson attended the international mixed martial arts (MMA) tournament in the Russian city of Chelyabinsk. Tyson said: "As I have travelled all over the country of Russia I have realised that the people are very sensitive and kind. But most Americans do not have any experience of that."
On May 12, 2020, Tyson posted a video on his Instagram of him training again. At the end of the video, Tyson hinted at a return to boxing by saying, "I'm back".
On May 23, 2020, at All Elite Wrestling's Double or Nothing, Tyson helped Cody defeat Lance Archer alongside Jake Roberts and presented him the inaugural AEW TNT Championship. Tyson alongside Henry Cejudo, Rashad Evans, and Vitor Belfort appeared on the May 27 episode of AEW Dynamite facing off against Chris Jericho and his stable The Inner Circle. Tyson returned to AEW on the April 7, 2021 episode of Dynamite and helped Jericho from being attacked by The Pinnacle, beating down Shawn Spears in the process. He was the special guest enforcer on the April 14 episode of Dynamite for a match between Jericho and Dax Harwood of The Pinnacle, a preview of the upcoming Inner Circle vs. Pinnacle match at Blood and Guts.
Personal life
Tyson resides in Seven Hills, Nevada. He has been married three times, and has seven children, one deceased, with three women; in addition to his biological children, Tyson includes his second wife's oldest daughter as one of his own.
His first marriage was to actress Robin Givens from February 7, 1988, to February 14, 1989. Givens was known at the time for her role on the sitcom Head of the Class. Tyson's marriage to Givens was especially tumultuous, with allegations of violence, spousal abuse, and mental instability on Tyson's part.
Matters came to a head when Tyson and Givens gave a joint interview with Barbara Walters on the ABC TV newsmagazine show 20/20 in September 1988, in which Givens described life with Tyson as "torture, pure hell, worse than anything I could possibly imagine." Givens also described Tyson as "manic depressive" – which was later confirmed by doctors – on national television while Tyson looked on with an intent and calm expression. A month later, Givens announced that she was seeking a divorce from the allegedly abusive Tyson.
According to the book Fire and Fear: The Inside Story of Mike Tyson, Tyson admitted that he punched Givens and stated, "that was the best punch I've ever thrown in my entire life." Tyson claimed that book was "filled with inaccuracies." They had no children but she reported having had a miscarriage; Tyson claimed that she was never pregnant and only used that to get him to marry her. During their marriage, the couple lived in a mansion in Bernardsville, New Jersey.
Tyson's second marriage was to Monica Turner from April 19, 1997, to January 14, 2003. At the time of the divorce filing, Turner worked as a pediatric resident at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C. She is the sister of Michael Steele, the former Lieutenant Governor of Maryland and former Republican National Committee. Turner filed for divorce from Tyson in January 2002, claiming that he committed adultery during their five-year marriage, an act that "has neither been forgiven nor condoned." The couple had two children; son Amir and Ramsey who is non-binary.
On May 25, 2009, Tyson's four-year-old daughter Exodus was found by her seven-year-old brother Miguel unconscious and tangled in a cord, dangling from an exercise treadmill. The child's mother, Sol Xochitl, untangled her, administered CPR and called for medical attention. Tyson, who was in Las Vegas at the time of the incident, traveled back to Phoenix to be with her. She died of her injuries on May 26, 2009.
Eleven days after his daughter's death, Tyson wed for the third time, to longtime girlfriend Lakiha "Kiki" Spicer, age 32, exchanging vows on Saturday, June 6, 2009, in a short, private ceremony at the La Bella Wedding Chapel at the Las Vegas Hilton. They have two children; daughter Milan and son Morocco.
In March 2011, Tyson appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show to discuss his new Animal Planet reality series Taking on Tyson. In the interview with DeGeneres, Tyson discussed some of the ways he had improved his life in the past two years, including sober living and a vegan diet. However, in August 2013 he admitted publicly that he had lied about his sobriety and was on the verge of death from alcoholism.
In November 2013, Tyson stated "the more I look at churches and mosques, the more I see the devil". But, just a month later, in a December 2013 interview with Fox News, Tyson said that he is very grateful to be a Muslim and that he needs Allah in his life. In the same interview Tyson talked about his progress with sobriety and how being in the company of good people has made him want to be a better and more humble person.
Tyson also revealed that he is no longer vegan, stating, "I was a vegan for four years but not anymore. I eat chicken every now and then. I should be a vegan. [No red meat] at all, no way! I would be very sick if I ate red meat. That's probably why I was so crazy before."
In 2015, Tyson announced that he was supporting Donald Trump's presidential candidacy.
In popular culture
At the height of his fame and career in the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s, Tyson was among the most recognized sports personalities in the world. In addition to his many sporting accomplishments, his outrageous and controversial behavior in the ring and in his private life has kept him in the public eye and in the courtroom. As such, Tyson has been the subject of myriad popular media including movies, television, books and music. He has also been featured in video games and as a subject of parody or satire. Tyson became involved in professional wrestling and has made many cameo appearances in film and television.
The film Tyson was released in 1995 and was directed by Uli Edel. It explores the life of Mike Tyson, from the death of his guardian and trainer Cus D'Amato to his rape conviction. Tyson is played by Michael Jai White.
Published in 2007, author Joe Layden's book The Last Great Fight: The Extraordinary Tale of Two Men and How One Fight Changed Their Lives Forever, chronicled the lives of Tyson and Douglas before and after their heavyweight championship fight.
In 2008, the documentary Tyson premiered at the annual Cannes Film Festival in France.
He is the titular character in Mike Tyson Mysteries, which started airing on October 27, 2014, on Adult Swim. In the animated series, Tyson voices a fictionalized version of himself, solving mysteries in the style of Scooby-Doo.
In early March 2015, Tyson appeared on the track "Iconic" on Madonna's album Rebel Heart. Tyson says some lines at the beginning of the song.
In late March 2015, Ip Man 3 was announced. With Donnie Yen reprising his role as the titular character, Bruce Lee's martial arts master, Ip Man, while Mike Tyson has been confirmed to join the cast. Principal photography began on March 25, 2015, and was premiered in Hong Kong on December 16, 2015.
In January 2017, Tyson launched his YouTube channel with Shots Studios, a comedy video and comedy music production company with young digital stars like Lele Pons and Rudy Mancuso. Tyson's channel includes parody music videos and comedy sketches.
He hosts the podcast Hotboxin' with Mike Tyson.
In October 2017, Tyson was announced as the new face of Australian car servicing franchise Ultra Tune. He has taken over from Jean-Claude van Damme in fronting television commercials for the brand, and the first advert is due to air in January 2018 during the Australian Open.
A joint Mainland China-Hong Kong-directed film on female friendship titled Girls 2: Girls vs Gangsters () that was shot earlier from July–August 2016 at several locations around Vietnam was released in March 2018, featuring Tyson as "Dragon".
Tiki Lau released a dance music single, Mike Tyson in October 2020 which includes vocals from Tyson.
In 2021, Mike's Hard Lemonade Seltzer featured ads with Tyson.
In March 2021, it was announced that Jamie Foxx will star in, and also executive produce the official scripted series, “Tyson". The limited series will be directed by Antoine Fuqua and executive produced by Martin Scorsese.
A two-part documentary series titled Mike Tyson: The Knockout premiered on May 25, 2021, on ABC
Professional boxing record
Exhibition boxing record
Pay-per-view bouts
Boxing
PPV home television
Closed-circuit theatre TV
Select pay-per-view boxing buy rates at American closed-circuit theatre television venues:
Professional wrestling
World Wrestling Federation
All Elite Wrestling
Awards and honors
Humane letters
The Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, in 1989 awarded Tyson an honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters: "Mike demonstrates that hard work, determination and perseverance can enable one to overcome any obstacles."
Boxing
Ring magazine Prospect of the Year (1985)
2× Ring magazine Fighter of the Year (1986, 1988)
2× Sugar Ray Robinson Award winner (1987, 1989)
BBC Sports Personality of the Year Overseas Personality (1989)
International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee (Class of 2011)
"Guirlande d'Honneur" by the FICTS (Milan, 2010)
Professional wrestling
WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2012)
See also
List of undisputed boxing champions
List of heavyweight boxing champions
World heavyweight boxing championship records and statistics
Notes
References
External links
Boxing Hall of Fame
ESPN.com
ESPN.com – additional information
ESPN.com – Boxing Topics: Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson amateur boxing record
"Mike Tyson Film Takes a Swing at His Old Image", 2008 article at The New York Times
"Mike Tyson Moves to the Suburbs", 2011 article at The New York Times
1966 births
Living people
20th-century American criminals
African-American boxers
African-American male professional wrestlers
African-American Muslims
American autobiographers
American male boxers
American male criminals
American male voice actors
American people convicted of assault
American people convicted of drug offenses
American people convicted of rape
American prisoners and detainees
American sportspeople convicted of crimes
BBC Sports Personality World Sport Star of the Year winners
Boxers from New York (state)
Converts to Islam
Criminals from New York (state)
Criminals from New York City
D-Generation X members
International Boxing Federation champions
International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees
Mixed martial arts referees
National Golden Gloves champions
Participants in Bulgarian reality television series
People from Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn
People from Bernardsville, New Jersey
People from Brownsville, Brooklyn
People from Catskill, New York
People from Henderson, Nevada
People from Trumbull County, Ohio
People with bipolar disorder
People with speech impediment
Prisoners and detainees of Indiana
Sportspeople from Brooklyn
Sportspeople from Las Vegas
The Ring (magazine) champions
World Boxing Association champions
World Boxing Council champions
World heavyweight boxing champions
Writers from Brooklyn
WWE Hall of Fame inductees
Participants in Argentine reality television series
Bailando por un Sueño (Argentine TV series) participants
| true |
[
"Äteritsiputeritsipuolilautatsijänkä is a bog region in Savukoski, Lapland in Finland. Its name is 35 letters long and is the longest place name in Finland, and also the third longest, if names with spaces or hyphens are included, in Europe. It has also been the longest official place name in the European Union since 31 January 2020, when Brexit was completed, as the record was previously held by Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, a village in Wales, United Kingdom.\n\nOverview\nA pub in Salla was named Äteritsiputeritsipuolilautatsi-baari after this bog region. According to an anecdote, the owner of the pub tried two different names for it, but both had already been taken. Frustrated, he registered the pub under a name he knew no one else would be using. The pub also had the longest name of a registered commercial establishment in Finland. The bar was in practice known as Äteritsi-baari. The pub was closed in April 2006.\n\nThe etymology is not known, although the name has been confirmed as genuine. Other than jänkä \"bog\", lauta \"board\" and puoli \"half\", it does not mean anything in Finnish, and was probably never intended to be anything else than alliterative gibberish.\n\nReferences \n\nSavukoski\nBogs of Finland\nLandforms of Lapland (Finland)",
"\"How Interesting: A Tiny Man\" is a 2010 science fiction/magical realism short story by American writer Harlan Ellison. It was first published in Realms of Fantasy.\n\nPlot summary\nA scientist creates a tiny man. The tiny man is initially very popular, but then draws the hatred of the world, and so the tiny man must flee, together with the scientist (who is now likewise hated, for having created the tiny man).\n\nReception\n\"How Interesting: A Tiny Man\" won the 2010 Nebula Award for Best Short Story, tied with Kij Johnson's \"Ponies\". It was Ellison's final Nebula nomination and win, of his record-setting eight nominations and three wins.\n\nTor.com calls the story \"deceptively simple\", with \"execution (that) is flawless\" and a \"Geppetto-like\" narrator, while Publishers Weekly describes it as \"memorably depict(ing) humanity's smallness of spirit\". The SF Site, however, felt it was \"contrived and less than profound\".\n\nNick Mamatas compared \"How Interesting: A Tiny Man\" negatively to Ellison's other Nebula-winning short stories, and stated that the story's two mutually exclusive endings (in one, the tiny man is killed; in the other, he becomes God) are evocative of the process of writing short stories. Ben Peek considered it to be \"more allegory than (...) anything else\", and interpreted it as being about how the media \"give(s) everyone a voice\", and also about how Ellison was treated by science fiction fandom.\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\nAudio version of ''How Interesting: A Tiny Man, at StarShipSofa\nHow Interesting: A Tiny Man, at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database\n\nNebula Award for Best Short Story-winning works\nShort stories by Harlan Ellison"
] |
[
"Mike Tyson",
"Undisputed champion",
"What is the undisputed champion?",
"Expectations for Tyson were extremely high, and he embarked on an ambitious campaign to fight all of the top heavyweights in the world. Tyson defended his title",
"What year did he start that journey?",
"Tyson defended his title against James Smith on March 7, 1987, in Las Vegas, Nevada. He won by unanimous decision",
"Who did he fight after this?",
"He beat Pinklon Thomas in May with a knockout in the sixth round. On August 1 he took the International Boxing Federation (IBF) title from Tony Tucker",
"What year was that fight?",
"On August 1",
"Was there anything else interesting in this section?",
"During this time, Tyson came to the attention of gaming company Nintendo."
] |
C_1b5dc9e3e91746cebf8036796b03646b_0
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Did he work with Nintendo?
| 6 |
Did Mike Tyson work with Nintendo?
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Mike Tyson
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Expectations for Tyson were extremely high, and he embarked on an ambitious campaign to fight all of the top heavyweights in the world. Tyson defended his title against James Smith on March 7, 1987, in Las Vegas, Nevada. He won by unanimous decision and added Smith's World Boxing Association (WBA) title to his existing belt. "Tyson-mania" in the media was becoming rampant. He beat Pinklon Thomas in May with a knockout in the sixth round. On August 1 he took the International Boxing Federation (IBF) title from Tony Tucker in a twelve round unanimous decision. He became the first heavyweight to own all three major belts - WBA, WBC, and IBF - at the same time. Another fight, in October of that year, ended with a victory for Tyson over 1984 Olympic super heavyweight gold medalist Tyrell Biggs by knockout in the seventh round. During this time, Tyson came to the attention of gaming company Nintendo. After witnessing one of Tyson's fights, Nintendo of America president, Minoru Arakawa was impressed by the fighter's "power and skill", prompting him to suggest Tyson be included in the upcoming Nintendo Entertainment System port of the Punch Out!! arcade game. In 1987, Nintendo released Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!, which was well received and sold more than a million copies. Tyson had three fights in 1988. He faced Larry Holmes on January 22, 1988, and defeated the legendary former champion by a fourth round KO. This was the only knockout loss Holmes suffered in 75 professional bouts. In March, Tyson then fought contender Tony Tubbs in Tokyo, Japan, fitting in an easy two-round victory amid promotional and marketing work. On June 27, 1988, Tyson faced Michael Spinks. Spinks, who had taken the heavyweight championship from Larry Holmes via a 15-round decision in 1985, had not lost his title in the ring but was not recognized as champion by the major boxing organizations. Holmes had previously given up all but the IBF title, and that was eventually stripped from Spinks after he elected to fight Gerry Cooney (winning by a 5th-round TKO) rather than IBF Number 1 Contender Tony Tucker, as the Cooney fight provided him a larger purse. However, Spinks did become the lineal champion by beating Holmes and many (including Ring magazine) considered him to have a legitimate claim to being the true heavyweight champion. The bout was, at the time, the richest fight in history and expectations were very high. Boxing pundits were predicting a titanic battle of styles, with Tyson's aggressive infighting conflicting with Spinks' skillful out-boxing and footwork. The fight ended after 91 seconds when Tyson knocked Spinks out in the first round; many consider this to be the pinnacle of Tyson's fame and boxing ability. CANNOTANSWER
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After witnessing one of Tyson's fights, Nintendo of America president, Minoru Arakawa was impressed by the fighter's "power and skill",
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Michael Gerard Tyson (born June 30, 1966) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1985 to 2005. Nicknamed "Iron Mike" and "Kid Dynamite" in his early career, and later known as "The Baddest Man on the Planet", Tyson is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. He reigned as the undisputed world heavyweight champion from 1987 to 1990. Tyson won his first 19 professional fights by knockout, 12 of them in the first round. Claiming his first belt at 20 years, four months, and 22 days old, Tyson holds the record as the youngest boxer ever to win a heavyweight title. He was the first heavyweight boxer to simultaneously hold the WBA, WBC and IBF titles, as well as the only heavyweight to unify them in succession. The following year, Tyson became the lineal champion when he knocked out Michael Spinks in 91 seconds of the first round. In 1990, Tyson was knocked out by underdog Buster Douglas in one of the biggest upsets in history.
In 1992, Tyson was convicted of rape and sentenced to six years in prison, although he was released on parole after three years. After his release in 1995, he engaged in a series of comeback fights, regaining the WBA and WBC titles in 1996 to join Floyd Patterson, Muhammad Ali, Tim Witherspoon, Evander Holyfield and George Foreman as the only men in boxing history to have regained a heavyweight championship after losing it. After being stripped of the WBC title in the same year, Tyson lost the WBA title to Evander Holyfield by an eleventh round stoppage. Their 1997 rematch ended when Tyson was disqualified for biting Holyfield's ears, one bite notoriously being strong enough to remove a portion of his right ear. In 2002, Tyson fought for the world heavyweight title, losing by knockout to Lennox Lewis.
Tyson was known for his ferocious and intimidating boxing style as well as his controversial behavior inside and outside the ring. With a knockout-to-win percentage of 88%, he was ranked 16th on The Ring magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time, and first on ESPN's list of "The Hardest Hitters in Heavyweight History". Sky Sports described him as "perhaps the most ferocious fighter to step into a professional ring". He has been inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame.
Early life
Michael Gerard Tyson was born in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, New York City on June 30, 1966. He has an older brother named Rodney (born c. 1961) and an older sister named Denise, who died of a heart attack at age 24 in February 1990. Tyson's biological father is listed as "Purcell Tyson" (who was from Jamaica) on his birth certificate, but the man Tyson had known as his father was Jimmy Kirkpatrick. Kirkpatrick was from Grier Town, North Carolina (a predominantly black neighborhood that was annexed by the city of Charlotte), where he was one of the neighborhood's top baseball players. Kirkpatrick married and had a son, Tyson's half-brother Jimmie Lee Kirkpatrick, who would help to integrate Charlotte high school football in 1965. In 1959, Jimmy Kirkpatrick left his family and moved to Brooklyn, where he met Tyson's mother, Lorna Mae (Smith) Tyson. Kirkpatrick frequented pool halls, gambled and hung out on the streets. "My father was just a regular street guy caught up in the street world," Tyson said. Kirkpatrick abandoned the Tyson family around the time Mike was born, leaving Tyson's mother to care for the children on her own. Kirkpatrick died in 1992.
The family lived in Bedford-Stuyvesant until their financial burdens necessitated a move to Brownsville when Tyson was 10 years old. Tyson's mother died six years later, leaving 16-year-old Tyson in the care of boxing manager and trainer Cus D'Amato, who would become his legal guardian. Tyson later said, "I never saw my mother happy with me and proud of me for doing something: she only knew me as being a wild kid running the streets, coming home with new clothes that she knew I didn't pay for. I never got a chance to talk to her or know about her. Professionally, it has no effect, but it's crushing emotionally and personally."
Throughout his childhood, Tyson lived in and around neighborhoods with a high rate of crime. According to an interview in Details, his first fight was with a bigger youth who had pulled the head off one of Tyson's pigeons. Tyson was repeatedly caught committing petty crimes and fighting those who ridiculed his high-pitched voice and lisp. By the age of 13, he had been arrested 38 times. He ended up at the Tryon School for Boys in Johnstown, New York. Tyson's emerging boxing ability was discovered there by Bobby Stewart, a juvenile detention center counselor and former boxer. Stewart considered Tyson to be an outstanding fighter and trained him for a few months before introducing him to Cus D'Amato. Tyson dropped out of high school as a junior. He would be awarded an honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from Central State University in 1989. Kevin Rooney also trained Tyson, and he was occasionally assisted by Teddy Atlas, although Atlas was dismissed by D'Amato when Tyson was 15. Rooney eventually took over all training duties for the young fighter.
Amateur career
As an amateur, Tyson won gold medals at the 1981 and 1982 Junior Olympic Games, defeating Joe Cortez in 1981 and beating Kelton Brown in 1982. Brown's corner threw in the towel in the first round. In 1984 Tyson won the gold medal at the Nation Golden Gloves held in New York, beating Jonathan Littles. He fought Henry Tillman twice as an amateur, losing both bouts by decision. Tillman went on to win heavyweight gold at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Professional career
Rise to stardom
Tyson made his professional debut as an 18-year-old on March 6, 1985, in Albany, New York. He defeated Hector Mercedes via first-round TKO. He had 15 bouts in his first year as a professional. Fighting frequently, Tyson won 26 of his first 28 fights by KO or TKO; 16 of those came in the first round. The quality of his opponents gradually increased to journeyman fighters and borderline contenders, like James Tillis, David Jaco, Jesse Ferguson, Mitch Green, and Marvis Frazier. His win streak attracted media attention and Tyson was billed as the next great heavyweight champion. D'Amato died in November 1985, relatively early into Tyson's professional career, and some speculate that his death was the catalyst to many of the troubles Tyson was to experience as his life and career progressed.
Tyson's first nationally televised bout took place on February 16, 1986, at Houston Field House in Troy, New York, against journeyman heavyweight Jesse Ferguson, and was carried by ABC Sports. Tyson knocked down Ferguson with an uppercut in the fifth round that broke Ferguson's nose. During the sixth round, Ferguson began to hold and clinch Tyson in an apparent attempt to avoid further punishment. After admonishing Ferguson several times to obey his commands to box, the referee finally stopped the fight near the middle of the sixth round. The fight was initially ruled a win for Tyson by disqualification (DQ) of his opponent. The ruling was "adjusted" to a win by technical knockout (TKO) after Tyson's corner protested that a DQ win would end Tyson's string of knockout victories, and that a knockout would have been the inevitable result.
In July, after recording six more knockout victories, Tyson fought former world title challenger Marvis Frazier in Glens Falls, New York, on another ABC Sports broadcast. Tyson won easily, charging at Frazier at the opening bell and hitting him with an uppercut that knocked Frazier unconscious thirty seconds into the fight.
On November 22, 1986, Tyson was given his first title fight against Trevor Berbick for the World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight championship. Tyson won the title by TKO in the second round, and at the age of 20 years and 4 months became the youngest heavyweight champion in history. He added the WBA and IBF titles after defeating James Smith and Tony Tucker in 1987. Tyson's dominant performance brought many accolades. Donald Saunders wrote: "The noble and manly art of boxing can at least cease worrying about its immediate future, now [that] it has discovered a heavyweight champion fit to stand alongside Dempsey, Tunney, Louis, Marciano, and Ali."
Tyson intimidated fighters with his strength, combined with outstanding hand speed, accuracy, coordination and timing. Tyson also possessed notable defensive abilities, holding his hands high in the peek-a-boo style taught by his mentor Cus D'Amato to slip under and weave around his opponent's punches while timing his own. Tyson's explosive punching technique was due in large part to crouching immediately prior to throwing a hook or an uppercut: this allowed the 'spring' of his legs to add power to the punch. Among his signature moves was a right hook to his opponent's body followed by a right uppercut to his opponent's chin. Lorenzo Boyd, Jesse Ferguson and José Ribalta were each knocked down by this combination.
Undisputed champion
Expectations for Tyson were extremely high, and he was the favorite to win the heavyweight unification series, a tournament designed to establish an undisputed heavyweight champion. Tyson defended his title against James Smith on March 7, 1987, in Las Vegas, Nevada. He won by unanimous decision and added Smith's World Boxing Association (WBA) title to his existing belt. "Tyson-mania" in the media was becoming rampant. He beat Pinklon Thomas in May by TKO in the sixth round. On August 1 he took the International Boxing Federation (IBF) title from Tony Tucker in a twelve-round unanimous decision 119–111, 118–113, and 116–112. He became the first heavyweight to own all three major belts – WBA, WBC, and IBF – at the same time. Another fight, in October of that year, ended with a victory for Tyson over 1984 Olympic super heavyweight gold medalist Tyrell Biggs by TKO in the seventh round.
During this time, Tyson came to the attention of gaming company Nintendo. After witnessing one of Tyson's fights, Nintendo of America president Minoru Arakawa was impressed by the fighter's "power and skill", prompting him to suggest Tyson be included in the upcoming Nintendo Entertainment System port of the Punch Out!! arcade game. In 1987, Nintendo released Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!, which was well received and sold more than a million copies.
Tyson had three fights in 1988. He faced Larry Holmes on January 22, 1988, and defeated the legendary former champion by KO in the fourth round. This was the only knockout loss Holmes suffered in 75 professional bouts. In March, Tyson then fought contender Tony Tubbs in Tokyo, Japan, fitting in an easy second-round TKO victory amid promotional and marketing work.
On June 27, 1988, Tyson faced Michael Spinks. Spinks, who had taken the heavyweight championship from Larry Holmes via fifteen-round decision in 1985, had not lost his title in the ring but was not recognized as champion by the major boxing organizations. Holmes had previously given up all but the IBF title, and that was eventually stripped from Spinks after he elected to fight Gerry Cooney (winning by TKO in the fifth round) rather than IBF Number 1 Contender Tony Tucker, as the Cooney fight provided him a larger purse. However, Spinks did become the lineal champion by beating Holmes and many (including Ring magazine) considered him to have a legitimate claim to being the true heavyweight champion. The bout was, at the time, the richest fight in history and expectations were very high. Boxing pundits were predicting a titanic battle of styles, with Tyson's aggressive infighting conflicting with Spinks's skillful out-boxing and footwork. The fight ended after 91 seconds when Tyson knocked Spinks out in the first round; many consider this to be the pinnacle of Tyson's fame and boxing ability.
Controversy and upset
During this period, Tyson's problems outside the ring were also starting to emerge. His marriage to Robin Givens was heading for divorce, and his future contract was being fought over by Don King and Bill Cayton. In late 1988, Tyson parted with manager Bill Cayton and fired longtime trainer Kevin Rooney, the man many credit for honing Tyson's craft after the death of D'Amato. Following Rooney's departure, critics alleged that Tyson began to show less head movement and combination punching. In 1989, Tyson had only two fights amid personal turmoil. He faced the British boxer Frank Bruno in February. Bruno managed to stun Tyson at the end of the first round, although Tyson went on to knock Bruno out in the fifth round. Tyson then knocked out Carl "The Truth" Williams in the first round in July.
By 1990, Tyson seemed to have lost direction, and his personal life was in disarray amidst reports of less vigorous training prior to the Buster Douglas match. In a fight on February 11, 1990, he lost the undisputed championship to Douglas in Tokyo. Tyson was a huge betting favorite; indeed, the Mirage, the only casino to put out odds for the fight, made Tyson a 42/1 favorite. Tyson failed to find a way past Douglas's quick jab that had a reach advantage over his own. Tyson did catch Douglas with an uppercut in the eighth round and knocked him to the floor, but Douglas recovered sufficiently to hand Tyson a heavy beating in the subsequent two rounds. After the fight, the Tyson camp would complain that the count was slow and that Douglas had taken longer than ten seconds to get back on his feet. Just 35 seconds into the tenth round, Douglas unleashed a brutal uppercut, followed by a four-punch combination of hooks that sent Tyson to the canvas for the first time in his career. He was counted out by referee Octavio Meyran.
The knockout victory by Douglas over Tyson, the previously undefeated "baddest man on the planet" and arguably the most feared boxer in professional boxing at that time, has been described as one of the most shocking upsets in modern sports history.
After Douglas
Despite the shocking loss, Tyson has said that losing to Douglas was the greatest moment of his career. “I needed that fight to make me a better person and fighter. I have a broader perspective of myself and boxing.”
After the loss, Tyson recovered with first-round knockouts of Henry Tillman and Alex Stewart in his next two fights. Tyson's victory over Tillman, the 1984 Olympic heavyweight gold medalist, enabled Tyson to avenge his amateur losses at Tillman's hands. These bouts set up an elimination match for another shot at the undisputed world heavyweight championship, which Evander Holyfield had taken from Douglas in his first defense of the title.
Tyson, who was the number one contender, faced number two contender Donovan "Razor" Ruddock on March 18, 1991, in Las Vegas. Ruddock was seen as the most dangerous heavyweight around and was thought of as one of the hardest punching heavyweights. Tyson and Ruddock went back and forth for most of the fight, until referee Richard Steele controversially stopped the fight during the seventh round in favor of Tyson. This decision infuriated the fans in attendance, sparking a post-fight melee in the audience. The referee had to be escorted from the ring.
Tyson and Ruddock met again on June 28 that year, with Tyson knocking down Ruddock twice and winning a twelve-round unanimous decision 113–109, 114–108, and 114–108. A fight between Tyson and Holyfield for the undisputed championship was scheduled for November 8, 1991, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, but Tyson pulled out after sustaining a rib cartilage injury during training.
Rape trial and prison
Tyson was arrested in July 1991 for the rape of 18-year-old Desiree Washington, Miss Black Rhode Island, in an Indianapolis hotel room. Tyson's rape trial took place in the Marion County superior court from January 26 to February 10, 1992.
Partial corroboration of Washington's story came via testimony from Tyson's chauffeur who confirmed Desiree Washington's state of shock after the incident. Further testimony came from the emergency room physician who examined Washington more than 24 hours after the incident and confirmed that Washington's physical condition was consistent with rape.
Under lead defense lawyer Vincent J. Fuller's direct examination, Tyson claimed that everything had taken place with Washington's full consent and he claimed not to have forced himself upon her. When he was cross-examined by lead prosecutor Gregory Garrison, Tyson denied claims that he had misled Washington and insisted that she wanted to have sex with him. Tyson was convicted on the rape charge on February 10, 1992, after the jury deliberated for nearly 10 hours.
Alan Dershowitz, acting as Tyson's counsel, filed an appeal urging error of law in the Court's exclusion of evidence of the victim's past sexual conduct (known as the Rape Shield Law), the exclusion of three potential defense witnesses, and the lack of a jury instruction on honest and reasonable mistake of fact. The Indiana Court of Appeals ruled against Tyson in a 2–1 vote. The Indiana Supreme Court let the lower court opinion stand due to a 2–2 split in its review. The tie vote was due to the fact that the Chief Justice of the Indiana Supreme Court recused himself from the case. The Chief Justice later revealed he did so because of a heated argument between his wife and Dershowitz at a Yale Law School reunion concerning the case. On March 26, 1992, Tyson was sentenced to six years in prison along with four years of probation. He was assigned to the Indiana Youth Center (now the Plainfield Correctional Facility) in April 1992, and he was released in March 1995 after serving less than three years of the sentence.
It has been widely reported that while in prison, Tyson converted to Islam and adopted the Muslim name Malik Abdul Aziz (though some sources report the adoption of a different Islamic name, Malik Shabazz). However, Tyson has stated that he converted to Islam before entering prison, but made no efforts to correct the misinformation in the media. Due to his conviction, Tyson is required to register as a Tier II sex offender under federal law.
Comeback
After being paroled from prison, Tyson easily won his comeback bouts against Peter McNeeley and Buster Mathis Jr. Tyson's first comeback fight grossed more than US$96 million worldwide, including a United States record $63 million for PPV television. The viewing of the fight was purchased by 1.52 million homes, setting both PPV viewership and revenue records. The 89-second fight elicited criticism that Tyson's management lined up "tomato cans" to ensure easy victories for his return. TV Guide included the Tyson–McNeeley fight in their list of the 50 Greatest TV Sports Moments of All Time in 1998.
Tyson regained one belt by easily winning the WBC title against Frank Bruno in March 1996. It was the second fight between the two, and Tyson knocked out Bruno in the third round. In 1996, Lennox Lewis turned down a $13.5 million guarantee to fight Tyson. This would've been Lewis's highest fight purse to date. Lewis then accepted $4 million from Don King to step aside and allow Tyson to fight Bruce Seldon for an expected $30 million instead with the intention that if Tyson defeated Seldon, he would fight Lewis next. Tyson added the WBA belt by defeating champion Seldon in the first round in September that year. Seldon was severely criticized and mocked in the popular press for seemingly collapsing to innocuous punches from Tyson.
Tyson–Holyfield fights
Tyson vs. Holyfield I
Tyson attempted to defend the WBA title against Evander Holyfield, who was in the fourth fight of his own comeback. Holyfield had retired in 1994 following the loss of his championship to Michael Moorer. It was said that Don King and others saw former champion Holyfield, who was 34 at the time of the fight and a huge underdog, as a washed-up fighter.
On November 9, 1996, in Las Vegas, Nevada, Tyson faced Holyfield in a title bout dubbed "Finally". In a surprising turn of events, Holyfield, who was given virtually no chance to win by numerous commentators, defeated Tyson by TKO when referee Mitch Halpern stopped the bout in round eleven. Holyfield became the second boxer to win a heavyweight championship belt three times. Holyfield's victory was marred by allegations from Tyson's camp of Holyfield's frequent headbutts during the bout. Although the headbutts were ruled accidental by the referee, they would become a point of contention in the subsequent rematch.
Tyson vs. Holyfield II and aftermath
Tyson and Holyfield fought again on June 28, 1997. Originally, Halpern was supposed to be the referee, but after Tyson's camp protested, Halpern stepped aside in favor of Mills Lane. The highly anticipated rematch was dubbed The Sound and the Fury, and it was held at the Las Vegas MGM Grand Garden Arena, site of the first bout. It was a lucrative event, drawing even more attention than the first bout and grossing $100 million. Tyson received $30 million and Holyfield $35 million, the highest paid professional boxing purses until 2007. The fight was purchased by 1.99 million households, setting a pay-per-view buy rate record that stood until May 5, 2007, being surpassed by Oscar De La Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Soon to become one of the most controversial events in modern sports, the fight was stopped at the end of the third round, with Tyson disqualified for biting Holyfield on both ears. The first time Tyson bit him, the match was temporarily stopped. Referee Mills Lane deducted two points from Tyson and the fight resumed. However, after the match resumed, Tyson bit him again, resulting in his disqualification, and Holyfield won the match. The first bite was severe enough to remove a piece of Holyfield's right ear, which was found on the ring floor after the fight. Tyson later stated that his actions were retaliation for Holyfield repeatedly headbutting him without penalty. In the confusion that followed the ending of the bout and announcement of the decision, a near riot occurred in the arena and several people were injured. Tyson Holyfield II was the first heavyweight title fight in over 50 years to end in a disqualification.
As a subsequent fallout from the incident, US$3 million was immediately withheld from Tyson's $30-million purse by the Nevada state boxing commission (the most it could legally hold back at the time). Two days after the fight, Tyson issued a statement, apologizing to Holyfield for his actions and asked not to be banned for life over the incident. Tyson was roundly condemned in the news media but was not without defenders. Novelist and commentator Katherine Dunn wrote a column that criticized Holyfield's sportsmanship in the controversial bout and charged the news media with being biased against Tyson.
On July 9, 1997, Tyson's boxing license was rescinded by the Nevada State Athletic Commission in a unanimous voice vote; he was also fined US$3 million and ordered to pay the legal costs of the hearing. As most state athletic commissions honor sanctions imposed by other states, this effectively made Tyson unable to box in the United States. The revocation was not permanent, as the commission voted 4–1 to restore Tyson's boxing license on October 18, 1998.
During his time away from boxing in 1998, Tyson made a guest appearance at WrestleMania XIV as an enforcer for the main event match between Shawn Michaels and Steve Austin. During this time, Tyson was also an unofficial member of Michaels's stable, D-Generation X. Tyson was paid $3 million for being guest enforcer of the match at WrestleMania XIV.
1999–2005
In January 1999, Tyson returned to the ring for a match against the South African Francois Botha. This match also ended in controversy. While Botha initially controlled the fight, Tyson allegedly attempted to break Botha's arms during a tie-up and both boxers were cautioned by the referee in the ill-tempered bout. Botha was ahead on points on all scorecards and was confident enough to mock Tyson as the fight continued. Nonetheless, Tyson landed a straight right hand in the fifth round that knocked out Botha. Critics noticed Tyson stopped using the bob and weave defense altogether following this return. Promoting the fight on Secaucus, New Jersey television station WWOR-TV, Tyson launched into an expletive-laden tirade that forced sports anchor Russ Salzberg to cut the interview short.
Legal problems arose with Tyson once again. On February 5, 1999, Tyson was sentenced to a year's imprisonment, fined $5,000, and ordered to serve two years probation along with undergoing 200 hours of community service for assaulting two motorists after a traffic accident on August 31, 1998. He served nine months of that sentence. After his release, he fought Orlin Norris on October 23, 1999. Tyson knocked down Norris with a left hook thrown after the bell sounded to end the first round. Norris injured his knee when he went down and said that he was unable to continue. Consequently, the bout was ruled a no contest.
In 2000, Tyson had three fights. The first match in January was staged at the MEN Arena in Manchester, England against Julius Francis. Following controversy as to whether Tyson was allowed into the country, he took four minutes to knock out Francis, ending the bout in the second round. He also fought Lou Savarese in June 2000 in Glasgow, winning in the first round; the fight lasted only 38 seconds. Tyson continued punching after the referee had stopped the fight, knocking the referee to the floor as he tried to separate the boxers. In October, Tyson fought the similarly controversial Andrew Golota, winning in round three after Gołota was unable to continue due to a broken cheekbone, concussion, and neck injury. The result was later changed to no contest after Tyson refused to take a pre-fight drug test and then tested positive for marijuana in a post-fight urine test. Tyson fought only once in 2001, beating Brian Nielsen in Copenhagen by TKO in the seventh round.
Lewis vs. Tyson
Tyson once again had the opportunity to fight for a heavyweight championship in 2002. Lennox Lewis held the WBC, IBF, IBO and Lineal titles at the time. As promising fighters, Tyson and Lewis had sparred at a training camp in a meeting arranged by Cus D'Amato in 1984. Tyson sought to fight Lewis in Nevada for a more lucrative box-office venue, but the Nevada Boxing Commission refused him a license to box as he was facing possible sexual assault charges at the time.
Two years prior to the bout, Tyson had made several inflammatory remarks to Lewis in an interview following the Savarese fight. The remarks included the statement "I want your heart, I want to eat your children." On January 22, 2002, the two boxers and their entourages were involved in a brawl at a New York press conference to publicize the planned event. A few weeks later, the Nevada State Athletic Commission refused to grant Tyson a license for the fight, and the promoters had to make alternative arrangements. After multiple states balked at granting Tyson a license, the fight eventually occurred on June 8 at the Pyramid Arena in Memphis, Tennessee. Lewis dominated the fight and knocked out Tyson with a right hand in the eighth round. Tyson was respectful after the fight and praised Lewis on his victory. This fight was the highest-grossing event in pay-per-view history at that time, generating $106.9 million from 1.95 million buys in the US.
Later career, bankruptcy, and retirement
In another Memphis fight on February 22, 2003, Tyson beat fringe contender Clifford Etienne 49 seconds into round one. The pre-fight was marred by rumors of Tyson's lack of fitness. Some said that he took time out from training to party in Las Vegas and get a new facial tattoo. This eventually proved to be Tyson's final professional victory in the ring.
In August 2003, after years of financial struggles, Tyson finally filed for bankruptcy. Tyson earned over $30 million for several of his fights and $300 million during his career. At the time, the media reported that he had approximately $23 million in debt.
On August 13, 2003, Tyson entered the ring for a face-to-face confrontation against K-1 fighting phenom, Bob Sapp, immediately after Sapp's win against Kimo Leopoldo in Las Vegas. K-1 signed Tyson to a contract with the hopes of making a fight happen between the two, but Tyson's felony history made it impossible for him to obtain a visa to enter Japan, where the fight would have been most profitable. Alternative locations were discussed, but the fight ultimately failed to happen.
On July 30, 2004, Tyson had a match against British boxer Danny Williams in another comeback fight, and this time, staged in Louisville, Kentucky. Tyson dominated the opening two rounds. The third round was even, with Williams getting in some clean blows and also a few illegal ones, for which he was penalized. In the fourth round, Tyson was unexpectedly knocked out. After the fight, it was revealed that Tyson was trying to fight on one leg, having torn a ligament in his other knee in the first round. This was Tyson's fifth career defeat. He underwent surgery for the ligament four days after the fight. His manager, Shelly Finkel, claimed that Tyson was unable to throw meaningful right-hand punches since he had a knee injury.
On June 11, 2005, Tyson stunned the boxing world by quitting before the start of the seventh round in a close bout against journeyman Kevin McBride. In the 2008 documentary Tyson, he stated that he fought McBride for a payday, that he did not anticipate winning, that he was in poor physical condition and fed up with taking boxing seriously. After losing three of his last four fights, Tyson said he would quit boxing because he felt he had lost his passion for the sport.
In 2000 Tyson fired everyone working for him and enlisted new accountants, who prepared a statement showing he started the year $3.3 million in debt but earned $65.7 million. In August 2007, Tyson pleaded guilty to drug possession and driving under the influence in an Arizona court, which stemmed from an arrest in December where authorities said Tyson, who has a long history of legal problems, admitted to using cocaine that day and to being addicted to the drug.
Exhibition bouts
Mike Tyson's World Tour
To help pay off his debts, Tyson announced he would be doing a series of exhibition bouts, calling it Tyson's World Tour. For his first bout, Tyson returned to the ring in 2006 for a four-round exhibition against journeyman heavyweight Corey Sanders in Youngstown, Ohio. Tyson, without headgear at 5 ft 10.5 in and 216 pounds, was in quality shape, but far from his prime against Sanders, at 6 ft 6 in who wore headgear. Tyson appeared to be "holding back" in the exhibition to prevent an early end to the "show". "If I don't get out of this financial quagmire there's a possibility I may have to be a punching bag for somebody. The money I make isn't going to help my bills from a tremendous standpoint, but I'm going to feel better about myself. I'm not going to be depressed", explained Tyson about the reasons for his "comeback". After the bout was poorly received by fans the remainder of the tour was cancelled.
Tyson vs. Jones
It was announced in July 2020 that Tyson had signed a contract to face former four-division world champion, Roy Jones Jr., in an eight-round exhibition fight. Mixed martial arts coach Rafael Cordeiro was selected to be Tyson's trainer and cornerman. The bout—officially sanctioned by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC)—was initially scheduled to take place on September 12 at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, however, the date was pushed back to November 28 in order to maximize revenue for the event. The fight went the full 8 rounds, and was declared a draw. The fight was a split draw and the three judges scored the fight as follows: Chad Dawson (76–76 draw), Christy Martin (79–73 for Tyson), and Vinny Pazienza (76–80 for Jones).
Mike Tyson's Legends Only League
In July 2020, Mike Tyson announced the creation of Mike Tyson's Legends Only League. Tyson formed the league in partnership with Sophie Watts and her company, Eros Innovations. The league provides retired professional athletes the opportunity to compete in their respective sport. On November 28, 2020, Mike Tyson fought Roy Jones Jr. at the Staples Center in the first event produced under Legends Only League. The event received largely positive reviews and was the highest selling PPV event of 2020, which ranks in the Top-10 for PPV purchased events all-time.
Legacy
Tyson was The Ring magazine's Fighter of the Year in 1986 and 1988. A 1998 ranking of "The Greatest Heavyweights of All-Time" by The Ring magazine placed Tyson at number 14 on the list. Despite criticism of facing underwhelming competition during his run as champion, Tyson's knockout power and intimidation factor made him the sport's most dynamic box-office draw. According to Douglas Quenqua of The New York Times, "The [1990s] began with Mike Tyson, considered by many to be the last great heavyweight champion, losing his title to the little-known Buster Douglas. Seven years later, Mr. Tyson bit Evander Holyfield's ear in a heavyweight champion bout—hardly a proud moment for the sport."
He is remembered for his attire of black trunks, black shoes with no socks, and a plain white towel fit around his neck in place of a traditional robe, as well as his habit of rapidly pacing the ring before the start of a fight. In his prime, Tyson rarely took a step back and had never been knocked down or seriously challenged. According to Martial Arts World Report, it gave Tyson an Honorable Mention in its Ten Greatest Heavyweights of All Time rather than a ranking because longevity is a factor and the peak period of Tyson's career lasted only about 5 years.
BoxRec currently ranks Tyson at number 13 among the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. In The Ring magazine's list of the 80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years, released in 2002, Tyson was ranked at number 72. He is ranked number 16 on The Ring magazine's 2003 list of 100 greatest punchers of all time. Tyson has defeated 11 boxers for the world heavyweight title, the seventh-most in history.
On June 12, 2011, Tyson was inducted to the International Boxing Hall of Fame alongside legendary Mexican champion Julio César Chávez, light welterweight champion Kostya Tszyu, and actor/screenwriter Sylvester Stallone. In 2011, Bleacher Report omitted Tyson from its list of top 10 heavyweights, saying that that "Mike Tyson is not a top 10 heavyweight. He killed the fighters he was supposed to beat, but when he fought another elite fighter, he always lost. I'm not talking about some of those B-level fighters he took a belt from. I'm talking about the handful of good boxers he fought throughout his career."
In 2013, Tyson was inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame and headlined the induction ceremony. Tyson was inducted into the Southern Nevada Hall of Fame in 2015 along with four other inductees with ties to Southern Nevada.
Tyson reflected on his strongest opponents in ten categories for a 2014 interview with The Ring magazine, including best jab, best defense, fastest hands, fastest feet, best chin, smartest, strongest, best puncher, best boxer, and best overall.
In 2017, The Ring magazine ranked Tyson as number 9 of 20 heavyweight champions based on a poll of panelists that included trainers, matchmakers, media, historians, and boxers, including:
Trainers: Teddy Atlas, Pat Burns, Virgil Hunter, and Don Turner
Matchmakers: Eric Bottjer, Don Chargin, Don Elbaum, Bobby Goodman, Ron Katz, Mike Marchionte, Russell Peltz, and Bruce Trampler.
Media: Al Bernstein, Ron Borges, Gareth A Davies, Norm Frauenheim, Jerry Izenberg, Harold Lederman, Paulie Malignaggi, Dan Rafael, and Michael Rosenthal
Historians: Craig Hamilton, Steve Lott, Don McRae, Bob Mee, Clay Moyle, Adam Pollack, and Randy Roberts
Boxers: Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson participated in the poll, but neither fighter ranked himself. Instead, a weighted average from the other panelists was assigned to their respective slots on their ballots.
In 2020, Bill Caplan of The Ring magazine listed Tyson as number 17 of the 20 greatest heavyweights of all time. Tyson spoke with The Ring magazine in 2020 about his six greatest victories, which included knockouts of Trevor Berbick, Pinklon Thomas, Tony Tucker, Tyrell Biggs, Larry Holmes, and Michael Spinks. In 2020, CBS Sports boxing experts Brian Campbell and Brent Brookhouse ranked the top 10 heavyweights of the last 50 years and Tyson was ranked number 7.
Life after boxing
In an interview with USA Today published on June 3, 2005, Tyson said, "My whole life has been a waste – I've been a failure." He continued: "I just want to escape. I'm really embarrassed with myself and my life. I want to be a missionary. I think I could do that while keeping my dignity without letting people know they chased me out of the country. I want to get this part of my life over as soon as possible. In this country nothing good is going to come of me. People put me so high; I wanted to tear that image down." Tyson began to spend much of his time tending to his 350 pigeons in Paradise Valley, an upscale enclave near Phoenix, Arizona.
Tyson has stayed in the limelight by promoting various websites and companies. In the past Tyson had shunned endorsements, accusing other athletes of putting on a false front to obtain them. Tyson has held entertainment boxing shows at a casino in Las Vegas and started a tour of exhibition bouts to pay off his numerous debts.
On December 29, 2006, Tyson was arrested in Scottsdale, Arizona, on suspicion of DUI and felony drug possession; he nearly crashed into a police SUV shortly after leaving a nightclub. According to a police probable-cause statement, filed in Maricopa County Superior Court, "[Tyson] admitted to using [drugs] today and stated he is an addict and has a problem." Tyson pleaded not guilty on January 22, 2007, in Maricopa County Superior Court to felony drug possession and paraphernalia possession counts and two misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence of drugs. On February 8 he checked himself into an inpatient treatment program for "various addictions" while awaiting trial on the drug charges.
On September 24, 2007, Tyson pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine and driving under the influence. He was convicted of these charges in November 2007 and sentenced to 24 hours in jail. After his release, he was ordered to serve three years' probation and complete 360 hours of community service. Prosecutors had requested a year-long jail sentence, but the judge praised Tyson for seeking help with his drug problems. On November 11, 2009, Tyson was arrested after getting into a scuffle at Los Angeles International airport with a photographer. No charges were filed.
Tyson has taken acting roles in movies and television, most famously playing a fictionalized version of himself in the 2009 film The Hangover.
In September 2011, Tyson gave an interview in which he made comments about former Alaska governor Sarah Palin including crude and violent descriptions of interracial sex. These comments were reprinted on The Daily Caller website. Journalist Greta van Susteren criticized Tyson and The Daily Caller over the comments, which she described as "smut" and "violence against women".
After debuting a one-man show in Las Vegas, Tyson collaborated with film director Spike Lee and brought the show to Broadway in August 2012. In February 2013, Tyson took his one-man show Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth on a 36-city, three-month national tour. Tyson talks about his personal and professional life on stage. The one-man show was aired on HBO on November 16, 2013.
In October 2012, Tyson launched the Mike Tyson Cares Foundation. The mission of the Mike Tyson Cares Foundation is to "give kids a fighting chance" by providing innovative centers that provide for the comprehensive needs of kids from broken homes.
In August 2013, Tyson teamed up with Acquinity Sports to form Iron Mike Productions, a boxing promotions company.
In September 2013, Tyson was featured on a six-episode television series on Fox Sports 1 that documented his personal and private life entitled Being: Mike Tyson.
In November 2013, Tyson's Undisputed Truth was published, which appeared on The New York Times Best Seller list. At the Golden Podium Awards Ceremony, Tyson received the SPORTEL Special Prize for the best autobiography.
In May 2017, Tyson published his second book, Iron Ambition, which details his time with trainer and surrogate father Cus D'Amato.
In February 2018, Tyson attended the international mixed martial arts (MMA) tournament in the Russian city of Chelyabinsk. Tyson said: "As I have travelled all over the country of Russia I have realised that the people are very sensitive and kind. But most Americans do not have any experience of that."
On May 12, 2020, Tyson posted a video on his Instagram of him training again. At the end of the video, Tyson hinted at a return to boxing by saying, "I'm back".
On May 23, 2020, at All Elite Wrestling's Double or Nothing, Tyson helped Cody defeat Lance Archer alongside Jake Roberts and presented him the inaugural AEW TNT Championship. Tyson alongside Henry Cejudo, Rashad Evans, and Vitor Belfort appeared on the May 27 episode of AEW Dynamite facing off against Chris Jericho and his stable The Inner Circle. Tyson returned to AEW on the April 7, 2021 episode of Dynamite and helped Jericho from being attacked by The Pinnacle, beating down Shawn Spears in the process. He was the special guest enforcer on the April 14 episode of Dynamite for a match between Jericho and Dax Harwood of The Pinnacle, a preview of the upcoming Inner Circle vs. Pinnacle match at Blood and Guts.
Personal life
Tyson resides in Seven Hills, Nevada. He has been married three times, and has seven children, one deceased, with three women; in addition to his biological children, Tyson includes his second wife's oldest daughter as one of his own.
His first marriage was to actress Robin Givens from February 7, 1988, to February 14, 1989. Givens was known at the time for her role on the sitcom Head of the Class. Tyson's marriage to Givens was especially tumultuous, with allegations of violence, spousal abuse, and mental instability on Tyson's part.
Matters came to a head when Tyson and Givens gave a joint interview with Barbara Walters on the ABC TV newsmagazine show 20/20 in September 1988, in which Givens described life with Tyson as "torture, pure hell, worse than anything I could possibly imagine." Givens also described Tyson as "manic depressive" – which was later confirmed by doctors – on national television while Tyson looked on with an intent and calm expression. A month later, Givens announced that she was seeking a divorce from the allegedly abusive Tyson.
According to the book Fire and Fear: The Inside Story of Mike Tyson, Tyson admitted that he punched Givens and stated, "that was the best punch I've ever thrown in my entire life." Tyson claimed that book was "filled with inaccuracies." They had no children but she reported having had a miscarriage; Tyson claimed that she was never pregnant and only used that to get him to marry her. During their marriage, the couple lived in a mansion in Bernardsville, New Jersey.
Tyson's second marriage was to Monica Turner from April 19, 1997, to January 14, 2003. At the time of the divorce filing, Turner worked as a pediatric resident at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C. She is the sister of Michael Steele, the former Lieutenant Governor of Maryland and former Republican National Committee. Turner filed for divorce from Tyson in January 2002, claiming that he committed adultery during their five-year marriage, an act that "has neither been forgiven nor condoned." The couple had two children; son Amir and Ramsey who is non-binary.
On May 25, 2009, Tyson's four-year-old daughter Exodus was found by her seven-year-old brother Miguel unconscious and tangled in a cord, dangling from an exercise treadmill. The child's mother, Sol Xochitl, untangled her, administered CPR and called for medical attention. Tyson, who was in Las Vegas at the time of the incident, traveled back to Phoenix to be with her. She died of her injuries on May 26, 2009.
Eleven days after his daughter's death, Tyson wed for the third time, to longtime girlfriend Lakiha "Kiki" Spicer, age 32, exchanging vows on Saturday, June 6, 2009, in a short, private ceremony at the La Bella Wedding Chapel at the Las Vegas Hilton. They have two children; daughter Milan and son Morocco.
In March 2011, Tyson appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show to discuss his new Animal Planet reality series Taking on Tyson. In the interview with DeGeneres, Tyson discussed some of the ways he had improved his life in the past two years, including sober living and a vegan diet. However, in August 2013 he admitted publicly that he had lied about his sobriety and was on the verge of death from alcoholism.
In November 2013, Tyson stated "the more I look at churches and mosques, the more I see the devil". But, just a month later, in a December 2013 interview with Fox News, Tyson said that he is very grateful to be a Muslim and that he needs Allah in his life. In the same interview Tyson talked about his progress with sobriety and how being in the company of good people has made him want to be a better and more humble person.
Tyson also revealed that he is no longer vegan, stating, "I was a vegan for four years but not anymore. I eat chicken every now and then. I should be a vegan. [No red meat] at all, no way! I would be very sick if I ate red meat. That's probably why I was so crazy before."
In 2015, Tyson announced that he was supporting Donald Trump's presidential candidacy.
In popular culture
At the height of his fame and career in the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s, Tyson was among the most recognized sports personalities in the world. In addition to his many sporting accomplishments, his outrageous and controversial behavior in the ring and in his private life has kept him in the public eye and in the courtroom. As such, Tyson has been the subject of myriad popular media including movies, television, books and music. He has also been featured in video games and as a subject of parody or satire. Tyson became involved in professional wrestling and has made many cameo appearances in film and television.
The film Tyson was released in 1995 and was directed by Uli Edel. It explores the life of Mike Tyson, from the death of his guardian and trainer Cus D'Amato to his rape conviction. Tyson is played by Michael Jai White.
Published in 2007, author Joe Layden's book The Last Great Fight: The Extraordinary Tale of Two Men and How One Fight Changed Their Lives Forever, chronicled the lives of Tyson and Douglas before and after their heavyweight championship fight.
In 2008, the documentary Tyson premiered at the annual Cannes Film Festival in France.
He is the titular character in Mike Tyson Mysteries, which started airing on October 27, 2014, on Adult Swim. In the animated series, Tyson voices a fictionalized version of himself, solving mysteries in the style of Scooby-Doo.
In early March 2015, Tyson appeared on the track "Iconic" on Madonna's album Rebel Heart. Tyson says some lines at the beginning of the song.
In late March 2015, Ip Man 3 was announced. With Donnie Yen reprising his role as the titular character, Bruce Lee's martial arts master, Ip Man, while Mike Tyson has been confirmed to join the cast. Principal photography began on March 25, 2015, and was premiered in Hong Kong on December 16, 2015.
In January 2017, Tyson launched his YouTube channel with Shots Studios, a comedy video and comedy music production company with young digital stars like Lele Pons and Rudy Mancuso. Tyson's channel includes parody music videos and comedy sketches.
He hosts the podcast Hotboxin' with Mike Tyson.
In October 2017, Tyson was announced as the new face of Australian car servicing franchise Ultra Tune. He has taken over from Jean-Claude van Damme in fronting television commercials for the brand, and the first advert is due to air in January 2018 during the Australian Open.
A joint Mainland China-Hong Kong-directed film on female friendship titled Girls 2: Girls vs Gangsters () that was shot earlier from July–August 2016 at several locations around Vietnam was released in March 2018, featuring Tyson as "Dragon".
Tiki Lau released a dance music single, Mike Tyson in October 2020 which includes vocals from Tyson.
In 2021, Mike's Hard Lemonade Seltzer featured ads with Tyson.
In March 2021, it was announced that Jamie Foxx will star in, and also executive produce the official scripted series, “Tyson". The limited series will be directed by Antoine Fuqua and executive produced by Martin Scorsese.
A two-part documentary series titled Mike Tyson: The Knockout premiered on May 25, 2021, on ABC
Professional boxing record
Exhibition boxing record
Pay-per-view bouts
Boxing
PPV home television
Closed-circuit theatre TV
Select pay-per-view boxing buy rates at American closed-circuit theatre television venues:
Professional wrestling
World Wrestling Federation
All Elite Wrestling
Awards and honors
Humane letters
The Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, in 1989 awarded Tyson an honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters: "Mike demonstrates that hard work, determination and perseverance can enable one to overcome any obstacles."
Boxing
Ring magazine Prospect of the Year (1985)
2× Ring magazine Fighter of the Year (1986, 1988)
2× Sugar Ray Robinson Award winner (1987, 1989)
BBC Sports Personality of the Year Overseas Personality (1989)
International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee (Class of 2011)
"Guirlande d'Honneur" by the FICTS (Milan, 2010)
Professional wrestling
WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2012)
See also
List of undisputed boxing champions
List of heavyweight boxing champions
World heavyweight boxing championship records and statistics
Notes
References
External links
Boxing Hall of Fame
ESPN.com
ESPN.com – additional information
ESPN.com – Boxing Topics: Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson amateur boxing record
"Mike Tyson Film Takes a Swing at His Old Image", 2008 article at The New York Times
"Mike Tyson Moves to the Suburbs", 2011 article at The New York Times
1966 births
Living people
20th-century American criminals
African-American boxers
African-American male professional wrestlers
African-American Muslims
American autobiographers
American male boxers
American male criminals
American male voice actors
American people convicted of assault
American people convicted of drug offenses
American people convicted of rape
American prisoners and detainees
American sportspeople convicted of crimes
BBC Sports Personality World Sport Star of the Year winners
Boxers from New York (state)
Converts to Islam
Criminals from New York (state)
Criminals from New York City
D-Generation X members
International Boxing Federation champions
International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees
Mixed martial arts referees
National Golden Gloves champions
Participants in Bulgarian reality television series
People from Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn
People from Bernardsville, New Jersey
People from Brownsville, Brooklyn
People from Catskill, New York
People from Henderson, Nevada
People from Trumbull County, Ohio
People with bipolar disorder
People with speech impediment
Prisoners and detainees of Indiana
Sportspeople from Brooklyn
Sportspeople from Las Vegas
The Ring (magazine) champions
World Boxing Association champions
World Boxing Council champions
World heavyweight boxing champions
Writers from Brooklyn
WWE Hall of Fame inductees
Participants in Argentine reality television series
Bailando por un Sueño (Argentine TV series) participants
| false |
[
"is a 2007 video game published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS video game console. The title was developed by Nintendo NSD (Network Service Development, Nintendo Co.) with programming assistance by\nAgenda. Nintendo developed the tilt sliding technology hardware accessory, and then co-developed the actual software with Agenda doing most of the software programming and JOE DOWN STUDIO handling the audio. Long time Nintendo creator Kazunobu Shimizu was responsible for creating the MagKid character and coming up with the concept of the game. The retail SKU comes bundled with a new sliding controller that attaches to the DS, enabling it to slide on a surface as the input method. A localization outside Japan did not occur.\n\nSlide Controller\nThe Slide Controller bundled with the game (and required to play) is attached to Slot 2, of the DS, which makes use of the technology of a computer's optical mouse, being that the pak emits red light from a LED light located at the bottom of the controller. In order to move the Mag Kid across the screen during the game, the player has to slide the whole Nintendo DS system with this controller (combined with a slant angle) on a table surface, thus given the name \"Slide Controller\".\n\nExternal links\nOfficial Nintendo Website\nOfficial Nintendo Online Magazine Website\nOfficial Agenda Website\nGame Console\n\n2007 video games\nJapan-exclusive video games\nNintendo DS games\nNintendo DS-only games\nNintendo games\nVideo games developed in Japan",
"was a Japanese businessman. He was the third president of Nintendo, joining the company in 1949 until stepping down on 24 May 2002, to be succeeded by Satoru Iwata. During his 53-year tenure, Yamauchi transformed Nintendo from a hanafuda card-making company that had been active solely in Japan into a multibillion-dollar video game publisher and global conglomerate. He is the great-grandson of Fusajirō Yamauchi, Nintendo's first president and founder.\n\nIn April 2013, Forbes estimated Yamauchi's net worth at $2.1 billion; he was the 13th richest person in Japan and the 491st richest in the world. In 2008, Yamauchi was Japan's wealthiest person with a fortune at that time estimated at $7.8 billion.\nAt the time of his death, Yamauchi was the largest shareholder at Nintendo.\n\nEarly life \nYamauchi was born in Kyoto to father Shikanojo Inaba and mother Kimi. His father abandoned them both when he was five years old, and his mother was unable to cope as a single parent so she gave him up to her parents. With his grandfather being a business owner, this adoption aligned his future inheritance of what would become Nintendo. He was sent to a preparatory school in Kyoto at age twelve. He planned to study law or engineering, but World War II disrupted his studies. Since he was too young to fight, he was put to work in a military factory. Once the war ended in 1945, Yamauchi went to Waseda University to study law. He married Michiko Inaba. With the absence of Yamauchi's father, his grandparents met to arrange the marriage.\n\nNintendo career\n\nEarly career \nIn 1949, Yamauchi's grandfather and president of Nintendo, Sekiryo Kaneda, suffered a stroke. As he had no other immediate successor, he asked Yamauchi to come immediately to Nintendo to assume the job of president. He had to leave his law degree at Waseda University to do so. Yamauchi would only accept the position if he were the only family member working at Nintendo. Reluctantly, Yamauchi's grandfather agreed, and died shortly thereafter. Under the agreement, his older cousin had to be fired. Due to his young age and total lack of management experience, most employees did not take Yamauchi seriously and resented him. Soon after taking over, he had to deal with a strike by factory employees who expected him to cave in easily. Instead, he asserted his authority by firing many long-time employees who questioned his authority. He had the company name changed to Nintendo Karuta and established its new headquarters in Kyoto. Yamauchi led Nintendo in a \"notoriously imperialistic style\". He was the sole judge of potential new products, and only a product that appealed to him and his instincts went on the market.\n\nHe was the first to introduce the plastic Western playing card into the Japanese market. Western playing cards were still a novelty in Japan and the public associated them with Western-styled gambling games such as poker and bridge. Most gambling activities were technically illegal by default with only the few legally sanctioned exceptions of horse racing, pachinko, and lottery. Therefore, the market for anything which was associated with gambling, including hanafuda, was limited. Yamauchi's first \"hit\" came when he made a licensing agreement with Walt Disney in 1959 for his plastic playing cards. Nintendo targeted its playing cards as a tool for party games that the whole family could enjoy, a foreshadowing of the company's approach going into the 21st century. Disney's tie-in was made towards that end. Nintendo's Disney playing card was also accompanied by a small, thin booklet with many tutorials for different card games. The strategy succeeded and the product sold an unprecedented 600,000 units in one year, soon gracing Nintendo with the domination of the Japanese playing card market. With this success, Yamauchi once again changed the company name to Nintendo Company Limited and took the company public and became the chairman. He then decided to travel to the U.S. to visit the United States Playing Card Company, the world's biggest manufacturer of playing cards. Upon arriving in Cincinnati, Yamauchi was disappointed to see a small-scale office and factory. This led to the realization that card manufacturing was an extremely limited venture.\n\nUpon his return to Japan, Yamauchi decided to diversify the company. Some of the new areas he ventured into included a taxi company called Daiya, a love hotel with rooms rented by the hour (which he reportedly frequented), and individually portioned instant rice. All of these ventures eventually failed and brought the company into the brink of bankruptcy. However, one day, Yamauchi spotted a factory engineer named Gunpei Yokoi playing with a simple extendable claw, something Yokoi made to amuse himself during his break. Yamauchi ordered Yokoi to develop the extendable claw into a proper product. The product was named the Ultra Hand and was an instant hit. It was then that Yamauchi decided to move Nintendo's focus into toy making. With an already established distribution system into department stores for its playing cards, the transition was a natural one for Nintendo. Yamauchi created a new department called Games and Setup, manned initially by only Yokoi and another employee who looked after the finances and was situated in a warehouse in Kyoto for the purpose of research and development. Gunpei Yokoi was solely assigned to develop new products. Yokoi utilized his degree in engineering by developing what is now known as electric toys such as the Love Tester and a light gun using solar cells for targets. These electric toys were quite a novelty in the 1960s when most other toys were simple in origin, such as toy blocks or dolls. Eventually, Nintendo succeeded in establishing itself as a major player in the toy market.\n\nBeginning of the electronics era \nYamauchi realized that technological breakthroughs in the electronic industry meant that electronics could be incorporated into entertainment products since the prices were decreasing. Atari and Magnavox were already selling gaming devices for use with television sets. Yamauchi negotiated a license with Magnavox to sell its game console, the Magnavox Odyssey. After hiring several Sharp Electronics employees, Nintendo launched the Color TV Game 6 in Japan, which was followed by several revisions and updates of this series.\n\nYamauchi had Nintendo expand into the United States to take advantage of the growing American arcade market. He hired his son-in-law Minoru Arakawa to head the new American operation. Their Japanese hits such as Radar Scope, Space Fever, and Sheriff did not achieve the same success in the United States, so Yamauchi turned to designer Shigeru Miyamoto's pet project, Donkey Kong in 1981, which became a smash hit.\n\nYamauchi infused Nintendo with a unique industrial development process. He instituted three separate research and development units, which competed with one another and aimed for innovation. This system fostered a high degree of both unusual and successful gadgets. Yokoi, who headed R&D1, created the first portable LCD video game featuring a microprocessor called the Game & Watch. Although the Game & Watch was successful, Yamauchi wanted something that was cheap enough that most could buy it yet unique enough so that it would dominate the market for as long as possible.\n\nNintendo Entertainment System \n\nYamauchi was so confident with the Famicom that he promised an electronics company one million unit orders within two years. The Famicom easily reached that goal. After selling several million units, Yamauchi realized the importance of the software that ran on the game systems and made sure the system was easy to program. Yamauchi believed that technicians did not create excellent games, but artists did. The Famicom was released in the United States as the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Yamauchi, with no engineering or video game background, was the only one deciding which games were to be released. His remarkable intuition for what people would want in the future may have been one of the reasons for Nintendo's success. To help spring creativity, he created three research and development groups and allowed them to compete against each other. This caused the designers to work harder to try to get their games approved.\n\nSuper Nintendo Entertainment System \n\nIn 1990, the Super Famicom was released in Japan. It was released a year later in North America and in 1992 in Europe, in both regions as the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). The Super Famicom was sold out within three days in Japan and had gamers camping for days outside shops in hope of getting the next shipment. Nintendo showed major expansion during this period with new plants, R&D facilities and a partnership with Rare. Yamauchi had displayed from the beginning a knack at identifying good games even though he had never played them, and he continued to do so alone until at least 1994. A 1995 article in Next Generation reported that Yamauchi, though 68 years old, \"remains very much in charge\" of Nintendo and called him \"The most feared and respected man in the videogame industry\".\n\nIn 1995, the Virtual Boy was released but did not sell well. Nevertheless, Yamauchi said at a press conference that he still had faith in it and that the company would continue developing games for it. In the fiscal year ending 31 March 1995, Nintendo achieved revenues of 416 billion yen.\n\nNintendo 64 \n\nIn 1996, Nintendo released its new, fully 3D capable console, the Nintendo 64. Around this time Yamauchi publicly stated that he wanted to retire but did not think there were any good candidates to succeed him yet. A year later, he announced that he would retire by 2000, regardless of the lack of a good successor, and in particular wanted to end his career with the launch of the 64DD. In 1999, Yamauchi and Nintendo announced their intentions to work on a new system with an IBM Gekko processor and Matsushita DVD technology codenamed Dolphin. This system was named GameCube. Yamauchi talked at E3 about the impact that the release of Xbox would have on the GameCube.\n\nGameCube \n\nYamauchi touted the GameCube as a machine designed exclusively to be a video game console, opting not to include media playback. This emphasis towards \"performance only\" and the creation of hardware that would allow developers to \"easily create games\" is what Yamauchi believed would set the GameCube apart from its competitors.\n\nYamauchi also wanted the machine to be the least expensive of its kind, in his belief that people \"do not play with the game machine itself. They play with the software, and they are forced to purchase a game machine in order to use the software. Therefore the price of the machine should be as cheap as possible.\" Nintendo hence priced the GameCube significantly less expensively than its rivals in the market, although the console's games were priced identically to those designed for the competing systems.\n\nPost-Nintendo presidency \nOn 24 May 2002, Yamauchi stepped down as president of Nintendo and was succeeded by the head of Nintendo's Corporate Planning Division, Satoru Iwata. Yamauchi subsequently became the chairman of Nintendo's board of directors. He left the board on 29 June 2005, due to his age, and because he believed that he was leaving the company in good hands. Yamauchi also refused to accept his retirement pension, which was reported to be around $9 to $14 million, believing that Nintendo could put it to better use. He remained Nintendo's largest shareholder, and as of 2008 retained a 10% share in Nintendo. He was the 12th richest man in Japan due to his shares in Nintendo since its success with the Wii and Nintendo DS consoles. He donated the majority of the 7.5 billion yen to build a new cancer treatment center in Kyoto. In 2006, he founded Shigureden, a museum of poetry in Kyoto.\n\nPersonal life\nIn 1950, Yamauchi's wife Michiko gave birth to their first child, a daughter named Yōko. During the next few years, Michiko had several miscarriages and was often ill. In 1957, she gave birth to another daughter, Fujiko and, shortly after, a son named Katsuhito.\n\nWhen Yamauchi's father, Shikanojō, returned years later to see his son, Yamauchi refused to speak to him. When Yamauchi was close to 30, his half-sister contacted him and informed him that Shikanojō had died of a stroke. At the funeral, he met his father's wife and their four daughters whom he never knew existed. He began feeling sorry that he had not taken the opportunity to reconcile with his father when he was still alive. The death of his father changed Yamauchi, and he grieved for months and cried freely. From then on he made regular visits to his father's grave.\n\nYamauchi has been described as a stern man with a single-minded focus on his business. He did not play video games; his sole serious hobby was the strategy board game Go, though Masayuki Uemura, the primary engineer of the original NES, has stated that he also enjoyed hanafuda and would play cards with Nintendo employees at parties. He was ranked a seventh Dan at Go, roughly equivalent to a Western chessmaster.\n\nOwnership of the Seattle Mariners \nIn the early 1990s, the professional baseball team the Seattle Mariners were available for sale and United States Senator Slade Gorton asked Nintendo of America to find a Japanese investor who would keep the club in Seattle. Yamauchi offered to buy the franchise, even though he had never been to a baseball game. Although the owner accepted the offer, the MLB commissioner Fay Vincent and ownership committee were strongly opposed to the idea of a non-North American owner and did not approve the deal. However, following the strong support and sentiments of the people of Seattle and press the commissioner formally approved the deal, under the condition that Yamauchi had less than 50% of the vote. This was a major development in American baseball, because this opened the gates for Japanese baseball players to American league teams, which had been previously denied. In 2000, the club made its first profit of $2.6 million since its acquisition by Yamauchi. Yamauchi never attended a Mariners game.\n\nDeath\nOn 19 September 2013, aged 85, Yamauchi died at a hospital following complications of pneumonia. Nintendo released a statement stating that its staff members were mourning the loss of their former president.\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\n\n IGN's report on Yamauchi's leaving of the board of directors\n N-Sider.com's article on The Mind Behind the Empire\n IGN's summary of the Hiroshi Yamauchi interview at Nikkei Business Daily\n (Waybacked)\n The World's Billionaires: #149 Hiroshi Yamauchi Forbes\n Yamauchi No.10 Family Office official website of Yamauchi's family office\n\n \n\n20th-century Japanese businesspeople\n21st-century Japanese businesspeople\n1927 births\n2013 deaths\nDeaths from pneumonia in Japan\nJapanese billionaires\nJapanese philanthropists\nJapanese video game businesspeople\nMajor League Baseball owners\nNintendo people\nPeople from Kyoto\nSeattle Mariners owners\nWaseda University alumni\n20th-century philanthropists"
] |
[
"Mike Tyson",
"Undisputed champion",
"What is the undisputed champion?",
"Expectations for Tyson were extremely high, and he embarked on an ambitious campaign to fight all of the top heavyweights in the world. Tyson defended his title",
"What year did he start that journey?",
"Tyson defended his title against James Smith on March 7, 1987, in Las Vegas, Nevada. He won by unanimous decision",
"Who did he fight after this?",
"He beat Pinklon Thomas in May with a knockout in the sixth round. On August 1 he took the International Boxing Federation (IBF) title from Tony Tucker",
"What year was that fight?",
"On August 1",
"Was there anything else interesting in this section?",
"During this time, Tyson came to the attention of gaming company Nintendo.",
"Did he work with Nintendo?",
"After witnessing one of Tyson's fights, Nintendo of America president, Minoru Arakawa was impressed by the fighter's \"power and skill\","
] |
C_1b5dc9e3e91746cebf8036796b03646b_0
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Did he do any contracts with them?
| 7 |
Did Mike Tyson do any contracts with Nintendo?
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Mike Tyson
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Expectations for Tyson were extremely high, and he embarked on an ambitious campaign to fight all of the top heavyweights in the world. Tyson defended his title against James Smith on March 7, 1987, in Las Vegas, Nevada. He won by unanimous decision and added Smith's World Boxing Association (WBA) title to his existing belt. "Tyson-mania" in the media was becoming rampant. He beat Pinklon Thomas in May with a knockout in the sixth round. On August 1 he took the International Boxing Federation (IBF) title from Tony Tucker in a twelve round unanimous decision. He became the first heavyweight to own all three major belts - WBA, WBC, and IBF - at the same time. Another fight, in October of that year, ended with a victory for Tyson over 1984 Olympic super heavyweight gold medalist Tyrell Biggs by knockout in the seventh round. During this time, Tyson came to the attention of gaming company Nintendo. After witnessing one of Tyson's fights, Nintendo of America president, Minoru Arakawa was impressed by the fighter's "power and skill", prompting him to suggest Tyson be included in the upcoming Nintendo Entertainment System port of the Punch Out!! arcade game. In 1987, Nintendo released Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!, which was well received and sold more than a million copies. Tyson had three fights in 1988. He faced Larry Holmes on January 22, 1988, and defeated the legendary former champion by a fourth round KO. This was the only knockout loss Holmes suffered in 75 professional bouts. In March, Tyson then fought contender Tony Tubbs in Tokyo, Japan, fitting in an easy two-round victory amid promotional and marketing work. On June 27, 1988, Tyson faced Michael Spinks. Spinks, who had taken the heavyweight championship from Larry Holmes via a 15-round decision in 1985, had not lost his title in the ring but was not recognized as champion by the major boxing organizations. Holmes had previously given up all but the IBF title, and that was eventually stripped from Spinks after he elected to fight Gerry Cooney (winning by a 5th-round TKO) rather than IBF Number 1 Contender Tony Tucker, as the Cooney fight provided him a larger purse. However, Spinks did become the lineal champion by beating Holmes and many (including Ring magazine) considered him to have a legitimate claim to being the true heavyweight champion. The bout was, at the time, the richest fight in history and expectations were very high. Boxing pundits were predicting a titanic battle of styles, with Tyson's aggressive infighting conflicting with Spinks' skillful out-boxing and footwork. The fight ended after 91 seconds when Tyson knocked Spinks out in the first round; many consider this to be the pinnacle of Tyson's fame and boxing ability. CANNOTANSWER
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", prompting him to suggest Tyson be included in the upcoming Nintendo Entertainment System port of the Punch Out!! arcade game.
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Michael Gerard Tyson (born June 30, 1966) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1985 to 2005. Nicknamed "Iron Mike" and "Kid Dynamite" in his early career, and later known as "The Baddest Man on the Planet", Tyson is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. He reigned as the undisputed world heavyweight champion from 1987 to 1990. Tyson won his first 19 professional fights by knockout, 12 of them in the first round. Claiming his first belt at 20 years, four months, and 22 days old, Tyson holds the record as the youngest boxer ever to win a heavyweight title. He was the first heavyweight boxer to simultaneously hold the WBA, WBC and IBF titles, as well as the only heavyweight to unify them in succession. The following year, Tyson became the lineal champion when he knocked out Michael Spinks in 91 seconds of the first round. In 1990, Tyson was knocked out by underdog Buster Douglas in one of the biggest upsets in history.
In 1992, Tyson was convicted of rape and sentenced to six years in prison, although he was released on parole after three years. After his release in 1995, he engaged in a series of comeback fights, regaining the WBA and WBC titles in 1996 to join Floyd Patterson, Muhammad Ali, Tim Witherspoon, Evander Holyfield and George Foreman as the only men in boxing history to have regained a heavyweight championship after losing it. After being stripped of the WBC title in the same year, Tyson lost the WBA title to Evander Holyfield by an eleventh round stoppage. Their 1997 rematch ended when Tyson was disqualified for biting Holyfield's ears, one bite notoriously being strong enough to remove a portion of his right ear. In 2002, Tyson fought for the world heavyweight title, losing by knockout to Lennox Lewis.
Tyson was known for his ferocious and intimidating boxing style as well as his controversial behavior inside and outside the ring. With a knockout-to-win percentage of 88%, he was ranked 16th on The Ring magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time, and first on ESPN's list of "The Hardest Hitters in Heavyweight History". Sky Sports described him as "perhaps the most ferocious fighter to step into a professional ring". He has been inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame.
Early life
Michael Gerard Tyson was born in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, New York City on June 30, 1966. He has an older brother named Rodney (born c. 1961) and an older sister named Denise, who died of a heart attack at age 24 in February 1990. Tyson's biological father is listed as "Purcell Tyson" (who was from Jamaica) on his birth certificate, but the man Tyson had known as his father was Jimmy Kirkpatrick. Kirkpatrick was from Grier Town, North Carolina (a predominantly black neighborhood that was annexed by the city of Charlotte), where he was one of the neighborhood's top baseball players. Kirkpatrick married and had a son, Tyson's half-brother Jimmie Lee Kirkpatrick, who would help to integrate Charlotte high school football in 1965. In 1959, Jimmy Kirkpatrick left his family and moved to Brooklyn, where he met Tyson's mother, Lorna Mae (Smith) Tyson. Kirkpatrick frequented pool halls, gambled and hung out on the streets. "My father was just a regular street guy caught up in the street world," Tyson said. Kirkpatrick abandoned the Tyson family around the time Mike was born, leaving Tyson's mother to care for the children on her own. Kirkpatrick died in 1992.
The family lived in Bedford-Stuyvesant until their financial burdens necessitated a move to Brownsville when Tyson was 10 years old. Tyson's mother died six years later, leaving 16-year-old Tyson in the care of boxing manager and trainer Cus D'Amato, who would become his legal guardian. Tyson later said, "I never saw my mother happy with me and proud of me for doing something: she only knew me as being a wild kid running the streets, coming home with new clothes that she knew I didn't pay for. I never got a chance to talk to her or know about her. Professionally, it has no effect, but it's crushing emotionally and personally."
Throughout his childhood, Tyson lived in and around neighborhoods with a high rate of crime. According to an interview in Details, his first fight was with a bigger youth who had pulled the head off one of Tyson's pigeons. Tyson was repeatedly caught committing petty crimes and fighting those who ridiculed his high-pitched voice and lisp. By the age of 13, he had been arrested 38 times. He ended up at the Tryon School for Boys in Johnstown, New York. Tyson's emerging boxing ability was discovered there by Bobby Stewart, a juvenile detention center counselor and former boxer. Stewart considered Tyson to be an outstanding fighter and trained him for a few months before introducing him to Cus D'Amato. Tyson dropped out of high school as a junior. He would be awarded an honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from Central State University in 1989. Kevin Rooney also trained Tyson, and he was occasionally assisted by Teddy Atlas, although Atlas was dismissed by D'Amato when Tyson was 15. Rooney eventually took over all training duties for the young fighter.
Amateur career
As an amateur, Tyson won gold medals at the 1981 and 1982 Junior Olympic Games, defeating Joe Cortez in 1981 and beating Kelton Brown in 1982. Brown's corner threw in the towel in the first round. In 1984 Tyson won the gold medal at the Nation Golden Gloves held in New York, beating Jonathan Littles. He fought Henry Tillman twice as an amateur, losing both bouts by decision. Tillman went on to win heavyweight gold at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Professional career
Rise to stardom
Tyson made his professional debut as an 18-year-old on March 6, 1985, in Albany, New York. He defeated Hector Mercedes via first-round TKO. He had 15 bouts in his first year as a professional. Fighting frequently, Tyson won 26 of his first 28 fights by KO or TKO; 16 of those came in the first round. The quality of his opponents gradually increased to journeyman fighters and borderline contenders, like James Tillis, David Jaco, Jesse Ferguson, Mitch Green, and Marvis Frazier. His win streak attracted media attention and Tyson was billed as the next great heavyweight champion. D'Amato died in November 1985, relatively early into Tyson's professional career, and some speculate that his death was the catalyst to many of the troubles Tyson was to experience as his life and career progressed.
Tyson's first nationally televised bout took place on February 16, 1986, at Houston Field House in Troy, New York, against journeyman heavyweight Jesse Ferguson, and was carried by ABC Sports. Tyson knocked down Ferguson with an uppercut in the fifth round that broke Ferguson's nose. During the sixth round, Ferguson began to hold and clinch Tyson in an apparent attempt to avoid further punishment. After admonishing Ferguson several times to obey his commands to box, the referee finally stopped the fight near the middle of the sixth round. The fight was initially ruled a win for Tyson by disqualification (DQ) of his opponent. The ruling was "adjusted" to a win by technical knockout (TKO) after Tyson's corner protested that a DQ win would end Tyson's string of knockout victories, and that a knockout would have been the inevitable result.
In July, after recording six more knockout victories, Tyson fought former world title challenger Marvis Frazier in Glens Falls, New York, on another ABC Sports broadcast. Tyson won easily, charging at Frazier at the opening bell and hitting him with an uppercut that knocked Frazier unconscious thirty seconds into the fight.
On November 22, 1986, Tyson was given his first title fight against Trevor Berbick for the World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight championship. Tyson won the title by TKO in the second round, and at the age of 20 years and 4 months became the youngest heavyweight champion in history. He added the WBA and IBF titles after defeating James Smith and Tony Tucker in 1987. Tyson's dominant performance brought many accolades. Donald Saunders wrote: "The noble and manly art of boxing can at least cease worrying about its immediate future, now [that] it has discovered a heavyweight champion fit to stand alongside Dempsey, Tunney, Louis, Marciano, and Ali."
Tyson intimidated fighters with his strength, combined with outstanding hand speed, accuracy, coordination and timing. Tyson also possessed notable defensive abilities, holding his hands high in the peek-a-boo style taught by his mentor Cus D'Amato to slip under and weave around his opponent's punches while timing his own. Tyson's explosive punching technique was due in large part to crouching immediately prior to throwing a hook or an uppercut: this allowed the 'spring' of his legs to add power to the punch. Among his signature moves was a right hook to his opponent's body followed by a right uppercut to his opponent's chin. Lorenzo Boyd, Jesse Ferguson and José Ribalta were each knocked down by this combination.
Undisputed champion
Expectations for Tyson were extremely high, and he was the favorite to win the heavyweight unification series, a tournament designed to establish an undisputed heavyweight champion. Tyson defended his title against James Smith on March 7, 1987, in Las Vegas, Nevada. He won by unanimous decision and added Smith's World Boxing Association (WBA) title to his existing belt. "Tyson-mania" in the media was becoming rampant. He beat Pinklon Thomas in May by TKO in the sixth round. On August 1 he took the International Boxing Federation (IBF) title from Tony Tucker in a twelve-round unanimous decision 119–111, 118–113, and 116–112. He became the first heavyweight to own all three major belts – WBA, WBC, and IBF – at the same time. Another fight, in October of that year, ended with a victory for Tyson over 1984 Olympic super heavyweight gold medalist Tyrell Biggs by TKO in the seventh round.
During this time, Tyson came to the attention of gaming company Nintendo. After witnessing one of Tyson's fights, Nintendo of America president Minoru Arakawa was impressed by the fighter's "power and skill", prompting him to suggest Tyson be included in the upcoming Nintendo Entertainment System port of the Punch Out!! arcade game. In 1987, Nintendo released Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!, which was well received and sold more than a million copies.
Tyson had three fights in 1988. He faced Larry Holmes on January 22, 1988, and defeated the legendary former champion by KO in the fourth round. This was the only knockout loss Holmes suffered in 75 professional bouts. In March, Tyson then fought contender Tony Tubbs in Tokyo, Japan, fitting in an easy second-round TKO victory amid promotional and marketing work.
On June 27, 1988, Tyson faced Michael Spinks. Spinks, who had taken the heavyweight championship from Larry Holmes via fifteen-round decision in 1985, had not lost his title in the ring but was not recognized as champion by the major boxing organizations. Holmes had previously given up all but the IBF title, and that was eventually stripped from Spinks after he elected to fight Gerry Cooney (winning by TKO in the fifth round) rather than IBF Number 1 Contender Tony Tucker, as the Cooney fight provided him a larger purse. However, Spinks did become the lineal champion by beating Holmes and many (including Ring magazine) considered him to have a legitimate claim to being the true heavyweight champion. The bout was, at the time, the richest fight in history and expectations were very high. Boxing pundits were predicting a titanic battle of styles, with Tyson's aggressive infighting conflicting with Spinks's skillful out-boxing and footwork. The fight ended after 91 seconds when Tyson knocked Spinks out in the first round; many consider this to be the pinnacle of Tyson's fame and boxing ability.
Controversy and upset
During this period, Tyson's problems outside the ring were also starting to emerge. His marriage to Robin Givens was heading for divorce, and his future contract was being fought over by Don King and Bill Cayton. In late 1988, Tyson parted with manager Bill Cayton and fired longtime trainer Kevin Rooney, the man many credit for honing Tyson's craft after the death of D'Amato. Following Rooney's departure, critics alleged that Tyson began to show less head movement and combination punching. In 1989, Tyson had only two fights amid personal turmoil. He faced the British boxer Frank Bruno in February. Bruno managed to stun Tyson at the end of the first round, although Tyson went on to knock Bruno out in the fifth round. Tyson then knocked out Carl "The Truth" Williams in the first round in July.
By 1990, Tyson seemed to have lost direction, and his personal life was in disarray amidst reports of less vigorous training prior to the Buster Douglas match. In a fight on February 11, 1990, he lost the undisputed championship to Douglas in Tokyo. Tyson was a huge betting favorite; indeed, the Mirage, the only casino to put out odds for the fight, made Tyson a 42/1 favorite. Tyson failed to find a way past Douglas's quick jab that had a reach advantage over his own. Tyson did catch Douglas with an uppercut in the eighth round and knocked him to the floor, but Douglas recovered sufficiently to hand Tyson a heavy beating in the subsequent two rounds. After the fight, the Tyson camp would complain that the count was slow and that Douglas had taken longer than ten seconds to get back on his feet. Just 35 seconds into the tenth round, Douglas unleashed a brutal uppercut, followed by a four-punch combination of hooks that sent Tyson to the canvas for the first time in his career. He was counted out by referee Octavio Meyran.
The knockout victory by Douglas over Tyson, the previously undefeated "baddest man on the planet" and arguably the most feared boxer in professional boxing at that time, has been described as one of the most shocking upsets in modern sports history.
After Douglas
Despite the shocking loss, Tyson has said that losing to Douglas was the greatest moment of his career. “I needed that fight to make me a better person and fighter. I have a broader perspective of myself and boxing.”
After the loss, Tyson recovered with first-round knockouts of Henry Tillman and Alex Stewart in his next two fights. Tyson's victory over Tillman, the 1984 Olympic heavyweight gold medalist, enabled Tyson to avenge his amateur losses at Tillman's hands. These bouts set up an elimination match for another shot at the undisputed world heavyweight championship, which Evander Holyfield had taken from Douglas in his first defense of the title.
Tyson, who was the number one contender, faced number two contender Donovan "Razor" Ruddock on March 18, 1991, in Las Vegas. Ruddock was seen as the most dangerous heavyweight around and was thought of as one of the hardest punching heavyweights. Tyson and Ruddock went back and forth for most of the fight, until referee Richard Steele controversially stopped the fight during the seventh round in favor of Tyson. This decision infuriated the fans in attendance, sparking a post-fight melee in the audience. The referee had to be escorted from the ring.
Tyson and Ruddock met again on June 28 that year, with Tyson knocking down Ruddock twice and winning a twelve-round unanimous decision 113–109, 114–108, and 114–108. A fight between Tyson and Holyfield for the undisputed championship was scheduled for November 8, 1991, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, but Tyson pulled out after sustaining a rib cartilage injury during training.
Rape trial and prison
Tyson was arrested in July 1991 for the rape of 18-year-old Desiree Washington, Miss Black Rhode Island, in an Indianapolis hotel room. Tyson's rape trial took place in the Marion County superior court from January 26 to February 10, 1992.
Partial corroboration of Washington's story came via testimony from Tyson's chauffeur who confirmed Desiree Washington's state of shock after the incident. Further testimony came from the emergency room physician who examined Washington more than 24 hours after the incident and confirmed that Washington's physical condition was consistent with rape.
Under lead defense lawyer Vincent J. Fuller's direct examination, Tyson claimed that everything had taken place with Washington's full consent and he claimed not to have forced himself upon her. When he was cross-examined by lead prosecutor Gregory Garrison, Tyson denied claims that he had misled Washington and insisted that she wanted to have sex with him. Tyson was convicted on the rape charge on February 10, 1992, after the jury deliberated for nearly 10 hours.
Alan Dershowitz, acting as Tyson's counsel, filed an appeal urging error of law in the Court's exclusion of evidence of the victim's past sexual conduct (known as the Rape Shield Law), the exclusion of three potential defense witnesses, and the lack of a jury instruction on honest and reasonable mistake of fact. The Indiana Court of Appeals ruled against Tyson in a 2–1 vote. The Indiana Supreme Court let the lower court opinion stand due to a 2–2 split in its review. The tie vote was due to the fact that the Chief Justice of the Indiana Supreme Court recused himself from the case. The Chief Justice later revealed he did so because of a heated argument between his wife and Dershowitz at a Yale Law School reunion concerning the case. On March 26, 1992, Tyson was sentenced to six years in prison along with four years of probation. He was assigned to the Indiana Youth Center (now the Plainfield Correctional Facility) in April 1992, and he was released in March 1995 after serving less than three years of the sentence.
It has been widely reported that while in prison, Tyson converted to Islam and adopted the Muslim name Malik Abdul Aziz (though some sources report the adoption of a different Islamic name, Malik Shabazz). However, Tyson has stated that he converted to Islam before entering prison, but made no efforts to correct the misinformation in the media. Due to his conviction, Tyson is required to register as a Tier II sex offender under federal law.
Comeback
After being paroled from prison, Tyson easily won his comeback bouts against Peter McNeeley and Buster Mathis Jr. Tyson's first comeback fight grossed more than US$96 million worldwide, including a United States record $63 million for PPV television. The viewing of the fight was purchased by 1.52 million homes, setting both PPV viewership and revenue records. The 89-second fight elicited criticism that Tyson's management lined up "tomato cans" to ensure easy victories for his return. TV Guide included the Tyson–McNeeley fight in their list of the 50 Greatest TV Sports Moments of All Time in 1998.
Tyson regained one belt by easily winning the WBC title against Frank Bruno in March 1996. It was the second fight between the two, and Tyson knocked out Bruno in the third round. In 1996, Lennox Lewis turned down a $13.5 million guarantee to fight Tyson. This would've been Lewis's highest fight purse to date. Lewis then accepted $4 million from Don King to step aside and allow Tyson to fight Bruce Seldon for an expected $30 million instead with the intention that if Tyson defeated Seldon, he would fight Lewis next. Tyson added the WBA belt by defeating champion Seldon in the first round in September that year. Seldon was severely criticized and mocked in the popular press for seemingly collapsing to innocuous punches from Tyson.
Tyson–Holyfield fights
Tyson vs. Holyfield I
Tyson attempted to defend the WBA title against Evander Holyfield, who was in the fourth fight of his own comeback. Holyfield had retired in 1994 following the loss of his championship to Michael Moorer. It was said that Don King and others saw former champion Holyfield, who was 34 at the time of the fight and a huge underdog, as a washed-up fighter.
On November 9, 1996, in Las Vegas, Nevada, Tyson faced Holyfield in a title bout dubbed "Finally". In a surprising turn of events, Holyfield, who was given virtually no chance to win by numerous commentators, defeated Tyson by TKO when referee Mitch Halpern stopped the bout in round eleven. Holyfield became the second boxer to win a heavyweight championship belt three times. Holyfield's victory was marred by allegations from Tyson's camp of Holyfield's frequent headbutts during the bout. Although the headbutts were ruled accidental by the referee, they would become a point of contention in the subsequent rematch.
Tyson vs. Holyfield II and aftermath
Tyson and Holyfield fought again on June 28, 1997. Originally, Halpern was supposed to be the referee, but after Tyson's camp protested, Halpern stepped aside in favor of Mills Lane. The highly anticipated rematch was dubbed The Sound and the Fury, and it was held at the Las Vegas MGM Grand Garden Arena, site of the first bout. It was a lucrative event, drawing even more attention than the first bout and grossing $100 million. Tyson received $30 million and Holyfield $35 million, the highest paid professional boxing purses until 2007. The fight was purchased by 1.99 million households, setting a pay-per-view buy rate record that stood until May 5, 2007, being surpassed by Oscar De La Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Soon to become one of the most controversial events in modern sports, the fight was stopped at the end of the third round, with Tyson disqualified for biting Holyfield on both ears. The first time Tyson bit him, the match was temporarily stopped. Referee Mills Lane deducted two points from Tyson and the fight resumed. However, after the match resumed, Tyson bit him again, resulting in his disqualification, and Holyfield won the match. The first bite was severe enough to remove a piece of Holyfield's right ear, which was found on the ring floor after the fight. Tyson later stated that his actions were retaliation for Holyfield repeatedly headbutting him without penalty. In the confusion that followed the ending of the bout and announcement of the decision, a near riot occurred in the arena and several people were injured. Tyson Holyfield II was the first heavyweight title fight in over 50 years to end in a disqualification.
As a subsequent fallout from the incident, US$3 million was immediately withheld from Tyson's $30-million purse by the Nevada state boxing commission (the most it could legally hold back at the time). Two days after the fight, Tyson issued a statement, apologizing to Holyfield for his actions and asked not to be banned for life over the incident. Tyson was roundly condemned in the news media but was not without defenders. Novelist and commentator Katherine Dunn wrote a column that criticized Holyfield's sportsmanship in the controversial bout and charged the news media with being biased against Tyson.
On July 9, 1997, Tyson's boxing license was rescinded by the Nevada State Athletic Commission in a unanimous voice vote; he was also fined US$3 million and ordered to pay the legal costs of the hearing. As most state athletic commissions honor sanctions imposed by other states, this effectively made Tyson unable to box in the United States. The revocation was not permanent, as the commission voted 4–1 to restore Tyson's boxing license on October 18, 1998.
During his time away from boxing in 1998, Tyson made a guest appearance at WrestleMania XIV as an enforcer for the main event match between Shawn Michaels and Steve Austin. During this time, Tyson was also an unofficial member of Michaels's stable, D-Generation X. Tyson was paid $3 million for being guest enforcer of the match at WrestleMania XIV.
1999–2005
In January 1999, Tyson returned to the ring for a match against the South African Francois Botha. This match also ended in controversy. While Botha initially controlled the fight, Tyson allegedly attempted to break Botha's arms during a tie-up and both boxers were cautioned by the referee in the ill-tempered bout. Botha was ahead on points on all scorecards and was confident enough to mock Tyson as the fight continued. Nonetheless, Tyson landed a straight right hand in the fifth round that knocked out Botha. Critics noticed Tyson stopped using the bob and weave defense altogether following this return. Promoting the fight on Secaucus, New Jersey television station WWOR-TV, Tyson launched into an expletive-laden tirade that forced sports anchor Russ Salzberg to cut the interview short.
Legal problems arose with Tyson once again. On February 5, 1999, Tyson was sentenced to a year's imprisonment, fined $5,000, and ordered to serve two years probation along with undergoing 200 hours of community service for assaulting two motorists after a traffic accident on August 31, 1998. He served nine months of that sentence. After his release, he fought Orlin Norris on October 23, 1999. Tyson knocked down Norris with a left hook thrown after the bell sounded to end the first round. Norris injured his knee when he went down and said that he was unable to continue. Consequently, the bout was ruled a no contest.
In 2000, Tyson had three fights. The first match in January was staged at the MEN Arena in Manchester, England against Julius Francis. Following controversy as to whether Tyson was allowed into the country, he took four minutes to knock out Francis, ending the bout in the second round. He also fought Lou Savarese in June 2000 in Glasgow, winning in the first round; the fight lasted only 38 seconds. Tyson continued punching after the referee had stopped the fight, knocking the referee to the floor as he tried to separate the boxers. In October, Tyson fought the similarly controversial Andrew Golota, winning in round three after Gołota was unable to continue due to a broken cheekbone, concussion, and neck injury. The result was later changed to no contest after Tyson refused to take a pre-fight drug test and then tested positive for marijuana in a post-fight urine test. Tyson fought only once in 2001, beating Brian Nielsen in Copenhagen by TKO in the seventh round.
Lewis vs. Tyson
Tyson once again had the opportunity to fight for a heavyweight championship in 2002. Lennox Lewis held the WBC, IBF, IBO and Lineal titles at the time. As promising fighters, Tyson and Lewis had sparred at a training camp in a meeting arranged by Cus D'Amato in 1984. Tyson sought to fight Lewis in Nevada for a more lucrative box-office venue, but the Nevada Boxing Commission refused him a license to box as he was facing possible sexual assault charges at the time.
Two years prior to the bout, Tyson had made several inflammatory remarks to Lewis in an interview following the Savarese fight. The remarks included the statement "I want your heart, I want to eat your children." On January 22, 2002, the two boxers and their entourages were involved in a brawl at a New York press conference to publicize the planned event. A few weeks later, the Nevada State Athletic Commission refused to grant Tyson a license for the fight, and the promoters had to make alternative arrangements. After multiple states balked at granting Tyson a license, the fight eventually occurred on June 8 at the Pyramid Arena in Memphis, Tennessee. Lewis dominated the fight and knocked out Tyson with a right hand in the eighth round. Tyson was respectful after the fight and praised Lewis on his victory. This fight was the highest-grossing event in pay-per-view history at that time, generating $106.9 million from 1.95 million buys in the US.
Later career, bankruptcy, and retirement
In another Memphis fight on February 22, 2003, Tyson beat fringe contender Clifford Etienne 49 seconds into round one. The pre-fight was marred by rumors of Tyson's lack of fitness. Some said that he took time out from training to party in Las Vegas and get a new facial tattoo. This eventually proved to be Tyson's final professional victory in the ring.
In August 2003, after years of financial struggles, Tyson finally filed for bankruptcy. Tyson earned over $30 million for several of his fights and $300 million during his career. At the time, the media reported that he had approximately $23 million in debt.
On August 13, 2003, Tyson entered the ring for a face-to-face confrontation against K-1 fighting phenom, Bob Sapp, immediately after Sapp's win against Kimo Leopoldo in Las Vegas. K-1 signed Tyson to a contract with the hopes of making a fight happen between the two, but Tyson's felony history made it impossible for him to obtain a visa to enter Japan, where the fight would have been most profitable. Alternative locations were discussed, but the fight ultimately failed to happen.
On July 30, 2004, Tyson had a match against British boxer Danny Williams in another comeback fight, and this time, staged in Louisville, Kentucky. Tyson dominated the opening two rounds. The third round was even, with Williams getting in some clean blows and also a few illegal ones, for which he was penalized. In the fourth round, Tyson was unexpectedly knocked out. After the fight, it was revealed that Tyson was trying to fight on one leg, having torn a ligament in his other knee in the first round. This was Tyson's fifth career defeat. He underwent surgery for the ligament four days after the fight. His manager, Shelly Finkel, claimed that Tyson was unable to throw meaningful right-hand punches since he had a knee injury.
On June 11, 2005, Tyson stunned the boxing world by quitting before the start of the seventh round in a close bout against journeyman Kevin McBride. In the 2008 documentary Tyson, he stated that he fought McBride for a payday, that he did not anticipate winning, that he was in poor physical condition and fed up with taking boxing seriously. After losing three of his last four fights, Tyson said he would quit boxing because he felt he had lost his passion for the sport.
In 2000 Tyson fired everyone working for him and enlisted new accountants, who prepared a statement showing he started the year $3.3 million in debt but earned $65.7 million. In August 2007, Tyson pleaded guilty to drug possession and driving under the influence in an Arizona court, which stemmed from an arrest in December where authorities said Tyson, who has a long history of legal problems, admitted to using cocaine that day and to being addicted to the drug.
Exhibition bouts
Mike Tyson's World Tour
To help pay off his debts, Tyson announced he would be doing a series of exhibition bouts, calling it Tyson's World Tour. For his first bout, Tyson returned to the ring in 2006 for a four-round exhibition against journeyman heavyweight Corey Sanders in Youngstown, Ohio. Tyson, without headgear at 5 ft 10.5 in and 216 pounds, was in quality shape, but far from his prime against Sanders, at 6 ft 6 in who wore headgear. Tyson appeared to be "holding back" in the exhibition to prevent an early end to the "show". "If I don't get out of this financial quagmire there's a possibility I may have to be a punching bag for somebody. The money I make isn't going to help my bills from a tremendous standpoint, but I'm going to feel better about myself. I'm not going to be depressed", explained Tyson about the reasons for his "comeback". After the bout was poorly received by fans the remainder of the tour was cancelled.
Tyson vs. Jones
It was announced in July 2020 that Tyson had signed a contract to face former four-division world champion, Roy Jones Jr., in an eight-round exhibition fight. Mixed martial arts coach Rafael Cordeiro was selected to be Tyson's trainer and cornerman. The bout—officially sanctioned by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC)—was initially scheduled to take place on September 12 at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, however, the date was pushed back to November 28 in order to maximize revenue for the event. The fight went the full 8 rounds, and was declared a draw. The fight was a split draw and the three judges scored the fight as follows: Chad Dawson (76–76 draw), Christy Martin (79–73 for Tyson), and Vinny Pazienza (76–80 for Jones).
Mike Tyson's Legends Only League
In July 2020, Mike Tyson announced the creation of Mike Tyson's Legends Only League. Tyson formed the league in partnership with Sophie Watts and her company, Eros Innovations. The league provides retired professional athletes the opportunity to compete in their respective sport. On November 28, 2020, Mike Tyson fought Roy Jones Jr. at the Staples Center in the first event produced under Legends Only League. The event received largely positive reviews and was the highest selling PPV event of 2020, which ranks in the Top-10 for PPV purchased events all-time.
Legacy
Tyson was The Ring magazine's Fighter of the Year in 1986 and 1988. A 1998 ranking of "The Greatest Heavyweights of All-Time" by The Ring magazine placed Tyson at number 14 on the list. Despite criticism of facing underwhelming competition during his run as champion, Tyson's knockout power and intimidation factor made him the sport's most dynamic box-office draw. According to Douglas Quenqua of The New York Times, "The [1990s] began with Mike Tyson, considered by many to be the last great heavyweight champion, losing his title to the little-known Buster Douglas. Seven years later, Mr. Tyson bit Evander Holyfield's ear in a heavyweight champion bout—hardly a proud moment for the sport."
He is remembered for his attire of black trunks, black shoes with no socks, and a plain white towel fit around his neck in place of a traditional robe, as well as his habit of rapidly pacing the ring before the start of a fight. In his prime, Tyson rarely took a step back and had never been knocked down or seriously challenged. According to Martial Arts World Report, it gave Tyson an Honorable Mention in its Ten Greatest Heavyweights of All Time rather than a ranking because longevity is a factor and the peak period of Tyson's career lasted only about 5 years.
BoxRec currently ranks Tyson at number 13 among the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. In The Ring magazine's list of the 80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years, released in 2002, Tyson was ranked at number 72. He is ranked number 16 on The Ring magazine's 2003 list of 100 greatest punchers of all time. Tyson has defeated 11 boxers for the world heavyweight title, the seventh-most in history.
On June 12, 2011, Tyson was inducted to the International Boxing Hall of Fame alongside legendary Mexican champion Julio César Chávez, light welterweight champion Kostya Tszyu, and actor/screenwriter Sylvester Stallone. In 2011, Bleacher Report omitted Tyson from its list of top 10 heavyweights, saying that that "Mike Tyson is not a top 10 heavyweight. He killed the fighters he was supposed to beat, but when he fought another elite fighter, he always lost. I'm not talking about some of those B-level fighters he took a belt from. I'm talking about the handful of good boxers he fought throughout his career."
In 2013, Tyson was inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame and headlined the induction ceremony. Tyson was inducted into the Southern Nevada Hall of Fame in 2015 along with four other inductees with ties to Southern Nevada.
Tyson reflected on his strongest opponents in ten categories for a 2014 interview with The Ring magazine, including best jab, best defense, fastest hands, fastest feet, best chin, smartest, strongest, best puncher, best boxer, and best overall.
In 2017, The Ring magazine ranked Tyson as number 9 of 20 heavyweight champions based on a poll of panelists that included trainers, matchmakers, media, historians, and boxers, including:
Trainers: Teddy Atlas, Pat Burns, Virgil Hunter, and Don Turner
Matchmakers: Eric Bottjer, Don Chargin, Don Elbaum, Bobby Goodman, Ron Katz, Mike Marchionte, Russell Peltz, and Bruce Trampler.
Media: Al Bernstein, Ron Borges, Gareth A Davies, Norm Frauenheim, Jerry Izenberg, Harold Lederman, Paulie Malignaggi, Dan Rafael, and Michael Rosenthal
Historians: Craig Hamilton, Steve Lott, Don McRae, Bob Mee, Clay Moyle, Adam Pollack, and Randy Roberts
Boxers: Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson participated in the poll, but neither fighter ranked himself. Instead, a weighted average from the other panelists was assigned to their respective slots on their ballots.
In 2020, Bill Caplan of The Ring magazine listed Tyson as number 17 of the 20 greatest heavyweights of all time. Tyson spoke with The Ring magazine in 2020 about his six greatest victories, which included knockouts of Trevor Berbick, Pinklon Thomas, Tony Tucker, Tyrell Biggs, Larry Holmes, and Michael Spinks. In 2020, CBS Sports boxing experts Brian Campbell and Brent Brookhouse ranked the top 10 heavyweights of the last 50 years and Tyson was ranked number 7.
Life after boxing
In an interview with USA Today published on June 3, 2005, Tyson said, "My whole life has been a waste – I've been a failure." He continued: "I just want to escape. I'm really embarrassed with myself and my life. I want to be a missionary. I think I could do that while keeping my dignity without letting people know they chased me out of the country. I want to get this part of my life over as soon as possible. In this country nothing good is going to come of me. People put me so high; I wanted to tear that image down." Tyson began to spend much of his time tending to his 350 pigeons in Paradise Valley, an upscale enclave near Phoenix, Arizona.
Tyson has stayed in the limelight by promoting various websites and companies. In the past Tyson had shunned endorsements, accusing other athletes of putting on a false front to obtain them. Tyson has held entertainment boxing shows at a casino in Las Vegas and started a tour of exhibition bouts to pay off his numerous debts.
On December 29, 2006, Tyson was arrested in Scottsdale, Arizona, on suspicion of DUI and felony drug possession; he nearly crashed into a police SUV shortly after leaving a nightclub. According to a police probable-cause statement, filed in Maricopa County Superior Court, "[Tyson] admitted to using [drugs] today and stated he is an addict and has a problem." Tyson pleaded not guilty on January 22, 2007, in Maricopa County Superior Court to felony drug possession and paraphernalia possession counts and two misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence of drugs. On February 8 he checked himself into an inpatient treatment program for "various addictions" while awaiting trial on the drug charges.
On September 24, 2007, Tyson pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine and driving under the influence. He was convicted of these charges in November 2007 and sentenced to 24 hours in jail. After his release, he was ordered to serve three years' probation and complete 360 hours of community service. Prosecutors had requested a year-long jail sentence, but the judge praised Tyson for seeking help with his drug problems. On November 11, 2009, Tyson was arrested after getting into a scuffle at Los Angeles International airport with a photographer. No charges were filed.
Tyson has taken acting roles in movies and television, most famously playing a fictionalized version of himself in the 2009 film The Hangover.
In September 2011, Tyson gave an interview in which he made comments about former Alaska governor Sarah Palin including crude and violent descriptions of interracial sex. These comments were reprinted on The Daily Caller website. Journalist Greta van Susteren criticized Tyson and The Daily Caller over the comments, which she described as "smut" and "violence against women".
After debuting a one-man show in Las Vegas, Tyson collaborated with film director Spike Lee and brought the show to Broadway in August 2012. In February 2013, Tyson took his one-man show Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth on a 36-city, three-month national tour. Tyson talks about his personal and professional life on stage. The one-man show was aired on HBO on November 16, 2013.
In October 2012, Tyson launched the Mike Tyson Cares Foundation. The mission of the Mike Tyson Cares Foundation is to "give kids a fighting chance" by providing innovative centers that provide for the comprehensive needs of kids from broken homes.
In August 2013, Tyson teamed up with Acquinity Sports to form Iron Mike Productions, a boxing promotions company.
In September 2013, Tyson was featured on a six-episode television series on Fox Sports 1 that documented his personal and private life entitled Being: Mike Tyson.
In November 2013, Tyson's Undisputed Truth was published, which appeared on The New York Times Best Seller list. At the Golden Podium Awards Ceremony, Tyson received the SPORTEL Special Prize for the best autobiography.
In May 2017, Tyson published his second book, Iron Ambition, which details his time with trainer and surrogate father Cus D'Amato.
In February 2018, Tyson attended the international mixed martial arts (MMA) tournament in the Russian city of Chelyabinsk. Tyson said: "As I have travelled all over the country of Russia I have realised that the people are very sensitive and kind. But most Americans do not have any experience of that."
On May 12, 2020, Tyson posted a video on his Instagram of him training again. At the end of the video, Tyson hinted at a return to boxing by saying, "I'm back".
On May 23, 2020, at All Elite Wrestling's Double or Nothing, Tyson helped Cody defeat Lance Archer alongside Jake Roberts and presented him the inaugural AEW TNT Championship. Tyson alongside Henry Cejudo, Rashad Evans, and Vitor Belfort appeared on the May 27 episode of AEW Dynamite facing off against Chris Jericho and his stable The Inner Circle. Tyson returned to AEW on the April 7, 2021 episode of Dynamite and helped Jericho from being attacked by The Pinnacle, beating down Shawn Spears in the process. He was the special guest enforcer on the April 14 episode of Dynamite for a match between Jericho and Dax Harwood of The Pinnacle, a preview of the upcoming Inner Circle vs. Pinnacle match at Blood and Guts.
Personal life
Tyson resides in Seven Hills, Nevada. He has been married three times, and has seven children, one deceased, with three women; in addition to his biological children, Tyson includes his second wife's oldest daughter as one of his own.
His first marriage was to actress Robin Givens from February 7, 1988, to February 14, 1989. Givens was known at the time for her role on the sitcom Head of the Class. Tyson's marriage to Givens was especially tumultuous, with allegations of violence, spousal abuse, and mental instability on Tyson's part.
Matters came to a head when Tyson and Givens gave a joint interview with Barbara Walters on the ABC TV newsmagazine show 20/20 in September 1988, in which Givens described life with Tyson as "torture, pure hell, worse than anything I could possibly imagine." Givens also described Tyson as "manic depressive" – which was later confirmed by doctors – on national television while Tyson looked on with an intent and calm expression. A month later, Givens announced that she was seeking a divorce from the allegedly abusive Tyson.
According to the book Fire and Fear: The Inside Story of Mike Tyson, Tyson admitted that he punched Givens and stated, "that was the best punch I've ever thrown in my entire life." Tyson claimed that book was "filled with inaccuracies." They had no children but she reported having had a miscarriage; Tyson claimed that she was never pregnant and only used that to get him to marry her. During their marriage, the couple lived in a mansion in Bernardsville, New Jersey.
Tyson's second marriage was to Monica Turner from April 19, 1997, to January 14, 2003. At the time of the divorce filing, Turner worked as a pediatric resident at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C. She is the sister of Michael Steele, the former Lieutenant Governor of Maryland and former Republican National Committee. Turner filed for divorce from Tyson in January 2002, claiming that he committed adultery during their five-year marriage, an act that "has neither been forgiven nor condoned." The couple had two children; son Amir and Ramsey who is non-binary.
On May 25, 2009, Tyson's four-year-old daughter Exodus was found by her seven-year-old brother Miguel unconscious and tangled in a cord, dangling from an exercise treadmill. The child's mother, Sol Xochitl, untangled her, administered CPR and called for medical attention. Tyson, who was in Las Vegas at the time of the incident, traveled back to Phoenix to be with her. She died of her injuries on May 26, 2009.
Eleven days after his daughter's death, Tyson wed for the third time, to longtime girlfriend Lakiha "Kiki" Spicer, age 32, exchanging vows on Saturday, June 6, 2009, in a short, private ceremony at the La Bella Wedding Chapel at the Las Vegas Hilton. They have two children; daughter Milan and son Morocco.
In March 2011, Tyson appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show to discuss his new Animal Planet reality series Taking on Tyson. In the interview with DeGeneres, Tyson discussed some of the ways he had improved his life in the past two years, including sober living and a vegan diet. However, in August 2013 he admitted publicly that he had lied about his sobriety and was on the verge of death from alcoholism.
In November 2013, Tyson stated "the more I look at churches and mosques, the more I see the devil". But, just a month later, in a December 2013 interview with Fox News, Tyson said that he is very grateful to be a Muslim and that he needs Allah in his life. In the same interview Tyson talked about his progress with sobriety and how being in the company of good people has made him want to be a better and more humble person.
Tyson also revealed that he is no longer vegan, stating, "I was a vegan for four years but not anymore. I eat chicken every now and then. I should be a vegan. [No red meat] at all, no way! I would be very sick if I ate red meat. That's probably why I was so crazy before."
In 2015, Tyson announced that he was supporting Donald Trump's presidential candidacy.
In popular culture
At the height of his fame and career in the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s, Tyson was among the most recognized sports personalities in the world. In addition to his many sporting accomplishments, his outrageous and controversial behavior in the ring and in his private life has kept him in the public eye and in the courtroom. As such, Tyson has been the subject of myriad popular media including movies, television, books and music. He has also been featured in video games and as a subject of parody or satire. Tyson became involved in professional wrestling and has made many cameo appearances in film and television.
The film Tyson was released in 1995 and was directed by Uli Edel. It explores the life of Mike Tyson, from the death of his guardian and trainer Cus D'Amato to his rape conviction. Tyson is played by Michael Jai White.
Published in 2007, author Joe Layden's book The Last Great Fight: The Extraordinary Tale of Two Men and How One Fight Changed Their Lives Forever, chronicled the lives of Tyson and Douglas before and after their heavyweight championship fight.
In 2008, the documentary Tyson premiered at the annual Cannes Film Festival in France.
He is the titular character in Mike Tyson Mysteries, which started airing on October 27, 2014, on Adult Swim. In the animated series, Tyson voices a fictionalized version of himself, solving mysteries in the style of Scooby-Doo.
In early March 2015, Tyson appeared on the track "Iconic" on Madonna's album Rebel Heart. Tyson says some lines at the beginning of the song.
In late March 2015, Ip Man 3 was announced. With Donnie Yen reprising his role as the titular character, Bruce Lee's martial arts master, Ip Man, while Mike Tyson has been confirmed to join the cast. Principal photography began on March 25, 2015, and was premiered in Hong Kong on December 16, 2015.
In January 2017, Tyson launched his YouTube channel with Shots Studios, a comedy video and comedy music production company with young digital stars like Lele Pons and Rudy Mancuso. Tyson's channel includes parody music videos and comedy sketches.
He hosts the podcast Hotboxin' with Mike Tyson.
In October 2017, Tyson was announced as the new face of Australian car servicing franchise Ultra Tune. He has taken over from Jean-Claude van Damme in fronting television commercials for the brand, and the first advert is due to air in January 2018 during the Australian Open.
A joint Mainland China-Hong Kong-directed film on female friendship titled Girls 2: Girls vs Gangsters () that was shot earlier from July–August 2016 at several locations around Vietnam was released in March 2018, featuring Tyson as "Dragon".
Tiki Lau released a dance music single, Mike Tyson in October 2020 which includes vocals from Tyson.
In 2021, Mike's Hard Lemonade Seltzer featured ads with Tyson.
In March 2021, it was announced that Jamie Foxx will star in, and also executive produce the official scripted series, “Tyson". The limited series will be directed by Antoine Fuqua and executive produced by Martin Scorsese.
A two-part documentary series titled Mike Tyson: The Knockout premiered on May 25, 2021, on ABC
Professional boxing record
Exhibition boxing record
Pay-per-view bouts
Boxing
PPV home television
Closed-circuit theatre TV
Select pay-per-view boxing buy rates at American closed-circuit theatre television venues:
Professional wrestling
World Wrestling Federation
All Elite Wrestling
Awards and honors
Humane letters
The Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, in 1989 awarded Tyson an honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters: "Mike demonstrates that hard work, determination and perseverance can enable one to overcome any obstacles."
Boxing
Ring magazine Prospect of the Year (1985)
2× Ring magazine Fighter of the Year (1986, 1988)
2× Sugar Ray Robinson Award winner (1987, 1989)
BBC Sports Personality of the Year Overseas Personality (1989)
International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee (Class of 2011)
"Guirlande d'Honneur" by the FICTS (Milan, 2010)
Professional wrestling
WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2012)
See also
List of undisputed boxing champions
List of heavyweight boxing champions
World heavyweight boxing championship records and statistics
Notes
References
External links
Boxing Hall of Fame
ESPN.com
ESPN.com – additional information
ESPN.com – Boxing Topics: Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson amateur boxing record
"Mike Tyson Film Takes a Swing at His Old Image", 2008 article at The New York Times
"Mike Tyson Moves to the Suburbs", 2011 article at The New York Times
1966 births
Living people
20th-century American criminals
African-American boxers
African-American male professional wrestlers
African-American Muslims
American autobiographers
American male boxers
American male criminals
American male voice actors
American people convicted of assault
American people convicted of drug offenses
American people convicted of rape
American prisoners and detainees
American sportspeople convicted of crimes
BBC Sports Personality World Sport Star of the Year winners
Boxers from New York (state)
Converts to Islam
Criminals from New York (state)
Criminals from New York City
D-Generation X members
International Boxing Federation champions
International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees
Mixed martial arts referees
National Golden Gloves champions
Participants in Bulgarian reality television series
People from Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn
People from Bernardsville, New Jersey
People from Brownsville, Brooklyn
People from Catskill, New York
People from Henderson, Nevada
People from Trumbull County, Ohio
People with bipolar disorder
People with speech impediment
Prisoners and detainees of Indiana
Sportspeople from Brooklyn
Sportspeople from Las Vegas
The Ring (magazine) champions
World Boxing Association champions
World Boxing Council champions
World heavyweight boxing champions
Writers from Brooklyn
WWE Hall of Fame inductees
Participants in Argentine reality television series
Bailando por un Sueño (Argentine TV series) participants
| true |
[
"Zero-hour contract is a term used to describe a type of employment contract between an employer and an employee whereby the employer is not obliged to provide any minimum number of working hours to the employee. The term 'zero-hour contract' is primarily used in the United Kingdom.\n\nIn 2015, employers in the UK were prohibited from offering zero-hour contracts that prevented employees from also working for a different employer at the same time. In September 2017, the UK Office for National Statistics estimated that there are over 900,000 workers on zero-hours contracts, 2.9% of the employed workforce.\n\nIn the UK, zero-hour contracts are controversial. Trade unions, other worker bodies and newspapers have described them as an exploitation of labour. Employers using zero-hours contracts include Sports Direct, McDonald's and Boots.\n\nUnited Kingdom\n\nDefinition\nA 'zero-hour contract' is a type of contract between an employer and a worker according to which the employer is not obliged to provide any minimum working hours and the worker is not obliged to accept any work offered. The term 'zero-hour contract' is primarily used in the United Kingdom.\n\nThe employee may sign an agreement to be available for work as and when required, so that no particular number of hours or times of work are specified.\n\nUnder UK law a distinction is drawn between a mere \"worker\" and an \"employee\", an employee having more legal rights than a worker. Whether a person working under a zero-hour contract is an employee or a worker can be uncertain; however, even in cases where the plain text of the zero-hour contract designates the person as a \"worker\" courts have inferred an employment relationship based on the mutuality of obligation between employer and employee.\n\nZero-hours contracts provide basic social security benefits including maternity/paternity pay, holiday, and health insurance. A zero-hour contract may differ from casual work.\n\nHistory\nIn the United Kingdom, under the National Minimum Wage Act 1998, workers operating under a zero-hour contract on stand-by time, on-call time, and downtime must be paid the national minimum wage for hours worked. Prior to the introduction of the Working Time Regulations 1998 and the National Minimum Wage Regulations 1999 zero-hour contracts were sometimes used to \"clock-off\" staff during quiet periods while retaining them on site so they could be returned to paid work should the need arise. The National Minimum Wage Regulations require that employers pay the national minimum wage for the time workers are required to be at the workplace even if there is no \"work\" to do. In the past, some employees working on a zero-hour contract have been told that they are required to obtain permission of their employer before accepting other work but this practice has now been banned under UK legislation enacted in May 2015.\n\nIn Autoclenz Ltd v Belcher, the UK Supreme Court delivered a judgment on workers employed under a zero-hour contract. Lord Clarke held, at paragraph 35, that in employment relations which are characterised by inequality of bargaining power, the written terms of a contract may not in truth represent what was the contract in law.\n\nIn March 2015, the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 received royal assent. On a date to be appointed, s. 153 of the Act will amend the Employment Rights Act 1996, so that exclusivity terms in zero-hours contracts will no longer be enforceable, and regulations may specify other circumstances under which employers may not restrict what other work zero-hours workers can do.\n\nStatistics\n\nAs of September 2017, the Office for National Statistics estimated that there are over 900,000 workers on zero-hours contracts (2.9% of the employed workforce), up from 747,000 the previous year, with over 1.8 million such contracts (as some people may have more than one contract), with a further 1.3 million where no hours were worked. Some commentators have observed that the number of such contracts may be under-reported, as many people may be confusing them with casual employment, and may not be reporting them as temporary. The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), based on a poll of 1,000 workers, reported in August 2013 that as many as 1 million workers in the United Kingdom, 3–4% of the workforce, work under the terms of a zero-hour contract. Based on a survey of 5,000 of its members, Unite, Britain's largest labour union, estimates that as many as 5.5 million workers are subject to zero-hour contracts, 22% of those employed privately. The survey, conducted by Mass 1, showed that zero-hour contracts were more prevalent in northwest England, among young workers, and in agricultural work. Often workers said that holiday pay was illegally denied, and in most cases sick pay as well. The National Farmers Union, which represents farmers, supports zero-hour contracts as offering needed flexibility for tasks such as harvesting.\n\nAccording to the CIPD research, about 38% of those employed under zero-hours contracts considered themselves to be employed full-time, working 30 hours or more a week. While 66% of those on zero-hours contracts were happy with the hours they worked, 16% felt they did not have an opportunity to work enough hours. About 17% of private employers used zero-hours contracts while they were used by 34% of non-profits organisations and 24% of public employers. Zero-hours contracts were frequently used in hotels, catering and leisure (48%), education (35%) and healthcare (27%).\n\nFor domiciliary care workers the incidence was reported to be as high as 55.7% of all workers during the period 200812.\n\nIn 2011, zero-hours contracts were in use in many parts of the UK economy:\n\n in the hotels and restaurants sector, 19% of all workplaces (up from 4% in 2004)\n in the health sector, 13% (up from 7%)\n in the education sector, 10% (up from 1%)\n\nEmployers\nZero-hour contracts are used in the private, non-profit, and public sectors in the United Kingdom:\n\n Sports Direct, a retailer, has 90% of its workers on zero-hour contracts\n In August 2013, The Guardian reported that J D Wetherspoon, one of the UK's largest pub chains, has 24,000 staff, or 80% of its workforce, on contracts with no guarantee of work each week.\n 90% of McDonald's workforce in the UK – 82,000 staff members – are employed on a zero-hour contract. According to a McDonald's spokesperson all work is scheduled in advance with no employees being \"on call\" and meets the needs of workers who desire or need a flexible schedule. In 2016, the store trialled offering the chance to move off zero-hour contracts but over 80% of staff chose to remain on them.\n A major franchise of Subway also uses the contracts, which state, \"The company has no duty to provide you with work. Your hours of work are not predetermined and will be notified to you on a weekly basis as soon as is reasonably practicable in advance by your store manager. The company has the right to require you to work varied or extended hours from time to time.\" Subway workers are also required, as a condition of employment, to waive their rights to limit their workweek to 48 hours.\n Burger King franchisees and Domino's Pizza operations in the UK extensively use zero-hour contracts.\n The Spirit Pub Company has 16,000 staff on zero-hour contracts.\n Boots UK has 4,000 workers on zero-hour contracts.\n Buckingham Palace, which employs 350 seasonal summer workers, also uses them.\n The National Trust, a nonprofit organisation which manages extensive historic sites and nature preserves in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, which must deal with variable weather, uses zero-hour contracts but at the same benefits and pay as permanent employees. The Tate Galleries also use zero-hour contracts.\n All non-management staff at Curzon and Everyman cinema chains are on zero-hour contracts.\n Cineworld, a leading cinema chain, uses zero-hour contracts for 3,600 people, about 80% of its workforce, and Stephen Wiener, the founder, stated in August 2013 that he will continue using them.\n CeX\n\nThe Workplace Employment Relations Survey conducted by the government of the UK in 2004 and 2011 shows that the proportion of workplaces that have some employees on zero-hours contracts has increased from 4% in 2004 to 8% in 2011. The survey found that larger companies are more likely to use zero-hours contracts. 23% of workplaces that have 100 or more employees used zero-hours contracts in 2011, compared to 11% of those with 50–99 employees and 6% of those with fewer than 50 employees.\n\nControversy\nIn the UK, zero-hour contracts are controversial. British business leaders have supported them, stating that they provide a flexible labour market. They may suit some people such as retirees and students who want occasional earnings and are able to be entirely flexible about when they work. It has been reported that 60% of people on zero-hour contracts are happy with the hours they work. Trade union groups and others have raised concerns about the possibility of exploitation and the use of such contracts by management as a tool to reward or reprimand employees for any reason, meaningful or trivial. They also raise concerns about how workers can adequately assert their employment rights or maintain decent employment relations.\n\nA Channel 4 documentary broadcast on 1 August 2013 claimed that Amazon used \"controversial\" zero-hour contracts as a tool to reprimand staff.\n\nWorkers subject to zero-hour contracts are vulnerable to exploitation as they may be denied work at any time for any reason, including declining to respond to a demand to work. A refusal to work in any one instance for any reason can result in a prolonged period of lack of work. Due to the uncertainty of the workers' schedules, zero-hour contracts present problems for workers with children due to the difficulty of arranging child care. The rapidly growing use of zero-hour contracts was the subject of a series of articles in late July 2013 by The Guardian and as of 2013 was of concern to Parliament. Vince Cable, business secretary of the government, is considering closer regulation of the contracts but has ruled out a ban. Labour MPs Alison McGovern and Andy Sawford have campaigned to ban or better regulate the practice.\n\nIn 2016, several UK chains that had been using zero-hour contracts announced that they would phase them out during 2017. These included Sports Direct and two cinema chains, Curzon and Everyman. However, Cineworld, another leading cinema chain that also owns Picturehouse, has come under scrutiny for continuing to use the contract format, with the Ritzy living wage protests at London's Ritzy Cinema especially prominent.\n\nIn 2020, a campaign called Zero Hours Justice was set up. Led by Ian Hodson, president of the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union and backed by Julian Richer, it was launched with the aim of ending zero hours contracts.\n\nPraise\n\nThe Institute of Directors, a chartered organisation of British business leaders, has defended the contracts as providing a flexible labour market, citing the lack of flexibility in Italy and Spain. Jacob Rees-Mogg MP has also argued that they benefit employees, including students, by providing flexibility, and could provide a route into more permanent employment.\n\nElsewhere in the world\nCasual labour contracts in Canada can have \"no guaranteed minimum hours,\" place \"no obligation on the employer to provide work\", and pay can be \"pro rated in line with hours worked.\"\n\nIn 2015 in New Zealand, the television show Campbell Live revealed that large corporate hospitality companies such as Burger King and McDonald's, KFC, Starbucks, Pizza Hut, Carl's Jr. (all under Restaurant Brands), Sky City and Hoyts, all use zero-hour contracts to reduce costs. On 9 April, Restaurant Brands agreed to do away with zero-hours contracts.\n\nA bill outlawing zero-hour contracts in New Zealand was unanimously passed on 10 March 2016 and went into effect on 1 April.\n\nSee also\n\nCasual employment (Australia)\nCasual employment\nFivesquid.com\nFlexicurity\nLabour market flexibility\nMarginal employment\nOn call shift\nOn-call room\nPrecarious work\nShift-based hiring\nUK labour law\nUnderemployment\nWage slavery\nWork-life balance\n\nNotes\n\nReferences\n \n \n \n \n \n\nEmployment compensation\nEmployment in the United Kingdom\nPrecarious work\nUnited Kingdom labour law\nWorking time",
"A fixed-term contract is a contractual relationship between an employee and an employer that lasts for a specified period. These contracts are usually regulated by countries' labor laws, to ensure that employers still fulfill basic labour rights regardless of a contract's form, particularly unjust dismissal. Generally, fixed-term contracts will automatically be deemed to have created a permanent contract, subject to the employer's right to terminate employment on reasonable notice for a good reason. In the European Union the incidence of fixed-term contracts ranges from 6% in the UK to 23% in Spain, with Germany, Italy and France between 13% and 16%.\n\nBy country\nDue to the potential job insecurity that multiple fixed-term contracts may cause, employment laws in many countries limit the circumstances and the way these contracts may be used. In countries where labour law is more restrictive (compensation/indemnity for dismissal), the differentiation between fixed-term and permanent contracts tends to be clearly set out in law. Where employment legislation is less protective for the employee there tends to be a lesser degree of differentiation between fixed and permanent contracts.\n\nBelgium\nThere are two possibilities to contract successive fixed-term contracts:\n\n Successive employment contracts with a maximum term of two years: A maximum of four successive fixed-term employment contracts, where the minimum duration of each contract is three months and the total duration of all the successive contracts is not longer than two years. \n Successive employment contracts with a maximum term of three years: With the prior authorisation of the Belgian Federal Public Service Employment, Labour and Social Dialogue, successive fixed-term contracts can be concluded with a minimum duration of six months if the total duration of all the successive contracts do not exceed three years.\n\nFrance\nThe maximum term is twenty four months and may be extended once only\n\nGermany\nFixed-term contracts may not be extended more than three times with a maximum total period of two years.\n\nLuxembourg\nIn Luxembourg, the standard maximum length of a contrat de travail à durée déterminée (CDD) is twenty-four months, with up to two renewals allowed. Researchers and students can employed for a maximum of sixty months on a CDD, with no restriction as to the number of renewals allowed. A waiting period of a minimum of one-third of the length of the contract is required for a CDD to be considered a new contract (and not a renewal) and to restart the maximum allowed duration of employment.\n\nIndia \nIndia allows fixed term employment since 2015. Fixed-term employees are entitled to wage and benefits on par with permanent employees.\n\nUnited Kingdom\nAny employee on fixed-term contracts for four or more years will automatically become a permanent employee, unless the employer can show there is a good business reason not to do so.\n\nThe Fixed-term Employees (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2002 (SI 2002/2034), made on 30 July 2002 and brought into effect on 1 October 2002, implemented the EU's Fixed-term Work Directive (Directive 99/70/EC). The Fixed-term Employees (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) (Amendment) Regulations 2008 (SI 2008/2776) amended the 2002 regulations to exclude fixed term agency workers from coverage.\n\nSee also\nPermanent employment\nPart-time\nTemporary work\n\nNotes\n\nLabour law\nEmployment in the United Kingdom\nUnited Kingdom labour law"
] |
[
"Mike Tyson",
"Undisputed champion",
"What is the undisputed champion?",
"Expectations for Tyson were extremely high, and he embarked on an ambitious campaign to fight all of the top heavyweights in the world. Tyson defended his title",
"What year did he start that journey?",
"Tyson defended his title against James Smith on March 7, 1987, in Las Vegas, Nevada. He won by unanimous decision",
"Who did he fight after this?",
"He beat Pinklon Thomas in May with a knockout in the sixth round. On August 1 he took the International Boxing Federation (IBF) title from Tony Tucker",
"What year was that fight?",
"On August 1",
"Was there anything else interesting in this section?",
"During this time, Tyson came to the attention of gaming company Nintendo.",
"Did he work with Nintendo?",
"After witnessing one of Tyson's fights, Nintendo of America president, Minoru Arakawa was impressed by the fighter's \"power and skill\",",
"Did he do any contracts with them?",
"\", prompting him to suggest Tyson be included in the upcoming Nintendo Entertainment System port of the Punch Out!! arcade game."
] |
C_1b5dc9e3e91746cebf8036796b03646b_0
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Was the game a hit?
| 8 |
Was the game Mike Tyson's Punch Out a hit?
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Mike Tyson
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Expectations for Tyson were extremely high, and he embarked on an ambitious campaign to fight all of the top heavyweights in the world. Tyson defended his title against James Smith on March 7, 1987, in Las Vegas, Nevada. He won by unanimous decision and added Smith's World Boxing Association (WBA) title to his existing belt. "Tyson-mania" in the media was becoming rampant. He beat Pinklon Thomas in May with a knockout in the sixth round. On August 1 he took the International Boxing Federation (IBF) title from Tony Tucker in a twelve round unanimous decision. He became the first heavyweight to own all three major belts - WBA, WBC, and IBF - at the same time. Another fight, in October of that year, ended with a victory for Tyson over 1984 Olympic super heavyweight gold medalist Tyrell Biggs by knockout in the seventh round. During this time, Tyson came to the attention of gaming company Nintendo. After witnessing one of Tyson's fights, Nintendo of America president, Minoru Arakawa was impressed by the fighter's "power and skill", prompting him to suggest Tyson be included in the upcoming Nintendo Entertainment System port of the Punch Out!! arcade game. In 1987, Nintendo released Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!, which was well received and sold more than a million copies. Tyson had three fights in 1988. He faced Larry Holmes on January 22, 1988, and defeated the legendary former champion by a fourth round KO. This was the only knockout loss Holmes suffered in 75 professional bouts. In March, Tyson then fought contender Tony Tubbs in Tokyo, Japan, fitting in an easy two-round victory amid promotional and marketing work. On June 27, 1988, Tyson faced Michael Spinks. Spinks, who had taken the heavyweight championship from Larry Holmes via a 15-round decision in 1985, had not lost his title in the ring but was not recognized as champion by the major boxing organizations. Holmes had previously given up all but the IBF title, and that was eventually stripped from Spinks after he elected to fight Gerry Cooney (winning by a 5th-round TKO) rather than IBF Number 1 Contender Tony Tucker, as the Cooney fight provided him a larger purse. However, Spinks did become the lineal champion by beating Holmes and many (including Ring magazine) considered him to have a legitimate claim to being the true heavyweight champion. The bout was, at the time, the richest fight in history and expectations were very high. Boxing pundits were predicting a titanic battle of styles, with Tyson's aggressive infighting conflicting with Spinks' skillful out-boxing and footwork. The fight ended after 91 seconds when Tyson knocked Spinks out in the first round; many consider this to be the pinnacle of Tyson's fame and boxing ability. CANNOTANSWER
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!!, which was well received and sold more than a million copies.
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Michael Gerard Tyson (born June 30, 1966) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1985 to 2005. Nicknamed "Iron Mike" and "Kid Dynamite" in his early career, and later known as "The Baddest Man on the Planet", Tyson is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. He reigned as the undisputed world heavyweight champion from 1987 to 1990. Tyson won his first 19 professional fights by knockout, 12 of them in the first round. Claiming his first belt at 20 years, four months, and 22 days old, Tyson holds the record as the youngest boxer ever to win a heavyweight title. He was the first heavyweight boxer to simultaneously hold the WBA, WBC and IBF titles, as well as the only heavyweight to unify them in succession. The following year, Tyson became the lineal champion when he knocked out Michael Spinks in 91 seconds of the first round. In 1990, Tyson was knocked out by underdog Buster Douglas in one of the biggest upsets in history.
In 1992, Tyson was convicted of rape and sentenced to six years in prison, although he was released on parole after three years. After his release in 1995, he engaged in a series of comeback fights, regaining the WBA and WBC titles in 1996 to join Floyd Patterson, Muhammad Ali, Tim Witherspoon, Evander Holyfield and George Foreman as the only men in boxing history to have regained a heavyweight championship after losing it. After being stripped of the WBC title in the same year, Tyson lost the WBA title to Evander Holyfield by an eleventh round stoppage. Their 1997 rematch ended when Tyson was disqualified for biting Holyfield's ears, one bite notoriously being strong enough to remove a portion of his right ear. In 2002, Tyson fought for the world heavyweight title, losing by knockout to Lennox Lewis.
Tyson was known for his ferocious and intimidating boxing style as well as his controversial behavior inside and outside the ring. With a knockout-to-win percentage of 88%, he was ranked 16th on The Ring magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time, and first on ESPN's list of "The Hardest Hitters in Heavyweight History". Sky Sports described him as "perhaps the most ferocious fighter to step into a professional ring". He has been inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame.
Early life
Michael Gerard Tyson was born in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, New York City on June 30, 1966. He has an older brother named Rodney (born c. 1961) and an older sister named Denise, who died of a heart attack at age 24 in February 1990. Tyson's biological father is listed as "Purcell Tyson" (who was from Jamaica) on his birth certificate, but the man Tyson had known as his father was Jimmy Kirkpatrick. Kirkpatrick was from Grier Town, North Carolina (a predominantly black neighborhood that was annexed by the city of Charlotte), where he was one of the neighborhood's top baseball players. Kirkpatrick married and had a son, Tyson's half-brother Jimmie Lee Kirkpatrick, who would help to integrate Charlotte high school football in 1965. In 1959, Jimmy Kirkpatrick left his family and moved to Brooklyn, where he met Tyson's mother, Lorna Mae (Smith) Tyson. Kirkpatrick frequented pool halls, gambled and hung out on the streets. "My father was just a regular street guy caught up in the street world," Tyson said. Kirkpatrick abandoned the Tyson family around the time Mike was born, leaving Tyson's mother to care for the children on her own. Kirkpatrick died in 1992.
The family lived in Bedford-Stuyvesant until their financial burdens necessitated a move to Brownsville when Tyson was 10 years old. Tyson's mother died six years later, leaving 16-year-old Tyson in the care of boxing manager and trainer Cus D'Amato, who would become his legal guardian. Tyson later said, "I never saw my mother happy with me and proud of me for doing something: she only knew me as being a wild kid running the streets, coming home with new clothes that she knew I didn't pay for. I never got a chance to talk to her or know about her. Professionally, it has no effect, but it's crushing emotionally and personally."
Throughout his childhood, Tyson lived in and around neighborhoods with a high rate of crime. According to an interview in Details, his first fight was with a bigger youth who had pulled the head off one of Tyson's pigeons. Tyson was repeatedly caught committing petty crimes and fighting those who ridiculed his high-pitched voice and lisp. By the age of 13, he had been arrested 38 times. He ended up at the Tryon School for Boys in Johnstown, New York. Tyson's emerging boxing ability was discovered there by Bobby Stewart, a juvenile detention center counselor and former boxer. Stewart considered Tyson to be an outstanding fighter and trained him for a few months before introducing him to Cus D'Amato. Tyson dropped out of high school as a junior. He would be awarded an honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from Central State University in 1989. Kevin Rooney also trained Tyson, and he was occasionally assisted by Teddy Atlas, although Atlas was dismissed by D'Amato when Tyson was 15. Rooney eventually took over all training duties for the young fighter.
Amateur career
As an amateur, Tyson won gold medals at the 1981 and 1982 Junior Olympic Games, defeating Joe Cortez in 1981 and beating Kelton Brown in 1982. Brown's corner threw in the towel in the first round. In 1984 Tyson won the gold medal at the Nation Golden Gloves held in New York, beating Jonathan Littles. He fought Henry Tillman twice as an amateur, losing both bouts by decision. Tillman went on to win heavyweight gold at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Professional career
Rise to stardom
Tyson made his professional debut as an 18-year-old on March 6, 1985, in Albany, New York. He defeated Hector Mercedes via first-round TKO. He had 15 bouts in his first year as a professional. Fighting frequently, Tyson won 26 of his first 28 fights by KO or TKO; 16 of those came in the first round. The quality of his opponents gradually increased to journeyman fighters and borderline contenders, like James Tillis, David Jaco, Jesse Ferguson, Mitch Green, and Marvis Frazier. His win streak attracted media attention and Tyson was billed as the next great heavyweight champion. D'Amato died in November 1985, relatively early into Tyson's professional career, and some speculate that his death was the catalyst to many of the troubles Tyson was to experience as his life and career progressed.
Tyson's first nationally televised bout took place on February 16, 1986, at Houston Field House in Troy, New York, against journeyman heavyweight Jesse Ferguson, and was carried by ABC Sports. Tyson knocked down Ferguson with an uppercut in the fifth round that broke Ferguson's nose. During the sixth round, Ferguson began to hold and clinch Tyson in an apparent attempt to avoid further punishment. After admonishing Ferguson several times to obey his commands to box, the referee finally stopped the fight near the middle of the sixth round. The fight was initially ruled a win for Tyson by disqualification (DQ) of his opponent. The ruling was "adjusted" to a win by technical knockout (TKO) after Tyson's corner protested that a DQ win would end Tyson's string of knockout victories, and that a knockout would have been the inevitable result.
In July, after recording six more knockout victories, Tyson fought former world title challenger Marvis Frazier in Glens Falls, New York, on another ABC Sports broadcast. Tyson won easily, charging at Frazier at the opening bell and hitting him with an uppercut that knocked Frazier unconscious thirty seconds into the fight.
On November 22, 1986, Tyson was given his first title fight against Trevor Berbick for the World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight championship. Tyson won the title by TKO in the second round, and at the age of 20 years and 4 months became the youngest heavyweight champion in history. He added the WBA and IBF titles after defeating James Smith and Tony Tucker in 1987. Tyson's dominant performance brought many accolades. Donald Saunders wrote: "The noble and manly art of boxing can at least cease worrying about its immediate future, now [that] it has discovered a heavyweight champion fit to stand alongside Dempsey, Tunney, Louis, Marciano, and Ali."
Tyson intimidated fighters with his strength, combined with outstanding hand speed, accuracy, coordination and timing. Tyson also possessed notable defensive abilities, holding his hands high in the peek-a-boo style taught by his mentor Cus D'Amato to slip under and weave around his opponent's punches while timing his own. Tyson's explosive punching technique was due in large part to crouching immediately prior to throwing a hook or an uppercut: this allowed the 'spring' of his legs to add power to the punch. Among his signature moves was a right hook to his opponent's body followed by a right uppercut to his opponent's chin. Lorenzo Boyd, Jesse Ferguson and José Ribalta were each knocked down by this combination.
Undisputed champion
Expectations for Tyson were extremely high, and he was the favorite to win the heavyweight unification series, a tournament designed to establish an undisputed heavyweight champion. Tyson defended his title against James Smith on March 7, 1987, in Las Vegas, Nevada. He won by unanimous decision and added Smith's World Boxing Association (WBA) title to his existing belt. "Tyson-mania" in the media was becoming rampant. He beat Pinklon Thomas in May by TKO in the sixth round. On August 1 he took the International Boxing Federation (IBF) title from Tony Tucker in a twelve-round unanimous decision 119–111, 118–113, and 116–112. He became the first heavyweight to own all three major belts – WBA, WBC, and IBF – at the same time. Another fight, in October of that year, ended with a victory for Tyson over 1984 Olympic super heavyweight gold medalist Tyrell Biggs by TKO in the seventh round.
During this time, Tyson came to the attention of gaming company Nintendo. After witnessing one of Tyson's fights, Nintendo of America president Minoru Arakawa was impressed by the fighter's "power and skill", prompting him to suggest Tyson be included in the upcoming Nintendo Entertainment System port of the Punch Out!! arcade game. In 1987, Nintendo released Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!, which was well received and sold more than a million copies.
Tyson had three fights in 1988. He faced Larry Holmes on January 22, 1988, and defeated the legendary former champion by KO in the fourth round. This was the only knockout loss Holmes suffered in 75 professional bouts. In March, Tyson then fought contender Tony Tubbs in Tokyo, Japan, fitting in an easy second-round TKO victory amid promotional and marketing work.
On June 27, 1988, Tyson faced Michael Spinks. Spinks, who had taken the heavyweight championship from Larry Holmes via fifteen-round decision in 1985, had not lost his title in the ring but was not recognized as champion by the major boxing organizations. Holmes had previously given up all but the IBF title, and that was eventually stripped from Spinks after he elected to fight Gerry Cooney (winning by TKO in the fifth round) rather than IBF Number 1 Contender Tony Tucker, as the Cooney fight provided him a larger purse. However, Spinks did become the lineal champion by beating Holmes and many (including Ring magazine) considered him to have a legitimate claim to being the true heavyweight champion. The bout was, at the time, the richest fight in history and expectations were very high. Boxing pundits were predicting a titanic battle of styles, with Tyson's aggressive infighting conflicting with Spinks's skillful out-boxing and footwork. The fight ended after 91 seconds when Tyson knocked Spinks out in the first round; many consider this to be the pinnacle of Tyson's fame and boxing ability.
Controversy and upset
During this period, Tyson's problems outside the ring were also starting to emerge. His marriage to Robin Givens was heading for divorce, and his future contract was being fought over by Don King and Bill Cayton. In late 1988, Tyson parted with manager Bill Cayton and fired longtime trainer Kevin Rooney, the man many credit for honing Tyson's craft after the death of D'Amato. Following Rooney's departure, critics alleged that Tyson began to show less head movement and combination punching. In 1989, Tyson had only two fights amid personal turmoil. He faced the British boxer Frank Bruno in February. Bruno managed to stun Tyson at the end of the first round, although Tyson went on to knock Bruno out in the fifth round. Tyson then knocked out Carl "The Truth" Williams in the first round in July.
By 1990, Tyson seemed to have lost direction, and his personal life was in disarray amidst reports of less vigorous training prior to the Buster Douglas match. In a fight on February 11, 1990, he lost the undisputed championship to Douglas in Tokyo. Tyson was a huge betting favorite; indeed, the Mirage, the only casino to put out odds for the fight, made Tyson a 42/1 favorite. Tyson failed to find a way past Douglas's quick jab that had a reach advantage over his own. Tyson did catch Douglas with an uppercut in the eighth round and knocked him to the floor, but Douglas recovered sufficiently to hand Tyson a heavy beating in the subsequent two rounds. After the fight, the Tyson camp would complain that the count was slow and that Douglas had taken longer than ten seconds to get back on his feet. Just 35 seconds into the tenth round, Douglas unleashed a brutal uppercut, followed by a four-punch combination of hooks that sent Tyson to the canvas for the first time in his career. He was counted out by referee Octavio Meyran.
The knockout victory by Douglas over Tyson, the previously undefeated "baddest man on the planet" and arguably the most feared boxer in professional boxing at that time, has been described as one of the most shocking upsets in modern sports history.
After Douglas
Despite the shocking loss, Tyson has said that losing to Douglas was the greatest moment of his career. “I needed that fight to make me a better person and fighter. I have a broader perspective of myself and boxing.”
After the loss, Tyson recovered with first-round knockouts of Henry Tillman and Alex Stewart in his next two fights. Tyson's victory over Tillman, the 1984 Olympic heavyweight gold medalist, enabled Tyson to avenge his amateur losses at Tillman's hands. These bouts set up an elimination match for another shot at the undisputed world heavyweight championship, which Evander Holyfield had taken from Douglas in his first defense of the title.
Tyson, who was the number one contender, faced number two contender Donovan "Razor" Ruddock on March 18, 1991, in Las Vegas. Ruddock was seen as the most dangerous heavyweight around and was thought of as one of the hardest punching heavyweights. Tyson and Ruddock went back and forth for most of the fight, until referee Richard Steele controversially stopped the fight during the seventh round in favor of Tyson. This decision infuriated the fans in attendance, sparking a post-fight melee in the audience. The referee had to be escorted from the ring.
Tyson and Ruddock met again on June 28 that year, with Tyson knocking down Ruddock twice and winning a twelve-round unanimous decision 113–109, 114–108, and 114–108. A fight between Tyson and Holyfield for the undisputed championship was scheduled for November 8, 1991, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, but Tyson pulled out after sustaining a rib cartilage injury during training.
Rape trial and prison
Tyson was arrested in July 1991 for the rape of 18-year-old Desiree Washington, Miss Black Rhode Island, in an Indianapolis hotel room. Tyson's rape trial took place in the Marion County superior court from January 26 to February 10, 1992.
Partial corroboration of Washington's story came via testimony from Tyson's chauffeur who confirmed Desiree Washington's state of shock after the incident. Further testimony came from the emergency room physician who examined Washington more than 24 hours after the incident and confirmed that Washington's physical condition was consistent with rape.
Under lead defense lawyer Vincent J. Fuller's direct examination, Tyson claimed that everything had taken place with Washington's full consent and he claimed not to have forced himself upon her. When he was cross-examined by lead prosecutor Gregory Garrison, Tyson denied claims that he had misled Washington and insisted that she wanted to have sex with him. Tyson was convicted on the rape charge on February 10, 1992, after the jury deliberated for nearly 10 hours.
Alan Dershowitz, acting as Tyson's counsel, filed an appeal urging error of law in the Court's exclusion of evidence of the victim's past sexual conduct (known as the Rape Shield Law), the exclusion of three potential defense witnesses, and the lack of a jury instruction on honest and reasonable mistake of fact. The Indiana Court of Appeals ruled against Tyson in a 2–1 vote. The Indiana Supreme Court let the lower court opinion stand due to a 2–2 split in its review. The tie vote was due to the fact that the Chief Justice of the Indiana Supreme Court recused himself from the case. The Chief Justice later revealed he did so because of a heated argument between his wife and Dershowitz at a Yale Law School reunion concerning the case. On March 26, 1992, Tyson was sentenced to six years in prison along with four years of probation. He was assigned to the Indiana Youth Center (now the Plainfield Correctional Facility) in April 1992, and he was released in March 1995 after serving less than three years of the sentence.
It has been widely reported that while in prison, Tyson converted to Islam and adopted the Muslim name Malik Abdul Aziz (though some sources report the adoption of a different Islamic name, Malik Shabazz). However, Tyson has stated that he converted to Islam before entering prison, but made no efforts to correct the misinformation in the media. Due to his conviction, Tyson is required to register as a Tier II sex offender under federal law.
Comeback
After being paroled from prison, Tyson easily won his comeback bouts against Peter McNeeley and Buster Mathis Jr. Tyson's first comeback fight grossed more than US$96 million worldwide, including a United States record $63 million for PPV television. The viewing of the fight was purchased by 1.52 million homes, setting both PPV viewership and revenue records. The 89-second fight elicited criticism that Tyson's management lined up "tomato cans" to ensure easy victories for his return. TV Guide included the Tyson–McNeeley fight in their list of the 50 Greatest TV Sports Moments of All Time in 1998.
Tyson regained one belt by easily winning the WBC title against Frank Bruno in March 1996. It was the second fight between the two, and Tyson knocked out Bruno in the third round. In 1996, Lennox Lewis turned down a $13.5 million guarantee to fight Tyson. This would've been Lewis's highest fight purse to date. Lewis then accepted $4 million from Don King to step aside and allow Tyson to fight Bruce Seldon for an expected $30 million instead with the intention that if Tyson defeated Seldon, he would fight Lewis next. Tyson added the WBA belt by defeating champion Seldon in the first round in September that year. Seldon was severely criticized and mocked in the popular press for seemingly collapsing to innocuous punches from Tyson.
Tyson–Holyfield fights
Tyson vs. Holyfield I
Tyson attempted to defend the WBA title against Evander Holyfield, who was in the fourth fight of his own comeback. Holyfield had retired in 1994 following the loss of his championship to Michael Moorer. It was said that Don King and others saw former champion Holyfield, who was 34 at the time of the fight and a huge underdog, as a washed-up fighter.
On November 9, 1996, in Las Vegas, Nevada, Tyson faced Holyfield in a title bout dubbed "Finally". In a surprising turn of events, Holyfield, who was given virtually no chance to win by numerous commentators, defeated Tyson by TKO when referee Mitch Halpern stopped the bout in round eleven. Holyfield became the second boxer to win a heavyweight championship belt three times. Holyfield's victory was marred by allegations from Tyson's camp of Holyfield's frequent headbutts during the bout. Although the headbutts were ruled accidental by the referee, they would become a point of contention in the subsequent rematch.
Tyson vs. Holyfield II and aftermath
Tyson and Holyfield fought again on June 28, 1997. Originally, Halpern was supposed to be the referee, but after Tyson's camp protested, Halpern stepped aside in favor of Mills Lane. The highly anticipated rematch was dubbed The Sound and the Fury, and it was held at the Las Vegas MGM Grand Garden Arena, site of the first bout. It was a lucrative event, drawing even more attention than the first bout and grossing $100 million. Tyson received $30 million and Holyfield $35 million, the highest paid professional boxing purses until 2007. The fight was purchased by 1.99 million households, setting a pay-per-view buy rate record that stood until May 5, 2007, being surpassed by Oscar De La Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Soon to become one of the most controversial events in modern sports, the fight was stopped at the end of the third round, with Tyson disqualified for biting Holyfield on both ears. The first time Tyson bit him, the match was temporarily stopped. Referee Mills Lane deducted two points from Tyson and the fight resumed. However, after the match resumed, Tyson bit him again, resulting in his disqualification, and Holyfield won the match. The first bite was severe enough to remove a piece of Holyfield's right ear, which was found on the ring floor after the fight. Tyson later stated that his actions were retaliation for Holyfield repeatedly headbutting him without penalty. In the confusion that followed the ending of the bout and announcement of the decision, a near riot occurred in the arena and several people were injured. Tyson Holyfield II was the first heavyweight title fight in over 50 years to end in a disqualification.
As a subsequent fallout from the incident, US$3 million was immediately withheld from Tyson's $30-million purse by the Nevada state boxing commission (the most it could legally hold back at the time). Two days after the fight, Tyson issued a statement, apologizing to Holyfield for his actions and asked not to be banned for life over the incident. Tyson was roundly condemned in the news media but was not without defenders. Novelist and commentator Katherine Dunn wrote a column that criticized Holyfield's sportsmanship in the controversial bout and charged the news media with being biased against Tyson.
On July 9, 1997, Tyson's boxing license was rescinded by the Nevada State Athletic Commission in a unanimous voice vote; he was also fined US$3 million and ordered to pay the legal costs of the hearing. As most state athletic commissions honor sanctions imposed by other states, this effectively made Tyson unable to box in the United States. The revocation was not permanent, as the commission voted 4–1 to restore Tyson's boxing license on October 18, 1998.
During his time away from boxing in 1998, Tyson made a guest appearance at WrestleMania XIV as an enforcer for the main event match between Shawn Michaels and Steve Austin. During this time, Tyson was also an unofficial member of Michaels's stable, D-Generation X. Tyson was paid $3 million for being guest enforcer of the match at WrestleMania XIV.
1999–2005
In January 1999, Tyson returned to the ring for a match against the South African Francois Botha. This match also ended in controversy. While Botha initially controlled the fight, Tyson allegedly attempted to break Botha's arms during a tie-up and both boxers were cautioned by the referee in the ill-tempered bout. Botha was ahead on points on all scorecards and was confident enough to mock Tyson as the fight continued. Nonetheless, Tyson landed a straight right hand in the fifth round that knocked out Botha. Critics noticed Tyson stopped using the bob and weave defense altogether following this return. Promoting the fight on Secaucus, New Jersey television station WWOR-TV, Tyson launched into an expletive-laden tirade that forced sports anchor Russ Salzberg to cut the interview short.
Legal problems arose with Tyson once again. On February 5, 1999, Tyson was sentenced to a year's imprisonment, fined $5,000, and ordered to serve two years probation along with undergoing 200 hours of community service for assaulting two motorists after a traffic accident on August 31, 1998. He served nine months of that sentence. After his release, he fought Orlin Norris on October 23, 1999. Tyson knocked down Norris with a left hook thrown after the bell sounded to end the first round. Norris injured his knee when he went down and said that he was unable to continue. Consequently, the bout was ruled a no contest.
In 2000, Tyson had three fights. The first match in January was staged at the MEN Arena in Manchester, England against Julius Francis. Following controversy as to whether Tyson was allowed into the country, he took four minutes to knock out Francis, ending the bout in the second round. He also fought Lou Savarese in June 2000 in Glasgow, winning in the first round; the fight lasted only 38 seconds. Tyson continued punching after the referee had stopped the fight, knocking the referee to the floor as he tried to separate the boxers. In October, Tyson fought the similarly controversial Andrew Golota, winning in round three after Gołota was unable to continue due to a broken cheekbone, concussion, and neck injury. The result was later changed to no contest after Tyson refused to take a pre-fight drug test and then tested positive for marijuana in a post-fight urine test. Tyson fought only once in 2001, beating Brian Nielsen in Copenhagen by TKO in the seventh round.
Lewis vs. Tyson
Tyson once again had the opportunity to fight for a heavyweight championship in 2002. Lennox Lewis held the WBC, IBF, IBO and Lineal titles at the time. As promising fighters, Tyson and Lewis had sparred at a training camp in a meeting arranged by Cus D'Amato in 1984. Tyson sought to fight Lewis in Nevada for a more lucrative box-office venue, but the Nevada Boxing Commission refused him a license to box as he was facing possible sexual assault charges at the time.
Two years prior to the bout, Tyson had made several inflammatory remarks to Lewis in an interview following the Savarese fight. The remarks included the statement "I want your heart, I want to eat your children." On January 22, 2002, the two boxers and their entourages were involved in a brawl at a New York press conference to publicize the planned event. A few weeks later, the Nevada State Athletic Commission refused to grant Tyson a license for the fight, and the promoters had to make alternative arrangements. After multiple states balked at granting Tyson a license, the fight eventually occurred on June 8 at the Pyramid Arena in Memphis, Tennessee. Lewis dominated the fight and knocked out Tyson with a right hand in the eighth round. Tyson was respectful after the fight and praised Lewis on his victory. This fight was the highest-grossing event in pay-per-view history at that time, generating $106.9 million from 1.95 million buys in the US.
Later career, bankruptcy, and retirement
In another Memphis fight on February 22, 2003, Tyson beat fringe contender Clifford Etienne 49 seconds into round one. The pre-fight was marred by rumors of Tyson's lack of fitness. Some said that he took time out from training to party in Las Vegas and get a new facial tattoo. This eventually proved to be Tyson's final professional victory in the ring.
In August 2003, after years of financial struggles, Tyson finally filed for bankruptcy. Tyson earned over $30 million for several of his fights and $300 million during his career. At the time, the media reported that he had approximately $23 million in debt.
On August 13, 2003, Tyson entered the ring for a face-to-face confrontation against K-1 fighting phenom, Bob Sapp, immediately after Sapp's win against Kimo Leopoldo in Las Vegas. K-1 signed Tyson to a contract with the hopes of making a fight happen between the two, but Tyson's felony history made it impossible for him to obtain a visa to enter Japan, where the fight would have been most profitable. Alternative locations were discussed, but the fight ultimately failed to happen.
On July 30, 2004, Tyson had a match against British boxer Danny Williams in another comeback fight, and this time, staged in Louisville, Kentucky. Tyson dominated the opening two rounds. The third round was even, with Williams getting in some clean blows and also a few illegal ones, for which he was penalized. In the fourth round, Tyson was unexpectedly knocked out. After the fight, it was revealed that Tyson was trying to fight on one leg, having torn a ligament in his other knee in the first round. This was Tyson's fifth career defeat. He underwent surgery for the ligament four days after the fight. His manager, Shelly Finkel, claimed that Tyson was unable to throw meaningful right-hand punches since he had a knee injury.
On June 11, 2005, Tyson stunned the boxing world by quitting before the start of the seventh round in a close bout against journeyman Kevin McBride. In the 2008 documentary Tyson, he stated that he fought McBride for a payday, that he did not anticipate winning, that he was in poor physical condition and fed up with taking boxing seriously. After losing three of his last four fights, Tyson said he would quit boxing because he felt he had lost his passion for the sport.
In 2000 Tyson fired everyone working for him and enlisted new accountants, who prepared a statement showing he started the year $3.3 million in debt but earned $65.7 million. In August 2007, Tyson pleaded guilty to drug possession and driving under the influence in an Arizona court, which stemmed from an arrest in December where authorities said Tyson, who has a long history of legal problems, admitted to using cocaine that day and to being addicted to the drug.
Exhibition bouts
Mike Tyson's World Tour
To help pay off his debts, Tyson announced he would be doing a series of exhibition bouts, calling it Tyson's World Tour. For his first bout, Tyson returned to the ring in 2006 for a four-round exhibition against journeyman heavyweight Corey Sanders in Youngstown, Ohio. Tyson, without headgear at 5 ft 10.5 in and 216 pounds, was in quality shape, but far from his prime against Sanders, at 6 ft 6 in who wore headgear. Tyson appeared to be "holding back" in the exhibition to prevent an early end to the "show". "If I don't get out of this financial quagmire there's a possibility I may have to be a punching bag for somebody. The money I make isn't going to help my bills from a tremendous standpoint, but I'm going to feel better about myself. I'm not going to be depressed", explained Tyson about the reasons for his "comeback". After the bout was poorly received by fans the remainder of the tour was cancelled.
Tyson vs. Jones
It was announced in July 2020 that Tyson had signed a contract to face former four-division world champion, Roy Jones Jr., in an eight-round exhibition fight. Mixed martial arts coach Rafael Cordeiro was selected to be Tyson's trainer and cornerman. The bout—officially sanctioned by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC)—was initially scheduled to take place on September 12 at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, however, the date was pushed back to November 28 in order to maximize revenue for the event. The fight went the full 8 rounds, and was declared a draw. The fight was a split draw and the three judges scored the fight as follows: Chad Dawson (76–76 draw), Christy Martin (79–73 for Tyson), and Vinny Pazienza (76–80 for Jones).
Mike Tyson's Legends Only League
In July 2020, Mike Tyson announced the creation of Mike Tyson's Legends Only League. Tyson formed the league in partnership with Sophie Watts and her company, Eros Innovations. The league provides retired professional athletes the opportunity to compete in their respective sport. On November 28, 2020, Mike Tyson fought Roy Jones Jr. at the Staples Center in the first event produced under Legends Only League. The event received largely positive reviews and was the highest selling PPV event of 2020, which ranks in the Top-10 for PPV purchased events all-time.
Legacy
Tyson was The Ring magazine's Fighter of the Year in 1986 and 1988. A 1998 ranking of "The Greatest Heavyweights of All-Time" by The Ring magazine placed Tyson at number 14 on the list. Despite criticism of facing underwhelming competition during his run as champion, Tyson's knockout power and intimidation factor made him the sport's most dynamic box-office draw. According to Douglas Quenqua of The New York Times, "The [1990s] began with Mike Tyson, considered by many to be the last great heavyweight champion, losing his title to the little-known Buster Douglas. Seven years later, Mr. Tyson bit Evander Holyfield's ear in a heavyweight champion bout—hardly a proud moment for the sport."
He is remembered for his attire of black trunks, black shoes with no socks, and a plain white towel fit around his neck in place of a traditional robe, as well as his habit of rapidly pacing the ring before the start of a fight. In his prime, Tyson rarely took a step back and had never been knocked down or seriously challenged. According to Martial Arts World Report, it gave Tyson an Honorable Mention in its Ten Greatest Heavyweights of All Time rather than a ranking because longevity is a factor and the peak period of Tyson's career lasted only about 5 years.
BoxRec currently ranks Tyson at number 13 among the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. In The Ring magazine's list of the 80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years, released in 2002, Tyson was ranked at number 72. He is ranked number 16 on The Ring magazine's 2003 list of 100 greatest punchers of all time. Tyson has defeated 11 boxers for the world heavyweight title, the seventh-most in history.
On June 12, 2011, Tyson was inducted to the International Boxing Hall of Fame alongside legendary Mexican champion Julio César Chávez, light welterweight champion Kostya Tszyu, and actor/screenwriter Sylvester Stallone. In 2011, Bleacher Report omitted Tyson from its list of top 10 heavyweights, saying that that "Mike Tyson is not a top 10 heavyweight. He killed the fighters he was supposed to beat, but when he fought another elite fighter, he always lost. I'm not talking about some of those B-level fighters he took a belt from. I'm talking about the handful of good boxers he fought throughout his career."
In 2013, Tyson was inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame and headlined the induction ceremony. Tyson was inducted into the Southern Nevada Hall of Fame in 2015 along with four other inductees with ties to Southern Nevada.
Tyson reflected on his strongest opponents in ten categories for a 2014 interview with The Ring magazine, including best jab, best defense, fastest hands, fastest feet, best chin, smartest, strongest, best puncher, best boxer, and best overall.
In 2017, The Ring magazine ranked Tyson as number 9 of 20 heavyweight champions based on a poll of panelists that included trainers, matchmakers, media, historians, and boxers, including:
Trainers: Teddy Atlas, Pat Burns, Virgil Hunter, and Don Turner
Matchmakers: Eric Bottjer, Don Chargin, Don Elbaum, Bobby Goodman, Ron Katz, Mike Marchionte, Russell Peltz, and Bruce Trampler.
Media: Al Bernstein, Ron Borges, Gareth A Davies, Norm Frauenheim, Jerry Izenberg, Harold Lederman, Paulie Malignaggi, Dan Rafael, and Michael Rosenthal
Historians: Craig Hamilton, Steve Lott, Don McRae, Bob Mee, Clay Moyle, Adam Pollack, and Randy Roberts
Boxers: Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson participated in the poll, but neither fighter ranked himself. Instead, a weighted average from the other panelists was assigned to their respective slots on their ballots.
In 2020, Bill Caplan of The Ring magazine listed Tyson as number 17 of the 20 greatest heavyweights of all time. Tyson spoke with The Ring magazine in 2020 about his six greatest victories, which included knockouts of Trevor Berbick, Pinklon Thomas, Tony Tucker, Tyrell Biggs, Larry Holmes, and Michael Spinks. In 2020, CBS Sports boxing experts Brian Campbell and Brent Brookhouse ranked the top 10 heavyweights of the last 50 years and Tyson was ranked number 7.
Life after boxing
In an interview with USA Today published on June 3, 2005, Tyson said, "My whole life has been a waste – I've been a failure." He continued: "I just want to escape. I'm really embarrassed with myself and my life. I want to be a missionary. I think I could do that while keeping my dignity without letting people know they chased me out of the country. I want to get this part of my life over as soon as possible. In this country nothing good is going to come of me. People put me so high; I wanted to tear that image down." Tyson began to spend much of his time tending to his 350 pigeons in Paradise Valley, an upscale enclave near Phoenix, Arizona.
Tyson has stayed in the limelight by promoting various websites and companies. In the past Tyson had shunned endorsements, accusing other athletes of putting on a false front to obtain them. Tyson has held entertainment boxing shows at a casino in Las Vegas and started a tour of exhibition bouts to pay off his numerous debts.
On December 29, 2006, Tyson was arrested in Scottsdale, Arizona, on suspicion of DUI and felony drug possession; he nearly crashed into a police SUV shortly after leaving a nightclub. According to a police probable-cause statement, filed in Maricopa County Superior Court, "[Tyson] admitted to using [drugs] today and stated he is an addict and has a problem." Tyson pleaded not guilty on January 22, 2007, in Maricopa County Superior Court to felony drug possession and paraphernalia possession counts and two misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence of drugs. On February 8 he checked himself into an inpatient treatment program for "various addictions" while awaiting trial on the drug charges.
On September 24, 2007, Tyson pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine and driving under the influence. He was convicted of these charges in November 2007 and sentenced to 24 hours in jail. After his release, he was ordered to serve three years' probation and complete 360 hours of community service. Prosecutors had requested a year-long jail sentence, but the judge praised Tyson for seeking help with his drug problems. On November 11, 2009, Tyson was arrested after getting into a scuffle at Los Angeles International airport with a photographer. No charges were filed.
Tyson has taken acting roles in movies and television, most famously playing a fictionalized version of himself in the 2009 film The Hangover.
In September 2011, Tyson gave an interview in which he made comments about former Alaska governor Sarah Palin including crude and violent descriptions of interracial sex. These comments were reprinted on The Daily Caller website. Journalist Greta van Susteren criticized Tyson and The Daily Caller over the comments, which she described as "smut" and "violence against women".
After debuting a one-man show in Las Vegas, Tyson collaborated with film director Spike Lee and brought the show to Broadway in August 2012. In February 2013, Tyson took his one-man show Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth on a 36-city, three-month national tour. Tyson talks about his personal and professional life on stage. The one-man show was aired on HBO on November 16, 2013.
In October 2012, Tyson launched the Mike Tyson Cares Foundation. The mission of the Mike Tyson Cares Foundation is to "give kids a fighting chance" by providing innovative centers that provide for the comprehensive needs of kids from broken homes.
In August 2013, Tyson teamed up with Acquinity Sports to form Iron Mike Productions, a boxing promotions company.
In September 2013, Tyson was featured on a six-episode television series on Fox Sports 1 that documented his personal and private life entitled Being: Mike Tyson.
In November 2013, Tyson's Undisputed Truth was published, which appeared on The New York Times Best Seller list. At the Golden Podium Awards Ceremony, Tyson received the SPORTEL Special Prize for the best autobiography.
In May 2017, Tyson published his second book, Iron Ambition, which details his time with trainer and surrogate father Cus D'Amato.
In February 2018, Tyson attended the international mixed martial arts (MMA) tournament in the Russian city of Chelyabinsk. Tyson said: "As I have travelled all over the country of Russia I have realised that the people are very sensitive and kind. But most Americans do not have any experience of that."
On May 12, 2020, Tyson posted a video on his Instagram of him training again. At the end of the video, Tyson hinted at a return to boxing by saying, "I'm back".
On May 23, 2020, at All Elite Wrestling's Double or Nothing, Tyson helped Cody defeat Lance Archer alongside Jake Roberts and presented him the inaugural AEW TNT Championship. Tyson alongside Henry Cejudo, Rashad Evans, and Vitor Belfort appeared on the May 27 episode of AEW Dynamite facing off against Chris Jericho and his stable The Inner Circle. Tyson returned to AEW on the April 7, 2021 episode of Dynamite and helped Jericho from being attacked by The Pinnacle, beating down Shawn Spears in the process. He was the special guest enforcer on the April 14 episode of Dynamite for a match between Jericho and Dax Harwood of The Pinnacle, a preview of the upcoming Inner Circle vs. Pinnacle match at Blood and Guts.
Personal life
Tyson resides in Seven Hills, Nevada. He has been married three times, and has seven children, one deceased, with three women; in addition to his biological children, Tyson includes his second wife's oldest daughter as one of his own.
His first marriage was to actress Robin Givens from February 7, 1988, to February 14, 1989. Givens was known at the time for her role on the sitcom Head of the Class. Tyson's marriage to Givens was especially tumultuous, with allegations of violence, spousal abuse, and mental instability on Tyson's part.
Matters came to a head when Tyson and Givens gave a joint interview with Barbara Walters on the ABC TV newsmagazine show 20/20 in September 1988, in which Givens described life with Tyson as "torture, pure hell, worse than anything I could possibly imagine." Givens also described Tyson as "manic depressive" – which was later confirmed by doctors – on national television while Tyson looked on with an intent and calm expression. A month later, Givens announced that she was seeking a divorce from the allegedly abusive Tyson.
According to the book Fire and Fear: The Inside Story of Mike Tyson, Tyson admitted that he punched Givens and stated, "that was the best punch I've ever thrown in my entire life." Tyson claimed that book was "filled with inaccuracies." They had no children but she reported having had a miscarriage; Tyson claimed that she was never pregnant and only used that to get him to marry her. During their marriage, the couple lived in a mansion in Bernardsville, New Jersey.
Tyson's second marriage was to Monica Turner from April 19, 1997, to January 14, 2003. At the time of the divorce filing, Turner worked as a pediatric resident at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C. She is the sister of Michael Steele, the former Lieutenant Governor of Maryland and former Republican National Committee. Turner filed for divorce from Tyson in January 2002, claiming that he committed adultery during their five-year marriage, an act that "has neither been forgiven nor condoned." The couple had two children; son Amir and Ramsey who is non-binary.
On May 25, 2009, Tyson's four-year-old daughter Exodus was found by her seven-year-old brother Miguel unconscious and tangled in a cord, dangling from an exercise treadmill. The child's mother, Sol Xochitl, untangled her, administered CPR and called for medical attention. Tyson, who was in Las Vegas at the time of the incident, traveled back to Phoenix to be with her. She died of her injuries on May 26, 2009.
Eleven days after his daughter's death, Tyson wed for the third time, to longtime girlfriend Lakiha "Kiki" Spicer, age 32, exchanging vows on Saturday, June 6, 2009, in a short, private ceremony at the La Bella Wedding Chapel at the Las Vegas Hilton. They have two children; daughter Milan and son Morocco.
In March 2011, Tyson appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show to discuss his new Animal Planet reality series Taking on Tyson. In the interview with DeGeneres, Tyson discussed some of the ways he had improved his life in the past two years, including sober living and a vegan diet. However, in August 2013 he admitted publicly that he had lied about his sobriety and was on the verge of death from alcoholism.
In November 2013, Tyson stated "the more I look at churches and mosques, the more I see the devil". But, just a month later, in a December 2013 interview with Fox News, Tyson said that he is very grateful to be a Muslim and that he needs Allah in his life. In the same interview Tyson talked about his progress with sobriety and how being in the company of good people has made him want to be a better and more humble person.
Tyson also revealed that he is no longer vegan, stating, "I was a vegan for four years but not anymore. I eat chicken every now and then. I should be a vegan. [No red meat] at all, no way! I would be very sick if I ate red meat. That's probably why I was so crazy before."
In 2015, Tyson announced that he was supporting Donald Trump's presidential candidacy.
In popular culture
At the height of his fame and career in the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s, Tyson was among the most recognized sports personalities in the world. In addition to his many sporting accomplishments, his outrageous and controversial behavior in the ring and in his private life has kept him in the public eye and in the courtroom. As such, Tyson has been the subject of myriad popular media including movies, television, books and music. He has also been featured in video games and as a subject of parody or satire. Tyson became involved in professional wrestling and has made many cameo appearances in film and television.
The film Tyson was released in 1995 and was directed by Uli Edel. It explores the life of Mike Tyson, from the death of his guardian and trainer Cus D'Amato to his rape conviction. Tyson is played by Michael Jai White.
Published in 2007, author Joe Layden's book The Last Great Fight: The Extraordinary Tale of Two Men and How One Fight Changed Their Lives Forever, chronicled the lives of Tyson and Douglas before and after their heavyweight championship fight.
In 2008, the documentary Tyson premiered at the annual Cannes Film Festival in France.
He is the titular character in Mike Tyson Mysteries, which started airing on October 27, 2014, on Adult Swim. In the animated series, Tyson voices a fictionalized version of himself, solving mysteries in the style of Scooby-Doo.
In early March 2015, Tyson appeared on the track "Iconic" on Madonna's album Rebel Heart. Tyson says some lines at the beginning of the song.
In late March 2015, Ip Man 3 was announced. With Donnie Yen reprising his role as the titular character, Bruce Lee's martial arts master, Ip Man, while Mike Tyson has been confirmed to join the cast. Principal photography began on March 25, 2015, and was premiered in Hong Kong on December 16, 2015.
In January 2017, Tyson launched his YouTube channel with Shots Studios, a comedy video and comedy music production company with young digital stars like Lele Pons and Rudy Mancuso. Tyson's channel includes parody music videos and comedy sketches.
He hosts the podcast Hotboxin' with Mike Tyson.
In October 2017, Tyson was announced as the new face of Australian car servicing franchise Ultra Tune. He has taken over from Jean-Claude van Damme in fronting television commercials for the brand, and the first advert is due to air in January 2018 during the Australian Open.
A joint Mainland China-Hong Kong-directed film on female friendship titled Girls 2: Girls vs Gangsters () that was shot earlier from July–August 2016 at several locations around Vietnam was released in March 2018, featuring Tyson as "Dragon".
Tiki Lau released a dance music single, Mike Tyson in October 2020 which includes vocals from Tyson.
In 2021, Mike's Hard Lemonade Seltzer featured ads with Tyson.
In March 2021, it was announced that Jamie Foxx will star in, and also executive produce the official scripted series, “Tyson". The limited series will be directed by Antoine Fuqua and executive produced by Martin Scorsese.
A two-part documentary series titled Mike Tyson: The Knockout premiered on May 25, 2021, on ABC
Professional boxing record
Exhibition boxing record
Pay-per-view bouts
Boxing
PPV home television
Closed-circuit theatre TV
Select pay-per-view boxing buy rates at American closed-circuit theatre television venues:
Professional wrestling
World Wrestling Federation
All Elite Wrestling
Awards and honors
Humane letters
The Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, in 1989 awarded Tyson an honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters: "Mike demonstrates that hard work, determination and perseverance can enable one to overcome any obstacles."
Boxing
Ring magazine Prospect of the Year (1985)
2× Ring magazine Fighter of the Year (1986, 1988)
2× Sugar Ray Robinson Award winner (1987, 1989)
BBC Sports Personality of the Year Overseas Personality (1989)
International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee (Class of 2011)
"Guirlande d'Honneur" by the FICTS (Milan, 2010)
Professional wrestling
WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2012)
See also
List of undisputed boxing champions
List of heavyweight boxing champions
World heavyweight boxing championship records and statistics
Notes
References
External links
Boxing Hall of Fame
ESPN.com
ESPN.com – additional information
ESPN.com – Boxing Topics: Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson amateur boxing record
"Mike Tyson Film Takes a Swing at His Old Image", 2008 article at The New York Times
"Mike Tyson Moves to the Suburbs", 2011 article at The New York Times
1966 births
Living people
20th-century American criminals
African-American boxers
African-American male professional wrestlers
African-American Muslims
American autobiographers
American male boxers
American male criminals
American male voice actors
American people convicted of assault
American people convicted of drug offenses
American people convicted of rape
American prisoners and detainees
American sportspeople convicted of crimes
BBC Sports Personality World Sport Star of the Year winners
Boxers from New York (state)
Converts to Islam
Criminals from New York (state)
Criminals from New York City
D-Generation X members
International Boxing Federation champions
International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees
Mixed martial arts referees
National Golden Gloves champions
Participants in Bulgarian reality television series
People from Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn
People from Bernardsville, New Jersey
People from Brownsville, Brooklyn
People from Catskill, New York
People from Henderson, Nevada
People from Trumbull County, Ohio
People with bipolar disorder
People with speech impediment
Prisoners and detainees of Indiana
Sportspeople from Brooklyn
Sportspeople from Las Vegas
The Ring (magazine) champions
World Boxing Association champions
World Boxing Council champions
World heavyweight boxing champions
Writers from Brooklyn
WWE Hall of Fame inductees
Participants in Argentine reality television series
Bailando por un Sueño (Argentine TV series) participants
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[
"Kerwin Joseph Danley (born May 25, 1961) is an American former umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the National League (NL) from 1992 to 1999 and throughout both leagues from 2000 to 2021. He was promoted to crew chief for the 2020 season, becoming the first full time African-American crew chief. Danley has umpired in the 2008 and 2018 World Series and the 2007 and 2016 Major League Baseball All-Star Games. He is married to Marisa Danley.\n\nCollege baseball\nDanley played baseball at San Diego State University, where he was teammates with Bud Black and future Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn, before beginning his umpiring career. He was a First Team All-American in 1983.\n\nUmpire career\nDanley was the first base umpire for the game between the San Francisco Giants and the San Diego Padres on August 4, . In the top of the second inning at San Diego, Barry Bonds of the Giants hit his 755th career home run off Clay Hensley, tying Hank Aaron for first all-time.\n\nDanley was on the field on August 6, 1999, when former San Diego State teammate Tony Gwynn collected his 3,000th career hit.\n\nDanley was the first base umpire for Miami Marlins pitcher Edinson Vólquez's no-hitter against the Arizona Diamondbacks on June 3, 2017.\n\nInjuries \nDanley has a significant history of head trauma.\n\nIn 2008, Danley was hit in the mask and knocked unconscious by a 96-mph fastball at Dodger Stadium. He was carried off the field on a stretcher.\n\nOn April 21, 2009, Danley was again stretchered off the field after being hit in the mask with a broken bat.\n\nOn June 4, 2013, Danley was hit in the mask by a pitch that bounced in the dirt in Cincinnati and left the game. He was replaced behind home plate by Lance Barksdale.\n\nOn May 12, 2015, Danley was hit in the mask by a 94-mph foul ball in Arizona and left the game. He was replaced behind home plate by Gabe Morales.\n\nOn April 7, 2016, Danley was hit in the mask by a 98-mph fastball in Miami but remained in the game.\n\nOn July 9, 2017, Danley was hit in the mask by a 94-mph foul ball in Dodger Stadium and left the game. He was replaced behind home plate by Adam Hamari.\n\nOn April 27, 2021, Danley was hit in the mask by a foul ball in San Francisco and left the game. He was replaced behind home plate by Ryan Additon.\n\nSee also \n\n List of Major League Baseball umpires\n\nReferences\n\n1961 births\nLiving people\nAfrican-American sports officials\nSportspeople from Los Angeles\nMajor League Baseball umpires\nSan Diego State Aztecs baseball players\nAll-American college baseball players\n21st-century African-American sportspeople\n20th-century African-American sportspeople",
"Lethal League (Baseball of Death) is an indie fighting video game developed by Dutch developer Team Reptile. It was released worldwide on Windows on 27 August 2014, with PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions released in May 2017. A sequel, Lethal League Blaze, was released on Windows in October 2018 and on the Nintendo Switch in July 2019.\n\nGameplay\nLethal League is a 2D arena fighting video game in which up to four players face off against each other in an arena. The goal is to hit a ball back and forth, and have the ball hit other players until there's only one player left. With each consecutive hit, the ball will speed up more, making it harder for the other players to not get hit and hit the ball back. In their review, Destructoid described the game as \"If Mario Tennis and Smash Bros. had a baby, and it was raised by European DJs who love baseball.\"\n\nDevelopment\nLethal League started out as a flash game, the idea coming from the developers playing around with a 'hit and reflect projectile mechanic' in Team Reptile's first game, Megabyte Punch. The flash game was picked up by several media outlets and was the Mystery Game at the UFGT9 fighting game tournament. After being very well received, the developer decided to flesh out the prototype and develop it into a full game to be released on Steam. The more fleshed out version of Lethal League was first showcased at the 2014 Casual Connect Europe, and later at EVO's indie showcase and gamescom, where the game was a crowd favorite.\n\nIn 2016, the game was part of the Humble Indie Bundle 17 with ports to Mac OS X and Linux.\n\nIn 2017, Team Reptile announced a remake of Lethal League, titled Lethal League Blaze, that included fully 3D models and animations. It was released in October 2018.\n\nReception\n\nLethal League was released on 27 August 2014 and has received mostly positive reviews. Many reviewers praised Lethal League for being \"easy to learn, spectacular to watch and complex to master\" and for being a lot of fun to play on the couch with friends. Destructoid's Ben Pack ended his review saying \"It’s my personal favorite of the revival of couch co-op games, and may be my favorite “tell a friend” game of all time.\" The game sold over 100.000 units worldwide by April 2015.\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\n Official website\n Team Reptile official website\n\n2014 video games\nFighting games\nFantasy sports video games\nIndie video games\nPlayStation 4 games\nXbox One games\nLinux games\nMacOS games\nVideo games developed in the Netherlands\nWindows games"
] |
[
"Joe McGinnity",
"Later career"
] |
C_52e3edf6b03848f4a22539c67e1486d6_0
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What did McGinnity do later in life?
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What did Joe McGinnity do later in life?
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Joe McGinnity
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McGinnity purchased the Newark Indians of the Class-A Eastern League (EL) for $50,000 ($1,361,852 in current dollar terms) in 1909 from Frank J. Farrell. The press reported that McGinnity would operate the team as a farm team of the Giants, though he denied these reports. When McGinnity could not retain manager Harry Wolverton, he stepped in as player-manager for the Indians. That season, he had a 29-16 record. His 422 innings pitched and 11 shutouts set EL single-season records. He also won both games of doubleheaders on August 27, 1909, and July 23, 1912. McGinnity played for and managed the Indians through 1912. The Indians finished second in the EL in 1909 and 1910. McGinnity sold his interests in the Indians to Ebbets and Ed McKeever and purchased the Tacoma Tigers of the Class-B Northwestern League for $8,500 ($215,548 in current dollar terms), spending another $50,000 ($1,267,931 in current dollar terms) on the franchise in renovating the stadium. He served as player-manager the Tigers at the start of the 1913 season, but stepped down as manager, hiring Russ Hall to serve as manager in June. McGinnity sold stock in the team in 1915 in order to afford operating expenses. He also briefly played for the Venice Tigers of the Class-A Pacific Coast League in 1914. McGinnity sold the Tigers and purchased the Butte Miners of the Northwestern League in 1916, serving as player-manager and bringing with him several players from Tacoma. In June 1917, he sold his stock in the team and secured his release. He played for the Great Falls Electrics of the Northwestern League for the remainder of the 1917 season. He later became the manager of the A. E. Staley factory baseball team. McGinnity served as player-manager of the Danville Veterans of the Class-B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League in the 1922 season and Dubuque Climbers of the Class-D Mississippi Valley League during the 1923 season. With Dubuque, McGinnity won 15 games at age 52. One of those wins was a shutout, pitched in a record one hour and seven minutes. Two years later, he returned to play for Dubuque and Springfield Senators of the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League during the 1925 season. He pitched in his final professional game on July 28, 1925, after participating in an old-timers game earlier in the day. McGinnity joined the coaching staff of former teammate Wilbert Robinson, along with Kelley, for the Brooklyn Dodgers during the 1926 MLB season. McGinnity and Kelley were not retained after the season. CANNOTANSWER
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McGinnity purchased the Newark Indians of the Class-A Eastern League (EL) for $50,000 ($1,361,852 in current dollar terms) in 1909 from Frank J. Farrell.
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Joseph Jerome McGinnity (March 20, 1871 – November 14, 1929) was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the late 19th and early 20th century. McGinnity played in MLB for ten years, pitching for the National League's (NL) Baltimore Orioles (1899) and Brooklyn Superbas (1900), before jumping to the American League (AL) to play for the Baltimore Orioles (AL) (1901–1902). He returned to the NL with the New York Giants (1902–1908). McGinnity continued to pitch in the minor leagues, eventually retiring from baseball for good at the age of 54.
In MLB, he won 246 games with a 2.66 earned run average (ERA). He had seven 20-win seasons and two 30-win seasons. Including his time in the minor leagues, McGinnity won close to 500 games as a professional ballplayer. He led MLB in wins five times (1899, 1900, 1903, 1904, and 1906) and ERA once (1904). With the Giants, he won the 1905 World Series. His teams also won NL pennants in 1900 and 1904.
McGinnity was nicknamed "Iron Man" because he worked in an iron foundry during the baseball offseasons. His nickname came to convey his longevity and durability, as he routinely pitched in both games of doubleheaders. He set NL records for complete games (48) and innings pitched (434) in a single season, which still stand (and with modern MLB practices which limit pitchers' innings, are considered effectively unbreakable). McGinnity is considered one of the better players in the history of the New York Giants. The Veterans Committee elected him to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946.
Early life
McGinnity's father, Peter, was born in Dublin, Ireland. His last name was McGinity before he came to United States. He changed it by adding an "n" after he emigrated to the United States in 1861. Peter worked in coal mines and on the farm owned by John and Rebecca Denning, and they accepted him, allowing him to move in with them in their Henry County farm. John and Rebecca moved to Oregon, leaving the homestead in the hands of Peter and their daughter, Hannah. The two married in August 1865, three months before the birth of their first son, William. Their second son, Peter, was born in 1869, and Joe was born in 1871. The McGinnitys had four more children.
Joe received little formal schooling. Due to the transient lifestyle of coal miners, his family moved frequently during his childhood. The McGinnitys moved to Gallatin County in 1878. Two days after the birth of their seventh child, Peter died in an accident. At the age of eight, Joe and his older brothers went to work in the mines to support their family. In 1880, the family moved to Springfield, Illinois, where Joe and his brothers worked for the Springfield Coal Company. They moved to Decatur, Illinois less than six months later, continuing to mine coal, while their mother cleaned houses.
Baseball career
Early career
While living in Decatur, McGinnity began playing baseball with other coal miners in their leisure time. The owner of the Decatur Coal Company founded the Decatur Baseball Association in 1886. An outfielder, McGinnity substituted for his team's pitcher in an 1888 game, which he won. He continued to pitch from that point on. He pitched for semi-professional teams based in Decatur in 1888 and 1889. His family headed west, stopping in the Indian Territory on their way to Montana, where Hannah's sister struck gold in their coal mine. McGinnity and his brothers worked in a coal mine in Krebs. There, he met his future wife, Mary Redpath, the oldest daughter of a fellow coal miner. McGinnity also played baseball for the local team. He increased baseball's popularity in the area, and was later referred to as "the father of Oklahoma baseball" by a sportswriter for The Oklahoman, as he organized, managed, and pitched for teams in Krebs. One of these teams began traveling to other towns along the Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad to play against their local teams. He also pitched for teams in neighboring towns.
John McCloskey, the manager of the minor league baseball Montgomery Colts of the Class-B Southern League, heard about McGinnity's pitching. McCloskey signed McGinnity, who made his professional debut with the Colts in 1893. McCloskey habitually baited umpires during games, a trait which McGinnity learned. The league folded as a result of financial troubles related to the Panic of 1893. Jimmie Manning, manager of the Southern League franchise in Savannah, Georgia, became manager of the Kansas City Blues of the Class-A Western League for the 1894 season, and signed McGinnity to pitch for the Blues. Combined for Montgomery and Kansas City, McGinnity had a 21–29 win–loss record, while walking more batters than he could strikeout, and allowing more than a hit per inning pitched. According to a Western League umpire, catcher Tim Donahue tipped McGinnity's pitches to opposing batters due to a personal feud. As McGinnity continued to struggle for Kansas City, he requested his release in June.
McGinnity moved to Springfield, Illinois, where he worked as a coal miner, bartender, and operated a saloon. McGinnity also pitched locally for semi-professional teams in Springfield and Decatur, receiving a salary between $1 to $3 (between $ to $ in current dollar terms) for each game. During this time, McGinnity developed a sidearm pitch he nicknamed "Old Sal", described as a "slow curve", which became a feature of his later success. He also improved his fielding, as opponents attempted to bunt "Old Sal".
While pitching for a semi-professional team, McGinnity defeated the National League's (NL) Baltimore Orioles in an exhibition game after he had already defeated a team from Chatham, Illinois earlier in the day. Pat Wright, who managed Springfield's semi-professional team, was named manager of the Peoria Distillers of the Class-B Western Association, and he signed McGinnity to Peoria for the 1898 season, marking his return to professional baseball. Armed with "Old Sal", McGinnity compiled a 9–4 record for Peoria, allowing only 118 hits and 60 walks while striking out 74 batters in 142 innings. He pitched a complete 21-inning game, believed to be the second longest professional baseball game to date. With low attendance and the distraction of the Spanish–American War, the Western Association folded in August.
Major League Baseball
Former Brooklyn Grooms player George Pinkney, who lived in Peoria during his retirement, saw McGinnity pitch, and contacted Brooklyn owner Charles Ebbets to recommend he sign McGinnity. He signed McGinnity in the spring of 1899 for $150 a month ($ in current dollar terms). The syndicate that owned Brooklyn also owned the Baltimore Orioles.
With the ownership consolidation, Orioles player-manager Ned Hanlon, who received an ownership stake in the clubs, moved from Baltimore to Brooklyn and assigned many of his best players to Brooklyn, including Joe Kelley, Dan McGann, Hughie Jennings and Willie Keeler. Hanlon assigned McGinnity to the Orioles for the 1899 season after seeing his unorthodox pitching delivery and slow pitching speed. With the Orioles, McGinnity played with John McGraw, who succeeded Hanlon as player-manager, and Wilbert Robinson, who caught McGinnity. McGraw and Robinson had refused to relocate to Brooklyn due to their investment in a Baltimore restaurant. The two imparted their aggressive style of play to McGinnity. In his first year in the NL, McGinnity had a 28–16 record. His 28 wins led the NL, while he ranked second with 48 games, third with a 2.68 earned run average (ERA), and fourth with innings pitched.
After the 1899 season, the NL voted to contract four teams, which included the Orioles. Hanlon assigned McGinnity to Brooklyn, now known as the "Superbas". McGinnity posted a 28–8 record for Brooklyn in the 1900 season. His 28 wins and 343 innings pitched led the league, as the Dodgers won the NL pennant. McGinnity also pitched two complete games in the Chronicle-Telegraph Cup, as the Superbas defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates. Rather than draw straws to decide who would keep the trophy, the team voted to award it to McGinnity.
With the formation of the American League (AL) as a competitor to the NL, and rumors that the AL's Detroit Tigers were interested in McGinnity, Brooklyn offered McGinnity a $5,000 contract ($ in current dollar terms) to stay with Brooklyn. McGinnity considered retiring from baseball, but ultimately jumped to the AL, signing with the Baltimore Orioles of the AL before the 1901 season. He received a salary of $2,800 ($ in current dollar terms), choosing less money in an upstart league for the chance to be reunited with McGraw, who was player-manager and part-owner of the Orioles.
Fighting continued to erupt in games McGraw managed. During a brawl that erupted during a game against the Detroit Tigers on August 21, 1901, McGinnity spat on umpire Tom Connolly. McGinnity was arrested for the incident and permanently suspended by AL president Ban Johnson, who wanted there to be no fighting in AL games. Johnson later cut the suspension down to 12 days after McGinnity apologized. McGinnity compiled a 26–20 record for the 1901 Orioles, and his 48 games, 39 complete games, and 382 innings pitched led the AL.
McGinnity began the 1902 season with the Orioles. However, the franchise began to fall into significant debt. Joe Kelley, star player for the Orioles and son-in-law of part-owner John Mahon, reported that the team owed as much as $12,000 ($ in current dollar terms). Unable to afford that debt, Mahon purchased shares of the team from Kelley and player-manager John McGraw. With this, Mahon became the majority shareholder. On July 17, 1902, Mahon sold his interest in the Orioles to Andrew Freedman, principal owner of the Giants, and John T. Brush, principal owner of the Cincinnati Reds, also of the NL. That day, Freedman and Brush released McGinnity, McGraw, Kelley, Roger Bresnahan, Jack Cronin, Cy Seymour, and Dan McGann from their Oriole contracts. Brush then signed Kelley and Seymour to the Reds, while Freedman signed McGinnity, Bresnahan, Cronin, and McGann, joining McGraw, his new player-manager, on the Giants. McGinnity attempted to contact Johnson that night, offering to stay with the Orioles if he could receive Johnson's personal assurance that he was welcome to stay. McGinnity did not hear back from Johnson, who had left his phone off the hook that night to avoid being contacted, and joined his teammates with the Giants.
With the Giants for the 1903 season, McGinnity won 31 games. He also set MLB records with 48 games started and 434 innings pitched, which remain NL records today. Jack Chesbro, pitching for the New York Highlanders of the American League during the 1904 season, set the current MLB records with 55 games started and innings. In 1903, McGinnity started both games of a doubleheader on numerous occasions. He performed this feat three times in a single month, winning all six games. On the final instance, The New York Times reported "he seemed fresh enough to tackle the visitors for a third contest if that were necessary". He pitched over 100 innings in the month of August. Wins by McGinnity and fellow pitcher Christy Mathewson accounted for 73% of the Giants' winning games in 1903, setting an MLB record for a pitching tandem. After the season, McGinnity and some of his teammates threatened to quit the Giants, accusing Brush, now the Giants owner, of going back on a promise to pay the team a monetary bonus for having finished among the top three teams in the NL, as well as a share of the gate receipts from exhibition games, for which they were paid $56.35 ($ in current dollar terms), though Brush allegedly had made over $200,000 ($ in current dollar terms). McGinnity claimed that he would pitch in the California League, as he had received a salary offer for "$1,000 ($ in current dollar terms) more than [he] got in New York". Jack Warner eventually joined McGinnity in publicly threatening to quit.
McGinnity set an MLB record during the 1904 season, recording his tenth win in 21 team games on May 21, the fewest team games for a pitcher to reach the mark. In 1904, McGinnity had a 35–8 record, leading the NL in games (51), innings pitched (408), shutouts (9), saves (5), and his career-best 1.61 ERA. With the Giants competing for the pennant, McGinnity again won both games in a doubleheader three times in a matter of weeks. Aided by McGinnity, the Giants again won the NL pennant. However, they did not compete in the 1904 World Series as Brush and McGraw refused to face the AL champion Boston Pilgrims, following their altercations with Johnson. After the 1904 season, McGinnity attempted to hold out from the Giants when Brush refused to allow McGinnity to play winter baseball with a team in the Southern United States.
McGinnity won 21 games in the 1905 season, as the Giants won the NL pennant. This year, the Giants participated in the 1905 World Series, against the AL champion Philadelphia Athletics. McGinnity started Games Two and Four of the five game series against the Athletics, winning one and losing one, while Mathewson pitched and won the other three. All five games, including the game McGinnity lost to Chief Bender, were shutouts. In 1906, McGinnity again led the NL in wins, with 27. This came in spite of a suspension McGinnity served for fighting Pirates catcher Heinie Peitz, which NL president Harry Pulliam described as "attempting to make the ball park a slaughterhouse." The Mayor of Pittsburgh, who attended the game, insisted that McGinnity be arrested.
In the 1907 season, McGinnity finished with an 18–18 record with a 3.16 ERA, allowing more than a hit per inning for the first time since the 1901 season. He missed the beginning of the 1908 season with a severe fever. In June 1908, Brush put McGinnity on waivers, hoping another owner would relieve him of McGinnity's $5,000 salary ($ in current dollar terms). He tried to waive McGinnity again in August, but both times McGinnity went unclaimed. Despite this, McGinnity reverted to his old form: from August 22 through the end of the season, McGinnity had an 11–7 record, five shutouts, a 2.27 ERA, and an NL-leading five saves. The Giants released McGinnity on February 27, 1909, when McGinnity decided to pay for his own release.
Later career
McGinnity purchased the Newark Indians of the Class-A Eastern League (EL) for $50,000 ($ in current dollar terms) in 1909 from Frank J. Farrell. The press reported that McGinnity would operate the team as a farm team of the Giants, though he denied these reports. When McGinnity could not retain manager Harry Wolverton, he stepped in as player-manager for the Indians. That season, he had a 29–16 record. His 422 innings pitched and 11 shutouts set EL single-season records. He also won both games of doubleheaders on August 27, 1909, and July 23, 1912.
McGinnity played for and managed the Indians through 1912. The Indians finished second in the EL in 1909 and 1910. McGinnity sold his interests in the Indians to Ebbets and Ed McKeever and purchased the Tacoma Tigers of the Class-B Northwestern League for $8,500 ($ in current dollar terms), spending another $50,000 ($ in current dollar terms) on the franchise in renovating the stadium. He served as player-manager of the Tigers at the start of the 1913 season, but stepped down as manager, hiring Russ Hall to serve as manager in June. McGinnity sold stock in the team in 1915 in order to afford operating expenses. He also briefly played for the Venice Tigers of the Class-A Pacific Coast League in 1914.
McGinnity sold the Tigers and purchased the Butte Miners of the Northwestern League in 1916, serving as player-manager and bringing with him several players from Tacoma. In June 1917, he sold his stock in the team and secured his release. He played for the Great Falls Electrics of the Northwestern League for the remainder of the 1917 season. He later became the manager of the A. E. Staley factory baseball team.
McGinnity served as player-manager of the Danville Veterans of the Class-B Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League in the 1922 season and Dubuque Climbers of the Class-D Mississippi Valley League during the 1923 season. With Dubuque, McGinnity won 15 games at age 52. One of those wins was a shutout, pitched in a record one hour and seven minutes. Two years later, he returned to play for Dubuque and the Springfield Senators of the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League during the 1925 season. He pitched in his final professional game on July 28, 1925, after participating in an old-timers game earlier in the day.
McGinnity joined the coaching staff of former teammate Wilbert Robinson, along with Kelley, for the Brooklyn Dodgers during the 1926 MLB season. McGinnity and Kelley were not retained after the season.
Personal life
McGinnity acquired his nickname, "Iron Man", before his doubleheader pitching became widely discussed. According to Lee Allen in The National League Story (1961), a reporter asked McGinnity, while he was still a minor league pitcher, what he did in between seasons. "I'm an iron man", he answered. "I work in a foundry." McGinnity's wife's family operated an iron foundry in McAlester, Oklahoma, where McGinnity worked in the offseasons.
Because of his nickname and connection to the foundry, John McGraw named McGinnity the starter for the Giants' March 23, 1904 exhibition game against the Southern Association's Birmingham Iron Men which was scheduled to raise funds for the Vulcan statue then being cast for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition that summer in St. Louis, Missouri. At his own request, McGinnity was allowed to visit the downtown foundry and personally pour some of the iron into the moulds for the statue.
While working with Williams College's baseball team in 1929, McGinnity became ill. He had surgery to remove tumors from his bladder, and was said to be in critical condition. After the surgery, he was quoted as saying "it's the ninth inning, and I guess they're going to get me out." He died November 14, 1929 in Brooklyn, New York, at the home of his daughter. He was interred in McAlester.
Legacy
McGinnity finished his MLB career with 246 career wins, seven 20-win seasons, and two 30-win seasons. He had nearly 500 professional wins including his years in the minor leagues. McGinnity set a career record in batters hit by pitch with 152. He revolutionized the fielding of the pitching position, by attempting to make force outs at any base, instead of throwing the ball only to first base.
After his death, McGinnity was eulogized as a "hard player" and "a fighter with brains" who hated to lose. Jennings described him as an even better fielder than he was a pitcher. McGraw said that McGinnity was "the hardest working pitcher I ever had on my ballcub". Connie Mack called him a "magician".
After failing to receive the necessary votes from the Baseball Writers' Association of America for entry in the National Baseball Hall of Fame on seven occasions, McGinnity was posthumously elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1946. He was also inducted into the Quad City Sports Hall of Fame in 1988.
In a 1976 article in Esquire magazine, sportswriter Harry Stein published an "All Time All-Star Argument Starter", consisting of five ethnic baseball teams. Though Stein chose McGinnity as the right-handed pitcher for the Irish team, the team was omitted from the article due to space limitations. The Irish team was included in The Book of Lists, published the following year. Lawrence Ritter and Donald Honig included McGinnity in their 1981 book, The 100 Greatest Baseball Players of All Time. The Chicago Tribune included McGinnity in its all-time Illinois team in 1990. In his 2001 book The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract, Bill James ranked McGinnity as the 41st greatest pitcher of all time.
See also
List of Major League Baseball career wins leaders
List of Major League Baseball career ERA leaders
List of Major League Baseball career hit batsmen leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual ERA leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual shutout leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual saves leaders
References
Bibliography
Brown Jr. Charles William Denning McGinnity Family History, Chicago, Illinois, And is mentioned several time in the book Iron Man McGinnity: A Baseball Biography. McFarland & Company. .
In-line citations
External links
1871 births
1929 deaths
People from Henry County, Illinois
American people of Irish descent
National Baseball Hall of Fame inductees
Baltimore Orioles (NL) players
Baltimore Orioles (1901–02) players
Brooklyn Superbas players
New York Giants (NL) players
Major League Baseball pitchers
Baseball players from Illinois
National League ERA champions
National League wins champions
Brooklyn Dodgers coaches
Newark Indians players
Tacoma Tigers players
Venice Tigers players
Danville Veterans players
Springfield Senators players
Baseball player-managers
Deaths from bladder cancer
Deaths from cancer in New York (state)
Vancouver Beavers players
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"Joseph Jerome McGinnity (March 20, 1871 – November 14, 1929) was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the late 19th and early 20th century. McGinnity played in MLB for ten years, pitching for the National League's (NL) Baltimore Orioles (1899) and Brooklyn Superbas (1900), before jumping to the American League (AL) to play for the Baltimore Orioles (AL) (1901–1902). He returned to the NL with the New York Giants (1902–1908). McGinnity continued to pitch in the minor leagues, eventually retiring from baseball for good at the age of 54.\n\nIn MLB, he won 246 games with a 2.66 earned run average (ERA). He had seven 20-win seasons and two 30-win seasons. Including his time in the minor leagues, McGinnity won close to 500 games as a professional ballplayer. He led MLB in wins five times (1899, 1900, 1903, 1904, and 1906) and ERA once (1904). With the Giants, he won the 1905 World Series. His teams also won NL pennants in 1900 and 1904.\n\nMcGinnity was nicknamed \"Iron Man\" because he worked in an iron foundry during the baseball offseasons. His nickname came to convey his longevity and durability, as he routinely pitched in both games of doubleheaders. He set NL records for complete games (48) and innings pitched (434) in a single season, which still stand (and with modern MLB practices which limit pitchers' innings, are considered effectively unbreakable). McGinnity is considered one of the better players in the history of the New York Giants. The Veterans Committee elected him to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946.\n\nEarly life\nMcGinnity's father, Peter, was born in Dublin, Ireland. His last name was McGinity before he came to United States. He changed it by adding an \"n\" after he emigrated to the United States in 1861. Peter worked in coal mines and on the farm owned by John and Rebecca Denning, and they accepted him, allowing him to move in with them in their Henry County farm. John and Rebecca moved to Oregon, leaving the homestead in the hands of Peter and their daughter, Hannah. The two married in August 1865, three months before the birth of their first son, William. Their second son, Peter, was born in 1869, and Joe was born in 1871. The McGinnitys had four more children.\n\nJoe received little formal schooling. Due to the transient lifestyle of coal miners, his family moved frequently during his childhood. The McGinnitys moved to Gallatin County in 1878. Two days after the birth of their seventh child, Peter died in an accident. At the age of eight, Joe and his older brothers went to work in the mines to support their family. In 1880, the family moved to Springfield, Illinois, where Joe and his brothers worked for the Springfield Coal Company. They moved to Decatur, Illinois less than six months later, continuing to mine coal, while their mother cleaned houses.\n\nBaseball career\n\nEarly career\nWhile living in Decatur, McGinnity began playing baseball with other coal miners in their leisure time. The owner of the Decatur Coal Company founded the Decatur Baseball Association in 1886. An outfielder, McGinnity substituted for his team's pitcher in an 1888 game, which he won. He continued to pitch from that point on. He pitched for semi-professional teams based in Decatur in 1888 and 1889. His family headed west, stopping in the Indian Territory on their way to Montana, where Hannah's sister struck gold in their coal mine. McGinnity and his brothers worked in a coal mine in Krebs. There, he met his future wife, Mary Redpath, the oldest daughter of a fellow coal miner. McGinnity also played baseball for the local team. He increased baseball's popularity in the area, and was later referred to as \"the father of Oklahoma baseball\" by a sportswriter for The Oklahoman, as he organized, managed, and pitched for teams in Krebs. One of these teams began traveling to other towns along the Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad to play against their local teams. He also pitched for teams in neighboring towns.\n\nJohn McCloskey, the manager of the minor league baseball Montgomery Colts of the Class-B Southern League, heard about McGinnity's pitching. McCloskey signed McGinnity, who made his professional debut with the Colts in 1893. McCloskey habitually baited umpires during games, a trait which McGinnity learned. The league folded as a result of financial troubles related to the Panic of 1893. Jimmie Manning, manager of the Southern League franchise in Savannah, Georgia, became manager of the Kansas City Blues of the Class-A Western League for the 1894 season, and signed McGinnity to pitch for the Blues. Combined for Montgomery and Kansas City, McGinnity had a 21–29 win–loss record, while walking more batters than he could strikeout, and allowing more than a hit per inning pitched. According to a Western League umpire, catcher Tim Donahue tipped McGinnity's pitches to opposing batters due to a personal feud. As McGinnity continued to struggle for Kansas City, he requested his release in June.\n\nMcGinnity moved to Springfield, Illinois, where he worked as a coal miner, bartender, and operated a saloon. McGinnity also pitched locally for semi-professional teams in Springfield and Decatur, receiving a salary between $1 to $3 (between $ to $ in current dollar terms) for each game. During this time, McGinnity developed a sidearm pitch he nicknamed \"Old Sal\", described as a \"slow curve\", which became a feature of his later success. He also improved his fielding, as opponents attempted to bunt \"Old Sal\".\n\nWhile pitching for a semi-professional team, McGinnity defeated the National League's (NL) Baltimore Orioles in an exhibition game after he had already defeated a team from Chatham, Illinois earlier in the day. Pat Wright, who managed Springfield's semi-professional team, was named manager of the Peoria Distillers of the Class-B Western Association, and he signed McGinnity to Peoria for the 1898 season, marking his return to professional baseball. Armed with \"Old Sal\", McGinnity compiled a 9–4 record for Peoria, allowing only 118 hits and 60 walks while striking out 74 batters in 142 innings. He pitched a complete 21-inning game, believed to be the second longest professional baseball game to date. With low attendance and the distraction of the Spanish–American War, the Western Association folded in August.\n\nMajor League Baseball\n\nFormer Brooklyn Grooms player George Pinkney, who lived in Peoria during his retirement, saw McGinnity pitch, and contacted Brooklyn owner Charles Ebbets to recommend he sign McGinnity. He signed McGinnity in the spring of 1899 for $150 a month ($ in current dollar terms). The syndicate that owned Brooklyn also owned the Baltimore Orioles.\n\nWith the ownership consolidation, Orioles player-manager Ned Hanlon, who received an ownership stake in the clubs, moved from Baltimore to Brooklyn and assigned many of his best players to Brooklyn, including Joe Kelley, Dan McGann, Hughie Jennings and Willie Keeler. Hanlon assigned McGinnity to the Orioles for the 1899 season after seeing his unorthodox pitching delivery and slow pitching speed. With the Orioles, McGinnity played with John McGraw, who succeeded Hanlon as player-manager, and Wilbert Robinson, who caught McGinnity. McGraw and Robinson had refused to relocate to Brooklyn due to their investment in a Baltimore restaurant. The two imparted their aggressive style of play to McGinnity. In his first year in the NL, McGinnity had a 28–16 record. His 28 wins led the NL, while he ranked second with 48 games, third with a 2.68 earned run average (ERA), and fourth with innings pitched.\n\nAfter the 1899 season, the NL voted to contract four teams, which included the Orioles. Hanlon assigned McGinnity to Brooklyn, now known as the \"Superbas\". McGinnity posted a 28–8 record for Brooklyn in the 1900 season. His 28 wins and 343 innings pitched led the league, as the Dodgers won the NL pennant. McGinnity also pitched two complete games in the Chronicle-Telegraph Cup, as the Superbas defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates. Rather than draw straws to decide who would keep the trophy, the team voted to award it to McGinnity.\n\nWith the formation of the American League (AL) as a competitor to the NL, and rumors that the AL's Detroit Tigers were interested in McGinnity, Brooklyn offered McGinnity a $5,000 contract ($ in current dollar terms) to stay with Brooklyn. McGinnity considered retiring from baseball, but ultimately jumped to the AL, signing with the Baltimore Orioles of the AL before the 1901 season. He received a salary of $2,800 ($ in current dollar terms), choosing less money in an upstart league for the chance to be reunited with McGraw, who was player-manager and part-owner of the Orioles.\n\nFighting continued to erupt in games McGraw managed. During a brawl that erupted during a game against the Detroit Tigers on August 21, 1901, McGinnity spat on umpire Tom Connolly. McGinnity was arrested for the incident and permanently suspended by AL president Ban Johnson, who wanted there to be no fighting in AL games. Johnson later cut the suspension down to 12 days after McGinnity apologized. McGinnity compiled a 26–20 record for the 1901 Orioles, and his 48 games, 39 complete games, and 382 innings pitched led the AL.\n\nMcGinnity began the 1902 season with the Orioles. However, the franchise began to fall into significant debt. Joe Kelley, star player for the Orioles and son-in-law of part-owner John Mahon, reported that the team owed as much as $12,000 ($ in current dollar terms). Unable to afford that debt, Mahon purchased shares of the team from Kelley and player-manager John McGraw. With this, Mahon became the majority shareholder. On July 17, 1902, Mahon sold his interest in the Orioles to Andrew Freedman, principal owner of the Giants, and John T. Brush, principal owner of the Cincinnati Reds, also of the NL. That day, Freedman and Brush released McGinnity, McGraw, Kelley, Roger Bresnahan, Jack Cronin, Cy Seymour, and Dan McGann from their Oriole contracts. Brush then signed Kelley and Seymour to the Reds, while Freedman signed McGinnity, Bresnahan, Cronin, and McGann, joining McGraw, his new player-manager, on the Giants. McGinnity attempted to contact Johnson that night, offering to stay with the Orioles if he could receive Johnson's personal assurance that he was welcome to stay. McGinnity did not hear back from Johnson, who had left his phone off the hook that night to avoid being contacted, and joined his teammates with the Giants.\n\nWith the Giants for the 1903 season, McGinnity won 31 games. He also set MLB records with 48 games started and 434 innings pitched, which remain NL records today. Jack Chesbro, pitching for the New York Highlanders of the American League during the 1904 season, set the current MLB records with 55 games started and innings. In 1903, McGinnity started both games of a doubleheader on numerous occasions. He performed this feat three times in a single month, winning all six games. On the final instance, The New York Times reported \"he seemed fresh enough to tackle the visitors for a third contest if that were necessary\". He pitched over 100 innings in the month of August. Wins by McGinnity and fellow pitcher Christy Mathewson accounted for 73% of the Giants' winning games in 1903, setting an MLB record for a pitching tandem. After the season, McGinnity and some of his teammates threatened to quit the Giants, accusing Brush, now the Giants owner, of going back on a promise to pay the team a monetary bonus for having finished among the top three teams in the NL, as well as a share of the gate receipts from exhibition games, for which they were paid $56.35 ($ in current dollar terms), though Brush allegedly had made over $200,000 ($ in current dollar terms). McGinnity claimed that he would pitch in the California League, as he had received a salary offer for \"$1,000 ($ in current dollar terms) more than [he] got in New York\". Jack Warner eventually joined McGinnity in publicly threatening to quit.\n\nMcGinnity set an MLB record during the 1904 season, recording his tenth win in 21 team games on May 21, the fewest team games for a pitcher to reach the mark. In 1904, McGinnity had a 35–8 record, leading the NL in games (51), innings pitched (408), shutouts (9), saves (5), and his career-best 1.61 ERA. With the Giants competing for the pennant, McGinnity again won both games in a doubleheader three times in a matter of weeks. Aided by McGinnity, the Giants again won the NL pennant. However, they did not compete in the 1904 World Series as Brush and McGraw refused to face the AL champion Boston Pilgrims, following their altercations with Johnson. After the 1904 season, McGinnity attempted to hold out from the Giants when Brush refused to allow McGinnity to play winter baseball with a team in the Southern United States.\n\nMcGinnity won 21 games in the 1905 season, as the Giants won the NL pennant. This year, the Giants participated in the 1905 World Series, against the AL champion Philadelphia Athletics. McGinnity started Games Two and Four of the five game series against the Athletics, winning one and losing one, while Mathewson pitched and won the other three. All five games, including the game McGinnity lost to Chief Bender, were shutouts. In 1906, McGinnity again led the NL in wins, with 27. This came in spite of a suspension McGinnity served for fighting Pirates catcher Heinie Peitz, which NL president Harry Pulliam described as \"attempting to make the ball park a slaughterhouse.\" The Mayor of Pittsburgh, who attended the game, insisted that McGinnity be arrested.\n\nIn the 1907 season, McGinnity finished with an 18–18 record with a 3.16 ERA, allowing more than a hit per inning for the first time since the 1901 season. He missed the beginning of the 1908 season with a severe fever. In June 1908, Brush put McGinnity on waivers, hoping another owner would relieve him of McGinnity's $5,000 salary ($ in current dollar terms). He tried to waive McGinnity again in August, but both times McGinnity went unclaimed. Despite this, McGinnity reverted to his old form: from August 22 through the end of the season, McGinnity had an 11–7 record, five shutouts, a 2.27 ERA, and an NL-leading five saves. The Giants released McGinnity on February 27, 1909, when McGinnity decided to pay for his own release.\n\nLater career\n\nMcGinnity purchased the Newark Indians of the Class-A Eastern League (EL) for $50,000 ($ in current dollar terms) in 1909 from Frank J. Farrell. The press reported that McGinnity would operate the team as a farm team of the Giants, though he denied these reports. When McGinnity could not retain manager Harry Wolverton, he stepped in as player-manager for the Indians. That season, he had a 29–16 record. His 422 innings pitched and 11 shutouts set EL single-season records. He also won both games of doubleheaders on August 27, 1909, and July 23, 1912.\n\nMcGinnity played for and managed the Indians through 1912. The Indians finished second in the EL in 1909 and 1910. McGinnity sold his interests in the Indians to Ebbets and Ed McKeever and purchased the Tacoma Tigers of the Class-B Northwestern League for $8,500 ($ in current dollar terms), spending another $50,000 ($ in current dollar terms) on the franchise in renovating the stadium. He served as player-manager of the Tigers at the start of the 1913 season, but stepped down as manager, hiring Russ Hall to serve as manager in June. McGinnity sold stock in the team in 1915 in order to afford operating expenses. He also briefly played for the Venice Tigers of the Class-A Pacific Coast League in 1914.\n\nMcGinnity sold the Tigers and purchased the Butte Miners of the Northwestern League in 1916, serving as player-manager and bringing with him several players from Tacoma. In June 1917, he sold his stock in the team and secured his release. He played for the Great Falls Electrics of the Northwestern League for the remainder of the 1917 season. He later became the manager of the A. E. Staley factory baseball team.\n\nMcGinnity served as player-manager of the Danville Veterans of the Class-B Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League in the 1922 season and Dubuque Climbers of the Class-D Mississippi Valley League during the 1923 season. With Dubuque, McGinnity won 15 games at age 52. One of those wins was a shutout, pitched in a record one hour and seven minutes. Two years later, he returned to play for Dubuque and the Springfield Senators of the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League during the 1925 season. He pitched in his final professional game on July 28, 1925, after participating in an old-timers game earlier in the day.\n\nMcGinnity joined the coaching staff of former teammate Wilbert Robinson, along with Kelley, for the Brooklyn Dodgers during the 1926 MLB season. McGinnity and Kelley were not retained after the season.\n\nPersonal life\nMcGinnity acquired his nickname, \"Iron Man\", before his doubleheader pitching became widely discussed. According to Lee Allen in The National League Story (1961), a reporter asked McGinnity, while he was still a minor league pitcher, what he did in between seasons. \"I'm an iron man\", he answered. \"I work in a foundry.\" McGinnity's wife's family operated an iron foundry in McAlester, Oklahoma, where McGinnity worked in the offseasons.\n\nBecause of his nickname and connection to the foundry, John McGraw named McGinnity the starter for the Giants' March 23, 1904 exhibition game against the Southern Association's Birmingham Iron Men which was scheduled to raise funds for the Vulcan statue then being cast for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition that summer in St. Louis, Missouri. At his own request, McGinnity was allowed to visit the downtown foundry and personally pour some of the iron into the moulds for the statue.\n\nWhile working with Williams College's baseball team in 1929, McGinnity became ill. He had surgery to remove tumors from his bladder, and was said to be in critical condition. After the surgery, he was quoted as saying \"it's the ninth inning, and I guess they're going to get me out.\" He died November 14, 1929 in Brooklyn, New York, at the home of his daughter. He was interred in McAlester.\n\nLegacy\n\nMcGinnity finished his MLB career with 246 career wins, seven 20-win seasons, and two 30-win seasons. He had nearly 500 professional wins including his years in the minor leagues. McGinnity set a career record in batters hit by pitch with 152. He revolutionized the fielding of the pitching position, by attempting to make force outs at any base, instead of throwing the ball only to first base.\n\nAfter his death, McGinnity was eulogized as a \"hard player\" and \"a fighter with brains\" who hated to lose. Jennings described him as an even better fielder than he was a pitcher. McGraw said that McGinnity was \"the hardest working pitcher I ever had on my ballcub\". Connie Mack called him a \"magician\".\n\nAfter failing to receive the necessary votes from the Baseball Writers' Association of America for entry in the National Baseball Hall of Fame on seven occasions, McGinnity was posthumously elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1946. He was also inducted into the Quad City Sports Hall of Fame in 1988.\n\nIn a 1976 article in Esquire magazine, sportswriter Harry Stein published an \"All Time All-Star Argument Starter\", consisting of five ethnic baseball teams. Though Stein chose McGinnity as the right-handed pitcher for the Irish team, the team was omitted from the article due to space limitations. The Irish team was included in The Book of Lists, published the following year. Lawrence Ritter and Donald Honig included McGinnity in their 1981 book, The 100 Greatest Baseball Players of All Time. The Chicago Tribune included McGinnity in its all-time Illinois team in 1990. In his 2001 book The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract, Bill James ranked McGinnity as the 41st greatest pitcher of all time.\n\nSee also\n\n List of Major League Baseball career wins leaders\n List of Major League Baseball career ERA leaders\n List of Major League Baseball career hit batsmen leaders\n List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders\n List of Major League Baseball annual ERA leaders\n List of Major League Baseball annual shutout leaders\n List of Major League Baseball annual saves leaders\n\nReferences\nBibliography\n\nBrown Jr. Charles William Denning McGinnity Family History, Chicago, Illinois, And is mentioned several time in the book Iron Man McGinnity: A Baseball Biography. McFarland & Company. .\nIn-line citations\n\nExternal links\n\n1871 births\n1929 deaths\nPeople from Henry County, Illinois\nAmerican people of Irish descent\nNational Baseball Hall of Fame inductees\nBaltimore Orioles (NL) players\nBaltimore Orioles (1901–02) players\nBrooklyn Superbas players\nNew York Giants (NL) players\nMajor League Baseball pitchers\nBaseball players from Illinois\nNational League ERA champions\nNational League wins champions\nBrooklyn Dodgers coaches\nNewark Indians players\nTacoma Tigers players\nVenice Tigers players\nDanville Veterans players\nSpringfield Senators players\nBaseball player-managers\nDeaths from bladder cancer\nDeaths from cancer in New York (state)\nVancouver Beavers players",
"Michael McGinnity (11 September 1941 – 9 January 2016) was chairman and life president of Coventry City Football Club.\n\nHe held the position of life president at the club following resigning as chairman in 2006 due to ongoing health problems. He was succeeded by Geoffrey Robinson MP and later Ray Ranson, the former footballer turned entrepreneur.\n\nMcGinnity became chairman in 2002, replacing Bryan Richardson, after eight years as deputy chairman of the club. McGinnity also has an MBE.\n\nMcGinnity purchased a company called Pel in the summer of 1989, creating a new division specialising in plastic seating for football stadia. In January 1990 the Taylor report into the Hillborough disaster recommended all-seater stadia. The success of Pel Stadium Seating was subsequently attributed to having set up in time to benefit from the Taylor report.\n\nReferences\n\n1941 births\n2016 deaths\nEnglish football chairmen and investors\nCoventry City F.C. directors and chairmen\nMembers of the Order of the British Empire\n20th-century English businesspeople"
] |
[
"Joe McGinnity",
"Later career",
"What did McGinnity do later in life?",
"McGinnity purchased the Newark Indians of the Class-A Eastern League (EL) for $50,000 ($1,361,852 in current dollar terms) in 1909 from Frank J. Farrell."
] |
C_52e3edf6b03848f4a22539c67e1486d6_0
|
Did the team do well?
| 2 |
Did the team the Newark Indians do well?
|
Joe McGinnity
|
McGinnity purchased the Newark Indians of the Class-A Eastern League (EL) for $50,000 ($1,361,852 in current dollar terms) in 1909 from Frank J. Farrell. The press reported that McGinnity would operate the team as a farm team of the Giants, though he denied these reports. When McGinnity could not retain manager Harry Wolverton, he stepped in as player-manager for the Indians. That season, he had a 29-16 record. His 422 innings pitched and 11 shutouts set EL single-season records. He also won both games of doubleheaders on August 27, 1909, and July 23, 1912. McGinnity played for and managed the Indians through 1912. The Indians finished second in the EL in 1909 and 1910. McGinnity sold his interests in the Indians to Ebbets and Ed McKeever and purchased the Tacoma Tigers of the Class-B Northwestern League for $8,500 ($215,548 in current dollar terms), spending another $50,000 ($1,267,931 in current dollar terms) on the franchise in renovating the stadium. He served as player-manager the Tigers at the start of the 1913 season, but stepped down as manager, hiring Russ Hall to serve as manager in June. McGinnity sold stock in the team in 1915 in order to afford operating expenses. He also briefly played for the Venice Tigers of the Class-A Pacific Coast League in 1914. McGinnity sold the Tigers and purchased the Butte Miners of the Northwestern League in 1916, serving as player-manager and bringing with him several players from Tacoma. In June 1917, he sold his stock in the team and secured his release. He played for the Great Falls Electrics of the Northwestern League for the remainder of the 1917 season. He later became the manager of the A. E. Staley factory baseball team. McGinnity served as player-manager of the Danville Veterans of the Class-B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League in the 1922 season and Dubuque Climbers of the Class-D Mississippi Valley League during the 1923 season. With Dubuque, McGinnity won 15 games at age 52. One of those wins was a shutout, pitched in a record one hour and seven minutes. Two years later, he returned to play for Dubuque and Springfield Senators of the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League during the 1925 season. He pitched in his final professional game on July 28, 1925, after participating in an old-timers game earlier in the day. McGinnity joined the coaching staff of former teammate Wilbert Robinson, along with Kelley, for the Brooklyn Dodgers during the 1926 MLB season. McGinnity and Kelley were not retained after the season. CANNOTANSWER
|
That season, he had a 29-16 record.
|
Joseph Jerome McGinnity (March 20, 1871 – November 14, 1929) was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the late 19th and early 20th century. McGinnity played in MLB for ten years, pitching for the National League's (NL) Baltimore Orioles (1899) and Brooklyn Superbas (1900), before jumping to the American League (AL) to play for the Baltimore Orioles (AL) (1901–1902). He returned to the NL with the New York Giants (1902–1908). McGinnity continued to pitch in the minor leagues, eventually retiring from baseball for good at the age of 54.
In MLB, he won 246 games with a 2.66 earned run average (ERA). He had seven 20-win seasons and two 30-win seasons. Including his time in the minor leagues, McGinnity won close to 500 games as a professional ballplayer. He led MLB in wins five times (1899, 1900, 1903, 1904, and 1906) and ERA once (1904). With the Giants, he won the 1905 World Series. His teams also won NL pennants in 1900 and 1904.
McGinnity was nicknamed "Iron Man" because he worked in an iron foundry during the baseball offseasons. His nickname came to convey his longevity and durability, as he routinely pitched in both games of doubleheaders. He set NL records for complete games (48) and innings pitched (434) in a single season, which still stand (and with modern MLB practices which limit pitchers' innings, are considered effectively unbreakable). McGinnity is considered one of the better players in the history of the New York Giants. The Veterans Committee elected him to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946.
Early life
McGinnity's father, Peter, was born in Dublin, Ireland. His last name was McGinity before he came to United States. He changed it by adding an "n" after he emigrated to the United States in 1861. Peter worked in coal mines and on the farm owned by John and Rebecca Denning, and they accepted him, allowing him to move in with them in their Henry County farm. John and Rebecca moved to Oregon, leaving the homestead in the hands of Peter and their daughter, Hannah. The two married in August 1865, three months before the birth of their first son, William. Their second son, Peter, was born in 1869, and Joe was born in 1871. The McGinnitys had four more children.
Joe received little formal schooling. Due to the transient lifestyle of coal miners, his family moved frequently during his childhood. The McGinnitys moved to Gallatin County in 1878. Two days after the birth of their seventh child, Peter died in an accident. At the age of eight, Joe and his older brothers went to work in the mines to support their family. In 1880, the family moved to Springfield, Illinois, where Joe and his brothers worked for the Springfield Coal Company. They moved to Decatur, Illinois less than six months later, continuing to mine coal, while their mother cleaned houses.
Baseball career
Early career
While living in Decatur, McGinnity began playing baseball with other coal miners in their leisure time. The owner of the Decatur Coal Company founded the Decatur Baseball Association in 1886. An outfielder, McGinnity substituted for his team's pitcher in an 1888 game, which he won. He continued to pitch from that point on. He pitched for semi-professional teams based in Decatur in 1888 and 1889. His family headed west, stopping in the Indian Territory on their way to Montana, where Hannah's sister struck gold in their coal mine. McGinnity and his brothers worked in a coal mine in Krebs. There, he met his future wife, Mary Redpath, the oldest daughter of a fellow coal miner. McGinnity also played baseball for the local team. He increased baseball's popularity in the area, and was later referred to as "the father of Oklahoma baseball" by a sportswriter for The Oklahoman, as he organized, managed, and pitched for teams in Krebs. One of these teams began traveling to other towns along the Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad to play against their local teams. He also pitched for teams in neighboring towns.
John McCloskey, the manager of the minor league baseball Montgomery Colts of the Class-B Southern League, heard about McGinnity's pitching. McCloskey signed McGinnity, who made his professional debut with the Colts in 1893. McCloskey habitually baited umpires during games, a trait which McGinnity learned. The league folded as a result of financial troubles related to the Panic of 1893. Jimmie Manning, manager of the Southern League franchise in Savannah, Georgia, became manager of the Kansas City Blues of the Class-A Western League for the 1894 season, and signed McGinnity to pitch for the Blues. Combined for Montgomery and Kansas City, McGinnity had a 21–29 win–loss record, while walking more batters than he could strikeout, and allowing more than a hit per inning pitched. According to a Western League umpire, catcher Tim Donahue tipped McGinnity's pitches to opposing batters due to a personal feud. As McGinnity continued to struggle for Kansas City, he requested his release in June.
McGinnity moved to Springfield, Illinois, where he worked as a coal miner, bartender, and operated a saloon. McGinnity also pitched locally for semi-professional teams in Springfield and Decatur, receiving a salary between $1 to $3 (between $ to $ in current dollar terms) for each game. During this time, McGinnity developed a sidearm pitch he nicknamed "Old Sal", described as a "slow curve", which became a feature of his later success. He also improved his fielding, as opponents attempted to bunt "Old Sal".
While pitching for a semi-professional team, McGinnity defeated the National League's (NL) Baltimore Orioles in an exhibition game after he had already defeated a team from Chatham, Illinois earlier in the day. Pat Wright, who managed Springfield's semi-professional team, was named manager of the Peoria Distillers of the Class-B Western Association, and he signed McGinnity to Peoria for the 1898 season, marking his return to professional baseball. Armed with "Old Sal", McGinnity compiled a 9–4 record for Peoria, allowing only 118 hits and 60 walks while striking out 74 batters in 142 innings. He pitched a complete 21-inning game, believed to be the second longest professional baseball game to date. With low attendance and the distraction of the Spanish–American War, the Western Association folded in August.
Major League Baseball
Former Brooklyn Grooms player George Pinkney, who lived in Peoria during his retirement, saw McGinnity pitch, and contacted Brooklyn owner Charles Ebbets to recommend he sign McGinnity. He signed McGinnity in the spring of 1899 for $150 a month ($ in current dollar terms). The syndicate that owned Brooklyn also owned the Baltimore Orioles.
With the ownership consolidation, Orioles player-manager Ned Hanlon, who received an ownership stake in the clubs, moved from Baltimore to Brooklyn and assigned many of his best players to Brooklyn, including Joe Kelley, Dan McGann, Hughie Jennings and Willie Keeler. Hanlon assigned McGinnity to the Orioles for the 1899 season after seeing his unorthodox pitching delivery and slow pitching speed. With the Orioles, McGinnity played with John McGraw, who succeeded Hanlon as player-manager, and Wilbert Robinson, who caught McGinnity. McGraw and Robinson had refused to relocate to Brooklyn due to their investment in a Baltimore restaurant. The two imparted their aggressive style of play to McGinnity. In his first year in the NL, McGinnity had a 28–16 record. His 28 wins led the NL, while he ranked second with 48 games, third with a 2.68 earned run average (ERA), and fourth with innings pitched.
After the 1899 season, the NL voted to contract four teams, which included the Orioles. Hanlon assigned McGinnity to Brooklyn, now known as the "Superbas". McGinnity posted a 28–8 record for Brooklyn in the 1900 season. His 28 wins and 343 innings pitched led the league, as the Dodgers won the NL pennant. McGinnity also pitched two complete games in the Chronicle-Telegraph Cup, as the Superbas defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates. Rather than draw straws to decide who would keep the trophy, the team voted to award it to McGinnity.
With the formation of the American League (AL) as a competitor to the NL, and rumors that the AL's Detroit Tigers were interested in McGinnity, Brooklyn offered McGinnity a $5,000 contract ($ in current dollar terms) to stay with Brooklyn. McGinnity considered retiring from baseball, but ultimately jumped to the AL, signing with the Baltimore Orioles of the AL before the 1901 season. He received a salary of $2,800 ($ in current dollar terms), choosing less money in an upstart league for the chance to be reunited with McGraw, who was player-manager and part-owner of the Orioles.
Fighting continued to erupt in games McGraw managed. During a brawl that erupted during a game against the Detroit Tigers on August 21, 1901, McGinnity spat on umpire Tom Connolly. McGinnity was arrested for the incident and permanently suspended by AL president Ban Johnson, who wanted there to be no fighting in AL games. Johnson later cut the suspension down to 12 days after McGinnity apologized. McGinnity compiled a 26–20 record for the 1901 Orioles, and his 48 games, 39 complete games, and 382 innings pitched led the AL.
McGinnity began the 1902 season with the Orioles. However, the franchise began to fall into significant debt. Joe Kelley, star player for the Orioles and son-in-law of part-owner John Mahon, reported that the team owed as much as $12,000 ($ in current dollar terms). Unable to afford that debt, Mahon purchased shares of the team from Kelley and player-manager John McGraw. With this, Mahon became the majority shareholder. On July 17, 1902, Mahon sold his interest in the Orioles to Andrew Freedman, principal owner of the Giants, and John T. Brush, principal owner of the Cincinnati Reds, also of the NL. That day, Freedman and Brush released McGinnity, McGraw, Kelley, Roger Bresnahan, Jack Cronin, Cy Seymour, and Dan McGann from their Oriole contracts. Brush then signed Kelley and Seymour to the Reds, while Freedman signed McGinnity, Bresnahan, Cronin, and McGann, joining McGraw, his new player-manager, on the Giants. McGinnity attempted to contact Johnson that night, offering to stay with the Orioles if he could receive Johnson's personal assurance that he was welcome to stay. McGinnity did not hear back from Johnson, who had left his phone off the hook that night to avoid being contacted, and joined his teammates with the Giants.
With the Giants for the 1903 season, McGinnity won 31 games. He also set MLB records with 48 games started and 434 innings pitched, which remain NL records today. Jack Chesbro, pitching for the New York Highlanders of the American League during the 1904 season, set the current MLB records with 55 games started and innings. In 1903, McGinnity started both games of a doubleheader on numerous occasions. He performed this feat three times in a single month, winning all six games. On the final instance, The New York Times reported "he seemed fresh enough to tackle the visitors for a third contest if that were necessary". He pitched over 100 innings in the month of August. Wins by McGinnity and fellow pitcher Christy Mathewson accounted for 73% of the Giants' winning games in 1903, setting an MLB record for a pitching tandem. After the season, McGinnity and some of his teammates threatened to quit the Giants, accusing Brush, now the Giants owner, of going back on a promise to pay the team a monetary bonus for having finished among the top three teams in the NL, as well as a share of the gate receipts from exhibition games, for which they were paid $56.35 ($ in current dollar terms), though Brush allegedly had made over $200,000 ($ in current dollar terms). McGinnity claimed that he would pitch in the California League, as he had received a salary offer for "$1,000 ($ in current dollar terms) more than [he] got in New York". Jack Warner eventually joined McGinnity in publicly threatening to quit.
McGinnity set an MLB record during the 1904 season, recording his tenth win in 21 team games on May 21, the fewest team games for a pitcher to reach the mark. In 1904, McGinnity had a 35–8 record, leading the NL in games (51), innings pitched (408), shutouts (9), saves (5), and his career-best 1.61 ERA. With the Giants competing for the pennant, McGinnity again won both games in a doubleheader three times in a matter of weeks. Aided by McGinnity, the Giants again won the NL pennant. However, they did not compete in the 1904 World Series as Brush and McGraw refused to face the AL champion Boston Pilgrims, following their altercations with Johnson. After the 1904 season, McGinnity attempted to hold out from the Giants when Brush refused to allow McGinnity to play winter baseball with a team in the Southern United States.
McGinnity won 21 games in the 1905 season, as the Giants won the NL pennant. This year, the Giants participated in the 1905 World Series, against the AL champion Philadelphia Athletics. McGinnity started Games Two and Four of the five game series against the Athletics, winning one and losing one, while Mathewson pitched and won the other three. All five games, including the game McGinnity lost to Chief Bender, were shutouts. In 1906, McGinnity again led the NL in wins, with 27. This came in spite of a suspension McGinnity served for fighting Pirates catcher Heinie Peitz, which NL president Harry Pulliam described as "attempting to make the ball park a slaughterhouse." The Mayor of Pittsburgh, who attended the game, insisted that McGinnity be arrested.
In the 1907 season, McGinnity finished with an 18–18 record with a 3.16 ERA, allowing more than a hit per inning for the first time since the 1901 season. He missed the beginning of the 1908 season with a severe fever. In June 1908, Brush put McGinnity on waivers, hoping another owner would relieve him of McGinnity's $5,000 salary ($ in current dollar terms). He tried to waive McGinnity again in August, but both times McGinnity went unclaimed. Despite this, McGinnity reverted to his old form: from August 22 through the end of the season, McGinnity had an 11–7 record, five shutouts, a 2.27 ERA, and an NL-leading five saves. The Giants released McGinnity on February 27, 1909, when McGinnity decided to pay for his own release.
Later career
McGinnity purchased the Newark Indians of the Class-A Eastern League (EL) for $50,000 ($ in current dollar terms) in 1909 from Frank J. Farrell. The press reported that McGinnity would operate the team as a farm team of the Giants, though he denied these reports. When McGinnity could not retain manager Harry Wolverton, he stepped in as player-manager for the Indians. That season, he had a 29–16 record. His 422 innings pitched and 11 shutouts set EL single-season records. He also won both games of doubleheaders on August 27, 1909, and July 23, 1912.
McGinnity played for and managed the Indians through 1912. The Indians finished second in the EL in 1909 and 1910. McGinnity sold his interests in the Indians to Ebbets and Ed McKeever and purchased the Tacoma Tigers of the Class-B Northwestern League for $8,500 ($ in current dollar terms), spending another $50,000 ($ in current dollar terms) on the franchise in renovating the stadium. He served as player-manager of the Tigers at the start of the 1913 season, but stepped down as manager, hiring Russ Hall to serve as manager in June. McGinnity sold stock in the team in 1915 in order to afford operating expenses. He also briefly played for the Venice Tigers of the Class-A Pacific Coast League in 1914.
McGinnity sold the Tigers and purchased the Butte Miners of the Northwestern League in 1916, serving as player-manager and bringing with him several players from Tacoma. In June 1917, he sold his stock in the team and secured his release. He played for the Great Falls Electrics of the Northwestern League for the remainder of the 1917 season. He later became the manager of the A. E. Staley factory baseball team.
McGinnity served as player-manager of the Danville Veterans of the Class-B Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League in the 1922 season and Dubuque Climbers of the Class-D Mississippi Valley League during the 1923 season. With Dubuque, McGinnity won 15 games at age 52. One of those wins was a shutout, pitched in a record one hour and seven minutes. Two years later, he returned to play for Dubuque and the Springfield Senators of the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League during the 1925 season. He pitched in his final professional game on July 28, 1925, after participating in an old-timers game earlier in the day.
McGinnity joined the coaching staff of former teammate Wilbert Robinson, along with Kelley, for the Brooklyn Dodgers during the 1926 MLB season. McGinnity and Kelley were not retained after the season.
Personal life
McGinnity acquired his nickname, "Iron Man", before his doubleheader pitching became widely discussed. According to Lee Allen in The National League Story (1961), a reporter asked McGinnity, while he was still a minor league pitcher, what he did in between seasons. "I'm an iron man", he answered. "I work in a foundry." McGinnity's wife's family operated an iron foundry in McAlester, Oklahoma, where McGinnity worked in the offseasons.
Because of his nickname and connection to the foundry, John McGraw named McGinnity the starter for the Giants' March 23, 1904 exhibition game against the Southern Association's Birmingham Iron Men which was scheduled to raise funds for the Vulcan statue then being cast for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition that summer in St. Louis, Missouri. At his own request, McGinnity was allowed to visit the downtown foundry and personally pour some of the iron into the moulds for the statue.
While working with Williams College's baseball team in 1929, McGinnity became ill. He had surgery to remove tumors from his bladder, and was said to be in critical condition. After the surgery, he was quoted as saying "it's the ninth inning, and I guess they're going to get me out." He died November 14, 1929 in Brooklyn, New York, at the home of his daughter. He was interred in McAlester.
Legacy
McGinnity finished his MLB career with 246 career wins, seven 20-win seasons, and two 30-win seasons. He had nearly 500 professional wins including his years in the minor leagues. McGinnity set a career record in batters hit by pitch with 152. He revolutionized the fielding of the pitching position, by attempting to make force outs at any base, instead of throwing the ball only to first base.
After his death, McGinnity was eulogized as a "hard player" and "a fighter with brains" who hated to lose. Jennings described him as an even better fielder than he was a pitcher. McGraw said that McGinnity was "the hardest working pitcher I ever had on my ballcub". Connie Mack called him a "magician".
After failing to receive the necessary votes from the Baseball Writers' Association of America for entry in the National Baseball Hall of Fame on seven occasions, McGinnity was posthumously elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1946. He was also inducted into the Quad City Sports Hall of Fame in 1988.
In a 1976 article in Esquire magazine, sportswriter Harry Stein published an "All Time All-Star Argument Starter", consisting of five ethnic baseball teams. Though Stein chose McGinnity as the right-handed pitcher for the Irish team, the team was omitted from the article due to space limitations. The Irish team was included in The Book of Lists, published the following year. Lawrence Ritter and Donald Honig included McGinnity in their 1981 book, The 100 Greatest Baseball Players of All Time. The Chicago Tribune included McGinnity in its all-time Illinois team in 1990. In his 2001 book The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract, Bill James ranked McGinnity as the 41st greatest pitcher of all time.
See also
List of Major League Baseball career wins leaders
List of Major League Baseball career ERA leaders
List of Major League Baseball career hit batsmen leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual ERA leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual shutout leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual saves leaders
References
Bibliography
Brown Jr. Charles William Denning McGinnity Family History, Chicago, Illinois, And is mentioned several time in the book Iron Man McGinnity: A Baseball Biography. McFarland & Company. .
In-line citations
External links
1871 births
1929 deaths
People from Henry County, Illinois
American people of Irish descent
National Baseball Hall of Fame inductees
Baltimore Orioles (NL) players
Baltimore Orioles (1901–02) players
Brooklyn Superbas players
New York Giants (NL) players
Major League Baseball pitchers
Baseball players from Illinois
National League ERA champions
National League wins champions
Brooklyn Dodgers coaches
Newark Indians players
Tacoma Tigers players
Venice Tigers players
Danville Veterans players
Springfield Senators players
Baseball player-managers
Deaths from bladder cancer
Deaths from cancer in New York (state)
Vancouver Beavers players
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"The Boston Whirlwinds were an American basketball team based in Boston, Massachusetts that was a member of the American Basketball League.\n\nThe team started its only season playing in the Boston Arena, then downgraded their venue first to Mechanics Hall and then to the Mount Benedict Knights of Columbus Hall in suburban Somerville.\n The team, consisting of players who were younger and less experienced than most other ABL teams, did not do well, compiling a 6-10 record during their short run under player-coach James S. \"Fiddle\" Morley, who had played for Boston College. The general manager was Sam Snyder.\n\nThe team, beset by money troubles, did not complete its only season, folding or being expelled (or both) after the first half, with the franchise being given to a team in Canton, Ohio.\n\nYear-by-year\n\nLater incarnation\nAnother, non-league team called the Boston Whirlwinds was extant in the early 1950s. These Whirlwinds, who featured Norm Baker, traveled with, and acted as a foil for, the Harlem Globetrotters.\n\nReferences\n\n1925 establishments in Massachusetts\n1926 disestablishments in Massachusetts\nAmerican Basketball League (1925–1955) teams\nBasketball teams established in 1925\nBasketball teams disestablished in 1926\nWhirlwinds",
"Teté (24 August 1907 – 18 June 1962) was a Brazilian football manager who coached Brazil national team for some games in 1956. He also coached Sport Club Internacional during the 1950s.\n\nBiography \nTeté was a major coach of football in Rio Grande do Sul. Became known as the \"Marshal of Victories,\" because he was an officer of the Army Reserve.\n\nAs a player, he served in the 9º Regimento. Then trained the Farroupilha (after the change of club name), Pelotas Brazil Guarany of Bagé, General Osorio Cruzeiro-RS Nacional-RS and Internacional .\n\nIn Internacional, Teté did well. He coached the team from 1951 to 1957 and was four-time Gaucho (51, 52, 53 and 55). Also coached Brazil national team, became champion of the Pan American of 1956 in Mexico.\n\nReferences \n\nPeople from Rio Grande do Sul\nBrazilian football managers\n1907 births\n1962 deaths\nBotafogo de Futebol e Regatas players\nGrêmio Esportivo Brasil managers\nSport Club Internacional managers\nBrazil national football team managers\nEsporte Clube São José managers\nBrazilian footballers\nAssociation footballers not categorized by position"
] |
[
"Joe McGinnity",
"Later career",
"What did McGinnity do later in life?",
"McGinnity purchased the Newark Indians of the Class-A Eastern League (EL) for $50,000 ($1,361,852 in current dollar terms) in 1909 from Frank J. Farrell.",
"Did the team do well?",
"That season, he had a 29-16 record."
] |
C_52e3edf6b03848f4a22539c67e1486d6_0
|
Did he own the team the rest of his life?
| 3 |
Did Joe McGinnity own the Newark Indians team the rest of Joe McGinnity's life?
|
Joe McGinnity
|
McGinnity purchased the Newark Indians of the Class-A Eastern League (EL) for $50,000 ($1,361,852 in current dollar terms) in 1909 from Frank J. Farrell. The press reported that McGinnity would operate the team as a farm team of the Giants, though he denied these reports. When McGinnity could not retain manager Harry Wolverton, he stepped in as player-manager for the Indians. That season, he had a 29-16 record. His 422 innings pitched and 11 shutouts set EL single-season records. He also won both games of doubleheaders on August 27, 1909, and July 23, 1912. McGinnity played for and managed the Indians through 1912. The Indians finished second in the EL in 1909 and 1910. McGinnity sold his interests in the Indians to Ebbets and Ed McKeever and purchased the Tacoma Tigers of the Class-B Northwestern League for $8,500 ($215,548 in current dollar terms), spending another $50,000 ($1,267,931 in current dollar terms) on the franchise in renovating the stadium. He served as player-manager the Tigers at the start of the 1913 season, but stepped down as manager, hiring Russ Hall to serve as manager in June. McGinnity sold stock in the team in 1915 in order to afford operating expenses. He also briefly played for the Venice Tigers of the Class-A Pacific Coast League in 1914. McGinnity sold the Tigers and purchased the Butte Miners of the Northwestern League in 1916, serving as player-manager and bringing with him several players from Tacoma. In June 1917, he sold his stock in the team and secured his release. He played for the Great Falls Electrics of the Northwestern League for the remainder of the 1917 season. He later became the manager of the A. E. Staley factory baseball team. McGinnity served as player-manager of the Danville Veterans of the Class-B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League in the 1922 season and Dubuque Climbers of the Class-D Mississippi Valley League during the 1923 season. With Dubuque, McGinnity won 15 games at age 52. One of those wins was a shutout, pitched in a record one hour and seven minutes. Two years later, he returned to play for Dubuque and Springfield Senators of the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League during the 1925 season. He pitched in his final professional game on July 28, 1925, after participating in an old-timers game earlier in the day. McGinnity joined the coaching staff of former teammate Wilbert Robinson, along with Kelley, for the Brooklyn Dodgers during the 1926 MLB season. McGinnity and Kelley were not retained after the season. CANNOTANSWER
|
McGinnity sold the Tigers and purchased the Butte Miners of the Northwestern League in 1916,
|
Joseph Jerome McGinnity (March 20, 1871 – November 14, 1929) was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the late 19th and early 20th century. McGinnity played in MLB for ten years, pitching for the National League's (NL) Baltimore Orioles (1899) and Brooklyn Superbas (1900), before jumping to the American League (AL) to play for the Baltimore Orioles (AL) (1901–1902). He returned to the NL with the New York Giants (1902–1908). McGinnity continued to pitch in the minor leagues, eventually retiring from baseball for good at the age of 54.
In MLB, he won 246 games with a 2.66 earned run average (ERA). He had seven 20-win seasons and two 30-win seasons. Including his time in the minor leagues, McGinnity won close to 500 games as a professional ballplayer. He led MLB in wins five times (1899, 1900, 1903, 1904, and 1906) and ERA once (1904). With the Giants, he won the 1905 World Series. His teams also won NL pennants in 1900 and 1904.
McGinnity was nicknamed "Iron Man" because he worked in an iron foundry during the baseball offseasons. His nickname came to convey his longevity and durability, as he routinely pitched in both games of doubleheaders. He set NL records for complete games (48) and innings pitched (434) in a single season, which still stand (and with modern MLB practices which limit pitchers' innings, are considered effectively unbreakable). McGinnity is considered one of the better players in the history of the New York Giants. The Veterans Committee elected him to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946.
Early life
McGinnity's father, Peter, was born in Dublin, Ireland. His last name was McGinity before he came to United States. He changed it by adding an "n" after he emigrated to the United States in 1861. Peter worked in coal mines and on the farm owned by John and Rebecca Denning, and they accepted him, allowing him to move in with them in their Henry County farm. John and Rebecca moved to Oregon, leaving the homestead in the hands of Peter and their daughter, Hannah. The two married in August 1865, three months before the birth of their first son, William. Their second son, Peter, was born in 1869, and Joe was born in 1871. The McGinnitys had four more children.
Joe received little formal schooling. Due to the transient lifestyle of coal miners, his family moved frequently during his childhood. The McGinnitys moved to Gallatin County in 1878. Two days after the birth of their seventh child, Peter died in an accident. At the age of eight, Joe and his older brothers went to work in the mines to support their family. In 1880, the family moved to Springfield, Illinois, where Joe and his brothers worked for the Springfield Coal Company. They moved to Decatur, Illinois less than six months later, continuing to mine coal, while their mother cleaned houses.
Baseball career
Early career
While living in Decatur, McGinnity began playing baseball with other coal miners in their leisure time. The owner of the Decatur Coal Company founded the Decatur Baseball Association in 1886. An outfielder, McGinnity substituted for his team's pitcher in an 1888 game, which he won. He continued to pitch from that point on. He pitched for semi-professional teams based in Decatur in 1888 and 1889. His family headed west, stopping in the Indian Territory on their way to Montana, where Hannah's sister struck gold in their coal mine. McGinnity and his brothers worked in a coal mine in Krebs. There, he met his future wife, Mary Redpath, the oldest daughter of a fellow coal miner. McGinnity also played baseball for the local team. He increased baseball's popularity in the area, and was later referred to as "the father of Oklahoma baseball" by a sportswriter for The Oklahoman, as he organized, managed, and pitched for teams in Krebs. One of these teams began traveling to other towns along the Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad to play against their local teams. He also pitched for teams in neighboring towns.
John McCloskey, the manager of the minor league baseball Montgomery Colts of the Class-B Southern League, heard about McGinnity's pitching. McCloskey signed McGinnity, who made his professional debut with the Colts in 1893. McCloskey habitually baited umpires during games, a trait which McGinnity learned. The league folded as a result of financial troubles related to the Panic of 1893. Jimmie Manning, manager of the Southern League franchise in Savannah, Georgia, became manager of the Kansas City Blues of the Class-A Western League for the 1894 season, and signed McGinnity to pitch for the Blues. Combined for Montgomery and Kansas City, McGinnity had a 21–29 win–loss record, while walking more batters than he could strikeout, and allowing more than a hit per inning pitched. According to a Western League umpire, catcher Tim Donahue tipped McGinnity's pitches to opposing batters due to a personal feud. As McGinnity continued to struggle for Kansas City, he requested his release in June.
McGinnity moved to Springfield, Illinois, where he worked as a coal miner, bartender, and operated a saloon. McGinnity also pitched locally for semi-professional teams in Springfield and Decatur, receiving a salary between $1 to $3 (between $ to $ in current dollar terms) for each game. During this time, McGinnity developed a sidearm pitch he nicknamed "Old Sal", described as a "slow curve", which became a feature of his later success. He also improved his fielding, as opponents attempted to bunt "Old Sal".
While pitching for a semi-professional team, McGinnity defeated the National League's (NL) Baltimore Orioles in an exhibition game after he had already defeated a team from Chatham, Illinois earlier in the day. Pat Wright, who managed Springfield's semi-professional team, was named manager of the Peoria Distillers of the Class-B Western Association, and he signed McGinnity to Peoria for the 1898 season, marking his return to professional baseball. Armed with "Old Sal", McGinnity compiled a 9–4 record for Peoria, allowing only 118 hits and 60 walks while striking out 74 batters in 142 innings. He pitched a complete 21-inning game, believed to be the second longest professional baseball game to date. With low attendance and the distraction of the Spanish–American War, the Western Association folded in August.
Major League Baseball
Former Brooklyn Grooms player George Pinkney, who lived in Peoria during his retirement, saw McGinnity pitch, and contacted Brooklyn owner Charles Ebbets to recommend he sign McGinnity. He signed McGinnity in the spring of 1899 for $150 a month ($ in current dollar terms). The syndicate that owned Brooklyn also owned the Baltimore Orioles.
With the ownership consolidation, Orioles player-manager Ned Hanlon, who received an ownership stake in the clubs, moved from Baltimore to Brooklyn and assigned many of his best players to Brooklyn, including Joe Kelley, Dan McGann, Hughie Jennings and Willie Keeler. Hanlon assigned McGinnity to the Orioles for the 1899 season after seeing his unorthodox pitching delivery and slow pitching speed. With the Orioles, McGinnity played with John McGraw, who succeeded Hanlon as player-manager, and Wilbert Robinson, who caught McGinnity. McGraw and Robinson had refused to relocate to Brooklyn due to their investment in a Baltimore restaurant. The two imparted their aggressive style of play to McGinnity. In his first year in the NL, McGinnity had a 28–16 record. His 28 wins led the NL, while he ranked second with 48 games, third with a 2.68 earned run average (ERA), and fourth with innings pitched.
After the 1899 season, the NL voted to contract four teams, which included the Orioles. Hanlon assigned McGinnity to Brooklyn, now known as the "Superbas". McGinnity posted a 28–8 record for Brooklyn in the 1900 season. His 28 wins and 343 innings pitched led the league, as the Dodgers won the NL pennant. McGinnity also pitched two complete games in the Chronicle-Telegraph Cup, as the Superbas defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates. Rather than draw straws to decide who would keep the trophy, the team voted to award it to McGinnity.
With the formation of the American League (AL) as a competitor to the NL, and rumors that the AL's Detroit Tigers were interested in McGinnity, Brooklyn offered McGinnity a $5,000 contract ($ in current dollar terms) to stay with Brooklyn. McGinnity considered retiring from baseball, but ultimately jumped to the AL, signing with the Baltimore Orioles of the AL before the 1901 season. He received a salary of $2,800 ($ in current dollar terms), choosing less money in an upstart league for the chance to be reunited with McGraw, who was player-manager and part-owner of the Orioles.
Fighting continued to erupt in games McGraw managed. During a brawl that erupted during a game against the Detroit Tigers on August 21, 1901, McGinnity spat on umpire Tom Connolly. McGinnity was arrested for the incident and permanently suspended by AL president Ban Johnson, who wanted there to be no fighting in AL games. Johnson later cut the suspension down to 12 days after McGinnity apologized. McGinnity compiled a 26–20 record for the 1901 Orioles, and his 48 games, 39 complete games, and 382 innings pitched led the AL.
McGinnity began the 1902 season with the Orioles. However, the franchise began to fall into significant debt. Joe Kelley, star player for the Orioles and son-in-law of part-owner John Mahon, reported that the team owed as much as $12,000 ($ in current dollar terms). Unable to afford that debt, Mahon purchased shares of the team from Kelley and player-manager John McGraw. With this, Mahon became the majority shareholder. On July 17, 1902, Mahon sold his interest in the Orioles to Andrew Freedman, principal owner of the Giants, and John T. Brush, principal owner of the Cincinnati Reds, also of the NL. That day, Freedman and Brush released McGinnity, McGraw, Kelley, Roger Bresnahan, Jack Cronin, Cy Seymour, and Dan McGann from their Oriole contracts. Brush then signed Kelley and Seymour to the Reds, while Freedman signed McGinnity, Bresnahan, Cronin, and McGann, joining McGraw, his new player-manager, on the Giants. McGinnity attempted to contact Johnson that night, offering to stay with the Orioles if he could receive Johnson's personal assurance that he was welcome to stay. McGinnity did not hear back from Johnson, who had left his phone off the hook that night to avoid being contacted, and joined his teammates with the Giants.
With the Giants for the 1903 season, McGinnity won 31 games. He also set MLB records with 48 games started and 434 innings pitched, which remain NL records today. Jack Chesbro, pitching for the New York Highlanders of the American League during the 1904 season, set the current MLB records with 55 games started and innings. In 1903, McGinnity started both games of a doubleheader on numerous occasions. He performed this feat three times in a single month, winning all six games. On the final instance, The New York Times reported "he seemed fresh enough to tackle the visitors for a third contest if that were necessary". He pitched over 100 innings in the month of August. Wins by McGinnity and fellow pitcher Christy Mathewson accounted for 73% of the Giants' winning games in 1903, setting an MLB record for a pitching tandem. After the season, McGinnity and some of his teammates threatened to quit the Giants, accusing Brush, now the Giants owner, of going back on a promise to pay the team a monetary bonus for having finished among the top three teams in the NL, as well as a share of the gate receipts from exhibition games, for which they were paid $56.35 ($ in current dollar terms), though Brush allegedly had made over $200,000 ($ in current dollar terms). McGinnity claimed that he would pitch in the California League, as he had received a salary offer for "$1,000 ($ in current dollar terms) more than [he] got in New York". Jack Warner eventually joined McGinnity in publicly threatening to quit.
McGinnity set an MLB record during the 1904 season, recording his tenth win in 21 team games on May 21, the fewest team games for a pitcher to reach the mark. In 1904, McGinnity had a 35–8 record, leading the NL in games (51), innings pitched (408), shutouts (9), saves (5), and his career-best 1.61 ERA. With the Giants competing for the pennant, McGinnity again won both games in a doubleheader three times in a matter of weeks. Aided by McGinnity, the Giants again won the NL pennant. However, they did not compete in the 1904 World Series as Brush and McGraw refused to face the AL champion Boston Pilgrims, following their altercations with Johnson. After the 1904 season, McGinnity attempted to hold out from the Giants when Brush refused to allow McGinnity to play winter baseball with a team in the Southern United States.
McGinnity won 21 games in the 1905 season, as the Giants won the NL pennant. This year, the Giants participated in the 1905 World Series, against the AL champion Philadelphia Athletics. McGinnity started Games Two and Four of the five game series against the Athletics, winning one and losing one, while Mathewson pitched and won the other three. All five games, including the game McGinnity lost to Chief Bender, were shutouts. In 1906, McGinnity again led the NL in wins, with 27. This came in spite of a suspension McGinnity served for fighting Pirates catcher Heinie Peitz, which NL president Harry Pulliam described as "attempting to make the ball park a slaughterhouse." The Mayor of Pittsburgh, who attended the game, insisted that McGinnity be arrested.
In the 1907 season, McGinnity finished with an 18–18 record with a 3.16 ERA, allowing more than a hit per inning for the first time since the 1901 season. He missed the beginning of the 1908 season with a severe fever. In June 1908, Brush put McGinnity on waivers, hoping another owner would relieve him of McGinnity's $5,000 salary ($ in current dollar terms). He tried to waive McGinnity again in August, but both times McGinnity went unclaimed. Despite this, McGinnity reverted to his old form: from August 22 through the end of the season, McGinnity had an 11–7 record, five shutouts, a 2.27 ERA, and an NL-leading five saves. The Giants released McGinnity on February 27, 1909, when McGinnity decided to pay for his own release.
Later career
McGinnity purchased the Newark Indians of the Class-A Eastern League (EL) for $50,000 ($ in current dollar terms) in 1909 from Frank J. Farrell. The press reported that McGinnity would operate the team as a farm team of the Giants, though he denied these reports. When McGinnity could not retain manager Harry Wolverton, he stepped in as player-manager for the Indians. That season, he had a 29–16 record. His 422 innings pitched and 11 shutouts set EL single-season records. He also won both games of doubleheaders on August 27, 1909, and July 23, 1912.
McGinnity played for and managed the Indians through 1912. The Indians finished second in the EL in 1909 and 1910. McGinnity sold his interests in the Indians to Ebbets and Ed McKeever and purchased the Tacoma Tigers of the Class-B Northwestern League for $8,500 ($ in current dollar terms), spending another $50,000 ($ in current dollar terms) on the franchise in renovating the stadium. He served as player-manager of the Tigers at the start of the 1913 season, but stepped down as manager, hiring Russ Hall to serve as manager in June. McGinnity sold stock in the team in 1915 in order to afford operating expenses. He also briefly played for the Venice Tigers of the Class-A Pacific Coast League in 1914.
McGinnity sold the Tigers and purchased the Butte Miners of the Northwestern League in 1916, serving as player-manager and bringing with him several players from Tacoma. In June 1917, he sold his stock in the team and secured his release. He played for the Great Falls Electrics of the Northwestern League for the remainder of the 1917 season. He later became the manager of the A. E. Staley factory baseball team.
McGinnity served as player-manager of the Danville Veterans of the Class-B Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League in the 1922 season and Dubuque Climbers of the Class-D Mississippi Valley League during the 1923 season. With Dubuque, McGinnity won 15 games at age 52. One of those wins was a shutout, pitched in a record one hour and seven minutes. Two years later, he returned to play for Dubuque and the Springfield Senators of the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League during the 1925 season. He pitched in his final professional game on July 28, 1925, after participating in an old-timers game earlier in the day.
McGinnity joined the coaching staff of former teammate Wilbert Robinson, along with Kelley, for the Brooklyn Dodgers during the 1926 MLB season. McGinnity and Kelley were not retained after the season.
Personal life
McGinnity acquired his nickname, "Iron Man", before his doubleheader pitching became widely discussed. According to Lee Allen in The National League Story (1961), a reporter asked McGinnity, while he was still a minor league pitcher, what he did in between seasons. "I'm an iron man", he answered. "I work in a foundry." McGinnity's wife's family operated an iron foundry in McAlester, Oklahoma, where McGinnity worked in the offseasons.
Because of his nickname and connection to the foundry, John McGraw named McGinnity the starter for the Giants' March 23, 1904 exhibition game against the Southern Association's Birmingham Iron Men which was scheduled to raise funds for the Vulcan statue then being cast for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition that summer in St. Louis, Missouri. At his own request, McGinnity was allowed to visit the downtown foundry and personally pour some of the iron into the moulds for the statue.
While working with Williams College's baseball team in 1929, McGinnity became ill. He had surgery to remove tumors from his bladder, and was said to be in critical condition. After the surgery, he was quoted as saying "it's the ninth inning, and I guess they're going to get me out." He died November 14, 1929 in Brooklyn, New York, at the home of his daughter. He was interred in McAlester.
Legacy
McGinnity finished his MLB career with 246 career wins, seven 20-win seasons, and two 30-win seasons. He had nearly 500 professional wins including his years in the minor leagues. McGinnity set a career record in batters hit by pitch with 152. He revolutionized the fielding of the pitching position, by attempting to make force outs at any base, instead of throwing the ball only to first base.
After his death, McGinnity was eulogized as a "hard player" and "a fighter with brains" who hated to lose. Jennings described him as an even better fielder than he was a pitcher. McGraw said that McGinnity was "the hardest working pitcher I ever had on my ballcub". Connie Mack called him a "magician".
After failing to receive the necessary votes from the Baseball Writers' Association of America for entry in the National Baseball Hall of Fame on seven occasions, McGinnity was posthumously elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1946. He was also inducted into the Quad City Sports Hall of Fame in 1988.
In a 1976 article in Esquire magazine, sportswriter Harry Stein published an "All Time All-Star Argument Starter", consisting of five ethnic baseball teams. Though Stein chose McGinnity as the right-handed pitcher for the Irish team, the team was omitted from the article due to space limitations. The Irish team was included in The Book of Lists, published the following year. Lawrence Ritter and Donald Honig included McGinnity in their 1981 book, The 100 Greatest Baseball Players of All Time. The Chicago Tribune included McGinnity in its all-time Illinois team in 1990. In his 2001 book The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract, Bill James ranked McGinnity as the 41st greatest pitcher of all time.
See also
List of Major League Baseball career wins leaders
List of Major League Baseball career ERA leaders
List of Major League Baseball career hit batsmen leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual ERA leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual shutout leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual saves leaders
References
Bibliography
Brown Jr. Charles William Denning McGinnity Family History, Chicago, Illinois, And is mentioned several time in the book Iron Man McGinnity: A Baseball Biography. McFarland & Company. .
In-line citations
External links
1871 births
1929 deaths
People from Henry County, Illinois
American people of Irish descent
National Baseball Hall of Fame inductees
Baltimore Orioles (NL) players
Baltimore Orioles (1901–02) players
Brooklyn Superbas players
New York Giants (NL) players
Major League Baseball pitchers
Baseball players from Illinois
National League ERA champions
National League wins champions
Brooklyn Dodgers coaches
Newark Indians players
Tacoma Tigers players
Venice Tigers players
Danville Veterans players
Springfield Senators players
Baseball player-managers
Deaths from bladder cancer
Deaths from cancer in New York (state)
Vancouver Beavers players
| true |
[
"Amer al-Barkawi () (born June 20, 1997), better known by his alias Miracle-, is a professional Jordanian–Polish Dota 2 player for Nigma Galaxy. He was a member of Team Liquid that won The International 2017, which had the largest prize pool of any esports tournament at the time.\n\nHistory \nMiracle-'s history with the multiplayer online battle arena genre began with Defense of the Ancients in the mid-2000s.\nMiracle- started playing Dota 2 as a \"pubstar\", meaning he did not play competitively, but was ranked highly in public matches. Miracle-'s first entry into the professional scene was with the Balkan Bears in early 2015, although he did not participate in any major tournament and left the team after only four months.\n\nLater that year, Miracle- reached an in-game matchmaking rating (MMR) of over 8000; thus surpassing Aliwi \"w33\" Omar and becoming the highest ranked player. Miracle- was picked up by team (monkey) Business. Following a sponsorship deal, (monkey) Business reformed themselves as OG. Shortly following the rebranding, Miracle- and the team won the Frankfurt Major. Following a 7–8th-place finish in the Shanghai Major, Miracle- and OG won the Manila Major and ESL One Frankfurt 2016.\n\nIn March 2016, Miracle- became the first Dota 2 player to reach 9000 MMR. After placing 9–12th at The International 2016, Miracle- left OG as a free agent to join Team Liquid in September 2016. He, along with the rest of the team, won The International 2017, which had the largest prize pool of any esport tournament, winning nearly 11 million in prize money. In November 2019, he and the rest of Team Liquid left to form their own organization, Nigma.\n\nReferences\n\nNotes \n\n1997 births\nLiving people\nJordanian esports players\nDota players\nTeam Liquid players\nOG (esports) players\nPolish esports players\nPlace of birth missing (living people)",
"Charles Albert \"Joe\" Green (July 26, 1878 – September 18, 1962) was an American baseball outfielder and manager in the pre-Negro leagues and the beginning of the Negro National League.\n\nGreen began his baseball career with the Chicago Clippers in 1900.\n\nIn 1903, he played for the Columbia Giants, then the Chicago Union Giants, the Leland Giants, then spent most of the rest of his playing career for the Chicago Giants where he also managed the team. He took over the team after Frank Leland died on November 14, 1914.\n\nLater in his life, Green put his own name on the team, calling them \"Joe Green's Chicago Giants,\" a team typically made up of popular ex-players of the Negro leagues and pre-Negro leagues.\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\n and Baseball-Reference Black Baseball stats and Seamheads\n and Seamheads\n\nChicago Giants players\nLeland Giants players\nNegro league baseball managers\n1878 births\n1962 deaths\nBaseball players from Chicago\n20th-century African-American people\nBaseball outfielders"
] |
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"Joe McGinnity",
"Later career",
"What did McGinnity do later in life?",
"McGinnity purchased the Newark Indians of the Class-A Eastern League (EL) for $50,000 ($1,361,852 in current dollar terms) in 1909 from Frank J. Farrell.",
"Did the team do well?",
"That season, he had a 29-16 record.",
"Did he own the team the rest of his life?",
"McGinnity sold the Tigers and purchased the Butte Miners of the Northwestern League in 1916,"
] |
C_52e3edf6b03848f4a22539c67e1486d6_0
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How did the Butte Miners do?
| 4 |
How did the Butte Miners do?
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Joe McGinnity
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McGinnity purchased the Newark Indians of the Class-A Eastern League (EL) for $50,000 ($1,361,852 in current dollar terms) in 1909 from Frank J. Farrell. The press reported that McGinnity would operate the team as a farm team of the Giants, though he denied these reports. When McGinnity could not retain manager Harry Wolverton, he stepped in as player-manager for the Indians. That season, he had a 29-16 record. His 422 innings pitched and 11 shutouts set EL single-season records. He also won both games of doubleheaders on August 27, 1909, and July 23, 1912. McGinnity played for and managed the Indians through 1912. The Indians finished second in the EL in 1909 and 1910. McGinnity sold his interests in the Indians to Ebbets and Ed McKeever and purchased the Tacoma Tigers of the Class-B Northwestern League for $8,500 ($215,548 in current dollar terms), spending another $50,000 ($1,267,931 in current dollar terms) on the franchise in renovating the stadium. He served as player-manager the Tigers at the start of the 1913 season, but stepped down as manager, hiring Russ Hall to serve as manager in June. McGinnity sold stock in the team in 1915 in order to afford operating expenses. He also briefly played for the Venice Tigers of the Class-A Pacific Coast League in 1914. McGinnity sold the Tigers and purchased the Butte Miners of the Northwestern League in 1916, serving as player-manager and bringing with him several players from Tacoma. In June 1917, he sold his stock in the team and secured his release. He played for the Great Falls Electrics of the Northwestern League for the remainder of the 1917 season. He later became the manager of the A. E. Staley factory baseball team. McGinnity served as player-manager of the Danville Veterans of the Class-B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League in the 1922 season and Dubuque Climbers of the Class-D Mississippi Valley League during the 1923 season. With Dubuque, McGinnity won 15 games at age 52. One of those wins was a shutout, pitched in a record one hour and seven minutes. Two years later, he returned to play for Dubuque and Springfield Senators of the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League during the 1925 season. He pitched in his final professional game on July 28, 1925, after participating in an old-timers game earlier in the day. McGinnity joined the coaching staff of former teammate Wilbert Robinson, along with Kelley, for the Brooklyn Dodgers during the 1926 MLB season. McGinnity and Kelley were not retained after the season. CANNOTANSWER
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CANNOTANSWER
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Joseph Jerome McGinnity (March 20, 1871 – November 14, 1929) was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the late 19th and early 20th century. McGinnity played in MLB for ten years, pitching for the National League's (NL) Baltimore Orioles (1899) and Brooklyn Superbas (1900), before jumping to the American League (AL) to play for the Baltimore Orioles (AL) (1901–1902). He returned to the NL with the New York Giants (1902–1908). McGinnity continued to pitch in the minor leagues, eventually retiring from baseball for good at the age of 54.
In MLB, he won 246 games with a 2.66 earned run average (ERA). He had seven 20-win seasons and two 30-win seasons. Including his time in the minor leagues, McGinnity won close to 500 games as a professional ballplayer. He led MLB in wins five times (1899, 1900, 1903, 1904, and 1906) and ERA once (1904). With the Giants, he won the 1905 World Series. His teams also won NL pennants in 1900 and 1904.
McGinnity was nicknamed "Iron Man" because he worked in an iron foundry during the baseball offseasons. His nickname came to convey his longevity and durability, as he routinely pitched in both games of doubleheaders. He set NL records for complete games (48) and innings pitched (434) in a single season, which still stand (and with modern MLB practices which limit pitchers' innings, are considered effectively unbreakable). McGinnity is considered one of the better players in the history of the New York Giants. The Veterans Committee elected him to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946.
Early life
McGinnity's father, Peter, was born in Dublin, Ireland. His last name was McGinity before he came to United States. He changed it by adding an "n" after he emigrated to the United States in 1861. Peter worked in coal mines and on the farm owned by John and Rebecca Denning, and they accepted him, allowing him to move in with them in their Henry County farm. John and Rebecca moved to Oregon, leaving the homestead in the hands of Peter and their daughter, Hannah. The two married in August 1865, three months before the birth of their first son, William. Their second son, Peter, was born in 1869, and Joe was born in 1871. The McGinnitys had four more children.
Joe received little formal schooling. Due to the transient lifestyle of coal miners, his family moved frequently during his childhood. The McGinnitys moved to Gallatin County in 1878. Two days after the birth of their seventh child, Peter died in an accident. At the age of eight, Joe and his older brothers went to work in the mines to support their family. In 1880, the family moved to Springfield, Illinois, where Joe and his brothers worked for the Springfield Coal Company. They moved to Decatur, Illinois less than six months later, continuing to mine coal, while their mother cleaned houses.
Baseball career
Early career
While living in Decatur, McGinnity began playing baseball with other coal miners in their leisure time. The owner of the Decatur Coal Company founded the Decatur Baseball Association in 1886. An outfielder, McGinnity substituted for his team's pitcher in an 1888 game, which he won. He continued to pitch from that point on. He pitched for semi-professional teams based in Decatur in 1888 and 1889. His family headed west, stopping in the Indian Territory on their way to Montana, where Hannah's sister struck gold in their coal mine. McGinnity and his brothers worked in a coal mine in Krebs. There, he met his future wife, Mary Redpath, the oldest daughter of a fellow coal miner. McGinnity also played baseball for the local team. He increased baseball's popularity in the area, and was later referred to as "the father of Oklahoma baseball" by a sportswriter for The Oklahoman, as he organized, managed, and pitched for teams in Krebs. One of these teams began traveling to other towns along the Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad to play against their local teams. He also pitched for teams in neighboring towns.
John McCloskey, the manager of the minor league baseball Montgomery Colts of the Class-B Southern League, heard about McGinnity's pitching. McCloskey signed McGinnity, who made his professional debut with the Colts in 1893. McCloskey habitually baited umpires during games, a trait which McGinnity learned. The league folded as a result of financial troubles related to the Panic of 1893. Jimmie Manning, manager of the Southern League franchise in Savannah, Georgia, became manager of the Kansas City Blues of the Class-A Western League for the 1894 season, and signed McGinnity to pitch for the Blues. Combined for Montgomery and Kansas City, McGinnity had a 21–29 win–loss record, while walking more batters than he could strikeout, and allowing more than a hit per inning pitched. According to a Western League umpire, catcher Tim Donahue tipped McGinnity's pitches to opposing batters due to a personal feud. As McGinnity continued to struggle for Kansas City, he requested his release in June.
McGinnity moved to Springfield, Illinois, where he worked as a coal miner, bartender, and operated a saloon. McGinnity also pitched locally for semi-professional teams in Springfield and Decatur, receiving a salary between $1 to $3 (between $ to $ in current dollar terms) for each game. During this time, McGinnity developed a sidearm pitch he nicknamed "Old Sal", described as a "slow curve", which became a feature of his later success. He also improved his fielding, as opponents attempted to bunt "Old Sal".
While pitching for a semi-professional team, McGinnity defeated the National League's (NL) Baltimore Orioles in an exhibition game after he had already defeated a team from Chatham, Illinois earlier in the day. Pat Wright, who managed Springfield's semi-professional team, was named manager of the Peoria Distillers of the Class-B Western Association, and he signed McGinnity to Peoria for the 1898 season, marking his return to professional baseball. Armed with "Old Sal", McGinnity compiled a 9–4 record for Peoria, allowing only 118 hits and 60 walks while striking out 74 batters in 142 innings. He pitched a complete 21-inning game, believed to be the second longest professional baseball game to date. With low attendance and the distraction of the Spanish–American War, the Western Association folded in August.
Major League Baseball
Former Brooklyn Grooms player George Pinkney, who lived in Peoria during his retirement, saw McGinnity pitch, and contacted Brooklyn owner Charles Ebbets to recommend he sign McGinnity. He signed McGinnity in the spring of 1899 for $150 a month ($ in current dollar terms). The syndicate that owned Brooklyn also owned the Baltimore Orioles.
With the ownership consolidation, Orioles player-manager Ned Hanlon, who received an ownership stake in the clubs, moved from Baltimore to Brooklyn and assigned many of his best players to Brooklyn, including Joe Kelley, Dan McGann, Hughie Jennings and Willie Keeler. Hanlon assigned McGinnity to the Orioles for the 1899 season after seeing his unorthodox pitching delivery and slow pitching speed. With the Orioles, McGinnity played with John McGraw, who succeeded Hanlon as player-manager, and Wilbert Robinson, who caught McGinnity. McGraw and Robinson had refused to relocate to Brooklyn due to their investment in a Baltimore restaurant. The two imparted their aggressive style of play to McGinnity. In his first year in the NL, McGinnity had a 28–16 record. His 28 wins led the NL, while he ranked second with 48 games, third with a 2.68 earned run average (ERA), and fourth with innings pitched.
After the 1899 season, the NL voted to contract four teams, which included the Orioles. Hanlon assigned McGinnity to Brooklyn, now known as the "Superbas". McGinnity posted a 28–8 record for Brooklyn in the 1900 season. His 28 wins and 343 innings pitched led the league, as the Dodgers won the NL pennant. McGinnity also pitched two complete games in the Chronicle-Telegraph Cup, as the Superbas defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates. Rather than draw straws to decide who would keep the trophy, the team voted to award it to McGinnity.
With the formation of the American League (AL) as a competitor to the NL, and rumors that the AL's Detroit Tigers were interested in McGinnity, Brooklyn offered McGinnity a $5,000 contract ($ in current dollar terms) to stay with Brooklyn. McGinnity considered retiring from baseball, but ultimately jumped to the AL, signing with the Baltimore Orioles of the AL before the 1901 season. He received a salary of $2,800 ($ in current dollar terms), choosing less money in an upstart league for the chance to be reunited with McGraw, who was player-manager and part-owner of the Orioles.
Fighting continued to erupt in games McGraw managed. During a brawl that erupted during a game against the Detroit Tigers on August 21, 1901, McGinnity spat on umpire Tom Connolly. McGinnity was arrested for the incident and permanently suspended by AL president Ban Johnson, who wanted there to be no fighting in AL games. Johnson later cut the suspension down to 12 days after McGinnity apologized. McGinnity compiled a 26–20 record for the 1901 Orioles, and his 48 games, 39 complete games, and 382 innings pitched led the AL.
McGinnity began the 1902 season with the Orioles. However, the franchise began to fall into significant debt. Joe Kelley, star player for the Orioles and son-in-law of part-owner John Mahon, reported that the team owed as much as $12,000 ($ in current dollar terms). Unable to afford that debt, Mahon purchased shares of the team from Kelley and player-manager John McGraw. With this, Mahon became the majority shareholder. On July 17, 1902, Mahon sold his interest in the Orioles to Andrew Freedman, principal owner of the Giants, and John T. Brush, principal owner of the Cincinnati Reds, also of the NL. That day, Freedman and Brush released McGinnity, McGraw, Kelley, Roger Bresnahan, Jack Cronin, Cy Seymour, and Dan McGann from their Oriole contracts. Brush then signed Kelley and Seymour to the Reds, while Freedman signed McGinnity, Bresnahan, Cronin, and McGann, joining McGraw, his new player-manager, on the Giants. McGinnity attempted to contact Johnson that night, offering to stay with the Orioles if he could receive Johnson's personal assurance that he was welcome to stay. McGinnity did not hear back from Johnson, who had left his phone off the hook that night to avoid being contacted, and joined his teammates with the Giants.
With the Giants for the 1903 season, McGinnity won 31 games. He also set MLB records with 48 games started and 434 innings pitched, which remain NL records today. Jack Chesbro, pitching for the New York Highlanders of the American League during the 1904 season, set the current MLB records with 55 games started and innings. In 1903, McGinnity started both games of a doubleheader on numerous occasions. He performed this feat three times in a single month, winning all six games. On the final instance, The New York Times reported "he seemed fresh enough to tackle the visitors for a third contest if that were necessary". He pitched over 100 innings in the month of August. Wins by McGinnity and fellow pitcher Christy Mathewson accounted for 73% of the Giants' winning games in 1903, setting an MLB record for a pitching tandem. After the season, McGinnity and some of his teammates threatened to quit the Giants, accusing Brush, now the Giants owner, of going back on a promise to pay the team a monetary bonus for having finished among the top three teams in the NL, as well as a share of the gate receipts from exhibition games, for which they were paid $56.35 ($ in current dollar terms), though Brush allegedly had made over $200,000 ($ in current dollar terms). McGinnity claimed that he would pitch in the California League, as he had received a salary offer for "$1,000 ($ in current dollar terms) more than [he] got in New York". Jack Warner eventually joined McGinnity in publicly threatening to quit.
McGinnity set an MLB record during the 1904 season, recording his tenth win in 21 team games on May 21, the fewest team games for a pitcher to reach the mark. In 1904, McGinnity had a 35–8 record, leading the NL in games (51), innings pitched (408), shutouts (9), saves (5), and his career-best 1.61 ERA. With the Giants competing for the pennant, McGinnity again won both games in a doubleheader three times in a matter of weeks. Aided by McGinnity, the Giants again won the NL pennant. However, they did not compete in the 1904 World Series as Brush and McGraw refused to face the AL champion Boston Pilgrims, following their altercations with Johnson. After the 1904 season, McGinnity attempted to hold out from the Giants when Brush refused to allow McGinnity to play winter baseball with a team in the Southern United States.
McGinnity won 21 games in the 1905 season, as the Giants won the NL pennant. This year, the Giants participated in the 1905 World Series, against the AL champion Philadelphia Athletics. McGinnity started Games Two and Four of the five game series against the Athletics, winning one and losing one, while Mathewson pitched and won the other three. All five games, including the game McGinnity lost to Chief Bender, were shutouts. In 1906, McGinnity again led the NL in wins, with 27. This came in spite of a suspension McGinnity served for fighting Pirates catcher Heinie Peitz, which NL president Harry Pulliam described as "attempting to make the ball park a slaughterhouse." The Mayor of Pittsburgh, who attended the game, insisted that McGinnity be arrested.
In the 1907 season, McGinnity finished with an 18–18 record with a 3.16 ERA, allowing more than a hit per inning for the first time since the 1901 season. He missed the beginning of the 1908 season with a severe fever. In June 1908, Brush put McGinnity on waivers, hoping another owner would relieve him of McGinnity's $5,000 salary ($ in current dollar terms). He tried to waive McGinnity again in August, but both times McGinnity went unclaimed. Despite this, McGinnity reverted to his old form: from August 22 through the end of the season, McGinnity had an 11–7 record, five shutouts, a 2.27 ERA, and an NL-leading five saves. The Giants released McGinnity on February 27, 1909, when McGinnity decided to pay for his own release.
Later career
McGinnity purchased the Newark Indians of the Class-A Eastern League (EL) for $50,000 ($ in current dollar terms) in 1909 from Frank J. Farrell. The press reported that McGinnity would operate the team as a farm team of the Giants, though he denied these reports. When McGinnity could not retain manager Harry Wolverton, he stepped in as player-manager for the Indians. That season, he had a 29–16 record. His 422 innings pitched and 11 shutouts set EL single-season records. He also won both games of doubleheaders on August 27, 1909, and July 23, 1912.
McGinnity played for and managed the Indians through 1912. The Indians finished second in the EL in 1909 and 1910. McGinnity sold his interests in the Indians to Ebbets and Ed McKeever and purchased the Tacoma Tigers of the Class-B Northwestern League for $8,500 ($ in current dollar terms), spending another $50,000 ($ in current dollar terms) on the franchise in renovating the stadium. He served as player-manager of the Tigers at the start of the 1913 season, but stepped down as manager, hiring Russ Hall to serve as manager in June. McGinnity sold stock in the team in 1915 in order to afford operating expenses. He also briefly played for the Venice Tigers of the Class-A Pacific Coast League in 1914.
McGinnity sold the Tigers and purchased the Butte Miners of the Northwestern League in 1916, serving as player-manager and bringing with him several players from Tacoma. In June 1917, he sold his stock in the team and secured his release. He played for the Great Falls Electrics of the Northwestern League for the remainder of the 1917 season. He later became the manager of the A. E. Staley factory baseball team.
McGinnity served as player-manager of the Danville Veterans of the Class-B Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League in the 1922 season and Dubuque Climbers of the Class-D Mississippi Valley League during the 1923 season. With Dubuque, McGinnity won 15 games at age 52. One of those wins was a shutout, pitched in a record one hour and seven minutes. Two years later, he returned to play for Dubuque and the Springfield Senators of the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League during the 1925 season. He pitched in his final professional game on July 28, 1925, after participating in an old-timers game earlier in the day.
McGinnity joined the coaching staff of former teammate Wilbert Robinson, along with Kelley, for the Brooklyn Dodgers during the 1926 MLB season. McGinnity and Kelley were not retained after the season.
Personal life
McGinnity acquired his nickname, "Iron Man", before his doubleheader pitching became widely discussed. According to Lee Allen in The National League Story (1961), a reporter asked McGinnity, while he was still a minor league pitcher, what he did in between seasons. "I'm an iron man", he answered. "I work in a foundry." McGinnity's wife's family operated an iron foundry in McAlester, Oklahoma, where McGinnity worked in the offseasons.
Because of his nickname and connection to the foundry, John McGraw named McGinnity the starter for the Giants' March 23, 1904 exhibition game against the Southern Association's Birmingham Iron Men which was scheduled to raise funds for the Vulcan statue then being cast for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition that summer in St. Louis, Missouri. At his own request, McGinnity was allowed to visit the downtown foundry and personally pour some of the iron into the moulds for the statue.
While working with Williams College's baseball team in 1929, McGinnity became ill. He had surgery to remove tumors from his bladder, and was said to be in critical condition. After the surgery, he was quoted as saying "it's the ninth inning, and I guess they're going to get me out." He died November 14, 1929 in Brooklyn, New York, at the home of his daughter. He was interred in McAlester.
Legacy
McGinnity finished his MLB career with 246 career wins, seven 20-win seasons, and two 30-win seasons. He had nearly 500 professional wins including his years in the minor leagues. McGinnity set a career record in batters hit by pitch with 152. He revolutionized the fielding of the pitching position, by attempting to make force outs at any base, instead of throwing the ball only to first base.
After his death, McGinnity was eulogized as a "hard player" and "a fighter with brains" who hated to lose. Jennings described him as an even better fielder than he was a pitcher. McGraw said that McGinnity was "the hardest working pitcher I ever had on my ballcub". Connie Mack called him a "magician".
After failing to receive the necessary votes from the Baseball Writers' Association of America for entry in the National Baseball Hall of Fame on seven occasions, McGinnity was posthumously elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1946. He was also inducted into the Quad City Sports Hall of Fame in 1988.
In a 1976 article in Esquire magazine, sportswriter Harry Stein published an "All Time All-Star Argument Starter", consisting of five ethnic baseball teams. Though Stein chose McGinnity as the right-handed pitcher for the Irish team, the team was omitted from the article due to space limitations. The Irish team was included in The Book of Lists, published the following year. Lawrence Ritter and Donald Honig included McGinnity in their 1981 book, The 100 Greatest Baseball Players of All Time. The Chicago Tribune included McGinnity in its all-time Illinois team in 1990. In his 2001 book The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract, Bill James ranked McGinnity as the 41st greatest pitcher of all time.
See also
List of Major League Baseball career wins leaders
List of Major League Baseball career ERA leaders
List of Major League Baseball career hit batsmen leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual ERA leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual shutout leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual saves leaders
References
Bibliography
Brown Jr. Charles William Denning McGinnity Family History, Chicago, Illinois, And is mentioned several time in the book Iron Man McGinnity: A Baseball Biography. McFarland & Company. .
In-line citations
External links
1871 births
1929 deaths
People from Henry County, Illinois
American people of Irish descent
National Baseball Hall of Fame inductees
Baltimore Orioles (NL) players
Baltimore Orioles (1901–02) players
Brooklyn Superbas players
New York Giants (NL) players
Major League Baseball pitchers
Baseball players from Illinois
National League ERA champions
National League wins champions
Brooklyn Dodgers coaches
Newark Indians players
Tacoma Tigers players
Venice Tigers players
Danville Veterans players
Springfield Senators players
Baseball player-managers
Deaths from bladder cancer
Deaths from cancer in New York (state)
Vancouver Beavers players
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[
"The Butte Miners' Union, formerly known as the Butte Workingmen's Union, was formed in 1878 as a reaction to working conditions in the mines of Butte, Montana.\n\nHealth issues\nThe fatality rate in the Butte mines were higher than Colorado's, Idaho's, and South Dakota's. Mines in Britain and Germany also did not experience such high fatality rates. Annually, 3.35 per 1,000 men were killed in the Montana mines from 1894 to 1908. Men died due to the typical mine accidents such as fires, cave-ins, gassings, and falls, but the greatest threat of all was miners' consumption (medically known as phthisis or Silicosis). In a study of Butte miners from 1916-1919 it was determined that 42% of the workers suffered from miners' consumption. Miners' consumption killed many workers and often led to worse diseases such as tuberculosis and pneumonia.\n\nHistory\nThe poor working conditions pushed the miners to organize, and when the Walker Brothers at the Alice Mine and A.J. Davis at the Lexington mine cut wages for unskilled underground workers from $3.50 a day to $3.00 a day, union mobilization was sped up. The skilled laborers, even though unaffected, stood by to support their coworkers. In peaceful protest led by Aaron Witter, an Indiana miner, the men won back their $3.50 a day wages and soon after on June 13, 1878 the Butte Workingmen's Union (BWU) was formed with Aaron Witter as President.\n\nWithin a matter of two weeks the Butte Workingmen's Union had 300 paying members. By 1885 the union had 1800 paying members. The reason for the quick increase in members was the decline in Comstock and Nevada mines in the early 1880s. In March 1885, the Butte Workingmen's Union decided to reorganize and renamed itself the Butte Miners' Union (BMU) while simultaneously disaffiliating itself anyone in the BWU who was not a miner. The men who were no longer members of the Butte Miners' Union went on to create smaller craft organizations.\n\nIn 1886, a few members joined the Knights of Labor placing the BMU under the powerful Silver Bow Trades and Labor Assembly which touted thirty-four separate unions and 6,000 members. In a show of strength in 1887, laborers threatened to lynch the superintendent of the Bluebird Mine in which they would end up winning full recognition of the closed shop. According to \"Big Bill\" Haywood, the Butte Miners' Union had the potential to take control over the entire Montana political structure had it not been for internal dissension between the Cornish and Irish Miners.\n\nInfluence of the Butte Miners' Union \nThe Butte Miners' Union created branches all over Montana. Even across state lines the BMU had a presence. The miners' struggle in the Coeur d' Alene district of north Idaho witnessed the strength of the BMU when they were sent thousands of dollars in relief funds. The Butte Miner's Union mortgaged their own buildings to send more money as well.\n\nIn 1893 the Butte Miners' Union took the lead in forming the Western Federation of Miners. On May 15, 1893, forty delegates from fifteen regional unions, met at Butte and formed the organization that would represent the interests of these miners. Their platform called for an eight-hour workday, cooperation amongst workers and employers, removal of company stores and employment of child and convict labor, and the use of Pinkerton detectives to look into union affairs. The Butte Miners' Union became Local number one for the newly formed Western Federation of Miners Western Federation of Miners. BMU's own, John Gilligan served as the first president of the Western Federation of Miners.\n\nSongs\n\n\"Butte Irish Miners' Song\" \nHurrah for Old Ireland, the land of good miners \nThe dear little isle I see in my dreams.\nI'll go back to Old Ireland\nto the girl who waits for me;\nTo hell with your mines and your mining machines.\n\n\"Miners' Union Day in Butte\" \nMe new green shirt I'll wear.\nSix thousand miners will be marchin'\nWhile I ride in stately ease,\nJust like a Celtic warrior\nAs handsome as you please.\n\nReferences\n\nBibliography \n Malone, Michael P. The Battle for Butte, Mining and Politics on the Northern Frontier,1864-1906. Seattle: University of Washington,1981. Print.\n Emmons, David M. The Butte Irish, Class and Ethnicity in an American Mining Town, 1875-1925. Chicago: University of Illinois,1989.Print.\n\nMining trade unions\nTrade unions established in 1885\nTrade unions in Montana\n1885 in Montana Territory",
"The Butte Miners was the primary moniker of the minor league baseball franchise based in Butte, Montana between 1892 and 1925.\n \nButte minor league teams played as members of the Montana State League (1892, 1900), Pacific Northwest League (1902), Pacific National League (1903–1904), Montana State League (1905), Northwestern League (1906–1908), Inter-Mountain League (1909), Montana State League (1909), Union Association (1911–1914), Northwestern League (1916–1917) and Montana State League (1925).\n\nBaseball Hall of Fame member Joe McGinnity was a player/manager of the Butte Miners in 1916 and 1917.\n\nHistory\n\nMontana State League 1892, 1900\nMinor league baseball began in Butte, Montana in 1892. The Butte team played as members of the newly formed Class B level Montana State League. The Bozeman, Great Falls Smelter Cities, Helena, Missoula and Philipsburg Burgers teams joined Buttte in league play.\n\nPlaying as charter members in the Montana State League, Butte finished as the 1892 Montana State League Champions. The league played a split–season schedule, with Butte capturing the first–half title and Missoula winning the second–half title, while Helena had the best overall record, but missed the playoff. Butte finished with a 26–22 overall record, playing under manager Jim Powell. Powell had moved to Butte to work as manager of Maguire’s Opera House after his major league career. As Butte won the first–half championship and Missoula won the second–half title, Butte was awarded the overall championship after Helena reportedly forfeited the playoff series over complaints regarding money and umpiring. The Montana State League folded after the 1892 season.\n\nThe Montana State League reformed in 1900 under the direction of president William Henry Lucas. The Butte Smoke Eaters were a member of the four–team league, along with the Anaconda Serpents, Great Falls Indians and Helena Senators. The 1900 Bute Smoke Eaters ended the season with a 30–40 record, placing 4th and last in the Montana State League. The Butte Smoke Eaters were again managed by Jim Powell. The Montana State League did not return to play in 1901.\n\nPacific Northwest/National League 1902–1904 / Montana State League 1905\nThe Butte Miners became members of the Class B level Pacific Northwest League in 1902 and won the first of back–to–back championships.\n\nIn 1902, Butte finished 1st with a 73–47 record, playing under manager John McCloskey. The Pacific Northwest League had no playoffs and Butte won the championship based on the final league standings. The Butte Miners finished 3.0 games ahead of the 2nd place Seattle Clamdiggers in the six–team league. Seattle (70–50) was followed by the Helena Senators (65–54), Portland Webfoots (58–62), Tacoma Tigers (48-72) and Spokane Smoke Eaters (46–75) in the final standings.\n\nThe Butte Miners won a second consecutive league championship in 1903. The Butte franchise continued play as the Pacific Northwest League became a Class A level league and was renamed the Pacific National League, expanding to eight teams. In the era, Class A was the highest level of minor league baseball. Playing under managers Jerry Kane and Walt Wilmot, Butte ended the season with a 85–62 record, finishing 4.5 games ahead of the 2nd place Spokane Indians (82–68) as only four teams finished the season. They were followed by the Seattle Chinooks (78–71) and Portland Green Gages/Salt Lake City Elders (56–91). The Helena Senators (40–62) and Tacoma Tigers (46–60) both disbanded on August 16, 1903. The Los Angeles Angels (65–42) and San Francisco Pirates (56–52) disbanded August 21, 1903.\n\nThe 1904 Pacific National League continued play as a four–team Class B level league and Butte finished in 3rd place. The Butte Miners ended the season with a 54–75 record under manager Walt Wilmot, finishing the season 27.0 games behind the champion Boise Fruit Pickers. The 1904 Butte team was also called the Butte Fruit Pickers by some references.\n\nButte played in the 1905 four–team Montana State League, which operated as an Independent level league. Great Falls, Helena and Missoula were the other members. No 1905 Montana State League standings are known.\n\nNorthwestern League 1906–1908\nIn 1906, the Butte Miners became members of the Class B level Northwestern League, where they would continue play for the next four seasons. The Butte Miners finished with a 43–42 record, placing 2nd under manager Charles McIntyre. Butte finished 8.5 games behind the 1st place Tacoma Tigers, no playoffs were held. On July 29, 1906, Butte Miners pitcher Oscar Bandelin threw a no-hitter in a 15–0 victory over the Spokane Indians.\n\nThe Butte Miners finished in 4th place in the 1907 Northwestern League. The Miners ended the season with a 70–73 record under manager Russ Hall. Butte finished 18.5 games behind the 1st place Aberdeen Black Cats in six–team league final standings.\n\nThe 1908 Butte Miners played their final Northwestern League season. Butte finished with a 63–73 record, playing again under Russ Hall. The Miners were in 5th place, 16.5 games behind the 1st place Vancouver Beavers.\n\n1909 Inter-Mountain League, Montana State League / Union Association 1911–1914\nIn 1909, the Butte Miners played in two leagues. Butte first began the season becoming charter members of the Class D four–team Inter-Mountain League. On July 25, 1909, the Miners were in 3rd place with a 21–36 record when the Inter-Mountain League disbanded. The Butte manager in 1909 was John Barnes. After the league folded, Butte switched leagues and played as members of the Montana State League for the remainder of the 1909 season. Finishing 20–31 in the Montana State League, Butte joined franchises from Boise, Idaho, Helena and Salt Lake, Utah in the 1909 Montana State League portion of the season.\n\nThe six–team Union Association was formed in 1911, with William Henry Lucas again leading a new league. The Butte Miners were charter members of the Class D league. The 1911 Butte Miners ended the season in 3rd place with a 77–60 record under manager John McCloskey, finishing 13.5 games behind the 1st place Great Falls team.\n\nIn 1912, the Butte Miners placed 5th in the six–team Union Association. The Miners had a 53–82 record under managers Charles McCaffery and Jesse Stovall, finishing 30.5 games behind 1st place Missoula. On July 23, 1912, Butte pitcher Wheezer Dell threw a no-hitter in a 1–0 Miners victory over the Ogden Canners.\n\nThe Butte Miners placed 3rd in the 1913 Union Association standings. Butte finished with a 54–64 record under managers Arthur Merkle and Frank Kafora, ending 23.0 games behind the champion Great Falls Electrics.\n\nThe 1914 Union Association permanently folded on August 5, 1914. Butte was in 3rd place with a 44–40 record under manager Ducky Holmes when the league disbanded. The top two teams in the Union Association standings, the Ogden Canners and Salt Lake City Skyscrapers played out their 1914 seasons, with 16 games against each other. Butte had been 7.0 games behind Salt Lake City for 2nd place when the league folded.\n\nNorthwestern League 1916–1917\nThe 1916 Butte Miners returned to minor league play as members of the Class B level Northwestern League. Baseball Hall of Fame member Joe McGinnity was the player/manager for the 1917 Butte Miners. Butte finished with a 68–59 record, placing second in the league, 11.0 games behind the champion Spokane Indians. McGinnity had a 20–13 record, while pitching 291 innings for Butte at age 45.\n\nIn 1917, Joe McGinnity again managed the Butte Miners, but did not pitch. The 1917 Miners had a final record of 31–38. Butte placed 5th in the Northwestern League final standings playing under managers, Hall of Famer McGinnity and Cliff McCarl. The Miners finished 10.0 games behind the 1st place Great Falls Electrics in the final standings, as the 1917 league season was shortened to July 15, 1917 with National Association approval.\n\nFinal Seasons\nButte played the 1925 season in the Independent level Montana State League. No standings or statistics are available for the 1925 league.\n\nButte was without minor league baseball until the Butte Copper Kings began play in the 1978 Pioneer League. Butte had a franchise in the Pioneer League from 1978-1985 and 1987-2000.\n\nThe ballpark\nBeginning in 1900, Butte minor league teams played at the Mt. Columbia Grounds. The ballpark was located on site of the Columbia Gardens (amusement park) in Butte. The Butte Electric Railway Company provided rail service to Columbia Gardens. Built in 1899, the Columbia Gardens were dismantled in 1973.\n\nTimeline\n\nNotable alumni\n\nBaseball Hall of Fame alumni\nJoe McGinnity (1916–1917, MGR) Inducted, 1947\n\nNotable alumni\nJohn Barnes (1909, MGR)\nMoose Baxter (1906)\nBen Beville (1900)\nRudy Bell (1907)\nJack Brennan (1892)\nEd Bruyette (1907)\nEddie Burke (1900)\nDad Clarke (1900, 1904)\nGeorge Crable (1906)\nJim Cook (1904)\nIra Davis\nWheezer Dell (1905, 1909, 1912)\nGeorge Dickerson (1917)\nPete Dowling (1902–1903, 1904)\nCarl Druhot (1911–1912)\nTom Fitzsimmons (1916)\nNed Garvin (1907)\nRoy Grover (1916)\nJohn Halla (1914)\nTruck Hannah (1911)\nSpec Harkness (1908)\nJerry Harrington (1892)\nEddie Hickey (1908)\nJesse Hoffmeister (1904)\nDucky Holmes (1914, MGR)\nLefty Houtz (1902)\nBen Hunt (1917)\nJake Kafora (1912–1913, 1917)\nRudy Kallio (1913)\nAl Kellogg (1913)\nJack Killilay (1907)\nEd Kippert (1916)\nRalph Kreitz (1908)\nDan Lally (1904)\nElmer Leifer (1917)\nHarry Lochhead (1900)\nCon Lucid (1892)\nJack Lundbom (1903)\nMike Lynch (1903)\nLefty Marr (1892)\nJoe Marshall (1902, 1911–1913)\nJoe Mathes (1911–1912)\nJohn McCloskey (1902, 1911, MGR)\nEd McCreery (1913–1914)\nJim McHale (1902, 1904)\nSteve Melter (1914)\nChief Meyers (1907)\nDan Minnehan (1892)\nTony Mullane (1892) Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame\nJohn Munyan (1892)\nNig Perrine (1911)\nJim Powell (1892, 1900 MGR)\nEddie Quick (1904)\nAlex Remneas (1911)\nSkel Roach (1902–1903)\nSolly Salisbury (1902)\nOwen Shannon (1912–1913)\nJim St. Vrain (1900)\nJud Smith (1892)\nCharley Stis (1907–1908)\nJesse Stovall (1912, MGR)\nCharlie Swindells (1903–1904, 1906)\nJake Thielman (1900)\nBill Tozer (1903)\nGeorge Treadway (1902)\nCal Vasbinder (1904)\nPiggy Ward (1902–1903)\nFarmer Weaver (1902)\nJoe Werrick (1892)\nWalt Wilmot (1903,–1904 MGR)\nLes Wilson (1916)\nBill White (1892)\nBill Wilson (1892)\nDave Zearfoss (1902)\n\nSee also\n\nButte Fruit Pickers playersButte Miners players Butte (minor league baseball) players Butte Smoke Eaters players\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\nBaseball Reference Bullpen\nStats Crew\nColumbia Gardens photos\n\nBaseball teams established in 1892\nDefunct minor league baseball teams\nProfessional baseball teams in Montana\nBaseball teams disestablished in 1917\nDefunct baseball teams in Montana\nUnion Association baseball teams\nButte, Montana\n1892 establishments in Montana\n1917 disestablishments in Montana"
] |
[
"Joe McGinnity",
"Later career",
"What did McGinnity do later in life?",
"McGinnity purchased the Newark Indians of the Class-A Eastern League (EL) for $50,000 ($1,361,852 in current dollar terms) in 1909 from Frank J. Farrell.",
"Did the team do well?",
"That season, he had a 29-16 record.",
"Did he own the team the rest of his life?",
"McGinnity sold the Tigers and purchased the Butte Miners of the Northwestern League in 1916,",
"How did the Butte Miners do?",
"I don't know."
] |
C_52e3edf6b03848f4a22539c67e1486d6_0
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How much did he buy the Butte Miners for?
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How much did Joe McGinnity buy the Butte Miners for?
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Joe McGinnity
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McGinnity purchased the Newark Indians of the Class-A Eastern League (EL) for $50,000 ($1,361,852 in current dollar terms) in 1909 from Frank J. Farrell. The press reported that McGinnity would operate the team as a farm team of the Giants, though he denied these reports. When McGinnity could not retain manager Harry Wolverton, he stepped in as player-manager for the Indians. That season, he had a 29-16 record. His 422 innings pitched and 11 shutouts set EL single-season records. He also won both games of doubleheaders on August 27, 1909, and July 23, 1912. McGinnity played for and managed the Indians through 1912. The Indians finished second in the EL in 1909 and 1910. McGinnity sold his interests in the Indians to Ebbets and Ed McKeever and purchased the Tacoma Tigers of the Class-B Northwestern League for $8,500 ($215,548 in current dollar terms), spending another $50,000 ($1,267,931 in current dollar terms) on the franchise in renovating the stadium. He served as player-manager the Tigers at the start of the 1913 season, but stepped down as manager, hiring Russ Hall to serve as manager in June. McGinnity sold stock in the team in 1915 in order to afford operating expenses. He also briefly played for the Venice Tigers of the Class-A Pacific Coast League in 1914. McGinnity sold the Tigers and purchased the Butte Miners of the Northwestern League in 1916, serving as player-manager and bringing with him several players from Tacoma. In June 1917, he sold his stock in the team and secured his release. He played for the Great Falls Electrics of the Northwestern League for the remainder of the 1917 season. He later became the manager of the A. E. Staley factory baseball team. McGinnity served as player-manager of the Danville Veterans of the Class-B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League in the 1922 season and Dubuque Climbers of the Class-D Mississippi Valley League during the 1923 season. With Dubuque, McGinnity won 15 games at age 52. One of those wins was a shutout, pitched in a record one hour and seven minutes. Two years later, he returned to play for Dubuque and Springfield Senators of the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League during the 1925 season. He pitched in his final professional game on July 28, 1925, after participating in an old-timers game earlier in the day. McGinnity joined the coaching staff of former teammate Wilbert Robinson, along with Kelley, for the Brooklyn Dodgers during the 1926 MLB season. McGinnity and Kelley were not retained after the season. CANNOTANSWER
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CANNOTANSWER
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Joseph Jerome McGinnity (March 20, 1871 – November 14, 1929) was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the late 19th and early 20th century. McGinnity played in MLB for ten years, pitching for the National League's (NL) Baltimore Orioles (1899) and Brooklyn Superbas (1900), before jumping to the American League (AL) to play for the Baltimore Orioles (AL) (1901–1902). He returned to the NL with the New York Giants (1902–1908). McGinnity continued to pitch in the minor leagues, eventually retiring from baseball for good at the age of 54.
In MLB, he won 246 games with a 2.66 earned run average (ERA). He had seven 20-win seasons and two 30-win seasons. Including his time in the minor leagues, McGinnity won close to 500 games as a professional ballplayer. He led MLB in wins five times (1899, 1900, 1903, 1904, and 1906) and ERA once (1904). With the Giants, he won the 1905 World Series. His teams also won NL pennants in 1900 and 1904.
McGinnity was nicknamed "Iron Man" because he worked in an iron foundry during the baseball offseasons. His nickname came to convey his longevity and durability, as he routinely pitched in both games of doubleheaders. He set NL records for complete games (48) and innings pitched (434) in a single season, which still stand (and with modern MLB practices which limit pitchers' innings, are considered effectively unbreakable). McGinnity is considered one of the better players in the history of the New York Giants. The Veterans Committee elected him to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946.
Early life
McGinnity's father, Peter, was born in Dublin, Ireland. His last name was McGinity before he came to United States. He changed it by adding an "n" after he emigrated to the United States in 1861. Peter worked in coal mines and on the farm owned by John and Rebecca Denning, and they accepted him, allowing him to move in with them in their Henry County farm. John and Rebecca moved to Oregon, leaving the homestead in the hands of Peter and their daughter, Hannah. The two married in August 1865, three months before the birth of their first son, William. Their second son, Peter, was born in 1869, and Joe was born in 1871. The McGinnitys had four more children.
Joe received little formal schooling. Due to the transient lifestyle of coal miners, his family moved frequently during his childhood. The McGinnitys moved to Gallatin County in 1878. Two days after the birth of their seventh child, Peter died in an accident. At the age of eight, Joe and his older brothers went to work in the mines to support their family. In 1880, the family moved to Springfield, Illinois, where Joe and his brothers worked for the Springfield Coal Company. They moved to Decatur, Illinois less than six months later, continuing to mine coal, while their mother cleaned houses.
Baseball career
Early career
While living in Decatur, McGinnity began playing baseball with other coal miners in their leisure time. The owner of the Decatur Coal Company founded the Decatur Baseball Association in 1886. An outfielder, McGinnity substituted for his team's pitcher in an 1888 game, which he won. He continued to pitch from that point on. He pitched for semi-professional teams based in Decatur in 1888 and 1889. His family headed west, stopping in the Indian Territory on their way to Montana, where Hannah's sister struck gold in their coal mine. McGinnity and his brothers worked in a coal mine in Krebs. There, he met his future wife, Mary Redpath, the oldest daughter of a fellow coal miner. McGinnity also played baseball for the local team. He increased baseball's popularity in the area, and was later referred to as "the father of Oklahoma baseball" by a sportswriter for The Oklahoman, as he organized, managed, and pitched for teams in Krebs. One of these teams began traveling to other towns along the Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad to play against their local teams. He also pitched for teams in neighboring towns.
John McCloskey, the manager of the minor league baseball Montgomery Colts of the Class-B Southern League, heard about McGinnity's pitching. McCloskey signed McGinnity, who made his professional debut with the Colts in 1893. McCloskey habitually baited umpires during games, a trait which McGinnity learned. The league folded as a result of financial troubles related to the Panic of 1893. Jimmie Manning, manager of the Southern League franchise in Savannah, Georgia, became manager of the Kansas City Blues of the Class-A Western League for the 1894 season, and signed McGinnity to pitch for the Blues. Combined for Montgomery and Kansas City, McGinnity had a 21–29 win–loss record, while walking more batters than he could strikeout, and allowing more than a hit per inning pitched. According to a Western League umpire, catcher Tim Donahue tipped McGinnity's pitches to opposing batters due to a personal feud. As McGinnity continued to struggle for Kansas City, he requested his release in June.
McGinnity moved to Springfield, Illinois, where he worked as a coal miner, bartender, and operated a saloon. McGinnity also pitched locally for semi-professional teams in Springfield and Decatur, receiving a salary between $1 to $3 (between $ to $ in current dollar terms) for each game. During this time, McGinnity developed a sidearm pitch he nicknamed "Old Sal", described as a "slow curve", which became a feature of his later success. He also improved his fielding, as opponents attempted to bunt "Old Sal".
While pitching for a semi-professional team, McGinnity defeated the National League's (NL) Baltimore Orioles in an exhibition game after he had already defeated a team from Chatham, Illinois earlier in the day. Pat Wright, who managed Springfield's semi-professional team, was named manager of the Peoria Distillers of the Class-B Western Association, and he signed McGinnity to Peoria for the 1898 season, marking his return to professional baseball. Armed with "Old Sal", McGinnity compiled a 9–4 record for Peoria, allowing only 118 hits and 60 walks while striking out 74 batters in 142 innings. He pitched a complete 21-inning game, believed to be the second longest professional baseball game to date. With low attendance and the distraction of the Spanish–American War, the Western Association folded in August.
Major League Baseball
Former Brooklyn Grooms player George Pinkney, who lived in Peoria during his retirement, saw McGinnity pitch, and contacted Brooklyn owner Charles Ebbets to recommend he sign McGinnity. He signed McGinnity in the spring of 1899 for $150 a month ($ in current dollar terms). The syndicate that owned Brooklyn also owned the Baltimore Orioles.
With the ownership consolidation, Orioles player-manager Ned Hanlon, who received an ownership stake in the clubs, moved from Baltimore to Brooklyn and assigned many of his best players to Brooklyn, including Joe Kelley, Dan McGann, Hughie Jennings and Willie Keeler. Hanlon assigned McGinnity to the Orioles for the 1899 season after seeing his unorthodox pitching delivery and slow pitching speed. With the Orioles, McGinnity played with John McGraw, who succeeded Hanlon as player-manager, and Wilbert Robinson, who caught McGinnity. McGraw and Robinson had refused to relocate to Brooklyn due to their investment in a Baltimore restaurant. The two imparted their aggressive style of play to McGinnity. In his first year in the NL, McGinnity had a 28–16 record. His 28 wins led the NL, while he ranked second with 48 games, third with a 2.68 earned run average (ERA), and fourth with innings pitched.
After the 1899 season, the NL voted to contract four teams, which included the Orioles. Hanlon assigned McGinnity to Brooklyn, now known as the "Superbas". McGinnity posted a 28–8 record for Brooklyn in the 1900 season. His 28 wins and 343 innings pitched led the league, as the Dodgers won the NL pennant. McGinnity also pitched two complete games in the Chronicle-Telegraph Cup, as the Superbas defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates. Rather than draw straws to decide who would keep the trophy, the team voted to award it to McGinnity.
With the formation of the American League (AL) as a competitor to the NL, and rumors that the AL's Detroit Tigers were interested in McGinnity, Brooklyn offered McGinnity a $5,000 contract ($ in current dollar terms) to stay with Brooklyn. McGinnity considered retiring from baseball, but ultimately jumped to the AL, signing with the Baltimore Orioles of the AL before the 1901 season. He received a salary of $2,800 ($ in current dollar terms), choosing less money in an upstart league for the chance to be reunited with McGraw, who was player-manager and part-owner of the Orioles.
Fighting continued to erupt in games McGraw managed. During a brawl that erupted during a game against the Detroit Tigers on August 21, 1901, McGinnity spat on umpire Tom Connolly. McGinnity was arrested for the incident and permanently suspended by AL president Ban Johnson, who wanted there to be no fighting in AL games. Johnson later cut the suspension down to 12 days after McGinnity apologized. McGinnity compiled a 26–20 record for the 1901 Orioles, and his 48 games, 39 complete games, and 382 innings pitched led the AL.
McGinnity began the 1902 season with the Orioles. However, the franchise began to fall into significant debt. Joe Kelley, star player for the Orioles and son-in-law of part-owner John Mahon, reported that the team owed as much as $12,000 ($ in current dollar terms). Unable to afford that debt, Mahon purchased shares of the team from Kelley and player-manager John McGraw. With this, Mahon became the majority shareholder. On July 17, 1902, Mahon sold his interest in the Orioles to Andrew Freedman, principal owner of the Giants, and John T. Brush, principal owner of the Cincinnati Reds, also of the NL. That day, Freedman and Brush released McGinnity, McGraw, Kelley, Roger Bresnahan, Jack Cronin, Cy Seymour, and Dan McGann from their Oriole contracts. Brush then signed Kelley and Seymour to the Reds, while Freedman signed McGinnity, Bresnahan, Cronin, and McGann, joining McGraw, his new player-manager, on the Giants. McGinnity attempted to contact Johnson that night, offering to stay with the Orioles if he could receive Johnson's personal assurance that he was welcome to stay. McGinnity did not hear back from Johnson, who had left his phone off the hook that night to avoid being contacted, and joined his teammates with the Giants.
With the Giants for the 1903 season, McGinnity won 31 games. He also set MLB records with 48 games started and 434 innings pitched, which remain NL records today. Jack Chesbro, pitching for the New York Highlanders of the American League during the 1904 season, set the current MLB records with 55 games started and innings. In 1903, McGinnity started both games of a doubleheader on numerous occasions. He performed this feat three times in a single month, winning all six games. On the final instance, The New York Times reported "he seemed fresh enough to tackle the visitors for a third contest if that were necessary". He pitched over 100 innings in the month of August. Wins by McGinnity and fellow pitcher Christy Mathewson accounted for 73% of the Giants' winning games in 1903, setting an MLB record for a pitching tandem. After the season, McGinnity and some of his teammates threatened to quit the Giants, accusing Brush, now the Giants owner, of going back on a promise to pay the team a monetary bonus for having finished among the top three teams in the NL, as well as a share of the gate receipts from exhibition games, for which they were paid $56.35 ($ in current dollar terms), though Brush allegedly had made over $200,000 ($ in current dollar terms). McGinnity claimed that he would pitch in the California League, as he had received a salary offer for "$1,000 ($ in current dollar terms) more than [he] got in New York". Jack Warner eventually joined McGinnity in publicly threatening to quit.
McGinnity set an MLB record during the 1904 season, recording his tenth win in 21 team games on May 21, the fewest team games for a pitcher to reach the mark. In 1904, McGinnity had a 35–8 record, leading the NL in games (51), innings pitched (408), shutouts (9), saves (5), and his career-best 1.61 ERA. With the Giants competing for the pennant, McGinnity again won both games in a doubleheader three times in a matter of weeks. Aided by McGinnity, the Giants again won the NL pennant. However, they did not compete in the 1904 World Series as Brush and McGraw refused to face the AL champion Boston Pilgrims, following their altercations with Johnson. After the 1904 season, McGinnity attempted to hold out from the Giants when Brush refused to allow McGinnity to play winter baseball with a team in the Southern United States.
McGinnity won 21 games in the 1905 season, as the Giants won the NL pennant. This year, the Giants participated in the 1905 World Series, against the AL champion Philadelphia Athletics. McGinnity started Games Two and Four of the five game series against the Athletics, winning one and losing one, while Mathewson pitched and won the other three. All five games, including the game McGinnity lost to Chief Bender, were shutouts. In 1906, McGinnity again led the NL in wins, with 27. This came in spite of a suspension McGinnity served for fighting Pirates catcher Heinie Peitz, which NL president Harry Pulliam described as "attempting to make the ball park a slaughterhouse." The Mayor of Pittsburgh, who attended the game, insisted that McGinnity be arrested.
In the 1907 season, McGinnity finished with an 18–18 record with a 3.16 ERA, allowing more than a hit per inning for the first time since the 1901 season. He missed the beginning of the 1908 season with a severe fever. In June 1908, Brush put McGinnity on waivers, hoping another owner would relieve him of McGinnity's $5,000 salary ($ in current dollar terms). He tried to waive McGinnity again in August, but both times McGinnity went unclaimed. Despite this, McGinnity reverted to his old form: from August 22 through the end of the season, McGinnity had an 11–7 record, five shutouts, a 2.27 ERA, and an NL-leading five saves. The Giants released McGinnity on February 27, 1909, when McGinnity decided to pay for his own release.
Later career
McGinnity purchased the Newark Indians of the Class-A Eastern League (EL) for $50,000 ($ in current dollar terms) in 1909 from Frank J. Farrell. The press reported that McGinnity would operate the team as a farm team of the Giants, though he denied these reports. When McGinnity could not retain manager Harry Wolverton, he stepped in as player-manager for the Indians. That season, he had a 29–16 record. His 422 innings pitched and 11 shutouts set EL single-season records. He also won both games of doubleheaders on August 27, 1909, and July 23, 1912.
McGinnity played for and managed the Indians through 1912. The Indians finished second in the EL in 1909 and 1910. McGinnity sold his interests in the Indians to Ebbets and Ed McKeever and purchased the Tacoma Tigers of the Class-B Northwestern League for $8,500 ($ in current dollar terms), spending another $50,000 ($ in current dollar terms) on the franchise in renovating the stadium. He served as player-manager of the Tigers at the start of the 1913 season, but stepped down as manager, hiring Russ Hall to serve as manager in June. McGinnity sold stock in the team in 1915 in order to afford operating expenses. He also briefly played for the Venice Tigers of the Class-A Pacific Coast League in 1914.
McGinnity sold the Tigers and purchased the Butte Miners of the Northwestern League in 1916, serving as player-manager and bringing with him several players from Tacoma. In June 1917, he sold his stock in the team and secured his release. He played for the Great Falls Electrics of the Northwestern League for the remainder of the 1917 season. He later became the manager of the A. E. Staley factory baseball team.
McGinnity served as player-manager of the Danville Veterans of the Class-B Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League in the 1922 season and Dubuque Climbers of the Class-D Mississippi Valley League during the 1923 season. With Dubuque, McGinnity won 15 games at age 52. One of those wins was a shutout, pitched in a record one hour and seven minutes. Two years later, he returned to play for Dubuque and the Springfield Senators of the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League during the 1925 season. He pitched in his final professional game on July 28, 1925, after participating in an old-timers game earlier in the day.
McGinnity joined the coaching staff of former teammate Wilbert Robinson, along with Kelley, for the Brooklyn Dodgers during the 1926 MLB season. McGinnity and Kelley were not retained after the season.
Personal life
McGinnity acquired his nickname, "Iron Man", before his doubleheader pitching became widely discussed. According to Lee Allen in The National League Story (1961), a reporter asked McGinnity, while he was still a minor league pitcher, what he did in between seasons. "I'm an iron man", he answered. "I work in a foundry." McGinnity's wife's family operated an iron foundry in McAlester, Oklahoma, where McGinnity worked in the offseasons.
Because of his nickname and connection to the foundry, John McGraw named McGinnity the starter for the Giants' March 23, 1904 exhibition game against the Southern Association's Birmingham Iron Men which was scheduled to raise funds for the Vulcan statue then being cast for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition that summer in St. Louis, Missouri. At his own request, McGinnity was allowed to visit the downtown foundry and personally pour some of the iron into the moulds for the statue.
While working with Williams College's baseball team in 1929, McGinnity became ill. He had surgery to remove tumors from his bladder, and was said to be in critical condition. After the surgery, he was quoted as saying "it's the ninth inning, and I guess they're going to get me out." He died November 14, 1929 in Brooklyn, New York, at the home of his daughter. He was interred in McAlester.
Legacy
McGinnity finished his MLB career with 246 career wins, seven 20-win seasons, and two 30-win seasons. He had nearly 500 professional wins including his years in the minor leagues. McGinnity set a career record in batters hit by pitch with 152. He revolutionized the fielding of the pitching position, by attempting to make force outs at any base, instead of throwing the ball only to first base.
After his death, McGinnity was eulogized as a "hard player" and "a fighter with brains" who hated to lose. Jennings described him as an even better fielder than he was a pitcher. McGraw said that McGinnity was "the hardest working pitcher I ever had on my ballcub". Connie Mack called him a "magician".
After failing to receive the necessary votes from the Baseball Writers' Association of America for entry in the National Baseball Hall of Fame on seven occasions, McGinnity was posthumously elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1946. He was also inducted into the Quad City Sports Hall of Fame in 1988.
In a 1976 article in Esquire magazine, sportswriter Harry Stein published an "All Time All-Star Argument Starter", consisting of five ethnic baseball teams. Though Stein chose McGinnity as the right-handed pitcher for the Irish team, the team was omitted from the article due to space limitations. The Irish team was included in The Book of Lists, published the following year. Lawrence Ritter and Donald Honig included McGinnity in their 1981 book, The 100 Greatest Baseball Players of All Time. The Chicago Tribune included McGinnity in its all-time Illinois team in 1990. In his 2001 book The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract, Bill James ranked McGinnity as the 41st greatest pitcher of all time.
See also
List of Major League Baseball career wins leaders
List of Major League Baseball career ERA leaders
List of Major League Baseball career hit batsmen leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual ERA leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual shutout leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual saves leaders
References
Bibliography
Brown Jr. Charles William Denning McGinnity Family History, Chicago, Illinois, And is mentioned several time in the book Iron Man McGinnity: A Baseball Biography. McFarland & Company. .
In-line citations
External links
1871 births
1929 deaths
People from Henry County, Illinois
American people of Irish descent
National Baseball Hall of Fame inductees
Baltimore Orioles (NL) players
Baltimore Orioles (1901–02) players
Brooklyn Superbas players
New York Giants (NL) players
Major League Baseball pitchers
Baseball players from Illinois
National League ERA champions
National League wins champions
Brooklyn Dodgers coaches
Newark Indians players
Tacoma Tigers players
Venice Tigers players
Danville Veterans players
Springfield Senators players
Baseball player-managers
Deaths from bladder cancer
Deaths from cancer in New York (state)
Vancouver Beavers players
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"The Butte Miners' Union, formerly known as the Butte Workingmen's Union, was formed in 1878 as a reaction to working conditions in the mines of Butte, Montana.\n\nHealth issues\nThe fatality rate in the Butte mines were higher than Colorado's, Idaho's, and South Dakota's. Mines in Britain and Germany also did not experience such high fatality rates. Annually, 3.35 per 1,000 men were killed in the Montana mines from 1894 to 1908. Men died due to the typical mine accidents such as fires, cave-ins, gassings, and falls, but the greatest threat of all was miners' consumption (medically known as phthisis or Silicosis). In a study of Butte miners from 1916-1919 it was determined that 42% of the workers suffered from miners' consumption. Miners' consumption killed many workers and often led to worse diseases such as tuberculosis and pneumonia.\n\nHistory\nThe poor working conditions pushed the miners to organize, and when the Walker Brothers at the Alice Mine and A.J. Davis at the Lexington mine cut wages for unskilled underground workers from $3.50 a day to $3.00 a day, union mobilization was sped up. The skilled laborers, even though unaffected, stood by to support their coworkers. In peaceful protest led by Aaron Witter, an Indiana miner, the men won back their $3.50 a day wages and soon after on June 13, 1878 the Butte Workingmen's Union (BWU) was formed with Aaron Witter as President.\n\nWithin a matter of two weeks the Butte Workingmen's Union had 300 paying members. By 1885 the union had 1800 paying members. The reason for the quick increase in members was the decline in Comstock and Nevada mines in the early 1880s. In March 1885, the Butte Workingmen's Union decided to reorganize and renamed itself the Butte Miners' Union (BMU) while simultaneously disaffiliating itself anyone in the BWU who was not a miner. The men who were no longer members of the Butte Miners' Union went on to create smaller craft organizations.\n\nIn 1886, a few members joined the Knights of Labor placing the BMU under the powerful Silver Bow Trades and Labor Assembly which touted thirty-four separate unions and 6,000 members. In a show of strength in 1887, laborers threatened to lynch the superintendent of the Bluebird Mine in which they would end up winning full recognition of the closed shop. According to \"Big Bill\" Haywood, the Butte Miners' Union had the potential to take control over the entire Montana political structure had it not been for internal dissension between the Cornish and Irish Miners.\n\nInfluence of the Butte Miners' Union \nThe Butte Miners' Union created branches all over Montana. Even across state lines the BMU had a presence. The miners' struggle in the Coeur d' Alene district of north Idaho witnessed the strength of the BMU when they were sent thousands of dollars in relief funds. The Butte Miner's Union mortgaged their own buildings to send more money as well.\n\nIn 1893 the Butte Miners' Union took the lead in forming the Western Federation of Miners. On May 15, 1893, forty delegates from fifteen regional unions, met at Butte and formed the organization that would represent the interests of these miners. Their platform called for an eight-hour workday, cooperation amongst workers and employers, removal of company stores and employment of child and convict labor, and the use of Pinkerton detectives to look into union affairs. The Butte Miners' Union became Local number one for the newly formed Western Federation of Miners Western Federation of Miners. BMU's own, John Gilligan served as the first president of the Western Federation of Miners.\n\nSongs\n\n\"Butte Irish Miners' Song\" \nHurrah for Old Ireland, the land of good miners \nThe dear little isle I see in my dreams.\nI'll go back to Old Ireland\nto the girl who waits for me;\nTo hell with your mines and your mining machines.\n\n\"Miners' Union Day in Butte\" \nMe new green shirt I'll wear.\nSix thousand miners will be marchin'\nWhile I ride in stately ease,\nJust like a Celtic warrior\nAs handsome as you please.\n\nReferences\n\nBibliography \n Malone, Michael P. The Battle for Butte, Mining and Politics on the Northern Frontier,1864-1906. Seattle: University of Washington,1981. Print.\n Emmons, David M. The Butte Irish, Class and Ethnicity in an American Mining Town, 1875-1925. Chicago: University of Illinois,1989.Print.\n\nMining trade unions\nTrade unions established in 1885\nTrade unions in Montana\n1885 in Montana Territory",
"The Butte Miners was the primary moniker of the minor league baseball franchise based in Butte, Montana between 1892 and 1925.\n \nButte minor league teams played as members of the Montana State League (1892, 1900), Pacific Northwest League (1902), Pacific National League (1903–1904), Montana State League (1905), Northwestern League (1906–1908), Inter-Mountain League (1909), Montana State League (1909), Union Association (1911–1914), Northwestern League (1916–1917) and Montana State League (1925).\n\nBaseball Hall of Fame member Joe McGinnity was a player/manager of the Butte Miners in 1916 and 1917.\n\nHistory\n\nMontana State League 1892, 1900\nMinor league baseball began in Butte, Montana in 1892. The Butte team played as members of the newly formed Class B level Montana State League. The Bozeman, Great Falls Smelter Cities, Helena, Missoula and Philipsburg Burgers teams joined Buttte in league play.\n\nPlaying as charter members in the Montana State League, Butte finished as the 1892 Montana State League Champions. The league played a split–season schedule, with Butte capturing the first–half title and Missoula winning the second–half title, while Helena had the best overall record, but missed the playoff. Butte finished with a 26–22 overall record, playing under manager Jim Powell. Powell had moved to Butte to work as manager of Maguire’s Opera House after his major league career. As Butte won the first–half championship and Missoula won the second–half title, Butte was awarded the overall championship after Helena reportedly forfeited the playoff series over complaints regarding money and umpiring. The Montana State League folded after the 1892 season.\n\nThe Montana State League reformed in 1900 under the direction of president William Henry Lucas. The Butte Smoke Eaters were a member of the four–team league, along with the Anaconda Serpents, Great Falls Indians and Helena Senators. The 1900 Bute Smoke Eaters ended the season with a 30–40 record, placing 4th and last in the Montana State League. The Butte Smoke Eaters were again managed by Jim Powell. The Montana State League did not return to play in 1901.\n\nPacific Northwest/National League 1902–1904 / Montana State League 1905\nThe Butte Miners became members of the Class B level Pacific Northwest League in 1902 and won the first of back–to–back championships.\n\nIn 1902, Butte finished 1st with a 73–47 record, playing under manager John McCloskey. The Pacific Northwest League had no playoffs and Butte won the championship based on the final league standings. The Butte Miners finished 3.0 games ahead of the 2nd place Seattle Clamdiggers in the six–team league. Seattle (70–50) was followed by the Helena Senators (65–54), Portland Webfoots (58–62), Tacoma Tigers (48-72) and Spokane Smoke Eaters (46–75) in the final standings.\n\nThe Butte Miners won a second consecutive league championship in 1903. The Butte franchise continued play as the Pacific Northwest League became a Class A level league and was renamed the Pacific National League, expanding to eight teams. In the era, Class A was the highest level of minor league baseball. Playing under managers Jerry Kane and Walt Wilmot, Butte ended the season with a 85–62 record, finishing 4.5 games ahead of the 2nd place Spokane Indians (82–68) as only four teams finished the season. They were followed by the Seattle Chinooks (78–71) and Portland Green Gages/Salt Lake City Elders (56–91). The Helena Senators (40–62) and Tacoma Tigers (46–60) both disbanded on August 16, 1903. The Los Angeles Angels (65–42) and San Francisco Pirates (56–52) disbanded August 21, 1903.\n\nThe 1904 Pacific National League continued play as a four–team Class B level league and Butte finished in 3rd place. The Butte Miners ended the season with a 54–75 record under manager Walt Wilmot, finishing the season 27.0 games behind the champion Boise Fruit Pickers. The 1904 Butte team was also called the Butte Fruit Pickers by some references.\n\nButte played in the 1905 four–team Montana State League, which operated as an Independent level league. Great Falls, Helena and Missoula were the other members. No 1905 Montana State League standings are known.\n\nNorthwestern League 1906–1908\nIn 1906, the Butte Miners became members of the Class B level Northwestern League, where they would continue play for the next four seasons. The Butte Miners finished with a 43–42 record, placing 2nd under manager Charles McIntyre. Butte finished 8.5 games behind the 1st place Tacoma Tigers, no playoffs were held. On July 29, 1906, Butte Miners pitcher Oscar Bandelin threw a no-hitter in a 15–0 victory over the Spokane Indians.\n\nThe Butte Miners finished in 4th place in the 1907 Northwestern League. The Miners ended the season with a 70–73 record under manager Russ Hall. Butte finished 18.5 games behind the 1st place Aberdeen Black Cats in six–team league final standings.\n\nThe 1908 Butte Miners played their final Northwestern League season. Butte finished with a 63–73 record, playing again under Russ Hall. The Miners were in 5th place, 16.5 games behind the 1st place Vancouver Beavers.\n\n1909 Inter-Mountain League, Montana State League / Union Association 1911–1914\nIn 1909, the Butte Miners played in two leagues. Butte first began the season becoming charter members of the Class D four–team Inter-Mountain League. On July 25, 1909, the Miners were in 3rd place with a 21–36 record when the Inter-Mountain League disbanded. The Butte manager in 1909 was John Barnes. After the league folded, Butte switched leagues and played as members of the Montana State League for the remainder of the 1909 season. Finishing 20–31 in the Montana State League, Butte joined franchises from Boise, Idaho, Helena and Salt Lake, Utah in the 1909 Montana State League portion of the season.\n\nThe six–team Union Association was formed in 1911, with William Henry Lucas again leading a new league. The Butte Miners were charter members of the Class D league. The 1911 Butte Miners ended the season in 3rd place with a 77–60 record under manager John McCloskey, finishing 13.5 games behind the 1st place Great Falls team.\n\nIn 1912, the Butte Miners placed 5th in the six–team Union Association. The Miners had a 53–82 record under managers Charles McCaffery and Jesse Stovall, finishing 30.5 games behind 1st place Missoula. On July 23, 1912, Butte pitcher Wheezer Dell threw a no-hitter in a 1–0 Miners victory over the Ogden Canners.\n\nThe Butte Miners placed 3rd in the 1913 Union Association standings. Butte finished with a 54–64 record under managers Arthur Merkle and Frank Kafora, ending 23.0 games behind the champion Great Falls Electrics.\n\nThe 1914 Union Association permanently folded on August 5, 1914. Butte was in 3rd place with a 44–40 record under manager Ducky Holmes when the league disbanded. The top two teams in the Union Association standings, the Ogden Canners and Salt Lake City Skyscrapers played out their 1914 seasons, with 16 games against each other. Butte had been 7.0 games behind Salt Lake City for 2nd place when the league folded.\n\nNorthwestern League 1916–1917\nThe 1916 Butte Miners returned to minor league play as members of the Class B level Northwestern League. Baseball Hall of Fame member Joe McGinnity was the player/manager for the 1917 Butte Miners. Butte finished with a 68–59 record, placing second in the league, 11.0 games behind the champion Spokane Indians. McGinnity had a 20–13 record, while pitching 291 innings for Butte at age 45.\n\nIn 1917, Joe McGinnity again managed the Butte Miners, but did not pitch. The 1917 Miners had a final record of 31–38. Butte placed 5th in the Northwestern League final standings playing under managers, Hall of Famer McGinnity and Cliff McCarl. The Miners finished 10.0 games behind the 1st place Great Falls Electrics in the final standings, as the 1917 league season was shortened to July 15, 1917 with National Association approval.\n\nFinal Seasons\nButte played the 1925 season in the Independent level Montana State League. No standings or statistics are available for the 1925 league.\n\nButte was without minor league baseball until the Butte Copper Kings began play in the 1978 Pioneer League. Butte had a franchise in the Pioneer League from 1978-1985 and 1987-2000.\n\nThe ballpark\nBeginning in 1900, Butte minor league teams played at the Mt. Columbia Grounds. The ballpark was located on site of the Columbia Gardens (amusement park) in Butte. The Butte Electric Railway Company provided rail service to Columbia Gardens. Built in 1899, the Columbia Gardens were dismantled in 1973.\n\nTimeline\n\nNotable alumni\n\nBaseball Hall of Fame alumni\nJoe McGinnity (1916–1917, MGR) Inducted, 1947\n\nNotable alumni\nJohn Barnes (1909, MGR)\nMoose Baxter (1906)\nBen Beville (1900)\nRudy Bell (1907)\nJack Brennan (1892)\nEd Bruyette (1907)\nEddie Burke (1900)\nDad Clarke (1900, 1904)\nGeorge Crable (1906)\nJim Cook (1904)\nIra Davis\nWheezer Dell (1905, 1909, 1912)\nGeorge Dickerson (1917)\nPete Dowling (1902–1903, 1904)\nCarl Druhot (1911–1912)\nTom Fitzsimmons (1916)\nNed Garvin (1907)\nRoy Grover (1916)\nJohn Halla (1914)\nTruck Hannah (1911)\nSpec Harkness (1908)\nJerry Harrington (1892)\nEddie Hickey (1908)\nJesse Hoffmeister (1904)\nDucky Holmes (1914, MGR)\nLefty Houtz (1902)\nBen Hunt (1917)\nJake Kafora (1912–1913, 1917)\nRudy Kallio (1913)\nAl Kellogg (1913)\nJack Killilay (1907)\nEd Kippert (1916)\nRalph Kreitz (1908)\nDan Lally (1904)\nElmer Leifer (1917)\nHarry Lochhead (1900)\nCon Lucid (1892)\nJack Lundbom (1903)\nMike Lynch (1903)\nLefty Marr (1892)\nJoe Marshall (1902, 1911–1913)\nJoe Mathes (1911–1912)\nJohn McCloskey (1902, 1911, MGR)\nEd McCreery (1913–1914)\nJim McHale (1902, 1904)\nSteve Melter (1914)\nChief Meyers (1907)\nDan Minnehan (1892)\nTony Mullane (1892) Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame\nJohn Munyan (1892)\nNig Perrine (1911)\nJim Powell (1892, 1900 MGR)\nEddie Quick (1904)\nAlex Remneas (1911)\nSkel Roach (1902–1903)\nSolly Salisbury (1902)\nOwen Shannon (1912–1913)\nJim St. Vrain (1900)\nJud Smith (1892)\nCharley Stis (1907–1908)\nJesse Stovall (1912, MGR)\nCharlie Swindells (1903–1904, 1906)\nJake Thielman (1900)\nBill Tozer (1903)\nGeorge Treadway (1902)\nCal Vasbinder (1904)\nPiggy Ward (1902–1903)\nFarmer Weaver (1902)\nJoe Werrick (1892)\nWalt Wilmot (1903,–1904 MGR)\nLes Wilson (1916)\nBill White (1892)\nBill Wilson (1892)\nDave Zearfoss (1902)\n\nSee also\n\nButte Fruit Pickers playersButte Miners players Butte (minor league baseball) players Butte Smoke Eaters players\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\nBaseball Reference Bullpen\nStats Crew\nColumbia Gardens photos\n\nBaseball teams established in 1892\nDefunct minor league baseball teams\nProfessional baseball teams in Montana\nBaseball teams disestablished in 1917\nDefunct baseball teams in Montana\nUnion Association baseball teams\nButte, Montana\n1892 establishments in Montana\n1917 disestablishments in Montana"
] |
[
"Joe McGinnity",
"Later career",
"What did McGinnity do later in life?",
"McGinnity purchased the Newark Indians of the Class-A Eastern League (EL) for $50,000 ($1,361,852 in current dollar terms) in 1909 from Frank J. Farrell.",
"Did the team do well?",
"That season, he had a 29-16 record.",
"Did he own the team the rest of his life?",
"McGinnity sold the Tigers and purchased the Butte Miners of the Northwestern League in 1916,",
"How did the Butte Miners do?",
"I don't know.",
"How much did he buy the Butte Miners for?",
"I don't know."
] |
C_52e3edf6b03848f4a22539c67e1486d6_0
|
Are there any other interesting aspects about this article?
| 6 |
Besides buying the Butte Miners,Are there any other interesting aspects about this article?
|
Joe McGinnity
|
McGinnity purchased the Newark Indians of the Class-A Eastern League (EL) for $50,000 ($1,361,852 in current dollar terms) in 1909 from Frank J. Farrell. The press reported that McGinnity would operate the team as a farm team of the Giants, though he denied these reports. When McGinnity could not retain manager Harry Wolverton, he stepped in as player-manager for the Indians. That season, he had a 29-16 record. His 422 innings pitched and 11 shutouts set EL single-season records. He also won both games of doubleheaders on August 27, 1909, and July 23, 1912. McGinnity played for and managed the Indians through 1912. The Indians finished second in the EL in 1909 and 1910. McGinnity sold his interests in the Indians to Ebbets and Ed McKeever and purchased the Tacoma Tigers of the Class-B Northwestern League for $8,500 ($215,548 in current dollar terms), spending another $50,000 ($1,267,931 in current dollar terms) on the franchise in renovating the stadium. He served as player-manager the Tigers at the start of the 1913 season, but stepped down as manager, hiring Russ Hall to serve as manager in June. McGinnity sold stock in the team in 1915 in order to afford operating expenses. He also briefly played for the Venice Tigers of the Class-A Pacific Coast League in 1914. McGinnity sold the Tigers and purchased the Butte Miners of the Northwestern League in 1916, serving as player-manager and bringing with him several players from Tacoma. In June 1917, he sold his stock in the team and secured his release. He played for the Great Falls Electrics of the Northwestern League for the remainder of the 1917 season. He later became the manager of the A. E. Staley factory baseball team. McGinnity served as player-manager of the Danville Veterans of the Class-B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League in the 1922 season and Dubuque Climbers of the Class-D Mississippi Valley League during the 1923 season. With Dubuque, McGinnity won 15 games at age 52. One of those wins was a shutout, pitched in a record one hour and seven minutes. Two years later, he returned to play for Dubuque and Springfield Senators of the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League during the 1925 season. He pitched in his final professional game on July 28, 1925, after participating in an old-timers game earlier in the day. McGinnity joined the coaching staff of former teammate Wilbert Robinson, along with Kelley, for the Brooklyn Dodgers during the 1926 MLB season. McGinnity and Kelley were not retained after the season. CANNOTANSWER
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McGinnity served as player-manager of the Danville Veterans of the Class-B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League in the 1922 season
|
Joseph Jerome McGinnity (March 20, 1871 – November 14, 1929) was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the late 19th and early 20th century. McGinnity played in MLB for ten years, pitching for the National League's (NL) Baltimore Orioles (1899) and Brooklyn Superbas (1900), before jumping to the American League (AL) to play for the Baltimore Orioles (AL) (1901–1902). He returned to the NL with the New York Giants (1902–1908). McGinnity continued to pitch in the minor leagues, eventually retiring from baseball for good at the age of 54.
In MLB, he won 246 games with a 2.66 earned run average (ERA). He had seven 20-win seasons and two 30-win seasons. Including his time in the minor leagues, McGinnity won close to 500 games as a professional ballplayer. He led MLB in wins five times (1899, 1900, 1903, 1904, and 1906) and ERA once (1904). With the Giants, he won the 1905 World Series. His teams also won NL pennants in 1900 and 1904.
McGinnity was nicknamed "Iron Man" because he worked in an iron foundry during the baseball offseasons. His nickname came to convey his longevity and durability, as he routinely pitched in both games of doubleheaders. He set NL records for complete games (48) and innings pitched (434) in a single season, which still stand (and with modern MLB practices which limit pitchers' innings, are considered effectively unbreakable). McGinnity is considered one of the better players in the history of the New York Giants. The Veterans Committee elected him to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946.
Early life
McGinnity's father, Peter, was born in Dublin, Ireland. His last name was McGinity before he came to United States. He changed it by adding an "n" after he emigrated to the United States in 1861. Peter worked in coal mines and on the farm owned by John and Rebecca Denning, and they accepted him, allowing him to move in with them in their Henry County farm. John and Rebecca moved to Oregon, leaving the homestead in the hands of Peter and their daughter, Hannah. The two married in August 1865, three months before the birth of their first son, William. Their second son, Peter, was born in 1869, and Joe was born in 1871. The McGinnitys had four more children.
Joe received little formal schooling. Due to the transient lifestyle of coal miners, his family moved frequently during his childhood. The McGinnitys moved to Gallatin County in 1878. Two days after the birth of their seventh child, Peter died in an accident. At the age of eight, Joe and his older brothers went to work in the mines to support their family. In 1880, the family moved to Springfield, Illinois, where Joe and his brothers worked for the Springfield Coal Company. They moved to Decatur, Illinois less than six months later, continuing to mine coal, while their mother cleaned houses.
Baseball career
Early career
While living in Decatur, McGinnity began playing baseball with other coal miners in their leisure time. The owner of the Decatur Coal Company founded the Decatur Baseball Association in 1886. An outfielder, McGinnity substituted for his team's pitcher in an 1888 game, which he won. He continued to pitch from that point on. He pitched for semi-professional teams based in Decatur in 1888 and 1889. His family headed west, stopping in the Indian Territory on their way to Montana, where Hannah's sister struck gold in their coal mine. McGinnity and his brothers worked in a coal mine in Krebs. There, he met his future wife, Mary Redpath, the oldest daughter of a fellow coal miner. McGinnity also played baseball for the local team. He increased baseball's popularity in the area, and was later referred to as "the father of Oklahoma baseball" by a sportswriter for The Oklahoman, as he organized, managed, and pitched for teams in Krebs. One of these teams began traveling to other towns along the Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad to play against their local teams. He also pitched for teams in neighboring towns.
John McCloskey, the manager of the minor league baseball Montgomery Colts of the Class-B Southern League, heard about McGinnity's pitching. McCloskey signed McGinnity, who made his professional debut with the Colts in 1893. McCloskey habitually baited umpires during games, a trait which McGinnity learned. The league folded as a result of financial troubles related to the Panic of 1893. Jimmie Manning, manager of the Southern League franchise in Savannah, Georgia, became manager of the Kansas City Blues of the Class-A Western League for the 1894 season, and signed McGinnity to pitch for the Blues. Combined for Montgomery and Kansas City, McGinnity had a 21–29 win–loss record, while walking more batters than he could strikeout, and allowing more than a hit per inning pitched. According to a Western League umpire, catcher Tim Donahue tipped McGinnity's pitches to opposing batters due to a personal feud. As McGinnity continued to struggle for Kansas City, he requested his release in June.
McGinnity moved to Springfield, Illinois, where he worked as a coal miner, bartender, and operated a saloon. McGinnity also pitched locally for semi-professional teams in Springfield and Decatur, receiving a salary between $1 to $3 (between $ to $ in current dollar terms) for each game. During this time, McGinnity developed a sidearm pitch he nicknamed "Old Sal", described as a "slow curve", which became a feature of his later success. He also improved his fielding, as opponents attempted to bunt "Old Sal".
While pitching for a semi-professional team, McGinnity defeated the National League's (NL) Baltimore Orioles in an exhibition game after he had already defeated a team from Chatham, Illinois earlier in the day. Pat Wright, who managed Springfield's semi-professional team, was named manager of the Peoria Distillers of the Class-B Western Association, and he signed McGinnity to Peoria for the 1898 season, marking his return to professional baseball. Armed with "Old Sal", McGinnity compiled a 9–4 record for Peoria, allowing only 118 hits and 60 walks while striking out 74 batters in 142 innings. He pitched a complete 21-inning game, believed to be the second longest professional baseball game to date. With low attendance and the distraction of the Spanish–American War, the Western Association folded in August.
Major League Baseball
Former Brooklyn Grooms player George Pinkney, who lived in Peoria during his retirement, saw McGinnity pitch, and contacted Brooklyn owner Charles Ebbets to recommend he sign McGinnity. He signed McGinnity in the spring of 1899 for $150 a month ($ in current dollar terms). The syndicate that owned Brooklyn also owned the Baltimore Orioles.
With the ownership consolidation, Orioles player-manager Ned Hanlon, who received an ownership stake in the clubs, moved from Baltimore to Brooklyn and assigned many of his best players to Brooklyn, including Joe Kelley, Dan McGann, Hughie Jennings and Willie Keeler. Hanlon assigned McGinnity to the Orioles for the 1899 season after seeing his unorthodox pitching delivery and slow pitching speed. With the Orioles, McGinnity played with John McGraw, who succeeded Hanlon as player-manager, and Wilbert Robinson, who caught McGinnity. McGraw and Robinson had refused to relocate to Brooklyn due to their investment in a Baltimore restaurant. The two imparted their aggressive style of play to McGinnity. In his first year in the NL, McGinnity had a 28–16 record. His 28 wins led the NL, while he ranked second with 48 games, third with a 2.68 earned run average (ERA), and fourth with innings pitched.
After the 1899 season, the NL voted to contract four teams, which included the Orioles. Hanlon assigned McGinnity to Brooklyn, now known as the "Superbas". McGinnity posted a 28–8 record for Brooklyn in the 1900 season. His 28 wins and 343 innings pitched led the league, as the Dodgers won the NL pennant. McGinnity also pitched two complete games in the Chronicle-Telegraph Cup, as the Superbas defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates. Rather than draw straws to decide who would keep the trophy, the team voted to award it to McGinnity.
With the formation of the American League (AL) as a competitor to the NL, and rumors that the AL's Detroit Tigers were interested in McGinnity, Brooklyn offered McGinnity a $5,000 contract ($ in current dollar terms) to stay with Brooklyn. McGinnity considered retiring from baseball, but ultimately jumped to the AL, signing with the Baltimore Orioles of the AL before the 1901 season. He received a salary of $2,800 ($ in current dollar terms), choosing less money in an upstart league for the chance to be reunited with McGraw, who was player-manager and part-owner of the Orioles.
Fighting continued to erupt in games McGraw managed. During a brawl that erupted during a game against the Detroit Tigers on August 21, 1901, McGinnity spat on umpire Tom Connolly. McGinnity was arrested for the incident and permanently suspended by AL president Ban Johnson, who wanted there to be no fighting in AL games. Johnson later cut the suspension down to 12 days after McGinnity apologized. McGinnity compiled a 26–20 record for the 1901 Orioles, and his 48 games, 39 complete games, and 382 innings pitched led the AL.
McGinnity began the 1902 season with the Orioles. However, the franchise began to fall into significant debt. Joe Kelley, star player for the Orioles and son-in-law of part-owner John Mahon, reported that the team owed as much as $12,000 ($ in current dollar terms). Unable to afford that debt, Mahon purchased shares of the team from Kelley and player-manager John McGraw. With this, Mahon became the majority shareholder. On July 17, 1902, Mahon sold his interest in the Orioles to Andrew Freedman, principal owner of the Giants, and John T. Brush, principal owner of the Cincinnati Reds, also of the NL. That day, Freedman and Brush released McGinnity, McGraw, Kelley, Roger Bresnahan, Jack Cronin, Cy Seymour, and Dan McGann from their Oriole contracts. Brush then signed Kelley and Seymour to the Reds, while Freedman signed McGinnity, Bresnahan, Cronin, and McGann, joining McGraw, his new player-manager, on the Giants. McGinnity attempted to contact Johnson that night, offering to stay with the Orioles if he could receive Johnson's personal assurance that he was welcome to stay. McGinnity did not hear back from Johnson, who had left his phone off the hook that night to avoid being contacted, and joined his teammates with the Giants.
With the Giants for the 1903 season, McGinnity won 31 games. He also set MLB records with 48 games started and 434 innings pitched, which remain NL records today. Jack Chesbro, pitching for the New York Highlanders of the American League during the 1904 season, set the current MLB records with 55 games started and innings. In 1903, McGinnity started both games of a doubleheader on numerous occasions. He performed this feat three times in a single month, winning all six games. On the final instance, The New York Times reported "he seemed fresh enough to tackle the visitors for a third contest if that were necessary". He pitched over 100 innings in the month of August. Wins by McGinnity and fellow pitcher Christy Mathewson accounted for 73% of the Giants' winning games in 1903, setting an MLB record for a pitching tandem. After the season, McGinnity and some of his teammates threatened to quit the Giants, accusing Brush, now the Giants owner, of going back on a promise to pay the team a monetary bonus for having finished among the top three teams in the NL, as well as a share of the gate receipts from exhibition games, for which they were paid $56.35 ($ in current dollar terms), though Brush allegedly had made over $200,000 ($ in current dollar terms). McGinnity claimed that he would pitch in the California League, as he had received a salary offer for "$1,000 ($ in current dollar terms) more than [he] got in New York". Jack Warner eventually joined McGinnity in publicly threatening to quit.
McGinnity set an MLB record during the 1904 season, recording his tenth win in 21 team games on May 21, the fewest team games for a pitcher to reach the mark. In 1904, McGinnity had a 35–8 record, leading the NL in games (51), innings pitched (408), shutouts (9), saves (5), and his career-best 1.61 ERA. With the Giants competing for the pennant, McGinnity again won both games in a doubleheader three times in a matter of weeks. Aided by McGinnity, the Giants again won the NL pennant. However, they did not compete in the 1904 World Series as Brush and McGraw refused to face the AL champion Boston Pilgrims, following their altercations with Johnson. After the 1904 season, McGinnity attempted to hold out from the Giants when Brush refused to allow McGinnity to play winter baseball with a team in the Southern United States.
McGinnity won 21 games in the 1905 season, as the Giants won the NL pennant. This year, the Giants participated in the 1905 World Series, against the AL champion Philadelphia Athletics. McGinnity started Games Two and Four of the five game series against the Athletics, winning one and losing one, while Mathewson pitched and won the other three. All five games, including the game McGinnity lost to Chief Bender, were shutouts. In 1906, McGinnity again led the NL in wins, with 27. This came in spite of a suspension McGinnity served for fighting Pirates catcher Heinie Peitz, which NL president Harry Pulliam described as "attempting to make the ball park a slaughterhouse." The Mayor of Pittsburgh, who attended the game, insisted that McGinnity be arrested.
In the 1907 season, McGinnity finished with an 18–18 record with a 3.16 ERA, allowing more than a hit per inning for the first time since the 1901 season. He missed the beginning of the 1908 season with a severe fever. In June 1908, Brush put McGinnity on waivers, hoping another owner would relieve him of McGinnity's $5,000 salary ($ in current dollar terms). He tried to waive McGinnity again in August, but both times McGinnity went unclaimed. Despite this, McGinnity reverted to his old form: from August 22 through the end of the season, McGinnity had an 11–7 record, five shutouts, a 2.27 ERA, and an NL-leading five saves. The Giants released McGinnity on February 27, 1909, when McGinnity decided to pay for his own release.
Later career
McGinnity purchased the Newark Indians of the Class-A Eastern League (EL) for $50,000 ($ in current dollar terms) in 1909 from Frank J. Farrell. The press reported that McGinnity would operate the team as a farm team of the Giants, though he denied these reports. When McGinnity could not retain manager Harry Wolverton, he stepped in as player-manager for the Indians. That season, he had a 29–16 record. His 422 innings pitched and 11 shutouts set EL single-season records. He also won both games of doubleheaders on August 27, 1909, and July 23, 1912.
McGinnity played for and managed the Indians through 1912. The Indians finished second in the EL in 1909 and 1910. McGinnity sold his interests in the Indians to Ebbets and Ed McKeever and purchased the Tacoma Tigers of the Class-B Northwestern League for $8,500 ($ in current dollar terms), spending another $50,000 ($ in current dollar terms) on the franchise in renovating the stadium. He served as player-manager of the Tigers at the start of the 1913 season, but stepped down as manager, hiring Russ Hall to serve as manager in June. McGinnity sold stock in the team in 1915 in order to afford operating expenses. He also briefly played for the Venice Tigers of the Class-A Pacific Coast League in 1914.
McGinnity sold the Tigers and purchased the Butte Miners of the Northwestern League in 1916, serving as player-manager and bringing with him several players from Tacoma. In June 1917, he sold his stock in the team and secured his release. He played for the Great Falls Electrics of the Northwestern League for the remainder of the 1917 season. He later became the manager of the A. E. Staley factory baseball team.
McGinnity served as player-manager of the Danville Veterans of the Class-B Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League in the 1922 season and Dubuque Climbers of the Class-D Mississippi Valley League during the 1923 season. With Dubuque, McGinnity won 15 games at age 52. One of those wins was a shutout, pitched in a record one hour and seven minutes. Two years later, he returned to play for Dubuque and the Springfield Senators of the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League during the 1925 season. He pitched in his final professional game on July 28, 1925, after participating in an old-timers game earlier in the day.
McGinnity joined the coaching staff of former teammate Wilbert Robinson, along with Kelley, for the Brooklyn Dodgers during the 1926 MLB season. McGinnity and Kelley were not retained after the season.
Personal life
McGinnity acquired his nickname, "Iron Man", before his doubleheader pitching became widely discussed. According to Lee Allen in The National League Story (1961), a reporter asked McGinnity, while he was still a minor league pitcher, what he did in between seasons. "I'm an iron man", he answered. "I work in a foundry." McGinnity's wife's family operated an iron foundry in McAlester, Oklahoma, where McGinnity worked in the offseasons.
Because of his nickname and connection to the foundry, John McGraw named McGinnity the starter for the Giants' March 23, 1904 exhibition game against the Southern Association's Birmingham Iron Men which was scheduled to raise funds for the Vulcan statue then being cast for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition that summer in St. Louis, Missouri. At his own request, McGinnity was allowed to visit the downtown foundry and personally pour some of the iron into the moulds for the statue.
While working with Williams College's baseball team in 1929, McGinnity became ill. He had surgery to remove tumors from his bladder, and was said to be in critical condition. After the surgery, he was quoted as saying "it's the ninth inning, and I guess they're going to get me out." He died November 14, 1929 in Brooklyn, New York, at the home of his daughter. He was interred in McAlester.
Legacy
McGinnity finished his MLB career with 246 career wins, seven 20-win seasons, and two 30-win seasons. He had nearly 500 professional wins including his years in the minor leagues. McGinnity set a career record in batters hit by pitch with 152. He revolutionized the fielding of the pitching position, by attempting to make force outs at any base, instead of throwing the ball only to first base.
After his death, McGinnity was eulogized as a "hard player" and "a fighter with brains" who hated to lose. Jennings described him as an even better fielder than he was a pitcher. McGraw said that McGinnity was "the hardest working pitcher I ever had on my ballcub". Connie Mack called him a "magician".
After failing to receive the necessary votes from the Baseball Writers' Association of America for entry in the National Baseball Hall of Fame on seven occasions, McGinnity was posthumously elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1946. He was also inducted into the Quad City Sports Hall of Fame in 1988.
In a 1976 article in Esquire magazine, sportswriter Harry Stein published an "All Time All-Star Argument Starter", consisting of five ethnic baseball teams. Though Stein chose McGinnity as the right-handed pitcher for the Irish team, the team was omitted from the article due to space limitations. The Irish team was included in The Book of Lists, published the following year. Lawrence Ritter and Donald Honig included McGinnity in their 1981 book, The 100 Greatest Baseball Players of All Time. The Chicago Tribune included McGinnity in its all-time Illinois team in 1990. In his 2001 book The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract, Bill James ranked McGinnity as the 41st greatest pitcher of all time.
See also
List of Major League Baseball career wins leaders
List of Major League Baseball career ERA leaders
List of Major League Baseball career hit batsmen leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual ERA leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual shutout leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual saves leaders
References
Bibliography
Brown Jr. Charles William Denning McGinnity Family History, Chicago, Illinois, And is mentioned several time in the book Iron Man McGinnity: A Baseball Biography. McFarland & Company. .
In-line citations
External links
1871 births
1929 deaths
People from Henry County, Illinois
American people of Irish descent
National Baseball Hall of Fame inductees
Baltimore Orioles (NL) players
Baltimore Orioles (1901–02) players
Brooklyn Superbas players
New York Giants (NL) players
Major League Baseball pitchers
Baseball players from Illinois
National League ERA champions
National League wins champions
Brooklyn Dodgers coaches
Newark Indians players
Tacoma Tigers players
Venice Tigers players
Danville Veterans players
Springfield Senators players
Baseball player-managers
Deaths from bladder cancer
Deaths from cancer in New York (state)
Vancouver Beavers players
| false |
[
"Přírodní park Třebíčsko (before Oblast klidu Třebíčsko) is a natural park near Třebíč in the Czech Republic. There are many interesting plants. The park was founded in 1983.\n\nKobylinec and Ptáčovský kopeček\n\nKobylinec is a natural monument situated ca 0,5 km from the village of Trnava.\nThe area of this monument is 0,44 ha. Pulsatilla grandis can be found here and in the Ptáčovský kopeček park near Ptáčov near Třebíč. Both monuments are very popular for tourists.\n\nPonds\n\nIn the natural park there are some interesting ponds such as Velký Bor, Malý Bor, Buršík near Přeckov and a brook Březinka. Dams on the brook are examples of European beaver activity.\n\nSyenitové skály near Pocoucov\n\nSyenitové skály (rocks of syenit) near Pocoucov is one of famed locations. There are interesting granite boulders. The area of the reservation is 0,77 ha.\n\nExternal links\nParts of this article or all article was translated from Czech. The original article is :cs:Přírodní park Třebíčsko.\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\nNature near the village Trnava which is there\n\nTřebíč\nParks in the Czech Republic\nTourist attractions in the Vysočina Region",
"Damn Interesting is an independent website founded by Alan Bellows in 2005. The website presents true stories from science, history, and psychology, primarily as long-form articles, often illustrated with original artwork. Works are written by various authors, and published at irregular intervals. The website openly rejects advertising, relying on reader and listener donations to cover operating costs.\n\nAs of October 2012, each article is also published as a podcast under the same name. In November 2019, a second podcast was launched under the title Damn Interesting Week, featuring unscripted commentary on an assortment of news articles featured on the website's \"Curated Links\" section that week. In mid-2020, a third podcast called Damn Interesting Curio Cabinet began highlighting the website's periodic short-form articles in the same radioplay format as the original podcast.\n\nIn July 2009, Damn Interesting published the print book Alien Hand Syndrome through Workman Publishing. It contains some favorites from the site and some exclusive content.\n\nAwards and recognition \nIn August 2007, PC Magazine named Damn Interesting one of the \"Top 100 Undiscovered Web Sites\".\nThe article \"The Zero-Armed Bandit\" by Alan Bellows won a 2015 Sidney Award from David Brooks in The New York Times.\nThe article \"Ghoulish Acts and Dastardly Deeds\" by Alan Bellows was cited as \"nonfiction journalism from 2017 that will stand the test of time\" by Conor Friedersdorf in The Atlantic.\nThe article \"Dupes and Duplicity\" by Jennifer Lee Noonan won a 2020 Sidney Award from David Brooks in the New York Times.\n\nAccusing The Dollop of plagiarism \n\nOn July 9, 2015, Bellows posted an open letter accusing The Dollop, a comedy podcast about history, of plagiarism due to their repeated use of verbatim text from Damn Interesting articles without permission or attribution. Dave Anthony, the writer of The Dollop, responded on reddit, admitting to using Damn Interesting content, but claiming that the use was protected by fair use, and that \"historical facts are not copyrightable.\" In an article about the controversy on Plagiarism Today, Jonathan Bailey concluded, \"Any way one looks at it, The Dollop failed its ethical obligations to all of the people, not just those writing for Damn Interesting, who put in the time, energy and expertise into writing the original content upon which their show is based.\"\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links \n Official website\n\n2005 podcast debuts"
] |
[
"Joe McGinnity",
"Later career",
"What did McGinnity do later in life?",
"McGinnity purchased the Newark Indians of the Class-A Eastern League (EL) for $50,000 ($1,361,852 in current dollar terms) in 1909 from Frank J. Farrell.",
"Did the team do well?",
"That season, he had a 29-16 record.",
"Did he own the team the rest of his life?",
"McGinnity sold the Tigers and purchased the Butte Miners of the Northwestern League in 1916,",
"How did the Butte Miners do?",
"I don't know.",
"How much did he buy the Butte Miners for?",
"I don't know.",
"Are there any other interesting aspects about this article?",
"McGinnity served as player-manager of the Danville Veterans of the Class-B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League in the 1922 season"
] |
C_52e3edf6b03848f4a22539c67e1486d6_0
|
Was that team successful?
| 7 |
Was the Danville Veterans team successful?
|
Joe McGinnity
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McGinnity purchased the Newark Indians of the Class-A Eastern League (EL) for $50,000 ($1,361,852 in current dollar terms) in 1909 from Frank J. Farrell. The press reported that McGinnity would operate the team as a farm team of the Giants, though he denied these reports. When McGinnity could not retain manager Harry Wolverton, he stepped in as player-manager for the Indians. That season, he had a 29-16 record. His 422 innings pitched and 11 shutouts set EL single-season records. He also won both games of doubleheaders on August 27, 1909, and July 23, 1912. McGinnity played for and managed the Indians through 1912. The Indians finished second in the EL in 1909 and 1910. McGinnity sold his interests in the Indians to Ebbets and Ed McKeever and purchased the Tacoma Tigers of the Class-B Northwestern League for $8,500 ($215,548 in current dollar terms), spending another $50,000 ($1,267,931 in current dollar terms) on the franchise in renovating the stadium. He served as player-manager the Tigers at the start of the 1913 season, but stepped down as manager, hiring Russ Hall to serve as manager in June. McGinnity sold stock in the team in 1915 in order to afford operating expenses. He also briefly played for the Venice Tigers of the Class-A Pacific Coast League in 1914. McGinnity sold the Tigers and purchased the Butte Miners of the Northwestern League in 1916, serving as player-manager and bringing with him several players from Tacoma. In June 1917, he sold his stock in the team and secured his release. He played for the Great Falls Electrics of the Northwestern League for the remainder of the 1917 season. He later became the manager of the A. E. Staley factory baseball team. McGinnity served as player-manager of the Danville Veterans of the Class-B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League in the 1922 season and Dubuque Climbers of the Class-D Mississippi Valley League during the 1923 season. With Dubuque, McGinnity won 15 games at age 52. One of those wins was a shutout, pitched in a record one hour and seven minutes. Two years later, he returned to play for Dubuque and Springfield Senators of the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League during the 1925 season. He pitched in his final professional game on July 28, 1925, after participating in an old-timers game earlier in the day. McGinnity joined the coaching staff of former teammate Wilbert Robinson, along with Kelley, for the Brooklyn Dodgers during the 1926 MLB season. McGinnity and Kelley were not retained after the season. CANNOTANSWER
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McGinnity won 15 games at age 52. One of those wins was a shutout, pitched in a record one hour and seven minutes.
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Joseph Jerome McGinnity (March 20, 1871 – November 14, 1929) was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the late 19th and early 20th century. McGinnity played in MLB for ten years, pitching for the National League's (NL) Baltimore Orioles (1899) and Brooklyn Superbas (1900), before jumping to the American League (AL) to play for the Baltimore Orioles (AL) (1901–1902). He returned to the NL with the New York Giants (1902–1908). McGinnity continued to pitch in the minor leagues, eventually retiring from baseball for good at the age of 54.
In MLB, he won 246 games with a 2.66 earned run average (ERA). He had seven 20-win seasons and two 30-win seasons. Including his time in the minor leagues, McGinnity won close to 500 games as a professional ballplayer. He led MLB in wins five times (1899, 1900, 1903, 1904, and 1906) and ERA once (1904). With the Giants, he won the 1905 World Series. His teams also won NL pennants in 1900 and 1904.
McGinnity was nicknamed "Iron Man" because he worked in an iron foundry during the baseball offseasons. His nickname came to convey his longevity and durability, as he routinely pitched in both games of doubleheaders. He set NL records for complete games (48) and innings pitched (434) in a single season, which still stand (and with modern MLB practices which limit pitchers' innings, are considered effectively unbreakable). McGinnity is considered one of the better players in the history of the New York Giants. The Veterans Committee elected him to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946.
Early life
McGinnity's father, Peter, was born in Dublin, Ireland. His last name was McGinity before he came to United States. He changed it by adding an "n" after he emigrated to the United States in 1861. Peter worked in coal mines and on the farm owned by John and Rebecca Denning, and they accepted him, allowing him to move in with them in their Henry County farm. John and Rebecca moved to Oregon, leaving the homestead in the hands of Peter and their daughter, Hannah. The two married in August 1865, three months before the birth of their first son, William. Their second son, Peter, was born in 1869, and Joe was born in 1871. The McGinnitys had four more children.
Joe received little formal schooling. Due to the transient lifestyle of coal miners, his family moved frequently during his childhood. The McGinnitys moved to Gallatin County in 1878. Two days after the birth of their seventh child, Peter died in an accident. At the age of eight, Joe and his older brothers went to work in the mines to support their family. In 1880, the family moved to Springfield, Illinois, where Joe and his brothers worked for the Springfield Coal Company. They moved to Decatur, Illinois less than six months later, continuing to mine coal, while their mother cleaned houses.
Baseball career
Early career
While living in Decatur, McGinnity began playing baseball with other coal miners in their leisure time. The owner of the Decatur Coal Company founded the Decatur Baseball Association in 1886. An outfielder, McGinnity substituted for his team's pitcher in an 1888 game, which he won. He continued to pitch from that point on. He pitched for semi-professional teams based in Decatur in 1888 and 1889. His family headed west, stopping in the Indian Territory on their way to Montana, where Hannah's sister struck gold in their coal mine. McGinnity and his brothers worked in a coal mine in Krebs. There, he met his future wife, Mary Redpath, the oldest daughter of a fellow coal miner. McGinnity also played baseball for the local team. He increased baseball's popularity in the area, and was later referred to as "the father of Oklahoma baseball" by a sportswriter for The Oklahoman, as he organized, managed, and pitched for teams in Krebs. One of these teams began traveling to other towns along the Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad to play against their local teams. He also pitched for teams in neighboring towns.
John McCloskey, the manager of the minor league baseball Montgomery Colts of the Class-B Southern League, heard about McGinnity's pitching. McCloskey signed McGinnity, who made his professional debut with the Colts in 1893. McCloskey habitually baited umpires during games, a trait which McGinnity learned. The league folded as a result of financial troubles related to the Panic of 1893. Jimmie Manning, manager of the Southern League franchise in Savannah, Georgia, became manager of the Kansas City Blues of the Class-A Western League for the 1894 season, and signed McGinnity to pitch for the Blues. Combined for Montgomery and Kansas City, McGinnity had a 21–29 win–loss record, while walking more batters than he could strikeout, and allowing more than a hit per inning pitched. According to a Western League umpire, catcher Tim Donahue tipped McGinnity's pitches to opposing batters due to a personal feud. As McGinnity continued to struggle for Kansas City, he requested his release in June.
McGinnity moved to Springfield, Illinois, where he worked as a coal miner, bartender, and operated a saloon. McGinnity also pitched locally for semi-professional teams in Springfield and Decatur, receiving a salary between $1 to $3 (between $ to $ in current dollar terms) for each game. During this time, McGinnity developed a sidearm pitch he nicknamed "Old Sal", described as a "slow curve", which became a feature of his later success. He also improved his fielding, as opponents attempted to bunt "Old Sal".
While pitching for a semi-professional team, McGinnity defeated the National League's (NL) Baltimore Orioles in an exhibition game after he had already defeated a team from Chatham, Illinois earlier in the day. Pat Wright, who managed Springfield's semi-professional team, was named manager of the Peoria Distillers of the Class-B Western Association, and he signed McGinnity to Peoria for the 1898 season, marking his return to professional baseball. Armed with "Old Sal", McGinnity compiled a 9–4 record for Peoria, allowing only 118 hits and 60 walks while striking out 74 batters in 142 innings. He pitched a complete 21-inning game, believed to be the second longest professional baseball game to date. With low attendance and the distraction of the Spanish–American War, the Western Association folded in August.
Major League Baseball
Former Brooklyn Grooms player George Pinkney, who lived in Peoria during his retirement, saw McGinnity pitch, and contacted Brooklyn owner Charles Ebbets to recommend he sign McGinnity. He signed McGinnity in the spring of 1899 for $150 a month ($ in current dollar terms). The syndicate that owned Brooklyn also owned the Baltimore Orioles.
With the ownership consolidation, Orioles player-manager Ned Hanlon, who received an ownership stake in the clubs, moved from Baltimore to Brooklyn and assigned many of his best players to Brooklyn, including Joe Kelley, Dan McGann, Hughie Jennings and Willie Keeler. Hanlon assigned McGinnity to the Orioles for the 1899 season after seeing his unorthodox pitching delivery and slow pitching speed. With the Orioles, McGinnity played with John McGraw, who succeeded Hanlon as player-manager, and Wilbert Robinson, who caught McGinnity. McGraw and Robinson had refused to relocate to Brooklyn due to their investment in a Baltimore restaurant. The two imparted their aggressive style of play to McGinnity. In his first year in the NL, McGinnity had a 28–16 record. His 28 wins led the NL, while he ranked second with 48 games, third with a 2.68 earned run average (ERA), and fourth with innings pitched.
After the 1899 season, the NL voted to contract four teams, which included the Orioles. Hanlon assigned McGinnity to Brooklyn, now known as the "Superbas". McGinnity posted a 28–8 record for Brooklyn in the 1900 season. His 28 wins and 343 innings pitched led the league, as the Dodgers won the NL pennant. McGinnity also pitched two complete games in the Chronicle-Telegraph Cup, as the Superbas defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates. Rather than draw straws to decide who would keep the trophy, the team voted to award it to McGinnity.
With the formation of the American League (AL) as a competitor to the NL, and rumors that the AL's Detroit Tigers were interested in McGinnity, Brooklyn offered McGinnity a $5,000 contract ($ in current dollar terms) to stay with Brooklyn. McGinnity considered retiring from baseball, but ultimately jumped to the AL, signing with the Baltimore Orioles of the AL before the 1901 season. He received a salary of $2,800 ($ in current dollar terms), choosing less money in an upstart league for the chance to be reunited with McGraw, who was player-manager and part-owner of the Orioles.
Fighting continued to erupt in games McGraw managed. During a brawl that erupted during a game against the Detroit Tigers on August 21, 1901, McGinnity spat on umpire Tom Connolly. McGinnity was arrested for the incident and permanently suspended by AL president Ban Johnson, who wanted there to be no fighting in AL games. Johnson later cut the suspension down to 12 days after McGinnity apologized. McGinnity compiled a 26–20 record for the 1901 Orioles, and his 48 games, 39 complete games, and 382 innings pitched led the AL.
McGinnity began the 1902 season with the Orioles. However, the franchise began to fall into significant debt. Joe Kelley, star player for the Orioles and son-in-law of part-owner John Mahon, reported that the team owed as much as $12,000 ($ in current dollar terms). Unable to afford that debt, Mahon purchased shares of the team from Kelley and player-manager John McGraw. With this, Mahon became the majority shareholder. On July 17, 1902, Mahon sold his interest in the Orioles to Andrew Freedman, principal owner of the Giants, and John T. Brush, principal owner of the Cincinnati Reds, also of the NL. That day, Freedman and Brush released McGinnity, McGraw, Kelley, Roger Bresnahan, Jack Cronin, Cy Seymour, and Dan McGann from their Oriole contracts. Brush then signed Kelley and Seymour to the Reds, while Freedman signed McGinnity, Bresnahan, Cronin, and McGann, joining McGraw, his new player-manager, on the Giants. McGinnity attempted to contact Johnson that night, offering to stay with the Orioles if he could receive Johnson's personal assurance that he was welcome to stay. McGinnity did not hear back from Johnson, who had left his phone off the hook that night to avoid being contacted, and joined his teammates with the Giants.
With the Giants for the 1903 season, McGinnity won 31 games. He also set MLB records with 48 games started and 434 innings pitched, which remain NL records today. Jack Chesbro, pitching for the New York Highlanders of the American League during the 1904 season, set the current MLB records with 55 games started and innings. In 1903, McGinnity started both games of a doubleheader on numerous occasions. He performed this feat three times in a single month, winning all six games. On the final instance, The New York Times reported "he seemed fresh enough to tackle the visitors for a third contest if that were necessary". He pitched over 100 innings in the month of August. Wins by McGinnity and fellow pitcher Christy Mathewson accounted for 73% of the Giants' winning games in 1903, setting an MLB record for a pitching tandem. After the season, McGinnity and some of his teammates threatened to quit the Giants, accusing Brush, now the Giants owner, of going back on a promise to pay the team a monetary bonus for having finished among the top three teams in the NL, as well as a share of the gate receipts from exhibition games, for which they were paid $56.35 ($ in current dollar terms), though Brush allegedly had made over $200,000 ($ in current dollar terms). McGinnity claimed that he would pitch in the California League, as he had received a salary offer for "$1,000 ($ in current dollar terms) more than [he] got in New York". Jack Warner eventually joined McGinnity in publicly threatening to quit.
McGinnity set an MLB record during the 1904 season, recording his tenth win in 21 team games on May 21, the fewest team games for a pitcher to reach the mark. In 1904, McGinnity had a 35–8 record, leading the NL in games (51), innings pitched (408), shutouts (9), saves (5), and his career-best 1.61 ERA. With the Giants competing for the pennant, McGinnity again won both games in a doubleheader three times in a matter of weeks. Aided by McGinnity, the Giants again won the NL pennant. However, they did not compete in the 1904 World Series as Brush and McGraw refused to face the AL champion Boston Pilgrims, following their altercations with Johnson. After the 1904 season, McGinnity attempted to hold out from the Giants when Brush refused to allow McGinnity to play winter baseball with a team in the Southern United States.
McGinnity won 21 games in the 1905 season, as the Giants won the NL pennant. This year, the Giants participated in the 1905 World Series, against the AL champion Philadelphia Athletics. McGinnity started Games Two and Four of the five game series against the Athletics, winning one and losing one, while Mathewson pitched and won the other three. All five games, including the game McGinnity lost to Chief Bender, were shutouts. In 1906, McGinnity again led the NL in wins, with 27. This came in spite of a suspension McGinnity served for fighting Pirates catcher Heinie Peitz, which NL president Harry Pulliam described as "attempting to make the ball park a slaughterhouse." The Mayor of Pittsburgh, who attended the game, insisted that McGinnity be arrested.
In the 1907 season, McGinnity finished with an 18–18 record with a 3.16 ERA, allowing more than a hit per inning for the first time since the 1901 season. He missed the beginning of the 1908 season with a severe fever. In June 1908, Brush put McGinnity on waivers, hoping another owner would relieve him of McGinnity's $5,000 salary ($ in current dollar terms). He tried to waive McGinnity again in August, but both times McGinnity went unclaimed. Despite this, McGinnity reverted to his old form: from August 22 through the end of the season, McGinnity had an 11–7 record, five shutouts, a 2.27 ERA, and an NL-leading five saves. The Giants released McGinnity on February 27, 1909, when McGinnity decided to pay for his own release.
Later career
McGinnity purchased the Newark Indians of the Class-A Eastern League (EL) for $50,000 ($ in current dollar terms) in 1909 from Frank J. Farrell. The press reported that McGinnity would operate the team as a farm team of the Giants, though he denied these reports. When McGinnity could not retain manager Harry Wolverton, he stepped in as player-manager for the Indians. That season, he had a 29–16 record. His 422 innings pitched and 11 shutouts set EL single-season records. He also won both games of doubleheaders on August 27, 1909, and July 23, 1912.
McGinnity played for and managed the Indians through 1912. The Indians finished second in the EL in 1909 and 1910. McGinnity sold his interests in the Indians to Ebbets and Ed McKeever and purchased the Tacoma Tigers of the Class-B Northwestern League for $8,500 ($ in current dollar terms), spending another $50,000 ($ in current dollar terms) on the franchise in renovating the stadium. He served as player-manager of the Tigers at the start of the 1913 season, but stepped down as manager, hiring Russ Hall to serve as manager in June. McGinnity sold stock in the team in 1915 in order to afford operating expenses. He also briefly played for the Venice Tigers of the Class-A Pacific Coast League in 1914.
McGinnity sold the Tigers and purchased the Butte Miners of the Northwestern League in 1916, serving as player-manager and bringing with him several players from Tacoma. In June 1917, he sold his stock in the team and secured his release. He played for the Great Falls Electrics of the Northwestern League for the remainder of the 1917 season. He later became the manager of the A. E. Staley factory baseball team.
McGinnity served as player-manager of the Danville Veterans of the Class-B Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League in the 1922 season and Dubuque Climbers of the Class-D Mississippi Valley League during the 1923 season. With Dubuque, McGinnity won 15 games at age 52. One of those wins was a shutout, pitched in a record one hour and seven minutes. Two years later, he returned to play for Dubuque and the Springfield Senators of the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League during the 1925 season. He pitched in his final professional game on July 28, 1925, after participating in an old-timers game earlier in the day.
McGinnity joined the coaching staff of former teammate Wilbert Robinson, along with Kelley, for the Brooklyn Dodgers during the 1926 MLB season. McGinnity and Kelley were not retained after the season.
Personal life
McGinnity acquired his nickname, "Iron Man", before his doubleheader pitching became widely discussed. According to Lee Allen in The National League Story (1961), a reporter asked McGinnity, while he was still a minor league pitcher, what he did in between seasons. "I'm an iron man", he answered. "I work in a foundry." McGinnity's wife's family operated an iron foundry in McAlester, Oklahoma, where McGinnity worked in the offseasons.
Because of his nickname and connection to the foundry, John McGraw named McGinnity the starter for the Giants' March 23, 1904 exhibition game against the Southern Association's Birmingham Iron Men which was scheduled to raise funds for the Vulcan statue then being cast for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition that summer in St. Louis, Missouri. At his own request, McGinnity was allowed to visit the downtown foundry and personally pour some of the iron into the moulds for the statue.
While working with Williams College's baseball team in 1929, McGinnity became ill. He had surgery to remove tumors from his bladder, and was said to be in critical condition. After the surgery, he was quoted as saying "it's the ninth inning, and I guess they're going to get me out." He died November 14, 1929 in Brooklyn, New York, at the home of his daughter. He was interred in McAlester.
Legacy
McGinnity finished his MLB career with 246 career wins, seven 20-win seasons, and two 30-win seasons. He had nearly 500 professional wins including his years in the minor leagues. McGinnity set a career record in batters hit by pitch with 152. He revolutionized the fielding of the pitching position, by attempting to make force outs at any base, instead of throwing the ball only to first base.
After his death, McGinnity was eulogized as a "hard player" and "a fighter with brains" who hated to lose. Jennings described him as an even better fielder than he was a pitcher. McGraw said that McGinnity was "the hardest working pitcher I ever had on my ballcub". Connie Mack called him a "magician".
After failing to receive the necessary votes from the Baseball Writers' Association of America for entry in the National Baseball Hall of Fame on seven occasions, McGinnity was posthumously elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1946. He was also inducted into the Quad City Sports Hall of Fame in 1988.
In a 1976 article in Esquire magazine, sportswriter Harry Stein published an "All Time All-Star Argument Starter", consisting of five ethnic baseball teams. Though Stein chose McGinnity as the right-handed pitcher for the Irish team, the team was omitted from the article due to space limitations. The Irish team was included in The Book of Lists, published the following year. Lawrence Ritter and Donald Honig included McGinnity in their 1981 book, The 100 Greatest Baseball Players of All Time. The Chicago Tribune included McGinnity in its all-time Illinois team in 1990. In his 2001 book The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract, Bill James ranked McGinnity as the 41st greatest pitcher of all time.
See also
List of Major League Baseball career wins leaders
List of Major League Baseball career ERA leaders
List of Major League Baseball career hit batsmen leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual ERA leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual shutout leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual saves leaders
References
Bibliography
Brown Jr. Charles William Denning McGinnity Family History, Chicago, Illinois, And is mentioned several time in the book Iron Man McGinnity: A Baseball Biography. McFarland & Company. .
In-line citations
External links
1871 births
1929 deaths
People from Henry County, Illinois
American people of Irish descent
National Baseball Hall of Fame inductees
Baltimore Orioles (NL) players
Baltimore Orioles (1901–02) players
Brooklyn Superbas players
New York Giants (NL) players
Major League Baseball pitchers
Baseball players from Illinois
National League ERA champions
National League wins champions
Brooklyn Dodgers coaches
Newark Indians players
Tacoma Tigers players
Venice Tigers players
Danville Veterans players
Springfield Senators players
Baseball player-managers
Deaths from bladder cancer
Deaths from cancer in New York (state)
Vancouver Beavers players
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"The UCI Road World Championships – Men's team time trial was a world championship for road bicycle racing in the discipline of team time trial (TTT). It is organized by the world governing body, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI).\n\nNational teams (1962–1994)\nA championship for national teams was introduced in 1962 and held until 1994. It was held annually, except that from 1972 onward, the TTT was not held in Olympic years. There were 4 riders per team on a route around 100 kilometres long. Italy is the most successful nation with seven victories.\n\nMedal winners\n\nMedals by nation\n\nMost successful riders\n\nUCI teams (2012–2018)\nThere was a long break until a championship for trade teams was introduced in 2012. There were 6 riders per team. The championship was held up to 2018.\n\nMedal winners\n\nMost successful teams\n\nMost successful riders\n\nReferences \n \n \n\n \nMen's Team Time Trial\nRecurring sporting events established in 1962\nUCI World Tour races\nMen's road bicycle races\nLists of UCI Road World Championships medalists\nRecurring sporting events disestablished in 2018",
"The UCI Road World Championships – Women's team time trial was a world championship for road bicycle racing in the discipline of team time trial. It is organized by the world governing body, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI).\n\nThe national teams had 4 riders per team. The team time trial for trade teams was introduced in 2012 and had 6 riders per team.\n\nNational teams (1987–94)\nA championship for women's national teams was introduced in 1987 and held annually until 1994. There were 4 riders per team.\n\nMedal winners \n\nSource:\n\nMedals by nation\n\nMost successful riders\n\nUCI teams (2012-2018)\nThere was a long break until a championship for trade teams was introduced in 2012. There were 6 riders per team. The championship was held up to 2018.\n\nMedal winners\n\nMost successful teams\n\nMost successful riders\n\nReferences \n\n \nWomen's Team Time Trial\nWomen's road bicycle races\nLists of UCI Road World Championships medalists\nRecurring sporting events established in 1994\nRecurring sporting events disestablished in 2018"
] |
[
"Joe McGinnity",
"Later career",
"What did McGinnity do later in life?",
"McGinnity purchased the Newark Indians of the Class-A Eastern League (EL) for $50,000 ($1,361,852 in current dollar terms) in 1909 from Frank J. Farrell.",
"Did the team do well?",
"That season, he had a 29-16 record.",
"Did he own the team the rest of his life?",
"McGinnity sold the Tigers and purchased the Butte Miners of the Northwestern League in 1916,",
"How did the Butte Miners do?",
"I don't know.",
"How much did he buy the Butte Miners for?",
"I don't know.",
"Are there any other interesting aspects about this article?",
"McGinnity served as player-manager of the Danville Veterans of the Class-B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League in the 1922 season",
"Was that team successful?",
"McGinnity won 15 games at age 52. One of those wins was a shutout, pitched in a record one hour and seven minutes."
] |
C_52e3edf6b03848f4a22539c67e1486d6_0
|
Did he do anything else in his later career?
| 8 |
Besides winning 15 games at age 52,Did Joe McGinnity do anything else in his later career?
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Joe McGinnity
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McGinnity purchased the Newark Indians of the Class-A Eastern League (EL) for $50,000 ($1,361,852 in current dollar terms) in 1909 from Frank J. Farrell. The press reported that McGinnity would operate the team as a farm team of the Giants, though he denied these reports. When McGinnity could not retain manager Harry Wolverton, he stepped in as player-manager for the Indians. That season, he had a 29-16 record. His 422 innings pitched and 11 shutouts set EL single-season records. He also won both games of doubleheaders on August 27, 1909, and July 23, 1912. McGinnity played for and managed the Indians through 1912. The Indians finished second in the EL in 1909 and 1910. McGinnity sold his interests in the Indians to Ebbets and Ed McKeever and purchased the Tacoma Tigers of the Class-B Northwestern League for $8,500 ($215,548 in current dollar terms), spending another $50,000 ($1,267,931 in current dollar terms) on the franchise in renovating the stadium. He served as player-manager the Tigers at the start of the 1913 season, but stepped down as manager, hiring Russ Hall to serve as manager in June. McGinnity sold stock in the team in 1915 in order to afford operating expenses. He also briefly played for the Venice Tigers of the Class-A Pacific Coast League in 1914. McGinnity sold the Tigers and purchased the Butte Miners of the Northwestern League in 1916, serving as player-manager and bringing with him several players from Tacoma. In June 1917, he sold his stock in the team and secured his release. He played for the Great Falls Electrics of the Northwestern League for the remainder of the 1917 season. He later became the manager of the A. E. Staley factory baseball team. McGinnity served as player-manager of the Danville Veterans of the Class-B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League in the 1922 season and Dubuque Climbers of the Class-D Mississippi Valley League during the 1923 season. With Dubuque, McGinnity won 15 games at age 52. One of those wins was a shutout, pitched in a record one hour and seven minutes. Two years later, he returned to play for Dubuque and Springfield Senators of the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League during the 1925 season. He pitched in his final professional game on July 28, 1925, after participating in an old-timers game earlier in the day. McGinnity joined the coaching staff of former teammate Wilbert Robinson, along with Kelley, for the Brooklyn Dodgers during the 1926 MLB season. McGinnity and Kelley were not retained after the season. CANNOTANSWER
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He pitched in his final professional game on July 28, 1925, after participating in an old-timers game earlier in the day.
|
Joseph Jerome McGinnity (March 20, 1871 – November 14, 1929) was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the late 19th and early 20th century. McGinnity played in MLB for ten years, pitching for the National League's (NL) Baltimore Orioles (1899) and Brooklyn Superbas (1900), before jumping to the American League (AL) to play for the Baltimore Orioles (AL) (1901–1902). He returned to the NL with the New York Giants (1902–1908). McGinnity continued to pitch in the minor leagues, eventually retiring from baseball for good at the age of 54.
In MLB, he won 246 games with a 2.66 earned run average (ERA). He had seven 20-win seasons and two 30-win seasons. Including his time in the minor leagues, McGinnity won close to 500 games as a professional ballplayer. He led MLB in wins five times (1899, 1900, 1903, 1904, and 1906) and ERA once (1904). With the Giants, he won the 1905 World Series. His teams also won NL pennants in 1900 and 1904.
McGinnity was nicknamed "Iron Man" because he worked in an iron foundry during the baseball offseasons. His nickname came to convey his longevity and durability, as he routinely pitched in both games of doubleheaders. He set NL records for complete games (48) and innings pitched (434) in a single season, which still stand (and with modern MLB practices which limit pitchers' innings, are considered effectively unbreakable). McGinnity is considered one of the better players in the history of the New York Giants. The Veterans Committee elected him to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946.
Early life
McGinnity's father, Peter, was born in Dublin, Ireland. His last name was McGinity before he came to United States. He changed it by adding an "n" after he emigrated to the United States in 1861. Peter worked in coal mines and on the farm owned by John and Rebecca Denning, and they accepted him, allowing him to move in with them in their Henry County farm. John and Rebecca moved to Oregon, leaving the homestead in the hands of Peter and their daughter, Hannah. The two married in August 1865, three months before the birth of their first son, William. Their second son, Peter, was born in 1869, and Joe was born in 1871. The McGinnitys had four more children.
Joe received little formal schooling. Due to the transient lifestyle of coal miners, his family moved frequently during his childhood. The McGinnitys moved to Gallatin County in 1878. Two days after the birth of their seventh child, Peter died in an accident. At the age of eight, Joe and his older brothers went to work in the mines to support their family. In 1880, the family moved to Springfield, Illinois, where Joe and his brothers worked for the Springfield Coal Company. They moved to Decatur, Illinois less than six months later, continuing to mine coal, while their mother cleaned houses.
Baseball career
Early career
While living in Decatur, McGinnity began playing baseball with other coal miners in their leisure time. The owner of the Decatur Coal Company founded the Decatur Baseball Association in 1886. An outfielder, McGinnity substituted for his team's pitcher in an 1888 game, which he won. He continued to pitch from that point on. He pitched for semi-professional teams based in Decatur in 1888 and 1889. His family headed west, stopping in the Indian Territory on their way to Montana, where Hannah's sister struck gold in their coal mine. McGinnity and his brothers worked in a coal mine in Krebs. There, he met his future wife, Mary Redpath, the oldest daughter of a fellow coal miner. McGinnity also played baseball for the local team. He increased baseball's popularity in the area, and was later referred to as "the father of Oklahoma baseball" by a sportswriter for The Oklahoman, as he organized, managed, and pitched for teams in Krebs. One of these teams began traveling to other towns along the Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad to play against their local teams. He also pitched for teams in neighboring towns.
John McCloskey, the manager of the minor league baseball Montgomery Colts of the Class-B Southern League, heard about McGinnity's pitching. McCloskey signed McGinnity, who made his professional debut with the Colts in 1893. McCloskey habitually baited umpires during games, a trait which McGinnity learned. The league folded as a result of financial troubles related to the Panic of 1893. Jimmie Manning, manager of the Southern League franchise in Savannah, Georgia, became manager of the Kansas City Blues of the Class-A Western League for the 1894 season, and signed McGinnity to pitch for the Blues. Combined for Montgomery and Kansas City, McGinnity had a 21–29 win–loss record, while walking more batters than he could strikeout, and allowing more than a hit per inning pitched. According to a Western League umpire, catcher Tim Donahue tipped McGinnity's pitches to opposing batters due to a personal feud. As McGinnity continued to struggle for Kansas City, he requested his release in June.
McGinnity moved to Springfield, Illinois, where he worked as a coal miner, bartender, and operated a saloon. McGinnity also pitched locally for semi-professional teams in Springfield and Decatur, receiving a salary between $1 to $3 (between $ to $ in current dollar terms) for each game. During this time, McGinnity developed a sidearm pitch he nicknamed "Old Sal", described as a "slow curve", which became a feature of his later success. He also improved his fielding, as opponents attempted to bunt "Old Sal".
While pitching for a semi-professional team, McGinnity defeated the National League's (NL) Baltimore Orioles in an exhibition game after he had already defeated a team from Chatham, Illinois earlier in the day. Pat Wright, who managed Springfield's semi-professional team, was named manager of the Peoria Distillers of the Class-B Western Association, and he signed McGinnity to Peoria for the 1898 season, marking his return to professional baseball. Armed with "Old Sal", McGinnity compiled a 9–4 record for Peoria, allowing only 118 hits and 60 walks while striking out 74 batters in 142 innings. He pitched a complete 21-inning game, believed to be the second longest professional baseball game to date. With low attendance and the distraction of the Spanish–American War, the Western Association folded in August.
Major League Baseball
Former Brooklyn Grooms player George Pinkney, who lived in Peoria during his retirement, saw McGinnity pitch, and contacted Brooklyn owner Charles Ebbets to recommend he sign McGinnity. He signed McGinnity in the spring of 1899 for $150 a month ($ in current dollar terms). The syndicate that owned Brooklyn also owned the Baltimore Orioles.
With the ownership consolidation, Orioles player-manager Ned Hanlon, who received an ownership stake in the clubs, moved from Baltimore to Brooklyn and assigned many of his best players to Brooklyn, including Joe Kelley, Dan McGann, Hughie Jennings and Willie Keeler. Hanlon assigned McGinnity to the Orioles for the 1899 season after seeing his unorthodox pitching delivery and slow pitching speed. With the Orioles, McGinnity played with John McGraw, who succeeded Hanlon as player-manager, and Wilbert Robinson, who caught McGinnity. McGraw and Robinson had refused to relocate to Brooklyn due to their investment in a Baltimore restaurant. The two imparted their aggressive style of play to McGinnity. In his first year in the NL, McGinnity had a 28–16 record. His 28 wins led the NL, while he ranked second with 48 games, third with a 2.68 earned run average (ERA), and fourth with innings pitched.
After the 1899 season, the NL voted to contract four teams, which included the Orioles. Hanlon assigned McGinnity to Brooklyn, now known as the "Superbas". McGinnity posted a 28–8 record for Brooklyn in the 1900 season. His 28 wins and 343 innings pitched led the league, as the Dodgers won the NL pennant. McGinnity also pitched two complete games in the Chronicle-Telegraph Cup, as the Superbas defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates. Rather than draw straws to decide who would keep the trophy, the team voted to award it to McGinnity.
With the formation of the American League (AL) as a competitor to the NL, and rumors that the AL's Detroit Tigers were interested in McGinnity, Brooklyn offered McGinnity a $5,000 contract ($ in current dollar terms) to stay with Brooklyn. McGinnity considered retiring from baseball, but ultimately jumped to the AL, signing with the Baltimore Orioles of the AL before the 1901 season. He received a salary of $2,800 ($ in current dollar terms), choosing less money in an upstart league for the chance to be reunited with McGraw, who was player-manager and part-owner of the Orioles.
Fighting continued to erupt in games McGraw managed. During a brawl that erupted during a game against the Detroit Tigers on August 21, 1901, McGinnity spat on umpire Tom Connolly. McGinnity was arrested for the incident and permanently suspended by AL president Ban Johnson, who wanted there to be no fighting in AL games. Johnson later cut the suspension down to 12 days after McGinnity apologized. McGinnity compiled a 26–20 record for the 1901 Orioles, and his 48 games, 39 complete games, and 382 innings pitched led the AL.
McGinnity began the 1902 season with the Orioles. However, the franchise began to fall into significant debt. Joe Kelley, star player for the Orioles and son-in-law of part-owner John Mahon, reported that the team owed as much as $12,000 ($ in current dollar terms). Unable to afford that debt, Mahon purchased shares of the team from Kelley and player-manager John McGraw. With this, Mahon became the majority shareholder. On July 17, 1902, Mahon sold his interest in the Orioles to Andrew Freedman, principal owner of the Giants, and John T. Brush, principal owner of the Cincinnati Reds, also of the NL. That day, Freedman and Brush released McGinnity, McGraw, Kelley, Roger Bresnahan, Jack Cronin, Cy Seymour, and Dan McGann from their Oriole contracts. Brush then signed Kelley and Seymour to the Reds, while Freedman signed McGinnity, Bresnahan, Cronin, and McGann, joining McGraw, his new player-manager, on the Giants. McGinnity attempted to contact Johnson that night, offering to stay with the Orioles if he could receive Johnson's personal assurance that he was welcome to stay. McGinnity did not hear back from Johnson, who had left his phone off the hook that night to avoid being contacted, and joined his teammates with the Giants.
With the Giants for the 1903 season, McGinnity won 31 games. He also set MLB records with 48 games started and 434 innings pitched, which remain NL records today. Jack Chesbro, pitching for the New York Highlanders of the American League during the 1904 season, set the current MLB records with 55 games started and innings. In 1903, McGinnity started both games of a doubleheader on numerous occasions. He performed this feat three times in a single month, winning all six games. On the final instance, The New York Times reported "he seemed fresh enough to tackle the visitors for a third contest if that were necessary". He pitched over 100 innings in the month of August. Wins by McGinnity and fellow pitcher Christy Mathewson accounted for 73% of the Giants' winning games in 1903, setting an MLB record for a pitching tandem. After the season, McGinnity and some of his teammates threatened to quit the Giants, accusing Brush, now the Giants owner, of going back on a promise to pay the team a monetary bonus for having finished among the top three teams in the NL, as well as a share of the gate receipts from exhibition games, for which they were paid $56.35 ($ in current dollar terms), though Brush allegedly had made over $200,000 ($ in current dollar terms). McGinnity claimed that he would pitch in the California League, as he had received a salary offer for "$1,000 ($ in current dollar terms) more than [he] got in New York". Jack Warner eventually joined McGinnity in publicly threatening to quit.
McGinnity set an MLB record during the 1904 season, recording his tenth win in 21 team games on May 21, the fewest team games for a pitcher to reach the mark. In 1904, McGinnity had a 35–8 record, leading the NL in games (51), innings pitched (408), shutouts (9), saves (5), and his career-best 1.61 ERA. With the Giants competing for the pennant, McGinnity again won both games in a doubleheader three times in a matter of weeks. Aided by McGinnity, the Giants again won the NL pennant. However, they did not compete in the 1904 World Series as Brush and McGraw refused to face the AL champion Boston Pilgrims, following their altercations with Johnson. After the 1904 season, McGinnity attempted to hold out from the Giants when Brush refused to allow McGinnity to play winter baseball with a team in the Southern United States.
McGinnity won 21 games in the 1905 season, as the Giants won the NL pennant. This year, the Giants participated in the 1905 World Series, against the AL champion Philadelphia Athletics. McGinnity started Games Two and Four of the five game series against the Athletics, winning one and losing one, while Mathewson pitched and won the other three. All five games, including the game McGinnity lost to Chief Bender, were shutouts. In 1906, McGinnity again led the NL in wins, with 27. This came in spite of a suspension McGinnity served for fighting Pirates catcher Heinie Peitz, which NL president Harry Pulliam described as "attempting to make the ball park a slaughterhouse." The Mayor of Pittsburgh, who attended the game, insisted that McGinnity be arrested.
In the 1907 season, McGinnity finished with an 18–18 record with a 3.16 ERA, allowing more than a hit per inning for the first time since the 1901 season. He missed the beginning of the 1908 season with a severe fever. In June 1908, Brush put McGinnity on waivers, hoping another owner would relieve him of McGinnity's $5,000 salary ($ in current dollar terms). He tried to waive McGinnity again in August, but both times McGinnity went unclaimed. Despite this, McGinnity reverted to his old form: from August 22 through the end of the season, McGinnity had an 11–7 record, five shutouts, a 2.27 ERA, and an NL-leading five saves. The Giants released McGinnity on February 27, 1909, when McGinnity decided to pay for his own release.
Later career
McGinnity purchased the Newark Indians of the Class-A Eastern League (EL) for $50,000 ($ in current dollar terms) in 1909 from Frank J. Farrell. The press reported that McGinnity would operate the team as a farm team of the Giants, though he denied these reports. When McGinnity could not retain manager Harry Wolverton, he stepped in as player-manager for the Indians. That season, he had a 29–16 record. His 422 innings pitched and 11 shutouts set EL single-season records. He also won both games of doubleheaders on August 27, 1909, and July 23, 1912.
McGinnity played for and managed the Indians through 1912. The Indians finished second in the EL in 1909 and 1910. McGinnity sold his interests in the Indians to Ebbets and Ed McKeever and purchased the Tacoma Tigers of the Class-B Northwestern League for $8,500 ($ in current dollar terms), spending another $50,000 ($ in current dollar terms) on the franchise in renovating the stadium. He served as player-manager of the Tigers at the start of the 1913 season, but stepped down as manager, hiring Russ Hall to serve as manager in June. McGinnity sold stock in the team in 1915 in order to afford operating expenses. He also briefly played for the Venice Tigers of the Class-A Pacific Coast League in 1914.
McGinnity sold the Tigers and purchased the Butte Miners of the Northwestern League in 1916, serving as player-manager and bringing with him several players from Tacoma. In June 1917, he sold his stock in the team and secured his release. He played for the Great Falls Electrics of the Northwestern League for the remainder of the 1917 season. He later became the manager of the A. E. Staley factory baseball team.
McGinnity served as player-manager of the Danville Veterans of the Class-B Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League in the 1922 season and Dubuque Climbers of the Class-D Mississippi Valley League during the 1923 season. With Dubuque, McGinnity won 15 games at age 52. One of those wins was a shutout, pitched in a record one hour and seven minutes. Two years later, he returned to play for Dubuque and the Springfield Senators of the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League during the 1925 season. He pitched in his final professional game on July 28, 1925, after participating in an old-timers game earlier in the day.
McGinnity joined the coaching staff of former teammate Wilbert Robinson, along with Kelley, for the Brooklyn Dodgers during the 1926 MLB season. McGinnity and Kelley were not retained after the season.
Personal life
McGinnity acquired his nickname, "Iron Man", before his doubleheader pitching became widely discussed. According to Lee Allen in The National League Story (1961), a reporter asked McGinnity, while he was still a minor league pitcher, what he did in between seasons. "I'm an iron man", he answered. "I work in a foundry." McGinnity's wife's family operated an iron foundry in McAlester, Oklahoma, where McGinnity worked in the offseasons.
Because of his nickname and connection to the foundry, John McGraw named McGinnity the starter for the Giants' March 23, 1904 exhibition game against the Southern Association's Birmingham Iron Men which was scheduled to raise funds for the Vulcan statue then being cast for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition that summer in St. Louis, Missouri. At his own request, McGinnity was allowed to visit the downtown foundry and personally pour some of the iron into the moulds for the statue.
While working with Williams College's baseball team in 1929, McGinnity became ill. He had surgery to remove tumors from his bladder, and was said to be in critical condition. After the surgery, he was quoted as saying "it's the ninth inning, and I guess they're going to get me out." He died November 14, 1929 in Brooklyn, New York, at the home of his daughter. He was interred in McAlester.
Legacy
McGinnity finished his MLB career with 246 career wins, seven 20-win seasons, and two 30-win seasons. He had nearly 500 professional wins including his years in the minor leagues. McGinnity set a career record in batters hit by pitch with 152. He revolutionized the fielding of the pitching position, by attempting to make force outs at any base, instead of throwing the ball only to first base.
After his death, McGinnity was eulogized as a "hard player" and "a fighter with brains" who hated to lose. Jennings described him as an even better fielder than he was a pitcher. McGraw said that McGinnity was "the hardest working pitcher I ever had on my ballcub". Connie Mack called him a "magician".
After failing to receive the necessary votes from the Baseball Writers' Association of America for entry in the National Baseball Hall of Fame on seven occasions, McGinnity was posthumously elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1946. He was also inducted into the Quad City Sports Hall of Fame in 1988.
In a 1976 article in Esquire magazine, sportswriter Harry Stein published an "All Time All-Star Argument Starter", consisting of five ethnic baseball teams. Though Stein chose McGinnity as the right-handed pitcher for the Irish team, the team was omitted from the article due to space limitations. The Irish team was included in The Book of Lists, published the following year. Lawrence Ritter and Donald Honig included McGinnity in their 1981 book, The 100 Greatest Baseball Players of All Time. The Chicago Tribune included McGinnity in its all-time Illinois team in 1990. In his 2001 book The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract, Bill James ranked McGinnity as the 41st greatest pitcher of all time.
See also
List of Major League Baseball career wins leaders
List of Major League Baseball career ERA leaders
List of Major League Baseball career hit batsmen leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual ERA leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual shutout leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual saves leaders
References
Bibliography
Brown Jr. Charles William Denning McGinnity Family History, Chicago, Illinois, And is mentioned several time in the book Iron Man McGinnity: A Baseball Biography. McFarland & Company. .
In-line citations
External links
1871 births
1929 deaths
People from Henry County, Illinois
American people of Irish descent
National Baseball Hall of Fame inductees
Baltimore Orioles (NL) players
Baltimore Orioles (1901–02) players
Brooklyn Superbas players
New York Giants (NL) players
Major League Baseball pitchers
Baseball players from Illinois
National League ERA champions
National League wins champions
Brooklyn Dodgers coaches
Newark Indians players
Tacoma Tigers players
Venice Tigers players
Danville Veterans players
Springfield Senators players
Baseball player-managers
Deaths from bladder cancer
Deaths from cancer in New York (state)
Vancouver Beavers players
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[
"\"If You Can Do Anything Else\" is a song written by Billy Livsey and Don Schlitz, and recorded by American country music artist George Strait. It was released in February 2001 as the third and final single from his self-titled album. The song reached number 5 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in July 2001. It also peaked at number 51 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.\n\nContent\nThe song is about man who is giving his woman the option to leave him. He gives her many different options for all the things she can do. At the end he gives her the option to stay with him if she really can’t find anything else to do. He says he will be alright if she leaves, but really it seems he wants her to stay.\n\nChart performance\n\"If You Can Do Anything Else\" debuted at number 60 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks for the week of March 3, 2001.\n\nYear-end charts\n\nReferences\n\n2001 singles\n2000 songs\nGeorge Strait songs\nSongs written by Billy Livsey\nSongs written by Don Schlitz\nSong recordings produced by Tony Brown (record producer)\nMCA Nashville Records singles",
"\"Do Anything\" is the debut single of American pop group Natural Selection. The song was written by group members Elliot Erickson and Frederick Thomas, who also produced the track, and the rap was written and performed by Ingrid Chavez. American actress and singer Niki Haris provides the song's spoken lyrics. A new jack swing and funk-pop song, it is the opening track on Natural Selection's self-titled, only studio album. Released as a single in 1991, \"Do Anything\" became a hit in the United States, where it reached the number-two position on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Worldwide, it became a top-10 hit in Australia and New Zealand while peaking at number 24 in Canada.\n\nCritical reception\nRolling Stone magazine featured the song on their list of \"18 Awesome Prince Rip-Offs\", comparing Frederick Thomas's vocals on the song to those of fellow American musician Prince. Music & Media magazine also compared the song to Prince's work, calling its chorus \"snappy\" and its melody \"asserted\", while Tom Breihan of Stereogum referred to the track as \"K-Mart-brand Prince\". Jeff Giles of pop culture website Popdose wrote that the song is \"deeply, deeply silly,\" commenting on its \"horrible\" lyrics, \"dated\" production, and \"painfully bad\" rap, but he noted that the song is difficult to hate overall. He went on to say that if Natural Selection had released this song and nothing else, its popularity would have persisted more, and he also predicted that if American rock band Fall Out Boy covered the song, it would become a summer hit. AllMusic reviewer Alex Henderson called the track \"likeable\" and appreciated that it was original compared to other urban contemporary songs released during the early 1990s.\n\nChart performance\n\"Do Anything\" debuted on the US Billboard Hot 100 at number 58, becoming the Hot Shot Debut of August 10, 1991. Ten issues later, the song reached its peak of number two, behind only \"Emotions by Mariah Carey. It spent its final week on the Hot 100 at number 27 on December 28, 1991, spending a total of 21 weeks on the listing. It was the United States' 32nd-most-succeful single of 1991. In Canada, after debuting at number 92 on October 5, 1991, the song rose up the chart until reaching number 24 on November 23. \"Do Anything\" was not as successful in Europe, peaking at number 48 on the Dutch Single Top 100 and number 69 on the UK Singles Chart, but in Sweden, it debuted and peaked at number 21 in November 1991. The single became a top-10 hit in both Australia and New Zealand, reaching number 10 in the former nation and number nine in the latter.\n\nTrack listings\n\nUS 12-inch vinyl\nA1. \"Do Anything\" (Justin Strauss Remix) – 6:00\nA2. \"Do Anything\" (Just Dubbin Dub) – 4:30\nB1. \"Do Anything\" (Just Right Mix) – 4:35\nB2. \"Do Anything\" (Just Right Dub) – 4:50\nB3. \"Do Anything\" (radio edit) – 3:55\n\nUS cassette single and European 7-inch single\n \"Do Anything\" (single mix) – 3:55\n \"Do Anything\" (raw mix) – 4:11\n\nUK and European 12-inch vinyl\nA1. \"Do Anything\" (Justin Strauss Remix) – 6:00\nA2. \"Do Anything\" (Just Dubbin Dub) – 4:30\nB1. \"Do Anything\" (Just Right Mix) – 4:35\nB2. \"Do Anything\" (Just Right Dub) – 4:50\n\nPersonnel\nCredits are taken from the US cassette single liner notes and cassette notes.\n Elliot Erickson – keyboards, drum programming, writer, producer, mixer, engineer\n Frederick Thomas – lead and background vocals, writer, producer\n Niki Haris – spoken vocals\n Ingrid Chavez – rap writer\n Brian Malouf – additional production and mixing\n\nCharts\n\nWeekly charts\n\nYear-end charts\n\nReferences\n\n1991 debut singles\nAmerican pop songs\nEast West Records singles\nFunk songs\nNew jack swing songs"
] |
[
"Joe McGinnity",
"Later career",
"What did McGinnity do later in life?",
"McGinnity purchased the Newark Indians of the Class-A Eastern League (EL) for $50,000 ($1,361,852 in current dollar terms) in 1909 from Frank J. Farrell.",
"Did the team do well?",
"That season, he had a 29-16 record.",
"Did he own the team the rest of his life?",
"McGinnity sold the Tigers and purchased the Butte Miners of the Northwestern League in 1916,",
"How did the Butte Miners do?",
"I don't know.",
"How much did he buy the Butte Miners for?",
"I don't know.",
"Are there any other interesting aspects about this article?",
"McGinnity served as player-manager of the Danville Veterans of the Class-B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League in the 1922 season",
"Was that team successful?",
"McGinnity won 15 games at age 52. One of those wins was a shutout, pitched in a record one hour and seven minutes.",
"Did he do anything else in his later career?",
"He pitched in his final professional game on July 28, 1925, after participating in an old-timers game earlier in the day."
] |
C_52e3edf6b03848f4a22539c67e1486d6_0
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What did he do after playing professionally?
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What did Joe McGinnity do after playing professionally?
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Joe McGinnity
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McGinnity purchased the Newark Indians of the Class-A Eastern League (EL) for $50,000 ($1,361,852 in current dollar terms) in 1909 from Frank J. Farrell. The press reported that McGinnity would operate the team as a farm team of the Giants, though he denied these reports. When McGinnity could not retain manager Harry Wolverton, he stepped in as player-manager for the Indians. That season, he had a 29-16 record. His 422 innings pitched and 11 shutouts set EL single-season records. He also won both games of doubleheaders on August 27, 1909, and July 23, 1912. McGinnity played for and managed the Indians through 1912. The Indians finished second in the EL in 1909 and 1910. McGinnity sold his interests in the Indians to Ebbets and Ed McKeever and purchased the Tacoma Tigers of the Class-B Northwestern League for $8,500 ($215,548 in current dollar terms), spending another $50,000 ($1,267,931 in current dollar terms) on the franchise in renovating the stadium. He served as player-manager the Tigers at the start of the 1913 season, but stepped down as manager, hiring Russ Hall to serve as manager in June. McGinnity sold stock in the team in 1915 in order to afford operating expenses. He also briefly played for the Venice Tigers of the Class-A Pacific Coast League in 1914. McGinnity sold the Tigers and purchased the Butte Miners of the Northwestern League in 1916, serving as player-manager and bringing with him several players from Tacoma. In June 1917, he sold his stock in the team and secured his release. He played for the Great Falls Electrics of the Northwestern League for the remainder of the 1917 season. He later became the manager of the A. E. Staley factory baseball team. McGinnity served as player-manager of the Danville Veterans of the Class-B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League in the 1922 season and Dubuque Climbers of the Class-D Mississippi Valley League during the 1923 season. With Dubuque, McGinnity won 15 games at age 52. One of those wins was a shutout, pitched in a record one hour and seven minutes. Two years later, he returned to play for Dubuque and Springfield Senators of the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League during the 1925 season. He pitched in his final professional game on July 28, 1925, after participating in an old-timers game earlier in the day. McGinnity joined the coaching staff of former teammate Wilbert Robinson, along with Kelley, for the Brooklyn Dodgers during the 1926 MLB season. McGinnity and Kelley were not retained after the season. CANNOTANSWER
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McGinnity joined the coaching staff of former teammate Wilbert Robinson, along with Kelley, for the Brooklyn Dodgers during the 1926 MLB season.
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Joseph Jerome McGinnity (March 20, 1871 – November 14, 1929) was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the late 19th and early 20th century. McGinnity played in MLB for ten years, pitching for the National League's (NL) Baltimore Orioles (1899) and Brooklyn Superbas (1900), before jumping to the American League (AL) to play for the Baltimore Orioles (AL) (1901–1902). He returned to the NL with the New York Giants (1902–1908). McGinnity continued to pitch in the minor leagues, eventually retiring from baseball for good at the age of 54.
In MLB, he won 246 games with a 2.66 earned run average (ERA). He had seven 20-win seasons and two 30-win seasons. Including his time in the minor leagues, McGinnity won close to 500 games as a professional ballplayer. He led MLB in wins five times (1899, 1900, 1903, 1904, and 1906) and ERA once (1904). With the Giants, he won the 1905 World Series. His teams also won NL pennants in 1900 and 1904.
McGinnity was nicknamed "Iron Man" because he worked in an iron foundry during the baseball offseasons. His nickname came to convey his longevity and durability, as he routinely pitched in both games of doubleheaders. He set NL records for complete games (48) and innings pitched (434) in a single season, which still stand (and with modern MLB practices which limit pitchers' innings, are considered effectively unbreakable). McGinnity is considered one of the better players in the history of the New York Giants. The Veterans Committee elected him to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946.
Early life
McGinnity's father, Peter, was born in Dublin, Ireland. His last name was McGinity before he came to United States. He changed it by adding an "n" after he emigrated to the United States in 1861. Peter worked in coal mines and on the farm owned by John and Rebecca Denning, and they accepted him, allowing him to move in with them in their Henry County farm. John and Rebecca moved to Oregon, leaving the homestead in the hands of Peter and their daughter, Hannah. The two married in August 1865, three months before the birth of their first son, William. Their second son, Peter, was born in 1869, and Joe was born in 1871. The McGinnitys had four more children.
Joe received little formal schooling. Due to the transient lifestyle of coal miners, his family moved frequently during his childhood. The McGinnitys moved to Gallatin County in 1878. Two days after the birth of their seventh child, Peter died in an accident. At the age of eight, Joe and his older brothers went to work in the mines to support their family. In 1880, the family moved to Springfield, Illinois, where Joe and his brothers worked for the Springfield Coal Company. They moved to Decatur, Illinois less than six months later, continuing to mine coal, while their mother cleaned houses.
Baseball career
Early career
While living in Decatur, McGinnity began playing baseball with other coal miners in their leisure time. The owner of the Decatur Coal Company founded the Decatur Baseball Association in 1886. An outfielder, McGinnity substituted for his team's pitcher in an 1888 game, which he won. He continued to pitch from that point on. He pitched for semi-professional teams based in Decatur in 1888 and 1889. His family headed west, stopping in the Indian Territory on their way to Montana, where Hannah's sister struck gold in their coal mine. McGinnity and his brothers worked in a coal mine in Krebs. There, he met his future wife, Mary Redpath, the oldest daughter of a fellow coal miner. McGinnity also played baseball for the local team. He increased baseball's popularity in the area, and was later referred to as "the father of Oklahoma baseball" by a sportswriter for The Oklahoman, as he organized, managed, and pitched for teams in Krebs. One of these teams began traveling to other towns along the Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad to play against their local teams. He also pitched for teams in neighboring towns.
John McCloskey, the manager of the minor league baseball Montgomery Colts of the Class-B Southern League, heard about McGinnity's pitching. McCloskey signed McGinnity, who made his professional debut with the Colts in 1893. McCloskey habitually baited umpires during games, a trait which McGinnity learned. The league folded as a result of financial troubles related to the Panic of 1893. Jimmie Manning, manager of the Southern League franchise in Savannah, Georgia, became manager of the Kansas City Blues of the Class-A Western League for the 1894 season, and signed McGinnity to pitch for the Blues. Combined for Montgomery and Kansas City, McGinnity had a 21–29 win–loss record, while walking more batters than he could strikeout, and allowing more than a hit per inning pitched. According to a Western League umpire, catcher Tim Donahue tipped McGinnity's pitches to opposing batters due to a personal feud. As McGinnity continued to struggle for Kansas City, he requested his release in June.
McGinnity moved to Springfield, Illinois, where he worked as a coal miner, bartender, and operated a saloon. McGinnity also pitched locally for semi-professional teams in Springfield and Decatur, receiving a salary between $1 to $3 (between $ to $ in current dollar terms) for each game. During this time, McGinnity developed a sidearm pitch he nicknamed "Old Sal", described as a "slow curve", which became a feature of his later success. He also improved his fielding, as opponents attempted to bunt "Old Sal".
While pitching for a semi-professional team, McGinnity defeated the National League's (NL) Baltimore Orioles in an exhibition game after he had already defeated a team from Chatham, Illinois earlier in the day. Pat Wright, who managed Springfield's semi-professional team, was named manager of the Peoria Distillers of the Class-B Western Association, and he signed McGinnity to Peoria for the 1898 season, marking his return to professional baseball. Armed with "Old Sal", McGinnity compiled a 9–4 record for Peoria, allowing only 118 hits and 60 walks while striking out 74 batters in 142 innings. He pitched a complete 21-inning game, believed to be the second longest professional baseball game to date. With low attendance and the distraction of the Spanish–American War, the Western Association folded in August.
Major League Baseball
Former Brooklyn Grooms player George Pinkney, who lived in Peoria during his retirement, saw McGinnity pitch, and contacted Brooklyn owner Charles Ebbets to recommend he sign McGinnity. He signed McGinnity in the spring of 1899 for $150 a month ($ in current dollar terms). The syndicate that owned Brooklyn also owned the Baltimore Orioles.
With the ownership consolidation, Orioles player-manager Ned Hanlon, who received an ownership stake in the clubs, moved from Baltimore to Brooklyn and assigned many of his best players to Brooklyn, including Joe Kelley, Dan McGann, Hughie Jennings and Willie Keeler. Hanlon assigned McGinnity to the Orioles for the 1899 season after seeing his unorthodox pitching delivery and slow pitching speed. With the Orioles, McGinnity played with John McGraw, who succeeded Hanlon as player-manager, and Wilbert Robinson, who caught McGinnity. McGraw and Robinson had refused to relocate to Brooklyn due to their investment in a Baltimore restaurant. The two imparted their aggressive style of play to McGinnity. In his first year in the NL, McGinnity had a 28–16 record. His 28 wins led the NL, while he ranked second with 48 games, third with a 2.68 earned run average (ERA), and fourth with innings pitched.
After the 1899 season, the NL voted to contract four teams, which included the Orioles. Hanlon assigned McGinnity to Brooklyn, now known as the "Superbas". McGinnity posted a 28–8 record for Brooklyn in the 1900 season. His 28 wins and 343 innings pitched led the league, as the Dodgers won the NL pennant. McGinnity also pitched two complete games in the Chronicle-Telegraph Cup, as the Superbas defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates. Rather than draw straws to decide who would keep the trophy, the team voted to award it to McGinnity.
With the formation of the American League (AL) as a competitor to the NL, and rumors that the AL's Detroit Tigers were interested in McGinnity, Brooklyn offered McGinnity a $5,000 contract ($ in current dollar terms) to stay with Brooklyn. McGinnity considered retiring from baseball, but ultimately jumped to the AL, signing with the Baltimore Orioles of the AL before the 1901 season. He received a salary of $2,800 ($ in current dollar terms), choosing less money in an upstart league for the chance to be reunited with McGraw, who was player-manager and part-owner of the Orioles.
Fighting continued to erupt in games McGraw managed. During a brawl that erupted during a game against the Detroit Tigers on August 21, 1901, McGinnity spat on umpire Tom Connolly. McGinnity was arrested for the incident and permanently suspended by AL president Ban Johnson, who wanted there to be no fighting in AL games. Johnson later cut the suspension down to 12 days after McGinnity apologized. McGinnity compiled a 26–20 record for the 1901 Orioles, and his 48 games, 39 complete games, and 382 innings pitched led the AL.
McGinnity began the 1902 season with the Orioles. However, the franchise began to fall into significant debt. Joe Kelley, star player for the Orioles and son-in-law of part-owner John Mahon, reported that the team owed as much as $12,000 ($ in current dollar terms). Unable to afford that debt, Mahon purchased shares of the team from Kelley and player-manager John McGraw. With this, Mahon became the majority shareholder. On July 17, 1902, Mahon sold his interest in the Orioles to Andrew Freedman, principal owner of the Giants, and John T. Brush, principal owner of the Cincinnati Reds, also of the NL. That day, Freedman and Brush released McGinnity, McGraw, Kelley, Roger Bresnahan, Jack Cronin, Cy Seymour, and Dan McGann from their Oriole contracts. Brush then signed Kelley and Seymour to the Reds, while Freedman signed McGinnity, Bresnahan, Cronin, and McGann, joining McGraw, his new player-manager, on the Giants. McGinnity attempted to contact Johnson that night, offering to stay with the Orioles if he could receive Johnson's personal assurance that he was welcome to stay. McGinnity did not hear back from Johnson, who had left his phone off the hook that night to avoid being contacted, and joined his teammates with the Giants.
With the Giants for the 1903 season, McGinnity won 31 games. He also set MLB records with 48 games started and 434 innings pitched, which remain NL records today. Jack Chesbro, pitching for the New York Highlanders of the American League during the 1904 season, set the current MLB records with 55 games started and innings. In 1903, McGinnity started both games of a doubleheader on numerous occasions. He performed this feat three times in a single month, winning all six games. On the final instance, The New York Times reported "he seemed fresh enough to tackle the visitors for a third contest if that were necessary". He pitched over 100 innings in the month of August. Wins by McGinnity and fellow pitcher Christy Mathewson accounted for 73% of the Giants' winning games in 1903, setting an MLB record for a pitching tandem. After the season, McGinnity and some of his teammates threatened to quit the Giants, accusing Brush, now the Giants owner, of going back on a promise to pay the team a monetary bonus for having finished among the top three teams in the NL, as well as a share of the gate receipts from exhibition games, for which they were paid $56.35 ($ in current dollar terms), though Brush allegedly had made over $200,000 ($ in current dollar terms). McGinnity claimed that he would pitch in the California League, as he had received a salary offer for "$1,000 ($ in current dollar terms) more than [he] got in New York". Jack Warner eventually joined McGinnity in publicly threatening to quit.
McGinnity set an MLB record during the 1904 season, recording his tenth win in 21 team games on May 21, the fewest team games for a pitcher to reach the mark. In 1904, McGinnity had a 35–8 record, leading the NL in games (51), innings pitched (408), shutouts (9), saves (5), and his career-best 1.61 ERA. With the Giants competing for the pennant, McGinnity again won both games in a doubleheader three times in a matter of weeks. Aided by McGinnity, the Giants again won the NL pennant. However, they did not compete in the 1904 World Series as Brush and McGraw refused to face the AL champion Boston Pilgrims, following their altercations with Johnson. After the 1904 season, McGinnity attempted to hold out from the Giants when Brush refused to allow McGinnity to play winter baseball with a team in the Southern United States.
McGinnity won 21 games in the 1905 season, as the Giants won the NL pennant. This year, the Giants participated in the 1905 World Series, against the AL champion Philadelphia Athletics. McGinnity started Games Two and Four of the five game series against the Athletics, winning one and losing one, while Mathewson pitched and won the other three. All five games, including the game McGinnity lost to Chief Bender, were shutouts. In 1906, McGinnity again led the NL in wins, with 27. This came in spite of a suspension McGinnity served for fighting Pirates catcher Heinie Peitz, which NL president Harry Pulliam described as "attempting to make the ball park a slaughterhouse." The Mayor of Pittsburgh, who attended the game, insisted that McGinnity be arrested.
In the 1907 season, McGinnity finished with an 18–18 record with a 3.16 ERA, allowing more than a hit per inning for the first time since the 1901 season. He missed the beginning of the 1908 season with a severe fever. In June 1908, Brush put McGinnity on waivers, hoping another owner would relieve him of McGinnity's $5,000 salary ($ in current dollar terms). He tried to waive McGinnity again in August, but both times McGinnity went unclaimed. Despite this, McGinnity reverted to his old form: from August 22 through the end of the season, McGinnity had an 11–7 record, five shutouts, a 2.27 ERA, and an NL-leading five saves. The Giants released McGinnity on February 27, 1909, when McGinnity decided to pay for his own release.
Later career
McGinnity purchased the Newark Indians of the Class-A Eastern League (EL) for $50,000 ($ in current dollar terms) in 1909 from Frank J. Farrell. The press reported that McGinnity would operate the team as a farm team of the Giants, though he denied these reports. When McGinnity could not retain manager Harry Wolverton, he stepped in as player-manager for the Indians. That season, he had a 29–16 record. His 422 innings pitched and 11 shutouts set EL single-season records. He also won both games of doubleheaders on August 27, 1909, and July 23, 1912.
McGinnity played for and managed the Indians through 1912. The Indians finished second in the EL in 1909 and 1910. McGinnity sold his interests in the Indians to Ebbets and Ed McKeever and purchased the Tacoma Tigers of the Class-B Northwestern League for $8,500 ($ in current dollar terms), spending another $50,000 ($ in current dollar terms) on the franchise in renovating the stadium. He served as player-manager of the Tigers at the start of the 1913 season, but stepped down as manager, hiring Russ Hall to serve as manager in June. McGinnity sold stock in the team in 1915 in order to afford operating expenses. He also briefly played for the Venice Tigers of the Class-A Pacific Coast League in 1914.
McGinnity sold the Tigers and purchased the Butte Miners of the Northwestern League in 1916, serving as player-manager and bringing with him several players from Tacoma. In June 1917, he sold his stock in the team and secured his release. He played for the Great Falls Electrics of the Northwestern League for the remainder of the 1917 season. He later became the manager of the A. E. Staley factory baseball team.
McGinnity served as player-manager of the Danville Veterans of the Class-B Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League in the 1922 season and Dubuque Climbers of the Class-D Mississippi Valley League during the 1923 season. With Dubuque, McGinnity won 15 games at age 52. One of those wins was a shutout, pitched in a record one hour and seven minutes. Two years later, he returned to play for Dubuque and the Springfield Senators of the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League during the 1925 season. He pitched in his final professional game on July 28, 1925, after participating in an old-timers game earlier in the day.
McGinnity joined the coaching staff of former teammate Wilbert Robinson, along with Kelley, for the Brooklyn Dodgers during the 1926 MLB season. McGinnity and Kelley were not retained after the season.
Personal life
McGinnity acquired his nickname, "Iron Man", before his doubleheader pitching became widely discussed. According to Lee Allen in The National League Story (1961), a reporter asked McGinnity, while he was still a minor league pitcher, what he did in between seasons. "I'm an iron man", he answered. "I work in a foundry." McGinnity's wife's family operated an iron foundry in McAlester, Oklahoma, where McGinnity worked in the offseasons.
Because of his nickname and connection to the foundry, John McGraw named McGinnity the starter for the Giants' March 23, 1904 exhibition game against the Southern Association's Birmingham Iron Men which was scheduled to raise funds for the Vulcan statue then being cast for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition that summer in St. Louis, Missouri. At his own request, McGinnity was allowed to visit the downtown foundry and personally pour some of the iron into the moulds for the statue.
While working with Williams College's baseball team in 1929, McGinnity became ill. He had surgery to remove tumors from his bladder, and was said to be in critical condition. After the surgery, he was quoted as saying "it's the ninth inning, and I guess they're going to get me out." He died November 14, 1929 in Brooklyn, New York, at the home of his daughter. He was interred in McAlester.
Legacy
McGinnity finished his MLB career with 246 career wins, seven 20-win seasons, and two 30-win seasons. He had nearly 500 professional wins including his years in the minor leagues. McGinnity set a career record in batters hit by pitch with 152. He revolutionized the fielding of the pitching position, by attempting to make force outs at any base, instead of throwing the ball only to first base.
After his death, McGinnity was eulogized as a "hard player" and "a fighter with brains" who hated to lose. Jennings described him as an even better fielder than he was a pitcher. McGraw said that McGinnity was "the hardest working pitcher I ever had on my ballcub". Connie Mack called him a "magician".
After failing to receive the necessary votes from the Baseball Writers' Association of America for entry in the National Baseball Hall of Fame on seven occasions, McGinnity was posthumously elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1946. He was also inducted into the Quad City Sports Hall of Fame in 1988.
In a 1976 article in Esquire magazine, sportswriter Harry Stein published an "All Time All-Star Argument Starter", consisting of five ethnic baseball teams. Though Stein chose McGinnity as the right-handed pitcher for the Irish team, the team was omitted from the article due to space limitations. The Irish team was included in The Book of Lists, published the following year. Lawrence Ritter and Donald Honig included McGinnity in their 1981 book, The 100 Greatest Baseball Players of All Time. The Chicago Tribune included McGinnity in its all-time Illinois team in 1990. In his 2001 book The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract, Bill James ranked McGinnity as the 41st greatest pitcher of all time.
See also
List of Major League Baseball career wins leaders
List of Major League Baseball career ERA leaders
List of Major League Baseball career hit batsmen leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual ERA leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual shutout leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual saves leaders
References
Bibliography
Brown Jr. Charles William Denning McGinnity Family History, Chicago, Illinois, And is mentioned several time in the book Iron Man McGinnity: A Baseball Biography. McFarland & Company. .
In-line citations
External links
1871 births
1929 deaths
People from Henry County, Illinois
American people of Irish descent
National Baseball Hall of Fame inductees
Baltimore Orioles (NL) players
Baltimore Orioles (1901–02) players
Brooklyn Superbas players
New York Giants (NL) players
Major League Baseball pitchers
Baseball players from Illinois
National League ERA champions
National League wins champions
Brooklyn Dodgers coaches
Newark Indians players
Tacoma Tigers players
Venice Tigers players
Danville Veterans players
Springfield Senators players
Baseball player-managers
Deaths from bladder cancer
Deaths from cancer in New York (state)
Vancouver Beavers players
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"Wilson Adalberto Folleco Morales (born 4 September 1989 in Imbabura Province) is an Ecuadorian footballer currently playing for Gualaceo Sporting Club.\n\nClub career\nFolleco started playing professionally for Imbabura. He spent about a year playing there and already got interest from many teams because of his versatile position. He was loaned out to Deportivo Cuenca in the 2008 season. He had a spectacular season with Cuenca even though they did not do very well in the liguilla final. \n\nHe played seven times for Barcelona Sporting Club during the 2009 season.\n\nIn 2019, Folleco joined Gualaceo Sporting Club.\n\nInternational career\nFolleco played in the 2007 Pan American Games with Ecuador. He was called up for the 2009 South American Youth Championship.\n\nHonours\n\nNational Team\n Ecuador U-20\n Pan American Games: Gold Medal\n\nReferences\n\n1989 births\nLiving people\nPeople from Imbabura Province\nAssociation football wingers\nEcuadorian footballers\nEcuador international footballers\nImbabura S.C. footballers\nC.D. Cuenca footballers\nBarcelona S.C. footballers\nC.S.D. Macará footballers\nS.D. Quito footballers\nC.D. El Nacional footballers\nFootballers at the 2011 Pan American Games\nPan American Games competitors for Ecuador",
"Earl Thomas \"Drip\" Wilson (May 4, 1907 – November 25, 1950) was an American football center who played one season for the Cleveland Indians of the National Football League (NFL). Wilson played college football at St. Bonaventure.\n \nDrip Wilson was born on May 4, 1907, in Sharon, Pennsylvania. He attended high school in Sharon before playing college football at St. Bonaventure. Less than 15 people from St. Bonaventure ever played professionally. After playing at St. Bonaventure, he played professionally for one season with the Cleveland Indians of the National Football League (NFL). However, Wilson only made one appearance with the Indians and they folded the next season, ending his playing career. After playing professionally, he served as an assistant coach for Albion and Lawrence Park during four seasons. He then accepted a position with an industrial firm in Massillon, Ohio. He died on November 25, 1950, in Massillon. It was supposed to be from a heart attack caused by shoveling snow in his driveway. He was buried at St. Mary's Cemetery in Mercer County, Pennsylvania.\n\nNotes\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\n\n1907 births\n1950 deaths\nSt. Bonaventure Brown Indians football players\nCleveland Indians (NFL 1931) players\nPlayers of American football from Pennsylvania\nAmerican football centers\nAlbion Britons football coaches"
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"Shakira",
"2008-2010: She WolfEdit"
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C_67493774705c4c36aff884e894e534c0_1
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What is she wolfedit
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What is shewolfedit
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Shakira
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In early 2008, Forbes named Shakira the fourth top-earning female artist in music industry. Then, in July of that year, Shakira signed a $300 million contract with Live Nation, an international touring giant, which contract was to remain in effect for ten years. The touring group also doubles as a record label which promotes, but does not control, the music its artists release. Shakira's contract with Epic Records called for three more albums as well - one in English, one in Spanish, and a compilation, but the touring and other rights of the Live Nation deal were confirmed to begin immediately. In January 2009, Shakira performed at the Lincoln Memorial "We Are One" festivities in honor of the inauguration of President Barack Obama. She performed "Higher Ground" with Stevie Wonder and Usher. She Wolf, was released in October 2009 internationally and on 23 November 2009 in the U.S. The album received mainly positive reviews from critics, and was included in AllMusic's year-end "Favorite Albums," "Favorite Latin Albums," and "Favorite Pop Albums" lists. She Wolf reached number one on the charts of Argentina, Ireland, Italy, Mexico and Switzerland. It also charted inside the top five in Spain, Germany and the United Kingdom. It debuted at number fifteen on the Billboard 200. She Wolf was certified double-platinum in Colombia and Mexico, platinum in Italy and Spain, and gold in numerous countries including France and the United Kingdom. To date the album has sold 2 million copies worldwide, becoming one of Shakira's least successful studio album to date in terms of sales. In May, Shakira collaborated with the South African group Freshlyground to create the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)", which is based on a traditional Cameroonian soldiers's Fang song titled "Zangalewa" by the group Zangalewa or Golden Sounds. The single later reached the top 20 in Europe, South America and Africa and the top 40 in the U.S. and was performed by Shakira at the World Cup kick-off and closing. It became the biggest-selling World Cup song of all time. CANNOTANSWER
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She Wolf, was released in October 2009 internationally and on 23 November 2009 in the U.S.
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Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll ( , ; born 2 February 1977) is a Colombian singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Barranquilla, Shakira has been referred to as the "Queen of Latin Music" and is noted for her versatility in music. She made her recording debut under Sony Music Colombia at the age of 13. Following the commercial failure of her first two albums, Magia (1991) and Peligro (1993), she rose to prominence in Hispanic countries with her next albums, Pies Descalzos (1995) and Dónde Están los Ladrones? (1998). Shakira entered the English-language market with her fifth album, Laundry Service (2001), which sold over 13 million copies worldwide. Buoyed by the international number-one singles "Whenever, Wherever" and "Underneath Your Clothes", the album propelled her reputation as a leading crossover artist. Broadcast Music, Inc., the largest music rights organization in the United States, described Shakira as a pioneer who extended the global reach of Latino singers.
Her success was further solidified with the Spanish albums Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 (2005), Sale el Sol (2010), and El Dorado (2017), all of which topped the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart and were certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America. Meanwhile, her English albums Oral Fixation, Vol. 2 (2005), She Wolf (2009) and Shakira (2014) were all certified gold, platinum, or multi-platinum in various countries worldwide. Some of her songs have charted at number one in multiple countries, including "La Tortura", "Hips Don't Lie", "Beautiful Liar", "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)", "Loca", and "Chantaje". Shakira served as a coach on two seasons of the American singing competition television series The Voice (2013–2014).
With a catalog of 145 songs, Shakira has sold over 80 million records which have made her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Forbes reported that as of 2018, Shakira has become the female Latin artist who has sold the most albums in history. She is credited with opening the doors of the international market for several Latin artists who would follow after her. Shakira has received numerous awards, including three Grammy Awards, twelve Latin Grammy Awards, four MTV Video Music Awards, seven Billboard Music Awards, thirty-nine Billboard Latin Music Awards, six Guinness World Records and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She was named the Top Female Latin Artist of the Decade by Billboard twice (2000s and 2010s). For her philanthropic work with her Barefoot Foundation and her contributions to music she received the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year and Harvard Foundation Artist of the Year awards in 2011. She was appointed to the President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics in the US in 2011, and Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government in 2012.
Early life
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll was born on 2 February 1977 in Barranquilla, Colombia. She is the only child of William Mebarak Chadid and Nidia Ripoll Torrado. She is of Colombian and Lebanese descent. Her father William was born in New York City to a family from Lebanon. When he was five, his family moved to Colombia. Her Colombian mother side has two Spanish surnames, Ripoll and Torrado, the former of which is Catalan and originates from four brothers who immigrated from Catalonia to coastal Colombia in the 19th century. She has also claimed to have distant Italian roots through an ancestor with the surname "Pisciotti". The name Shakira () is Arabic for "grateful", the feminine form of the name Shakir (). She was raised Catholic and attended Catholic schools. She has eight older half-siblings from her father's previous marriage. Shakira spent much of her youth in Barranquilla, a city located on the northern Caribbean coast of Colombia. Shakira's business acumen is often attributed to a high IQ, which is reported in the entertainment press to be 140.
Shakira wrote her first poem, titled "La rosa de cristal" ('The Crystal Rose'), when she was only four years old. As she was growing up, she was fascinated watching her father writing stories on a typewriter, and asked for one as a Christmas gift. She got that typewriter at age seven, and has continued writing poetry since then. These poems eventually evolved into songs. When Shakira was two years old, an older half-brother was killed in a motorcycle accident; six years later, at age eight, Shakira wrote her first song, titled "Tus gafas oscuras" ('Your dark glasses'), which was inspired by her father, who for years wore dark glasses to hide his grief.
When Shakira was four, her father took her to a local Middle Eastern restaurant, where Shakira first heard the doumbek, a traditional drum used in Middle-Eastern music and which typically accompanied belly dancing. She started dancing on the table, and the experience made her realize that she wanted to be a performer. She enjoyed singing for schoolmates and teachers (and even the nuns) at her Catholic school, but in second grade, she was rejected for the school choir because her vibrato was too strong. The music teacher told her that she sounded "like a goat". She says she had also been known as "the belly dancer girl", as she would demonstrate every Friday at school a number she had learned. "That's how I discovered my passion for live performance," she says.
To instill gratitude in Shakira for her upbringing, her father took her to a local park to see orphans who lived there. The images stayed with her, and she said to herself: "One day I'm going to help these kids when I become a famous artist."
Between ages ten and thirteen, Shakira was invited to various events in Barranquilla and gained some recognition in the area. It was at this approximate time that she met local theater producer Monica Ariza, who was impressed with her and as a result tried to help her career. During a flight from Barranquilla to Bogotá, Ariza convinced Sony Colombia executive Ciro Vargas to hold an audition for Shakira in a hotel lobby. Vargas held Shakira in high regard and, returning to the Sony office, gave the cassette to a song and artist director. However, the director was not overly excited and thought Shakira was something of "a lost cause". Undaunted and still convinced that Shakira had talent, Vargas set up an audition in Bogotá. He arranged for Sony Colombia executives to arrive at the audition, with the idea of surprising them with Shakira's performance. She performed three songs for the executives and impressed them enough for her to be signed to record three albums.
Career
1990–1995: Beginnings
Shakira's debut album, Magia, was recorded with Sony Music Colombia in 1990 when she was only 13 years old. The songs are a collection made by her since she was eight, mixed pop-rock ballads and disco uptempo songs with electronic accompaniment. The album was released in June 1991 and featured "Magia" and three other singles. Though it fared well on Colombian radio and gave the young Shakira much exposure, the album did not fare well commercially, as only 1,200 copies were sold worldwide. After the poor performance of Magia, Shakira's label urged her to return to the studio to release a follow-up record. Though she was little known outside of her native Colombia at the time, Shakira was invited to perform at Chile's Viña del Mar International Song Festival in February 1993. The festival gave aspiring Latin American singers a chance to perform their songs, and the winner was then chosen by a panel of judges. Shakira performed the ballad "Eres" ("You Are") and won the trophy for third place. One of the judges who voted for her to win was the then 20-year-old Ricky Martin, whose initial prominence had come from his membership in Menudo.
Shakira's second studio album, titled Peligro, was released in March, but Shakira was not pleased with the final result, mainly taking issue with the production. The album was better received than Magia had been, though it was also considered a commercial failure due to Shakira's refusal to advertise or promote it. Shakira then decided to take a hiatus from recording so that she could graduate from high school. In the same year, Shakira starred in the Colombian TV series The Oasis, loosely based on the Armero tragedy in 1985. Since then, the albums have been pulled from release and are not considered official Shakira albums but rather promotional albums.
1995–2000: Latin breakthrough
Shakira originally recorded the song "¿Dónde Estás Corazón?" (later released on her album Pies Descalzos) for the compilation album Nuestro Rock in 1994, released exclusively in Colombia. The song was an instant success on radio stations in Colombia and Sony decided to finance her third record, by giving her the last chance due to previous commercial failures.
Shakira returned to recording music under Sony Music along with Columbia Records in 1995 with Luis F. Ochoa, using musical influences from a number of countries and an Alanis Morissette-oriented persona which affected two of her next albums. These recordings spawned her third studio album, and her international debut album, titled Pies Descalzos. Recording for the album began in February 1995, after the success of her single "¿Dónde Estás Corazón?".
The album, Pies Descalzos, was released in October 1995 in the Latin American countries and in February 1996 in the US. It reached number five on the U.S. Billboard Top Latin Albums chart. The album spawned six hit singles, "Estoy Aquí", which reached number two on the U.S. Latin chart, "¿Dónde Estás Corazón?" which reached number five on the U.S. Latin chart, "Pies Descalzos, Sueños Blancos" which reached number 11 on the U.S. Latin chart, "Un Poco de Amor" which reached number six on the U.S. Latin chart, "Antología" which reached number 15 on the U.S. Latin chart, and "Se quiere, Se Mata" which reached number eight on the U.S. Latin chart. In August 1996, RIAA certified the album platinum status.
In March 1996, Shakira went on to her first international tour, named simply the Tour Pies Descalzos. The tour consisted of 20 shows and ended in 1997. Also in that year, Shakira received three Billboard Latin Music Awards for Album of the Year for Pies Descalzos, Video of the Year for "Estoy Aqui", and Best New Artist. Pies Descalzos later sold over 5 million copies, prompting the release of a remix album, simply titled The Remixes. The Remixes also included Portuguese versions of some of her well-known songs, which were recorded as a result of her success in the Brazilian market, where Pies Descalzos sold nearly one million copies.
Her fourth studio album was titled Dónde Están los Ladrones? Produced by Shakira with Emilio Estefan, Jr. as the executive producer it was released in September 1998. The album, inspired by an incident in an airport in which a suitcase filled with her written lyrics was stolen, became a bigger hit than Pies Descalzos. The album has reached a peak position of number 131 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and held the top spot on the U.S. Latin Albums chart for 11 weeks. It has since sold over 7 million copies worldwide and 1.5 million copies in the U.S. alone, making it one of the best selling Spanish albums in the U.S. Eight singles were taken from the album including "Ciega, Sordomuda", "Moscas En La Casa", "No Creo", "Inevitable", "Tú", "Si Te Vas", "Octavo día", and "Ojos Así".
Shakira also received her first Grammy Award nomination in 1999 for Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album. Shakira's first live album, MTV Unplugged, was recorded in New York City on 12 August 1999. Highly acclaimed by American critics, it is rated as one of her best-ever live performances. In March 2000, Shakira embarked on her Tour Anfibio, a two-month tour of Latin America and the United States. In August 2000, she won an MTV Video Music Award in the category of People's Choice – Favorite International Artist for "Ojos Así". In September 2000, Shakira performed "Ojos Así" at the inaugural ceremony of the Latin Grammy Awards, where she was nominated in five categories: Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for MTV Unplugged, Best Female Rock Vocal Performance for "Octavo Día", Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and Best Short Form Music Video for the video for "Ojos Así".
2001–2004: English transition with Laundry Service
Upon the success of Dónde Están los Ladrones? and MTV Unplugged, Shakira began working on an English crossover album. She learned English with the help of Gloria Estefan. She worked for over a year on new material for the album. "Whenever, Wherever", called "Suerte" in Spanish-speaking countries, was released as the first and lead single from her first English album and fifth studio album throughout the period between August 2001 and February 2002. The song took heavy influence from Andean music, including the charango and panpipes in its instrumentation. It became an international success by reaching number one in most countries. It was also her first success in the U.S., by reaching number six on the Hot 100.
Shakira's fifth studio album and first English language album, titled Laundry Service in English-speaking countries and Servicio De Lavanderia in Latin America and Spain, was released on 13 November 2001. The album debuted at number three on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling over 200,000 records in its first week. The album was later certified triple platinum by the RIAA in June 2004 as well. It helped to establish Shakira's musical presence in the mainstream North American market. Seven singles were taken from the album such as "Whenever, Wherever"/"Suerte", "Underneath Your Clothes", "Objection (Tango)"/"Te Aviso, Te Anuncio (Tango)", "The One", "Te Dejo Madrid", "Que Me Quedes Tú", and "Poem to a Horse".
Because the album was created for the English-language market, the rock and Spanish dance-influenced album gained mild critical success, with some critics claiming that her English skills were too weak for her to write songs for it; Rolling Stone, for one, stated that "she sounds downright silly" or "Shakira's magic is lost in translation". A similar view was expressed by Elizabeth Mendez Berry in Vibe: "While her Spanish-language albums sparkled with elegant wordplay, this record is rife with cliches, both musically and lyrically. [...] For Anglophone Latin lovers, Shakira's lyrics are best left to the imagination." Despite this fact, the album became the best selling album of 2002, selling more than 13 million copies worldwide. and became the most successful album of her career to date. The album earned her the title as the biggest Latin female crossover artist in the world. Around this time, Shakira also released four songs for Pepsi for her promotion in the English markets: "Ask for More", "Pide Más", "Knock on My Door", and "Pídeme el Sol". In Chicago Tribune, journalist Joshua Klein defined her international ascent "as multilateral, multicultural and cooperative as they come."
In 2002, at Aerosmith's MTV Icon in April 2002, Shakira performed "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)". She also joined Cher, Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Mary J. Blige, Anastacia, and the Dixie Chicks for VH1 Divas Live Las Vegas. In August, she performed "Objection (Tango)" at the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards, and won the International Viewer's Choice Award with "Whenever, Wherever". She also won the Latin Grammy Award for the category of Best Short Form Music Video for the Spanish version of the video. In October, she won five MTV Video Music Awards Latin America for Best Female Artist, Best Pop Artist, Best Artist – North (Region), Video of the Year (for "Suerte"), and Artist of the Year. In November, she embarked on the Tour of the Mongoose with 61 shows occurring by May 2003. The tour was also her first worldwide tour, as legs were played in North America, South America, Europe and Asia. Shakira's label, Sony BMG, also released her Spanish greatest-hits compilation, Grandes Éxitos. A DVD and 10-track live album, titled Live & Off the Record, was also released in 2004, commemorating the Tour of the Mongoose.
2005–2007: Fijación Oral, Volumen Uno and Oral Fixation, Volume Two
Shakira's sixth studio album, Fijación Oral, Volumen Uno, was released in June 2005. The lead single from the album, "La Tortura", reached the top 40 on the Hot 100. The song also featured the Spanish balladeer Alejandro Sanz. Shakira; Sanz and Daddy Yankee ("Gasolina") were the first artists to perform Spanish language songs at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards. The album was extremely well received. It debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 157,000 copies in its first week. It has since sold over two million copies in the U.S., earning an 11× Platinum (Latin field) certification from the RIAA. Due to its first week sales, the album became the highest debut ever for a Spanish language album. After only a day of release in Latin America, the album earned certifications. In Venezuela, it earned a Platinum certification, in Colombia, a triple Platinum certification, while in Mexico demand exceeded shipments and the album was unavailable after only one day of release. Four other singles were also released from the album: "No", "Día de Enero", "La Pared", and "Las de la Intuición". Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 has since sold over four million copies worldwide. On 8 February 2006, Shakira won her second Grammy Award with the win of Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album for Fijación Oral, Vol. 1. She received four Latin Grammy Awards in November 2006, winning the awards for Record of the Year, Song of the Year for "La Tortura", Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for Fijación Oral, Vol. 1.
The lead single for Shakira's seventh album, Oral Fixation, Vol. 2, "Don't Bother", failed to achieve chart success in the U.S. by missing the top 40 on the Hot 100. It did, however, reach the top 20 in most countries worldwide. Shakira's second English studio album and seventh studio album, Oral Fixation, Vol. 2, was released on 29 November 2005. The album debuted at number five on the Billboard 200, selling 128,000 copies in its first week. The album has gone on to sell 1.8 million records in the U.S., and over eight million copies worldwide.
Despite the commercial failure of the album's lead single in the U.S., it went on to spawn two more singles. "Hips Don't Lie", which featured Wyclef Jean, was released as the album's second single in February 2006. It would become Shakira's first number one single on the Billboard Hot 100, in addition to reaching number one in over 55 countries. Shakira and Wyclef Jean also recorded a Bamboo version of the song to serve as the closing ceremony song of the FIFA World Cup 2006. Shakira later released the third and final single from the album, "Illegal", which featured Carlos Santana, in November 2006. She then embarked on the Oral Fixation Tour, which began in June 2006. The tour consisted of 125 shows between June 2006 and July 2007 and visited six continents. In February 2007, Shakira performed for the first time at the 49th Grammy Awards and earned the nomination for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for "Hips Don't Lie" with Wyclef Jean.
In late 2006, Shakira and Alejandro Sanz collaborated for the duet "Te lo Agradezco, Pero No", which is featured on Sanz's album El Tren de los Momentos. The song was a top ten hit in Latin America, and topped the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart. Shakira also collaborated with Miguel Bosé on the duet "Si Tú No Vuelves", which was released in Bosé's album Papito. In early 2007, Shakira worked with American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles for the track "Beautiful Liar", which was released as the second single from the deluxe edition of Beyoncé's album B'Day. In April 2007, the single jumped 91 positions, from 94 to three, on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, setting the record for the largest upward movement in the history of the chart at the time. It was also number one on the official UK Singles Chart. The song earned them a Grammy Award nomination for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals. Shakira was also featured on Annie Lennox's song "Sing", from the album Songs of Mass Destruction, which also features other 23 other female singers. In late 2007, Shakira and Wyclef Jean recorded their second duet, "King and Queen". The song was featured on Wyclef Jean's 2007 album Carnival Vol. II: Memoirs of an Immigrant.
Shakira wrote the lyrics, and jointly composed the music, for two new songs that are featured in the movie Love in the Time of Cholera, based on the acclaimed novel written by Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez. García Marquez himself asked Shakira to write the songs. The songs that Shakira lent to the soundtrack were "Pienso en ti", a song from Shakira's breakthrough album Pies Descalzos, "Hay Amores", and "Despedida". "Despedida" was nominated for Best Original Song at the 65th Golden Globe Awards.
2008–2010: She Wolf
In early 2008, Forbes named Shakira the fourth top-earning female artist in music industry. Then, in July of that year, Shakira signed a $300 million contract with Live Nation, which was to remain in effect for ten years. The touring group also doubles as a record label which promotes, but does not control, the music its artists release. Shakira's contract with Epic Records called for three more albums as well – one in English, one in Spanish, and a compilation, but the touring and other rights of the Live Nation deal were confirmed to begin immediately.
In January 2009, Shakira performed at the Lincoln Memorial "We Are One" festivities in honor of the inauguration of President Barack Obama. She performed "Higher Ground" with Stevie Wonder and Usher. She Wolf, was released in October 2009 internationally and on 23 November 2009 in the U.S. The album received mainly positive reviews from critics, and was included in AllMusic's year-end "Favorite Albums," "Favorite Latin Albums," and "Favorite Pop Albums" lists.
She Wolf reached number one on the charts of Argentina, Ireland, Italy, Mexico and Switzerland. It also charted inside the top five in Spain, Germany and the United Kingdom. It debuted at number fifteen on the Billboard 200. She Wolf was certified double-platinum in Colombia and Mexico, platinum in Italy and Spain, and gold in numerous countries including France and the United Kingdom. The album sold 2 million copies worldwide, becoming one of Shakira's least successful studio album to date in terms of sales.
In May, Shakira collaborated with the South African group Freshlyground to create the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)", which is based on a traditional Cameroonian soldiers's Fang song titled "Zangalewa" by the group Zangalewa or Golden Sounds. The single later reached the top 20 in Europe, South America and Africa and the top 40 in the U.S. and was performed by Shakira at the World Cup kick-off and closing. It became the biggest-selling World Cup song of all time.
2010–2015: Sale el Sol and Shakira
In October 2010, Shakira released her ninth studio album, titled Sale el Sol. The album received critical acclaim and was included in AllMusic's "Favorite Albums of 2010" and "Favorite Latin Albums of 2010" year-end lists. At the 2011 Latin Grammy Awards ceremony, Sale el Sol was nominated for "Album of the Year" and "Best Female Pop Vocal Album", winning the award in the latter category.
Commercially the album was a success throughout Europe and Latin America, Sale el Sol peaked atop the charts of countries Belgium, Croatia, France, Mexico, Portugal and Spain. In the United States, it debuted at number seven on the US Billboard 200 chart marking the highest debut for a Latin album for the year and was Shakira's fifth album to peak at number one. According to Billboard, 35% of its first-week sales were credited to strong digital sales. The album also peaked at number one on both the Top Latin Albums and Latin Pop Albums charts, achieving strong digital sales in the region. The lead single, "Loca", was number one in many countries. The album had sold over 1 million copies worldwide in 6 weeks, and over 4 million since its release.
In September, Shakira embarked on The Sun Comes Out World Tour, in support of her two most recent albums. The tour visited countries in North America, Europe, South America, Asia, and Africa with 107 shows in all. The tour was met with positive reactions from critics, who praised Shakira's stage presence and energy during her performances. On 9 November 2011, Shakira was honored as Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year and performed a cover of Joe Arroyo's song "En Barranquilla Me Quedo" at the Mandalay Bay Events Center as a tribute to the singer, who had died earlier that year. In 2010 Shakira collaborated with rapper Pitbull for the song "Get It Started", which was slated to be the lead single from Pitbull's upcoming album, Global Warming. The single was released on 28 June 2012. She was also signed to Roc Nation under management purposes for her upcoming studio album.
On 17 September 2012, it was announced that Shakira and Usher would replace Christina Aguilera and CeeLo Green for the fourth season of the U.S. TV show The Voice, alongside Adam Levine and Blake Shelton. Shakira announced that she would focus on her new album in the fall and eventually returned for the show's sixth season in February 2014.
Shakira originally planned to release her new album in 2012, but due to her pregnancy, plans to release the single and video were postponed.
In December 2013, it was announced that Shakira's new single had been delayed until January 2014.
Shakira's self-titled tenth studio album was later released on 25 March 2014. Commercially the album debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 chart with first week sales of 85,000 copies. By doing so, Shakira became the singer's highest-charting album on the chart, although it also achieved her lowest first-week sales figure (for an English-language album).
The album spawned three singles.
After release the first two singles from the album, "Can't Remember to Forget You" and "Empire". RCA chose "Dare (La La La)" as third single. The World Cup version was officially released on 27 May to impact radio stations, features Brazilian musician Carlinhos Brown. On 13 July 2014, Shakira performed "La La La (Brazil 2014)" with Carlinhos Brown at the 2014 FIFA World Cup closing ceremony at the Maracanã Stadium. This performance became her third consecutive appearance at the FIFA World Cup.
2016–2020: El Dorado and Super Bowl LIV
Shakira began work on her eleventh studio album in the beginning of 2016. In May 2016, she collaborated with Colombian singer Carlos Vives on the track "La Bicicleta", which went to win the Latin Grammy Award for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. On 28 October 2016, Shakira released the single "Chantaje" with Colombian singer Maluma; though the song was a track from the upcoming eleventh studio album, it was not intended to be the lead single. The song became Shakira's most-viewed YouTube video, with over 2.1 billion views as of 1 June 2018. On 7 April 2017, Shakira released the song "Me Enamoré" as the second official single taken from her eleventh studio album El Dorado, which was released on 26 May 2017. She also released the song "Perro Fiel" featuring Nicky Jam as a promotional single for the album on 25 May 2017. Its official release as the third single took place on 15 September 2017, the same date its music video, which was filmed in Barcelona on 27 July 2017, was released. Before being released as a single, "Perro Fiel" was already certified as gold in Spain for selling over 20,000 copies on 30 August 2017.
In January 2018, Shakira won her third Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album for El Dorado, making her the only female Latin artist to do so. She then released "Trap", the fourth single off the album and her second collaboration with Maluma.
The El Dorado World Tour was announced on 27 June 2017, through Shakira's official Twitter account, and was slated to be sponsored by Rakuten. Other announced partners of the tour were Live Nation Entertainment's Global Touring Division (which had previously collaborated with Shakira on her The Sun Comes Out World Tour) and Citi, which the press release named as, respectively, the producer and the credit card for the North American leg of the tour.
The tour, it was announced, would begin on 8 November, in Cologne, Germany. But due to voice-strain related problems the singer experienced during her tour rehearsals, the date was cancelled one day before the original tour schedule, and it was announced that it would be rescheduled for a later date. On 9 November, for the same reason, she also announced the postponements to later dates, to be determined and announced, for both shows in Paris, as well as the following ones in Antwerp and Amsterdam. On 14 November, Shakira made an announcement, through her social networks, in which she revealed that she had suffered a haemorrhage on her right vocal cord in late October, at her last series of rehearsals, and that she thus needed to rest her voice for some time to recover; this forced the postponement of the tour's entire European itinerary to 2018.
The Latin American dates were expected to be announced later, when the tour resumed. There were plans to bring the tour, when it did resume, to countries such as the Dominican Republic. In addition, a journalist from the Brazilian edition of the Portuguese newspaper Destak announced, on his Twitter account, that the Colombian singer would visit Brazil the following March. However, according to the same newspaper, due to Shakira's hiatus to recover from her vocal-cord haemorrhage, the Latin American dates were also postponed to the second half of 2018. Eventually, Shakira did recover fully from the haemorrhage she had suffered and resumed her tour, performing in Hamburg, Germany on 3 June 2018.
In January 2018 she announced the dates for her El Dorado World Tour. She began the first leg of her tour in Europe, starting in Hamburg, Germany on 3 June and then ending in Barcelona, Spain on 7 July. She then spent a short time in Asia on the 11 and 13 July, after which she went to North America. She started her time there on 3 August in Chicago and finished in San Francisco on 7 September. Her tour dates for Latin America, started in Mexico City on 11 October and finished in Bogota, Colombia on 3 November. Forbes ranked her among the world's highest-paid women in music in 2019, at number 10.
In February 2020, she and Jennifer Lopez performed for the Super Bowl LIV halftime show. According to Billboard, the halftime show had a viewership of 103 million people. On YouTube, it became the most viewed halftime show at that point in time. Shakira appeared in two television specials performing her songs during the COVID-19 pandemic, including Global Goal: Unite for Our Future (with "Sale el Sol") and The Disney Family Singalong: Volume II (with "Try Everything").
2021–Present: Upcoming twelfth studio album and Dancing with Myself
In January 2021, Shakira sold her catalog of 145 songs to Hipgnosis Songs Fund. The company did not disclose the financial details of the sale.
On 16 July 2021, Shakira released a single titled "Don't Wait Up".
In December 2021, Shakira was set to judge the dance competition series Dancing with Myself on NBC.
In January 2022, Shakira confirmed the release of her upcoming twelfth studio album in an interview with Walt Disney World.
Artistry
On her music, Shakira has said that, "my music, I think, is a fusion of many different elements. And I'm always experimenting. So I try not to limit myself, or put myself in a category, or... be the architect of my own jail." Shakira has frequently stated she is inspired by oriental music and Indian music, which influenced many of her earlier works. She has also been influenced by her Arab heritage, which was a major inspiration for her breakthrough world hit "Ojos Así". She told Portuguese TV, "Many of my movements belong to Arab culture." She also cites her parents as having been major contributors to her musical style. She is also strongly influenced by Andean music and South American folk music, using her native instrumentation for her Latin dance-pop songs.
Her earlier Spanish albums, including Pies Descalzos and Dónde Están los Ladrones? were a mix of folk music and Latin rock.
Her cross-over English album, Laundry Service and later albums were influenced by pop rock and pop Latino. "Laundry Service" is primarily a pop rock album, but also draws influences from a variety of musical genres. The singer credited this to her mixed ethnicity, saying: "I am a fusion. That's my persona. I'm a fusion between black and white, between pop and rock, between cultures – between my Lebanese father and my mother's Spanish blood, the Colombian folklore and Arab dance I love and American music."
The Arabian and Middle Eastern music elements that exerted a high influence on Dónde Están los Ladrones? are also present in Laundry Service, most prominently on "Eyes Like Yours"/"Ojos Así". Musical styles from different South American countries surface on the album. Tango, a style of fast-paced ballroom dance that originated in Argentina, is evident on "Objection (Tango)", which also combines elements of rock and roll. The uptempo track features a guitar solo and a bridge in which Shakira delivers rap-like vocals.
She Wolf is primarily an electropop album that combines influences from the musical styles of various countries and regions, like Africa, Colombia, India, and the Middle East. Shakira termed the album as a "sonic experimental trip", and said that she researched folk music from different countries in order to "combine electronics with world sounds, tambourines, clarinets, oriental and Hindu music, dancehall, etc."
Her 2010 album, Sale el Sol, is a return to her beginnings containing ballads, rock songs, and Latin dance songs like "Loca". In 2017, Deutsche Welles journalist Kate Müser commented on Shakira's "globalized sound": "[her] Latin beats, spiced with Middle Eastern and other world elements and made comfortably familiar by being churned through the pop machine, make you feel like a citizen of the world."
Influences
As a child, Shakira was influenced by rock music, listening heavily to rock bands like Led Zeppelin, the Beatles, Nirvana, the Police and U2, while her other influences included Gloria Estefan, Madonna, Sheryl Crow, Alanis Morissette, Marc Anthony, Meredith Brooks and the Cure.
Dance
Shakira is well known for her dancing in her music videos and concerts. Her distinctive dancing style is said to combine Latin dancing with Middle Eastern belly dancing, which is derived from her Lebanese heritage, and her hip shaking is mentioned in songs, such as Fifth Harmony's "Brave Honest Beautiful". She is noted for usually employing minimal production, usually taking the stage with minimal makeup and natural hair, and without background dancers in her performances, preferring to focus on her vocals, dance moves, and stage presence. She often performs barefoot, a form of dance she learned as a young teen to overcome her shyness. She also mentioned in an MTV interview that she learned how to belly dance by trying to flip a coin with her belly.
Singing
Shakira is a contralto. Shakira is known for her "unique and mesmerizing" singing voice which includes her "trademark" yodeling. Analyzing Shakira's cover of "Je l'aime à mourir", vocal teacher Beth Roars also noted Shakira's use of yodeling, explaining that there is "heaviness at the bottom of her tone" which "flips up" into "her head voice", as well as her ability to execute "complex melisma". She also noted Shakira's use of "Arabic scales", then stating that she uses "harmonic minor scales instead of pentatonic scales".
Legacy and impact
Shakira is a prominent figure in Latin music, commonly hailed as the 'Queen of Latin Music' for her crossover to the global market which holds a big significance that The New York Times called her the "Titan of Latin Pop" for her unique and leading position in Latin music, saying: "Even as a new generation of Spanish-speaking artists are crossing over into American music's mainstream, Shakira's output stands alone." A similar comparative perspective was made by The Independent, who named Shakira an "International Phenom" for her global appeal and sales statistics, further elaborating with "To put her in perspective, other Latin exports such as Ricky Martin and Jennifer Lopez are mere minnows next to Shakira, both selling half the number of records she does". Forbes has deemed Shakira as "crossover phenom" for her unmatched success of crossover and one of the world's most powerful Latinas. Forbes further listed Shakira as one of the world's most powerful female celebrities. AllMusic's biographer Steve Huey described her as a "Wildly inventive diva who created a cross-cultural pop sound rooted in her native Colombia but encompassing nearly every territory in the world. [...] she wrote or co-wrote nearly all of her own material, and in the process gained a reputation as one of Latin music's most ambitiously poetic lyricists." Her unprecedented crossover has inspired other Latin American artists to attempt crossing over, one example is Mexican pop star Paulina Rubio, having MTV saying "there's no question that Shakira opened doors in this country for artists like Rubio to succeed." Similarly Spin credits Shakira to have paved the way for other Latin artists to crossover, naming names like Maluma and J Balvin. After the crossover, her global and mainstream presence became big enough for Time magazine to call Shakira a "pop legend." She was marked as "one of the most influential artists of the 21st century" by ET. Throughout her career, Shakira has earned several titles, including "The Crossover Queen" by The Economist, "The Queen of World Cup" by Billboard, and "Latin America's Pop Queen" by Pitchfork. Billboard has also noted that Shakira's music videos have "redefined the role of dancing in music videos", while listing her as the best Latin female music video artist of all time. The Middle Eastern newspaper El Correo del Golfo credits Shakira with "having opened the way" for several Hispanic singers today.
The authors of Reggaeton, published by Duke University Press, credited Shakira for popularizing the genre (reggaeton) in North America, Europe, and Asia, while the Public Broadcasting Service called her one of the three "most successful artists of the so-called Golden Age of Latin Music which reshaped America's cultural landscape for the twenty-first century".
Alongside her impact on Latin and mainstream pop culture, Shakira has also impacted popular culture in the Arab World due to her popularity in the region. In a publication titled Popular Culture in the Arab World: Arts, Politics, and the Media, author Andrew Hammond credits Shakira for impacting and shifting the images of Arab pop stars such as Moroccan Samira Said and Lebanese Nawal Al Zoghbi, saying "[they] have shifted their image and sound in attempt to follow in her (Shakira's) footsteps".
In 1999 Shakira's MTV Unplugged became the program's first episode to be broadcast entirely in Spanish The concert is also noted to be the first time a Latin pop act attempted an Unplugged, as well as the first Latina solo act to do so. In 2001 Shakira's "Whenever Wherever" music video was aired on MTV with both the English and Spanish versions. According to a spokesman for the channel, this is noted as "the first time that U.S. MTV has aired a Spanish-language video." Following Daddy Yankee's "Gasolina" by five months, "La Tortura" was one of the first full Spanish-language music videos to air on MTV without an English version. In 2005, Sanz and Shakira performed "La Tortura" at the MTV Video Music Awards. In 2006 "Hips Don't Lie" was selected as one of the greatest songs by 21st century female artists by National Public Radio, ranked at number 65. "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)" was named by Billboard the best and most commercially successful World Cup song. Published by the US Bureau of International Information Programs, the journal Global Issues (2006) cited Shakira as an example of a celebrity "in today's globalized world" who "made it big by sharing the uniqueness of their talent and culture with the global community." In 2020, The New Zealand Herald found Shakira's longevity in the industry "particularly impressive given her ability to breach the lines of crossover, a feat not many artists have been able to achieve." A similar remark was made by Paper magazine, when writing about Shakira's longevity and her being one of the few pre-digital era artists to successfully crack the digital-streaming era of music, penning "[Shakira] is a titan in the digital era of music where she devours billions of streams with her catalog."
In 2010, Google revealed that Shakira was the most searched female entertainer of the year. In 2020, Shakira was the most Googled musician of the year.
In 2021, Vogue magazine Mexico chose her as the cover for its July edition.
In December 2021 Shakira was named by Kiss FM as one of the most influential female artists of the 21st century highlighting her achievements in the international market
Many artists have cited Shakira as an influence, including Beyoncé, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Katy Perry, Will.i.am, Kylie Jenner, Lauren Jauregui, Christina Aguilera, Justin Bieber, Fergie, Maluma, Karol G, Camilo, Nicky Jam, Brie Larson, Dulce María, Tini Stoessel, Natti Natasha, Rosalía, Carla Morrison, Manuel Turizo, Francisca Valenzuela, Paloma Mami, Natalia Lafourcade, Kali Uchis, Ed Sheeran, Farina, Jbalvin, Lele Pons, Andres Cuervo, Prince Royce, Romeo Santos, Wendy Sulca, Anitta, Britney Spears, Cardi B, Rita Ora, Camila Cabello, Becky G, Nora Fatehi, Kris Kross Ámsterdam, and Ayra Starr
Shakira has even received the admiration of intellectuals and writers such as Nobel Prize winner Gabriel García Márquez who has said "No one of any age can sing or dance with the innocent sensuality Shakira seems to have invented". Márquez wrote an essay exalting Shakira's "phenomenal musical talent", and "extraordinary maturity".
The newspaper El Correo del Golfo wrote that Shakira was the greatest exponent of Middle Eastern music in the West, citing her interest in Arabic music and dance.
Her influence has transcended the boundaries of pop culture, that she has become a socio-political influencer, and was named as one of the "World's Greatest Leaders" of 2017 by Fortune. The Guardian has written an extensive article about Shakira's impact on Colombia's social change, specifically in education, and her ability to discuss this issue with world leaders like Barack Obama, and Gordon Brown. Similarly The Independent has described Shakira as a "living proof that pop and politics mix" further noting that through her efforts and influence she is able to have "the ears of the global political elite".
Monuments
In 2006, a , statue of Shakira was installed in her hometown Barranquilla in a park near Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez.
In July 2018 Shakira visited Tannourine in Lebanon which is the village of her paternal grandmother. During her visit she visited the Cedars Reserve in Tannourine where a square in the forest was named after her. The square holds the name "Shakira Isabelle Mebarak"
Achievements
Shakira has received numerous awards and recognition for her work. She is the recipient of three Grammy Awards and twelve Latin Grammy Awards—the most for a female artist. Shakira has sold more than 75 million records worldwide, making her one of world's best-selling music artists. By the time she released Laundry Service in 2001, she sold 10 million albums in Latin America according to Billboard. Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems said that "Hips Don't Lie" was the most-played pop song in a single week in American radio history. It was played 9,637 times in one week. Shakira became the first artist in the history of the Billboard charts to reach the number one spots on both the Top 40 Mainstream and Latin Chart in the same week doing so with "Hips Don't Lie". Additionally, she is the only artist from South America to reach the number-one spot on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, the Australian ARIA chart, and the UK Singles Chart.
Her song "La Tortura" at one time held the record for Billboards Hot Latin Tracks chart, appearing at number-one more than any other single with a total of 25 non-consecutive weeks, a record currently held by the Luis Fonsi song "Despacito" with 56 weeks. Nokia stated in 2010, that there were more Shakira music downloads in the prior year than for any other Latino artist in the last five years, and She Wolf topped the Top 10 Latino downloads. In 2010, she was ranked number five on the 'Online Video's Most Viral Artists of 2010' with 404,118,932 views.
In 2011, Shakira was honored at the Latin Grammys as Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year, and by the Harvard Foundation as Cultural Rhythms Artist of the Year. She also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame located at 6270 Hollywood Blvd. Originally, she was to be given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2004, but she turned the offer down. In 2012, she received the honor of Chevalier De L'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. In 2014, Shakira became the first musical act to perform three times at the FIFA World Cup. In the same year, Aleiodes shakirae, a new species of parasitic wasp was named after her because it causes its host to "shake and wiggle". Forbes ranked Shakira on their list of "Top 100 World's Most Powerful Women" at number 40 in 2012, at 52 in 2013, and at 58 in 2014. In 2015 Time recognized Shakira as one of the most influential people on social media. Shakira and Argentinian president; Cristina Fernández de Kirchner were the only Latin influencers named on the list. More so Time noted that Shakira has an "unparalleled platform" on social media where she promotes her philanthropy. In 2008, Shakira was named as the Honorary Chair of the Global Campaign for Education Global Action Week.
In 2018, Spotify included Shakira in the list of top 10 most streamed female artists of the decade on the platform, making her the highest streamed Latin artist. In 2020, Shakira became the first female artist in history to have 4 songs from different decades to have over 100 million streams on Spotify, also marking her as the only artist with Spanish songs, the only Latin artist, and third overall after Michael Jackson and Eminem to achieve this milestone. In 2020 she broke the Vevo Certified Awards records, and set the record at 37, becoming artist with the most videos with over 100 million streams ever. She is now worth $300 million.
Other ventures
Shakira has ventured into many other businesses and industries. She acted in the Colombian telenovela El Oasis in 1994, playing the character of Luisa Maria.
Shakira began her own beauty line, "S by Shakira", with parent company Puig, in 2010.
Among the first perfumes it released included "S by Shakira" and "S by Shakira Eau Florale", along with lotions and body sprays. As of 2019, she has released 30 fragrances, not counting deluxe editions. On 17 September 2015, she was featured as a playable bird in the game Angry Birds POP! for a limited time, and also in a special tournament in the game Angry Birds Friends after a few weeks. On 15 October 2015, Love Rocks starring Shakira was the first video game that featured the pop star.
On 14 August 2015, at Disney's D23 Expo, it was announced that Shakira would play a character in the Disney animated movie Zootopia; in it, she would give voice to Gazelle, the biggest pop star in Zootopia. Shakira also contributed an original song to the film, titled "Try Everything", which was written and composed by Sia and Stargate. It opened to a record-breaking box office success in several countries and earned a worldwide gross of over $1 billion, making it the fourth highest-grossing film of 2016 and the 43rd highest-grossing film of all time.
In December 2021, it was announced that Shakira would be an executive producer for Dancing with Myself, an NBC dance competition series.
Philanthropy, humanitarian work and politics
In 1997, Shakira founded the Pies Descalzos Foundation, a Colombian charity with special schools for poor children all around Colombia. It was funded by Shakira and other international groups and individuals. The name of the foundation was taken from Shakira's third studio album, Pies Descalzos, which she released in 1995. The foundation's main focus is on aid through education, and the organization has five schools across Colombia that provide education and meals for 4,000 children.
On 27 April 2014 Shakira was honored with the Hero Award at the Radio Disney Music Awards for her Fundación Pies Descalzos work.
In 2005, Shakira became a founding member of Latin America in Solidarity Action, a coalition of artists and business leaders seeking to promote integrated early childhood public policies. In 2008, she served as the Honorary Chair of the Global Campaign for Education Global Action Week. Later, in 2010, she collaborated with the World Bank and the Barefoot Foundation to establish an initiative that distributes educational and developmental programs for children across Latin America.
Shakira is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and is one of their global representatives. On 3 April 2006, Shakira was honored at a UN ceremony for creating the Pies Descalzos Foundation. In March 2010, she was awarded a medal by the UN International Labour Organization in recognition of being, as UN Labour Chief Juan Somavia put it, a "true ambassador for children and young people, for quality education and social justice". In November 2010, after performing as the opening act of the MTV European Music Awards, the Colombian singer also received the MTV Free Your Mind award for her continuing dedication to improve access to education for all children around the world.
In October 2010, Shakira expressed disagreement with French president Nicolás Sarkozy and his policy of expelling Romani people from the country. In the Spanish edition of the magazine GQ, she also directed a few words to Sarkozy, "We are all gypsies". In the interview she made her viewpoint very clear: "What is happening now to them (the gypsies) will happen to our children and our children's children. We must turn to our citizens to act for the fundamental rights of human beings and condemn all that seems to us indictable", she declared.
In February 2011, the FC Barcelona Foundation and Pies descalzos reached an agreement for children's education through sport. Shakira was honored at the Latin Grammys as the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year on 9 November 2011, for her philanthropy and contributions to Latin Music. Also in 2011, she was appointed by President Barack Obama to the President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics. The World Literacy Foundation announced Shakira as the recipient of the 2020 Global Literacy Award for "her significant contribution to the improvement of literacy for disadvantaged children around the world."
On 2 November 2018, during a visit to her birthplace, Barranquilla, for the construction of a school through her Barefoot Foundation (Pies Descalzos Foundation), Shakira spoke about the educational policies of the government under Ivan Duque (President of Colombia, 2018–2022). Speaking against the government's intentions to reduce the national education budget from 13% to 7%, she said, "This is unacceptable. It shows that instead of progressing forward we are moving backward. We need to invest more in education and we need to build more schools in places where there are none". She also talked about social inequality and unschooling. In 2020, Shakira was appointed by Prince William, Duke of Cambridge as a voters’ council member for the Earthshot prize which provides 50 environmental pioneers with the funds needed to further their work in tackling major problems impacting the environment. In May 2020, Shakira donated more than 50,000 face masks and ten respirators to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in her hometown of Barranquilla. During the 2021 Colombian protests, Shakira condemned the violence and asked President Iván Duque Márquez to "immediately stop the human rights violations" and "restitute the value of human life above any political interest."
Personal life
Shakira began a relationship with Argentinian lawyer Antonio de la Rúa in 2000. In a 2009 interview, Shakira stated their relationship already worked as a married couple, and that "they don't need papers for that".
After 10 years together, Shakira and de la Rúa separated in August 2010 in what she described as "a mutual decision to take time apart from our romantic relationship". She wrote that the couple "view this period of separation as temporary", with de la Rúa overseeing Shakira's "business and career interests as he has always done". As first reported in September 2012, de la Rúa sued Shakira in April 2013, asking for $100 million he believed he was owed after Shakira suddenly terminated her business partnership with him in October 2011. His lawsuit was dismissed by a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge in August 2013.
Shakira entered a relationship with the Spanish football player Gerard Piqué, centre back for FC Barcelona and the Spanish national team in 2011. Piqué, who is exactly ten years her junior, first met Shakira in the spring of 2010, when he appeared in the music video for Shakira's song "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)", the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Shakira gave birth to the couple's first son Milan on 22 January 2013 in Barcelona, Spain, where the family had taken up residence. Shakira gave birth to their second son Sasha on 29 January 2015. Forbes listed Shakira and Piqué in their list of "World's Most Powerful Couples".
In 2020, Shakira announced her completion of an Ancient Philosophy course through the University of Pennsylvania, describing it as an impractical hobby of hers.
Financial controversy
In November 2017, Shakira was named in the Paradise Papers. It was revealed that she was the sole shareholder of a Malta-based company which was being used to transfer $30 million in music rights. Her attorneys insisted that her use of the company was entirely legal.
In 2018, due at least in part to information revealed in the Paradise Papers, Spanish authorities began an investigation into Shakira's finances. Prosecutors argued that she did not pay taxes in Spain between 2012 and 2014, during which time she was living in Spain with Piqué and their family, while Shakira argued that she maintained her primary residence in the Bahamas during that period and otherwise was touring internationally. In July 2021, a Spanish judge ruled that there was "evidence of criminality" sufficient for Shakira to be brought to trial on charges of tax fraud.
In 2021, the Pandora Papers showed that Shakira submitted applications for three offshore companies in 2019. Her representatives told LaSexta that this paperwork was not filed for purposes of establishing new companies but as part of the process of dissolving existing companies. They further claimed that the companies had no income or activities and that Spanish authorities had been made aware of their existence.
Discography
Magia (1991)
Peligro (1993)
Pies Descalzos (1995)
Dónde Están los Ladrones? (1998)
Laundry Service (2001)
Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 (2005)
Oral Fixation, Vol. 2 (2005)
She Wolf (2009)
Sale el Sol (2010)
Shakira (2014)
El Dorado (2017)
Tours
Tour Pies Descalzos (1996–1997)
Tour Anfibio (2000)
Tour of the Mongoose (2002–2003)
Oral Fixation Tour (2006–2007)
The Sun Comes Out World Tour (2010–2011)
El Dorado World Tour (2018)
Filmography
Television
Film
See also
List of artists who reached number one in the United States
List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance Club Songs chart
Best-selling international artists in Brazil
List of best-selling music artists in the United States
List of best-selling music artists
List of best-selling singles
List of Billboard Social 50 number-one artists
List of highest-certified music artists in the United States
Best-selling female artists of all time
References
Further reading
VH1 Driven: Shakira (article)
VH1 Driven: Shakira (video)
Book: Woman Full of Grace by Ximena Diego
Pareles, Jon (14 November 2005). "Shakira, from lip to hip". New Straits Times, p. L3.
"Shakira pertahan orang Arab". (8 November 2005). Berita Harian, p. 13.
Frank Cogan's review of Laundry Service for The Village Voice
Chart Performance for "Don't Bother" from the Billboard Hot 100
Chart Performance for Oral Fixation 2
New York Times Magazine article on Shakira's philanthropic work on education.
External links
1977 births
Living people
20th-century Colombian women singers
21st-century Colombian actresses
21st-century Colombian women singers
Association footballers' wives and girlfriends
Belly dancers
Chevaliers of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
Colombian female dancers
Colombian film actresses
Colombian people of Arab descent
Colombian people of Italian descent
Colombian people of Lebanese descent
Colombian people of Spanish descent
Colombian philanthropists
Colombian pop singers
Colombian record producers
Colombian rock singers
Colombian Roman Catholics
Colombian singer-songwriters
Colombian television actresses
Colombian voice actresses
Colombian women activists
Colombian women artists
Colombian women record producers
Colombian expatriates in Spain
Contraltos
Echo (music award) winners
English-language singers from Colombia
Grammy Award winners
Latin Grammy Award winners
Latin music songwriters
Latin pop singers
Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year honorees
MTV Europe Music Award winners
Participants in American reality television series
People from Barranquilla
RCA Records artists
Roc Nation artists
Sony Music Colombia artists
Sony Music Latin artists
UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors
Women in Latin music
World Music Awards winners
People named in the Paradise Papers
People named in the Pandora Papers
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"\"What She's Doing Now\" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Garth Brooks. It was released in December 1991 as the third single from his album Ropin' the Wind. It spent four weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. It was co-written by Pat Alger.\n\nContent\nThe song is a ballad about a man who wonders what his former lover is currently doing and what her whereabouts are (\"last I heard she had moved to Boulder\"). While the singer has no idea what she is doing now, he proclaims \"what she's doing now is tearing [him] apart\".\n\nBackground and production\nBrooks provided the following background information on the song in the CD booklet liner notes from The Hits:\n\n\"What She's Doing Now\" was an idea I had a long, long time about a man wondering what a woman was doing. And it was very simple. What is she doing now? Is she hanging out the clothes? Is she running a business? Is she a mother? Is she married? Who is she with? When I told the idea to Pat Alger, he looked at me with a smile and said, 'I wonder if she knows what she's doing now to me?' When I heard that, the bumps went over my arms and the back of my neck, and I knew that he had something. Crystal Gayle cut this song back in 1989. It came back to us for the Ropin' The Wind album. It is a song that has crossed all boundaries and borders around the world. This has made me extremely happy because the greatest gift a writer can ask for is to relate to someone. I can't help but think that this song might relate to a lot of people.\"\n\nOther versions\nWhile Garth Brooks penned the song, he was not the first person to release it. On the 1990 release Ain't Gonna Worry'', Crystal Gayle recorded the song as \"What He's Doing Now\"; her version was not released as a single.\n\nTrack listing\nEuropean CD single\nLiberty CDCL 656\n\"What She's Doing Now\"\n\"Shameless\"\n\"We Bury The Hatchet\"\nUS 7\" Jukebox single\nLiberty S7-57784\n\"What She's Doing Now\"\n\"Friends in Low Places\"\n\nChart positions\n\nYear-end charts\n\nReferences\n\n1991 singles\nCrystal Gayle songs\nGarth Brooks songs\nSongs written by Pat Alger\nSongs written by Garth Brooks\nSong recordings produced by Allen Reynolds\nLiberty Records singles\n1991 songs",
"Iat is an ancient Egyptian minor goddess of milk and, by association, of nurturing and childbirth.\n\nEtymology \nThe name of the goddess resembles iatet which is the Egyptian word for \"milk\". What little we know of the goddess is based upon what is found in the Pyramid Texts such as where a king declares, \"My foster-mother is Iat, and it is she who nourishes me, it is indeed she who bore me\".\n\nSee also \n Egyptian pantheon\n\nReferences \n\nEgyptian goddesses"
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"She Wolf, was released in October 2009 internationally and on 23 November 2009 in the U.S."
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What songs are on shewolf
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What songs are on shewolf
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Shakira
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In early 2008, Forbes named Shakira the fourth top-earning female artist in music industry. Then, in July of that year, Shakira signed a $300 million contract with Live Nation, an international touring giant, which contract was to remain in effect for ten years. The touring group also doubles as a record label which promotes, but does not control, the music its artists release. Shakira's contract with Epic Records called for three more albums as well - one in English, one in Spanish, and a compilation, but the touring and other rights of the Live Nation deal were confirmed to begin immediately. In January 2009, Shakira performed at the Lincoln Memorial "We Are One" festivities in honor of the inauguration of President Barack Obama. She performed "Higher Ground" with Stevie Wonder and Usher. She Wolf, was released in October 2009 internationally and on 23 November 2009 in the U.S. The album received mainly positive reviews from critics, and was included in AllMusic's year-end "Favorite Albums," "Favorite Latin Albums," and "Favorite Pop Albums" lists. She Wolf reached number one on the charts of Argentina, Ireland, Italy, Mexico and Switzerland. It also charted inside the top five in Spain, Germany and the United Kingdom. It debuted at number fifteen on the Billboard 200. She Wolf was certified double-platinum in Colombia and Mexico, platinum in Italy and Spain, and gold in numerous countries including France and the United Kingdom. To date the album has sold 2 million copies worldwide, becoming one of Shakira's least successful studio album to date in terms of sales. In May, Shakira collaborated with the South African group Freshlyground to create the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)", which is based on a traditional Cameroonian soldiers's Fang song titled "Zangalewa" by the group Zangalewa or Golden Sounds. The single later reached the top 20 in Europe, South America and Africa and the top 40 in the U.S. and was performed by Shakira at the World Cup kick-off and closing. It became the biggest-selling World Cup song of all time. CANNOTANSWER
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Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll ( , ; born 2 February 1977) is a Colombian singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Barranquilla, Shakira has been referred to as the "Queen of Latin Music" and is noted for her versatility in music. She made her recording debut under Sony Music Colombia at the age of 13. Following the commercial failure of her first two albums, Magia (1991) and Peligro (1993), she rose to prominence in Hispanic countries with her next albums, Pies Descalzos (1995) and Dónde Están los Ladrones? (1998). Shakira entered the English-language market with her fifth album, Laundry Service (2001), which sold over 13 million copies worldwide. Buoyed by the international number-one singles "Whenever, Wherever" and "Underneath Your Clothes", the album propelled her reputation as a leading crossover artist. Broadcast Music, Inc., the largest music rights organization in the United States, described Shakira as a pioneer who extended the global reach of Latino singers.
Her success was further solidified with the Spanish albums Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 (2005), Sale el Sol (2010), and El Dorado (2017), all of which topped the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart and were certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America. Meanwhile, her English albums Oral Fixation, Vol. 2 (2005), She Wolf (2009) and Shakira (2014) were all certified gold, platinum, or multi-platinum in various countries worldwide. Some of her songs have charted at number one in multiple countries, including "La Tortura", "Hips Don't Lie", "Beautiful Liar", "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)", "Loca", and "Chantaje". Shakira served as a coach on two seasons of the American singing competition television series The Voice (2013–2014).
With a catalog of 145 songs, Shakira has sold over 80 million records which have made her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Forbes reported that as of 2018, Shakira has become the female Latin artist who has sold the most albums in history. She is credited with opening the doors of the international market for several Latin artists who would follow after her. Shakira has received numerous awards, including three Grammy Awards, twelve Latin Grammy Awards, four MTV Video Music Awards, seven Billboard Music Awards, thirty-nine Billboard Latin Music Awards, six Guinness World Records and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She was named the Top Female Latin Artist of the Decade by Billboard twice (2000s and 2010s). For her philanthropic work with her Barefoot Foundation and her contributions to music she received the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year and Harvard Foundation Artist of the Year awards in 2011. She was appointed to the President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics in the US in 2011, and Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government in 2012.
Early life
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll was born on 2 February 1977 in Barranquilla, Colombia. She is the only child of William Mebarak Chadid and Nidia Ripoll Torrado. She is of Colombian and Lebanese descent. Her father William was born in New York City to a family from Lebanon. When he was five, his family moved to Colombia. Her Colombian mother side has two Spanish surnames, Ripoll and Torrado, the former of which is Catalan and originates from four brothers who immigrated from Catalonia to coastal Colombia in the 19th century. She has also claimed to have distant Italian roots through an ancestor with the surname "Pisciotti". The name Shakira () is Arabic for "grateful", the feminine form of the name Shakir (). She was raised Catholic and attended Catholic schools. She has eight older half-siblings from her father's previous marriage. Shakira spent much of her youth in Barranquilla, a city located on the northern Caribbean coast of Colombia. Shakira's business acumen is often attributed to a high IQ, which is reported in the entertainment press to be 140.
Shakira wrote her first poem, titled "La rosa de cristal" ('The Crystal Rose'), when she was only four years old. As she was growing up, she was fascinated watching her father writing stories on a typewriter, and asked for one as a Christmas gift. She got that typewriter at age seven, and has continued writing poetry since then. These poems eventually evolved into songs. When Shakira was two years old, an older half-brother was killed in a motorcycle accident; six years later, at age eight, Shakira wrote her first song, titled "Tus gafas oscuras" ('Your dark glasses'), which was inspired by her father, who for years wore dark glasses to hide his grief.
When Shakira was four, her father took her to a local Middle Eastern restaurant, where Shakira first heard the doumbek, a traditional drum used in Middle-Eastern music and which typically accompanied belly dancing. She started dancing on the table, and the experience made her realize that she wanted to be a performer. She enjoyed singing for schoolmates and teachers (and even the nuns) at her Catholic school, but in second grade, she was rejected for the school choir because her vibrato was too strong. The music teacher told her that she sounded "like a goat". She says she had also been known as "the belly dancer girl", as she would demonstrate every Friday at school a number she had learned. "That's how I discovered my passion for live performance," she says.
To instill gratitude in Shakira for her upbringing, her father took her to a local park to see orphans who lived there. The images stayed with her, and she said to herself: "One day I'm going to help these kids when I become a famous artist."
Between ages ten and thirteen, Shakira was invited to various events in Barranquilla and gained some recognition in the area. It was at this approximate time that she met local theater producer Monica Ariza, who was impressed with her and as a result tried to help her career. During a flight from Barranquilla to Bogotá, Ariza convinced Sony Colombia executive Ciro Vargas to hold an audition for Shakira in a hotel lobby. Vargas held Shakira in high regard and, returning to the Sony office, gave the cassette to a song and artist director. However, the director was not overly excited and thought Shakira was something of "a lost cause". Undaunted and still convinced that Shakira had talent, Vargas set up an audition in Bogotá. He arranged for Sony Colombia executives to arrive at the audition, with the idea of surprising them with Shakira's performance. She performed three songs for the executives and impressed them enough for her to be signed to record three albums.
Career
1990–1995: Beginnings
Shakira's debut album, Magia, was recorded with Sony Music Colombia in 1990 when she was only 13 years old. The songs are a collection made by her since she was eight, mixed pop-rock ballads and disco uptempo songs with electronic accompaniment. The album was released in June 1991 and featured "Magia" and three other singles. Though it fared well on Colombian radio and gave the young Shakira much exposure, the album did not fare well commercially, as only 1,200 copies were sold worldwide. After the poor performance of Magia, Shakira's label urged her to return to the studio to release a follow-up record. Though she was little known outside of her native Colombia at the time, Shakira was invited to perform at Chile's Viña del Mar International Song Festival in February 1993. The festival gave aspiring Latin American singers a chance to perform their songs, and the winner was then chosen by a panel of judges. Shakira performed the ballad "Eres" ("You Are") and won the trophy for third place. One of the judges who voted for her to win was the then 20-year-old Ricky Martin, whose initial prominence had come from his membership in Menudo.
Shakira's second studio album, titled Peligro, was released in March, but Shakira was not pleased with the final result, mainly taking issue with the production. The album was better received than Magia had been, though it was also considered a commercial failure due to Shakira's refusal to advertise or promote it. Shakira then decided to take a hiatus from recording so that she could graduate from high school. In the same year, Shakira starred in the Colombian TV series The Oasis, loosely based on the Armero tragedy in 1985. Since then, the albums have been pulled from release and are not considered official Shakira albums but rather promotional albums.
1995–2000: Latin breakthrough
Shakira originally recorded the song "¿Dónde Estás Corazón?" (later released on her album Pies Descalzos) for the compilation album Nuestro Rock in 1994, released exclusively in Colombia. The song was an instant success on radio stations in Colombia and Sony decided to finance her third record, by giving her the last chance due to previous commercial failures.
Shakira returned to recording music under Sony Music along with Columbia Records in 1995 with Luis F. Ochoa, using musical influences from a number of countries and an Alanis Morissette-oriented persona which affected two of her next albums. These recordings spawned her third studio album, and her international debut album, titled Pies Descalzos. Recording for the album began in February 1995, after the success of her single "¿Dónde Estás Corazón?".
The album, Pies Descalzos, was released in October 1995 in the Latin American countries and in February 1996 in the US. It reached number five on the U.S. Billboard Top Latin Albums chart. The album spawned six hit singles, "Estoy Aquí", which reached number two on the U.S. Latin chart, "¿Dónde Estás Corazón?" which reached number five on the U.S. Latin chart, "Pies Descalzos, Sueños Blancos" which reached number 11 on the U.S. Latin chart, "Un Poco de Amor" which reached number six on the U.S. Latin chart, "Antología" which reached number 15 on the U.S. Latin chart, and "Se quiere, Se Mata" which reached number eight on the U.S. Latin chart. In August 1996, RIAA certified the album platinum status.
In March 1996, Shakira went on to her first international tour, named simply the Tour Pies Descalzos. The tour consisted of 20 shows and ended in 1997. Also in that year, Shakira received three Billboard Latin Music Awards for Album of the Year for Pies Descalzos, Video of the Year for "Estoy Aqui", and Best New Artist. Pies Descalzos later sold over 5 million copies, prompting the release of a remix album, simply titled The Remixes. The Remixes also included Portuguese versions of some of her well-known songs, which were recorded as a result of her success in the Brazilian market, where Pies Descalzos sold nearly one million copies.
Her fourth studio album was titled Dónde Están los Ladrones? Produced by Shakira with Emilio Estefan, Jr. as the executive producer it was released in September 1998. The album, inspired by an incident in an airport in which a suitcase filled with her written lyrics was stolen, became a bigger hit than Pies Descalzos. The album has reached a peak position of number 131 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and held the top spot on the U.S. Latin Albums chart for 11 weeks. It has since sold over 7 million copies worldwide and 1.5 million copies in the U.S. alone, making it one of the best selling Spanish albums in the U.S. Eight singles were taken from the album including "Ciega, Sordomuda", "Moscas En La Casa", "No Creo", "Inevitable", "Tú", "Si Te Vas", "Octavo día", and "Ojos Así".
Shakira also received her first Grammy Award nomination in 1999 for Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album. Shakira's first live album, MTV Unplugged, was recorded in New York City on 12 August 1999. Highly acclaimed by American critics, it is rated as one of her best-ever live performances. In March 2000, Shakira embarked on her Tour Anfibio, a two-month tour of Latin America and the United States. In August 2000, she won an MTV Video Music Award in the category of People's Choice – Favorite International Artist for "Ojos Así". In September 2000, Shakira performed "Ojos Así" at the inaugural ceremony of the Latin Grammy Awards, where she was nominated in five categories: Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for MTV Unplugged, Best Female Rock Vocal Performance for "Octavo Día", Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and Best Short Form Music Video for the video for "Ojos Así".
2001–2004: English transition with Laundry Service
Upon the success of Dónde Están los Ladrones? and MTV Unplugged, Shakira began working on an English crossover album. She learned English with the help of Gloria Estefan. She worked for over a year on new material for the album. "Whenever, Wherever", called "Suerte" in Spanish-speaking countries, was released as the first and lead single from her first English album and fifth studio album throughout the period between August 2001 and February 2002. The song took heavy influence from Andean music, including the charango and panpipes in its instrumentation. It became an international success by reaching number one in most countries. It was also her first success in the U.S., by reaching number six on the Hot 100.
Shakira's fifth studio album and first English language album, titled Laundry Service in English-speaking countries and Servicio De Lavanderia in Latin America and Spain, was released on 13 November 2001. The album debuted at number three on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling over 200,000 records in its first week. The album was later certified triple platinum by the RIAA in June 2004 as well. It helped to establish Shakira's musical presence in the mainstream North American market. Seven singles were taken from the album such as "Whenever, Wherever"/"Suerte", "Underneath Your Clothes", "Objection (Tango)"/"Te Aviso, Te Anuncio (Tango)", "The One", "Te Dejo Madrid", "Que Me Quedes Tú", and "Poem to a Horse".
Because the album was created for the English-language market, the rock and Spanish dance-influenced album gained mild critical success, with some critics claiming that her English skills were too weak for her to write songs for it; Rolling Stone, for one, stated that "she sounds downright silly" or "Shakira's magic is lost in translation". A similar view was expressed by Elizabeth Mendez Berry in Vibe: "While her Spanish-language albums sparkled with elegant wordplay, this record is rife with cliches, both musically and lyrically. [...] For Anglophone Latin lovers, Shakira's lyrics are best left to the imagination." Despite this fact, the album became the best selling album of 2002, selling more than 13 million copies worldwide. and became the most successful album of her career to date. The album earned her the title as the biggest Latin female crossover artist in the world. Around this time, Shakira also released four songs for Pepsi for her promotion in the English markets: "Ask for More", "Pide Más", "Knock on My Door", and "Pídeme el Sol". In Chicago Tribune, journalist Joshua Klein defined her international ascent "as multilateral, multicultural and cooperative as they come."
In 2002, at Aerosmith's MTV Icon in April 2002, Shakira performed "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)". She also joined Cher, Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Mary J. Blige, Anastacia, and the Dixie Chicks for VH1 Divas Live Las Vegas. In August, she performed "Objection (Tango)" at the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards, and won the International Viewer's Choice Award with "Whenever, Wherever". She also won the Latin Grammy Award for the category of Best Short Form Music Video for the Spanish version of the video. In October, she won five MTV Video Music Awards Latin America for Best Female Artist, Best Pop Artist, Best Artist – North (Region), Video of the Year (for "Suerte"), and Artist of the Year. In November, she embarked on the Tour of the Mongoose with 61 shows occurring by May 2003. The tour was also her first worldwide tour, as legs were played in North America, South America, Europe and Asia. Shakira's label, Sony BMG, also released her Spanish greatest-hits compilation, Grandes Éxitos. A DVD and 10-track live album, titled Live & Off the Record, was also released in 2004, commemorating the Tour of the Mongoose.
2005–2007: Fijación Oral, Volumen Uno and Oral Fixation, Volume Two
Shakira's sixth studio album, Fijación Oral, Volumen Uno, was released in June 2005. The lead single from the album, "La Tortura", reached the top 40 on the Hot 100. The song also featured the Spanish balladeer Alejandro Sanz. Shakira; Sanz and Daddy Yankee ("Gasolina") were the first artists to perform Spanish language songs at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards. The album was extremely well received. It debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 157,000 copies in its first week. It has since sold over two million copies in the U.S., earning an 11× Platinum (Latin field) certification from the RIAA. Due to its first week sales, the album became the highest debut ever for a Spanish language album. After only a day of release in Latin America, the album earned certifications. In Venezuela, it earned a Platinum certification, in Colombia, a triple Platinum certification, while in Mexico demand exceeded shipments and the album was unavailable after only one day of release. Four other singles were also released from the album: "No", "Día de Enero", "La Pared", and "Las de la Intuición". Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 has since sold over four million copies worldwide. On 8 February 2006, Shakira won her second Grammy Award with the win of Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album for Fijación Oral, Vol. 1. She received four Latin Grammy Awards in November 2006, winning the awards for Record of the Year, Song of the Year for "La Tortura", Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for Fijación Oral, Vol. 1.
The lead single for Shakira's seventh album, Oral Fixation, Vol. 2, "Don't Bother", failed to achieve chart success in the U.S. by missing the top 40 on the Hot 100. It did, however, reach the top 20 in most countries worldwide. Shakira's second English studio album and seventh studio album, Oral Fixation, Vol. 2, was released on 29 November 2005. The album debuted at number five on the Billboard 200, selling 128,000 copies in its first week. The album has gone on to sell 1.8 million records in the U.S., and over eight million copies worldwide.
Despite the commercial failure of the album's lead single in the U.S., it went on to spawn two more singles. "Hips Don't Lie", which featured Wyclef Jean, was released as the album's second single in February 2006. It would become Shakira's first number one single on the Billboard Hot 100, in addition to reaching number one in over 55 countries. Shakira and Wyclef Jean also recorded a Bamboo version of the song to serve as the closing ceremony song of the FIFA World Cup 2006. Shakira later released the third and final single from the album, "Illegal", which featured Carlos Santana, in November 2006. She then embarked on the Oral Fixation Tour, which began in June 2006. The tour consisted of 125 shows between June 2006 and July 2007 and visited six continents. In February 2007, Shakira performed for the first time at the 49th Grammy Awards and earned the nomination for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for "Hips Don't Lie" with Wyclef Jean.
In late 2006, Shakira and Alejandro Sanz collaborated for the duet "Te lo Agradezco, Pero No", which is featured on Sanz's album El Tren de los Momentos. The song was a top ten hit in Latin America, and topped the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart. Shakira also collaborated with Miguel Bosé on the duet "Si Tú No Vuelves", which was released in Bosé's album Papito. In early 2007, Shakira worked with American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles for the track "Beautiful Liar", which was released as the second single from the deluxe edition of Beyoncé's album B'Day. In April 2007, the single jumped 91 positions, from 94 to three, on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, setting the record for the largest upward movement in the history of the chart at the time. It was also number one on the official UK Singles Chart. The song earned them a Grammy Award nomination for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals. Shakira was also featured on Annie Lennox's song "Sing", from the album Songs of Mass Destruction, which also features other 23 other female singers. In late 2007, Shakira and Wyclef Jean recorded their second duet, "King and Queen". The song was featured on Wyclef Jean's 2007 album Carnival Vol. II: Memoirs of an Immigrant.
Shakira wrote the lyrics, and jointly composed the music, for two new songs that are featured in the movie Love in the Time of Cholera, based on the acclaimed novel written by Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez. García Marquez himself asked Shakira to write the songs. The songs that Shakira lent to the soundtrack were "Pienso en ti", a song from Shakira's breakthrough album Pies Descalzos, "Hay Amores", and "Despedida". "Despedida" was nominated for Best Original Song at the 65th Golden Globe Awards.
2008–2010: She Wolf
In early 2008, Forbes named Shakira the fourth top-earning female artist in music industry. Then, in July of that year, Shakira signed a $300 million contract with Live Nation, which was to remain in effect for ten years. The touring group also doubles as a record label which promotes, but does not control, the music its artists release. Shakira's contract with Epic Records called for three more albums as well – one in English, one in Spanish, and a compilation, but the touring and other rights of the Live Nation deal were confirmed to begin immediately.
In January 2009, Shakira performed at the Lincoln Memorial "We Are One" festivities in honor of the inauguration of President Barack Obama. She performed "Higher Ground" with Stevie Wonder and Usher. She Wolf, was released in October 2009 internationally and on 23 November 2009 in the U.S. The album received mainly positive reviews from critics, and was included in AllMusic's year-end "Favorite Albums," "Favorite Latin Albums," and "Favorite Pop Albums" lists.
She Wolf reached number one on the charts of Argentina, Ireland, Italy, Mexico and Switzerland. It also charted inside the top five in Spain, Germany and the United Kingdom. It debuted at number fifteen on the Billboard 200. She Wolf was certified double-platinum in Colombia and Mexico, platinum in Italy and Spain, and gold in numerous countries including France and the United Kingdom. The album sold 2 million copies worldwide, becoming one of Shakira's least successful studio album to date in terms of sales.
In May, Shakira collaborated with the South African group Freshlyground to create the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)", which is based on a traditional Cameroonian soldiers's Fang song titled "Zangalewa" by the group Zangalewa or Golden Sounds. The single later reached the top 20 in Europe, South America and Africa and the top 40 in the U.S. and was performed by Shakira at the World Cup kick-off and closing. It became the biggest-selling World Cup song of all time.
2010–2015: Sale el Sol and Shakira
In October 2010, Shakira released her ninth studio album, titled Sale el Sol. The album received critical acclaim and was included in AllMusic's "Favorite Albums of 2010" and "Favorite Latin Albums of 2010" year-end lists. At the 2011 Latin Grammy Awards ceremony, Sale el Sol was nominated for "Album of the Year" and "Best Female Pop Vocal Album", winning the award in the latter category.
Commercially the album was a success throughout Europe and Latin America, Sale el Sol peaked atop the charts of countries Belgium, Croatia, France, Mexico, Portugal and Spain. In the United States, it debuted at number seven on the US Billboard 200 chart marking the highest debut for a Latin album for the year and was Shakira's fifth album to peak at number one. According to Billboard, 35% of its first-week sales were credited to strong digital sales. The album also peaked at number one on both the Top Latin Albums and Latin Pop Albums charts, achieving strong digital sales in the region. The lead single, "Loca", was number one in many countries. The album had sold over 1 million copies worldwide in 6 weeks, and over 4 million since its release.
In September, Shakira embarked on The Sun Comes Out World Tour, in support of her two most recent albums. The tour visited countries in North America, Europe, South America, Asia, and Africa with 107 shows in all. The tour was met with positive reactions from critics, who praised Shakira's stage presence and energy during her performances. On 9 November 2011, Shakira was honored as Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year and performed a cover of Joe Arroyo's song "En Barranquilla Me Quedo" at the Mandalay Bay Events Center as a tribute to the singer, who had died earlier that year. In 2010 Shakira collaborated with rapper Pitbull for the song "Get It Started", which was slated to be the lead single from Pitbull's upcoming album, Global Warming. The single was released on 28 June 2012. She was also signed to Roc Nation under management purposes for her upcoming studio album.
On 17 September 2012, it was announced that Shakira and Usher would replace Christina Aguilera and CeeLo Green for the fourth season of the U.S. TV show The Voice, alongside Adam Levine and Blake Shelton. Shakira announced that she would focus on her new album in the fall and eventually returned for the show's sixth season in February 2014.
Shakira originally planned to release her new album in 2012, but due to her pregnancy, plans to release the single and video were postponed.
In December 2013, it was announced that Shakira's new single had been delayed until January 2014.
Shakira's self-titled tenth studio album was later released on 25 March 2014. Commercially the album debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 chart with first week sales of 85,000 copies. By doing so, Shakira became the singer's highest-charting album on the chart, although it also achieved her lowest first-week sales figure (for an English-language album).
The album spawned three singles.
After release the first two singles from the album, "Can't Remember to Forget You" and "Empire". RCA chose "Dare (La La La)" as third single. The World Cup version was officially released on 27 May to impact radio stations, features Brazilian musician Carlinhos Brown. On 13 July 2014, Shakira performed "La La La (Brazil 2014)" with Carlinhos Brown at the 2014 FIFA World Cup closing ceremony at the Maracanã Stadium. This performance became her third consecutive appearance at the FIFA World Cup.
2016–2020: El Dorado and Super Bowl LIV
Shakira began work on her eleventh studio album in the beginning of 2016. In May 2016, she collaborated with Colombian singer Carlos Vives on the track "La Bicicleta", which went to win the Latin Grammy Award for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. On 28 October 2016, Shakira released the single "Chantaje" with Colombian singer Maluma; though the song was a track from the upcoming eleventh studio album, it was not intended to be the lead single. The song became Shakira's most-viewed YouTube video, with over 2.1 billion views as of 1 June 2018. On 7 April 2017, Shakira released the song "Me Enamoré" as the second official single taken from her eleventh studio album El Dorado, which was released on 26 May 2017. She also released the song "Perro Fiel" featuring Nicky Jam as a promotional single for the album on 25 May 2017. Its official release as the third single took place on 15 September 2017, the same date its music video, which was filmed in Barcelona on 27 July 2017, was released. Before being released as a single, "Perro Fiel" was already certified as gold in Spain for selling over 20,000 copies on 30 August 2017.
In January 2018, Shakira won her third Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album for El Dorado, making her the only female Latin artist to do so. She then released "Trap", the fourth single off the album and her second collaboration with Maluma.
The El Dorado World Tour was announced on 27 June 2017, through Shakira's official Twitter account, and was slated to be sponsored by Rakuten. Other announced partners of the tour were Live Nation Entertainment's Global Touring Division (which had previously collaborated with Shakira on her The Sun Comes Out World Tour) and Citi, which the press release named as, respectively, the producer and the credit card for the North American leg of the tour.
The tour, it was announced, would begin on 8 November, in Cologne, Germany. But due to voice-strain related problems the singer experienced during her tour rehearsals, the date was cancelled one day before the original tour schedule, and it was announced that it would be rescheduled for a later date. On 9 November, for the same reason, she also announced the postponements to later dates, to be determined and announced, for both shows in Paris, as well as the following ones in Antwerp and Amsterdam. On 14 November, Shakira made an announcement, through her social networks, in which she revealed that she had suffered a haemorrhage on her right vocal cord in late October, at her last series of rehearsals, and that she thus needed to rest her voice for some time to recover; this forced the postponement of the tour's entire European itinerary to 2018.
The Latin American dates were expected to be announced later, when the tour resumed. There were plans to bring the tour, when it did resume, to countries such as the Dominican Republic. In addition, a journalist from the Brazilian edition of the Portuguese newspaper Destak announced, on his Twitter account, that the Colombian singer would visit Brazil the following March. However, according to the same newspaper, due to Shakira's hiatus to recover from her vocal-cord haemorrhage, the Latin American dates were also postponed to the second half of 2018. Eventually, Shakira did recover fully from the haemorrhage she had suffered and resumed her tour, performing in Hamburg, Germany on 3 June 2018.
In January 2018 she announced the dates for her El Dorado World Tour. She began the first leg of her tour in Europe, starting in Hamburg, Germany on 3 June and then ending in Barcelona, Spain on 7 July. She then spent a short time in Asia on the 11 and 13 July, after which she went to North America. She started her time there on 3 August in Chicago and finished in San Francisco on 7 September. Her tour dates for Latin America, started in Mexico City on 11 October and finished in Bogota, Colombia on 3 November. Forbes ranked her among the world's highest-paid women in music in 2019, at number 10.
In February 2020, she and Jennifer Lopez performed for the Super Bowl LIV halftime show. According to Billboard, the halftime show had a viewership of 103 million people. On YouTube, it became the most viewed halftime show at that point in time. Shakira appeared in two television specials performing her songs during the COVID-19 pandemic, including Global Goal: Unite for Our Future (with "Sale el Sol") and The Disney Family Singalong: Volume II (with "Try Everything").
2021–Present: Upcoming twelfth studio album and Dancing with Myself
In January 2021, Shakira sold her catalog of 145 songs to Hipgnosis Songs Fund. The company did not disclose the financial details of the sale.
On 16 July 2021, Shakira released a single titled "Don't Wait Up".
In December 2021, Shakira was set to judge the dance competition series Dancing with Myself on NBC.
In January 2022, Shakira confirmed the release of her upcoming twelfth studio album in an interview with Walt Disney World.
Artistry
On her music, Shakira has said that, "my music, I think, is a fusion of many different elements. And I'm always experimenting. So I try not to limit myself, or put myself in a category, or... be the architect of my own jail." Shakira has frequently stated she is inspired by oriental music and Indian music, which influenced many of her earlier works. She has also been influenced by her Arab heritage, which was a major inspiration for her breakthrough world hit "Ojos Así". She told Portuguese TV, "Many of my movements belong to Arab culture." She also cites her parents as having been major contributors to her musical style. She is also strongly influenced by Andean music and South American folk music, using her native instrumentation for her Latin dance-pop songs.
Her earlier Spanish albums, including Pies Descalzos and Dónde Están los Ladrones? were a mix of folk music and Latin rock.
Her cross-over English album, Laundry Service and later albums were influenced by pop rock and pop Latino. "Laundry Service" is primarily a pop rock album, but also draws influences from a variety of musical genres. The singer credited this to her mixed ethnicity, saying: "I am a fusion. That's my persona. I'm a fusion between black and white, between pop and rock, between cultures – between my Lebanese father and my mother's Spanish blood, the Colombian folklore and Arab dance I love and American music."
The Arabian and Middle Eastern music elements that exerted a high influence on Dónde Están los Ladrones? are also present in Laundry Service, most prominently on "Eyes Like Yours"/"Ojos Así". Musical styles from different South American countries surface on the album. Tango, a style of fast-paced ballroom dance that originated in Argentina, is evident on "Objection (Tango)", which also combines elements of rock and roll. The uptempo track features a guitar solo and a bridge in which Shakira delivers rap-like vocals.
She Wolf is primarily an electropop album that combines influences from the musical styles of various countries and regions, like Africa, Colombia, India, and the Middle East. Shakira termed the album as a "sonic experimental trip", and said that she researched folk music from different countries in order to "combine electronics with world sounds, tambourines, clarinets, oriental and Hindu music, dancehall, etc."
Her 2010 album, Sale el Sol, is a return to her beginnings containing ballads, rock songs, and Latin dance songs like "Loca". In 2017, Deutsche Welles journalist Kate Müser commented on Shakira's "globalized sound": "[her] Latin beats, spiced with Middle Eastern and other world elements and made comfortably familiar by being churned through the pop machine, make you feel like a citizen of the world."
Influences
As a child, Shakira was influenced by rock music, listening heavily to rock bands like Led Zeppelin, the Beatles, Nirvana, the Police and U2, while her other influences included Gloria Estefan, Madonna, Sheryl Crow, Alanis Morissette, Marc Anthony, Meredith Brooks and the Cure.
Dance
Shakira is well known for her dancing in her music videos and concerts. Her distinctive dancing style is said to combine Latin dancing with Middle Eastern belly dancing, which is derived from her Lebanese heritage, and her hip shaking is mentioned in songs, such as Fifth Harmony's "Brave Honest Beautiful". She is noted for usually employing minimal production, usually taking the stage with minimal makeup and natural hair, and without background dancers in her performances, preferring to focus on her vocals, dance moves, and stage presence. She often performs barefoot, a form of dance she learned as a young teen to overcome her shyness. She also mentioned in an MTV interview that she learned how to belly dance by trying to flip a coin with her belly.
Singing
Shakira is a contralto. Shakira is known for her "unique and mesmerizing" singing voice which includes her "trademark" yodeling. Analyzing Shakira's cover of "Je l'aime à mourir", vocal teacher Beth Roars also noted Shakira's use of yodeling, explaining that there is "heaviness at the bottom of her tone" which "flips up" into "her head voice", as well as her ability to execute "complex melisma". She also noted Shakira's use of "Arabic scales", then stating that she uses "harmonic minor scales instead of pentatonic scales".
Legacy and impact
Shakira is a prominent figure in Latin music, commonly hailed as the 'Queen of Latin Music' for her crossover to the global market which holds a big significance that The New York Times called her the "Titan of Latin Pop" for her unique and leading position in Latin music, saying: "Even as a new generation of Spanish-speaking artists are crossing over into American music's mainstream, Shakira's output stands alone." A similar comparative perspective was made by The Independent, who named Shakira an "International Phenom" for her global appeal and sales statistics, further elaborating with "To put her in perspective, other Latin exports such as Ricky Martin and Jennifer Lopez are mere minnows next to Shakira, both selling half the number of records she does". Forbes has deemed Shakira as "crossover phenom" for her unmatched success of crossover and one of the world's most powerful Latinas. Forbes further listed Shakira as one of the world's most powerful female celebrities. AllMusic's biographer Steve Huey described her as a "Wildly inventive diva who created a cross-cultural pop sound rooted in her native Colombia but encompassing nearly every territory in the world. [...] she wrote or co-wrote nearly all of her own material, and in the process gained a reputation as one of Latin music's most ambitiously poetic lyricists." Her unprecedented crossover has inspired other Latin American artists to attempt crossing over, one example is Mexican pop star Paulina Rubio, having MTV saying "there's no question that Shakira opened doors in this country for artists like Rubio to succeed." Similarly Spin credits Shakira to have paved the way for other Latin artists to crossover, naming names like Maluma and J Balvin. After the crossover, her global and mainstream presence became big enough for Time magazine to call Shakira a "pop legend." She was marked as "one of the most influential artists of the 21st century" by ET. Throughout her career, Shakira has earned several titles, including "The Crossover Queen" by The Economist, "The Queen of World Cup" by Billboard, and "Latin America's Pop Queen" by Pitchfork. Billboard has also noted that Shakira's music videos have "redefined the role of dancing in music videos", while listing her as the best Latin female music video artist of all time. The Middle Eastern newspaper El Correo del Golfo credits Shakira with "having opened the way" for several Hispanic singers today.
The authors of Reggaeton, published by Duke University Press, credited Shakira for popularizing the genre (reggaeton) in North America, Europe, and Asia, while the Public Broadcasting Service called her one of the three "most successful artists of the so-called Golden Age of Latin Music which reshaped America's cultural landscape for the twenty-first century".
Alongside her impact on Latin and mainstream pop culture, Shakira has also impacted popular culture in the Arab World due to her popularity in the region. In a publication titled Popular Culture in the Arab World: Arts, Politics, and the Media, author Andrew Hammond credits Shakira for impacting and shifting the images of Arab pop stars such as Moroccan Samira Said and Lebanese Nawal Al Zoghbi, saying "[they] have shifted their image and sound in attempt to follow in her (Shakira's) footsteps".
In 1999 Shakira's MTV Unplugged became the program's first episode to be broadcast entirely in Spanish The concert is also noted to be the first time a Latin pop act attempted an Unplugged, as well as the first Latina solo act to do so. In 2001 Shakira's "Whenever Wherever" music video was aired on MTV with both the English and Spanish versions. According to a spokesman for the channel, this is noted as "the first time that U.S. MTV has aired a Spanish-language video." Following Daddy Yankee's "Gasolina" by five months, "La Tortura" was one of the first full Spanish-language music videos to air on MTV without an English version. In 2005, Sanz and Shakira performed "La Tortura" at the MTV Video Music Awards. In 2006 "Hips Don't Lie" was selected as one of the greatest songs by 21st century female artists by National Public Radio, ranked at number 65. "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)" was named by Billboard the best and most commercially successful World Cup song. Published by the US Bureau of International Information Programs, the journal Global Issues (2006) cited Shakira as an example of a celebrity "in today's globalized world" who "made it big by sharing the uniqueness of their talent and culture with the global community." In 2020, The New Zealand Herald found Shakira's longevity in the industry "particularly impressive given her ability to breach the lines of crossover, a feat not many artists have been able to achieve." A similar remark was made by Paper magazine, when writing about Shakira's longevity and her being one of the few pre-digital era artists to successfully crack the digital-streaming era of music, penning "[Shakira] is a titan in the digital era of music where she devours billions of streams with her catalog."
In 2010, Google revealed that Shakira was the most searched female entertainer of the year. In 2020, Shakira was the most Googled musician of the year.
In 2021, Vogue magazine Mexico chose her as the cover for its July edition.
In December 2021 Shakira was named by Kiss FM as one of the most influential female artists of the 21st century highlighting her achievements in the international market
Many artists have cited Shakira as an influence, including Beyoncé, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Katy Perry, Will.i.am, Kylie Jenner, Lauren Jauregui, Christina Aguilera, Justin Bieber, Fergie, Maluma, Karol G, Camilo, Nicky Jam, Brie Larson, Dulce María, Tini Stoessel, Natti Natasha, Rosalía, Carla Morrison, Manuel Turizo, Francisca Valenzuela, Paloma Mami, Natalia Lafourcade, Kali Uchis, Ed Sheeran, Farina, Jbalvin, Lele Pons, Andres Cuervo, Prince Royce, Romeo Santos, Wendy Sulca, Anitta, Britney Spears, Cardi B, Rita Ora, Camila Cabello, Becky G, Nora Fatehi, Kris Kross Ámsterdam, and Ayra Starr
Shakira has even received the admiration of intellectuals and writers such as Nobel Prize winner Gabriel García Márquez who has said "No one of any age can sing or dance with the innocent sensuality Shakira seems to have invented". Márquez wrote an essay exalting Shakira's "phenomenal musical talent", and "extraordinary maturity".
The newspaper El Correo del Golfo wrote that Shakira was the greatest exponent of Middle Eastern music in the West, citing her interest in Arabic music and dance.
Her influence has transcended the boundaries of pop culture, that she has become a socio-political influencer, and was named as one of the "World's Greatest Leaders" of 2017 by Fortune. The Guardian has written an extensive article about Shakira's impact on Colombia's social change, specifically in education, and her ability to discuss this issue with world leaders like Barack Obama, and Gordon Brown. Similarly The Independent has described Shakira as a "living proof that pop and politics mix" further noting that through her efforts and influence she is able to have "the ears of the global political elite".
Monuments
In 2006, a , statue of Shakira was installed in her hometown Barranquilla in a park near Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez.
In July 2018 Shakira visited Tannourine in Lebanon which is the village of her paternal grandmother. During her visit she visited the Cedars Reserve in Tannourine where a square in the forest was named after her. The square holds the name "Shakira Isabelle Mebarak"
Achievements
Shakira has received numerous awards and recognition for her work. She is the recipient of three Grammy Awards and twelve Latin Grammy Awards—the most for a female artist. Shakira has sold more than 75 million records worldwide, making her one of world's best-selling music artists. By the time she released Laundry Service in 2001, she sold 10 million albums in Latin America according to Billboard. Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems said that "Hips Don't Lie" was the most-played pop song in a single week in American radio history. It was played 9,637 times in one week. Shakira became the first artist in the history of the Billboard charts to reach the number one spots on both the Top 40 Mainstream and Latin Chart in the same week doing so with "Hips Don't Lie". Additionally, she is the only artist from South America to reach the number-one spot on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, the Australian ARIA chart, and the UK Singles Chart.
Her song "La Tortura" at one time held the record for Billboards Hot Latin Tracks chart, appearing at number-one more than any other single with a total of 25 non-consecutive weeks, a record currently held by the Luis Fonsi song "Despacito" with 56 weeks. Nokia stated in 2010, that there were more Shakira music downloads in the prior year than for any other Latino artist in the last five years, and She Wolf topped the Top 10 Latino downloads. In 2010, she was ranked number five on the 'Online Video's Most Viral Artists of 2010' with 404,118,932 views.
In 2011, Shakira was honored at the Latin Grammys as Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year, and by the Harvard Foundation as Cultural Rhythms Artist of the Year. She also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame located at 6270 Hollywood Blvd. Originally, she was to be given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2004, but she turned the offer down. In 2012, she received the honor of Chevalier De L'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. In 2014, Shakira became the first musical act to perform three times at the FIFA World Cup. In the same year, Aleiodes shakirae, a new species of parasitic wasp was named after her because it causes its host to "shake and wiggle". Forbes ranked Shakira on their list of "Top 100 World's Most Powerful Women" at number 40 in 2012, at 52 in 2013, and at 58 in 2014. In 2015 Time recognized Shakira as one of the most influential people on social media. Shakira and Argentinian president; Cristina Fernández de Kirchner were the only Latin influencers named on the list. More so Time noted that Shakira has an "unparalleled platform" on social media where she promotes her philanthropy. In 2008, Shakira was named as the Honorary Chair of the Global Campaign for Education Global Action Week.
In 2018, Spotify included Shakira in the list of top 10 most streamed female artists of the decade on the platform, making her the highest streamed Latin artist. In 2020, Shakira became the first female artist in history to have 4 songs from different decades to have over 100 million streams on Spotify, also marking her as the only artist with Spanish songs, the only Latin artist, and third overall after Michael Jackson and Eminem to achieve this milestone. In 2020 she broke the Vevo Certified Awards records, and set the record at 37, becoming artist with the most videos with over 100 million streams ever. She is now worth $300 million.
Other ventures
Shakira has ventured into many other businesses and industries. She acted in the Colombian telenovela El Oasis in 1994, playing the character of Luisa Maria.
Shakira began her own beauty line, "S by Shakira", with parent company Puig, in 2010.
Among the first perfumes it released included "S by Shakira" and "S by Shakira Eau Florale", along with lotions and body sprays. As of 2019, she has released 30 fragrances, not counting deluxe editions. On 17 September 2015, she was featured as a playable bird in the game Angry Birds POP! for a limited time, and also in a special tournament in the game Angry Birds Friends after a few weeks. On 15 October 2015, Love Rocks starring Shakira was the first video game that featured the pop star.
On 14 August 2015, at Disney's D23 Expo, it was announced that Shakira would play a character in the Disney animated movie Zootopia; in it, she would give voice to Gazelle, the biggest pop star in Zootopia. Shakira also contributed an original song to the film, titled "Try Everything", which was written and composed by Sia and Stargate. It opened to a record-breaking box office success in several countries and earned a worldwide gross of over $1 billion, making it the fourth highest-grossing film of 2016 and the 43rd highest-grossing film of all time.
In December 2021, it was announced that Shakira would be an executive producer for Dancing with Myself, an NBC dance competition series.
Philanthropy, humanitarian work and politics
In 1997, Shakira founded the Pies Descalzos Foundation, a Colombian charity with special schools for poor children all around Colombia. It was funded by Shakira and other international groups and individuals. The name of the foundation was taken from Shakira's third studio album, Pies Descalzos, which she released in 1995. The foundation's main focus is on aid through education, and the organization has five schools across Colombia that provide education and meals for 4,000 children.
On 27 April 2014 Shakira was honored with the Hero Award at the Radio Disney Music Awards for her Fundación Pies Descalzos work.
In 2005, Shakira became a founding member of Latin America in Solidarity Action, a coalition of artists and business leaders seeking to promote integrated early childhood public policies. In 2008, she served as the Honorary Chair of the Global Campaign for Education Global Action Week. Later, in 2010, she collaborated with the World Bank and the Barefoot Foundation to establish an initiative that distributes educational and developmental programs for children across Latin America.
Shakira is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and is one of their global representatives. On 3 April 2006, Shakira was honored at a UN ceremony for creating the Pies Descalzos Foundation. In March 2010, she was awarded a medal by the UN International Labour Organization in recognition of being, as UN Labour Chief Juan Somavia put it, a "true ambassador for children and young people, for quality education and social justice". In November 2010, after performing as the opening act of the MTV European Music Awards, the Colombian singer also received the MTV Free Your Mind award for her continuing dedication to improve access to education for all children around the world.
In October 2010, Shakira expressed disagreement with French president Nicolás Sarkozy and his policy of expelling Romani people from the country. In the Spanish edition of the magazine GQ, she also directed a few words to Sarkozy, "We are all gypsies". In the interview she made her viewpoint very clear: "What is happening now to them (the gypsies) will happen to our children and our children's children. We must turn to our citizens to act for the fundamental rights of human beings and condemn all that seems to us indictable", she declared.
In February 2011, the FC Barcelona Foundation and Pies descalzos reached an agreement for children's education through sport. Shakira was honored at the Latin Grammys as the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year on 9 November 2011, for her philanthropy and contributions to Latin Music. Also in 2011, she was appointed by President Barack Obama to the President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics. The World Literacy Foundation announced Shakira as the recipient of the 2020 Global Literacy Award for "her significant contribution to the improvement of literacy for disadvantaged children around the world."
On 2 November 2018, during a visit to her birthplace, Barranquilla, for the construction of a school through her Barefoot Foundation (Pies Descalzos Foundation), Shakira spoke about the educational policies of the government under Ivan Duque (President of Colombia, 2018–2022). Speaking against the government's intentions to reduce the national education budget from 13% to 7%, she said, "This is unacceptable. It shows that instead of progressing forward we are moving backward. We need to invest more in education and we need to build more schools in places where there are none". She also talked about social inequality and unschooling. In 2020, Shakira was appointed by Prince William, Duke of Cambridge as a voters’ council member for the Earthshot prize which provides 50 environmental pioneers with the funds needed to further their work in tackling major problems impacting the environment. In May 2020, Shakira donated more than 50,000 face masks and ten respirators to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in her hometown of Barranquilla. During the 2021 Colombian protests, Shakira condemned the violence and asked President Iván Duque Márquez to "immediately stop the human rights violations" and "restitute the value of human life above any political interest."
Personal life
Shakira began a relationship with Argentinian lawyer Antonio de la Rúa in 2000. In a 2009 interview, Shakira stated their relationship already worked as a married couple, and that "they don't need papers for that".
After 10 years together, Shakira and de la Rúa separated in August 2010 in what she described as "a mutual decision to take time apart from our romantic relationship". She wrote that the couple "view this period of separation as temporary", with de la Rúa overseeing Shakira's "business and career interests as he has always done". As first reported in September 2012, de la Rúa sued Shakira in April 2013, asking for $100 million he believed he was owed after Shakira suddenly terminated her business partnership with him in October 2011. His lawsuit was dismissed by a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge in August 2013.
Shakira entered a relationship with the Spanish football player Gerard Piqué, centre back for FC Barcelona and the Spanish national team in 2011. Piqué, who is exactly ten years her junior, first met Shakira in the spring of 2010, when he appeared in the music video for Shakira's song "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)", the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Shakira gave birth to the couple's first son Milan on 22 January 2013 in Barcelona, Spain, where the family had taken up residence. Shakira gave birth to their second son Sasha on 29 January 2015. Forbes listed Shakira and Piqué in their list of "World's Most Powerful Couples".
In 2020, Shakira announced her completion of an Ancient Philosophy course through the University of Pennsylvania, describing it as an impractical hobby of hers.
Financial controversy
In November 2017, Shakira was named in the Paradise Papers. It was revealed that she was the sole shareholder of a Malta-based company which was being used to transfer $30 million in music rights. Her attorneys insisted that her use of the company was entirely legal.
In 2018, due at least in part to information revealed in the Paradise Papers, Spanish authorities began an investigation into Shakira's finances. Prosecutors argued that she did not pay taxes in Spain between 2012 and 2014, during which time she was living in Spain with Piqué and their family, while Shakira argued that she maintained her primary residence in the Bahamas during that period and otherwise was touring internationally. In July 2021, a Spanish judge ruled that there was "evidence of criminality" sufficient for Shakira to be brought to trial on charges of tax fraud.
In 2021, the Pandora Papers showed that Shakira submitted applications for three offshore companies in 2019. Her representatives told LaSexta that this paperwork was not filed for purposes of establishing new companies but as part of the process of dissolving existing companies. They further claimed that the companies had no income or activities and that Spanish authorities had been made aware of their existence.
Discography
Magia (1991)
Peligro (1993)
Pies Descalzos (1995)
Dónde Están los Ladrones? (1998)
Laundry Service (2001)
Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 (2005)
Oral Fixation, Vol. 2 (2005)
She Wolf (2009)
Sale el Sol (2010)
Shakira (2014)
El Dorado (2017)
Tours
Tour Pies Descalzos (1996–1997)
Tour Anfibio (2000)
Tour of the Mongoose (2002–2003)
Oral Fixation Tour (2006–2007)
The Sun Comes Out World Tour (2010–2011)
El Dorado World Tour (2018)
Filmography
Television
Film
See also
List of artists who reached number one in the United States
List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance Club Songs chart
Best-selling international artists in Brazil
List of best-selling music artists in the United States
List of best-selling music artists
List of best-selling singles
List of Billboard Social 50 number-one artists
List of highest-certified music artists in the United States
Best-selling female artists of all time
References
Further reading
VH1 Driven: Shakira (article)
VH1 Driven: Shakira (video)
Book: Woman Full of Grace by Ximena Diego
Pareles, Jon (14 November 2005). "Shakira, from lip to hip". New Straits Times, p. L3.
"Shakira pertahan orang Arab". (8 November 2005). Berita Harian, p. 13.
Frank Cogan's review of Laundry Service for The Village Voice
Chart Performance for "Don't Bother" from the Billboard Hot 100
Chart Performance for Oral Fixation 2
New York Times Magazine article on Shakira's philanthropic work on education.
External links
1977 births
Living people
20th-century Colombian women singers
21st-century Colombian actresses
21st-century Colombian women singers
Association footballers' wives and girlfriends
Belly dancers
Chevaliers of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
Colombian female dancers
Colombian film actresses
Colombian people of Arab descent
Colombian people of Italian descent
Colombian people of Lebanese descent
Colombian people of Spanish descent
Colombian philanthropists
Colombian pop singers
Colombian record producers
Colombian rock singers
Colombian Roman Catholics
Colombian singer-songwriters
Colombian television actresses
Colombian voice actresses
Colombian women activists
Colombian women artists
Colombian women record producers
Colombian expatriates in Spain
Contraltos
Echo (music award) winners
English-language singers from Colombia
Grammy Award winners
Latin Grammy Award winners
Latin music songwriters
Latin pop singers
Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year honorees
MTV Europe Music Award winners
Participants in American reality television series
People from Barranquilla
RCA Records artists
Roc Nation artists
Sony Music Colombia artists
Sony Music Latin artists
UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors
Women in Latin music
World Music Awards winners
People named in the Paradise Papers
People named in the Pandora Papers
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"\"What Christmas Means to Me\" is the name of several different Christmas songs. The most-covered version was written by Allen Story, Anna Gordy Gaye, and George Gordy. It has been recorded by many artists, including:\n\n Stevie Wonder (1967) on Someday at Christmas \n Paul Young (1992) on A Very Special Christmas 2 \n Hanson (1997) on Snowed In \n Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen with Sean Holt (1999) on Cool Yule: A Christmas Party With Friends \n En Vogue (2002) on The Gift of Christmas \n Holiday Express (2002) on Live \n Jessica Simpson (2004) on ReJoyce: The Christmas Album \n Natalie Grant (2005) on Believe \n Charm City Sound (2007) on Christmas Lights \n Darlene Love (2007) on It's Christmas, Of Course \n Mandisa (2007) on Christmas Joy EP - also appeared on It's Christmas in 2008 \n Jason Yeager (2008) on My Christmas Wish \n Overboard (2008) on Tidings \n Sensational Soul Cruisers (2008) on Save Your Soul EP\n Rahsaan Patterson (2008) on The Ultimate Gift \n Michael McDonald (2009) on This Christmas - listed as \"That's What Christmas Means to Me\"\n Karel King (2010) on Lights, Love, and Laughter \n Trijntje Oosterhuis (2010) on This Is The Season \n University of Wisconsin Madhatters (2010) on Cheer On Tap\n Nick Lachey featuring The Sing-Off Contestants (2010) on The Sing Off: Season 2, Episode 5, The Finale\n Coastline (2011) on An Undeniably Merry Coastline Christmas \n J Grace (2011) on Christmas Eve \n Cee Lo Green (2012) on Cee Lo's Magic Moment \n The Empty Pockets (2012) on A Holiday Staycation\n Rhonda Thomas (2012) on Little Drummer Girl \n Klarc Whitson\n Sugarlick\n Sugar Beats on A Sugar Beats Christmas - Cool Christmas Songs for Kids \n Ballroom Orchestra & Singers\n Jennette McCurdy in the 2012 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.\n Two Angels (2013) on \"How Angels celebrate Christmas\"\n Train (2015) on Christmas in Tahoe\n The Mrs (2015) single release\n Straight No Chaser (2016) on I'll Have Another... Christmas Album\n Pentatonix (2018) on Christmas Is Here!\n John Legend (2018) on A Legendary Christmas\n Gaia (2021) single release\n\nSimilar titles\n \"What Christmas Means to Me\" - written by Chiquita Mullins, Claude Hill, Moses Dillard, and Sharon Michalsky\n Al Green (1983) on The Christmas Album - also appeared on White Christmas in 1986\n \"What Christmas Means to Me\" - written by Steve Romanoff \n Schooner Fare (1987) on Home for the Holidays\n \"What Christmas Means to Me\" - written by Joey Miskulin \n Frankie Yankovic (1994) on Christmas Memories\n \"What Christmas Means to Me\" - written by Bob Stewart \n Karen Newman (1994) on What Christmas Means to Me\n \"What Christmas Means to Me\" - written by Amayz\n Amayz (2007) on Everyday Like Christmas\n \"That's What Christmas Means to Me\" - written by Nick Acquaviva and Ted Varnick\n Eddie Fisher (1952) on Christmas with Eddie Fisher\n \"That's What Christmas Means to Me\" - written by Wendell B\n Wendell B (2007) on Save a Little Room for Me\n \"That's What Christmas Means to Me\" - written by Harry Revel\n Featured in the film It Happened on Fifth Avenue (1947)\n \"That's What Christmas Means to Me\" - written by Jerome Schoolar \n Biscuit Brothers (2007) on Have a Merry Musical Christmas\n\nReferences\n\n1967 songs\nAmerican Christmas songs\nJessica Simpson songs\nStevie Wonder songs\nSongs written by Anna Gordy Gaye\nSongs written by George Gordy",
"\"What's Going On\" is a song by Australian singer Casey Donovan. The song was released in February 2005 as the second single from her debut studio album For You (2004). The song peaked at number 18 on the ARIA Charts.\n\nTrack listing\n \"What's Going On\"\t\n \"Something Beautiful\" \n \"What's Going On\" (CD-ROM video)\n\nCharts\n\nReferences\n\n2004 songs\n2005 singles\nSony BMG singles\nCasey Donovan (singer) songs\nSongs written by Jessica Origliasso\nSongs written by Lisa Origliasso"
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"Shakira",
"2008-2010: She WolfEdit",
"What is she wolfedit",
"She Wolf, was released in October 2009 internationally and on 23 November 2009 in the U.S.",
"What songs are on shewolf",
"I don't know."
] |
C_67493774705c4c36aff884e894e534c0_1
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Is shewolf a song or an album
| 3 |
Is shewolf a song or an album
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Shakira
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In early 2008, Forbes named Shakira the fourth top-earning female artist in music industry. Then, in July of that year, Shakira signed a $300 million contract with Live Nation, an international touring giant, which contract was to remain in effect for ten years. The touring group also doubles as a record label which promotes, but does not control, the music its artists release. Shakira's contract with Epic Records called for three more albums as well - one in English, one in Spanish, and a compilation, but the touring and other rights of the Live Nation deal were confirmed to begin immediately. In January 2009, Shakira performed at the Lincoln Memorial "We Are One" festivities in honor of the inauguration of President Barack Obama. She performed "Higher Ground" with Stevie Wonder and Usher. She Wolf, was released in October 2009 internationally and on 23 November 2009 in the U.S. The album received mainly positive reviews from critics, and was included in AllMusic's year-end "Favorite Albums," "Favorite Latin Albums," and "Favorite Pop Albums" lists. She Wolf reached number one on the charts of Argentina, Ireland, Italy, Mexico and Switzerland. It also charted inside the top five in Spain, Germany and the United Kingdom. It debuted at number fifteen on the Billboard 200. She Wolf was certified double-platinum in Colombia and Mexico, platinum in Italy and Spain, and gold in numerous countries including France and the United Kingdom. To date the album has sold 2 million copies worldwide, becoming one of Shakira's least successful studio album to date in terms of sales. In May, Shakira collaborated with the South African group Freshlyground to create the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)", which is based on a traditional Cameroonian soldiers's Fang song titled "Zangalewa" by the group Zangalewa or Golden Sounds. The single later reached the top 20 in Europe, South America and Africa and the top 40 in the U.S. and was performed by Shakira at the World Cup kick-off and closing. It became the biggest-selling World Cup song of all time. CANNOTANSWER
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The album received mainly positive reviews from critics,
|
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll ( , ; born 2 February 1977) is a Colombian singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Barranquilla, Shakira has been referred to as the "Queen of Latin Music" and is noted for her versatility in music. She made her recording debut under Sony Music Colombia at the age of 13. Following the commercial failure of her first two albums, Magia (1991) and Peligro (1993), she rose to prominence in Hispanic countries with her next albums, Pies Descalzos (1995) and Dónde Están los Ladrones? (1998). Shakira entered the English-language market with her fifth album, Laundry Service (2001), which sold over 13 million copies worldwide. Buoyed by the international number-one singles "Whenever, Wherever" and "Underneath Your Clothes", the album propelled her reputation as a leading crossover artist. Broadcast Music, Inc., the largest music rights organization in the United States, described Shakira as a pioneer who extended the global reach of Latino singers.
Her success was further solidified with the Spanish albums Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 (2005), Sale el Sol (2010), and El Dorado (2017), all of which topped the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart and were certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America. Meanwhile, her English albums Oral Fixation, Vol. 2 (2005), She Wolf (2009) and Shakira (2014) were all certified gold, platinum, or multi-platinum in various countries worldwide. Some of her songs have charted at number one in multiple countries, including "La Tortura", "Hips Don't Lie", "Beautiful Liar", "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)", "Loca", and "Chantaje". Shakira served as a coach on two seasons of the American singing competition television series The Voice (2013–2014).
With a catalog of 145 songs, Shakira has sold over 80 million records which have made her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Forbes reported that as of 2018, Shakira has become the female Latin artist who has sold the most albums in history. She is credited with opening the doors of the international market for several Latin artists who would follow after her. Shakira has received numerous awards, including three Grammy Awards, twelve Latin Grammy Awards, four MTV Video Music Awards, seven Billboard Music Awards, thirty-nine Billboard Latin Music Awards, six Guinness World Records and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She was named the Top Female Latin Artist of the Decade by Billboard twice (2000s and 2010s). For her philanthropic work with her Barefoot Foundation and her contributions to music she received the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year and Harvard Foundation Artist of the Year awards in 2011. She was appointed to the President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics in the US in 2011, and Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government in 2012.
Early life
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll was born on 2 February 1977 in Barranquilla, Colombia. She is the only child of William Mebarak Chadid and Nidia Ripoll Torrado. She is of Colombian and Lebanese descent. Her father William was born in New York City to a family from Lebanon. When he was five, his family moved to Colombia. Her Colombian mother side has two Spanish surnames, Ripoll and Torrado, the former of which is Catalan and originates from four brothers who immigrated from Catalonia to coastal Colombia in the 19th century. She has also claimed to have distant Italian roots through an ancestor with the surname "Pisciotti". The name Shakira () is Arabic for "grateful", the feminine form of the name Shakir (). She was raised Catholic and attended Catholic schools. She has eight older half-siblings from her father's previous marriage. Shakira spent much of her youth in Barranquilla, a city located on the northern Caribbean coast of Colombia. Shakira's business acumen is often attributed to a high IQ, which is reported in the entertainment press to be 140.
Shakira wrote her first poem, titled "La rosa de cristal" ('The Crystal Rose'), when she was only four years old. As she was growing up, she was fascinated watching her father writing stories on a typewriter, and asked for one as a Christmas gift. She got that typewriter at age seven, and has continued writing poetry since then. These poems eventually evolved into songs. When Shakira was two years old, an older half-brother was killed in a motorcycle accident; six years later, at age eight, Shakira wrote her first song, titled "Tus gafas oscuras" ('Your dark glasses'), which was inspired by her father, who for years wore dark glasses to hide his grief.
When Shakira was four, her father took her to a local Middle Eastern restaurant, where Shakira first heard the doumbek, a traditional drum used in Middle-Eastern music and which typically accompanied belly dancing. She started dancing on the table, and the experience made her realize that she wanted to be a performer. She enjoyed singing for schoolmates and teachers (and even the nuns) at her Catholic school, but in second grade, she was rejected for the school choir because her vibrato was too strong. The music teacher told her that she sounded "like a goat". She says she had also been known as "the belly dancer girl", as she would demonstrate every Friday at school a number she had learned. "That's how I discovered my passion for live performance," she says.
To instill gratitude in Shakira for her upbringing, her father took her to a local park to see orphans who lived there. The images stayed with her, and she said to herself: "One day I'm going to help these kids when I become a famous artist."
Between ages ten and thirteen, Shakira was invited to various events in Barranquilla and gained some recognition in the area. It was at this approximate time that she met local theater producer Monica Ariza, who was impressed with her and as a result tried to help her career. During a flight from Barranquilla to Bogotá, Ariza convinced Sony Colombia executive Ciro Vargas to hold an audition for Shakira in a hotel lobby. Vargas held Shakira in high regard and, returning to the Sony office, gave the cassette to a song and artist director. However, the director was not overly excited and thought Shakira was something of "a lost cause". Undaunted and still convinced that Shakira had talent, Vargas set up an audition in Bogotá. He arranged for Sony Colombia executives to arrive at the audition, with the idea of surprising them with Shakira's performance. She performed three songs for the executives and impressed them enough for her to be signed to record three albums.
Career
1990–1995: Beginnings
Shakira's debut album, Magia, was recorded with Sony Music Colombia in 1990 when she was only 13 years old. The songs are a collection made by her since she was eight, mixed pop-rock ballads and disco uptempo songs with electronic accompaniment. The album was released in June 1991 and featured "Magia" and three other singles. Though it fared well on Colombian radio and gave the young Shakira much exposure, the album did not fare well commercially, as only 1,200 copies were sold worldwide. After the poor performance of Magia, Shakira's label urged her to return to the studio to release a follow-up record. Though she was little known outside of her native Colombia at the time, Shakira was invited to perform at Chile's Viña del Mar International Song Festival in February 1993. The festival gave aspiring Latin American singers a chance to perform their songs, and the winner was then chosen by a panel of judges. Shakira performed the ballad "Eres" ("You Are") and won the trophy for third place. One of the judges who voted for her to win was the then 20-year-old Ricky Martin, whose initial prominence had come from his membership in Menudo.
Shakira's second studio album, titled Peligro, was released in March, but Shakira was not pleased with the final result, mainly taking issue with the production. The album was better received than Magia had been, though it was also considered a commercial failure due to Shakira's refusal to advertise or promote it. Shakira then decided to take a hiatus from recording so that she could graduate from high school. In the same year, Shakira starred in the Colombian TV series The Oasis, loosely based on the Armero tragedy in 1985. Since then, the albums have been pulled from release and are not considered official Shakira albums but rather promotional albums.
1995–2000: Latin breakthrough
Shakira originally recorded the song "¿Dónde Estás Corazón?" (later released on her album Pies Descalzos) for the compilation album Nuestro Rock in 1994, released exclusively in Colombia. The song was an instant success on radio stations in Colombia and Sony decided to finance her third record, by giving her the last chance due to previous commercial failures.
Shakira returned to recording music under Sony Music along with Columbia Records in 1995 with Luis F. Ochoa, using musical influences from a number of countries and an Alanis Morissette-oriented persona which affected two of her next albums. These recordings spawned her third studio album, and her international debut album, titled Pies Descalzos. Recording for the album began in February 1995, after the success of her single "¿Dónde Estás Corazón?".
The album, Pies Descalzos, was released in October 1995 in the Latin American countries and in February 1996 in the US. It reached number five on the U.S. Billboard Top Latin Albums chart. The album spawned six hit singles, "Estoy Aquí", which reached number two on the U.S. Latin chart, "¿Dónde Estás Corazón?" which reached number five on the U.S. Latin chart, "Pies Descalzos, Sueños Blancos" which reached number 11 on the U.S. Latin chart, "Un Poco de Amor" which reached number six on the U.S. Latin chart, "Antología" which reached number 15 on the U.S. Latin chart, and "Se quiere, Se Mata" which reached number eight on the U.S. Latin chart. In August 1996, RIAA certified the album platinum status.
In March 1996, Shakira went on to her first international tour, named simply the Tour Pies Descalzos. The tour consisted of 20 shows and ended in 1997. Also in that year, Shakira received three Billboard Latin Music Awards for Album of the Year for Pies Descalzos, Video of the Year for "Estoy Aqui", and Best New Artist. Pies Descalzos later sold over 5 million copies, prompting the release of a remix album, simply titled The Remixes. The Remixes also included Portuguese versions of some of her well-known songs, which were recorded as a result of her success in the Brazilian market, where Pies Descalzos sold nearly one million copies.
Her fourth studio album was titled Dónde Están los Ladrones? Produced by Shakira with Emilio Estefan, Jr. as the executive producer it was released in September 1998. The album, inspired by an incident in an airport in which a suitcase filled with her written lyrics was stolen, became a bigger hit than Pies Descalzos. The album has reached a peak position of number 131 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and held the top spot on the U.S. Latin Albums chart for 11 weeks. It has since sold over 7 million copies worldwide and 1.5 million copies in the U.S. alone, making it one of the best selling Spanish albums in the U.S. Eight singles were taken from the album including "Ciega, Sordomuda", "Moscas En La Casa", "No Creo", "Inevitable", "Tú", "Si Te Vas", "Octavo día", and "Ojos Así".
Shakira also received her first Grammy Award nomination in 1999 for Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album. Shakira's first live album, MTV Unplugged, was recorded in New York City on 12 August 1999. Highly acclaimed by American critics, it is rated as one of her best-ever live performances. In March 2000, Shakira embarked on her Tour Anfibio, a two-month tour of Latin America and the United States. In August 2000, she won an MTV Video Music Award in the category of People's Choice – Favorite International Artist for "Ojos Así". In September 2000, Shakira performed "Ojos Así" at the inaugural ceremony of the Latin Grammy Awards, where she was nominated in five categories: Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for MTV Unplugged, Best Female Rock Vocal Performance for "Octavo Día", Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and Best Short Form Music Video for the video for "Ojos Así".
2001–2004: English transition with Laundry Service
Upon the success of Dónde Están los Ladrones? and MTV Unplugged, Shakira began working on an English crossover album. She learned English with the help of Gloria Estefan. She worked for over a year on new material for the album. "Whenever, Wherever", called "Suerte" in Spanish-speaking countries, was released as the first and lead single from her first English album and fifth studio album throughout the period between August 2001 and February 2002. The song took heavy influence from Andean music, including the charango and panpipes in its instrumentation. It became an international success by reaching number one in most countries. It was also her first success in the U.S., by reaching number six on the Hot 100.
Shakira's fifth studio album and first English language album, titled Laundry Service in English-speaking countries and Servicio De Lavanderia in Latin America and Spain, was released on 13 November 2001. The album debuted at number three on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling over 200,000 records in its first week. The album was later certified triple platinum by the RIAA in June 2004 as well. It helped to establish Shakira's musical presence in the mainstream North American market. Seven singles were taken from the album such as "Whenever, Wherever"/"Suerte", "Underneath Your Clothes", "Objection (Tango)"/"Te Aviso, Te Anuncio (Tango)", "The One", "Te Dejo Madrid", "Que Me Quedes Tú", and "Poem to a Horse".
Because the album was created for the English-language market, the rock and Spanish dance-influenced album gained mild critical success, with some critics claiming that her English skills were too weak for her to write songs for it; Rolling Stone, for one, stated that "she sounds downright silly" or "Shakira's magic is lost in translation". A similar view was expressed by Elizabeth Mendez Berry in Vibe: "While her Spanish-language albums sparkled with elegant wordplay, this record is rife with cliches, both musically and lyrically. [...] For Anglophone Latin lovers, Shakira's lyrics are best left to the imagination." Despite this fact, the album became the best selling album of 2002, selling more than 13 million copies worldwide. and became the most successful album of her career to date. The album earned her the title as the biggest Latin female crossover artist in the world. Around this time, Shakira also released four songs for Pepsi for her promotion in the English markets: "Ask for More", "Pide Más", "Knock on My Door", and "Pídeme el Sol". In Chicago Tribune, journalist Joshua Klein defined her international ascent "as multilateral, multicultural and cooperative as they come."
In 2002, at Aerosmith's MTV Icon in April 2002, Shakira performed "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)". She also joined Cher, Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Mary J. Blige, Anastacia, and the Dixie Chicks for VH1 Divas Live Las Vegas. In August, she performed "Objection (Tango)" at the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards, and won the International Viewer's Choice Award with "Whenever, Wherever". She also won the Latin Grammy Award for the category of Best Short Form Music Video for the Spanish version of the video. In October, she won five MTV Video Music Awards Latin America for Best Female Artist, Best Pop Artist, Best Artist – North (Region), Video of the Year (for "Suerte"), and Artist of the Year. In November, she embarked on the Tour of the Mongoose with 61 shows occurring by May 2003. The tour was also her first worldwide tour, as legs were played in North America, South America, Europe and Asia. Shakira's label, Sony BMG, also released her Spanish greatest-hits compilation, Grandes Éxitos. A DVD and 10-track live album, titled Live & Off the Record, was also released in 2004, commemorating the Tour of the Mongoose.
2005–2007: Fijación Oral, Volumen Uno and Oral Fixation, Volume Two
Shakira's sixth studio album, Fijación Oral, Volumen Uno, was released in June 2005. The lead single from the album, "La Tortura", reached the top 40 on the Hot 100. The song also featured the Spanish balladeer Alejandro Sanz. Shakira; Sanz and Daddy Yankee ("Gasolina") were the first artists to perform Spanish language songs at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards. The album was extremely well received. It debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 157,000 copies in its first week. It has since sold over two million copies in the U.S., earning an 11× Platinum (Latin field) certification from the RIAA. Due to its first week sales, the album became the highest debut ever for a Spanish language album. After only a day of release in Latin America, the album earned certifications. In Venezuela, it earned a Platinum certification, in Colombia, a triple Platinum certification, while in Mexico demand exceeded shipments and the album was unavailable after only one day of release. Four other singles were also released from the album: "No", "Día de Enero", "La Pared", and "Las de la Intuición". Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 has since sold over four million copies worldwide. On 8 February 2006, Shakira won her second Grammy Award with the win of Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album for Fijación Oral, Vol. 1. She received four Latin Grammy Awards in November 2006, winning the awards for Record of the Year, Song of the Year for "La Tortura", Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for Fijación Oral, Vol. 1.
The lead single for Shakira's seventh album, Oral Fixation, Vol. 2, "Don't Bother", failed to achieve chart success in the U.S. by missing the top 40 on the Hot 100. It did, however, reach the top 20 in most countries worldwide. Shakira's second English studio album and seventh studio album, Oral Fixation, Vol. 2, was released on 29 November 2005. The album debuted at number five on the Billboard 200, selling 128,000 copies in its first week. The album has gone on to sell 1.8 million records in the U.S., and over eight million copies worldwide.
Despite the commercial failure of the album's lead single in the U.S., it went on to spawn two more singles. "Hips Don't Lie", which featured Wyclef Jean, was released as the album's second single in February 2006. It would become Shakira's first number one single on the Billboard Hot 100, in addition to reaching number one in over 55 countries. Shakira and Wyclef Jean also recorded a Bamboo version of the song to serve as the closing ceremony song of the FIFA World Cup 2006. Shakira later released the third and final single from the album, "Illegal", which featured Carlos Santana, in November 2006. She then embarked on the Oral Fixation Tour, which began in June 2006. The tour consisted of 125 shows between June 2006 and July 2007 and visited six continents. In February 2007, Shakira performed for the first time at the 49th Grammy Awards and earned the nomination for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for "Hips Don't Lie" with Wyclef Jean.
In late 2006, Shakira and Alejandro Sanz collaborated for the duet "Te lo Agradezco, Pero No", which is featured on Sanz's album El Tren de los Momentos. The song was a top ten hit in Latin America, and topped the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart. Shakira also collaborated with Miguel Bosé on the duet "Si Tú No Vuelves", which was released in Bosé's album Papito. In early 2007, Shakira worked with American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles for the track "Beautiful Liar", which was released as the second single from the deluxe edition of Beyoncé's album B'Day. In April 2007, the single jumped 91 positions, from 94 to three, on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, setting the record for the largest upward movement in the history of the chart at the time. It was also number one on the official UK Singles Chart. The song earned them a Grammy Award nomination for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals. Shakira was also featured on Annie Lennox's song "Sing", from the album Songs of Mass Destruction, which also features other 23 other female singers. In late 2007, Shakira and Wyclef Jean recorded their second duet, "King and Queen". The song was featured on Wyclef Jean's 2007 album Carnival Vol. II: Memoirs of an Immigrant.
Shakira wrote the lyrics, and jointly composed the music, for two new songs that are featured in the movie Love in the Time of Cholera, based on the acclaimed novel written by Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez. García Marquez himself asked Shakira to write the songs. The songs that Shakira lent to the soundtrack were "Pienso en ti", a song from Shakira's breakthrough album Pies Descalzos, "Hay Amores", and "Despedida". "Despedida" was nominated for Best Original Song at the 65th Golden Globe Awards.
2008–2010: She Wolf
In early 2008, Forbes named Shakira the fourth top-earning female artist in music industry. Then, in July of that year, Shakira signed a $300 million contract with Live Nation, which was to remain in effect for ten years. The touring group also doubles as a record label which promotes, but does not control, the music its artists release. Shakira's contract with Epic Records called for three more albums as well – one in English, one in Spanish, and a compilation, but the touring and other rights of the Live Nation deal were confirmed to begin immediately.
In January 2009, Shakira performed at the Lincoln Memorial "We Are One" festivities in honor of the inauguration of President Barack Obama. She performed "Higher Ground" with Stevie Wonder and Usher. She Wolf, was released in October 2009 internationally and on 23 November 2009 in the U.S. The album received mainly positive reviews from critics, and was included in AllMusic's year-end "Favorite Albums," "Favorite Latin Albums," and "Favorite Pop Albums" lists.
She Wolf reached number one on the charts of Argentina, Ireland, Italy, Mexico and Switzerland. It also charted inside the top five in Spain, Germany and the United Kingdom. It debuted at number fifteen on the Billboard 200. She Wolf was certified double-platinum in Colombia and Mexico, platinum in Italy and Spain, and gold in numerous countries including France and the United Kingdom. The album sold 2 million copies worldwide, becoming one of Shakira's least successful studio album to date in terms of sales.
In May, Shakira collaborated with the South African group Freshlyground to create the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)", which is based on a traditional Cameroonian soldiers's Fang song titled "Zangalewa" by the group Zangalewa or Golden Sounds. The single later reached the top 20 in Europe, South America and Africa and the top 40 in the U.S. and was performed by Shakira at the World Cup kick-off and closing. It became the biggest-selling World Cup song of all time.
2010–2015: Sale el Sol and Shakira
In October 2010, Shakira released her ninth studio album, titled Sale el Sol. The album received critical acclaim and was included in AllMusic's "Favorite Albums of 2010" and "Favorite Latin Albums of 2010" year-end lists. At the 2011 Latin Grammy Awards ceremony, Sale el Sol was nominated for "Album of the Year" and "Best Female Pop Vocal Album", winning the award in the latter category.
Commercially the album was a success throughout Europe and Latin America, Sale el Sol peaked atop the charts of countries Belgium, Croatia, France, Mexico, Portugal and Spain. In the United States, it debuted at number seven on the US Billboard 200 chart marking the highest debut for a Latin album for the year and was Shakira's fifth album to peak at number one. According to Billboard, 35% of its first-week sales were credited to strong digital sales. The album also peaked at number one on both the Top Latin Albums and Latin Pop Albums charts, achieving strong digital sales in the region. The lead single, "Loca", was number one in many countries. The album had sold over 1 million copies worldwide in 6 weeks, and over 4 million since its release.
In September, Shakira embarked on The Sun Comes Out World Tour, in support of her two most recent albums. The tour visited countries in North America, Europe, South America, Asia, and Africa with 107 shows in all. The tour was met with positive reactions from critics, who praised Shakira's stage presence and energy during her performances. On 9 November 2011, Shakira was honored as Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year and performed a cover of Joe Arroyo's song "En Barranquilla Me Quedo" at the Mandalay Bay Events Center as a tribute to the singer, who had died earlier that year. In 2010 Shakira collaborated with rapper Pitbull for the song "Get It Started", which was slated to be the lead single from Pitbull's upcoming album, Global Warming. The single was released on 28 June 2012. She was also signed to Roc Nation under management purposes for her upcoming studio album.
On 17 September 2012, it was announced that Shakira and Usher would replace Christina Aguilera and CeeLo Green for the fourth season of the U.S. TV show The Voice, alongside Adam Levine and Blake Shelton. Shakira announced that she would focus on her new album in the fall and eventually returned for the show's sixth season in February 2014.
Shakira originally planned to release her new album in 2012, but due to her pregnancy, plans to release the single and video were postponed.
In December 2013, it was announced that Shakira's new single had been delayed until January 2014.
Shakira's self-titled tenth studio album was later released on 25 March 2014. Commercially the album debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 chart with first week sales of 85,000 copies. By doing so, Shakira became the singer's highest-charting album on the chart, although it also achieved her lowest first-week sales figure (for an English-language album).
The album spawned three singles.
After release the first two singles from the album, "Can't Remember to Forget You" and "Empire". RCA chose "Dare (La La La)" as third single. The World Cup version was officially released on 27 May to impact radio stations, features Brazilian musician Carlinhos Brown. On 13 July 2014, Shakira performed "La La La (Brazil 2014)" with Carlinhos Brown at the 2014 FIFA World Cup closing ceremony at the Maracanã Stadium. This performance became her third consecutive appearance at the FIFA World Cup.
2016–2020: El Dorado and Super Bowl LIV
Shakira began work on her eleventh studio album in the beginning of 2016. In May 2016, she collaborated with Colombian singer Carlos Vives on the track "La Bicicleta", which went to win the Latin Grammy Award for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. On 28 October 2016, Shakira released the single "Chantaje" with Colombian singer Maluma; though the song was a track from the upcoming eleventh studio album, it was not intended to be the lead single. The song became Shakira's most-viewed YouTube video, with over 2.1 billion views as of 1 June 2018. On 7 April 2017, Shakira released the song "Me Enamoré" as the second official single taken from her eleventh studio album El Dorado, which was released on 26 May 2017. She also released the song "Perro Fiel" featuring Nicky Jam as a promotional single for the album on 25 May 2017. Its official release as the third single took place on 15 September 2017, the same date its music video, which was filmed in Barcelona on 27 July 2017, was released. Before being released as a single, "Perro Fiel" was already certified as gold in Spain for selling over 20,000 copies on 30 August 2017.
In January 2018, Shakira won her third Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album for El Dorado, making her the only female Latin artist to do so. She then released "Trap", the fourth single off the album and her second collaboration with Maluma.
The El Dorado World Tour was announced on 27 June 2017, through Shakira's official Twitter account, and was slated to be sponsored by Rakuten. Other announced partners of the tour were Live Nation Entertainment's Global Touring Division (which had previously collaborated with Shakira on her The Sun Comes Out World Tour) and Citi, which the press release named as, respectively, the producer and the credit card for the North American leg of the tour.
The tour, it was announced, would begin on 8 November, in Cologne, Germany. But due to voice-strain related problems the singer experienced during her tour rehearsals, the date was cancelled one day before the original tour schedule, and it was announced that it would be rescheduled for a later date. On 9 November, for the same reason, she also announced the postponements to later dates, to be determined and announced, for both shows in Paris, as well as the following ones in Antwerp and Amsterdam. On 14 November, Shakira made an announcement, through her social networks, in which she revealed that she had suffered a haemorrhage on her right vocal cord in late October, at her last series of rehearsals, and that she thus needed to rest her voice for some time to recover; this forced the postponement of the tour's entire European itinerary to 2018.
The Latin American dates were expected to be announced later, when the tour resumed. There were plans to bring the tour, when it did resume, to countries such as the Dominican Republic. In addition, a journalist from the Brazilian edition of the Portuguese newspaper Destak announced, on his Twitter account, that the Colombian singer would visit Brazil the following March. However, according to the same newspaper, due to Shakira's hiatus to recover from her vocal-cord haemorrhage, the Latin American dates were also postponed to the second half of 2018. Eventually, Shakira did recover fully from the haemorrhage she had suffered and resumed her tour, performing in Hamburg, Germany on 3 June 2018.
In January 2018 she announced the dates for her El Dorado World Tour. She began the first leg of her tour in Europe, starting in Hamburg, Germany on 3 June and then ending in Barcelona, Spain on 7 July. She then spent a short time in Asia on the 11 and 13 July, after which she went to North America. She started her time there on 3 August in Chicago and finished in San Francisco on 7 September. Her tour dates for Latin America, started in Mexico City on 11 October and finished in Bogota, Colombia on 3 November. Forbes ranked her among the world's highest-paid women in music in 2019, at number 10.
In February 2020, she and Jennifer Lopez performed for the Super Bowl LIV halftime show. According to Billboard, the halftime show had a viewership of 103 million people. On YouTube, it became the most viewed halftime show at that point in time. Shakira appeared in two television specials performing her songs during the COVID-19 pandemic, including Global Goal: Unite for Our Future (with "Sale el Sol") and The Disney Family Singalong: Volume II (with "Try Everything").
2021–Present: Upcoming twelfth studio album and Dancing with Myself
In January 2021, Shakira sold her catalog of 145 songs to Hipgnosis Songs Fund. The company did not disclose the financial details of the sale.
On 16 July 2021, Shakira released a single titled "Don't Wait Up".
In December 2021, Shakira was set to judge the dance competition series Dancing with Myself on NBC.
In January 2022, Shakira confirmed the release of her upcoming twelfth studio album in an interview with Walt Disney World.
Artistry
On her music, Shakira has said that, "my music, I think, is a fusion of many different elements. And I'm always experimenting. So I try not to limit myself, or put myself in a category, or... be the architect of my own jail." Shakira has frequently stated she is inspired by oriental music and Indian music, which influenced many of her earlier works. She has also been influenced by her Arab heritage, which was a major inspiration for her breakthrough world hit "Ojos Así". She told Portuguese TV, "Many of my movements belong to Arab culture." She also cites her parents as having been major contributors to her musical style. She is also strongly influenced by Andean music and South American folk music, using her native instrumentation for her Latin dance-pop songs.
Her earlier Spanish albums, including Pies Descalzos and Dónde Están los Ladrones? were a mix of folk music and Latin rock.
Her cross-over English album, Laundry Service and later albums were influenced by pop rock and pop Latino. "Laundry Service" is primarily a pop rock album, but also draws influences from a variety of musical genres. The singer credited this to her mixed ethnicity, saying: "I am a fusion. That's my persona. I'm a fusion between black and white, between pop and rock, between cultures – between my Lebanese father and my mother's Spanish blood, the Colombian folklore and Arab dance I love and American music."
The Arabian and Middle Eastern music elements that exerted a high influence on Dónde Están los Ladrones? are also present in Laundry Service, most prominently on "Eyes Like Yours"/"Ojos Así". Musical styles from different South American countries surface on the album. Tango, a style of fast-paced ballroom dance that originated in Argentina, is evident on "Objection (Tango)", which also combines elements of rock and roll. The uptempo track features a guitar solo and a bridge in which Shakira delivers rap-like vocals.
She Wolf is primarily an electropop album that combines influences from the musical styles of various countries and regions, like Africa, Colombia, India, and the Middle East. Shakira termed the album as a "sonic experimental trip", and said that she researched folk music from different countries in order to "combine electronics with world sounds, tambourines, clarinets, oriental and Hindu music, dancehall, etc."
Her 2010 album, Sale el Sol, is a return to her beginnings containing ballads, rock songs, and Latin dance songs like "Loca". In 2017, Deutsche Welles journalist Kate Müser commented on Shakira's "globalized sound": "[her] Latin beats, spiced with Middle Eastern and other world elements and made comfortably familiar by being churned through the pop machine, make you feel like a citizen of the world."
Influences
As a child, Shakira was influenced by rock music, listening heavily to rock bands like Led Zeppelin, the Beatles, Nirvana, the Police and U2, while her other influences included Gloria Estefan, Madonna, Sheryl Crow, Alanis Morissette, Marc Anthony, Meredith Brooks and the Cure.
Dance
Shakira is well known for her dancing in her music videos and concerts. Her distinctive dancing style is said to combine Latin dancing with Middle Eastern belly dancing, which is derived from her Lebanese heritage, and her hip shaking is mentioned in songs, such as Fifth Harmony's "Brave Honest Beautiful". She is noted for usually employing minimal production, usually taking the stage with minimal makeup and natural hair, and without background dancers in her performances, preferring to focus on her vocals, dance moves, and stage presence. She often performs barefoot, a form of dance she learned as a young teen to overcome her shyness. She also mentioned in an MTV interview that she learned how to belly dance by trying to flip a coin with her belly.
Singing
Shakira is a contralto. Shakira is known for her "unique and mesmerizing" singing voice which includes her "trademark" yodeling. Analyzing Shakira's cover of "Je l'aime à mourir", vocal teacher Beth Roars also noted Shakira's use of yodeling, explaining that there is "heaviness at the bottom of her tone" which "flips up" into "her head voice", as well as her ability to execute "complex melisma". She also noted Shakira's use of "Arabic scales", then stating that she uses "harmonic minor scales instead of pentatonic scales".
Legacy and impact
Shakira is a prominent figure in Latin music, commonly hailed as the 'Queen of Latin Music' for her crossover to the global market which holds a big significance that The New York Times called her the "Titan of Latin Pop" for her unique and leading position in Latin music, saying: "Even as a new generation of Spanish-speaking artists are crossing over into American music's mainstream, Shakira's output stands alone." A similar comparative perspective was made by The Independent, who named Shakira an "International Phenom" for her global appeal and sales statistics, further elaborating with "To put her in perspective, other Latin exports such as Ricky Martin and Jennifer Lopez are mere minnows next to Shakira, both selling half the number of records she does". Forbes has deemed Shakira as "crossover phenom" for her unmatched success of crossover and one of the world's most powerful Latinas. Forbes further listed Shakira as one of the world's most powerful female celebrities. AllMusic's biographer Steve Huey described her as a "Wildly inventive diva who created a cross-cultural pop sound rooted in her native Colombia but encompassing nearly every territory in the world. [...] she wrote or co-wrote nearly all of her own material, and in the process gained a reputation as one of Latin music's most ambitiously poetic lyricists." Her unprecedented crossover has inspired other Latin American artists to attempt crossing over, one example is Mexican pop star Paulina Rubio, having MTV saying "there's no question that Shakira opened doors in this country for artists like Rubio to succeed." Similarly Spin credits Shakira to have paved the way for other Latin artists to crossover, naming names like Maluma and J Balvin. After the crossover, her global and mainstream presence became big enough for Time magazine to call Shakira a "pop legend." She was marked as "one of the most influential artists of the 21st century" by ET. Throughout her career, Shakira has earned several titles, including "The Crossover Queen" by The Economist, "The Queen of World Cup" by Billboard, and "Latin America's Pop Queen" by Pitchfork. Billboard has also noted that Shakira's music videos have "redefined the role of dancing in music videos", while listing her as the best Latin female music video artist of all time. The Middle Eastern newspaper El Correo del Golfo credits Shakira with "having opened the way" for several Hispanic singers today.
The authors of Reggaeton, published by Duke University Press, credited Shakira for popularizing the genre (reggaeton) in North America, Europe, and Asia, while the Public Broadcasting Service called her one of the three "most successful artists of the so-called Golden Age of Latin Music which reshaped America's cultural landscape for the twenty-first century".
Alongside her impact on Latin and mainstream pop culture, Shakira has also impacted popular culture in the Arab World due to her popularity in the region. In a publication titled Popular Culture in the Arab World: Arts, Politics, and the Media, author Andrew Hammond credits Shakira for impacting and shifting the images of Arab pop stars such as Moroccan Samira Said and Lebanese Nawal Al Zoghbi, saying "[they] have shifted their image and sound in attempt to follow in her (Shakira's) footsteps".
In 1999 Shakira's MTV Unplugged became the program's first episode to be broadcast entirely in Spanish The concert is also noted to be the first time a Latin pop act attempted an Unplugged, as well as the first Latina solo act to do so. In 2001 Shakira's "Whenever Wherever" music video was aired on MTV with both the English and Spanish versions. According to a spokesman for the channel, this is noted as "the first time that U.S. MTV has aired a Spanish-language video." Following Daddy Yankee's "Gasolina" by five months, "La Tortura" was one of the first full Spanish-language music videos to air on MTV without an English version. In 2005, Sanz and Shakira performed "La Tortura" at the MTV Video Music Awards. In 2006 "Hips Don't Lie" was selected as one of the greatest songs by 21st century female artists by National Public Radio, ranked at number 65. "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)" was named by Billboard the best and most commercially successful World Cup song. Published by the US Bureau of International Information Programs, the journal Global Issues (2006) cited Shakira as an example of a celebrity "in today's globalized world" who "made it big by sharing the uniqueness of their talent and culture with the global community." In 2020, The New Zealand Herald found Shakira's longevity in the industry "particularly impressive given her ability to breach the lines of crossover, a feat not many artists have been able to achieve." A similar remark was made by Paper magazine, when writing about Shakira's longevity and her being one of the few pre-digital era artists to successfully crack the digital-streaming era of music, penning "[Shakira] is a titan in the digital era of music where she devours billions of streams with her catalog."
In 2010, Google revealed that Shakira was the most searched female entertainer of the year. In 2020, Shakira was the most Googled musician of the year.
In 2021, Vogue magazine Mexico chose her as the cover for its July edition.
In December 2021 Shakira was named by Kiss FM as one of the most influential female artists of the 21st century highlighting her achievements in the international market
Many artists have cited Shakira as an influence, including Beyoncé, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Katy Perry, Will.i.am, Kylie Jenner, Lauren Jauregui, Christina Aguilera, Justin Bieber, Fergie, Maluma, Karol G, Camilo, Nicky Jam, Brie Larson, Dulce María, Tini Stoessel, Natti Natasha, Rosalía, Carla Morrison, Manuel Turizo, Francisca Valenzuela, Paloma Mami, Natalia Lafourcade, Kali Uchis, Ed Sheeran, Farina, Jbalvin, Lele Pons, Andres Cuervo, Prince Royce, Romeo Santos, Wendy Sulca, Anitta, Britney Spears, Cardi B, Rita Ora, Camila Cabello, Becky G, Nora Fatehi, Kris Kross Ámsterdam, and Ayra Starr
Shakira has even received the admiration of intellectuals and writers such as Nobel Prize winner Gabriel García Márquez who has said "No one of any age can sing or dance with the innocent sensuality Shakira seems to have invented". Márquez wrote an essay exalting Shakira's "phenomenal musical talent", and "extraordinary maturity".
The newspaper El Correo del Golfo wrote that Shakira was the greatest exponent of Middle Eastern music in the West, citing her interest in Arabic music and dance.
Her influence has transcended the boundaries of pop culture, that she has become a socio-political influencer, and was named as one of the "World's Greatest Leaders" of 2017 by Fortune. The Guardian has written an extensive article about Shakira's impact on Colombia's social change, specifically in education, and her ability to discuss this issue with world leaders like Barack Obama, and Gordon Brown. Similarly The Independent has described Shakira as a "living proof that pop and politics mix" further noting that through her efforts and influence she is able to have "the ears of the global political elite".
Monuments
In 2006, a , statue of Shakira was installed in her hometown Barranquilla in a park near Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez.
In July 2018 Shakira visited Tannourine in Lebanon which is the village of her paternal grandmother. During her visit she visited the Cedars Reserve in Tannourine where a square in the forest was named after her. The square holds the name "Shakira Isabelle Mebarak"
Achievements
Shakira has received numerous awards and recognition for her work. She is the recipient of three Grammy Awards and twelve Latin Grammy Awards—the most for a female artist. Shakira has sold more than 75 million records worldwide, making her one of world's best-selling music artists. By the time she released Laundry Service in 2001, she sold 10 million albums in Latin America according to Billboard. Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems said that "Hips Don't Lie" was the most-played pop song in a single week in American radio history. It was played 9,637 times in one week. Shakira became the first artist in the history of the Billboard charts to reach the number one spots on both the Top 40 Mainstream and Latin Chart in the same week doing so with "Hips Don't Lie". Additionally, she is the only artist from South America to reach the number-one spot on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, the Australian ARIA chart, and the UK Singles Chart.
Her song "La Tortura" at one time held the record for Billboards Hot Latin Tracks chart, appearing at number-one more than any other single with a total of 25 non-consecutive weeks, a record currently held by the Luis Fonsi song "Despacito" with 56 weeks. Nokia stated in 2010, that there were more Shakira music downloads in the prior year than for any other Latino artist in the last five years, and She Wolf topped the Top 10 Latino downloads. In 2010, she was ranked number five on the 'Online Video's Most Viral Artists of 2010' with 404,118,932 views.
In 2011, Shakira was honored at the Latin Grammys as Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year, and by the Harvard Foundation as Cultural Rhythms Artist of the Year. She also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame located at 6270 Hollywood Blvd. Originally, she was to be given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2004, but she turned the offer down. In 2012, she received the honor of Chevalier De L'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. In 2014, Shakira became the first musical act to perform three times at the FIFA World Cup. In the same year, Aleiodes shakirae, a new species of parasitic wasp was named after her because it causes its host to "shake and wiggle". Forbes ranked Shakira on their list of "Top 100 World's Most Powerful Women" at number 40 in 2012, at 52 in 2013, and at 58 in 2014. In 2015 Time recognized Shakira as one of the most influential people on social media. Shakira and Argentinian president; Cristina Fernández de Kirchner were the only Latin influencers named on the list. More so Time noted that Shakira has an "unparalleled platform" on social media where she promotes her philanthropy. In 2008, Shakira was named as the Honorary Chair of the Global Campaign for Education Global Action Week.
In 2018, Spotify included Shakira in the list of top 10 most streamed female artists of the decade on the platform, making her the highest streamed Latin artist. In 2020, Shakira became the first female artist in history to have 4 songs from different decades to have over 100 million streams on Spotify, also marking her as the only artist with Spanish songs, the only Latin artist, and third overall after Michael Jackson and Eminem to achieve this milestone. In 2020 she broke the Vevo Certified Awards records, and set the record at 37, becoming artist with the most videos with over 100 million streams ever. She is now worth $300 million.
Other ventures
Shakira has ventured into many other businesses and industries. She acted in the Colombian telenovela El Oasis in 1994, playing the character of Luisa Maria.
Shakira began her own beauty line, "S by Shakira", with parent company Puig, in 2010.
Among the first perfumes it released included "S by Shakira" and "S by Shakira Eau Florale", along with lotions and body sprays. As of 2019, she has released 30 fragrances, not counting deluxe editions. On 17 September 2015, she was featured as a playable bird in the game Angry Birds POP! for a limited time, and also in a special tournament in the game Angry Birds Friends after a few weeks. On 15 October 2015, Love Rocks starring Shakira was the first video game that featured the pop star.
On 14 August 2015, at Disney's D23 Expo, it was announced that Shakira would play a character in the Disney animated movie Zootopia; in it, she would give voice to Gazelle, the biggest pop star in Zootopia. Shakira also contributed an original song to the film, titled "Try Everything", which was written and composed by Sia and Stargate. It opened to a record-breaking box office success in several countries and earned a worldwide gross of over $1 billion, making it the fourth highest-grossing film of 2016 and the 43rd highest-grossing film of all time.
In December 2021, it was announced that Shakira would be an executive producer for Dancing with Myself, an NBC dance competition series.
Philanthropy, humanitarian work and politics
In 1997, Shakira founded the Pies Descalzos Foundation, a Colombian charity with special schools for poor children all around Colombia. It was funded by Shakira and other international groups and individuals. The name of the foundation was taken from Shakira's third studio album, Pies Descalzos, which she released in 1995. The foundation's main focus is on aid through education, and the organization has five schools across Colombia that provide education and meals for 4,000 children.
On 27 April 2014 Shakira was honored with the Hero Award at the Radio Disney Music Awards for her Fundación Pies Descalzos work.
In 2005, Shakira became a founding member of Latin America in Solidarity Action, a coalition of artists and business leaders seeking to promote integrated early childhood public policies. In 2008, she served as the Honorary Chair of the Global Campaign for Education Global Action Week. Later, in 2010, she collaborated with the World Bank and the Barefoot Foundation to establish an initiative that distributes educational and developmental programs for children across Latin America.
Shakira is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and is one of their global representatives. On 3 April 2006, Shakira was honored at a UN ceremony for creating the Pies Descalzos Foundation. In March 2010, she was awarded a medal by the UN International Labour Organization in recognition of being, as UN Labour Chief Juan Somavia put it, a "true ambassador for children and young people, for quality education and social justice". In November 2010, after performing as the opening act of the MTV European Music Awards, the Colombian singer also received the MTV Free Your Mind award for her continuing dedication to improve access to education for all children around the world.
In October 2010, Shakira expressed disagreement with French president Nicolás Sarkozy and his policy of expelling Romani people from the country. In the Spanish edition of the magazine GQ, she also directed a few words to Sarkozy, "We are all gypsies". In the interview she made her viewpoint very clear: "What is happening now to them (the gypsies) will happen to our children and our children's children. We must turn to our citizens to act for the fundamental rights of human beings and condemn all that seems to us indictable", she declared.
In February 2011, the FC Barcelona Foundation and Pies descalzos reached an agreement for children's education through sport. Shakira was honored at the Latin Grammys as the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year on 9 November 2011, for her philanthropy and contributions to Latin Music. Also in 2011, she was appointed by President Barack Obama to the President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics. The World Literacy Foundation announced Shakira as the recipient of the 2020 Global Literacy Award for "her significant contribution to the improvement of literacy for disadvantaged children around the world."
On 2 November 2018, during a visit to her birthplace, Barranquilla, for the construction of a school through her Barefoot Foundation (Pies Descalzos Foundation), Shakira spoke about the educational policies of the government under Ivan Duque (President of Colombia, 2018–2022). Speaking against the government's intentions to reduce the national education budget from 13% to 7%, she said, "This is unacceptable. It shows that instead of progressing forward we are moving backward. We need to invest more in education and we need to build more schools in places where there are none". She also talked about social inequality and unschooling. In 2020, Shakira was appointed by Prince William, Duke of Cambridge as a voters’ council member for the Earthshot prize which provides 50 environmental pioneers with the funds needed to further their work in tackling major problems impacting the environment. In May 2020, Shakira donated more than 50,000 face masks and ten respirators to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in her hometown of Barranquilla. During the 2021 Colombian protests, Shakira condemned the violence and asked President Iván Duque Márquez to "immediately stop the human rights violations" and "restitute the value of human life above any political interest."
Personal life
Shakira began a relationship with Argentinian lawyer Antonio de la Rúa in 2000. In a 2009 interview, Shakira stated their relationship already worked as a married couple, and that "they don't need papers for that".
After 10 years together, Shakira and de la Rúa separated in August 2010 in what she described as "a mutual decision to take time apart from our romantic relationship". She wrote that the couple "view this period of separation as temporary", with de la Rúa overseeing Shakira's "business and career interests as he has always done". As first reported in September 2012, de la Rúa sued Shakira in April 2013, asking for $100 million he believed he was owed after Shakira suddenly terminated her business partnership with him in October 2011. His lawsuit was dismissed by a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge in August 2013.
Shakira entered a relationship with the Spanish football player Gerard Piqué, centre back for FC Barcelona and the Spanish national team in 2011. Piqué, who is exactly ten years her junior, first met Shakira in the spring of 2010, when he appeared in the music video for Shakira's song "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)", the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Shakira gave birth to the couple's first son Milan on 22 January 2013 in Barcelona, Spain, where the family had taken up residence. Shakira gave birth to their second son Sasha on 29 January 2015. Forbes listed Shakira and Piqué in their list of "World's Most Powerful Couples".
In 2020, Shakira announced her completion of an Ancient Philosophy course through the University of Pennsylvania, describing it as an impractical hobby of hers.
Financial controversy
In November 2017, Shakira was named in the Paradise Papers. It was revealed that she was the sole shareholder of a Malta-based company which was being used to transfer $30 million in music rights. Her attorneys insisted that her use of the company was entirely legal.
In 2018, due at least in part to information revealed in the Paradise Papers, Spanish authorities began an investigation into Shakira's finances. Prosecutors argued that she did not pay taxes in Spain between 2012 and 2014, during which time she was living in Spain with Piqué and their family, while Shakira argued that she maintained her primary residence in the Bahamas during that period and otherwise was touring internationally. In July 2021, a Spanish judge ruled that there was "evidence of criminality" sufficient for Shakira to be brought to trial on charges of tax fraud.
In 2021, the Pandora Papers showed that Shakira submitted applications for three offshore companies in 2019. Her representatives told LaSexta that this paperwork was not filed for purposes of establishing new companies but as part of the process of dissolving existing companies. They further claimed that the companies had no income or activities and that Spanish authorities had been made aware of their existence.
Discography
Magia (1991)
Peligro (1993)
Pies Descalzos (1995)
Dónde Están los Ladrones? (1998)
Laundry Service (2001)
Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 (2005)
Oral Fixation, Vol. 2 (2005)
She Wolf (2009)
Sale el Sol (2010)
Shakira (2014)
El Dorado (2017)
Tours
Tour Pies Descalzos (1996–1997)
Tour Anfibio (2000)
Tour of the Mongoose (2002–2003)
Oral Fixation Tour (2006–2007)
The Sun Comes Out World Tour (2010–2011)
El Dorado World Tour (2018)
Filmography
Television
Film
See also
List of artists who reached number one in the United States
List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance Club Songs chart
Best-selling international artists in Brazil
List of best-selling music artists in the United States
List of best-selling music artists
List of best-selling singles
List of Billboard Social 50 number-one artists
List of highest-certified music artists in the United States
Best-selling female artists of all time
References
Further reading
VH1 Driven: Shakira (article)
VH1 Driven: Shakira (video)
Book: Woman Full of Grace by Ximena Diego
Pareles, Jon (14 November 2005). "Shakira, from lip to hip". New Straits Times, p. L3.
"Shakira pertahan orang Arab". (8 November 2005). Berita Harian, p. 13.
Frank Cogan's review of Laundry Service for The Village Voice
Chart Performance for "Don't Bother" from the Billboard Hot 100
Chart Performance for Oral Fixation 2
New York Times Magazine article on Shakira's philanthropic work on education.
External links
1977 births
Living people
20th-century Colombian women singers
21st-century Colombian actresses
21st-century Colombian women singers
Association footballers' wives and girlfriends
Belly dancers
Chevaliers of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
Colombian female dancers
Colombian film actresses
Colombian people of Arab descent
Colombian people of Italian descent
Colombian people of Lebanese descent
Colombian people of Spanish descent
Colombian philanthropists
Colombian pop singers
Colombian record producers
Colombian rock singers
Colombian Roman Catholics
Colombian singer-songwriters
Colombian television actresses
Colombian voice actresses
Colombian women activists
Colombian women artists
Colombian women record producers
Colombian expatriates in Spain
Contraltos
Echo (music award) winners
English-language singers from Colombia
Grammy Award winners
Latin Grammy Award winners
Latin music songwriters
Latin pop singers
Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year honorees
MTV Europe Music Award winners
Participants in American reality television series
People from Barranquilla
RCA Records artists
Roc Nation artists
Sony Music Colombia artists
Sony Music Latin artists
UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors
Women in Latin music
World Music Awards winners
People named in the Paradise Papers
People named in the Pandora Papers
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"This Is the Day may refer to:\n\nThis Is the Day (album), by Christy Moore\nThis Is the Day (Ezio album), by Ezio\n\"This Is the Day\" (Ivy song)\n\"This Is the Day\" (The The song)\n\"This Is the Day\", a song by The Cranberries from Wake Up and Smell the Coffee\n This is the Day, an album by John Rutter, the Cambridge Singers and Aurora Orchestra\n\nSee also\nThis Is the Day...This Is the Hour...This Is This!, an album by Pop Will Eat Itself\n\"This is the day that the Lord hath made\", a song by John W. Peterson\nThis is the day which the Lord hath made (Handel) or Wedding anthem for Princess Anne"
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Did Shakira do the album sheWolfEdit all by herself
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Shakira
|
In early 2008, Forbes named Shakira the fourth top-earning female artist in music industry. Then, in July of that year, Shakira signed a $300 million contract with Live Nation, an international touring giant, which contract was to remain in effect for ten years. The touring group also doubles as a record label which promotes, but does not control, the music its artists release. Shakira's contract with Epic Records called for three more albums as well - one in English, one in Spanish, and a compilation, but the touring and other rights of the Live Nation deal were confirmed to begin immediately. In January 2009, Shakira performed at the Lincoln Memorial "We Are One" festivities in honor of the inauguration of President Barack Obama. She performed "Higher Ground" with Stevie Wonder and Usher. She Wolf, was released in October 2009 internationally and on 23 November 2009 in the U.S. The album received mainly positive reviews from critics, and was included in AllMusic's year-end "Favorite Albums," "Favorite Latin Albums," and "Favorite Pop Albums" lists. She Wolf reached number one on the charts of Argentina, Ireland, Italy, Mexico and Switzerland. It also charted inside the top five in Spain, Germany and the United Kingdom. It debuted at number fifteen on the Billboard 200. She Wolf was certified double-platinum in Colombia and Mexico, platinum in Italy and Spain, and gold in numerous countries including France and the United Kingdom. To date the album has sold 2 million copies worldwide, becoming one of Shakira's least successful studio album to date in terms of sales. In May, Shakira collaborated with the South African group Freshlyground to create the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)", which is based on a traditional Cameroonian soldiers's Fang song titled "Zangalewa" by the group Zangalewa or Golden Sounds. The single later reached the top 20 in Europe, South America and Africa and the top 40 in the U.S. and was performed by Shakira at the World Cup kick-off and closing. It became the biggest-selling World Cup song of all time. CANNOTANSWER
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CANNOTANSWER
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Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll ( , ; born 2 February 1977) is a Colombian singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Barranquilla, Shakira has been referred to as the "Queen of Latin Music" and is noted for her versatility in music. She made her recording debut under Sony Music Colombia at the age of 13. Following the commercial failure of her first two albums, Magia (1991) and Peligro (1993), she rose to prominence in Hispanic countries with her next albums, Pies Descalzos (1995) and Dónde Están los Ladrones? (1998). Shakira entered the English-language market with her fifth album, Laundry Service (2001), which sold over 13 million copies worldwide. Buoyed by the international number-one singles "Whenever, Wherever" and "Underneath Your Clothes", the album propelled her reputation as a leading crossover artist. Broadcast Music, Inc., the largest music rights organization in the United States, described Shakira as a pioneer who extended the global reach of Latino singers.
Her success was further solidified with the Spanish albums Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 (2005), Sale el Sol (2010), and El Dorado (2017), all of which topped the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart and were certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America. Meanwhile, her English albums Oral Fixation, Vol. 2 (2005), She Wolf (2009) and Shakira (2014) were all certified gold, platinum, or multi-platinum in various countries worldwide. Some of her songs have charted at number one in multiple countries, including "La Tortura", "Hips Don't Lie", "Beautiful Liar", "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)", "Loca", and "Chantaje". Shakira served as a coach on two seasons of the American singing competition television series The Voice (2013–2014).
With a catalog of 145 songs, Shakira has sold over 80 million records which have made her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Forbes reported that as of 2018, Shakira has become the female Latin artist who has sold the most albums in history. She is credited with opening the doors of the international market for several Latin artists who would follow after her. Shakira has received numerous awards, including three Grammy Awards, twelve Latin Grammy Awards, four MTV Video Music Awards, seven Billboard Music Awards, thirty-nine Billboard Latin Music Awards, six Guinness World Records and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She was named the Top Female Latin Artist of the Decade by Billboard twice (2000s and 2010s). For her philanthropic work with her Barefoot Foundation and her contributions to music she received the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year and Harvard Foundation Artist of the Year awards in 2011. She was appointed to the President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics in the US in 2011, and Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government in 2012.
Early life
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll was born on 2 February 1977 in Barranquilla, Colombia. She is the only child of William Mebarak Chadid and Nidia Ripoll Torrado. She is of Colombian and Lebanese descent. Her father William was born in New York City to a family from Lebanon. When he was five, his family moved to Colombia. Her Colombian mother side has two Spanish surnames, Ripoll and Torrado, the former of which is Catalan and originates from four brothers who immigrated from Catalonia to coastal Colombia in the 19th century. She has also claimed to have distant Italian roots through an ancestor with the surname "Pisciotti". The name Shakira () is Arabic for "grateful", the feminine form of the name Shakir (). She was raised Catholic and attended Catholic schools. She has eight older half-siblings from her father's previous marriage. Shakira spent much of her youth in Barranquilla, a city located on the northern Caribbean coast of Colombia. Shakira's business acumen is often attributed to a high IQ, which is reported in the entertainment press to be 140.
Shakira wrote her first poem, titled "La rosa de cristal" ('The Crystal Rose'), when she was only four years old. As she was growing up, she was fascinated watching her father writing stories on a typewriter, and asked for one as a Christmas gift. She got that typewriter at age seven, and has continued writing poetry since then. These poems eventually evolved into songs. When Shakira was two years old, an older half-brother was killed in a motorcycle accident; six years later, at age eight, Shakira wrote her first song, titled "Tus gafas oscuras" ('Your dark glasses'), which was inspired by her father, who for years wore dark glasses to hide his grief.
When Shakira was four, her father took her to a local Middle Eastern restaurant, where Shakira first heard the doumbek, a traditional drum used in Middle-Eastern music and which typically accompanied belly dancing. She started dancing on the table, and the experience made her realize that she wanted to be a performer. She enjoyed singing for schoolmates and teachers (and even the nuns) at her Catholic school, but in second grade, she was rejected for the school choir because her vibrato was too strong. The music teacher told her that she sounded "like a goat". She says she had also been known as "the belly dancer girl", as she would demonstrate every Friday at school a number she had learned. "That's how I discovered my passion for live performance," she says.
To instill gratitude in Shakira for her upbringing, her father took her to a local park to see orphans who lived there. The images stayed with her, and she said to herself: "One day I'm going to help these kids when I become a famous artist."
Between ages ten and thirteen, Shakira was invited to various events in Barranquilla and gained some recognition in the area. It was at this approximate time that she met local theater producer Monica Ariza, who was impressed with her and as a result tried to help her career. During a flight from Barranquilla to Bogotá, Ariza convinced Sony Colombia executive Ciro Vargas to hold an audition for Shakira in a hotel lobby. Vargas held Shakira in high regard and, returning to the Sony office, gave the cassette to a song and artist director. However, the director was not overly excited and thought Shakira was something of "a lost cause". Undaunted and still convinced that Shakira had talent, Vargas set up an audition in Bogotá. He arranged for Sony Colombia executives to arrive at the audition, with the idea of surprising them with Shakira's performance. She performed three songs for the executives and impressed them enough for her to be signed to record three albums.
Career
1990–1995: Beginnings
Shakira's debut album, Magia, was recorded with Sony Music Colombia in 1990 when she was only 13 years old. The songs are a collection made by her since she was eight, mixed pop-rock ballads and disco uptempo songs with electronic accompaniment. The album was released in June 1991 and featured "Magia" and three other singles. Though it fared well on Colombian radio and gave the young Shakira much exposure, the album did not fare well commercially, as only 1,200 copies were sold worldwide. After the poor performance of Magia, Shakira's label urged her to return to the studio to release a follow-up record. Though she was little known outside of her native Colombia at the time, Shakira was invited to perform at Chile's Viña del Mar International Song Festival in February 1993. The festival gave aspiring Latin American singers a chance to perform their songs, and the winner was then chosen by a panel of judges. Shakira performed the ballad "Eres" ("You Are") and won the trophy for third place. One of the judges who voted for her to win was the then 20-year-old Ricky Martin, whose initial prominence had come from his membership in Menudo.
Shakira's second studio album, titled Peligro, was released in March, but Shakira was not pleased with the final result, mainly taking issue with the production. The album was better received than Magia had been, though it was also considered a commercial failure due to Shakira's refusal to advertise or promote it. Shakira then decided to take a hiatus from recording so that she could graduate from high school. In the same year, Shakira starred in the Colombian TV series The Oasis, loosely based on the Armero tragedy in 1985. Since then, the albums have been pulled from release and are not considered official Shakira albums but rather promotional albums.
1995–2000: Latin breakthrough
Shakira originally recorded the song "¿Dónde Estás Corazón?" (later released on her album Pies Descalzos) for the compilation album Nuestro Rock in 1994, released exclusively in Colombia. The song was an instant success on radio stations in Colombia and Sony decided to finance her third record, by giving her the last chance due to previous commercial failures.
Shakira returned to recording music under Sony Music along with Columbia Records in 1995 with Luis F. Ochoa, using musical influences from a number of countries and an Alanis Morissette-oriented persona which affected two of her next albums. These recordings spawned her third studio album, and her international debut album, titled Pies Descalzos. Recording for the album began in February 1995, after the success of her single "¿Dónde Estás Corazón?".
The album, Pies Descalzos, was released in October 1995 in the Latin American countries and in February 1996 in the US. It reached number five on the U.S. Billboard Top Latin Albums chart. The album spawned six hit singles, "Estoy Aquí", which reached number two on the U.S. Latin chart, "¿Dónde Estás Corazón?" which reached number five on the U.S. Latin chart, "Pies Descalzos, Sueños Blancos" which reached number 11 on the U.S. Latin chart, "Un Poco de Amor" which reached number six on the U.S. Latin chart, "Antología" which reached number 15 on the U.S. Latin chart, and "Se quiere, Se Mata" which reached number eight on the U.S. Latin chart. In August 1996, RIAA certified the album platinum status.
In March 1996, Shakira went on to her first international tour, named simply the Tour Pies Descalzos. The tour consisted of 20 shows and ended in 1997. Also in that year, Shakira received three Billboard Latin Music Awards for Album of the Year for Pies Descalzos, Video of the Year for "Estoy Aqui", and Best New Artist. Pies Descalzos later sold over 5 million copies, prompting the release of a remix album, simply titled The Remixes. The Remixes also included Portuguese versions of some of her well-known songs, which were recorded as a result of her success in the Brazilian market, where Pies Descalzos sold nearly one million copies.
Her fourth studio album was titled Dónde Están los Ladrones? Produced by Shakira with Emilio Estefan, Jr. as the executive producer it was released in September 1998. The album, inspired by an incident in an airport in which a suitcase filled with her written lyrics was stolen, became a bigger hit than Pies Descalzos. The album has reached a peak position of number 131 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and held the top spot on the U.S. Latin Albums chart for 11 weeks. It has since sold over 7 million copies worldwide and 1.5 million copies in the U.S. alone, making it one of the best selling Spanish albums in the U.S. Eight singles were taken from the album including "Ciega, Sordomuda", "Moscas En La Casa", "No Creo", "Inevitable", "Tú", "Si Te Vas", "Octavo día", and "Ojos Así".
Shakira also received her first Grammy Award nomination in 1999 for Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album. Shakira's first live album, MTV Unplugged, was recorded in New York City on 12 August 1999. Highly acclaimed by American critics, it is rated as one of her best-ever live performances. In March 2000, Shakira embarked on her Tour Anfibio, a two-month tour of Latin America and the United States. In August 2000, she won an MTV Video Music Award in the category of People's Choice – Favorite International Artist for "Ojos Así". In September 2000, Shakira performed "Ojos Así" at the inaugural ceremony of the Latin Grammy Awards, where she was nominated in five categories: Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for MTV Unplugged, Best Female Rock Vocal Performance for "Octavo Día", Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and Best Short Form Music Video for the video for "Ojos Así".
2001–2004: English transition with Laundry Service
Upon the success of Dónde Están los Ladrones? and MTV Unplugged, Shakira began working on an English crossover album. She learned English with the help of Gloria Estefan. She worked for over a year on new material for the album. "Whenever, Wherever", called "Suerte" in Spanish-speaking countries, was released as the first and lead single from her first English album and fifth studio album throughout the period between August 2001 and February 2002. The song took heavy influence from Andean music, including the charango and panpipes in its instrumentation. It became an international success by reaching number one in most countries. It was also her first success in the U.S., by reaching number six on the Hot 100.
Shakira's fifth studio album and first English language album, titled Laundry Service in English-speaking countries and Servicio De Lavanderia in Latin America and Spain, was released on 13 November 2001. The album debuted at number three on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling over 200,000 records in its first week. The album was later certified triple platinum by the RIAA in June 2004 as well. It helped to establish Shakira's musical presence in the mainstream North American market. Seven singles were taken from the album such as "Whenever, Wherever"/"Suerte", "Underneath Your Clothes", "Objection (Tango)"/"Te Aviso, Te Anuncio (Tango)", "The One", "Te Dejo Madrid", "Que Me Quedes Tú", and "Poem to a Horse".
Because the album was created for the English-language market, the rock and Spanish dance-influenced album gained mild critical success, with some critics claiming that her English skills were too weak for her to write songs for it; Rolling Stone, for one, stated that "she sounds downright silly" or "Shakira's magic is lost in translation". A similar view was expressed by Elizabeth Mendez Berry in Vibe: "While her Spanish-language albums sparkled with elegant wordplay, this record is rife with cliches, both musically and lyrically. [...] For Anglophone Latin lovers, Shakira's lyrics are best left to the imagination." Despite this fact, the album became the best selling album of 2002, selling more than 13 million copies worldwide. and became the most successful album of her career to date. The album earned her the title as the biggest Latin female crossover artist in the world. Around this time, Shakira also released four songs for Pepsi for her promotion in the English markets: "Ask for More", "Pide Más", "Knock on My Door", and "Pídeme el Sol". In Chicago Tribune, journalist Joshua Klein defined her international ascent "as multilateral, multicultural and cooperative as they come."
In 2002, at Aerosmith's MTV Icon in April 2002, Shakira performed "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)". She also joined Cher, Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Mary J. Blige, Anastacia, and the Dixie Chicks for VH1 Divas Live Las Vegas. In August, she performed "Objection (Tango)" at the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards, and won the International Viewer's Choice Award with "Whenever, Wherever". She also won the Latin Grammy Award for the category of Best Short Form Music Video for the Spanish version of the video. In October, she won five MTV Video Music Awards Latin America for Best Female Artist, Best Pop Artist, Best Artist – North (Region), Video of the Year (for "Suerte"), and Artist of the Year. In November, she embarked on the Tour of the Mongoose with 61 shows occurring by May 2003. The tour was also her first worldwide tour, as legs were played in North America, South America, Europe and Asia. Shakira's label, Sony BMG, also released her Spanish greatest-hits compilation, Grandes Éxitos. A DVD and 10-track live album, titled Live & Off the Record, was also released in 2004, commemorating the Tour of the Mongoose.
2005–2007: Fijación Oral, Volumen Uno and Oral Fixation, Volume Two
Shakira's sixth studio album, Fijación Oral, Volumen Uno, was released in June 2005. The lead single from the album, "La Tortura", reached the top 40 on the Hot 100. The song also featured the Spanish balladeer Alejandro Sanz. Shakira; Sanz and Daddy Yankee ("Gasolina") were the first artists to perform Spanish language songs at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards. The album was extremely well received. It debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 157,000 copies in its first week. It has since sold over two million copies in the U.S., earning an 11× Platinum (Latin field) certification from the RIAA. Due to its first week sales, the album became the highest debut ever for a Spanish language album. After only a day of release in Latin America, the album earned certifications. In Venezuela, it earned a Platinum certification, in Colombia, a triple Platinum certification, while in Mexico demand exceeded shipments and the album was unavailable after only one day of release. Four other singles were also released from the album: "No", "Día de Enero", "La Pared", and "Las de la Intuición". Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 has since sold over four million copies worldwide. On 8 February 2006, Shakira won her second Grammy Award with the win of Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album for Fijación Oral, Vol. 1. She received four Latin Grammy Awards in November 2006, winning the awards for Record of the Year, Song of the Year for "La Tortura", Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for Fijación Oral, Vol. 1.
The lead single for Shakira's seventh album, Oral Fixation, Vol. 2, "Don't Bother", failed to achieve chart success in the U.S. by missing the top 40 on the Hot 100. It did, however, reach the top 20 in most countries worldwide. Shakira's second English studio album and seventh studio album, Oral Fixation, Vol. 2, was released on 29 November 2005. The album debuted at number five on the Billboard 200, selling 128,000 copies in its first week. The album has gone on to sell 1.8 million records in the U.S., and over eight million copies worldwide.
Despite the commercial failure of the album's lead single in the U.S., it went on to spawn two more singles. "Hips Don't Lie", which featured Wyclef Jean, was released as the album's second single in February 2006. It would become Shakira's first number one single on the Billboard Hot 100, in addition to reaching number one in over 55 countries. Shakira and Wyclef Jean also recorded a Bamboo version of the song to serve as the closing ceremony song of the FIFA World Cup 2006. Shakira later released the third and final single from the album, "Illegal", which featured Carlos Santana, in November 2006. She then embarked on the Oral Fixation Tour, which began in June 2006. The tour consisted of 125 shows between June 2006 and July 2007 and visited six continents. In February 2007, Shakira performed for the first time at the 49th Grammy Awards and earned the nomination for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for "Hips Don't Lie" with Wyclef Jean.
In late 2006, Shakira and Alejandro Sanz collaborated for the duet "Te lo Agradezco, Pero No", which is featured on Sanz's album El Tren de los Momentos. The song was a top ten hit in Latin America, and topped the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart. Shakira also collaborated with Miguel Bosé on the duet "Si Tú No Vuelves", which was released in Bosé's album Papito. In early 2007, Shakira worked with American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles for the track "Beautiful Liar", which was released as the second single from the deluxe edition of Beyoncé's album B'Day. In April 2007, the single jumped 91 positions, from 94 to three, on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, setting the record for the largest upward movement in the history of the chart at the time. It was also number one on the official UK Singles Chart. The song earned them a Grammy Award nomination for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals. Shakira was also featured on Annie Lennox's song "Sing", from the album Songs of Mass Destruction, which also features other 23 other female singers. In late 2007, Shakira and Wyclef Jean recorded their second duet, "King and Queen". The song was featured on Wyclef Jean's 2007 album Carnival Vol. II: Memoirs of an Immigrant.
Shakira wrote the lyrics, and jointly composed the music, for two new songs that are featured in the movie Love in the Time of Cholera, based on the acclaimed novel written by Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez. García Marquez himself asked Shakira to write the songs. The songs that Shakira lent to the soundtrack were "Pienso en ti", a song from Shakira's breakthrough album Pies Descalzos, "Hay Amores", and "Despedida". "Despedida" was nominated for Best Original Song at the 65th Golden Globe Awards.
2008–2010: She Wolf
In early 2008, Forbes named Shakira the fourth top-earning female artist in music industry. Then, in July of that year, Shakira signed a $300 million contract with Live Nation, which was to remain in effect for ten years. The touring group also doubles as a record label which promotes, but does not control, the music its artists release. Shakira's contract with Epic Records called for three more albums as well – one in English, one in Spanish, and a compilation, but the touring and other rights of the Live Nation deal were confirmed to begin immediately.
In January 2009, Shakira performed at the Lincoln Memorial "We Are One" festivities in honor of the inauguration of President Barack Obama. She performed "Higher Ground" with Stevie Wonder and Usher. She Wolf, was released in October 2009 internationally and on 23 November 2009 in the U.S. The album received mainly positive reviews from critics, and was included in AllMusic's year-end "Favorite Albums," "Favorite Latin Albums," and "Favorite Pop Albums" lists.
She Wolf reached number one on the charts of Argentina, Ireland, Italy, Mexico and Switzerland. It also charted inside the top five in Spain, Germany and the United Kingdom. It debuted at number fifteen on the Billboard 200. She Wolf was certified double-platinum in Colombia and Mexico, platinum in Italy and Spain, and gold in numerous countries including France and the United Kingdom. The album sold 2 million copies worldwide, becoming one of Shakira's least successful studio album to date in terms of sales.
In May, Shakira collaborated with the South African group Freshlyground to create the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)", which is based on a traditional Cameroonian soldiers's Fang song titled "Zangalewa" by the group Zangalewa or Golden Sounds. The single later reached the top 20 in Europe, South America and Africa and the top 40 in the U.S. and was performed by Shakira at the World Cup kick-off and closing. It became the biggest-selling World Cup song of all time.
2010–2015: Sale el Sol and Shakira
In October 2010, Shakira released her ninth studio album, titled Sale el Sol. The album received critical acclaim and was included in AllMusic's "Favorite Albums of 2010" and "Favorite Latin Albums of 2010" year-end lists. At the 2011 Latin Grammy Awards ceremony, Sale el Sol was nominated for "Album of the Year" and "Best Female Pop Vocal Album", winning the award in the latter category.
Commercially the album was a success throughout Europe and Latin America, Sale el Sol peaked atop the charts of countries Belgium, Croatia, France, Mexico, Portugal and Spain. In the United States, it debuted at number seven on the US Billboard 200 chart marking the highest debut for a Latin album for the year and was Shakira's fifth album to peak at number one. According to Billboard, 35% of its first-week sales were credited to strong digital sales. The album also peaked at number one on both the Top Latin Albums and Latin Pop Albums charts, achieving strong digital sales in the region. The lead single, "Loca", was number one in many countries. The album had sold over 1 million copies worldwide in 6 weeks, and over 4 million since its release.
In September, Shakira embarked on The Sun Comes Out World Tour, in support of her two most recent albums. The tour visited countries in North America, Europe, South America, Asia, and Africa with 107 shows in all. The tour was met with positive reactions from critics, who praised Shakira's stage presence and energy during her performances. On 9 November 2011, Shakira was honored as Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year and performed a cover of Joe Arroyo's song "En Barranquilla Me Quedo" at the Mandalay Bay Events Center as a tribute to the singer, who had died earlier that year. In 2010 Shakira collaborated with rapper Pitbull for the song "Get It Started", which was slated to be the lead single from Pitbull's upcoming album, Global Warming. The single was released on 28 June 2012. She was also signed to Roc Nation under management purposes for her upcoming studio album.
On 17 September 2012, it was announced that Shakira and Usher would replace Christina Aguilera and CeeLo Green for the fourth season of the U.S. TV show The Voice, alongside Adam Levine and Blake Shelton. Shakira announced that she would focus on her new album in the fall and eventually returned for the show's sixth season in February 2014.
Shakira originally planned to release her new album in 2012, but due to her pregnancy, plans to release the single and video were postponed.
In December 2013, it was announced that Shakira's new single had been delayed until January 2014.
Shakira's self-titled tenth studio album was later released on 25 March 2014. Commercially the album debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 chart with first week sales of 85,000 copies. By doing so, Shakira became the singer's highest-charting album on the chart, although it also achieved her lowest first-week sales figure (for an English-language album).
The album spawned three singles.
After release the first two singles from the album, "Can't Remember to Forget You" and "Empire". RCA chose "Dare (La La La)" as third single. The World Cup version was officially released on 27 May to impact radio stations, features Brazilian musician Carlinhos Brown. On 13 July 2014, Shakira performed "La La La (Brazil 2014)" with Carlinhos Brown at the 2014 FIFA World Cup closing ceremony at the Maracanã Stadium. This performance became her third consecutive appearance at the FIFA World Cup.
2016–2020: El Dorado and Super Bowl LIV
Shakira began work on her eleventh studio album in the beginning of 2016. In May 2016, she collaborated with Colombian singer Carlos Vives on the track "La Bicicleta", which went to win the Latin Grammy Award for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. On 28 October 2016, Shakira released the single "Chantaje" with Colombian singer Maluma; though the song was a track from the upcoming eleventh studio album, it was not intended to be the lead single. The song became Shakira's most-viewed YouTube video, with over 2.1 billion views as of 1 June 2018. On 7 April 2017, Shakira released the song "Me Enamoré" as the second official single taken from her eleventh studio album El Dorado, which was released on 26 May 2017. She also released the song "Perro Fiel" featuring Nicky Jam as a promotional single for the album on 25 May 2017. Its official release as the third single took place on 15 September 2017, the same date its music video, which was filmed in Barcelona on 27 July 2017, was released. Before being released as a single, "Perro Fiel" was already certified as gold in Spain for selling over 20,000 copies on 30 August 2017.
In January 2018, Shakira won her third Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album for El Dorado, making her the only female Latin artist to do so. She then released "Trap", the fourth single off the album and her second collaboration with Maluma.
The El Dorado World Tour was announced on 27 June 2017, through Shakira's official Twitter account, and was slated to be sponsored by Rakuten. Other announced partners of the tour were Live Nation Entertainment's Global Touring Division (which had previously collaborated with Shakira on her The Sun Comes Out World Tour) and Citi, which the press release named as, respectively, the producer and the credit card for the North American leg of the tour.
The tour, it was announced, would begin on 8 November, in Cologne, Germany. But due to voice-strain related problems the singer experienced during her tour rehearsals, the date was cancelled one day before the original tour schedule, and it was announced that it would be rescheduled for a later date. On 9 November, for the same reason, she also announced the postponements to later dates, to be determined and announced, for both shows in Paris, as well as the following ones in Antwerp and Amsterdam. On 14 November, Shakira made an announcement, through her social networks, in which she revealed that she had suffered a haemorrhage on her right vocal cord in late October, at her last series of rehearsals, and that she thus needed to rest her voice for some time to recover; this forced the postponement of the tour's entire European itinerary to 2018.
The Latin American dates were expected to be announced later, when the tour resumed. There were plans to bring the tour, when it did resume, to countries such as the Dominican Republic. In addition, a journalist from the Brazilian edition of the Portuguese newspaper Destak announced, on his Twitter account, that the Colombian singer would visit Brazil the following March. However, according to the same newspaper, due to Shakira's hiatus to recover from her vocal-cord haemorrhage, the Latin American dates were also postponed to the second half of 2018. Eventually, Shakira did recover fully from the haemorrhage she had suffered and resumed her tour, performing in Hamburg, Germany on 3 June 2018.
In January 2018 she announced the dates for her El Dorado World Tour. She began the first leg of her tour in Europe, starting in Hamburg, Germany on 3 June and then ending in Barcelona, Spain on 7 July. She then spent a short time in Asia on the 11 and 13 July, after which she went to North America. She started her time there on 3 August in Chicago and finished in San Francisco on 7 September. Her tour dates for Latin America, started in Mexico City on 11 October and finished in Bogota, Colombia on 3 November. Forbes ranked her among the world's highest-paid women in music in 2019, at number 10.
In February 2020, she and Jennifer Lopez performed for the Super Bowl LIV halftime show. According to Billboard, the halftime show had a viewership of 103 million people. On YouTube, it became the most viewed halftime show at that point in time. Shakira appeared in two television specials performing her songs during the COVID-19 pandemic, including Global Goal: Unite for Our Future (with "Sale el Sol") and The Disney Family Singalong: Volume II (with "Try Everything").
2021–Present: Upcoming twelfth studio album and Dancing with Myself
In January 2021, Shakira sold her catalog of 145 songs to Hipgnosis Songs Fund. The company did not disclose the financial details of the sale.
On 16 July 2021, Shakira released a single titled "Don't Wait Up".
In December 2021, Shakira was set to judge the dance competition series Dancing with Myself on NBC.
In January 2022, Shakira confirmed the release of her upcoming twelfth studio album in an interview with Walt Disney World.
Artistry
On her music, Shakira has said that, "my music, I think, is a fusion of many different elements. And I'm always experimenting. So I try not to limit myself, or put myself in a category, or... be the architect of my own jail." Shakira has frequently stated she is inspired by oriental music and Indian music, which influenced many of her earlier works. She has also been influenced by her Arab heritage, which was a major inspiration for her breakthrough world hit "Ojos Así". She told Portuguese TV, "Many of my movements belong to Arab culture." She also cites her parents as having been major contributors to her musical style. She is also strongly influenced by Andean music and South American folk music, using her native instrumentation for her Latin dance-pop songs.
Her earlier Spanish albums, including Pies Descalzos and Dónde Están los Ladrones? were a mix of folk music and Latin rock.
Her cross-over English album, Laundry Service and later albums were influenced by pop rock and pop Latino. "Laundry Service" is primarily a pop rock album, but also draws influences from a variety of musical genres. The singer credited this to her mixed ethnicity, saying: "I am a fusion. That's my persona. I'm a fusion between black and white, between pop and rock, between cultures – between my Lebanese father and my mother's Spanish blood, the Colombian folklore and Arab dance I love and American music."
The Arabian and Middle Eastern music elements that exerted a high influence on Dónde Están los Ladrones? are also present in Laundry Service, most prominently on "Eyes Like Yours"/"Ojos Así". Musical styles from different South American countries surface on the album. Tango, a style of fast-paced ballroom dance that originated in Argentina, is evident on "Objection (Tango)", which also combines elements of rock and roll. The uptempo track features a guitar solo and a bridge in which Shakira delivers rap-like vocals.
She Wolf is primarily an electropop album that combines influences from the musical styles of various countries and regions, like Africa, Colombia, India, and the Middle East. Shakira termed the album as a "sonic experimental trip", and said that she researched folk music from different countries in order to "combine electronics with world sounds, tambourines, clarinets, oriental and Hindu music, dancehall, etc."
Her 2010 album, Sale el Sol, is a return to her beginnings containing ballads, rock songs, and Latin dance songs like "Loca". In 2017, Deutsche Welles journalist Kate Müser commented on Shakira's "globalized sound": "[her] Latin beats, spiced with Middle Eastern and other world elements and made comfortably familiar by being churned through the pop machine, make you feel like a citizen of the world."
Influences
As a child, Shakira was influenced by rock music, listening heavily to rock bands like Led Zeppelin, the Beatles, Nirvana, the Police and U2, while her other influences included Gloria Estefan, Madonna, Sheryl Crow, Alanis Morissette, Marc Anthony, Meredith Brooks and the Cure.
Dance
Shakira is well known for her dancing in her music videos and concerts. Her distinctive dancing style is said to combine Latin dancing with Middle Eastern belly dancing, which is derived from her Lebanese heritage, and her hip shaking is mentioned in songs, such as Fifth Harmony's "Brave Honest Beautiful". She is noted for usually employing minimal production, usually taking the stage with minimal makeup and natural hair, and without background dancers in her performances, preferring to focus on her vocals, dance moves, and stage presence. She often performs barefoot, a form of dance she learned as a young teen to overcome her shyness. She also mentioned in an MTV interview that she learned how to belly dance by trying to flip a coin with her belly.
Singing
Shakira is a contralto. Shakira is known for her "unique and mesmerizing" singing voice which includes her "trademark" yodeling. Analyzing Shakira's cover of "Je l'aime à mourir", vocal teacher Beth Roars also noted Shakira's use of yodeling, explaining that there is "heaviness at the bottom of her tone" which "flips up" into "her head voice", as well as her ability to execute "complex melisma". She also noted Shakira's use of "Arabic scales", then stating that she uses "harmonic minor scales instead of pentatonic scales".
Legacy and impact
Shakira is a prominent figure in Latin music, commonly hailed as the 'Queen of Latin Music' for her crossover to the global market which holds a big significance that The New York Times called her the "Titan of Latin Pop" for her unique and leading position in Latin music, saying: "Even as a new generation of Spanish-speaking artists are crossing over into American music's mainstream, Shakira's output stands alone." A similar comparative perspective was made by The Independent, who named Shakira an "International Phenom" for her global appeal and sales statistics, further elaborating with "To put her in perspective, other Latin exports such as Ricky Martin and Jennifer Lopez are mere minnows next to Shakira, both selling half the number of records she does". Forbes has deemed Shakira as "crossover phenom" for her unmatched success of crossover and one of the world's most powerful Latinas. Forbes further listed Shakira as one of the world's most powerful female celebrities. AllMusic's biographer Steve Huey described her as a "Wildly inventive diva who created a cross-cultural pop sound rooted in her native Colombia but encompassing nearly every territory in the world. [...] she wrote or co-wrote nearly all of her own material, and in the process gained a reputation as one of Latin music's most ambitiously poetic lyricists." Her unprecedented crossover has inspired other Latin American artists to attempt crossing over, one example is Mexican pop star Paulina Rubio, having MTV saying "there's no question that Shakira opened doors in this country for artists like Rubio to succeed." Similarly Spin credits Shakira to have paved the way for other Latin artists to crossover, naming names like Maluma and J Balvin. After the crossover, her global and mainstream presence became big enough for Time magazine to call Shakira a "pop legend." She was marked as "one of the most influential artists of the 21st century" by ET. Throughout her career, Shakira has earned several titles, including "The Crossover Queen" by The Economist, "The Queen of World Cup" by Billboard, and "Latin America's Pop Queen" by Pitchfork. Billboard has also noted that Shakira's music videos have "redefined the role of dancing in music videos", while listing her as the best Latin female music video artist of all time. The Middle Eastern newspaper El Correo del Golfo credits Shakira with "having opened the way" for several Hispanic singers today.
The authors of Reggaeton, published by Duke University Press, credited Shakira for popularizing the genre (reggaeton) in North America, Europe, and Asia, while the Public Broadcasting Service called her one of the three "most successful artists of the so-called Golden Age of Latin Music which reshaped America's cultural landscape for the twenty-first century".
Alongside her impact on Latin and mainstream pop culture, Shakira has also impacted popular culture in the Arab World due to her popularity in the region. In a publication titled Popular Culture in the Arab World: Arts, Politics, and the Media, author Andrew Hammond credits Shakira for impacting and shifting the images of Arab pop stars such as Moroccan Samira Said and Lebanese Nawal Al Zoghbi, saying "[they] have shifted their image and sound in attempt to follow in her (Shakira's) footsteps".
In 1999 Shakira's MTV Unplugged became the program's first episode to be broadcast entirely in Spanish The concert is also noted to be the first time a Latin pop act attempted an Unplugged, as well as the first Latina solo act to do so. In 2001 Shakira's "Whenever Wherever" music video was aired on MTV with both the English and Spanish versions. According to a spokesman for the channel, this is noted as "the first time that U.S. MTV has aired a Spanish-language video." Following Daddy Yankee's "Gasolina" by five months, "La Tortura" was one of the first full Spanish-language music videos to air on MTV without an English version. In 2005, Sanz and Shakira performed "La Tortura" at the MTV Video Music Awards. In 2006 "Hips Don't Lie" was selected as one of the greatest songs by 21st century female artists by National Public Radio, ranked at number 65. "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)" was named by Billboard the best and most commercially successful World Cup song. Published by the US Bureau of International Information Programs, the journal Global Issues (2006) cited Shakira as an example of a celebrity "in today's globalized world" who "made it big by sharing the uniqueness of their talent and culture with the global community." In 2020, The New Zealand Herald found Shakira's longevity in the industry "particularly impressive given her ability to breach the lines of crossover, a feat not many artists have been able to achieve." A similar remark was made by Paper magazine, when writing about Shakira's longevity and her being one of the few pre-digital era artists to successfully crack the digital-streaming era of music, penning "[Shakira] is a titan in the digital era of music where she devours billions of streams with her catalog."
In 2010, Google revealed that Shakira was the most searched female entertainer of the year. In 2020, Shakira was the most Googled musician of the year.
In 2021, Vogue magazine Mexico chose her as the cover for its July edition.
In December 2021 Shakira was named by Kiss FM as one of the most influential female artists of the 21st century highlighting her achievements in the international market
Many artists have cited Shakira as an influence, including Beyoncé, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Katy Perry, Will.i.am, Kylie Jenner, Lauren Jauregui, Christina Aguilera, Justin Bieber, Fergie, Maluma, Karol G, Camilo, Nicky Jam, Brie Larson, Dulce María, Tini Stoessel, Natti Natasha, Rosalía, Carla Morrison, Manuel Turizo, Francisca Valenzuela, Paloma Mami, Natalia Lafourcade, Kali Uchis, Ed Sheeran, Farina, Jbalvin, Lele Pons, Andres Cuervo, Prince Royce, Romeo Santos, Wendy Sulca, Anitta, Britney Spears, Cardi B, Rita Ora, Camila Cabello, Becky G, Nora Fatehi, Kris Kross Ámsterdam, and Ayra Starr
Shakira has even received the admiration of intellectuals and writers such as Nobel Prize winner Gabriel García Márquez who has said "No one of any age can sing or dance with the innocent sensuality Shakira seems to have invented". Márquez wrote an essay exalting Shakira's "phenomenal musical talent", and "extraordinary maturity".
The newspaper El Correo del Golfo wrote that Shakira was the greatest exponent of Middle Eastern music in the West, citing her interest in Arabic music and dance.
Her influence has transcended the boundaries of pop culture, that she has become a socio-political influencer, and was named as one of the "World's Greatest Leaders" of 2017 by Fortune. The Guardian has written an extensive article about Shakira's impact on Colombia's social change, specifically in education, and her ability to discuss this issue with world leaders like Barack Obama, and Gordon Brown. Similarly The Independent has described Shakira as a "living proof that pop and politics mix" further noting that through her efforts and influence she is able to have "the ears of the global political elite".
Monuments
In 2006, a , statue of Shakira was installed in her hometown Barranquilla in a park near Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez.
In July 2018 Shakira visited Tannourine in Lebanon which is the village of her paternal grandmother. During her visit she visited the Cedars Reserve in Tannourine where a square in the forest was named after her. The square holds the name "Shakira Isabelle Mebarak"
Achievements
Shakira has received numerous awards and recognition for her work. She is the recipient of three Grammy Awards and twelve Latin Grammy Awards—the most for a female artist. Shakira has sold more than 75 million records worldwide, making her one of world's best-selling music artists. By the time she released Laundry Service in 2001, she sold 10 million albums in Latin America according to Billboard. Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems said that "Hips Don't Lie" was the most-played pop song in a single week in American radio history. It was played 9,637 times in one week. Shakira became the first artist in the history of the Billboard charts to reach the number one spots on both the Top 40 Mainstream and Latin Chart in the same week doing so with "Hips Don't Lie". Additionally, she is the only artist from South America to reach the number-one spot on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, the Australian ARIA chart, and the UK Singles Chart.
Her song "La Tortura" at one time held the record for Billboards Hot Latin Tracks chart, appearing at number-one more than any other single with a total of 25 non-consecutive weeks, a record currently held by the Luis Fonsi song "Despacito" with 56 weeks. Nokia stated in 2010, that there were more Shakira music downloads in the prior year than for any other Latino artist in the last five years, and She Wolf topped the Top 10 Latino downloads. In 2010, she was ranked number five on the 'Online Video's Most Viral Artists of 2010' with 404,118,932 views.
In 2011, Shakira was honored at the Latin Grammys as Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year, and by the Harvard Foundation as Cultural Rhythms Artist of the Year. She also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame located at 6270 Hollywood Blvd. Originally, she was to be given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2004, but she turned the offer down. In 2012, she received the honor of Chevalier De L'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. In 2014, Shakira became the first musical act to perform three times at the FIFA World Cup. In the same year, Aleiodes shakirae, a new species of parasitic wasp was named after her because it causes its host to "shake and wiggle". Forbes ranked Shakira on their list of "Top 100 World's Most Powerful Women" at number 40 in 2012, at 52 in 2013, and at 58 in 2014. In 2015 Time recognized Shakira as one of the most influential people on social media. Shakira and Argentinian president; Cristina Fernández de Kirchner were the only Latin influencers named on the list. More so Time noted that Shakira has an "unparalleled platform" on social media where she promotes her philanthropy. In 2008, Shakira was named as the Honorary Chair of the Global Campaign for Education Global Action Week.
In 2018, Spotify included Shakira in the list of top 10 most streamed female artists of the decade on the platform, making her the highest streamed Latin artist. In 2020, Shakira became the first female artist in history to have 4 songs from different decades to have over 100 million streams on Spotify, also marking her as the only artist with Spanish songs, the only Latin artist, and third overall after Michael Jackson and Eminem to achieve this milestone. In 2020 she broke the Vevo Certified Awards records, and set the record at 37, becoming artist with the most videos with over 100 million streams ever. She is now worth $300 million.
Other ventures
Shakira has ventured into many other businesses and industries. She acted in the Colombian telenovela El Oasis in 1994, playing the character of Luisa Maria.
Shakira began her own beauty line, "S by Shakira", with parent company Puig, in 2010.
Among the first perfumes it released included "S by Shakira" and "S by Shakira Eau Florale", along with lotions and body sprays. As of 2019, she has released 30 fragrances, not counting deluxe editions. On 17 September 2015, she was featured as a playable bird in the game Angry Birds POP! for a limited time, and also in a special tournament in the game Angry Birds Friends after a few weeks. On 15 October 2015, Love Rocks starring Shakira was the first video game that featured the pop star.
On 14 August 2015, at Disney's D23 Expo, it was announced that Shakira would play a character in the Disney animated movie Zootopia; in it, she would give voice to Gazelle, the biggest pop star in Zootopia. Shakira also contributed an original song to the film, titled "Try Everything", which was written and composed by Sia and Stargate. It opened to a record-breaking box office success in several countries and earned a worldwide gross of over $1 billion, making it the fourth highest-grossing film of 2016 and the 43rd highest-grossing film of all time.
In December 2021, it was announced that Shakira would be an executive producer for Dancing with Myself, an NBC dance competition series.
Philanthropy, humanitarian work and politics
In 1997, Shakira founded the Pies Descalzos Foundation, a Colombian charity with special schools for poor children all around Colombia. It was funded by Shakira and other international groups and individuals. The name of the foundation was taken from Shakira's third studio album, Pies Descalzos, which she released in 1995. The foundation's main focus is on aid through education, and the organization has five schools across Colombia that provide education and meals for 4,000 children.
On 27 April 2014 Shakira was honored with the Hero Award at the Radio Disney Music Awards for her Fundación Pies Descalzos work.
In 2005, Shakira became a founding member of Latin America in Solidarity Action, a coalition of artists and business leaders seeking to promote integrated early childhood public policies. In 2008, she served as the Honorary Chair of the Global Campaign for Education Global Action Week. Later, in 2010, she collaborated with the World Bank and the Barefoot Foundation to establish an initiative that distributes educational and developmental programs for children across Latin America.
Shakira is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and is one of their global representatives. On 3 April 2006, Shakira was honored at a UN ceremony for creating the Pies Descalzos Foundation. In March 2010, she was awarded a medal by the UN International Labour Organization in recognition of being, as UN Labour Chief Juan Somavia put it, a "true ambassador for children and young people, for quality education and social justice". In November 2010, after performing as the opening act of the MTV European Music Awards, the Colombian singer also received the MTV Free Your Mind award for her continuing dedication to improve access to education for all children around the world.
In October 2010, Shakira expressed disagreement with French president Nicolás Sarkozy and his policy of expelling Romani people from the country. In the Spanish edition of the magazine GQ, she also directed a few words to Sarkozy, "We are all gypsies". In the interview she made her viewpoint very clear: "What is happening now to them (the gypsies) will happen to our children and our children's children. We must turn to our citizens to act for the fundamental rights of human beings and condemn all that seems to us indictable", she declared.
In February 2011, the FC Barcelona Foundation and Pies descalzos reached an agreement for children's education through sport. Shakira was honored at the Latin Grammys as the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year on 9 November 2011, for her philanthropy and contributions to Latin Music. Also in 2011, she was appointed by President Barack Obama to the President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics. The World Literacy Foundation announced Shakira as the recipient of the 2020 Global Literacy Award for "her significant contribution to the improvement of literacy for disadvantaged children around the world."
On 2 November 2018, during a visit to her birthplace, Barranquilla, for the construction of a school through her Barefoot Foundation (Pies Descalzos Foundation), Shakira spoke about the educational policies of the government under Ivan Duque (President of Colombia, 2018–2022). Speaking against the government's intentions to reduce the national education budget from 13% to 7%, she said, "This is unacceptable. It shows that instead of progressing forward we are moving backward. We need to invest more in education and we need to build more schools in places where there are none". She also talked about social inequality and unschooling. In 2020, Shakira was appointed by Prince William, Duke of Cambridge as a voters’ council member for the Earthshot prize which provides 50 environmental pioneers with the funds needed to further their work in tackling major problems impacting the environment. In May 2020, Shakira donated more than 50,000 face masks and ten respirators to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in her hometown of Barranquilla. During the 2021 Colombian protests, Shakira condemned the violence and asked President Iván Duque Márquez to "immediately stop the human rights violations" and "restitute the value of human life above any political interest."
Personal life
Shakira began a relationship with Argentinian lawyer Antonio de la Rúa in 2000. In a 2009 interview, Shakira stated their relationship already worked as a married couple, and that "they don't need papers for that".
After 10 years together, Shakira and de la Rúa separated in August 2010 in what she described as "a mutual decision to take time apart from our romantic relationship". She wrote that the couple "view this period of separation as temporary", with de la Rúa overseeing Shakira's "business and career interests as he has always done". As first reported in September 2012, de la Rúa sued Shakira in April 2013, asking for $100 million he believed he was owed after Shakira suddenly terminated her business partnership with him in October 2011. His lawsuit was dismissed by a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge in August 2013.
Shakira entered a relationship with the Spanish football player Gerard Piqué, centre back for FC Barcelona and the Spanish national team in 2011. Piqué, who is exactly ten years her junior, first met Shakira in the spring of 2010, when he appeared in the music video for Shakira's song "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)", the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Shakira gave birth to the couple's first son Milan on 22 January 2013 in Barcelona, Spain, where the family had taken up residence. Shakira gave birth to their second son Sasha on 29 January 2015. Forbes listed Shakira and Piqué in their list of "World's Most Powerful Couples".
In 2020, Shakira announced her completion of an Ancient Philosophy course through the University of Pennsylvania, describing it as an impractical hobby of hers.
Financial controversy
In November 2017, Shakira was named in the Paradise Papers. It was revealed that she was the sole shareholder of a Malta-based company which was being used to transfer $30 million in music rights. Her attorneys insisted that her use of the company was entirely legal.
In 2018, due at least in part to information revealed in the Paradise Papers, Spanish authorities began an investigation into Shakira's finances. Prosecutors argued that she did not pay taxes in Spain between 2012 and 2014, during which time she was living in Spain with Piqué and their family, while Shakira argued that she maintained her primary residence in the Bahamas during that period and otherwise was touring internationally. In July 2021, a Spanish judge ruled that there was "evidence of criminality" sufficient for Shakira to be brought to trial on charges of tax fraud.
In 2021, the Pandora Papers showed that Shakira submitted applications for three offshore companies in 2019. Her representatives told LaSexta that this paperwork was not filed for purposes of establishing new companies but as part of the process of dissolving existing companies. They further claimed that the companies had no income or activities and that Spanish authorities had been made aware of their existence.
Discography
Magia (1991)
Peligro (1993)
Pies Descalzos (1995)
Dónde Están los Ladrones? (1998)
Laundry Service (2001)
Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 (2005)
Oral Fixation, Vol. 2 (2005)
She Wolf (2009)
Sale el Sol (2010)
Shakira (2014)
El Dorado (2017)
Tours
Tour Pies Descalzos (1996–1997)
Tour Anfibio (2000)
Tour of the Mongoose (2002–2003)
Oral Fixation Tour (2006–2007)
The Sun Comes Out World Tour (2010–2011)
El Dorado World Tour (2018)
Filmography
Television
Film
See also
List of artists who reached number one in the United States
List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance Club Songs chart
Best-selling international artists in Brazil
List of best-selling music artists in the United States
List of best-selling music artists
List of best-selling singles
List of Billboard Social 50 number-one artists
List of highest-certified music artists in the United States
Best-selling female artists of all time
References
Further reading
VH1 Driven: Shakira (article)
VH1 Driven: Shakira (video)
Book: Woman Full of Grace by Ximena Diego
Pareles, Jon (14 November 2005). "Shakira, from lip to hip". New Straits Times, p. L3.
"Shakira pertahan orang Arab". (8 November 2005). Berita Harian, p. 13.
Frank Cogan's review of Laundry Service for The Village Voice
Chart Performance for "Don't Bother" from the Billboard Hot 100
Chart Performance for Oral Fixation 2
New York Times Magazine article on Shakira's philanthropic work on education.
External links
1977 births
Living people
20th-century Colombian women singers
21st-century Colombian actresses
21st-century Colombian women singers
Association footballers' wives and girlfriends
Belly dancers
Chevaliers of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
Colombian female dancers
Colombian film actresses
Colombian people of Arab descent
Colombian people of Italian descent
Colombian people of Lebanese descent
Colombian people of Spanish descent
Colombian philanthropists
Colombian pop singers
Colombian record producers
Colombian rock singers
Colombian Roman Catholics
Colombian singer-songwriters
Colombian television actresses
Colombian voice actresses
Colombian women activists
Colombian women artists
Colombian women record producers
Colombian expatriates in Spain
Contraltos
Echo (music award) winners
English-language singers from Colombia
Grammy Award winners
Latin Grammy Award winners
Latin music songwriters
Latin pop singers
Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year honorees
MTV Europe Music Award winners
Participants in American reality television series
People from Barranquilla
RCA Records artists
Roc Nation artists
Sony Music Colombia artists
Sony Music Latin artists
UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors
Women in Latin music
World Music Awards winners
People named in the Paradise Papers
People named in the Pandora Papers
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"Frei is the fifth studio album by German recording artist LaFee. It was released on 19 August 2011 by Capitol Records as a follow up to her successful, Ring Frei (2009) and greatest hits album Best Of – LaFee (2009).\n\nBackground\nIn an interview with the German magazine Bild the singer said that this new album was really important to her because she has changed a lot since her previous album. She also explained the reasons behind this break; she said that she was tired of always being away from her home and her friends. She was just a teenager when she began her career and had grown up so fast, without time to think whether she had missed something or not. She was always being told what to do and need to be herself, not mentioning all the gossip that had run between her and her boyfriends. She admitted she could think about nothing but sleeping for days. So she had split with her old team, her old band and her old manager and had asked her label to change her contract and she was lucky because they said yes. Finally, she stated that now she's ready to come back with new songs (she wrote three songs by herself and co-wrote another two), themes closer to her like love and growing up and a new, more mature look.\n\nSingles\n\"Ich Bin\" was released as the album's lead single on 10 June 2011. It peaked at #80 on the German and #53 on the Austrian Singles Charts.\n\nA second single, \"Leben wir jetzt\", was released on 11 November 2011. It did not chart.\n\nTrack listing\nThe following track listing has been confirmed by EMI.\n\nRelease history\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\nOfficial LaFee website\n\nLaFee albums\nGerman-language albums\n2011 albums",
"The Truth is the seventh studio and fifth major studio album from American singer Ledisi, released on Verve Records on March 11, 2014. The album had no guest appearances.\n\nBackground\nLedisi expressed the album was about self-discovery and growth. She told Amazon \"With every album I grow, and with The Truth I've gone to a new level. It's an extension of who I am and where I am in my life\". She also stated: \"There was a time when I felt like I had to please everybody,\"...\"Now I'm like 'I don't care anymore.\"\n\nShe also did some mediation and exercise during the making of the album saying \"I did some mediation and I started working out hard. Not like how I used to where I would do a couple of crunches and then drink a soda! Now I'm really challenging myself.\" The song \"I Blame You\" was written by Claude Kelly, Chuck Harmony and Ledisi (herself).\n\nCritical reception\n\nAndy Kellman from AllMusic found that \"as with those preceding albums, The Truth is certainly informed by the past but sounds contemporary; even more vibrant than her own Turn Me Loose but not as rooted in early- to mid-'70s funk and soul [...] Succinct, consistent, vibrant, and all Ledisi all the time – there are no guest appearances – this is one of the singer and songwriter's best releases.\"\n\nTrack listing\n\nNotes\n denotes co-producer\n\nCharts\n\nWeekly charts\n\nYear-end charts\n\nRelease history\n\nReferences\n\n2014 albums\nLedisi albums\nVerve Records albums\nFunk albums by American artists"
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"She Wolf, was released in October 2009 internationally and on 23 November 2009 in the U.S.",
"What songs are on shewolf",
"I don't know.",
"Is shewolf a song or an album",
"The album received mainly positive reviews from critics,",
"Did she do the album all by herself",
"I don't know."
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did she tour
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did Shakira tour
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Shakira
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In early 2008, Forbes named Shakira the fourth top-earning female artist in music industry. Then, in July of that year, Shakira signed a $300 million contract with Live Nation, an international touring giant, which contract was to remain in effect for ten years. The touring group also doubles as a record label which promotes, but does not control, the music its artists release. Shakira's contract with Epic Records called for three more albums as well - one in English, one in Spanish, and a compilation, but the touring and other rights of the Live Nation deal were confirmed to begin immediately. In January 2009, Shakira performed at the Lincoln Memorial "We Are One" festivities in honor of the inauguration of President Barack Obama. She performed "Higher Ground" with Stevie Wonder and Usher. She Wolf, was released in October 2009 internationally and on 23 November 2009 in the U.S. The album received mainly positive reviews from critics, and was included in AllMusic's year-end "Favorite Albums," "Favorite Latin Albums," and "Favorite Pop Albums" lists. She Wolf reached number one on the charts of Argentina, Ireland, Italy, Mexico and Switzerland. It also charted inside the top five in Spain, Germany and the United Kingdom. It debuted at number fifteen on the Billboard 200. She Wolf was certified double-platinum in Colombia and Mexico, platinum in Italy and Spain, and gold in numerous countries including France and the United Kingdom. To date the album has sold 2 million copies worldwide, becoming one of Shakira's least successful studio album to date in terms of sales. In May, Shakira collaborated with the South African group Freshlyground to create the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)", which is based on a traditional Cameroonian soldiers's Fang song titled "Zangalewa" by the group Zangalewa or Golden Sounds. The single later reached the top 20 in Europe, South America and Africa and the top 40 in the U.S. and was performed by Shakira at the World Cup kick-off and closing. It became the biggest-selling World Cup song of all time. CANNOTANSWER
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CANNOTANSWER
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Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll ( , ; born 2 February 1977) is a Colombian singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Barranquilla, Shakira has been referred to as the "Queen of Latin Music" and is noted for her versatility in music. She made her recording debut under Sony Music Colombia at the age of 13. Following the commercial failure of her first two albums, Magia (1991) and Peligro (1993), she rose to prominence in Hispanic countries with her next albums, Pies Descalzos (1995) and Dónde Están los Ladrones? (1998). Shakira entered the English-language market with her fifth album, Laundry Service (2001), which sold over 13 million copies worldwide. Buoyed by the international number-one singles "Whenever, Wherever" and "Underneath Your Clothes", the album propelled her reputation as a leading crossover artist. Broadcast Music, Inc., the largest music rights organization in the United States, described Shakira as a pioneer who extended the global reach of Latino singers.
Her success was further solidified with the Spanish albums Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 (2005), Sale el Sol (2010), and El Dorado (2017), all of which topped the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart and were certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America. Meanwhile, her English albums Oral Fixation, Vol. 2 (2005), She Wolf (2009) and Shakira (2014) were all certified gold, platinum, or multi-platinum in various countries worldwide. Some of her songs have charted at number one in multiple countries, including "La Tortura", "Hips Don't Lie", "Beautiful Liar", "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)", "Loca", and "Chantaje". Shakira served as a coach on two seasons of the American singing competition television series The Voice (2013–2014).
With a catalog of 145 songs, Shakira has sold over 80 million records which have made her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Forbes reported that as of 2018, Shakira has become the female Latin artist who has sold the most albums in history. She is credited with opening the doors of the international market for several Latin artists who would follow after her. Shakira has received numerous awards, including three Grammy Awards, twelve Latin Grammy Awards, four MTV Video Music Awards, seven Billboard Music Awards, thirty-nine Billboard Latin Music Awards, six Guinness World Records and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She was named the Top Female Latin Artist of the Decade by Billboard twice (2000s and 2010s). For her philanthropic work with her Barefoot Foundation and her contributions to music she received the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year and Harvard Foundation Artist of the Year awards in 2011. She was appointed to the President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics in the US in 2011, and Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government in 2012.
Early life
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll was born on 2 February 1977 in Barranquilla, Colombia. She is the only child of William Mebarak Chadid and Nidia Ripoll Torrado. She is of Colombian and Lebanese descent. Her father William was born in New York City to a family from Lebanon. When he was five, his family moved to Colombia. Her Colombian mother side has two Spanish surnames, Ripoll and Torrado, the former of which is Catalan and originates from four brothers who immigrated from Catalonia to coastal Colombia in the 19th century. She has also claimed to have distant Italian roots through an ancestor with the surname "Pisciotti". The name Shakira () is Arabic for "grateful", the feminine form of the name Shakir (). She was raised Catholic and attended Catholic schools. She has eight older half-siblings from her father's previous marriage. Shakira spent much of her youth in Barranquilla, a city located on the northern Caribbean coast of Colombia. Shakira's business acumen is often attributed to a high IQ, which is reported in the entertainment press to be 140.
Shakira wrote her first poem, titled "La rosa de cristal" ('The Crystal Rose'), when she was only four years old. As she was growing up, she was fascinated watching her father writing stories on a typewriter, and asked for one as a Christmas gift. She got that typewriter at age seven, and has continued writing poetry since then. These poems eventually evolved into songs. When Shakira was two years old, an older half-brother was killed in a motorcycle accident; six years later, at age eight, Shakira wrote her first song, titled "Tus gafas oscuras" ('Your dark glasses'), which was inspired by her father, who for years wore dark glasses to hide his grief.
When Shakira was four, her father took her to a local Middle Eastern restaurant, where Shakira first heard the doumbek, a traditional drum used in Middle-Eastern music and which typically accompanied belly dancing. She started dancing on the table, and the experience made her realize that she wanted to be a performer. She enjoyed singing for schoolmates and teachers (and even the nuns) at her Catholic school, but in second grade, she was rejected for the school choir because her vibrato was too strong. The music teacher told her that she sounded "like a goat". She says she had also been known as "the belly dancer girl", as she would demonstrate every Friday at school a number she had learned. "That's how I discovered my passion for live performance," she says.
To instill gratitude in Shakira for her upbringing, her father took her to a local park to see orphans who lived there. The images stayed with her, and she said to herself: "One day I'm going to help these kids when I become a famous artist."
Between ages ten and thirteen, Shakira was invited to various events in Barranquilla and gained some recognition in the area. It was at this approximate time that she met local theater producer Monica Ariza, who was impressed with her and as a result tried to help her career. During a flight from Barranquilla to Bogotá, Ariza convinced Sony Colombia executive Ciro Vargas to hold an audition for Shakira in a hotel lobby. Vargas held Shakira in high regard and, returning to the Sony office, gave the cassette to a song and artist director. However, the director was not overly excited and thought Shakira was something of "a lost cause". Undaunted and still convinced that Shakira had talent, Vargas set up an audition in Bogotá. He arranged for Sony Colombia executives to arrive at the audition, with the idea of surprising them with Shakira's performance. She performed three songs for the executives and impressed them enough for her to be signed to record three albums.
Career
1990–1995: Beginnings
Shakira's debut album, Magia, was recorded with Sony Music Colombia in 1990 when she was only 13 years old. The songs are a collection made by her since she was eight, mixed pop-rock ballads and disco uptempo songs with electronic accompaniment. The album was released in June 1991 and featured "Magia" and three other singles. Though it fared well on Colombian radio and gave the young Shakira much exposure, the album did not fare well commercially, as only 1,200 copies were sold worldwide. After the poor performance of Magia, Shakira's label urged her to return to the studio to release a follow-up record. Though she was little known outside of her native Colombia at the time, Shakira was invited to perform at Chile's Viña del Mar International Song Festival in February 1993. The festival gave aspiring Latin American singers a chance to perform their songs, and the winner was then chosen by a panel of judges. Shakira performed the ballad "Eres" ("You Are") and won the trophy for third place. One of the judges who voted for her to win was the then 20-year-old Ricky Martin, whose initial prominence had come from his membership in Menudo.
Shakira's second studio album, titled Peligro, was released in March, but Shakira was not pleased with the final result, mainly taking issue with the production. The album was better received than Magia had been, though it was also considered a commercial failure due to Shakira's refusal to advertise or promote it. Shakira then decided to take a hiatus from recording so that she could graduate from high school. In the same year, Shakira starred in the Colombian TV series The Oasis, loosely based on the Armero tragedy in 1985. Since then, the albums have been pulled from release and are not considered official Shakira albums but rather promotional albums.
1995–2000: Latin breakthrough
Shakira originally recorded the song "¿Dónde Estás Corazón?" (later released on her album Pies Descalzos) for the compilation album Nuestro Rock in 1994, released exclusively in Colombia. The song was an instant success on radio stations in Colombia and Sony decided to finance her third record, by giving her the last chance due to previous commercial failures.
Shakira returned to recording music under Sony Music along with Columbia Records in 1995 with Luis F. Ochoa, using musical influences from a number of countries and an Alanis Morissette-oriented persona which affected two of her next albums. These recordings spawned her third studio album, and her international debut album, titled Pies Descalzos. Recording for the album began in February 1995, after the success of her single "¿Dónde Estás Corazón?".
The album, Pies Descalzos, was released in October 1995 in the Latin American countries and in February 1996 in the US. It reached number five on the U.S. Billboard Top Latin Albums chart. The album spawned six hit singles, "Estoy Aquí", which reached number two on the U.S. Latin chart, "¿Dónde Estás Corazón?" which reached number five on the U.S. Latin chart, "Pies Descalzos, Sueños Blancos" which reached number 11 on the U.S. Latin chart, "Un Poco de Amor" which reached number six on the U.S. Latin chart, "Antología" which reached number 15 on the U.S. Latin chart, and "Se quiere, Se Mata" which reached number eight on the U.S. Latin chart. In August 1996, RIAA certified the album platinum status.
In March 1996, Shakira went on to her first international tour, named simply the Tour Pies Descalzos. The tour consisted of 20 shows and ended in 1997. Also in that year, Shakira received three Billboard Latin Music Awards for Album of the Year for Pies Descalzos, Video of the Year for "Estoy Aqui", and Best New Artist. Pies Descalzos later sold over 5 million copies, prompting the release of a remix album, simply titled The Remixes. The Remixes also included Portuguese versions of some of her well-known songs, which were recorded as a result of her success in the Brazilian market, where Pies Descalzos sold nearly one million copies.
Her fourth studio album was titled Dónde Están los Ladrones? Produced by Shakira with Emilio Estefan, Jr. as the executive producer it was released in September 1998. The album, inspired by an incident in an airport in which a suitcase filled with her written lyrics was stolen, became a bigger hit than Pies Descalzos. The album has reached a peak position of number 131 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and held the top spot on the U.S. Latin Albums chart for 11 weeks. It has since sold over 7 million copies worldwide and 1.5 million copies in the U.S. alone, making it one of the best selling Spanish albums in the U.S. Eight singles were taken from the album including "Ciega, Sordomuda", "Moscas En La Casa", "No Creo", "Inevitable", "Tú", "Si Te Vas", "Octavo día", and "Ojos Así".
Shakira also received her first Grammy Award nomination in 1999 for Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album. Shakira's first live album, MTV Unplugged, was recorded in New York City on 12 August 1999. Highly acclaimed by American critics, it is rated as one of her best-ever live performances. In March 2000, Shakira embarked on her Tour Anfibio, a two-month tour of Latin America and the United States. In August 2000, she won an MTV Video Music Award in the category of People's Choice – Favorite International Artist for "Ojos Así". In September 2000, Shakira performed "Ojos Así" at the inaugural ceremony of the Latin Grammy Awards, where she was nominated in five categories: Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for MTV Unplugged, Best Female Rock Vocal Performance for "Octavo Día", Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and Best Short Form Music Video for the video for "Ojos Así".
2001–2004: English transition with Laundry Service
Upon the success of Dónde Están los Ladrones? and MTV Unplugged, Shakira began working on an English crossover album. She learned English with the help of Gloria Estefan. She worked for over a year on new material for the album. "Whenever, Wherever", called "Suerte" in Spanish-speaking countries, was released as the first and lead single from her first English album and fifth studio album throughout the period between August 2001 and February 2002. The song took heavy influence from Andean music, including the charango and panpipes in its instrumentation. It became an international success by reaching number one in most countries. It was also her first success in the U.S., by reaching number six on the Hot 100.
Shakira's fifth studio album and first English language album, titled Laundry Service in English-speaking countries and Servicio De Lavanderia in Latin America and Spain, was released on 13 November 2001. The album debuted at number three on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling over 200,000 records in its first week. The album was later certified triple platinum by the RIAA in June 2004 as well. It helped to establish Shakira's musical presence in the mainstream North American market. Seven singles were taken from the album such as "Whenever, Wherever"/"Suerte", "Underneath Your Clothes", "Objection (Tango)"/"Te Aviso, Te Anuncio (Tango)", "The One", "Te Dejo Madrid", "Que Me Quedes Tú", and "Poem to a Horse".
Because the album was created for the English-language market, the rock and Spanish dance-influenced album gained mild critical success, with some critics claiming that her English skills were too weak for her to write songs for it; Rolling Stone, for one, stated that "she sounds downright silly" or "Shakira's magic is lost in translation". A similar view was expressed by Elizabeth Mendez Berry in Vibe: "While her Spanish-language albums sparkled with elegant wordplay, this record is rife with cliches, both musically and lyrically. [...] For Anglophone Latin lovers, Shakira's lyrics are best left to the imagination." Despite this fact, the album became the best selling album of 2002, selling more than 13 million copies worldwide. and became the most successful album of her career to date. The album earned her the title as the biggest Latin female crossover artist in the world. Around this time, Shakira also released four songs for Pepsi for her promotion in the English markets: "Ask for More", "Pide Más", "Knock on My Door", and "Pídeme el Sol". In Chicago Tribune, journalist Joshua Klein defined her international ascent "as multilateral, multicultural and cooperative as they come."
In 2002, at Aerosmith's MTV Icon in April 2002, Shakira performed "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)". She also joined Cher, Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Mary J. Blige, Anastacia, and the Dixie Chicks for VH1 Divas Live Las Vegas. In August, she performed "Objection (Tango)" at the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards, and won the International Viewer's Choice Award with "Whenever, Wherever". She also won the Latin Grammy Award for the category of Best Short Form Music Video for the Spanish version of the video. In October, she won five MTV Video Music Awards Latin America for Best Female Artist, Best Pop Artist, Best Artist – North (Region), Video of the Year (for "Suerte"), and Artist of the Year. In November, she embarked on the Tour of the Mongoose with 61 shows occurring by May 2003. The tour was also her first worldwide tour, as legs were played in North America, South America, Europe and Asia. Shakira's label, Sony BMG, also released her Spanish greatest-hits compilation, Grandes Éxitos. A DVD and 10-track live album, titled Live & Off the Record, was also released in 2004, commemorating the Tour of the Mongoose.
2005–2007: Fijación Oral, Volumen Uno and Oral Fixation, Volume Two
Shakira's sixth studio album, Fijación Oral, Volumen Uno, was released in June 2005. The lead single from the album, "La Tortura", reached the top 40 on the Hot 100. The song also featured the Spanish balladeer Alejandro Sanz. Shakira; Sanz and Daddy Yankee ("Gasolina") were the first artists to perform Spanish language songs at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards. The album was extremely well received. It debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 157,000 copies in its first week. It has since sold over two million copies in the U.S., earning an 11× Platinum (Latin field) certification from the RIAA. Due to its first week sales, the album became the highest debut ever for a Spanish language album. After only a day of release in Latin America, the album earned certifications. In Venezuela, it earned a Platinum certification, in Colombia, a triple Platinum certification, while in Mexico demand exceeded shipments and the album was unavailable after only one day of release. Four other singles were also released from the album: "No", "Día de Enero", "La Pared", and "Las de la Intuición". Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 has since sold over four million copies worldwide. On 8 February 2006, Shakira won her second Grammy Award with the win of Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album for Fijación Oral, Vol. 1. She received four Latin Grammy Awards in November 2006, winning the awards for Record of the Year, Song of the Year for "La Tortura", Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for Fijación Oral, Vol. 1.
The lead single for Shakira's seventh album, Oral Fixation, Vol. 2, "Don't Bother", failed to achieve chart success in the U.S. by missing the top 40 on the Hot 100. It did, however, reach the top 20 in most countries worldwide. Shakira's second English studio album and seventh studio album, Oral Fixation, Vol. 2, was released on 29 November 2005. The album debuted at number five on the Billboard 200, selling 128,000 copies in its first week. The album has gone on to sell 1.8 million records in the U.S., and over eight million copies worldwide.
Despite the commercial failure of the album's lead single in the U.S., it went on to spawn two more singles. "Hips Don't Lie", which featured Wyclef Jean, was released as the album's second single in February 2006. It would become Shakira's first number one single on the Billboard Hot 100, in addition to reaching number one in over 55 countries. Shakira and Wyclef Jean also recorded a Bamboo version of the song to serve as the closing ceremony song of the FIFA World Cup 2006. Shakira later released the third and final single from the album, "Illegal", which featured Carlos Santana, in November 2006. She then embarked on the Oral Fixation Tour, which began in June 2006. The tour consisted of 125 shows between June 2006 and July 2007 and visited six continents. In February 2007, Shakira performed for the first time at the 49th Grammy Awards and earned the nomination for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for "Hips Don't Lie" with Wyclef Jean.
In late 2006, Shakira and Alejandro Sanz collaborated for the duet "Te lo Agradezco, Pero No", which is featured on Sanz's album El Tren de los Momentos. The song was a top ten hit in Latin America, and topped the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart. Shakira also collaborated with Miguel Bosé on the duet "Si Tú No Vuelves", which was released in Bosé's album Papito. In early 2007, Shakira worked with American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles for the track "Beautiful Liar", which was released as the second single from the deluxe edition of Beyoncé's album B'Day. In April 2007, the single jumped 91 positions, from 94 to three, on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, setting the record for the largest upward movement in the history of the chart at the time. It was also number one on the official UK Singles Chart. The song earned them a Grammy Award nomination for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals. Shakira was also featured on Annie Lennox's song "Sing", from the album Songs of Mass Destruction, which also features other 23 other female singers. In late 2007, Shakira and Wyclef Jean recorded their second duet, "King and Queen". The song was featured on Wyclef Jean's 2007 album Carnival Vol. II: Memoirs of an Immigrant.
Shakira wrote the lyrics, and jointly composed the music, for two new songs that are featured in the movie Love in the Time of Cholera, based on the acclaimed novel written by Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez. García Marquez himself asked Shakira to write the songs. The songs that Shakira lent to the soundtrack were "Pienso en ti", a song from Shakira's breakthrough album Pies Descalzos, "Hay Amores", and "Despedida". "Despedida" was nominated for Best Original Song at the 65th Golden Globe Awards.
2008–2010: She Wolf
In early 2008, Forbes named Shakira the fourth top-earning female artist in music industry. Then, in July of that year, Shakira signed a $300 million contract with Live Nation, which was to remain in effect for ten years. The touring group also doubles as a record label which promotes, but does not control, the music its artists release. Shakira's contract with Epic Records called for three more albums as well – one in English, one in Spanish, and a compilation, but the touring and other rights of the Live Nation deal were confirmed to begin immediately.
In January 2009, Shakira performed at the Lincoln Memorial "We Are One" festivities in honor of the inauguration of President Barack Obama. She performed "Higher Ground" with Stevie Wonder and Usher. She Wolf, was released in October 2009 internationally and on 23 November 2009 in the U.S. The album received mainly positive reviews from critics, and was included in AllMusic's year-end "Favorite Albums," "Favorite Latin Albums," and "Favorite Pop Albums" lists.
She Wolf reached number one on the charts of Argentina, Ireland, Italy, Mexico and Switzerland. It also charted inside the top five in Spain, Germany and the United Kingdom. It debuted at number fifteen on the Billboard 200. She Wolf was certified double-platinum in Colombia and Mexico, platinum in Italy and Spain, and gold in numerous countries including France and the United Kingdom. The album sold 2 million copies worldwide, becoming one of Shakira's least successful studio album to date in terms of sales.
In May, Shakira collaborated with the South African group Freshlyground to create the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)", which is based on a traditional Cameroonian soldiers's Fang song titled "Zangalewa" by the group Zangalewa or Golden Sounds. The single later reached the top 20 in Europe, South America and Africa and the top 40 in the U.S. and was performed by Shakira at the World Cup kick-off and closing. It became the biggest-selling World Cup song of all time.
2010–2015: Sale el Sol and Shakira
In October 2010, Shakira released her ninth studio album, titled Sale el Sol. The album received critical acclaim and was included in AllMusic's "Favorite Albums of 2010" and "Favorite Latin Albums of 2010" year-end lists. At the 2011 Latin Grammy Awards ceremony, Sale el Sol was nominated for "Album of the Year" and "Best Female Pop Vocal Album", winning the award in the latter category.
Commercially the album was a success throughout Europe and Latin America, Sale el Sol peaked atop the charts of countries Belgium, Croatia, France, Mexico, Portugal and Spain. In the United States, it debuted at number seven on the US Billboard 200 chart marking the highest debut for a Latin album for the year and was Shakira's fifth album to peak at number one. According to Billboard, 35% of its first-week sales were credited to strong digital sales. The album also peaked at number one on both the Top Latin Albums and Latin Pop Albums charts, achieving strong digital sales in the region. The lead single, "Loca", was number one in many countries. The album had sold over 1 million copies worldwide in 6 weeks, and over 4 million since its release.
In September, Shakira embarked on The Sun Comes Out World Tour, in support of her two most recent albums. The tour visited countries in North America, Europe, South America, Asia, and Africa with 107 shows in all. The tour was met with positive reactions from critics, who praised Shakira's stage presence and energy during her performances. On 9 November 2011, Shakira was honored as Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year and performed a cover of Joe Arroyo's song "En Barranquilla Me Quedo" at the Mandalay Bay Events Center as a tribute to the singer, who had died earlier that year. In 2010 Shakira collaborated with rapper Pitbull for the song "Get It Started", which was slated to be the lead single from Pitbull's upcoming album, Global Warming. The single was released on 28 June 2012. She was also signed to Roc Nation under management purposes for her upcoming studio album.
On 17 September 2012, it was announced that Shakira and Usher would replace Christina Aguilera and CeeLo Green for the fourth season of the U.S. TV show The Voice, alongside Adam Levine and Blake Shelton. Shakira announced that she would focus on her new album in the fall and eventually returned for the show's sixth season in February 2014.
Shakira originally planned to release her new album in 2012, but due to her pregnancy, plans to release the single and video were postponed.
In December 2013, it was announced that Shakira's new single had been delayed until January 2014.
Shakira's self-titled tenth studio album was later released on 25 March 2014. Commercially the album debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 chart with first week sales of 85,000 copies. By doing so, Shakira became the singer's highest-charting album on the chart, although it also achieved her lowest first-week sales figure (for an English-language album).
The album spawned three singles.
After release the first two singles from the album, "Can't Remember to Forget You" and "Empire". RCA chose "Dare (La La La)" as third single. The World Cup version was officially released on 27 May to impact radio stations, features Brazilian musician Carlinhos Brown. On 13 July 2014, Shakira performed "La La La (Brazil 2014)" with Carlinhos Brown at the 2014 FIFA World Cup closing ceremony at the Maracanã Stadium. This performance became her third consecutive appearance at the FIFA World Cup.
2016–2020: El Dorado and Super Bowl LIV
Shakira began work on her eleventh studio album in the beginning of 2016. In May 2016, she collaborated with Colombian singer Carlos Vives on the track "La Bicicleta", which went to win the Latin Grammy Award for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. On 28 October 2016, Shakira released the single "Chantaje" with Colombian singer Maluma; though the song was a track from the upcoming eleventh studio album, it was not intended to be the lead single. The song became Shakira's most-viewed YouTube video, with over 2.1 billion views as of 1 June 2018. On 7 April 2017, Shakira released the song "Me Enamoré" as the second official single taken from her eleventh studio album El Dorado, which was released on 26 May 2017. She also released the song "Perro Fiel" featuring Nicky Jam as a promotional single for the album on 25 May 2017. Its official release as the third single took place on 15 September 2017, the same date its music video, which was filmed in Barcelona on 27 July 2017, was released. Before being released as a single, "Perro Fiel" was already certified as gold in Spain for selling over 20,000 copies on 30 August 2017.
In January 2018, Shakira won her third Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album for El Dorado, making her the only female Latin artist to do so. She then released "Trap", the fourth single off the album and her second collaboration with Maluma.
The El Dorado World Tour was announced on 27 June 2017, through Shakira's official Twitter account, and was slated to be sponsored by Rakuten. Other announced partners of the tour were Live Nation Entertainment's Global Touring Division (which had previously collaborated with Shakira on her The Sun Comes Out World Tour) and Citi, which the press release named as, respectively, the producer and the credit card for the North American leg of the tour.
The tour, it was announced, would begin on 8 November, in Cologne, Germany. But due to voice-strain related problems the singer experienced during her tour rehearsals, the date was cancelled one day before the original tour schedule, and it was announced that it would be rescheduled for a later date. On 9 November, for the same reason, she also announced the postponements to later dates, to be determined and announced, for both shows in Paris, as well as the following ones in Antwerp and Amsterdam. On 14 November, Shakira made an announcement, through her social networks, in which she revealed that she had suffered a haemorrhage on her right vocal cord in late October, at her last series of rehearsals, and that she thus needed to rest her voice for some time to recover; this forced the postponement of the tour's entire European itinerary to 2018.
The Latin American dates were expected to be announced later, when the tour resumed. There were plans to bring the tour, when it did resume, to countries such as the Dominican Republic. In addition, a journalist from the Brazilian edition of the Portuguese newspaper Destak announced, on his Twitter account, that the Colombian singer would visit Brazil the following March. However, according to the same newspaper, due to Shakira's hiatus to recover from her vocal-cord haemorrhage, the Latin American dates were also postponed to the second half of 2018. Eventually, Shakira did recover fully from the haemorrhage she had suffered and resumed her tour, performing in Hamburg, Germany on 3 June 2018.
In January 2018 she announced the dates for her El Dorado World Tour. She began the first leg of her tour in Europe, starting in Hamburg, Germany on 3 June and then ending in Barcelona, Spain on 7 July. She then spent a short time in Asia on the 11 and 13 July, after which she went to North America. She started her time there on 3 August in Chicago and finished in San Francisco on 7 September. Her tour dates for Latin America, started in Mexico City on 11 October and finished in Bogota, Colombia on 3 November. Forbes ranked her among the world's highest-paid women in music in 2019, at number 10.
In February 2020, she and Jennifer Lopez performed for the Super Bowl LIV halftime show. According to Billboard, the halftime show had a viewership of 103 million people. On YouTube, it became the most viewed halftime show at that point in time. Shakira appeared in two television specials performing her songs during the COVID-19 pandemic, including Global Goal: Unite for Our Future (with "Sale el Sol") and The Disney Family Singalong: Volume II (with "Try Everything").
2021–Present: Upcoming twelfth studio album and Dancing with Myself
In January 2021, Shakira sold her catalog of 145 songs to Hipgnosis Songs Fund. The company did not disclose the financial details of the sale.
On 16 July 2021, Shakira released a single titled "Don't Wait Up".
In December 2021, Shakira was set to judge the dance competition series Dancing with Myself on NBC.
In January 2022, Shakira confirmed the release of her upcoming twelfth studio album in an interview with Walt Disney World.
Artistry
On her music, Shakira has said that, "my music, I think, is a fusion of many different elements. And I'm always experimenting. So I try not to limit myself, or put myself in a category, or... be the architect of my own jail." Shakira has frequently stated she is inspired by oriental music and Indian music, which influenced many of her earlier works. She has also been influenced by her Arab heritage, which was a major inspiration for her breakthrough world hit "Ojos Así". She told Portuguese TV, "Many of my movements belong to Arab culture." She also cites her parents as having been major contributors to her musical style. She is also strongly influenced by Andean music and South American folk music, using her native instrumentation for her Latin dance-pop songs.
Her earlier Spanish albums, including Pies Descalzos and Dónde Están los Ladrones? were a mix of folk music and Latin rock.
Her cross-over English album, Laundry Service and later albums were influenced by pop rock and pop Latino. "Laundry Service" is primarily a pop rock album, but also draws influences from a variety of musical genres. The singer credited this to her mixed ethnicity, saying: "I am a fusion. That's my persona. I'm a fusion between black and white, between pop and rock, between cultures – between my Lebanese father and my mother's Spanish blood, the Colombian folklore and Arab dance I love and American music."
The Arabian and Middle Eastern music elements that exerted a high influence on Dónde Están los Ladrones? are also present in Laundry Service, most prominently on "Eyes Like Yours"/"Ojos Así". Musical styles from different South American countries surface on the album. Tango, a style of fast-paced ballroom dance that originated in Argentina, is evident on "Objection (Tango)", which also combines elements of rock and roll. The uptempo track features a guitar solo and a bridge in which Shakira delivers rap-like vocals.
She Wolf is primarily an electropop album that combines influences from the musical styles of various countries and regions, like Africa, Colombia, India, and the Middle East. Shakira termed the album as a "sonic experimental trip", and said that she researched folk music from different countries in order to "combine electronics with world sounds, tambourines, clarinets, oriental and Hindu music, dancehall, etc."
Her 2010 album, Sale el Sol, is a return to her beginnings containing ballads, rock songs, and Latin dance songs like "Loca". In 2017, Deutsche Welles journalist Kate Müser commented on Shakira's "globalized sound": "[her] Latin beats, spiced with Middle Eastern and other world elements and made comfortably familiar by being churned through the pop machine, make you feel like a citizen of the world."
Influences
As a child, Shakira was influenced by rock music, listening heavily to rock bands like Led Zeppelin, the Beatles, Nirvana, the Police and U2, while her other influences included Gloria Estefan, Madonna, Sheryl Crow, Alanis Morissette, Marc Anthony, Meredith Brooks and the Cure.
Dance
Shakira is well known for her dancing in her music videos and concerts. Her distinctive dancing style is said to combine Latin dancing with Middle Eastern belly dancing, which is derived from her Lebanese heritage, and her hip shaking is mentioned in songs, such as Fifth Harmony's "Brave Honest Beautiful". She is noted for usually employing minimal production, usually taking the stage with minimal makeup and natural hair, and without background dancers in her performances, preferring to focus on her vocals, dance moves, and stage presence. She often performs barefoot, a form of dance she learned as a young teen to overcome her shyness. She also mentioned in an MTV interview that she learned how to belly dance by trying to flip a coin with her belly.
Singing
Shakira is a contralto. Shakira is known for her "unique and mesmerizing" singing voice which includes her "trademark" yodeling. Analyzing Shakira's cover of "Je l'aime à mourir", vocal teacher Beth Roars also noted Shakira's use of yodeling, explaining that there is "heaviness at the bottom of her tone" which "flips up" into "her head voice", as well as her ability to execute "complex melisma". She also noted Shakira's use of "Arabic scales", then stating that she uses "harmonic minor scales instead of pentatonic scales".
Legacy and impact
Shakira is a prominent figure in Latin music, commonly hailed as the 'Queen of Latin Music' for her crossover to the global market which holds a big significance that The New York Times called her the "Titan of Latin Pop" for her unique and leading position in Latin music, saying: "Even as a new generation of Spanish-speaking artists are crossing over into American music's mainstream, Shakira's output stands alone." A similar comparative perspective was made by The Independent, who named Shakira an "International Phenom" for her global appeal and sales statistics, further elaborating with "To put her in perspective, other Latin exports such as Ricky Martin and Jennifer Lopez are mere minnows next to Shakira, both selling half the number of records she does". Forbes has deemed Shakira as "crossover phenom" for her unmatched success of crossover and one of the world's most powerful Latinas. Forbes further listed Shakira as one of the world's most powerful female celebrities. AllMusic's biographer Steve Huey described her as a "Wildly inventive diva who created a cross-cultural pop sound rooted in her native Colombia but encompassing nearly every territory in the world. [...] she wrote or co-wrote nearly all of her own material, and in the process gained a reputation as one of Latin music's most ambitiously poetic lyricists." Her unprecedented crossover has inspired other Latin American artists to attempt crossing over, one example is Mexican pop star Paulina Rubio, having MTV saying "there's no question that Shakira opened doors in this country for artists like Rubio to succeed." Similarly Spin credits Shakira to have paved the way for other Latin artists to crossover, naming names like Maluma and J Balvin. After the crossover, her global and mainstream presence became big enough for Time magazine to call Shakira a "pop legend." She was marked as "one of the most influential artists of the 21st century" by ET. Throughout her career, Shakira has earned several titles, including "The Crossover Queen" by The Economist, "The Queen of World Cup" by Billboard, and "Latin America's Pop Queen" by Pitchfork. Billboard has also noted that Shakira's music videos have "redefined the role of dancing in music videos", while listing her as the best Latin female music video artist of all time. The Middle Eastern newspaper El Correo del Golfo credits Shakira with "having opened the way" for several Hispanic singers today.
The authors of Reggaeton, published by Duke University Press, credited Shakira for popularizing the genre (reggaeton) in North America, Europe, and Asia, while the Public Broadcasting Service called her one of the three "most successful artists of the so-called Golden Age of Latin Music which reshaped America's cultural landscape for the twenty-first century".
Alongside her impact on Latin and mainstream pop culture, Shakira has also impacted popular culture in the Arab World due to her popularity in the region. In a publication titled Popular Culture in the Arab World: Arts, Politics, and the Media, author Andrew Hammond credits Shakira for impacting and shifting the images of Arab pop stars such as Moroccan Samira Said and Lebanese Nawal Al Zoghbi, saying "[they] have shifted their image and sound in attempt to follow in her (Shakira's) footsteps".
In 1999 Shakira's MTV Unplugged became the program's first episode to be broadcast entirely in Spanish The concert is also noted to be the first time a Latin pop act attempted an Unplugged, as well as the first Latina solo act to do so. In 2001 Shakira's "Whenever Wherever" music video was aired on MTV with both the English and Spanish versions. According to a spokesman for the channel, this is noted as "the first time that U.S. MTV has aired a Spanish-language video." Following Daddy Yankee's "Gasolina" by five months, "La Tortura" was one of the first full Spanish-language music videos to air on MTV without an English version. In 2005, Sanz and Shakira performed "La Tortura" at the MTV Video Music Awards. In 2006 "Hips Don't Lie" was selected as one of the greatest songs by 21st century female artists by National Public Radio, ranked at number 65. "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)" was named by Billboard the best and most commercially successful World Cup song. Published by the US Bureau of International Information Programs, the journal Global Issues (2006) cited Shakira as an example of a celebrity "in today's globalized world" who "made it big by sharing the uniqueness of their talent and culture with the global community." In 2020, The New Zealand Herald found Shakira's longevity in the industry "particularly impressive given her ability to breach the lines of crossover, a feat not many artists have been able to achieve." A similar remark was made by Paper magazine, when writing about Shakira's longevity and her being one of the few pre-digital era artists to successfully crack the digital-streaming era of music, penning "[Shakira] is a titan in the digital era of music where she devours billions of streams with her catalog."
In 2010, Google revealed that Shakira was the most searched female entertainer of the year. In 2020, Shakira was the most Googled musician of the year.
In 2021, Vogue magazine Mexico chose her as the cover for its July edition.
In December 2021 Shakira was named by Kiss FM as one of the most influential female artists of the 21st century highlighting her achievements in the international market
Many artists have cited Shakira as an influence, including Beyoncé, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Katy Perry, Will.i.am, Kylie Jenner, Lauren Jauregui, Christina Aguilera, Justin Bieber, Fergie, Maluma, Karol G, Camilo, Nicky Jam, Brie Larson, Dulce María, Tini Stoessel, Natti Natasha, Rosalía, Carla Morrison, Manuel Turizo, Francisca Valenzuela, Paloma Mami, Natalia Lafourcade, Kali Uchis, Ed Sheeran, Farina, Jbalvin, Lele Pons, Andres Cuervo, Prince Royce, Romeo Santos, Wendy Sulca, Anitta, Britney Spears, Cardi B, Rita Ora, Camila Cabello, Becky G, Nora Fatehi, Kris Kross Ámsterdam, and Ayra Starr
Shakira has even received the admiration of intellectuals and writers such as Nobel Prize winner Gabriel García Márquez who has said "No one of any age can sing or dance with the innocent sensuality Shakira seems to have invented". Márquez wrote an essay exalting Shakira's "phenomenal musical talent", and "extraordinary maturity".
The newspaper El Correo del Golfo wrote that Shakira was the greatest exponent of Middle Eastern music in the West, citing her interest in Arabic music and dance.
Her influence has transcended the boundaries of pop culture, that she has become a socio-political influencer, and was named as one of the "World's Greatest Leaders" of 2017 by Fortune. The Guardian has written an extensive article about Shakira's impact on Colombia's social change, specifically in education, and her ability to discuss this issue with world leaders like Barack Obama, and Gordon Brown. Similarly The Independent has described Shakira as a "living proof that pop and politics mix" further noting that through her efforts and influence she is able to have "the ears of the global political elite".
Monuments
In 2006, a , statue of Shakira was installed in her hometown Barranquilla in a park near Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez.
In July 2018 Shakira visited Tannourine in Lebanon which is the village of her paternal grandmother. During her visit she visited the Cedars Reserve in Tannourine where a square in the forest was named after her. The square holds the name "Shakira Isabelle Mebarak"
Achievements
Shakira has received numerous awards and recognition for her work. She is the recipient of three Grammy Awards and twelve Latin Grammy Awards—the most for a female artist. Shakira has sold more than 75 million records worldwide, making her one of world's best-selling music artists. By the time she released Laundry Service in 2001, she sold 10 million albums in Latin America according to Billboard. Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems said that "Hips Don't Lie" was the most-played pop song in a single week in American radio history. It was played 9,637 times in one week. Shakira became the first artist in the history of the Billboard charts to reach the number one spots on both the Top 40 Mainstream and Latin Chart in the same week doing so with "Hips Don't Lie". Additionally, she is the only artist from South America to reach the number-one spot on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, the Australian ARIA chart, and the UK Singles Chart.
Her song "La Tortura" at one time held the record for Billboards Hot Latin Tracks chart, appearing at number-one more than any other single with a total of 25 non-consecutive weeks, a record currently held by the Luis Fonsi song "Despacito" with 56 weeks. Nokia stated in 2010, that there were more Shakira music downloads in the prior year than for any other Latino artist in the last five years, and She Wolf topped the Top 10 Latino downloads. In 2010, she was ranked number five on the 'Online Video's Most Viral Artists of 2010' with 404,118,932 views.
In 2011, Shakira was honored at the Latin Grammys as Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year, and by the Harvard Foundation as Cultural Rhythms Artist of the Year. She also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame located at 6270 Hollywood Blvd. Originally, she was to be given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2004, but she turned the offer down. In 2012, she received the honor of Chevalier De L'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. In 2014, Shakira became the first musical act to perform three times at the FIFA World Cup. In the same year, Aleiodes shakirae, a new species of parasitic wasp was named after her because it causes its host to "shake and wiggle". Forbes ranked Shakira on their list of "Top 100 World's Most Powerful Women" at number 40 in 2012, at 52 in 2013, and at 58 in 2014. In 2015 Time recognized Shakira as one of the most influential people on social media. Shakira and Argentinian president; Cristina Fernández de Kirchner were the only Latin influencers named on the list. More so Time noted that Shakira has an "unparalleled platform" on social media where she promotes her philanthropy. In 2008, Shakira was named as the Honorary Chair of the Global Campaign for Education Global Action Week.
In 2018, Spotify included Shakira in the list of top 10 most streamed female artists of the decade on the platform, making her the highest streamed Latin artist. In 2020, Shakira became the first female artist in history to have 4 songs from different decades to have over 100 million streams on Spotify, also marking her as the only artist with Spanish songs, the only Latin artist, and third overall after Michael Jackson and Eminem to achieve this milestone. In 2020 she broke the Vevo Certified Awards records, and set the record at 37, becoming artist with the most videos with over 100 million streams ever. She is now worth $300 million.
Other ventures
Shakira has ventured into many other businesses and industries. She acted in the Colombian telenovela El Oasis in 1994, playing the character of Luisa Maria.
Shakira began her own beauty line, "S by Shakira", with parent company Puig, in 2010.
Among the first perfumes it released included "S by Shakira" and "S by Shakira Eau Florale", along with lotions and body sprays. As of 2019, she has released 30 fragrances, not counting deluxe editions. On 17 September 2015, she was featured as a playable bird in the game Angry Birds POP! for a limited time, and also in a special tournament in the game Angry Birds Friends after a few weeks. On 15 October 2015, Love Rocks starring Shakira was the first video game that featured the pop star.
On 14 August 2015, at Disney's D23 Expo, it was announced that Shakira would play a character in the Disney animated movie Zootopia; in it, she would give voice to Gazelle, the biggest pop star in Zootopia. Shakira also contributed an original song to the film, titled "Try Everything", which was written and composed by Sia and Stargate. It opened to a record-breaking box office success in several countries and earned a worldwide gross of over $1 billion, making it the fourth highest-grossing film of 2016 and the 43rd highest-grossing film of all time.
In December 2021, it was announced that Shakira would be an executive producer for Dancing with Myself, an NBC dance competition series.
Philanthropy, humanitarian work and politics
In 1997, Shakira founded the Pies Descalzos Foundation, a Colombian charity with special schools for poor children all around Colombia. It was funded by Shakira and other international groups and individuals. The name of the foundation was taken from Shakira's third studio album, Pies Descalzos, which she released in 1995. The foundation's main focus is on aid through education, and the organization has five schools across Colombia that provide education and meals for 4,000 children.
On 27 April 2014 Shakira was honored with the Hero Award at the Radio Disney Music Awards for her Fundación Pies Descalzos work.
In 2005, Shakira became a founding member of Latin America in Solidarity Action, a coalition of artists and business leaders seeking to promote integrated early childhood public policies. In 2008, she served as the Honorary Chair of the Global Campaign for Education Global Action Week. Later, in 2010, she collaborated with the World Bank and the Barefoot Foundation to establish an initiative that distributes educational and developmental programs for children across Latin America.
Shakira is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and is one of their global representatives. On 3 April 2006, Shakira was honored at a UN ceremony for creating the Pies Descalzos Foundation. In March 2010, she was awarded a medal by the UN International Labour Organization in recognition of being, as UN Labour Chief Juan Somavia put it, a "true ambassador for children and young people, for quality education and social justice". In November 2010, after performing as the opening act of the MTV European Music Awards, the Colombian singer also received the MTV Free Your Mind award for her continuing dedication to improve access to education for all children around the world.
In October 2010, Shakira expressed disagreement with French president Nicolás Sarkozy and his policy of expelling Romani people from the country. In the Spanish edition of the magazine GQ, she also directed a few words to Sarkozy, "We are all gypsies". In the interview she made her viewpoint very clear: "What is happening now to them (the gypsies) will happen to our children and our children's children. We must turn to our citizens to act for the fundamental rights of human beings and condemn all that seems to us indictable", she declared.
In February 2011, the FC Barcelona Foundation and Pies descalzos reached an agreement for children's education through sport. Shakira was honored at the Latin Grammys as the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year on 9 November 2011, for her philanthropy and contributions to Latin Music. Also in 2011, she was appointed by President Barack Obama to the President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics. The World Literacy Foundation announced Shakira as the recipient of the 2020 Global Literacy Award for "her significant contribution to the improvement of literacy for disadvantaged children around the world."
On 2 November 2018, during a visit to her birthplace, Barranquilla, for the construction of a school through her Barefoot Foundation (Pies Descalzos Foundation), Shakira spoke about the educational policies of the government under Ivan Duque (President of Colombia, 2018–2022). Speaking against the government's intentions to reduce the national education budget from 13% to 7%, she said, "This is unacceptable. It shows that instead of progressing forward we are moving backward. We need to invest more in education and we need to build more schools in places where there are none". She also talked about social inequality and unschooling. In 2020, Shakira was appointed by Prince William, Duke of Cambridge as a voters’ council member for the Earthshot prize which provides 50 environmental pioneers with the funds needed to further their work in tackling major problems impacting the environment. In May 2020, Shakira donated more than 50,000 face masks and ten respirators to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in her hometown of Barranquilla. During the 2021 Colombian protests, Shakira condemned the violence and asked President Iván Duque Márquez to "immediately stop the human rights violations" and "restitute the value of human life above any political interest."
Personal life
Shakira began a relationship with Argentinian lawyer Antonio de la Rúa in 2000. In a 2009 interview, Shakira stated their relationship already worked as a married couple, and that "they don't need papers for that".
After 10 years together, Shakira and de la Rúa separated in August 2010 in what she described as "a mutual decision to take time apart from our romantic relationship". She wrote that the couple "view this period of separation as temporary", with de la Rúa overseeing Shakira's "business and career interests as he has always done". As first reported in September 2012, de la Rúa sued Shakira in April 2013, asking for $100 million he believed he was owed after Shakira suddenly terminated her business partnership with him in October 2011. His lawsuit was dismissed by a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge in August 2013.
Shakira entered a relationship with the Spanish football player Gerard Piqué, centre back for FC Barcelona and the Spanish national team in 2011. Piqué, who is exactly ten years her junior, first met Shakira in the spring of 2010, when he appeared in the music video for Shakira's song "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)", the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Shakira gave birth to the couple's first son Milan on 22 January 2013 in Barcelona, Spain, where the family had taken up residence. Shakira gave birth to their second son Sasha on 29 January 2015. Forbes listed Shakira and Piqué in their list of "World's Most Powerful Couples".
In 2020, Shakira announced her completion of an Ancient Philosophy course through the University of Pennsylvania, describing it as an impractical hobby of hers.
Financial controversy
In November 2017, Shakira was named in the Paradise Papers. It was revealed that she was the sole shareholder of a Malta-based company which was being used to transfer $30 million in music rights. Her attorneys insisted that her use of the company was entirely legal.
In 2018, due at least in part to information revealed in the Paradise Papers, Spanish authorities began an investigation into Shakira's finances. Prosecutors argued that she did not pay taxes in Spain between 2012 and 2014, during which time she was living in Spain with Piqué and their family, while Shakira argued that she maintained her primary residence in the Bahamas during that period and otherwise was touring internationally. In July 2021, a Spanish judge ruled that there was "evidence of criminality" sufficient for Shakira to be brought to trial on charges of tax fraud.
In 2021, the Pandora Papers showed that Shakira submitted applications for three offshore companies in 2019. Her representatives told LaSexta that this paperwork was not filed for purposes of establishing new companies but as part of the process of dissolving existing companies. They further claimed that the companies had no income or activities and that Spanish authorities had been made aware of their existence.
Discography
Magia (1991)
Peligro (1993)
Pies Descalzos (1995)
Dónde Están los Ladrones? (1998)
Laundry Service (2001)
Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 (2005)
Oral Fixation, Vol. 2 (2005)
She Wolf (2009)
Sale el Sol (2010)
Shakira (2014)
El Dorado (2017)
Tours
Tour Pies Descalzos (1996–1997)
Tour Anfibio (2000)
Tour of the Mongoose (2002–2003)
Oral Fixation Tour (2006–2007)
The Sun Comes Out World Tour (2010–2011)
El Dorado World Tour (2018)
Filmography
Television
Film
See also
List of artists who reached number one in the United States
List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance Club Songs chart
Best-selling international artists in Brazil
List of best-selling music artists in the United States
List of best-selling music artists
List of best-selling singles
List of Billboard Social 50 number-one artists
List of highest-certified music artists in the United States
Best-selling female artists of all time
References
Further reading
VH1 Driven: Shakira (article)
VH1 Driven: Shakira (video)
Book: Woman Full of Grace by Ximena Diego
Pareles, Jon (14 November 2005). "Shakira, from lip to hip". New Straits Times, p. L3.
"Shakira pertahan orang Arab". (8 November 2005). Berita Harian, p. 13.
Frank Cogan's review of Laundry Service for The Village Voice
Chart Performance for "Don't Bother" from the Billboard Hot 100
Chart Performance for Oral Fixation 2
New York Times Magazine article on Shakira's philanthropic work on education.
External links
1977 births
Living people
20th-century Colombian women singers
21st-century Colombian actresses
21st-century Colombian women singers
Association footballers' wives and girlfriends
Belly dancers
Chevaliers of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
Colombian female dancers
Colombian film actresses
Colombian people of Arab descent
Colombian people of Italian descent
Colombian people of Lebanese descent
Colombian people of Spanish descent
Colombian philanthropists
Colombian pop singers
Colombian record producers
Colombian rock singers
Colombian Roman Catholics
Colombian singer-songwriters
Colombian television actresses
Colombian voice actresses
Colombian women activists
Colombian women artists
Colombian women record producers
Colombian expatriates in Spain
Contraltos
Echo (music award) winners
English-language singers from Colombia
Grammy Award winners
Latin Grammy Award winners
Latin music songwriters
Latin pop singers
Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year honorees
MTV Europe Music Award winners
Participants in American reality television series
People from Barranquilla
RCA Records artists
Roc Nation artists
Sony Music Colombia artists
Sony Music Latin artists
UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors
Women in Latin music
World Music Awards winners
People named in the Paradise Papers
People named in the Pandora Papers
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[
"American singer-actress Cher has embarked on seven concert tours and three concert residencies. As a solo artist, Cher has made concerts in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia. Cher's first ever concert was with her ex-husband Sonny Bono in 1966 at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.\n\nIn 1979, Cher started her first solo concert tour, the Cher in Concert Tour, with performances in Europa and North America in 1979. After the success with disco music, Cher and her boyfriend at the time, Les Dudek, formed the new wave band Black Rose with which she did her first mini-tour, The Black Rose Show. Black Rose band during their tour were the opening act for Bob Seger in Europe and for Hall & Oates during the 1980 summer in North America.\n\nAfter eight years off the road, Cher did her second solo sold-out tour in 1990, the Heart of Stone Tour, which was followed up by 1992's Love Hurts Tour. The Love Hurts Tour is well known by fans for cancellations due to Cher's illness.\n\nAfter the huge success of the Believe album, she did her 1999/2000 Do You Believe? tour.\nFinally, in 2002, she embarked on her so far last concert tour, the marathon Living Proof: The Farewell Tour, which lasted from June 2002 until April 2005. The tour featured a total 325 shows, the most ever for a concert tour by a female solo artist, and grossed more than $250 million, becoming Cher's highest-grossing tour ever. Cher closed the farewell tour in April 2005 at the Hollywood Bowl. It was the most successful tour by a single female solo artist at that time.\n\nFrom May 2008 until February 2011, Cher performed at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada with her new show, Cher at the Colosseum. She signed for 200 shows over the span of three years. She was paid $60 million for her return.\n\nAfter her residency at the Caesars Palace which lasted from 2008-2011, Cher began touring with the Dressed to Kill Tour in 2014 after the release of her album Closer to the Truth. Cher is one of the most successful touring artists, she was placed at number three among most successful female artists and at number twenty three overall on Billboard Top Live Artists From 1990-2014 list.\n\nConcert tours\n\nConcert residencies\n\nReferences\n\n \nCher\n\nhu:Cher filmjei",
"Jody Anschutz (born October 18, 1962) is an American professional golfer. She competed as Jody Rosenthal prior to marrying Fred Anschutz on October 14, 1989.\n\nCareer\nRosenthal was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She attended the University of Tulsa. As an amateur she won the 1984 British Ladies Amateur and played for the United States in the 1984 Curtis Cup. Her debut season on the LPGA Tour was 1986 and she won Rookie of the Year honors. In her second season she won two tournaments including the du Maurier Classic, which was then one of the LPGA's major championships, and finished in the top ten in the other three majors on her way to fifth in the money list. From that time on however her career followed a downwards trajectory. She did not win again and did not make the top one hundred on the money list after 1992. She last played on the LPGA Tour in 2002.\n\nProfessional wins\n\nLPGA Tour wins (2)\n\nLPGA Tour playoff record (0–1)\n\nLPGA of Japan Tour wins (1)\n1986 Daio Paper Elleair Ladies Open\n\nMajor championships\n\nWins (1)\n\nU.S. national team appearances\nAmateur\nCurtis Cup: 1984 (winners)\nEspirito Santo Trophy: 1984 (winners)\n\nExternal links\n\nAmerican female golfers\nTulsa Golden Hurricane women's golfers\nLPGA Tour golfers\nWinners of LPGA major golf championships\nWinners of ladies' major amateur golf championships\nGolfers from Minneapolis\n1962 births\nLiving people"
] |
[
"The Blues Brothers (film)",
"Origins"
] |
C_a692aeffb79b4e5fa37641d9d33bd8ef_1
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Who wrote the screenplay for "The Blues Brothers" film?
| 1 |
Who wrote the screenplay for "The Blues Brothers" film?
|
The Blues Brothers (film)
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The characters, Jake and Elwood Blues, were created by Belushi and Aykroyd in performances on Saturday Night Live. The name "The Blues Brothers" was the idea of Howard Shore. The fictional back story and character sketches of blood brothers Jake and Elwood were developed by Aykroyd in collaboration with Ron Gwynne, who is credited as a story consultant for the film. As related in the liner notes of the band's debut album, Briefcase Full of Blues, the brothers grew up in an orphanage, learned the blues from a janitor named Curtis, and sealed their brotherhood by cutting their middle fingers with a steel string said to have come from the guitar of Elmore James. Belushi had become a star in 1978 as a result of both the Blues Brothers' musical success and his role in National Lampoon's Animal House. At one point, he managed the triple feat of being the star of the week's top-grossing film, top-rated television show, and singing on the number-one album within a year. When Aykroyd and Belushi decided they could make a Blues Brothers film, the bidding war was intense. Universal Studios narrowly beat Paramount Pictures for the project. John Landis, who had directed Belushi in Animal House, was aboard as director. However, the project had neither a budget nor a script. On the former issue, Universal head Lew Wasserman thought the film could be made for $12 million; the filmmakers wanted $20 million. It would be impossible to settle on a specific amount without a screenplay to review, and after Mitch Glazer declined to help him, Aykroyd wrote one on his own. Aykroyd had never written a screenplay before, as he admitted in the 1998 documentary, Stories Behind the Making of The Blues Brothers, or even read one, and he was unable to find a writing partner. Consequently, he put together a very descriptive volume that explained the characters' origins and how the band members were recruited. His final draft was 324 pages, which was three times longer than a standard screenplay, written not in a standard screenplay format, but more like free verse. To soften the impact, Aykroyd made a joke of the thick script and had it bound with the cover of the Los Angeles Yellow Pages directory for when he turned it in to producer Robert K. Weiss. Landis was given the task of editing the script into a usable screenplay, which took him about two weeks. The overriding plot premise was unrealistic: religious groups and other not-for-profit organizations are typically exempt from federal or state taxes; although a legislative proposal to tax such property was under consideration in Illinois at the time. CANNOTANSWER
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Aykroyd had never written a screenplay before,
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The Blues Brothers is a 1980 American musical comedy film directed by John Landis. It stars John Belushi as "Joliet" Jake Blues and Dan Aykroyd as his brother Elwood, characters developed from the recurring musical sketch "The Blues Brothers" on NBC variety series Saturday Night Live. The film is set in and around Chicago, Illinois, where it was filmed, and the screenplay was written by Aykroyd and Landis. It features musical numbers by rhythm and blues (R&B), soul, and blues singers James Brown, Cab Calloway (in his final feature film role), Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Chaka Khan, and John Lee Hooker. It features non-musical supporting performances by Carrie Fisher, Henry Gibson, Charles Napier and John Candy.
The story is a tale of redemption for paroled convict Jake and his blood brother Elwood, who set out on "a mission from God" to save from foreclosure the Roman Catholic orphanage in which they were raised. To do so, they must reunite their R&B band and organize a performance to earn $5,000 needed to pay the orphanage's property tax bill. Along the way, they are targeted by a homicidal "mystery woman", Neo-Nazis, and a country and western band—all while being relentlessly pursued by the police.
Universal Studios, which had won the bidding war for the film, was hoping to take advantage of Belushi's popularity in the wake of Saturday Night Live, the film Animal House, and The Blues Brothers' musical success; it soon found itself unable to control production costs. The start of filming was delayed when Aykroyd, who was new to film screenwriting, took six months to deliver a long and unconventional script that Landis had to rewrite before production, which began without a final budget. On location in Chicago, Belushi's partying and drug use caused lengthy and costly delays that, along with the destructive car chases depicted onscreen, made the final film one of the most expensive comedies ever produced.
Due to concerns that the film would fail, its initial bookings were less than half of those similar films normally received. Released in the United States on June 20, 1980, it received mostly positive reviews from critics and grossed over $115 million in theaters worldwide before its release on home video, and has become a cult classic over the years. A sequel, Blues Brothers 2000, was released in 1998 to critical and commercial failure.
In 2020, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
Plot
Blues vocalist and petty criminal Jake Blues is released from prison after serving three years, and is picked up by his blood brother Elwood in his Bluesmobile, a battered former police car. Elwood demonstrates its capabilities by jumping an open drawbridge. The brothers visit the Roman Catholic orphanage where they were raised, and learn from Sister Mary Stigmata that it will be closed unless $5,000 in property taxes is collected. During a sermon by the Reverend Cleophus James at the Triple Rock Baptist Church, Jake has an epiphany: they can re-form their band, the Blues Brothers, which disbanded while Jake was in prison, and raise the money to save the orphanage.
That night, state troopers attempt to arrest Elwood for driving with a suspended license due to 116 parking tickets and 56 moving violations. After a high-speed chase through the Dixie Square Mall, the brothers escape. The next morning, as the police arrive at the flophouse where Elwood lives, a mysterious woman detonates a bomb that demolishes the building, but miraculously leaves Jake and Elwood unharmed, and saves them from being arrested.
Jake and Elwood begin tracking down members of the band. Five of them are playing at a deserted Holiday Inn lounge, and quickly agree to rejoin. Another turns them down as he is the maître d' at an expensive restaurant, but the brothers refuse to leave the restaurant until he relents. On their way to meet the final two band members, the brothers find the road through Jackson Park blocked by an American Nazi Party demonstration on a bridge; Elwood runs them off the bridge into the East Lagoon. The last two band members, who now run a soul food restaurant, rejoin the band against the advice of one's wife. The reunited group obtain instruments and equipment from Ray's Music Exchange in Calumet City, and Ray, as usual, takes an IOU.
As Jake attempts to book a gig, the mystery woman blows up the phone booth he is using; once again, he is miraculously unhurt. The band stumbles onto a gig at Bob's Country Bunker, a honky-tonk in Kokomo, Indiana. They win over the rowdy crowd, but run up a bar tab higher than their pay, and infuriate the country band that was actually booked for the gig, the Good Ol' Boys.
Realizing that they need one big show to raise the necessary money, the brothers persuade their old agent to book the Palace Hotel Ballroom, north of Chicago. They mount a loudspeaker atop the Bluesmobile and drive around the Chicago area promoting the concert—and alerting the police, the neo-Nazis, and the Good Ol' Boys of their whereabouts. The ballroom is packed with blues fans, police officers, and the Good Ol' Boys. Jake and Elwood perform two songs, then sneak offstage, as the tax deadline is rapidly approaching. A record company executive offers them a $10,000 cash advance on a recording contract—more than enough to pay off the orphanage's taxes and Ray's IOU—and then shows the brothers how to slip out of the building unnoticed. As they make their escape via a service tunnel, they are confronted by the mystery woman: Jake's vengeful ex-fiancée. After her volley of M16 rifle bullets leaves them miraculously unharmed, Jake offers a series of ridiculous excuses that she accepts, allowing the brothers to escape to the Bluesmobile.
Jake and Elwood race back toward Chicago with dozens of state and local police and the Good Ol' Boys in pursuit. They eventually elude them all with a series of improbable maneuvers, including a miraculous gravity-defying escape from the neo-Nazis. At the Richard J. Daley Center, they rush inside the adjacent Chicago City Hall building, soon followed by hundreds of police, state troopers, SWAT teams, firefighters, Illinois National Guardsmen, and the Military Police. Finding the office of the Cook County Assessor, the brothers pay the tax bill. Just as their receipt is stamped, they are arrested by the mob of law officers. In prison, the band plays "Jailhouse Rock" for the inmates.
Cast
John Belushi as "Joliet" Jake Blues, a former blues singer, paroled from prison after three years.
Dan Aykroyd as Elwood J. Blues, Jake's blood brother, also a former blues singer.
James Brown as the Reverend Cleophus James, pastor of the Triple Rock Baptist Church. His musical sermon "The Old Landmark" causes Jake to have an epiphany.
Cab Calloway as Curtis, an old friend of the brothers', who suggests they listen to James, and helps them advertise the show and performs "Minnie the Moocher" for the audience.
Ray Charles as Ray, a blind music instruments dealer, who performs "Shake a Tail Feather" to demonstrate their effectiveness.
Aretha Franklin as Mrs. Murphy, Matt Murphy's wife, who owns a soul food restaurant with him. She performs "Think" to persuade him not to join the band.
Steve "The Colonel" Cropper – lead guitar
Donald "Duck" Dunn – bass guitar
Murphy Dunne ("Murph") – keyboards
Willie "Too Big" Hall – drums
Tom "Bones" Malone – trombone
"Blue Lou" Marini – saxophone
Matt "Guitar" Murphy – lead guitar
"Mr. Fabulous" Alan Rubin – trumpet
Carrie Fisher as the Mystery Woman, Jake's former fiancée; she tries to kill him for leaving her at the altar.
Henry Gibson as the Gruppenführer, the head of a division of the neo-Nazis
John Candy as Burton Mercer, Jake's parole officer assisting the police in their hunt for the Blues Brothers.
John Lee Hooker as Street Slim, a man singing "Boom Boom" together with a small band on Maxwell Street.
Kathleen Freeman as Sister Mary Stigmata, AKA "The Penguin", the nun who leads the orphanage where the brothers grew up.
Steve Lawrence as Maury Sline, the agent who organized and booked many of the Blues Brothers' performances before Jake was sent to jail.
Twiggy as the Chic Lady, a woman who flirts with Elwood at the gas station.
Frank Oz as a corrections officer, who gives Jake his clothes at the beginning of the film.
Jeff Morris as Bob, the owner of Bob's Country Bunker.
Charles Napier as Tucker McElroy, lead singer and Winnebago driver of The Good Old Boys.
Steven Spielberg as the Cook County Assessor, who takes Jake and Elwood's money at the end of the film.
Stephen Bishop as Charming Trooper
Steven Williams as Trooper Mount, one of the cops who follows Jake and Elwood from the start.
Armand Cerami as Trooper Daniel, Mount's partner and the other cop who follows Jake and Elwood from the start.
Joe Walsh as Prison Inmate
Ben Piazza as Father, dining with his wife and three daughters at the Chez Paul and subject to abuse by Jake.
Cindy Fisher as Daughter #2, one of the daughters who Jake leers at.
Paul Reubens as Waiter, a colleague of Mr Fabulous' at the Chez Paul.
Rosie Shuster as Cocktail Waitress
Chaka Khan as Choir Soloist
Gary McLarty as Toys "R" Us Customer, who asks about buying a Miss Piggy toy right before the Bluesmobile begins smashing the mall.
Layne Britton as The Cheese Whiz
Pinetop Perkins as Luther Jackson
Mr. T as Guy On Street (Uncredited)
Carolyn Franklin as Soul Food Chorus #1, who sings along with "Think".
De'voreaux White as Young Guitar Thief, who tries to steal from Ray's Music Exchange, only to nearly be shot by Ray.
James Avery as Detective Avery (Uncredited)
Lou Perryman as Man At Bar
Luis Contreras as Bob's Country Bunker Patron #1 (Uncredited)
Raven De La Croix as Woman In Concert Crowd
Ralph Foody as Police Dispatcher, who comments on the Bluesmobile's arrival at Cook County and allows for using unnecessary violence in capturing Jake and Elwood.
Leonard R. Garner Jr. as Lobby Guard #1
Production
Origins
The characters Jake and Elwood Blues were created by Belushi and Aykroyd in performances on Saturday Night Live. The name "The Blues Brothers" was the idea of Howard Shore. The fictional back story and character sketches of blood brothers Jake and Elwood were developed by Aykroyd in collaboration with Ron Gwynne, who is credited as a story consultant for the film. As related in the liner notes of the band's debut album, Briefcase Full of Blues, the brothers grew up in an orphanage, learned the blues from a janitor named Curtis, and sealed their brotherhood by cutting their middle fingers with a steel string said to have come from the guitar of Elmore James.
Belushi had become a star in 1978 as a result of both the Blues Brothers' musical success and his role in National Lampoon's Animal House. At one point, he managed the triple feat of being the star of the week's top-grossing film and top-rated television series and singing on the No. 1 album within a year. When Aykroyd and Belushi decided they could make a Blues Brothers film, the bidding war was intense. Universal Studios narrowly beat Paramount Pictures for the project. John Landis, who had directed Belushi in Animal House, was aboard as director.
However, the project had neither a budget nor a script. On the former issue, Universal head Lew Wasserman thought the film could be made for $12 million; the filmmakers wanted $20 million. It would be impossible to settle on a specific amount without a screenplay to review, and after Mitch Glazer declined to help him, Aykroyd wrote one on his own.
Aykroyd had never written a screenplay before, as he admitted in the 1998 documentary Stories Behind the Making of The Blues Brothers, or even read one, and he was unable to find a writing partner. Consequently, he put together a very descriptive volume that explained the characters' origins and how the band members were recruited. His final draft was 324 pages, which was three times longer than a standard screenplay, written not in a standard screenplay format, but more like free verse. To soften the impact, Aykroyd made a joke of the thick script and had it bound with the cover of the Los Angeles Yellow Pages directory for when he turned it in to producer Robert K. Weiss. He titled it "The Return of the Blues Brothers", and credited it to "Scriptatron GL-9000". Landis was given the task of editing the script into a usable screenplay, which took him about two weeks.
The Blues Brothers held the record for the most cars destroyed in the course of production for 18 years, at 103, one fewer than were wrecked in its 1998 sequel Blues Brothers 2000. Both were surpassed by G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009), with 112 cars destroyed.
Casting
At Aykroyd's demand, soul and R&B stars James Brown, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin were cast in speaking parts to support musical numbers built around them. This later caused friction in the production between Landis and Universal, as its costs far exceeded the original budget. Since none of them except Charles had any hits in recent years, the studio wanted the director to replace them with—or add performances by—younger acts, such as Rose Royce, whose "Car Wash" had made them disco stars after its use in the 1976 film of that name.
Other musicians in the cast include Big Walter Horton, Pinetop Perkins, and John Lee Hooker (who performed "Boom Boom" during the Maxwell Street scene). The members of The Blues Brothers Band were themselves notable. Steve Cropper and Donald Dunn are architects of the Stax Records sound (Cropper's guitar can be heard at the start of the Sam & Dave song "Soul Man") and were half of Booker T. & the M.G.'s. Horn players Lou Marini, Tom Malone, and Alan Rubin had all played in Blood, Sweat & Tears and the house band on Saturday Night Live. Drummer Willie Hall had played in The Bar-Kays and backed Isaac Hayes. Matt Murphy is a veteran blues guitarist. As the band developed at Saturday Night Live, pianist Paul Shaffer was part of the act and thus cast in the film. However, due to contractual obligations with SNL, he was unable to participate, so actor-musician Murphy Dunne (whose father, George Dunne, was the Cook County Board President) was hired to take his role.
Fisher, Freeman, Gibson, and Candy were cast in non-musical supporting roles. The film is also notable for the number of cameo appearances by established celebrities and entertainment-industry figures, including Steve Lawrence as a booking agent, Twiggy as a "chic lady" in a Jaguar convertible whom Elwood propositions at a gas station, Steven Spielberg as the Cook County Assessor's clerk, Landis as a state trooper in the mall chase, Paul Reubens (before he became Pee-wee Herman) as a waiter in the restaurant Chez Paul, Joe Walsh in a cameo as the first prisoner to jump up on a table in the final scene, and Chaka Khan as the soloist in the Triple Rock choir. Muppet performer Frank Oz plays a corrections officer, and in the scene where the brothers crash into Toys "R" Us, the customer who asks for a Miss Piggy doll is played by stunt coordinator Gary McLarty. Singer/songwriter Stephen Bishop is an Illinois State Trooper who complains that Jake and Elwood broke his watch (a result of the car chase in the mall). Makeup artist Layne Britton is the old card player who asks Elwood, "Did you get me my Cheez Whiz, boy?" The character portrayed by Cab Calloway is named Curtis as a homage to Curtis Salgado, an Oregon blues musician who inspired Belushi while he was in that area filming Animal House.
Over 500 extras were used for the next-to-last scene, the blockade of the building at Daley Center, including 200 National Guardsmen, 100 state and city police officers, with 15 horses for the mounted police (and three each Sherman tanks, helicopters, and fire engines).
Filming
Principal photography began in July 1979, with the film's budget still not settled. For the first month, things ran smoothly on and off the set. When Weiss saw the supposedly final $17.5 million budget, he reportedly joked, "I think we've spent that much already."
In the next month, the production began falling behind schedule. Much of the delay was due to Belushi's partying and carousing. When not on the set, he went out to his familiar Chicago haunts such as Wrigley Field and the Old Town Ale House. People often recognized him and slipped him cocaine, a drug he was already using heavily on his own, hoping to use it with him. "Every blue-collar Joe wants his John Belushi story," said Smokey Wendell, who was eventually hired to keep it away from the star. As a result of his late nights and drug and alcohol use, Belushi would often miss unit calls (the beginning of a production day) or go to his trailer after them and sleep, wasting hours of production time. One night, Aykroyd found him crashing on the sofa of a nearby house, where Belushi had already helped himself to food in the refrigerator.
Cocaine was already so prevalent on the set (like many other film productions of that era) that Aykroyd, who used far less than his partner, claims a section of the budget was actually set aside for purchases of the drug during night shooting. The stars had a private bar, the Blues Club, built on the set, for themselves, crew, and friends. Carrie Fisher, who was Aykroyd's girlfriend at that time, said that most of the bar's staff doubled as dealers, procuring any drug patrons desired.
The movie's original budget was quickly surpassed, and back in Los Angeles, Wasserman grew increasingly frustrated. He was regularly confronting Ned Tanen, the executive in charge of production for Universal, over the costs. Sean Daniel, another studio executive, was not reassured when he came to Chicago and saw the production had set up a special facility for the 70 cars used in the chase sequences. Filming there, which was supposed to have concluded in the middle of September, continued into late October.
On the set, Belushi's drug use worsened. Fisher, who herself later struggled with cocaine addiction, said Landis told her to keep Belushi away from the drug. Wendell was hired to clear any drugs from the places Belushi visited off-camera. Nevertheless, at one point, Landis found Belushi with what he described as a "mountain" of cocaine on a table in his trailer, which led to a tearful confrontation in which Belushi admitted his addiction and feared it could eventually kill him.
After Aykroyd and Belushi's wife Judy had a talk with Belushi about his antics, the production returned to Los Angeles. Filming there again ran smoothly until it came time to shoot the final sequence at the Hollywood Palladium. Just beforehand, Belushi fell off a borrowed skateboard and seriously injured his knee, making it unlikely he could go through with the scene, which required him to sing, dance, and do cartwheels. Wasserman persuaded the city's top orthopedic surgeon to postpone his weekend plans long enough to stop by and sufficiently anesthetize Belushi's knee, and the scene was filmed as intended.
Locations
Much of The Blues Brothers was shot on location in and around Chicago between July and October 1979, including Joliet Correctional Center in nearby Joliet, Illinois, and Wauconda, Illinois, where the car crashes into the side of Route 12. Made with the cooperation of Mayor Jane M. Byrne, it is credited for putting Chicago on the map as a venue for filmmaking. Nearly 200 movies have been filmed in Chicago. In an article written to mark the film's 25th Anniversary DVD release, Aykroyd told the Chicago Sun-Times: "Chicago is one of the stars of the movie. We wrote it as a tribute."
The first traffic stop was in Park Ridge, Illinois. The shopping mall car chase was filmed in the real, albeit shuttered, Dixie Square Mall, in Harvey, Illinois. The bridge jump was filmed on an actual drawbridge, the 95th Street bridge over the Calumet River, on the southeast side of Chicago. The main entrance to Wrigley Field (and its sign reading "Save lives. Drive safely, prevent fires") makes a brief appearance when the "Illinois Nazis" visit it after Elwood falsely registers the ballpark's location, 1060 West Addison, as his home address on his driver's license. (Elwood's Illinois driver's license number is an almost-valid encoded number, with Aykroyd's own birth date embedded.) Jake's final confrontation with his girlfriend was filmed in a replica of a section of the abandoned Chicago freight tunnel system. The other chase scenes included lower Wacker Drive, Lake Street, and Richard J. Daley Center.
In the final car chase scene, the production actually dropped a Ford Pinto, representing that which was driven by the "Illinois Nazis", from a helicopter at an altitude of about 1,200 feet—and had to gain a Special Airworthiness Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration to do it. The FAA was concerned that the car could prove too aerodynamic in a high-altitude drop, and pose a threat to nearby buildings. The shot leading up to the car drop, where the "Illinois Nazis" drive off a freeway ramp, was shot in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, near the Hoan Bridge on Interstate 794. The Lake Freeway (North) was a planned but not completed six-lane freeway, and I-794 contained an unfinished ramp off which the Nazis drove. Several Milwaukee skyscrapers are visible in the background as the Bluesmobile flips over, notably the U.S. Bank Center.
The Palace Hotel Ballroom, where the band performs their climactic concert, was at the time of filming a country club, but later became the South Shore Cultural Center, named after the Chicago neighborhood where it is located. The interior concert scenes were filmed in the Hollywood Palladium.
The filming in downtown Chicago was conducted on Sundays during the summer of 1979, and much of downtown was cordoned off from the public. Costs for filming the largest scene in the city's history totaled $3.5 million. Permission was given after Belushi and Aykroyd offered to donate $50,000 to a charity after filming. Although the Bluesmobile was allowed to be driven through the Daley Center lobby, special breakaway panes were temporarily substituted for the normal glass in the building. The speeding car caused $7,650 in damage to 35 granite paver stones and a bronze air grille in the building. Interior shots of the elevator, staircase, and assessor's office were all recreated in a film set for filming.
Bluesmobile
The film used 13 different cars bought at auction from the California Highway Patrol to depict the retired 1974 Mount Prospect, Illinois Dodge Monaco patrol car. The vehicles were outfitted by the studio to do particular driving chores; some were customized for speed and others for jumps, depending on the scene. For the large car chases, filmmakers purchased 60 police cars at $400 each, and most were destroyed at the completion of the filming. More than 40 stunt drivers were hired, and the crew kept a 24-hour body shop to repair cars.
For the scene when the Blues Brothers finally arrive at the Richard J. Daley Center, a mechanic took several months to rig the car to fall apart. At the time of its release, The Blues Brothers held the world record for the most cars destroyed in one film until it was surpassed by a single car in its 1998 sequel.
Post-production
Landis' difficulties continued even after principal photography was completed. The first cut of The Blues Brothers lasted two and a half hours, with an intermission. After one early screening, Wasserman demanded it be shortened, and 20 minutes were cut. The film's final budget was $27.5 million (equivalent to $ million in ), $10 million over its original budget.
Prospects for a successful release did not look good. Aykroyd and Belushi had left SNL at the end of the previous season, reducing their bankability. Belushi's fame had taken a further hit after the critical failure of Spielberg's film 1941 at the end of the year. One day after the editing was done, Wasserman invited Landis up to his office to speak with Ted Mann, head of the Mann Theatres chain, which dominated film exhibition in the Western United States. He told Landis that he would not book the film at any theaters in predominantly white neighborhoods, such as Westwood. Not only did Mann not want black patrons going there to see the film, but he also surmised that white viewers were unlikely to see a film featuring older black musical stars. Ultimately, the film got less than half the bookings nationwide for its initial release than a typical big-budget studio film of the era, which did not bode well for its success at the box office.
Reception
Box office
The Blues Brothers opened on June 20, 1980, with a release in 594 theaters. It took in $4,858,152, ranking second for that week (after The Empire Strikes Back). The film in total grossed $57,229,890 domestically and $58,000,000 in foreign box office for a total of $115,229,890. It ranked 10th at the domestic box office for the year. By genre, it is the ninth-highest-grossing musical and the 10th-highest earner among comedy road movies. It ranks second, between Wayne's World and Wayne's World 2, among films adapted from Saturday Night Live sketches. Director John Landis claimed The Blues Brothers was also the first American film to gross more money overseas than it did in the United States. Over the years, the film has retained a following through television and home video.
Critical reception
The Blues Brothers received mostly positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 73% "Certified Fresh" rating, based on 90 reviews, with an average rating of 7.60/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "Too over the top for its own good, but ultimately rescued by the cast's charm, director John Landis' grace, and several soul-stirring musical numbers." It won the Golden Reel Award for Best Sound Editing and Sound Effects, is 14th on Total Film magazine's "List of the 50 Greatest Comedy Films of All Time," is 20th on Empires list of "The 50 Greatest Comedies," and is number 69 on Bravo's "100 Funniest Movies." Metacritic gave the film a score of 60 based on 12 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews."
Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave The Blues Brothers three out of four stars, praising it for its energetic musical numbers and "incredible" car chases. Ebert further noted that "Belushi and Aykroyd come over as hard-boiled city guys, total cynics with a world-view of sublime simplicity, and that all fits perfectly with the movie's other parts. There's even room, in the midst of the carnage and mayhem, for a surprising amount of grace, humor, and whimsy." Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune gave the film a "rare four-star rating," calling it "one of the all-time great comedies" and "the best movie ever made in Chicago." He described the film as "technically superb," praised it for "countering every explosion with a quiet moment," and said it "is at once a pure exercise in physical comedy as well as a marvelous tribute to the urban blues sound." He ranked it number eight on his list of the ten best movies of 1980. Richard Corliss, writing in Time, opined: "The Blues Brothers is a demolition symphony that works with the cold efficiency of a Moog synthesizer gone sadistic."
In his review for The Washington Post, Gary Arnold criticized Landis for engorging "the frail plot of The Blues Brothers with car chases and crack-ups, filmed with such avid, humorless starkness on the streets of Chicago that comic sensations are virtually obliterated." Janet Maslin of The New York Times criticized The Blues Brothers for shortchanging viewers on more details about Jake and Elwood's affinity for African-American culture. She also took director Landis to task for "distracting editing," mentioning the Soul Food diner scene in which the head of saxophonist Marini is out of shot as he dances on the counter. In the documentary, Stories Behind the Making of The Blues Brothers, Landis acknowledges the criticism while stating "Everybody has his opinion," and Marini recalls the dismay he felt at seeing the completed film.
Kim Newman, writing for Empire in 2013, considered The Blues Brothers to be "an amalgam of urban sleaze, automobile crunch and blackheart rhythm and blues" with "better music than any film had had for many years." He noted that Belushi and Aykroyd pack in their heroes: "Aretha storming through 'Think', Cab Calloway cruising through 'Minnie the Moocher', John Lee Hooker boogying through 'Boom Boom' and Ray Charles on electric piano." He observed that "the picture had revived the careers of virtually all the musicians that appeared in it" and concluded that "it still sounds great and looks as good as ever through Ray Bans."
On the 30th Anniversary of the film's release, L'Osservatore Romano (the daily newspaper of Vatican City State) wrote that the film is filled with positive symbolism and moral references that can be related to Catholicism. They went further, stating, The Blues Brothers "is a memorable film, and, judging by the facts, a Catholic one."
Cult-film status
The Blues Brothers has become a staple of late-night cinema, even slowly morphing into an audience-participation show in its regular screenings at the Valhalla Cinema, in Melbourne, Australia. John Landis acknowledged the support of the cinema and the fans by a phone call he made to the cinema at the 10th Anniversary screening, and later invited regular attendees to make cameo appearances in Blues Brothers 2000. The fans act as the members of the crowd during the performance of "Ghost Riders in the Sky".
In August 2005, a 25th Anniversary celebration for The Blues Brothers was held at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. Attendees included Landis, former Universal Studios executive Thom Mount, film editor George Folsey, Jr., and cast members James Brown, Henry Gibson, Charles Napier, Steve Cropper, and Stephen Bishop. It featured a press conference, a panel discussion where Aykroyd joined by satellite, and a screening of the original theatrical version of the film. The panel discussion was broadcast direct to many other cinemas around the country.
The popularity of The Blues Brothers has also spread overseas; it was an inspiration for Japanese companies Studio Hibari and Aniplex, which led to the creation of the manga and anime franchise Nerima Daikon Brothers, which contain heavy references to the film.
American Film Institute
AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs – nominated
AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs:
"Think" – nominated
AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes:
"We're on a mission from God." – nominated
Release
Home media
When The Blues Brothers was first screened for a preview audience, a producer demanded that director Landis cut 25 minutes from the film. After trimming 15 minutes, it was released in theaters at 132 minutes. The film was first released on VHS and Betamax by MCA Videocassette Inc. in 1983; a Laserdisc from MCA Videodisc was released in the same year. It was then re-released on VHS, Laserdisc, and Betamax in 1985 from MCA Home Video, and again in 1990 from MCA/Universal Home Video. It was also released in a two-pack VHS box set with Animal House. The original length of The Blues Brothers was restored to 148 minutes for the "Collector's Edition" DVD and a Special Edition VHS and Laserdisc release in 1998. The DVD and Laserdisc versions included a 56-minute documentary, The Stories Behind the Making of The Blues Brothers. Produced and directed by JM Kenny (who also produced the "Collector's Edition" DVD of Animal House that same year), it included interviews with Landis, Aykroyd, members of The Blues Brothers Band, producer Robert K. Weiss, editor George Folsey Jr., and others involved with the film. It also included production photographs, the theatrical trailer, production notes, and cast and filmmaker bios. The 25th Anniversary DVD release in 2005 included both the theatrical cut and the extended version.
The Blues Brothers was released on Blu-ray on July 26, 2011, with the same basic contents as the 25th Anniversary DVD. In a March 2011 interview with Ain't it Cool News, Landis also mentioned he had approved the Blu-ray's remastered transfer. On May 19, 2020, the movie was given a 4K UHD release; it has a new 4K remaster from the original negative and the extended footage was remastered from the same archived print as well.
SoundtrackThe Blues Brothers: Original Soundtrack Recording (later re-released as The Blues Brothers: Music from the Soundtrack''') was released on June 20, 1980, as the second album by the Blues Brothers Band, which also toured that year to promote the film. "Gimme Some Lovin" was a Top 20 Billboard hit, peaking at number 18. The album was a followup to their debut, the live album, Briefcase Full of Blues. Later that year they released a second live album, Made in America, which featured the Top 40 track, "Who's Making Love".
The songs on the soundtrack album are a noticeably different audio mix than in the film, with a prominent baritone saxophone in the horn line (also heard in the film during "Shake a Tail Feather", though no baritone sax is present), and female backing vocals on "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love", though the band had no other backup singers, besides Jake and/or Elwood, in the film. A number of regular Blues Brothers' members, including saxophonist Tom Scott and drummer Steve Jordan, perform on the soundtrack album, but are not in the film.
According to Landis in the 1998 documentary The Stories Behind the Making of 'The Blues Brothers, filmed musical performances by Franklin and Brown took more effort, as neither artist was accustomed to lip-synching their performances on film. Franklin required several takes, and Brown simply rerecorded his performance live. Cab Calloway initially wanted to do a disco variation on his signature tune, "Minnie the Moocher", having done the song in several styles in the past, but Landis insisted that the song be done faithfully to the original big-band version.
Charts
Certifications
Other songs in the film
The film's score includes "God Music" (instrumental with choir vocalese) composed by Elmer Bernstein, who previously had worked with John Landis on National Lampoon's Animal House. Other songs in the film include:
Sequel
The 1998 sequel, Blues Brothers 2000, had similar traits to the original, including large car-chase scenes and musical numbers. Landis returned to direct the film and Aykroyd reprised his role, joining John Goodman, Joe Morton, and 10-year-old J. Evan Bonifant as the new Blues Brothers. Franklin and Brown were among the celebrities returning from the first film. There were also musical performances by Sam Moore, Wilson Pickett, Paul Shaffer, B.B. King, and Eric Clapton, among others. Dozens of artists were packed into an all-star band called The Louisiana Gator Boys. Even with many returning cast members, the film was considered a box-office failure, only generating a little over $14 million in sales, and critics' reactions were negative.
See also
Blues Brothers: Private The Blues Brothers Video Game''
References
External links
The Blues Brothers
1980 films
1980s action comedy films
1980s buddy comedy films
1980 comedy films
1980s chase films
1980s musical comedy films
American films
American action comedy films
American buddy comedy films
American chase films
American musical comedy films
Blues films
1980s English-language films
Fictional film duos
Films set in 1980
Films about brothers
Films about musical groups
Films about orphans
Films directed by John Landis
Films set in Chicago
Films set in Illinois
Films shot in Chicago
Films shot in Illinois
Films shot in Wisconsin
Jukebox musical films
Films about neo-Nazis
Saturday Night Live films
Saturday Night Live in the 1980s
Films with screenplays by Dan Aykroyd
Films with screenplays by John Landis
Universal Pictures films
Nuns in fiction
Films produced by George Folsey Jr.
United States National Film Registry films
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"The Blues Brothers is a book written by Crawdaddy! reporter Miami Mitch (Glazer) and published in 1980. The novel was based on the original version of The Blues Brothers screenplay written by Dan Aykroyd and John Landis. However, the original script that was used for the basis of the novel evolved so dramatically into what was used in the film that the two works only scantly resemble each other.\n\nThe book contains eight glossy pages of black-and-white stills from the film, two per page. Scene breaks are marked by two pairs of sunglasses.\n\nThis title is currently out of print.\n\nThe Blues Brothers\n1980 American novels\nNovels based on films\nNovels set in Chicago",
"Mark Cullen and Robb Cullen are brothers and American film and television writers and producers, who usually work together.\n\nThe brothers have created multiple primetime TV series – Hitz for UPN, Lucky for FX, Gary The Rat for SpikeTV, and Heist for NBC. The Cullen brothers co-created and executive produced Back in the Game on ABC, as well as Mr. Robinson for NBC. They have also written and produced multiple pilots for Fox, NBC, ABC, HBO and Showtime.\n\nThe Cullen brothers wrote the screenplay for the 2010 Kevin Smith film Cop Out starring Bruce Willis, Tracy Morgan, Seann William Scott, Adam Brody and Kevin Pollak. In 2010, it was reported that the Cullen brothers had written a screenplay for the remake of the movie Uptown Saturday Night for Will Smith and his Overbrook Entertainment.\n\nThey were nominated for a Primetime Emmy in 2003 in the category of \"Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series\" for the pilot episode of Lucky.\n\nFilmography\n Cop Out (2010, writer)\nOnce Upon a Time in Venice (2017, director, producer, writer)\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\n\nLiving people\nAmerican television writers\nAmerican male television writers\nScreenwriters from Pennsylvania\nWriters from Philadelphia\nTelevision producers from Pennsylvania\nAmerican male screenwriters\n1965 births"
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"The Blues Brothers (film)",
"Origins",
"Who wrote the screenplay for \"The Blues Brothers\" film?",
"Aykroyd had never written a screenplay before,"
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C_a692aeffb79b4e5fa37641d9d33bd8ef_1
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When was the film released?
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When was "The Blues Brothers" released?
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The Blues Brothers (film)
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The characters, Jake and Elwood Blues, were created by Belushi and Aykroyd in performances on Saturday Night Live. The name "The Blues Brothers" was the idea of Howard Shore. The fictional back story and character sketches of blood brothers Jake and Elwood were developed by Aykroyd in collaboration with Ron Gwynne, who is credited as a story consultant for the film. As related in the liner notes of the band's debut album, Briefcase Full of Blues, the brothers grew up in an orphanage, learned the blues from a janitor named Curtis, and sealed their brotherhood by cutting their middle fingers with a steel string said to have come from the guitar of Elmore James. Belushi had become a star in 1978 as a result of both the Blues Brothers' musical success and his role in National Lampoon's Animal House. At one point, he managed the triple feat of being the star of the week's top-grossing film, top-rated television show, and singing on the number-one album within a year. When Aykroyd and Belushi decided they could make a Blues Brothers film, the bidding war was intense. Universal Studios narrowly beat Paramount Pictures for the project. John Landis, who had directed Belushi in Animal House, was aboard as director. However, the project had neither a budget nor a script. On the former issue, Universal head Lew Wasserman thought the film could be made for $12 million; the filmmakers wanted $20 million. It would be impossible to settle on a specific amount without a screenplay to review, and after Mitch Glazer declined to help him, Aykroyd wrote one on his own. Aykroyd had never written a screenplay before, as he admitted in the 1998 documentary, Stories Behind the Making of The Blues Brothers, or even read one, and he was unable to find a writing partner. Consequently, he put together a very descriptive volume that explained the characters' origins and how the band members were recruited. His final draft was 324 pages, which was three times longer than a standard screenplay, written not in a standard screenplay format, but more like free verse. To soften the impact, Aykroyd made a joke of the thick script and had it bound with the cover of the Los Angeles Yellow Pages directory for when he turned it in to producer Robert K. Weiss. Landis was given the task of editing the script into a usable screenplay, which took him about two weeks. The overriding plot premise was unrealistic: religious groups and other not-for-profit organizations are typically exempt from federal or state taxes; although a legislative proposal to tax such property was under consideration in Illinois at the time. CANNOTANSWER
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1978
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The Blues Brothers is a 1980 American musical comedy film directed by John Landis. It stars John Belushi as "Joliet" Jake Blues and Dan Aykroyd as his brother Elwood, characters developed from the recurring musical sketch "The Blues Brothers" on NBC variety series Saturday Night Live. The film is set in and around Chicago, Illinois, where it was filmed, and the screenplay was written by Aykroyd and Landis. It features musical numbers by rhythm and blues (R&B), soul, and blues singers James Brown, Cab Calloway (in his final feature film role), Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Chaka Khan, and John Lee Hooker. It features non-musical supporting performances by Carrie Fisher, Henry Gibson, Charles Napier and John Candy.
The story is a tale of redemption for paroled convict Jake and his blood brother Elwood, who set out on "a mission from God" to save from foreclosure the Roman Catholic orphanage in which they were raised. To do so, they must reunite their R&B band and organize a performance to earn $5,000 needed to pay the orphanage's property tax bill. Along the way, they are targeted by a homicidal "mystery woman", Neo-Nazis, and a country and western band—all while being relentlessly pursued by the police.
Universal Studios, which had won the bidding war for the film, was hoping to take advantage of Belushi's popularity in the wake of Saturday Night Live, the film Animal House, and The Blues Brothers' musical success; it soon found itself unable to control production costs. The start of filming was delayed when Aykroyd, who was new to film screenwriting, took six months to deliver a long and unconventional script that Landis had to rewrite before production, which began without a final budget. On location in Chicago, Belushi's partying and drug use caused lengthy and costly delays that, along with the destructive car chases depicted onscreen, made the final film one of the most expensive comedies ever produced.
Due to concerns that the film would fail, its initial bookings were less than half of those similar films normally received. Released in the United States on June 20, 1980, it received mostly positive reviews from critics and grossed over $115 million in theaters worldwide before its release on home video, and has become a cult classic over the years. A sequel, Blues Brothers 2000, was released in 1998 to critical and commercial failure.
In 2020, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
Plot
Blues vocalist and petty criminal Jake Blues is released from prison after serving three years, and is picked up by his blood brother Elwood in his Bluesmobile, a battered former police car. Elwood demonstrates its capabilities by jumping an open drawbridge. The brothers visit the Roman Catholic orphanage where they were raised, and learn from Sister Mary Stigmata that it will be closed unless $5,000 in property taxes is collected. During a sermon by the Reverend Cleophus James at the Triple Rock Baptist Church, Jake has an epiphany: they can re-form their band, the Blues Brothers, which disbanded while Jake was in prison, and raise the money to save the orphanage.
That night, state troopers attempt to arrest Elwood for driving with a suspended license due to 116 parking tickets and 56 moving violations. After a high-speed chase through the Dixie Square Mall, the brothers escape. The next morning, as the police arrive at the flophouse where Elwood lives, a mysterious woman detonates a bomb that demolishes the building, but miraculously leaves Jake and Elwood unharmed, and saves them from being arrested.
Jake and Elwood begin tracking down members of the band. Five of them are playing at a deserted Holiday Inn lounge, and quickly agree to rejoin. Another turns them down as he is the maître d' at an expensive restaurant, but the brothers refuse to leave the restaurant until he relents. On their way to meet the final two band members, the brothers find the road through Jackson Park blocked by an American Nazi Party demonstration on a bridge; Elwood runs them off the bridge into the East Lagoon. The last two band members, who now run a soul food restaurant, rejoin the band against the advice of one's wife. The reunited group obtain instruments and equipment from Ray's Music Exchange in Calumet City, and Ray, as usual, takes an IOU.
As Jake attempts to book a gig, the mystery woman blows up the phone booth he is using; once again, he is miraculously unhurt. The band stumbles onto a gig at Bob's Country Bunker, a honky-tonk in Kokomo, Indiana. They win over the rowdy crowd, but run up a bar tab higher than their pay, and infuriate the country band that was actually booked for the gig, the Good Ol' Boys.
Realizing that they need one big show to raise the necessary money, the brothers persuade their old agent to book the Palace Hotel Ballroom, north of Chicago. They mount a loudspeaker atop the Bluesmobile and drive around the Chicago area promoting the concert—and alerting the police, the neo-Nazis, and the Good Ol' Boys of their whereabouts. The ballroom is packed with blues fans, police officers, and the Good Ol' Boys. Jake and Elwood perform two songs, then sneak offstage, as the tax deadline is rapidly approaching. A record company executive offers them a $10,000 cash advance on a recording contract—more than enough to pay off the orphanage's taxes and Ray's IOU—and then shows the brothers how to slip out of the building unnoticed. As they make their escape via a service tunnel, they are confronted by the mystery woman: Jake's vengeful ex-fiancée. After her volley of M16 rifle bullets leaves them miraculously unharmed, Jake offers a series of ridiculous excuses that she accepts, allowing the brothers to escape to the Bluesmobile.
Jake and Elwood race back toward Chicago with dozens of state and local police and the Good Ol' Boys in pursuit. They eventually elude them all with a series of improbable maneuvers, including a miraculous gravity-defying escape from the neo-Nazis. At the Richard J. Daley Center, they rush inside the adjacent Chicago City Hall building, soon followed by hundreds of police, state troopers, SWAT teams, firefighters, Illinois National Guardsmen, and the Military Police. Finding the office of the Cook County Assessor, the brothers pay the tax bill. Just as their receipt is stamped, they are arrested by the mob of law officers. In prison, the band plays "Jailhouse Rock" for the inmates.
Cast
John Belushi as "Joliet" Jake Blues, a former blues singer, paroled from prison after three years.
Dan Aykroyd as Elwood J. Blues, Jake's blood brother, also a former blues singer.
James Brown as the Reverend Cleophus James, pastor of the Triple Rock Baptist Church. His musical sermon "The Old Landmark" causes Jake to have an epiphany.
Cab Calloway as Curtis, an old friend of the brothers', who suggests they listen to James, and helps them advertise the show and performs "Minnie the Moocher" for the audience.
Ray Charles as Ray, a blind music instruments dealer, who performs "Shake a Tail Feather" to demonstrate their effectiveness.
Aretha Franklin as Mrs. Murphy, Matt Murphy's wife, who owns a soul food restaurant with him. She performs "Think" to persuade him not to join the band.
Steve "The Colonel" Cropper – lead guitar
Donald "Duck" Dunn – bass guitar
Murphy Dunne ("Murph") – keyboards
Willie "Too Big" Hall – drums
Tom "Bones" Malone – trombone
"Blue Lou" Marini – saxophone
Matt "Guitar" Murphy – lead guitar
"Mr. Fabulous" Alan Rubin – trumpet
Carrie Fisher as the Mystery Woman, Jake's former fiancée; she tries to kill him for leaving her at the altar.
Henry Gibson as the Gruppenführer, the head of a division of the neo-Nazis
John Candy as Burton Mercer, Jake's parole officer assisting the police in their hunt for the Blues Brothers.
John Lee Hooker as Street Slim, a man singing "Boom Boom" together with a small band on Maxwell Street.
Kathleen Freeman as Sister Mary Stigmata, AKA "The Penguin", the nun who leads the orphanage where the brothers grew up.
Steve Lawrence as Maury Sline, the agent who organized and booked many of the Blues Brothers' performances before Jake was sent to jail.
Twiggy as the Chic Lady, a woman who flirts with Elwood at the gas station.
Frank Oz as a corrections officer, who gives Jake his clothes at the beginning of the film.
Jeff Morris as Bob, the owner of Bob's Country Bunker.
Charles Napier as Tucker McElroy, lead singer and Winnebago driver of The Good Old Boys.
Steven Spielberg as the Cook County Assessor, who takes Jake and Elwood's money at the end of the film.
Stephen Bishop as Charming Trooper
Steven Williams as Trooper Mount, one of the cops who follows Jake and Elwood from the start.
Armand Cerami as Trooper Daniel, Mount's partner and the other cop who follows Jake and Elwood from the start.
Joe Walsh as Prison Inmate
Ben Piazza as Father, dining with his wife and three daughters at the Chez Paul and subject to abuse by Jake.
Cindy Fisher as Daughter #2, one of the daughters who Jake leers at.
Paul Reubens as Waiter, a colleague of Mr Fabulous' at the Chez Paul.
Rosie Shuster as Cocktail Waitress
Chaka Khan as Choir Soloist
Gary McLarty as Toys "R" Us Customer, who asks about buying a Miss Piggy toy right before the Bluesmobile begins smashing the mall.
Layne Britton as The Cheese Whiz
Pinetop Perkins as Luther Jackson
Mr. T as Guy On Street (Uncredited)
Carolyn Franklin as Soul Food Chorus #1, who sings along with "Think".
De'voreaux White as Young Guitar Thief, who tries to steal from Ray's Music Exchange, only to nearly be shot by Ray.
James Avery as Detective Avery (Uncredited)
Lou Perryman as Man At Bar
Luis Contreras as Bob's Country Bunker Patron #1 (Uncredited)
Raven De La Croix as Woman In Concert Crowd
Ralph Foody as Police Dispatcher, who comments on the Bluesmobile's arrival at Cook County and allows for using unnecessary violence in capturing Jake and Elwood.
Leonard R. Garner Jr. as Lobby Guard #1
Production
Origins
The characters Jake and Elwood Blues were created by Belushi and Aykroyd in performances on Saturday Night Live. The name "The Blues Brothers" was the idea of Howard Shore. The fictional back story and character sketches of blood brothers Jake and Elwood were developed by Aykroyd in collaboration with Ron Gwynne, who is credited as a story consultant for the film. As related in the liner notes of the band's debut album, Briefcase Full of Blues, the brothers grew up in an orphanage, learned the blues from a janitor named Curtis, and sealed their brotherhood by cutting their middle fingers with a steel string said to have come from the guitar of Elmore James.
Belushi had become a star in 1978 as a result of both the Blues Brothers' musical success and his role in National Lampoon's Animal House. At one point, he managed the triple feat of being the star of the week's top-grossing film and top-rated television series and singing on the No. 1 album within a year. When Aykroyd and Belushi decided they could make a Blues Brothers film, the bidding war was intense. Universal Studios narrowly beat Paramount Pictures for the project. John Landis, who had directed Belushi in Animal House, was aboard as director.
However, the project had neither a budget nor a script. On the former issue, Universal head Lew Wasserman thought the film could be made for $12 million; the filmmakers wanted $20 million. It would be impossible to settle on a specific amount without a screenplay to review, and after Mitch Glazer declined to help him, Aykroyd wrote one on his own.
Aykroyd had never written a screenplay before, as he admitted in the 1998 documentary Stories Behind the Making of The Blues Brothers, or even read one, and he was unable to find a writing partner. Consequently, he put together a very descriptive volume that explained the characters' origins and how the band members were recruited. His final draft was 324 pages, which was three times longer than a standard screenplay, written not in a standard screenplay format, but more like free verse. To soften the impact, Aykroyd made a joke of the thick script and had it bound with the cover of the Los Angeles Yellow Pages directory for when he turned it in to producer Robert K. Weiss. He titled it "The Return of the Blues Brothers", and credited it to "Scriptatron GL-9000". Landis was given the task of editing the script into a usable screenplay, which took him about two weeks.
The Blues Brothers held the record for the most cars destroyed in the course of production for 18 years, at 103, one fewer than were wrecked in its 1998 sequel Blues Brothers 2000. Both were surpassed by G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009), with 112 cars destroyed.
Casting
At Aykroyd's demand, soul and R&B stars James Brown, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin were cast in speaking parts to support musical numbers built around them. This later caused friction in the production between Landis and Universal, as its costs far exceeded the original budget. Since none of them except Charles had any hits in recent years, the studio wanted the director to replace them with—or add performances by—younger acts, such as Rose Royce, whose "Car Wash" had made them disco stars after its use in the 1976 film of that name.
Other musicians in the cast include Big Walter Horton, Pinetop Perkins, and John Lee Hooker (who performed "Boom Boom" during the Maxwell Street scene). The members of The Blues Brothers Band were themselves notable. Steve Cropper and Donald Dunn are architects of the Stax Records sound (Cropper's guitar can be heard at the start of the Sam & Dave song "Soul Man") and were half of Booker T. & the M.G.'s. Horn players Lou Marini, Tom Malone, and Alan Rubin had all played in Blood, Sweat & Tears and the house band on Saturday Night Live. Drummer Willie Hall had played in The Bar-Kays and backed Isaac Hayes. Matt Murphy is a veteran blues guitarist. As the band developed at Saturday Night Live, pianist Paul Shaffer was part of the act and thus cast in the film. However, due to contractual obligations with SNL, he was unable to participate, so actor-musician Murphy Dunne (whose father, George Dunne, was the Cook County Board President) was hired to take his role.
Fisher, Freeman, Gibson, and Candy were cast in non-musical supporting roles. The film is also notable for the number of cameo appearances by established celebrities and entertainment-industry figures, including Steve Lawrence as a booking agent, Twiggy as a "chic lady" in a Jaguar convertible whom Elwood propositions at a gas station, Steven Spielberg as the Cook County Assessor's clerk, Landis as a state trooper in the mall chase, Paul Reubens (before he became Pee-wee Herman) as a waiter in the restaurant Chez Paul, Joe Walsh in a cameo as the first prisoner to jump up on a table in the final scene, and Chaka Khan as the soloist in the Triple Rock choir. Muppet performer Frank Oz plays a corrections officer, and in the scene where the brothers crash into Toys "R" Us, the customer who asks for a Miss Piggy doll is played by stunt coordinator Gary McLarty. Singer/songwriter Stephen Bishop is an Illinois State Trooper who complains that Jake and Elwood broke his watch (a result of the car chase in the mall). Makeup artist Layne Britton is the old card player who asks Elwood, "Did you get me my Cheez Whiz, boy?" The character portrayed by Cab Calloway is named Curtis as a homage to Curtis Salgado, an Oregon blues musician who inspired Belushi while he was in that area filming Animal House.
Over 500 extras were used for the next-to-last scene, the blockade of the building at Daley Center, including 200 National Guardsmen, 100 state and city police officers, with 15 horses for the mounted police (and three each Sherman tanks, helicopters, and fire engines).
Filming
Principal photography began in July 1979, with the film's budget still not settled. For the first month, things ran smoothly on and off the set. When Weiss saw the supposedly final $17.5 million budget, he reportedly joked, "I think we've spent that much already."
In the next month, the production began falling behind schedule. Much of the delay was due to Belushi's partying and carousing. When not on the set, he went out to his familiar Chicago haunts such as Wrigley Field and the Old Town Ale House. People often recognized him and slipped him cocaine, a drug he was already using heavily on his own, hoping to use it with him. "Every blue-collar Joe wants his John Belushi story," said Smokey Wendell, who was eventually hired to keep it away from the star. As a result of his late nights and drug and alcohol use, Belushi would often miss unit calls (the beginning of a production day) or go to his trailer after them and sleep, wasting hours of production time. One night, Aykroyd found him crashing on the sofa of a nearby house, where Belushi had already helped himself to food in the refrigerator.
Cocaine was already so prevalent on the set (like many other film productions of that era) that Aykroyd, who used far less than his partner, claims a section of the budget was actually set aside for purchases of the drug during night shooting. The stars had a private bar, the Blues Club, built on the set, for themselves, crew, and friends. Carrie Fisher, who was Aykroyd's girlfriend at that time, said that most of the bar's staff doubled as dealers, procuring any drug patrons desired.
The movie's original budget was quickly surpassed, and back in Los Angeles, Wasserman grew increasingly frustrated. He was regularly confronting Ned Tanen, the executive in charge of production for Universal, over the costs. Sean Daniel, another studio executive, was not reassured when he came to Chicago and saw the production had set up a special facility for the 70 cars used in the chase sequences. Filming there, which was supposed to have concluded in the middle of September, continued into late October.
On the set, Belushi's drug use worsened. Fisher, who herself later struggled with cocaine addiction, said Landis told her to keep Belushi away from the drug. Wendell was hired to clear any drugs from the places Belushi visited off-camera. Nevertheless, at one point, Landis found Belushi with what he described as a "mountain" of cocaine on a table in his trailer, which led to a tearful confrontation in which Belushi admitted his addiction and feared it could eventually kill him.
After Aykroyd and Belushi's wife Judy had a talk with Belushi about his antics, the production returned to Los Angeles. Filming there again ran smoothly until it came time to shoot the final sequence at the Hollywood Palladium. Just beforehand, Belushi fell off a borrowed skateboard and seriously injured his knee, making it unlikely he could go through with the scene, which required him to sing, dance, and do cartwheels. Wasserman persuaded the city's top orthopedic surgeon to postpone his weekend plans long enough to stop by and sufficiently anesthetize Belushi's knee, and the scene was filmed as intended.
Locations
Much of The Blues Brothers was shot on location in and around Chicago between July and October 1979, including Joliet Correctional Center in nearby Joliet, Illinois, and Wauconda, Illinois, where the car crashes into the side of Route 12. Made with the cooperation of Mayor Jane M. Byrne, it is credited for putting Chicago on the map as a venue for filmmaking. Nearly 200 movies have been filmed in Chicago. In an article written to mark the film's 25th Anniversary DVD release, Aykroyd told the Chicago Sun-Times: "Chicago is one of the stars of the movie. We wrote it as a tribute."
The first traffic stop was in Park Ridge, Illinois. The shopping mall car chase was filmed in the real, albeit shuttered, Dixie Square Mall, in Harvey, Illinois. The bridge jump was filmed on an actual drawbridge, the 95th Street bridge over the Calumet River, on the southeast side of Chicago. The main entrance to Wrigley Field (and its sign reading "Save lives. Drive safely, prevent fires") makes a brief appearance when the "Illinois Nazis" visit it after Elwood falsely registers the ballpark's location, 1060 West Addison, as his home address on his driver's license. (Elwood's Illinois driver's license number is an almost-valid encoded number, with Aykroyd's own birth date embedded.) Jake's final confrontation with his girlfriend was filmed in a replica of a section of the abandoned Chicago freight tunnel system. The other chase scenes included lower Wacker Drive, Lake Street, and Richard J. Daley Center.
In the final car chase scene, the production actually dropped a Ford Pinto, representing that which was driven by the "Illinois Nazis", from a helicopter at an altitude of about 1,200 feet—and had to gain a Special Airworthiness Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration to do it. The FAA was concerned that the car could prove too aerodynamic in a high-altitude drop, and pose a threat to nearby buildings. The shot leading up to the car drop, where the "Illinois Nazis" drive off a freeway ramp, was shot in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, near the Hoan Bridge on Interstate 794. The Lake Freeway (North) was a planned but not completed six-lane freeway, and I-794 contained an unfinished ramp off which the Nazis drove. Several Milwaukee skyscrapers are visible in the background as the Bluesmobile flips over, notably the U.S. Bank Center.
The Palace Hotel Ballroom, where the band performs their climactic concert, was at the time of filming a country club, but later became the South Shore Cultural Center, named after the Chicago neighborhood where it is located. The interior concert scenes were filmed in the Hollywood Palladium.
The filming in downtown Chicago was conducted on Sundays during the summer of 1979, and much of downtown was cordoned off from the public. Costs for filming the largest scene in the city's history totaled $3.5 million. Permission was given after Belushi and Aykroyd offered to donate $50,000 to a charity after filming. Although the Bluesmobile was allowed to be driven through the Daley Center lobby, special breakaway panes were temporarily substituted for the normal glass in the building. The speeding car caused $7,650 in damage to 35 granite paver stones and a bronze air grille in the building. Interior shots of the elevator, staircase, and assessor's office were all recreated in a film set for filming.
Bluesmobile
The film used 13 different cars bought at auction from the California Highway Patrol to depict the retired 1974 Mount Prospect, Illinois Dodge Monaco patrol car. The vehicles were outfitted by the studio to do particular driving chores; some were customized for speed and others for jumps, depending on the scene. For the large car chases, filmmakers purchased 60 police cars at $400 each, and most were destroyed at the completion of the filming. More than 40 stunt drivers were hired, and the crew kept a 24-hour body shop to repair cars.
For the scene when the Blues Brothers finally arrive at the Richard J. Daley Center, a mechanic took several months to rig the car to fall apart. At the time of its release, The Blues Brothers held the world record for the most cars destroyed in one film until it was surpassed by a single car in its 1998 sequel.
Post-production
Landis' difficulties continued even after principal photography was completed. The first cut of The Blues Brothers lasted two and a half hours, with an intermission. After one early screening, Wasserman demanded it be shortened, and 20 minutes were cut. The film's final budget was $27.5 million (equivalent to $ million in ), $10 million over its original budget.
Prospects for a successful release did not look good. Aykroyd and Belushi had left SNL at the end of the previous season, reducing their bankability. Belushi's fame had taken a further hit after the critical failure of Spielberg's film 1941 at the end of the year. One day after the editing was done, Wasserman invited Landis up to his office to speak with Ted Mann, head of the Mann Theatres chain, which dominated film exhibition in the Western United States. He told Landis that he would not book the film at any theaters in predominantly white neighborhoods, such as Westwood. Not only did Mann not want black patrons going there to see the film, but he also surmised that white viewers were unlikely to see a film featuring older black musical stars. Ultimately, the film got less than half the bookings nationwide for its initial release than a typical big-budget studio film of the era, which did not bode well for its success at the box office.
Reception
Box office
The Blues Brothers opened on June 20, 1980, with a release in 594 theaters. It took in $4,858,152, ranking second for that week (after The Empire Strikes Back). The film in total grossed $57,229,890 domestically and $58,000,000 in foreign box office for a total of $115,229,890. It ranked 10th at the domestic box office for the year. By genre, it is the ninth-highest-grossing musical and the 10th-highest earner among comedy road movies. It ranks second, between Wayne's World and Wayne's World 2, among films adapted from Saturday Night Live sketches. Director John Landis claimed The Blues Brothers was also the first American film to gross more money overseas than it did in the United States. Over the years, the film has retained a following through television and home video.
Critical reception
The Blues Brothers received mostly positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 73% "Certified Fresh" rating, based on 90 reviews, with an average rating of 7.60/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "Too over the top for its own good, but ultimately rescued by the cast's charm, director John Landis' grace, and several soul-stirring musical numbers." It won the Golden Reel Award for Best Sound Editing and Sound Effects, is 14th on Total Film magazine's "List of the 50 Greatest Comedy Films of All Time," is 20th on Empires list of "The 50 Greatest Comedies," and is number 69 on Bravo's "100 Funniest Movies." Metacritic gave the film a score of 60 based on 12 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews."
Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave The Blues Brothers three out of four stars, praising it for its energetic musical numbers and "incredible" car chases. Ebert further noted that "Belushi and Aykroyd come over as hard-boiled city guys, total cynics with a world-view of sublime simplicity, and that all fits perfectly with the movie's other parts. There's even room, in the midst of the carnage and mayhem, for a surprising amount of grace, humor, and whimsy." Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune gave the film a "rare four-star rating," calling it "one of the all-time great comedies" and "the best movie ever made in Chicago." He described the film as "technically superb," praised it for "countering every explosion with a quiet moment," and said it "is at once a pure exercise in physical comedy as well as a marvelous tribute to the urban blues sound." He ranked it number eight on his list of the ten best movies of 1980. Richard Corliss, writing in Time, opined: "The Blues Brothers is a demolition symphony that works with the cold efficiency of a Moog synthesizer gone sadistic."
In his review for The Washington Post, Gary Arnold criticized Landis for engorging "the frail plot of The Blues Brothers with car chases and crack-ups, filmed with such avid, humorless starkness on the streets of Chicago that comic sensations are virtually obliterated." Janet Maslin of The New York Times criticized The Blues Brothers for shortchanging viewers on more details about Jake and Elwood's affinity for African-American culture. She also took director Landis to task for "distracting editing," mentioning the Soul Food diner scene in which the head of saxophonist Marini is out of shot as he dances on the counter. In the documentary, Stories Behind the Making of The Blues Brothers, Landis acknowledges the criticism while stating "Everybody has his opinion," and Marini recalls the dismay he felt at seeing the completed film.
Kim Newman, writing for Empire in 2013, considered The Blues Brothers to be "an amalgam of urban sleaze, automobile crunch and blackheart rhythm and blues" with "better music than any film had had for many years." He noted that Belushi and Aykroyd pack in their heroes: "Aretha storming through 'Think', Cab Calloway cruising through 'Minnie the Moocher', John Lee Hooker boogying through 'Boom Boom' and Ray Charles on electric piano." He observed that "the picture had revived the careers of virtually all the musicians that appeared in it" and concluded that "it still sounds great and looks as good as ever through Ray Bans."
On the 30th Anniversary of the film's release, L'Osservatore Romano (the daily newspaper of Vatican City State) wrote that the film is filled with positive symbolism and moral references that can be related to Catholicism. They went further, stating, The Blues Brothers "is a memorable film, and, judging by the facts, a Catholic one."
Cult-film status
The Blues Brothers has become a staple of late-night cinema, even slowly morphing into an audience-participation show in its regular screenings at the Valhalla Cinema, in Melbourne, Australia. John Landis acknowledged the support of the cinema and the fans by a phone call he made to the cinema at the 10th Anniversary screening, and later invited regular attendees to make cameo appearances in Blues Brothers 2000. The fans act as the members of the crowd during the performance of "Ghost Riders in the Sky".
In August 2005, a 25th Anniversary celebration for The Blues Brothers was held at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. Attendees included Landis, former Universal Studios executive Thom Mount, film editor George Folsey, Jr., and cast members James Brown, Henry Gibson, Charles Napier, Steve Cropper, and Stephen Bishop. It featured a press conference, a panel discussion where Aykroyd joined by satellite, and a screening of the original theatrical version of the film. The panel discussion was broadcast direct to many other cinemas around the country.
The popularity of The Blues Brothers has also spread overseas; it was an inspiration for Japanese companies Studio Hibari and Aniplex, which led to the creation of the manga and anime franchise Nerima Daikon Brothers, which contain heavy references to the film.
American Film Institute
AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs – nominated
AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs:
"Think" – nominated
AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes:
"We're on a mission from God." – nominated
Release
Home media
When The Blues Brothers was first screened for a preview audience, a producer demanded that director Landis cut 25 minutes from the film. After trimming 15 minutes, it was released in theaters at 132 minutes. The film was first released on VHS and Betamax by MCA Videocassette Inc. in 1983; a Laserdisc from MCA Videodisc was released in the same year. It was then re-released on VHS, Laserdisc, and Betamax in 1985 from MCA Home Video, and again in 1990 from MCA/Universal Home Video. It was also released in a two-pack VHS box set with Animal House. The original length of The Blues Brothers was restored to 148 minutes for the "Collector's Edition" DVD and a Special Edition VHS and Laserdisc release in 1998. The DVD and Laserdisc versions included a 56-minute documentary, The Stories Behind the Making of The Blues Brothers. Produced and directed by JM Kenny (who also produced the "Collector's Edition" DVD of Animal House that same year), it included interviews with Landis, Aykroyd, members of The Blues Brothers Band, producer Robert K. Weiss, editor George Folsey Jr., and others involved with the film. It also included production photographs, the theatrical trailer, production notes, and cast and filmmaker bios. The 25th Anniversary DVD release in 2005 included both the theatrical cut and the extended version.
The Blues Brothers was released on Blu-ray on July 26, 2011, with the same basic contents as the 25th Anniversary DVD. In a March 2011 interview with Ain't it Cool News, Landis also mentioned he had approved the Blu-ray's remastered transfer. On May 19, 2020, the movie was given a 4K UHD release; it has a new 4K remaster from the original negative and the extended footage was remastered from the same archived print as well.
SoundtrackThe Blues Brothers: Original Soundtrack Recording (later re-released as The Blues Brothers: Music from the Soundtrack''') was released on June 20, 1980, as the second album by the Blues Brothers Band, which also toured that year to promote the film. "Gimme Some Lovin" was a Top 20 Billboard hit, peaking at number 18. The album was a followup to their debut, the live album, Briefcase Full of Blues. Later that year they released a second live album, Made in America, which featured the Top 40 track, "Who's Making Love".
The songs on the soundtrack album are a noticeably different audio mix than in the film, with a prominent baritone saxophone in the horn line (also heard in the film during "Shake a Tail Feather", though no baritone sax is present), and female backing vocals on "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love", though the band had no other backup singers, besides Jake and/or Elwood, in the film. A number of regular Blues Brothers' members, including saxophonist Tom Scott and drummer Steve Jordan, perform on the soundtrack album, but are not in the film.
According to Landis in the 1998 documentary The Stories Behind the Making of 'The Blues Brothers, filmed musical performances by Franklin and Brown took more effort, as neither artist was accustomed to lip-synching their performances on film. Franklin required several takes, and Brown simply rerecorded his performance live. Cab Calloway initially wanted to do a disco variation on his signature tune, "Minnie the Moocher", having done the song in several styles in the past, but Landis insisted that the song be done faithfully to the original big-band version.
Charts
Certifications
Other songs in the film
The film's score includes "God Music" (instrumental with choir vocalese) composed by Elmer Bernstein, who previously had worked with John Landis on National Lampoon's Animal House. Other songs in the film include:
Sequel
The 1998 sequel, Blues Brothers 2000, had similar traits to the original, including large car-chase scenes and musical numbers. Landis returned to direct the film and Aykroyd reprised his role, joining John Goodman, Joe Morton, and 10-year-old J. Evan Bonifant as the new Blues Brothers. Franklin and Brown were among the celebrities returning from the first film. There were also musical performances by Sam Moore, Wilson Pickett, Paul Shaffer, B.B. King, and Eric Clapton, among others. Dozens of artists were packed into an all-star band called The Louisiana Gator Boys. Even with many returning cast members, the film was considered a box-office failure, only generating a little over $14 million in sales, and critics' reactions were negative.
See also
Blues Brothers: Private The Blues Brothers Video Game''
References
External links
The Blues Brothers
1980 films
1980s action comedy films
1980s buddy comedy films
1980 comedy films
1980s chase films
1980s musical comedy films
American films
American action comedy films
American buddy comedy films
American chase films
American musical comedy films
Blues films
1980s English-language films
Fictional film duos
Films set in 1980
Films about brothers
Films about musical groups
Films about orphans
Films directed by John Landis
Films set in Chicago
Films set in Illinois
Films shot in Chicago
Films shot in Illinois
Films shot in Wisconsin
Jukebox musical films
Films about neo-Nazis
Saturday Night Live films
Saturday Night Live in the 1980s
Films with screenplays by Dan Aykroyd
Films with screenplays by John Landis
Universal Pictures films
Nuns in fiction
Films produced by George Folsey Jr.
United States National Film Registry films
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[
"\"When the Shit Goes Down\" (\"When the Ship Goes Down\" on edited versions) is a song by American hip hop group Cypress Hill. The song was released as the second single from the group's second studio album, Black Sunday. The single was released exclusively in Australia and Europe.\n\nTrack listing\nEuropean 12\"\n\nEuropean promo single\n\nEuropean maxi single\n\nAustralian maxi single\n\nCharts\n\nIn popular culture\n The song was used in the 2001 film Bully.\n An edited version of the song was used in the 2007 film Freedom Writers.\n The song was used in the pilot episode of Hello Ladies.\n The song was featured in the 2013 film This Is the End.\n The song was used in a second-season episode of The Affair.\n The song was featured in the 2018 film Mid90s.\n The song was used in the episode \"Ezekiel Patrol\" of the 2019 TV series Doom Patrol.\nThe song was used in the 2019 film Guns Akimbo.\n\nReferences\n\n1993 songs\n1993 singles\nCypress Hill songs\nRuffhouse Records singles\nColumbia Records singles\nHardcore hip hop songs\nSongs written by DJ Muggs\nSongs written by B-Real\nSong recordings produced by DJ Muggs",
"\"With A Flair\" is a song written by Robert and Richard Sherman for the 1971, Walt Disney musical film production Bedknobs and Broomsticks. David Tomlinson sings the song; however, the song was cut in the final cut of the motion picture. It was considered \"lost and forgotten\" until twenty-five years later, in 1996, when the film was reconstructed and the song was resurrected for the 1990s remastered CD. The song was also included on the original LP Soundtrack released when the film was released in 1971.\n\nStory Placement\nIn the Sherman Brothers' co-autobiography, Walt's Time, the authors discuss the song's place in the film:\n\"As thrilled as we were to have Angela Lansbury on board, we were equally delighted when the wonderful David Tomlinson accepted the role as Professor Emelius Browne. David was a great actor as we learned when he played the role of Mr. Banks in Mary Poppins. He can perform comedy brilliantly, but he can also handle the dramatic undertones a role like this one calls for. He once told us, ' There's a difference between comedians and clowns. A clown does funny things and a comedian does things funny. In 'With A Flair\", we meet Emelius Browne, who is selling people on the street his dubious magic tricks. We asked our pal Milt Larsen, who, along with being a fine comedy writer, is also an expert on magic, to come in and create a comedy magic act. He taught all the tricks to David, and even has a part in the film as the stooge who gets a hatful of milk dumped on his head. To our dismay, when Bedknobs was first released, the whole 'With A Flair' sequence was cut from the film- except for a brief scene where Milt walks by, inexplicably covered in spilled milk!\"\n\nThe 1971 Oscars\nAnother song from the film sung by Angela Lansbury; \"The Age of Not Believing\" was nominated for a Best Song Oscar. The Sherman Brothers' entire musical score was also nominated for an Oscar that year as well. These two nominations represent the songwriters' fourth and fifth Oscar bids respectively.\n\nThe reconstruction also marks the first time the film was presented in stereophonic sound. Though the musical score was recorded in stereo and the soundtrack album was presented that way, the film was released in mono sound.\n\nLiterary Sources\n Sherman, Robert B. Walt's Time: from before to beyond. Santa Clarita: Camphor Tree Publishers, 1998.\n\nReferences \n\n1971 songs\nSongs from Bedknobs and Broomsticks\nSongs written by the Sherman Brothers"
] |
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"The Blues Brothers (film)",
"Origins",
"Who wrote the screenplay for \"The Blues Brothers\" film?",
"Aykroyd had never written a screenplay before,",
"When was the film released?",
"1978"
] |
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What music stars made an appearance in the film?
| 3 |
What music stars made an appearance in "The Blues Brothers"?
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The Blues Brothers (film)
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The characters, Jake and Elwood Blues, were created by Belushi and Aykroyd in performances on Saturday Night Live. The name "The Blues Brothers" was the idea of Howard Shore. The fictional back story and character sketches of blood brothers Jake and Elwood were developed by Aykroyd in collaboration with Ron Gwynne, who is credited as a story consultant for the film. As related in the liner notes of the band's debut album, Briefcase Full of Blues, the brothers grew up in an orphanage, learned the blues from a janitor named Curtis, and sealed their brotherhood by cutting their middle fingers with a steel string said to have come from the guitar of Elmore James. Belushi had become a star in 1978 as a result of both the Blues Brothers' musical success and his role in National Lampoon's Animal House. At one point, he managed the triple feat of being the star of the week's top-grossing film, top-rated television show, and singing on the number-one album within a year. When Aykroyd and Belushi decided they could make a Blues Brothers film, the bidding war was intense. Universal Studios narrowly beat Paramount Pictures for the project. John Landis, who had directed Belushi in Animal House, was aboard as director. However, the project had neither a budget nor a script. On the former issue, Universal head Lew Wasserman thought the film could be made for $12 million; the filmmakers wanted $20 million. It would be impossible to settle on a specific amount without a screenplay to review, and after Mitch Glazer declined to help him, Aykroyd wrote one on his own. Aykroyd had never written a screenplay before, as he admitted in the 1998 documentary, Stories Behind the Making of The Blues Brothers, or even read one, and he was unable to find a writing partner. Consequently, he put together a very descriptive volume that explained the characters' origins and how the band members were recruited. His final draft was 324 pages, which was three times longer than a standard screenplay, written not in a standard screenplay format, but more like free verse. To soften the impact, Aykroyd made a joke of the thick script and had it bound with the cover of the Los Angeles Yellow Pages directory for when he turned it in to producer Robert K. Weiss. Landis was given the task of editing the script into a usable screenplay, which took him about two weeks. The overriding plot premise was unrealistic: religious groups and other not-for-profit organizations are typically exempt from federal or state taxes; although a legislative proposal to tax such property was under consideration in Illinois at the time. CANNOTANSWER
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CANNOTANSWER
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The Blues Brothers is a 1980 American musical comedy film directed by John Landis. It stars John Belushi as "Joliet" Jake Blues and Dan Aykroyd as his brother Elwood, characters developed from the recurring musical sketch "The Blues Brothers" on NBC variety series Saturday Night Live. The film is set in and around Chicago, Illinois, where it was filmed, and the screenplay was written by Aykroyd and Landis. It features musical numbers by rhythm and blues (R&B), soul, and blues singers James Brown, Cab Calloway (in his final feature film role), Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Chaka Khan, and John Lee Hooker. It features non-musical supporting performances by Carrie Fisher, Henry Gibson, Charles Napier and John Candy.
The story is a tale of redemption for paroled convict Jake and his blood brother Elwood, who set out on "a mission from God" to save from foreclosure the Roman Catholic orphanage in which they were raised. To do so, they must reunite their R&B band and organize a performance to earn $5,000 needed to pay the orphanage's property tax bill. Along the way, they are targeted by a homicidal "mystery woman", Neo-Nazis, and a country and western band—all while being relentlessly pursued by the police.
Universal Studios, which had won the bidding war for the film, was hoping to take advantage of Belushi's popularity in the wake of Saturday Night Live, the film Animal House, and The Blues Brothers' musical success; it soon found itself unable to control production costs. The start of filming was delayed when Aykroyd, who was new to film screenwriting, took six months to deliver a long and unconventional script that Landis had to rewrite before production, which began without a final budget. On location in Chicago, Belushi's partying and drug use caused lengthy and costly delays that, along with the destructive car chases depicted onscreen, made the final film one of the most expensive comedies ever produced.
Due to concerns that the film would fail, its initial bookings were less than half of those similar films normally received. Released in the United States on June 20, 1980, it received mostly positive reviews from critics and grossed over $115 million in theaters worldwide before its release on home video, and has become a cult classic over the years. A sequel, Blues Brothers 2000, was released in 1998 to critical and commercial failure.
In 2020, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
Plot
Blues vocalist and petty criminal Jake Blues is released from prison after serving three years, and is picked up by his blood brother Elwood in his Bluesmobile, a battered former police car. Elwood demonstrates its capabilities by jumping an open drawbridge. The brothers visit the Roman Catholic orphanage where they were raised, and learn from Sister Mary Stigmata that it will be closed unless $5,000 in property taxes is collected. During a sermon by the Reverend Cleophus James at the Triple Rock Baptist Church, Jake has an epiphany: they can re-form their band, the Blues Brothers, which disbanded while Jake was in prison, and raise the money to save the orphanage.
That night, state troopers attempt to arrest Elwood for driving with a suspended license due to 116 parking tickets and 56 moving violations. After a high-speed chase through the Dixie Square Mall, the brothers escape. The next morning, as the police arrive at the flophouse where Elwood lives, a mysterious woman detonates a bomb that demolishes the building, but miraculously leaves Jake and Elwood unharmed, and saves them from being arrested.
Jake and Elwood begin tracking down members of the band. Five of them are playing at a deserted Holiday Inn lounge, and quickly agree to rejoin. Another turns them down as he is the maître d' at an expensive restaurant, but the brothers refuse to leave the restaurant until he relents. On their way to meet the final two band members, the brothers find the road through Jackson Park blocked by an American Nazi Party demonstration on a bridge; Elwood runs them off the bridge into the East Lagoon. The last two band members, who now run a soul food restaurant, rejoin the band against the advice of one's wife. The reunited group obtain instruments and equipment from Ray's Music Exchange in Calumet City, and Ray, as usual, takes an IOU.
As Jake attempts to book a gig, the mystery woman blows up the phone booth he is using; once again, he is miraculously unhurt. The band stumbles onto a gig at Bob's Country Bunker, a honky-tonk in Kokomo, Indiana. They win over the rowdy crowd, but run up a bar tab higher than their pay, and infuriate the country band that was actually booked for the gig, the Good Ol' Boys.
Realizing that they need one big show to raise the necessary money, the brothers persuade their old agent to book the Palace Hotel Ballroom, north of Chicago. They mount a loudspeaker atop the Bluesmobile and drive around the Chicago area promoting the concert—and alerting the police, the neo-Nazis, and the Good Ol' Boys of their whereabouts. The ballroom is packed with blues fans, police officers, and the Good Ol' Boys. Jake and Elwood perform two songs, then sneak offstage, as the tax deadline is rapidly approaching. A record company executive offers them a $10,000 cash advance on a recording contract—more than enough to pay off the orphanage's taxes and Ray's IOU—and then shows the brothers how to slip out of the building unnoticed. As they make their escape via a service tunnel, they are confronted by the mystery woman: Jake's vengeful ex-fiancée. After her volley of M16 rifle bullets leaves them miraculously unharmed, Jake offers a series of ridiculous excuses that she accepts, allowing the brothers to escape to the Bluesmobile.
Jake and Elwood race back toward Chicago with dozens of state and local police and the Good Ol' Boys in pursuit. They eventually elude them all with a series of improbable maneuvers, including a miraculous gravity-defying escape from the neo-Nazis. At the Richard J. Daley Center, they rush inside the adjacent Chicago City Hall building, soon followed by hundreds of police, state troopers, SWAT teams, firefighters, Illinois National Guardsmen, and the Military Police. Finding the office of the Cook County Assessor, the brothers pay the tax bill. Just as their receipt is stamped, they are arrested by the mob of law officers. In prison, the band plays "Jailhouse Rock" for the inmates.
Cast
John Belushi as "Joliet" Jake Blues, a former blues singer, paroled from prison after three years.
Dan Aykroyd as Elwood J. Blues, Jake's blood brother, also a former blues singer.
James Brown as the Reverend Cleophus James, pastor of the Triple Rock Baptist Church. His musical sermon "The Old Landmark" causes Jake to have an epiphany.
Cab Calloway as Curtis, an old friend of the brothers', who suggests they listen to James, and helps them advertise the show and performs "Minnie the Moocher" for the audience.
Ray Charles as Ray, a blind music instruments dealer, who performs "Shake a Tail Feather" to demonstrate their effectiveness.
Aretha Franklin as Mrs. Murphy, Matt Murphy's wife, who owns a soul food restaurant with him. She performs "Think" to persuade him not to join the band.
Steve "The Colonel" Cropper – lead guitar
Donald "Duck" Dunn – bass guitar
Murphy Dunne ("Murph") – keyboards
Willie "Too Big" Hall – drums
Tom "Bones" Malone – trombone
"Blue Lou" Marini – saxophone
Matt "Guitar" Murphy – lead guitar
"Mr. Fabulous" Alan Rubin – trumpet
Carrie Fisher as the Mystery Woman, Jake's former fiancée; she tries to kill him for leaving her at the altar.
Henry Gibson as the Gruppenführer, the head of a division of the neo-Nazis
John Candy as Burton Mercer, Jake's parole officer assisting the police in their hunt for the Blues Brothers.
John Lee Hooker as Street Slim, a man singing "Boom Boom" together with a small band on Maxwell Street.
Kathleen Freeman as Sister Mary Stigmata, AKA "The Penguin", the nun who leads the orphanage where the brothers grew up.
Steve Lawrence as Maury Sline, the agent who organized and booked many of the Blues Brothers' performances before Jake was sent to jail.
Twiggy as the Chic Lady, a woman who flirts with Elwood at the gas station.
Frank Oz as a corrections officer, who gives Jake his clothes at the beginning of the film.
Jeff Morris as Bob, the owner of Bob's Country Bunker.
Charles Napier as Tucker McElroy, lead singer and Winnebago driver of The Good Old Boys.
Steven Spielberg as the Cook County Assessor, who takes Jake and Elwood's money at the end of the film.
Stephen Bishop as Charming Trooper
Steven Williams as Trooper Mount, one of the cops who follows Jake and Elwood from the start.
Armand Cerami as Trooper Daniel, Mount's partner and the other cop who follows Jake and Elwood from the start.
Joe Walsh as Prison Inmate
Ben Piazza as Father, dining with his wife and three daughters at the Chez Paul and subject to abuse by Jake.
Cindy Fisher as Daughter #2, one of the daughters who Jake leers at.
Paul Reubens as Waiter, a colleague of Mr Fabulous' at the Chez Paul.
Rosie Shuster as Cocktail Waitress
Chaka Khan as Choir Soloist
Gary McLarty as Toys "R" Us Customer, who asks about buying a Miss Piggy toy right before the Bluesmobile begins smashing the mall.
Layne Britton as The Cheese Whiz
Pinetop Perkins as Luther Jackson
Mr. T as Guy On Street (Uncredited)
Carolyn Franklin as Soul Food Chorus #1, who sings along with "Think".
De'voreaux White as Young Guitar Thief, who tries to steal from Ray's Music Exchange, only to nearly be shot by Ray.
James Avery as Detective Avery (Uncredited)
Lou Perryman as Man At Bar
Luis Contreras as Bob's Country Bunker Patron #1 (Uncredited)
Raven De La Croix as Woman In Concert Crowd
Ralph Foody as Police Dispatcher, who comments on the Bluesmobile's arrival at Cook County and allows for using unnecessary violence in capturing Jake and Elwood.
Leonard R. Garner Jr. as Lobby Guard #1
Production
Origins
The characters Jake and Elwood Blues were created by Belushi and Aykroyd in performances on Saturday Night Live. The name "The Blues Brothers" was the idea of Howard Shore. The fictional back story and character sketches of blood brothers Jake and Elwood were developed by Aykroyd in collaboration with Ron Gwynne, who is credited as a story consultant for the film. As related in the liner notes of the band's debut album, Briefcase Full of Blues, the brothers grew up in an orphanage, learned the blues from a janitor named Curtis, and sealed their brotherhood by cutting their middle fingers with a steel string said to have come from the guitar of Elmore James.
Belushi had become a star in 1978 as a result of both the Blues Brothers' musical success and his role in National Lampoon's Animal House. At one point, he managed the triple feat of being the star of the week's top-grossing film and top-rated television series and singing on the No. 1 album within a year. When Aykroyd and Belushi decided they could make a Blues Brothers film, the bidding war was intense. Universal Studios narrowly beat Paramount Pictures for the project. John Landis, who had directed Belushi in Animal House, was aboard as director.
However, the project had neither a budget nor a script. On the former issue, Universal head Lew Wasserman thought the film could be made for $12 million; the filmmakers wanted $20 million. It would be impossible to settle on a specific amount without a screenplay to review, and after Mitch Glazer declined to help him, Aykroyd wrote one on his own.
Aykroyd had never written a screenplay before, as he admitted in the 1998 documentary Stories Behind the Making of The Blues Brothers, or even read one, and he was unable to find a writing partner. Consequently, he put together a very descriptive volume that explained the characters' origins and how the band members were recruited. His final draft was 324 pages, which was three times longer than a standard screenplay, written not in a standard screenplay format, but more like free verse. To soften the impact, Aykroyd made a joke of the thick script and had it bound with the cover of the Los Angeles Yellow Pages directory for when he turned it in to producer Robert K. Weiss. He titled it "The Return of the Blues Brothers", and credited it to "Scriptatron GL-9000". Landis was given the task of editing the script into a usable screenplay, which took him about two weeks.
The Blues Brothers held the record for the most cars destroyed in the course of production for 18 years, at 103, one fewer than were wrecked in its 1998 sequel Blues Brothers 2000. Both were surpassed by G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009), with 112 cars destroyed.
Casting
At Aykroyd's demand, soul and R&B stars James Brown, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin were cast in speaking parts to support musical numbers built around them. This later caused friction in the production between Landis and Universal, as its costs far exceeded the original budget. Since none of them except Charles had any hits in recent years, the studio wanted the director to replace them with—or add performances by—younger acts, such as Rose Royce, whose "Car Wash" had made them disco stars after its use in the 1976 film of that name.
Other musicians in the cast include Big Walter Horton, Pinetop Perkins, and John Lee Hooker (who performed "Boom Boom" during the Maxwell Street scene). The members of The Blues Brothers Band were themselves notable. Steve Cropper and Donald Dunn are architects of the Stax Records sound (Cropper's guitar can be heard at the start of the Sam & Dave song "Soul Man") and were half of Booker T. & the M.G.'s. Horn players Lou Marini, Tom Malone, and Alan Rubin had all played in Blood, Sweat & Tears and the house band on Saturday Night Live. Drummer Willie Hall had played in The Bar-Kays and backed Isaac Hayes. Matt Murphy is a veteran blues guitarist. As the band developed at Saturday Night Live, pianist Paul Shaffer was part of the act and thus cast in the film. However, due to contractual obligations with SNL, he was unable to participate, so actor-musician Murphy Dunne (whose father, George Dunne, was the Cook County Board President) was hired to take his role.
Fisher, Freeman, Gibson, and Candy were cast in non-musical supporting roles. The film is also notable for the number of cameo appearances by established celebrities and entertainment-industry figures, including Steve Lawrence as a booking agent, Twiggy as a "chic lady" in a Jaguar convertible whom Elwood propositions at a gas station, Steven Spielberg as the Cook County Assessor's clerk, Landis as a state trooper in the mall chase, Paul Reubens (before he became Pee-wee Herman) as a waiter in the restaurant Chez Paul, Joe Walsh in a cameo as the first prisoner to jump up on a table in the final scene, and Chaka Khan as the soloist in the Triple Rock choir. Muppet performer Frank Oz plays a corrections officer, and in the scene where the brothers crash into Toys "R" Us, the customer who asks for a Miss Piggy doll is played by stunt coordinator Gary McLarty. Singer/songwriter Stephen Bishop is an Illinois State Trooper who complains that Jake and Elwood broke his watch (a result of the car chase in the mall). Makeup artist Layne Britton is the old card player who asks Elwood, "Did you get me my Cheez Whiz, boy?" The character portrayed by Cab Calloway is named Curtis as a homage to Curtis Salgado, an Oregon blues musician who inspired Belushi while he was in that area filming Animal House.
Over 500 extras were used for the next-to-last scene, the blockade of the building at Daley Center, including 200 National Guardsmen, 100 state and city police officers, with 15 horses for the mounted police (and three each Sherman tanks, helicopters, and fire engines).
Filming
Principal photography began in July 1979, with the film's budget still not settled. For the first month, things ran smoothly on and off the set. When Weiss saw the supposedly final $17.5 million budget, he reportedly joked, "I think we've spent that much already."
In the next month, the production began falling behind schedule. Much of the delay was due to Belushi's partying and carousing. When not on the set, he went out to his familiar Chicago haunts such as Wrigley Field and the Old Town Ale House. People often recognized him and slipped him cocaine, a drug he was already using heavily on his own, hoping to use it with him. "Every blue-collar Joe wants his John Belushi story," said Smokey Wendell, who was eventually hired to keep it away from the star. As a result of his late nights and drug and alcohol use, Belushi would often miss unit calls (the beginning of a production day) or go to his trailer after them and sleep, wasting hours of production time. One night, Aykroyd found him crashing on the sofa of a nearby house, where Belushi had already helped himself to food in the refrigerator.
Cocaine was already so prevalent on the set (like many other film productions of that era) that Aykroyd, who used far less than his partner, claims a section of the budget was actually set aside for purchases of the drug during night shooting. The stars had a private bar, the Blues Club, built on the set, for themselves, crew, and friends. Carrie Fisher, who was Aykroyd's girlfriend at that time, said that most of the bar's staff doubled as dealers, procuring any drug patrons desired.
The movie's original budget was quickly surpassed, and back in Los Angeles, Wasserman grew increasingly frustrated. He was regularly confronting Ned Tanen, the executive in charge of production for Universal, over the costs. Sean Daniel, another studio executive, was not reassured when he came to Chicago and saw the production had set up a special facility for the 70 cars used in the chase sequences. Filming there, which was supposed to have concluded in the middle of September, continued into late October.
On the set, Belushi's drug use worsened. Fisher, who herself later struggled with cocaine addiction, said Landis told her to keep Belushi away from the drug. Wendell was hired to clear any drugs from the places Belushi visited off-camera. Nevertheless, at one point, Landis found Belushi with what he described as a "mountain" of cocaine on a table in his trailer, which led to a tearful confrontation in which Belushi admitted his addiction and feared it could eventually kill him.
After Aykroyd and Belushi's wife Judy had a talk with Belushi about his antics, the production returned to Los Angeles. Filming there again ran smoothly until it came time to shoot the final sequence at the Hollywood Palladium. Just beforehand, Belushi fell off a borrowed skateboard and seriously injured his knee, making it unlikely he could go through with the scene, which required him to sing, dance, and do cartwheels. Wasserman persuaded the city's top orthopedic surgeon to postpone his weekend plans long enough to stop by and sufficiently anesthetize Belushi's knee, and the scene was filmed as intended.
Locations
Much of The Blues Brothers was shot on location in and around Chicago between July and October 1979, including Joliet Correctional Center in nearby Joliet, Illinois, and Wauconda, Illinois, where the car crashes into the side of Route 12. Made with the cooperation of Mayor Jane M. Byrne, it is credited for putting Chicago on the map as a venue for filmmaking. Nearly 200 movies have been filmed in Chicago. In an article written to mark the film's 25th Anniversary DVD release, Aykroyd told the Chicago Sun-Times: "Chicago is one of the stars of the movie. We wrote it as a tribute."
The first traffic stop was in Park Ridge, Illinois. The shopping mall car chase was filmed in the real, albeit shuttered, Dixie Square Mall, in Harvey, Illinois. The bridge jump was filmed on an actual drawbridge, the 95th Street bridge over the Calumet River, on the southeast side of Chicago. The main entrance to Wrigley Field (and its sign reading "Save lives. Drive safely, prevent fires") makes a brief appearance when the "Illinois Nazis" visit it after Elwood falsely registers the ballpark's location, 1060 West Addison, as his home address on his driver's license. (Elwood's Illinois driver's license number is an almost-valid encoded number, with Aykroyd's own birth date embedded.) Jake's final confrontation with his girlfriend was filmed in a replica of a section of the abandoned Chicago freight tunnel system. The other chase scenes included lower Wacker Drive, Lake Street, and Richard J. Daley Center.
In the final car chase scene, the production actually dropped a Ford Pinto, representing that which was driven by the "Illinois Nazis", from a helicopter at an altitude of about 1,200 feet—and had to gain a Special Airworthiness Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration to do it. The FAA was concerned that the car could prove too aerodynamic in a high-altitude drop, and pose a threat to nearby buildings. The shot leading up to the car drop, where the "Illinois Nazis" drive off a freeway ramp, was shot in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, near the Hoan Bridge on Interstate 794. The Lake Freeway (North) was a planned but not completed six-lane freeway, and I-794 contained an unfinished ramp off which the Nazis drove. Several Milwaukee skyscrapers are visible in the background as the Bluesmobile flips over, notably the U.S. Bank Center.
The Palace Hotel Ballroom, where the band performs their climactic concert, was at the time of filming a country club, but later became the South Shore Cultural Center, named after the Chicago neighborhood where it is located. The interior concert scenes were filmed in the Hollywood Palladium.
The filming in downtown Chicago was conducted on Sundays during the summer of 1979, and much of downtown was cordoned off from the public. Costs for filming the largest scene in the city's history totaled $3.5 million. Permission was given after Belushi and Aykroyd offered to donate $50,000 to a charity after filming. Although the Bluesmobile was allowed to be driven through the Daley Center lobby, special breakaway panes were temporarily substituted for the normal glass in the building. The speeding car caused $7,650 in damage to 35 granite paver stones and a bronze air grille in the building. Interior shots of the elevator, staircase, and assessor's office were all recreated in a film set for filming.
Bluesmobile
The film used 13 different cars bought at auction from the California Highway Patrol to depict the retired 1974 Mount Prospect, Illinois Dodge Monaco patrol car. The vehicles were outfitted by the studio to do particular driving chores; some were customized for speed and others for jumps, depending on the scene. For the large car chases, filmmakers purchased 60 police cars at $400 each, and most were destroyed at the completion of the filming. More than 40 stunt drivers were hired, and the crew kept a 24-hour body shop to repair cars.
For the scene when the Blues Brothers finally arrive at the Richard J. Daley Center, a mechanic took several months to rig the car to fall apart. At the time of its release, The Blues Brothers held the world record for the most cars destroyed in one film until it was surpassed by a single car in its 1998 sequel.
Post-production
Landis' difficulties continued even after principal photography was completed. The first cut of The Blues Brothers lasted two and a half hours, with an intermission. After one early screening, Wasserman demanded it be shortened, and 20 minutes were cut. The film's final budget was $27.5 million (equivalent to $ million in ), $10 million over its original budget.
Prospects for a successful release did not look good. Aykroyd and Belushi had left SNL at the end of the previous season, reducing their bankability. Belushi's fame had taken a further hit after the critical failure of Spielberg's film 1941 at the end of the year. One day after the editing was done, Wasserman invited Landis up to his office to speak with Ted Mann, head of the Mann Theatres chain, which dominated film exhibition in the Western United States. He told Landis that he would not book the film at any theaters in predominantly white neighborhoods, such as Westwood. Not only did Mann not want black patrons going there to see the film, but he also surmised that white viewers were unlikely to see a film featuring older black musical stars. Ultimately, the film got less than half the bookings nationwide for its initial release than a typical big-budget studio film of the era, which did not bode well for its success at the box office.
Reception
Box office
The Blues Brothers opened on June 20, 1980, with a release in 594 theaters. It took in $4,858,152, ranking second for that week (after The Empire Strikes Back). The film in total grossed $57,229,890 domestically and $58,000,000 in foreign box office for a total of $115,229,890. It ranked 10th at the domestic box office for the year. By genre, it is the ninth-highest-grossing musical and the 10th-highest earner among comedy road movies. It ranks second, between Wayne's World and Wayne's World 2, among films adapted from Saturday Night Live sketches. Director John Landis claimed The Blues Brothers was also the first American film to gross more money overseas than it did in the United States. Over the years, the film has retained a following through television and home video.
Critical reception
The Blues Brothers received mostly positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 73% "Certified Fresh" rating, based on 90 reviews, with an average rating of 7.60/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "Too over the top for its own good, but ultimately rescued by the cast's charm, director John Landis' grace, and several soul-stirring musical numbers." It won the Golden Reel Award for Best Sound Editing and Sound Effects, is 14th on Total Film magazine's "List of the 50 Greatest Comedy Films of All Time," is 20th on Empires list of "The 50 Greatest Comedies," and is number 69 on Bravo's "100 Funniest Movies." Metacritic gave the film a score of 60 based on 12 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews."
Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave The Blues Brothers three out of four stars, praising it for its energetic musical numbers and "incredible" car chases. Ebert further noted that "Belushi and Aykroyd come over as hard-boiled city guys, total cynics with a world-view of sublime simplicity, and that all fits perfectly with the movie's other parts. There's even room, in the midst of the carnage and mayhem, for a surprising amount of grace, humor, and whimsy." Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune gave the film a "rare four-star rating," calling it "one of the all-time great comedies" and "the best movie ever made in Chicago." He described the film as "technically superb," praised it for "countering every explosion with a quiet moment," and said it "is at once a pure exercise in physical comedy as well as a marvelous tribute to the urban blues sound." He ranked it number eight on his list of the ten best movies of 1980. Richard Corliss, writing in Time, opined: "The Blues Brothers is a demolition symphony that works with the cold efficiency of a Moog synthesizer gone sadistic."
In his review for The Washington Post, Gary Arnold criticized Landis for engorging "the frail plot of The Blues Brothers with car chases and crack-ups, filmed with such avid, humorless starkness on the streets of Chicago that comic sensations are virtually obliterated." Janet Maslin of The New York Times criticized The Blues Brothers for shortchanging viewers on more details about Jake and Elwood's affinity for African-American culture. She also took director Landis to task for "distracting editing," mentioning the Soul Food diner scene in which the head of saxophonist Marini is out of shot as he dances on the counter. In the documentary, Stories Behind the Making of The Blues Brothers, Landis acknowledges the criticism while stating "Everybody has his opinion," and Marini recalls the dismay he felt at seeing the completed film.
Kim Newman, writing for Empire in 2013, considered The Blues Brothers to be "an amalgam of urban sleaze, automobile crunch and blackheart rhythm and blues" with "better music than any film had had for many years." He noted that Belushi and Aykroyd pack in their heroes: "Aretha storming through 'Think', Cab Calloway cruising through 'Minnie the Moocher', John Lee Hooker boogying through 'Boom Boom' and Ray Charles on electric piano." He observed that "the picture had revived the careers of virtually all the musicians that appeared in it" and concluded that "it still sounds great and looks as good as ever through Ray Bans."
On the 30th Anniversary of the film's release, L'Osservatore Romano (the daily newspaper of Vatican City State) wrote that the film is filled with positive symbolism and moral references that can be related to Catholicism. They went further, stating, The Blues Brothers "is a memorable film, and, judging by the facts, a Catholic one."
Cult-film status
The Blues Brothers has become a staple of late-night cinema, even slowly morphing into an audience-participation show in its regular screenings at the Valhalla Cinema, in Melbourne, Australia. John Landis acknowledged the support of the cinema and the fans by a phone call he made to the cinema at the 10th Anniversary screening, and later invited regular attendees to make cameo appearances in Blues Brothers 2000. The fans act as the members of the crowd during the performance of "Ghost Riders in the Sky".
In August 2005, a 25th Anniversary celebration for The Blues Brothers was held at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. Attendees included Landis, former Universal Studios executive Thom Mount, film editor George Folsey, Jr., and cast members James Brown, Henry Gibson, Charles Napier, Steve Cropper, and Stephen Bishop. It featured a press conference, a panel discussion where Aykroyd joined by satellite, and a screening of the original theatrical version of the film. The panel discussion was broadcast direct to many other cinemas around the country.
The popularity of The Blues Brothers has also spread overseas; it was an inspiration for Japanese companies Studio Hibari and Aniplex, which led to the creation of the manga and anime franchise Nerima Daikon Brothers, which contain heavy references to the film.
American Film Institute
AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs – nominated
AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs:
"Think" – nominated
AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes:
"We're on a mission from God." – nominated
Release
Home media
When The Blues Brothers was first screened for a preview audience, a producer demanded that director Landis cut 25 minutes from the film. After trimming 15 minutes, it was released in theaters at 132 minutes. The film was first released on VHS and Betamax by MCA Videocassette Inc. in 1983; a Laserdisc from MCA Videodisc was released in the same year. It was then re-released on VHS, Laserdisc, and Betamax in 1985 from MCA Home Video, and again in 1990 from MCA/Universal Home Video. It was also released in a two-pack VHS box set with Animal House. The original length of The Blues Brothers was restored to 148 minutes for the "Collector's Edition" DVD and a Special Edition VHS and Laserdisc release in 1998. The DVD and Laserdisc versions included a 56-minute documentary, The Stories Behind the Making of The Blues Brothers. Produced and directed by JM Kenny (who also produced the "Collector's Edition" DVD of Animal House that same year), it included interviews with Landis, Aykroyd, members of The Blues Brothers Band, producer Robert K. Weiss, editor George Folsey Jr., and others involved with the film. It also included production photographs, the theatrical trailer, production notes, and cast and filmmaker bios. The 25th Anniversary DVD release in 2005 included both the theatrical cut and the extended version.
The Blues Brothers was released on Blu-ray on July 26, 2011, with the same basic contents as the 25th Anniversary DVD. In a March 2011 interview with Ain't it Cool News, Landis also mentioned he had approved the Blu-ray's remastered transfer. On May 19, 2020, the movie was given a 4K UHD release; it has a new 4K remaster from the original negative and the extended footage was remastered from the same archived print as well.
SoundtrackThe Blues Brothers: Original Soundtrack Recording (later re-released as The Blues Brothers: Music from the Soundtrack''') was released on June 20, 1980, as the second album by the Blues Brothers Band, which also toured that year to promote the film. "Gimme Some Lovin" was a Top 20 Billboard hit, peaking at number 18. The album was a followup to their debut, the live album, Briefcase Full of Blues. Later that year they released a second live album, Made in America, which featured the Top 40 track, "Who's Making Love".
The songs on the soundtrack album are a noticeably different audio mix than in the film, with a prominent baritone saxophone in the horn line (also heard in the film during "Shake a Tail Feather", though no baritone sax is present), and female backing vocals on "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love", though the band had no other backup singers, besides Jake and/or Elwood, in the film. A number of regular Blues Brothers' members, including saxophonist Tom Scott and drummer Steve Jordan, perform on the soundtrack album, but are not in the film.
According to Landis in the 1998 documentary The Stories Behind the Making of 'The Blues Brothers, filmed musical performances by Franklin and Brown took more effort, as neither artist was accustomed to lip-synching their performances on film. Franklin required several takes, and Brown simply rerecorded his performance live. Cab Calloway initially wanted to do a disco variation on his signature tune, "Minnie the Moocher", having done the song in several styles in the past, but Landis insisted that the song be done faithfully to the original big-band version.
Charts
Certifications
Other songs in the film
The film's score includes "God Music" (instrumental with choir vocalese) composed by Elmer Bernstein, who previously had worked with John Landis on National Lampoon's Animal House. Other songs in the film include:
Sequel
The 1998 sequel, Blues Brothers 2000, had similar traits to the original, including large car-chase scenes and musical numbers. Landis returned to direct the film and Aykroyd reprised his role, joining John Goodman, Joe Morton, and 10-year-old J. Evan Bonifant as the new Blues Brothers. Franklin and Brown were among the celebrities returning from the first film. There were also musical performances by Sam Moore, Wilson Pickett, Paul Shaffer, B.B. King, and Eric Clapton, among others. Dozens of artists were packed into an all-star band called The Louisiana Gator Boys. Even with many returning cast members, the film was considered a box-office failure, only generating a little over $14 million in sales, and critics' reactions were negative.
See also
Blues Brothers: Private The Blues Brothers Video Game''
References
External links
The Blues Brothers
1980 films
1980s action comedy films
1980s buddy comedy films
1980 comedy films
1980s chase films
1980s musical comedy films
American films
American action comedy films
American buddy comedy films
American chase films
American musical comedy films
Blues films
1980s English-language films
Fictional film duos
Films set in 1980
Films about brothers
Films about musical groups
Films about orphans
Films directed by John Landis
Films set in Chicago
Films set in Illinois
Films shot in Chicago
Films shot in Illinois
Films shot in Wisconsin
Jukebox musical films
Films about neo-Nazis
Saturday Night Live films
Saturday Night Live in the 1980s
Films with screenplays by Dan Aykroyd
Films with screenplays by John Landis
Universal Pictures films
Nuns in fiction
Films produced by George Folsey Jr.
United States National Film Registry films
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"Paydin LoPachin (January 18, 1988) is an American actress born in Abilene, Texas.\n\nCareer \nPaydin's first film appearance was in The Stars Fell on Henrietta playing a farm girl. Her next appearances in film and television began in 2004 with an episode of the television series The O.C.. In 2006 she was in All the King's Men, House at the End of the Drive and an episode of Heroes, followed in 2007 by an appearance in Cold Case.\n\nIn 2008 Paydin had a small role in the Robert De Niro film What Just Happened and roles in the horror films Shark Swarm and Triloquist. It was for her starring role in critically panned Triloquist that film reviewers made note of her performance as the character Angelina. This was followed in 2009 by Spring Breakdown where she played the role of Young Senator Hartman.\n\nReception \nIn their review, Dread Central approved of her performance as Angelique in Triloquist, writing \"Paydin LoPachin plays bitchy psycho blonde Angelique like Kelly Bundy and Juliette Lewis from Natural Born Killers... ...She carries herself with much aplomb.. ...mechanizations seem almost stream of consciousness...\" Horror Society wrote \"Paydin LoPachin was also a standout as the psycho sister, driven to succeed in show business. She’s one of the more intriguing female horror leads I’ve seen in sometime\". Conversely, her work was panned by John Shelton of Bloody Good Horror who wrote \"The acting is mostly awful, particularly from Payden LoPachin, who as Angelina manages to get out-acted by a foam puppet\". In their complaint that the film was full of \"teases\", Peter Brown if iFMagazine wrote \"it is a film filled with teases. The main character, Angelina (Paydin LoPachin), talks a good game... ...but we never see the goods\", \"... I suppose that having a foul mouthed, hot chick talking about her body and asking over and over again for people to f**k her may seem like a comical exchange... ...but after 10 minutes of it what’s the point\" \"...the hot chick that never shows the goods is actually damn annoying after 10 minutes.\n\nFilmography \n Spring Breakdown (2009)\n Triloquist (2008)\n Shark Swarm (2008) (TV)\n What Just Happened (2008)\n Cold Case (2007) (TV)\n Heroes (2006) (TV)\n House at the End of the Drive (2006)\n The O.C. (2004) (TV)\n The Stars Fell on Henrietta (1995)\n\nAwards and acknowledgments \nPaydin composes piano music—her composition \"Caught in a Dream\" won first place in a state competition and third place in a national competition.\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\n \n\nAmerican film actresses\nAmerican television actresses\nActresses from Texas\nPeople from Abilene, Texas\n1988 births\nLiving people\n21st-century American women",
"The Bolt Who Screwed Christmas is an independent animated short film and a parody of How the Grinch Stole Christmas! written and directed by John Wardlaw and animated by Adny Angrand. The film features the final performance of actor Jonathan Harris and co-stars Tress MacNeille. The film also features an original score by Gary Stockdale and music by director John Wardlaw's band, Anti-m.\n\nJonathan Harris\nWritten in 1997, the script was presented to Jonathan Harris in 1998 though it was not until 2000 that his voice work was actually recorded. Harris died on November 3, 2002, long before the film was completed making it his final performance. In 2006 an additional scene was added to the film and Jonathan Harris' former Lost In Space co-stars Bill Mumy, Angela Cartwright and Marta Kristen added their voices to the film. The film was dedicated in his memory.\n\nProduction and release\nCompleted in 2009 the film made its first appearance at the non-theatrical 2009 Los Angeles Reel Film Festival where it was honored with three awards. In 2010 it made its theatrical world premier in the home town of film-maker John Wardlaw at the 25th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF). Between December 2009 and December 2011, the film played in 30 film festivals, winning 13 awards. Its final theatrical appearance was at L’hybride in Lille France.\n\nConsidering the film features a cast from the TV series Lost In Space it was interesting that two of the films praises came from writers from the original series of Star Trek. \"It had a great animation style, clever and slightly naughty story (well put together) and was totally enjoyable!\" claimed D. C. Fontana\n\"I laughed my nuts off,\" stated David Gerrold.\n\nIn 2011 The Bolt Who Screwed Christmas was released on DVD as part of a collection of short films and music videos by Wardlaw. The DVD bonus features include early animations and audio out takes. The film was licensed to ShortsHD and ShortsTV in 2014.\n\nAwards\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\n Official website\n\nAmerican independent films\nAmerican animated short films\n2000s animated short films\nEnglish-language films\nAmerican films\n2009 films\n2000s American animated films\n2009 animated films\nAmerican Christmas films"
] |
[
"The Blues Brothers (film)",
"Origins",
"Who wrote the screenplay for \"The Blues Brothers\" film?",
"Aykroyd had never written a screenplay before,",
"When was the film released?",
"1978",
"What music stars made an appearance in the film?",
"I don't know."
] |
C_a692aeffb79b4e5fa37641d9d33bd8ef_1
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What kind of music was used in the film?
| 4 |
What kind of music was used in the "The Blues Brothers?
|
The Blues Brothers (film)
|
The characters, Jake and Elwood Blues, were created by Belushi and Aykroyd in performances on Saturday Night Live. The name "The Blues Brothers" was the idea of Howard Shore. The fictional back story and character sketches of blood brothers Jake and Elwood were developed by Aykroyd in collaboration with Ron Gwynne, who is credited as a story consultant for the film. As related in the liner notes of the band's debut album, Briefcase Full of Blues, the brothers grew up in an orphanage, learned the blues from a janitor named Curtis, and sealed their brotherhood by cutting their middle fingers with a steel string said to have come from the guitar of Elmore James. Belushi had become a star in 1978 as a result of both the Blues Brothers' musical success and his role in National Lampoon's Animal House. At one point, he managed the triple feat of being the star of the week's top-grossing film, top-rated television show, and singing on the number-one album within a year. When Aykroyd and Belushi decided they could make a Blues Brothers film, the bidding war was intense. Universal Studios narrowly beat Paramount Pictures for the project. John Landis, who had directed Belushi in Animal House, was aboard as director. However, the project had neither a budget nor a script. On the former issue, Universal head Lew Wasserman thought the film could be made for $12 million; the filmmakers wanted $20 million. It would be impossible to settle on a specific amount without a screenplay to review, and after Mitch Glazer declined to help him, Aykroyd wrote one on his own. Aykroyd had never written a screenplay before, as he admitted in the 1998 documentary, Stories Behind the Making of The Blues Brothers, or even read one, and he was unable to find a writing partner. Consequently, he put together a very descriptive volume that explained the characters' origins and how the band members were recruited. His final draft was 324 pages, which was three times longer than a standard screenplay, written not in a standard screenplay format, but more like free verse. To soften the impact, Aykroyd made a joke of the thick script and had it bound with the cover of the Los Angeles Yellow Pages directory for when he turned it in to producer Robert K. Weiss. Landis was given the task of editing the script into a usable screenplay, which took him about two weeks. The overriding plot premise was unrealistic: religious groups and other not-for-profit organizations are typically exempt from federal or state taxes; although a legislative proposal to tax such property was under consideration in Illinois at the time. CANNOTANSWER
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CANNOTANSWER
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The Blues Brothers is a 1980 American musical comedy film directed by John Landis. It stars John Belushi as "Joliet" Jake Blues and Dan Aykroyd as his brother Elwood, characters developed from the recurring musical sketch "The Blues Brothers" on NBC variety series Saturday Night Live. The film is set in and around Chicago, Illinois, where it was filmed, and the screenplay was written by Aykroyd and Landis. It features musical numbers by rhythm and blues (R&B), soul, and blues singers James Brown, Cab Calloway (in his final feature film role), Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Chaka Khan, and John Lee Hooker. It features non-musical supporting performances by Carrie Fisher, Henry Gibson, Charles Napier and John Candy.
The story is a tale of redemption for paroled convict Jake and his blood brother Elwood, who set out on "a mission from God" to save from foreclosure the Roman Catholic orphanage in which they were raised. To do so, they must reunite their R&B band and organize a performance to earn $5,000 needed to pay the orphanage's property tax bill. Along the way, they are targeted by a homicidal "mystery woman", Neo-Nazis, and a country and western band—all while being relentlessly pursued by the police.
Universal Studios, which had won the bidding war for the film, was hoping to take advantage of Belushi's popularity in the wake of Saturday Night Live, the film Animal House, and The Blues Brothers' musical success; it soon found itself unable to control production costs. The start of filming was delayed when Aykroyd, who was new to film screenwriting, took six months to deliver a long and unconventional script that Landis had to rewrite before production, which began without a final budget. On location in Chicago, Belushi's partying and drug use caused lengthy and costly delays that, along with the destructive car chases depicted onscreen, made the final film one of the most expensive comedies ever produced.
Due to concerns that the film would fail, its initial bookings were less than half of those similar films normally received. Released in the United States on June 20, 1980, it received mostly positive reviews from critics and grossed over $115 million in theaters worldwide before its release on home video, and has become a cult classic over the years. A sequel, Blues Brothers 2000, was released in 1998 to critical and commercial failure.
In 2020, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
Plot
Blues vocalist and petty criminal Jake Blues is released from prison after serving three years, and is picked up by his blood brother Elwood in his Bluesmobile, a battered former police car. Elwood demonstrates its capabilities by jumping an open drawbridge. The brothers visit the Roman Catholic orphanage where they were raised, and learn from Sister Mary Stigmata that it will be closed unless $5,000 in property taxes is collected. During a sermon by the Reverend Cleophus James at the Triple Rock Baptist Church, Jake has an epiphany: they can re-form their band, the Blues Brothers, which disbanded while Jake was in prison, and raise the money to save the orphanage.
That night, state troopers attempt to arrest Elwood for driving with a suspended license due to 116 parking tickets and 56 moving violations. After a high-speed chase through the Dixie Square Mall, the brothers escape. The next morning, as the police arrive at the flophouse where Elwood lives, a mysterious woman detonates a bomb that demolishes the building, but miraculously leaves Jake and Elwood unharmed, and saves them from being arrested.
Jake and Elwood begin tracking down members of the band. Five of them are playing at a deserted Holiday Inn lounge, and quickly agree to rejoin. Another turns them down as he is the maître d' at an expensive restaurant, but the brothers refuse to leave the restaurant until he relents. On their way to meet the final two band members, the brothers find the road through Jackson Park blocked by an American Nazi Party demonstration on a bridge; Elwood runs them off the bridge into the East Lagoon. The last two band members, who now run a soul food restaurant, rejoin the band against the advice of one's wife. The reunited group obtain instruments and equipment from Ray's Music Exchange in Calumet City, and Ray, as usual, takes an IOU.
As Jake attempts to book a gig, the mystery woman blows up the phone booth he is using; once again, he is miraculously unhurt. The band stumbles onto a gig at Bob's Country Bunker, a honky-tonk in Kokomo, Indiana. They win over the rowdy crowd, but run up a bar tab higher than their pay, and infuriate the country band that was actually booked for the gig, the Good Ol' Boys.
Realizing that they need one big show to raise the necessary money, the brothers persuade their old agent to book the Palace Hotel Ballroom, north of Chicago. They mount a loudspeaker atop the Bluesmobile and drive around the Chicago area promoting the concert—and alerting the police, the neo-Nazis, and the Good Ol' Boys of their whereabouts. The ballroom is packed with blues fans, police officers, and the Good Ol' Boys. Jake and Elwood perform two songs, then sneak offstage, as the tax deadline is rapidly approaching. A record company executive offers them a $10,000 cash advance on a recording contract—more than enough to pay off the orphanage's taxes and Ray's IOU—and then shows the brothers how to slip out of the building unnoticed. As they make their escape via a service tunnel, they are confronted by the mystery woman: Jake's vengeful ex-fiancée. After her volley of M16 rifle bullets leaves them miraculously unharmed, Jake offers a series of ridiculous excuses that she accepts, allowing the brothers to escape to the Bluesmobile.
Jake and Elwood race back toward Chicago with dozens of state and local police and the Good Ol' Boys in pursuit. They eventually elude them all with a series of improbable maneuvers, including a miraculous gravity-defying escape from the neo-Nazis. At the Richard J. Daley Center, they rush inside the adjacent Chicago City Hall building, soon followed by hundreds of police, state troopers, SWAT teams, firefighters, Illinois National Guardsmen, and the Military Police. Finding the office of the Cook County Assessor, the brothers pay the tax bill. Just as their receipt is stamped, they are arrested by the mob of law officers. In prison, the band plays "Jailhouse Rock" for the inmates.
Cast
John Belushi as "Joliet" Jake Blues, a former blues singer, paroled from prison after three years.
Dan Aykroyd as Elwood J. Blues, Jake's blood brother, also a former blues singer.
James Brown as the Reverend Cleophus James, pastor of the Triple Rock Baptist Church. His musical sermon "The Old Landmark" causes Jake to have an epiphany.
Cab Calloway as Curtis, an old friend of the brothers', who suggests they listen to James, and helps them advertise the show and performs "Minnie the Moocher" for the audience.
Ray Charles as Ray, a blind music instruments dealer, who performs "Shake a Tail Feather" to demonstrate their effectiveness.
Aretha Franklin as Mrs. Murphy, Matt Murphy's wife, who owns a soul food restaurant with him. She performs "Think" to persuade him not to join the band.
Steve "The Colonel" Cropper – lead guitar
Donald "Duck" Dunn – bass guitar
Murphy Dunne ("Murph") – keyboards
Willie "Too Big" Hall – drums
Tom "Bones" Malone – trombone
"Blue Lou" Marini – saxophone
Matt "Guitar" Murphy – lead guitar
"Mr. Fabulous" Alan Rubin – trumpet
Carrie Fisher as the Mystery Woman, Jake's former fiancée; she tries to kill him for leaving her at the altar.
Henry Gibson as the Gruppenführer, the head of a division of the neo-Nazis
John Candy as Burton Mercer, Jake's parole officer assisting the police in their hunt for the Blues Brothers.
John Lee Hooker as Street Slim, a man singing "Boom Boom" together with a small band on Maxwell Street.
Kathleen Freeman as Sister Mary Stigmata, AKA "The Penguin", the nun who leads the orphanage where the brothers grew up.
Steve Lawrence as Maury Sline, the agent who organized and booked many of the Blues Brothers' performances before Jake was sent to jail.
Twiggy as the Chic Lady, a woman who flirts with Elwood at the gas station.
Frank Oz as a corrections officer, who gives Jake his clothes at the beginning of the film.
Jeff Morris as Bob, the owner of Bob's Country Bunker.
Charles Napier as Tucker McElroy, lead singer and Winnebago driver of The Good Old Boys.
Steven Spielberg as the Cook County Assessor, who takes Jake and Elwood's money at the end of the film.
Stephen Bishop as Charming Trooper
Steven Williams as Trooper Mount, one of the cops who follows Jake and Elwood from the start.
Armand Cerami as Trooper Daniel, Mount's partner and the other cop who follows Jake and Elwood from the start.
Joe Walsh as Prison Inmate
Ben Piazza as Father, dining with his wife and three daughters at the Chez Paul and subject to abuse by Jake.
Cindy Fisher as Daughter #2, one of the daughters who Jake leers at.
Paul Reubens as Waiter, a colleague of Mr Fabulous' at the Chez Paul.
Rosie Shuster as Cocktail Waitress
Chaka Khan as Choir Soloist
Gary McLarty as Toys "R" Us Customer, who asks about buying a Miss Piggy toy right before the Bluesmobile begins smashing the mall.
Layne Britton as The Cheese Whiz
Pinetop Perkins as Luther Jackson
Mr. T as Guy On Street (Uncredited)
Carolyn Franklin as Soul Food Chorus #1, who sings along with "Think".
De'voreaux White as Young Guitar Thief, who tries to steal from Ray's Music Exchange, only to nearly be shot by Ray.
James Avery as Detective Avery (Uncredited)
Lou Perryman as Man At Bar
Luis Contreras as Bob's Country Bunker Patron #1 (Uncredited)
Raven De La Croix as Woman In Concert Crowd
Ralph Foody as Police Dispatcher, who comments on the Bluesmobile's arrival at Cook County and allows for using unnecessary violence in capturing Jake and Elwood.
Leonard R. Garner Jr. as Lobby Guard #1
Production
Origins
The characters Jake and Elwood Blues were created by Belushi and Aykroyd in performances on Saturday Night Live. The name "The Blues Brothers" was the idea of Howard Shore. The fictional back story and character sketches of blood brothers Jake and Elwood were developed by Aykroyd in collaboration with Ron Gwynne, who is credited as a story consultant for the film. As related in the liner notes of the band's debut album, Briefcase Full of Blues, the brothers grew up in an orphanage, learned the blues from a janitor named Curtis, and sealed their brotherhood by cutting their middle fingers with a steel string said to have come from the guitar of Elmore James.
Belushi had become a star in 1978 as a result of both the Blues Brothers' musical success and his role in National Lampoon's Animal House. At one point, he managed the triple feat of being the star of the week's top-grossing film and top-rated television series and singing on the No. 1 album within a year. When Aykroyd and Belushi decided they could make a Blues Brothers film, the bidding war was intense. Universal Studios narrowly beat Paramount Pictures for the project. John Landis, who had directed Belushi in Animal House, was aboard as director.
However, the project had neither a budget nor a script. On the former issue, Universal head Lew Wasserman thought the film could be made for $12 million; the filmmakers wanted $20 million. It would be impossible to settle on a specific amount without a screenplay to review, and after Mitch Glazer declined to help him, Aykroyd wrote one on his own.
Aykroyd had never written a screenplay before, as he admitted in the 1998 documentary Stories Behind the Making of The Blues Brothers, or even read one, and he was unable to find a writing partner. Consequently, he put together a very descriptive volume that explained the characters' origins and how the band members were recruited. His final draft was 324 pages, which was three times longer than a standard screenplay, written not in a standard screenplay format, but more like free verse. To soften the impact, Aykroyd made a joke of the thick script and had it bound with the cover of the Los Angeles Yellow Pages directory for when he turned it in to producer Robert K. Weiss. He titled it "The Return of the Blues Brothers", and credited it to "Scriptatron GL-9000". Landis was given the task of editing the script into a usable screenplay, which took him about two weeks.
The Blues Brothers held the record for the most cars destroyed in the course of production for 18 years, at 103, one fewer than were wrecked in its 1998 sequel Blues Brothers 2000. Both were surpassed by G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009), with 112 cars destroyed.
Casting
At Aykroyd's demand, soul and R&B stars James Brown, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin were cast in speaking parts to support musical numbers built around them. This later caused friction in the production between Landis and Universal, as its costs far exceeded the original budget. Since none of them except Charles had any hits in recent years, the studio wanted the director to replace them with—or add performances by—younger acts, such as Rose Royce, whose "Car Wash" had made them disco stars after its use in the 1976 film of that name.
Other musicians in the cast include Big Walter Horton, Pinetop Perkins, and John Lee Hooker (who performed "Boom Boom" during the Maxwell Street scene). The members of The Blues Brothers Band were themselves notable. Steve Cropper and Donald Dunn are architects of the Stax Records sound (Cropper's guitar can be heard at the start of the Sam & Dave song "Soul Man") and were half of Booker T. & the M.G.'s. Horn players Lou Marini, Tom Malone, and Alan Rubin had all played in Blood, Sweat & Tears and the house band on Saturday Night Live. Drummer Willie Hall had played in The Bar-Kays and backed Isaac Hayes. Matt Murphy is a veteran blues guitarist. As the band developed at Saturday Night Live, pianist Paul Shaffer was part of the act and thus cast in the film. However, due to contractual obligations with SNL, he was unable to participate, so actor-musician Murphy Dunne (whose father, George Dunne, was the Cook County Board President) was hired to take his role.
Fisher, Freeman, Gibson, and Candy were cast in non-musical supporting roles. The film is also notable for the number of cameo appearances by established celebrities and entertainment-industry figures, including Steve Lawrence as a booking agent, Twiggy as a "chic lady" in a Jaguar convertible whom Elwood propositions at a gas station, Steven Spielberg as the Cook County Assessor's clerk, Landis as a state trooper in the mall chase, Paul Reubens (before he became Pee-wee Herman) as a waiter in the restaurant Chez Paul, Joe Walsh in a cameo as the first prisoner to jump up on a table in the final scene, and Chaka Khan as the soloist in the Triple Rock choir. Muppet performer Frank Oz plays a corrections officer, and in the scene where the brothers crash into Toys "R" Us, the customer who asks for a Miss Piggy doll is played by stunt coordinator Gary McLarty. Singer/songwriter Stephen Bishop is an Illinois State Trooper who complains that Jake and Elwood broke his watch (a result of the car chase in the mall). Makeup artist Layne Britton is the old card player who asks Elwood, "Did you get me my Cheez Whiz, boy?" The character portrayed by Cab Calloway is named Curtis as a homage to Curtis Salgado, an Oregon blues musician who inspired Belushi while he was in that area filming Animal House.
Over 500 extras were used for the next-to-last scene, the blockade of the building at Daley Center, including 200 National Guardsmen, 100 state and city police officers, with 15 horses for the mounted police (and three each Sherman tanks, helicopters, and fire engines).
Filming
Principal photography began in July 1979, with the film's budget still not settled. For the first month, things ran smoothly on and off the set. When Weiss saw the supposedly final $17.5 million budget, he reportedly joked, "I think we've spent that much already."
In the next month, the production began falling behind schedule. Much of the delay was due to Belushi's partying and carousing. When not on the set, he went out to his familiar Chicago haunts such as Wrigley Field and the Old Town Ale House. People often recognized him and slipped him cocaine, a drug he was already using heavily on his own, hoping to use it with him. "Every blue-collar Joe wants his John Belushi story," said Smokey Wendell, who was eventually hired to keep it away from the star. As a result of his late nights and drug and alcohol use, Belushi would often miss unit calls (the beginning of a production day) or go to his trailer after them and sleep, wasting hours of production time. One night, Aykroyd found him crashing on the sofa of a nearby house, where Belushi had already helped himself to food in the refrigerator.
Cocaine was already so prevalent on the set (like many other film productions of that era) that Aykroyd, who used far less than his partner, claims a section of the budget was actually set aside for purchases of the drug during night shooting. The stars had a private bar, the Blues Club, built on the set, for themselves, crew, and friends. Carrie Fisher, who was Aykroyd's girlfriend at that time, said that most of the bar's staff doubled as dealers, procuring any drug patrons desired.
The movie's original budget was quickly surpassed, and back in Los Angeles, Wasserman grew increasingly frustrated. He was regularly confronting Ned Tanen, the executive in charge of production for Universal, over the costs. Sean Daniel, another studio executive, was not reassured when he came to Chicago and saw the production had set up a special facility for the 70 cars used in the chase sequences. Filming there, which was supposed to have concluded in the middle of September, continued into late October.
On the set, Belushi's drug use worsened. Fisher, who herself later struggled with cocaine addiction, said Landis told her to keep Belushi away from the drug. Wendell was hired to clear any drugs from the places Belushi visited off-camera. Nevertheless, at one point, Landis found Belushi with what he described as a "mountain" of cocaine on a table in his trailer, which led to a tearful confrontation in which Belushi admitted his addiction and feared it could eventually kill him.
After Aykroyd and Belushi's wife Judy had a talk with Belushi about his antics, the production returned to Los Angeles. Filming there again ran smoothly until it came time to shoot the final sequence at the Hollywood Palladium. Just beforehand, Belushi fell off a borrowed skateboard and seriously injured his knee, making it unlikely he could go through with the scene, which required him to sing, dance, and do cartwheels. Wasserman persuaded the city's top orthopedic surgeon to postpone his weekend plans long enough to stop by and sufficiently anesthetize Belushi's knee, and the scene was filmed as intended.
Locations
Much of The Blues Brothers was shot on location in and around Chicago between July and October 1979, including Joliet Correctional Center in nearby Joliet, Illinois, and Wauconda, Illinois, where the car crashes into the side of Route 12. Made with the cooperation of Mayor Jane M. Byrne, it is credited for putting Chicago on the map as a venue for filmmaking. Nearly 200 movies have been filmed in Chicago. In an article written to mark the film's 25th Anniversary DVD release, Aykroyd told the Chicago Sun-Times: "Chicago is one of the stars of the movie. We wrote it as a tribute."
The first traffic stop was in Park Ridge, Illinois. The shopping mall car chase was filmed in the real, albeit shuttered, Dixie Square Mall, in Harvey, Illinois. The bridge jump was filmed on an actual drawbridge, the 95th Street bridge over the Calumet River, on the southeast side of Chicago. The main entrance to Wrigley Field (and its sign reading "Save lives. Drive safely, prevent fires") makes a brief appearance when the "Illinois Nazis" visit it after Elwood falsely registers the ballpark's location, 1060 West Addison, as his home address on his driver's license. (Elwood's Illinois driver's license number is an almost-valid encoded number, with Aykroyd's own birth date embedded.) Jake's final confrontation with his girlfriend was filmed in a replica of a section of the abandoned Chicago freight tunnel system. The other chase scenes included lower Wacker Drive, Lake Street, and Richard J. Daley Center.
In the final car chase scene, the production actually dropped a Ford Pinto, representing that which was driven by the "Illinois Nazis", from a helicopter at an altitude of about 1,200 feet—and had to gain a Special Airworthiness Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration to do it. The FAA was concerned that the car could prove too aerodynamic in a high-altitude drop, and pose a threat to nearby buildings. The shot leading up to the car drop, where the "Illinois Nazis" drive off a freeway ramp, was shot in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, near the Hoan Bridge on Interstate 794. The Lake Freeway (North) was a planned but not completed six-lane freeway, and I-794 contained an unfinished ramp off which the Nazis drove. Several Milwaukee skyscrapers are visible in the background as the Bluesmobile flips over, notably the U.S. Bank Center.
The Palace Hotel Ballroom, where the band performs their climactic concert, was at the time of filming a country club, but later became the South Shore Cultural Center, named after the Chicago neighborhood where it is located. The interior concert scenes were filmed in the Hollywood Palladium.
The filming in downtown Chicago was conducted on Sundays during the summer of 1979, and much of downtown was cordoned off from the public. Costs for filming the largest scene in the city's history totaled $3.5 million. Permission was given after Belushi and Aykroyd offered to donate $50,000 to a charity after filming. Although the Bluesmobile was allowed to be driven through the Daley Center lobby, special breakaway panes were temporarily substituted for the normal glass in the building. The speeding car caused $7,650 in damage to 35 granite paver stones and a bronze air grille in the building. Interior shots of the elevator, staircase, and assessor's office were all recreated in a film set for filming.
Bluesmobile
The film used 13 different cars bought at auction from the California Highway Patrol to depict the retired 1974 Mount Prospect, Illinois Dodge Monaco patrol car. The vehicles were outfitted by the studio to do particular driving chores; some were customized for speed and others for jumps, depending on the scene. For the large car chases, filmmakers purchased 60 police cars at $400 each, and most were destroyed at the completion of the filming. More than 40 stunt drivers were hired, and the crew kept a 24-hour body shop to repair cars.
For the scene when the Blues Brothers finally arrive at the Richard J. Daley Center, a mechanic took several months to rig the car to fall apart. At the time of its release, The Blues Brothers held the world record for the most cars destroyed in one film until it was surpassed by a single car in its 1998 sequel.
Post-production
Landis' difficulties continued even after principal photography was completed. The first cut of The Blues Brothers lasted two and a half hours, with an intermission. After one early screening, Wasserman demanded it be shortened, and 20 minutes were cut. The film's final budget was $27.5 million (equivalent to $ million in ), $10 million over its original budget.
Prospects for a successful release did not look good. Aykroyd and Belushi had left SNL at the end of the previous season, reducing their bankability. Belushi's fame had taken a further hit after the critical failure of Spielberg's film 1941 at the end of the year. One day after the editing was done, Wasserman invited Landis up to his office to speak with Ted Mann, head of the Mann Theatres chain, which dominated film exhibition in the Western United States. He told Landis that he would not book the film at any theaters in predominantly white neighborhoods, such as Westwood. Not only did Mann not want black patrons going there to see the film, but he also surmised that white viewers were unlikely to see a film featuring older black musical stars. Ultimately, the film got less than half the bookings nationwide for its initial release than a typical big-budget studio film of the era, which did not bode well for its success at the box office.
Reception
Box office
The Blues Brothers opened on June 20, 1980, with a release in 594 theaters. It took in $4,858,152, ranking second for that week (after The Empire Strikes Back). The film in total grossed $57,229,890 domestically and $58,000,000 in foreign box office for a total of $115,229,890. It ranked 10th at the domestic box office for the year. By genre, it is the ninth-highest-grossing musical and the 10th-highest earner among comedy road movies. It ranks second, between Wayne's World and Wayne's World 2, among films adapted from Saturday Night Live sketches. Director John Landis claimed The Blues Brothers was also the first American film to gross more money overseas than it did in the United States. Over the years, the film has retained a following through television and home video.
Critical reception
The Blues Brothers received mostly positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 73% "Certified Fresh" rating, based on 90 reviews, with an average rating of 7.60/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "Too over the top for its own good, but ultimately rescued by the cast's charm, director John Landis' grace, and several soul-stirring musical numbers." It won the Golden Reel Award for Best Sound Editing and Sound Effects, is 14th on Total Film magazine's "List of the 50 Greatest Comedy Films of All Time," is 20th on Empires list of "The 50 Greatest Comedies," and is number 69 on Bravo's "100 Funniest Movies." Metacritic gave the film a score of 60 based on 12 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews."
Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave The Blues Brothers three out of four stars, praising it for its energetic musical numbers and "incredible" car chases. Ebert further noted that "Belushi and Aykroyd come over as hard-boiled city guys, total cynics with a world-view of sublime simplicity, and that all fits perfectly with the movie's other parts. There's even room, in the midst of the carnage and mayhem, for a surprising amount of grace, humor, and whimsy." Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune gave the film a "rare four-star rating," calling it "one of the all-time great comedies" and "the best movie ever made in Chicago." He described the film as "technically superb," praised it for "countering every explosion with a quiet moment," and said it "is at once a pure exercise in physical comedy as well as a marvelous tribute to the urban blues sound." He ranked it number eight on his list of the ten best movies of 1980. Richard Corliss, writing in Time, opined: "The Blues Brothers is a demolition symphony that works with the cold efficiency of a Moog synthesizer gone sadistic."
In his review for The Washington Post, Gary Arnold criticized Landis for engorging "the frail plot of The Blues Brothers with car chases and crack-ups, filmed with such avid, humorless starkness on the streets of Chicago that comic sensations are virtually obliterated." Janet Maslin of The New York Times criticized The Blues Brothers for shortchanging viewers on more details about Jake and Elwood's affinity for African-American culture. She also took director Landis to task for "distracting editing," mentioning the Soul Food diner scene in which the head of saxophonist Marini is out of shot as he dances on the counter. In the documentary, Stories Behind the Making of The Blues Brothers, Landis acknowledges the criticism while stating "Everybody has his opinion," and Marini recalls the dismay he felt at seeing the completed film.
Kim Newman, writing for Empire in 2013, considered The Blues Brothers to be "an amalgam of urban sleaze, automobile crunch and blackheart rhythm and blues" with "better music than any film had had for many years." He noted that Belushi and Aykroyd pack in their heroes: "Aretha storming through 'Think', Cab Calloway cruising through 'Minnie the Moocher', John Lee Hooker boogying through 'Boom Boom' and Ray Charles on electric piano." He observed that "the picture had revived the careers of virtually all the musicians that appeared in it" and concluded that "it still sounds great and looks as good as ever through Ray Bans."
On the 30th Anniversary of the film's release, L'Osservatore Romano (the daily newspaper of Vatican City State) wrote that the film is filled with positive symbolism and moral references that can be related to Catholicism. They went further, stating, The Blues Brothers "is a memorable film, and, judging by the facts, a Catholic one."
Cult-film status
The Blues Brothers has become a staple of late-night cinema, even slowly morphing into an audience-participation show in its regular screenings at the Valhalla Cinema, in Melbourne, Australia. John Landis acknowledged the support of the cinema and the fans by a phone call he made to the cinema at the 10th Anniversary screening, and later invited regular attendees to make cameo appearances in Blues Brothers 2000. The fans act as the members of the crowd during the performance of "Ghost Riders in the Sky".
In August 2005, a 25th Anniversary celebration for The Blues Brothers was held at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. Attendees included Landis, former Universal Studios executive Thom Mount, film editor George Folsey, Jr., and cast members James Brown, Henry Gibson, Charles Napier, Steve Cropper, and Stephen Bishop. It featured a press conference, a panel discussion where Aykroyd joined by satellite, and a screening of the original theatrical version of the film. The panel discussion was broadcast direct to many other cinemas around the country.
The popularity of The Blues Brothers has also spread overseas; it was an inspiration for Japanese companies Studio Hibari and Aniplex, which led to the creation of the manga and anime franchise Nerima Daikon Brothers, which contain heavy references to the film.
American Film Institute
AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs – nominated
AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs:
"Think" – nominated
AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes:
"We're on a mission from God." – nominated
Release
Home media
When The Blues Brothers was first screened for a preview audience, a producer demanded that director Landis cut 25 minutes from the film. After trimming 15 minutes, it was released in theaters at 132 minutes. The film was first released on VHS and Betamax by MCA Videocassette Inc. in 1983; a Laserdisc from MCA Videodisc was released in the same year. It was then re-released on VHS, Laserdisc, and Betamax in 1985 from MCA Home Video, and again in 1990 from MCA/Universal Home Video. It was also released in a two-pack VHS box set with Animal House. The original length of The Blues Brothers was restored to 148 minutes for the "Collector's Edition" DVD and a Special Edition VHS and Laserdisc release in 1998. The DVD and Laserdisc versions included a 56-minute documentary, The Stories Behind the Making of The Blues Brothers. Produced and directed by JM Kenny (who also produced the "Collector's Edition" DVD of Animal House that same year), it included interviews with Landis, Aykroyd, members of The Blues Brothers Band, producer Robert K. Weiss, editor George Folsey Jr., and others involved with the film. It also included production photographs, the theatrical trailer, production notes, and cast and filmmaker bios. The 25th Anniversary DVD release in 2005 included both the theatrical cut and the extended version.
The Blues Brothers was released on Blu-ray on July 26, 2011, with the same basic contents as the 25th Anniversary DVD. In a March 2011 interview with Ain't it Cool News, Landis also mentioned he had approved the Blu-ray's remastered transfer. On May 19, 2020, the movie was given a 4K UHD release; it has a new 4K remaster from the original negative and the extended footage was remastered from the same archived print as well.
SoundtrackThe Blues Brothers: Original Soundtrack Recording (later re-released as The Blues Brothers: Music from the Soundtrack''') was released on June 20, 1980, as the second album by the Blues Brothers Band, which also toured that year to promote the film. "Gimme Some Lovin" was a Top 20 Billboard hit, peaking at number 18. The album was a followup to their debut, the live album, Briefcase Full of Blues. Later that year they released a second live album, Made in America, which featured the Top 40 track, "Who's Making Love".
The songs on the soundtrack album are a noticeably different audio mix than in the film, with a prominent baritone saxophone in the horn line (also heard in the film during "Shake a Tail Feather", though no baritone sax is present), and female backing vocals on "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love", though the band had no other backup singers, besides Jake and/or Elwood, in the film. A number of regular Blues Brothers' members, including saxophonist Tom Scott and drummer Steve Jordan, perform on the soundtrack album, but are not in the film.
According to Landis in the 1998 documentary The Stories Behind the Making of 'The Blues Brothers, filmed musical performances by Franklin and Brown took more effort, as neither artist was accustomed to lip-synching their performances on film. Franklin required several takes, and Brown simply rerecorded his performance live. Cab Calloway initially wanted to do a disco variation on his signature tune, "Minnie the Moocher", having done the song in several styles in the past, but Landis insisted that the song be done faithfully to the original big-band version.
Charts
Certifications
Other songs in the film
The film's score includes "God Music" (instrumental with choir vocalese) composed by Elmer Bernstein, who previously had worked with John Landis on National Lampoon's Animal House. Other songs in the film include:
Sequel
The 1998 sequel, Blues Brothers 2000, had similar traits to the original, including large car-chase scenes and musical numbers. Landis returned to direct the film and Aykroyd reprised his role, joining John Goodman, Joe Morton, and 10-year-old J. Evan Bonifant as the new Blues Brothers. Franklin and Brown were among the celebrities returning from the first film. There were also musical performances by Sam Moore, Wilson Pickett, Paul Shaffer, B.B. King, and Eric Clapton, among others. Dozens of artists were packed into an all-star band called The Louisiana Gator Boys. Even with many returning cast members, the film was considered a box-office failure, only generating a little over $14 million in sales, and critics' reactions were negative.
See also
Blues Brothers: Private The Blues Brothers Video Game''
References
External links
The Blues Brothers
1980 films
1980s action comedy films
1980s buddy comedy films
1980 comedy films
1980s chase films
1980s musical comedy films
American films
American action comedy films
American buddy comedy films
American chase films
American musical comedy films
Blues films
1980s English-language films
Fictional film duos
Films set in 1980
Films about brothers
Films about musical groups
Films about orphans
Films directed by John Landis
Films set in Chicago
Films set in Illinois
Films shot in Chicago
Films shot in Illinois
Films shot in Wisconsin
Jukebox musical films
Films about neo-Nazis
Saturday Night Live films
Saturday Night Live in the 1980s
Films with screenplays by Dan Aykroyd
Films with screenplays by John Landis
Universal Pictures films
Nuns in fiction
Films produced by George Folsey Jr.
United States National Film Registry films
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"\"A Kind of Christmas Card\" is a song by Norwegian singer Morten Harket, released in August 1995 as the lead single from his first solo album, Wild Seed (1995). The song was written by Håvard Rem and Harket, and produced by Christopher Neil. \"A Kind of Christmas Card\" reached 1 in Norway, No. 9 in Iceland, and No. 53 in the United Kingdom. Harket received the Spellemannprisen \"Song of the Year\" award for \"A Kind of Christmas Card\".\n\nA music video was filmed in Los Angeles to promote the single. It was directed by Mark Neal and features Harket's wife, Camilla. In Germany, the song was re-titled to \"Burning Out Again (A Kind of Christmas Card)\".\n\nBackground\nThe lyrics of \"A Kind of Christmas Card\" were written by the Norwegian poet Håvard Rem. During a visit to Los Angeles with Harket, they met a friend of Harket's, who told them the true story of a Norwegian girl who had moved to Los Angeles to become a film star, but became involved in pornography and drugs. Speaking to Robert Sandall of VH1, Harket said, \"She told Håvard quite a typical story about a young Norwegian girl who came to Los Angeles to become a film star – that was her dream. And very quickly [she] started doing X-rated movies, porno films, and got deeply involved in drugs. When my friend realised what was happening to her, she contacted the Norwegian consulate and got her put on a plane back to Norway – hopefully in time. This prompted Håvard to write the lyrics.\"\n\nCritical reception\nBritish magazine Music Week gave \"A Kind of Christmas Card\" three out of five, adding, \"A stately song with great strings on which Harket sounds about 60, so throaty and world-weary is his vocal. Not at all what you'd expect from the A-ha man, it bodes well for his first solo album despite the ill-timed winter angle.\"\n\nTrack listings\nCD single\n \"A Kind of Christmas Card\" – 3:50\n \"A Change Is Gonna Come\" – 5:57\n \"Lay Me Down Tonight\" – 2:18\n\nCassette single (UK release)\n \"A Kind of Christmas Card\" – 3:50\n \"Lay Me Down Tonight\" – 2:18\n\nPersonnel\n Morten Harket – vocals\n Christopher Neil – producer\n Bjørn Nessjø – engineer\n Simon Hurrell – mixing\n Barry Hammond, Kai Robøle – engineers on \"Lay Me Down Tonight\"\n\nCharts\n\nReferences\n\n1995 singles\n1995 songs\nSong recordings produced by Christopher Neil\nSongs written by Morten Harket\nWarner Records singles",
"\"What Kind of Fool (Heard All That Before)\" is a song recorded by Australian recording artist Kylie Minogue, released as the lead single from her first greatest hits album Greatest Hits (1992). The song was written by Mike Stock, Minogue and Pete Waterman, and produced by Stock and Waterman.\n\nIt was Minogue's last original single to be released from the record label PWL, as although \"Celebration\" was released as the last single, it was a cover version, not an original single. The single was released on 10 August 1992 as a CD single and had received positive reception from music critics, many praising it as a good last single from PWL. The song peaked at number seventeen and fourteen in Australia and the United Kingdom, respectively.\n\nBackground\nThe song was taken from Minogue's first compilation album Greatest Hits as the first single and last original single to be released by her label PWL, but her second single from the album, \"Celebration\", was taken as the last single. The song was written by Stock and Waterman, as well as Minogue contributing in the lyrics and was produced by Stock and Waterman.\n\nThe cover featured Minogue photographed by close friend Katrina Jebb whilst on holiday in early 1992.\n\nReception\n\nCritical response\nThe song received generally mixed reviews from music critics. Some compared the song with \"I Should Be So Lucky\" and \"Better the Devil You Know\", but many suggested the song was regressive in comparison to Minogue's more mature work from the previous two years. Music Week commented, \"Typically bright and breezy, it is however a little slight of melody and hooks when compared to some ofher previous work – but that won't stop it from continuing her unbroken sequence of Top 20 hits.\" Tom Doyle from Smash Hits called it a \"tweety dance anthem\".\n \nMinogue admitted in an interview with the Australian Sunday Telegraph in October 2008, that she was not fond of the song: \"There's plenty I've cringed about,\" she says. \"There's one track I really didn't like called 'What Kind of Fool'. But I realised you can run, but you can't hide, so I embraced 'I Should Be So Lucky' and the rest of them.\" It also became one of Minogue's least performed tracks. It made its debut, as a short sample only on her 2005 tour Showgirl: The Greatest Hits Tour, and again in sample form on her North American Tour 2009. Minogue has also performed a chorus of the song on impromptu occasions during her 2012 Anti Tour and 2014's Kiss Me Once Tour.\n\nChart performance\nThe song did not receive great commercial attention, although became a moderate hit in the UK and Australia where it debuted at number thirty-seven (after five weeks it climbed and peaked at number seventeen.) The song debuted at number sixteen on the UK Singles Chart. later climbing to number fourteen where it peaked, staying in the charts for five weeks.\nThe song debuted at number twenty-two on the Irish Singles Chart, but became unsuccessful, falling off the charts after two weeks.\n\nMusic video\nThe music video features Minogue sunbathing in front of a blanket, while a male actor is behind it with a rose. It later showed the male and Minogue having an argument in a bedroom. In the bridge, it shows Minogue in a blue plaid dress dancing under a spotlight. She later teases her lover and dances atop a table. The music video later ends with Minogue kissing him and she walks out the room, while the man sits on a chair left alone. The song's reception itself became one of Minogue's least successful singles to date. The single's video recreated scenes made famous by Brigitte Bardot in the 1956 film And God Created Woman. The song was featured on MTV Classics channel in 2011 and was listed at number thirty-four on Evolution of... Kylie Minogue.\n\nFormats and track listings\nThese are the formats and track listings of major single releases of \"What Kind of Fool (Heard All That Before)\".\n\nCD single\n \"What Kind of Fool (Heard All That Before)\"\n \"What Kind of Fool (Heard All That Before)\" [No Tech No Logical Remix]\n \"What Kind of Fool (Heard All That Before)\" [Tech No Logical Remix]\n \"Things Can Only Get Better\" [Original 7\" Mix]\n\n7\" vinyl\n \"What Kind of Fool (Heard All That Before)\"\n \"Things Can Only Get Better\" [Original 7\" Mix]\n\n12\" vinyl\n \"What Kind of Fool (Heard All That Before)\" [No Tech No Logical Remix]\n \"What Kind of Fool (Heard All That Before)\" [Tech No Logical Remix]\n \"Things Can Only Get Better\" [Original 12\" Mix]\n\nCassette single\n \"What Kind of Fool (Heard All That Before)\"\n \"Things Can Only Get Better\" [Original 7\" Mix]\n\nDigital EP \n \"What Kind of Fool (Heard All That Before)\"\n \"What Kind of Fool (Heard All That Before)\" [No Tech No Logical Remix]\n \"What Kind of Fool (Heard All That Before)\" [Tech No Logical Remix]\n \"What Kind of Fool (Heard All That Before)\" [12\" Master Mix]\n \"What Kind of Fool (Heard All That Before)\" [Instrumental]\n \"What Kind of Fool (Heard All That Before)\" [Backing Track]\n \"Things Can Only Get Better\" [Original 7\" Mix]\n \"Things Can Only Get Better\" [Original 12\" Mix]\n \"Things Can Only Get Better\" [Original Instrumental]\n \"Things Can Only Get Better\" [Original Backing Track]\n\nLive performances\nMinogue performed the song on the following concert tours:\n Showgirl: The Greatest Hits Tour (excerpt during \"Smiley Kylie Medley\")\n Showgirl: The Homecoming Tour (excerpt during \"Everything Taboo Medley\")\n For You, for Me (excerpt during \"Everything Taboo Medley\")\n\nCharts\n\nReferences\n\n1992 singles\n1992 songs\nKylie Minogue songs\nPete Waterman Entertainment singles\nSongs written by Kylie Minogue\nSongs written by Mike Stock (musician)\nSongs written by Pete Waterman"
] |
[
"The Blues Brothers (film)",
"Origins",
"Who wrote the screenplay for \"The Blues Brothers\" film?",
"Aykroyd had never written a screenplay before,",
"When was the film released?",
"1978",
"What music stars made an appearance in the film?",
"I don't know.",
"What kind of music was used in the film?",
"I don't know."
] |
C_a692aeffb79b4e5fa37641d9d33bd8ef_1
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Are there any other details about the film available?
| 5 |
Besides the screenplay writer, the release date, the music stars appearances and the kind of music used in the film, are there any other details about the "The Blues Brothers" available?
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The Blues Brothers (film)
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The characters, Jake and Elwood Blues, were created by Belushi and Aykroyd in performances on Saturday Night Live. The name "The Blues Brothers" was the idea of Howard Shore. The fictional back story and character sketches of blood brothers Jake and Elwood were developed by Aykroyd in collaboration with Ron Gwynne, who is credited as a story consultant for the film. As related in the liner notes of the band's debut album, Briefcase Full of Blues, the brothers grew up in an orphanage, learned the blues from a janitor named Curtis, and sealed their brotherhood by cutting their middle fingers with a steel string said to have come from the guitar of Elmore James. Belushi had become a star in 1978 as a result of both the Blues Brothers' musical success and his role in National Lampoon's Animal House. At one point, he managed the triple feat of being the star of the week's top-grossing film, top-rated television show, and singing on the number-one album within a year. When Aykroyd and Belushi decided they could make a Blues Brothers film, the bidding war was intense. Universal Studios narrowly beat Paramount Pictures for the project. John Landis, who had directed Belushi in Animal House, was aboard as director. However, the project had neither a budget nor a script. On the former issue, Universal head Lew Wasserman thought the film could be made for $12 million; the filmmakers wanted $20 million. It would be impossible to settle on a specific amount without a screenplay to review, and after Mitch Glazer declined to help him, Aykroyd wrote one on his own. Aykroyd had never written a screenplay before, as he admitted in the 1998 documentary, Stories Behind the Making of The Blues Brothers, or even read one, and he was unable to find a writing partner. Consequently, he put together a very descriptive volume that explained the characters' origins and how the band members were recruited. His final draft was 324 pages, which was three times longer than a standard screenplay, written not in a standard screenplay format, but more like free verse. To soften the impact, Aykroyd made a joke of the thick script and had it bound with the cover of the Los Angeles Yellow Pages directory for when he turned it in to producer Robert K. Weiss. Landis was given the task of editing the script into a usable screenplay, which took him about two weeks. The overriding plot premise was unrealistic: religious groups and other not-for-profit organizations are typically exempt from federal or state taxes; although a legislative proposal to tax such property was under consideration in Illinois at the time. CANNOTANSWER
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The overriding plot premise was unrealistic:
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The Blues Brothers is a 1980 American musical comedy film directed by John Landis. It stars John Belushi as "Joliet" Jake Blues and Dan Aykroyd as his brother Elwood, characters developed from the recurring musical sketch "The Blues Brothers" on NBC variety series Saturday Night Live. The film is set in and around Chicago, Illinois, where it was filmed, and the screenplay was written by Aykroyd and Landis. It features musical numbers by rhythm and blues (R&B), soul, and blues singers James Brown, Cab Calloway (in his final feature film role), Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Chaka Khan, and John Lee Hooker. It features non-musical supporting performances by Carrie Fisher, Henry Gibson, Charles Napier and John Candy.
The story is a tale of redemption for paroled convict Jake and his blood brother Elwood, who set out on "a mission from God" to save from foreclosure the Roman Catholic orphanage in which they were raised. To do so, they must reunite their R&B band and organize a performance to earn $5,000 needed to pay the orphanage's property tax bill. Along the way, they are targeted by a homicidal "mystery woman", Neo-Nazis, and a country and western band—all while being relentlessly pursued by the police.
Universal Studios, which had won the bidding war for the film, was hoping to take advantage of Belushi's popularity in the wake of Saturday Night Live, the film Animal House, and The Blues Brothers' musical success; it soon found itself unable to control production costs. The start of filming was delayed when Aykroyd, who was new to film screenwriting, took six months to deliver a long and unconventional script that Landis had to rewrite before production, which began without a final budget. On location in Chicago, Belushi's partying and drug use caused lengthy and costly delays that, along with the destructive car chases depicted onscreen, made the final film one of the most expensive comedies ever produced.
Due to concerns that the film would fail, its initial bookings were less than half of those similar films normally received. Released in the United States on June 20, 1980, it received mostly positive reviews from critics and grossed over $115 million in theaters worldwide before its release on home video, and has become a cult classic over the years. A sequel, Blues Brothers 2000, was released in 1998 to critical and commercial failure.
In 2020, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
Plot
Blues vocalist and petty criminal Jake Blues is released from prison after serving three years, and is picked up by his blood brother Elwood in his Bluesmobile, a battered former police car. Elwood demonstrates its capabilities by jumping an open drawbridge. The brothers visit the Roman Catholic orphanage where they were raised, and learn from Sister Mary Stigmata that it will be closed unless $5,000 in property taxes is collected. During a sermon by the Reverend Cleophus James at the Triple Rock Baptist Church, Jake has an epiphany: they can re-form their band, the Blues Brothers, which disbanded while Jake was in prison, and raise the money to save the orphanage.
That night, state troopers attempt to arrest Elwood for driving with a suspended license due to 116 parking tickets and 56 moving violations. After a high-speed chase through the Dixie Square Mall, the brothers escape. The next morning, as the police arrive at the flophouse where Elwood lives, a mysterious woman detonates a bomb that demolishes the building, but miraculously leaves Jake and Elwood unharmed, and saves them from being arrested.
Jake and Elwood begin tracking down members of the band. Five of them are playing at a deserted Holiday Inn lounge, and quickly agree to rejoin. Another turns them down as he is the maître d' at an expensive restaurant, but the brothers refuse to leave the restaurant until he relents. On their way to meet the final two band members, the brothers find the road through Jackson Park blocked by an American Nazi Party demonstration on a bridge; Elwood runs them off the bridge into the East Lagoon. The last two band members, who now run a soul food restaurant, rejoin the band against the advice of one's wife. The reunited group obtain instruments and equipment from Ray's Music Exchange in Calumet City, and Ray, as usual, takes an IOU.
As Jake attempts to book a gig, the mystery woman blows up the phone booth he is using; once again, he is miraculously unhurt. The band stumbles onto a gig at Bob's Country Bunker, a honky-tonk in Kokomo, Indiana. They win over the rowdy crowd, but run up a bar tab higher than their pay, and infuriate the country band that was actually booked for the gig, the Good Ol' Boys.
Realizing that they need one big show to raise the necessary money, the brothers persuade their old agent to book the Palace Hotel Ballroom, north of Chicago. They mount a loudspeaker atop the Bluesmobile and drive around the Chicago area promoting the concert—and alerting the police, the neo-Nazis, and the Good Ol' Boys of their whereabouts. The ballroom is packed with blues fans, police officers, and the Good Ol' Boys. Jake and Elwood perform two songs, then sneak offstage, as the tax deadline is rapidly approaching. A record company executive offers them a $10,000 cash advance on a recording contract—more than enough to pay off the orphanage's taxes and Ray's IOU—and then shows the brothers how to slip out of the building unnoticed. As they make their escape via a service tunnel, they are confronted by the mystery woman: Jake's vengeful ex-fiancée. After her volley of M16 rifle bullets leaves them miraculously unharmed, Jake offers a series of ridiculous excuses that she accepts, allowing the brothers to escape to the Bluesmobile.
Jake and Elwood race back toward Chicago with dozens of state and local police and the Good Ol' Boys in pursuit. They eventually elude them all with a series of improbable maneuvers, including a miraculous gravity-defying escape from the neo-Nazis. At the Richard J. Daley Center, they rush inside the adjacent Chicago City Hall building, soon followed by hundreds of police, state troopers, SWAT teams, firefighters, Illinois National Guardsmen, and the Military Police. Finding the office of the Cook County Assessor, the brothers pay the tax bill. Just as their receipt is stamped, they are arrested by the mob of law officers. In prison, the band plays "Jailhouse Rock" for the inmates.
Cast
John Belushi as "Joliet" Jake Blues, a former blues singer, paroled from prison after three years.
Dan Aykroyd as Elwood J. Blues, Jake's blood brother, also a former blues singer.
James Brown as the Reverend Cleophus James, pastor of the Triple Rock Baptist Church. His musical sermon "The Old Landmark" causes Jake to have an epiphany.
Cab Calloway as Curtis, an old friend of the brothers', who suggests they listen to James, and helps them advertise the show and performs "Minnie the Moocher" for the audience.
Ray Charles as Ray, a blind music instruments dealer, who performs "Shake a Tail Feather" to demonstrate their effectiveness.
Aretha Franklin as Mrs. Murphy, Matt Murphy's wife, who owns a soul food restaurant with him. She performs "Think" to persuade him not to join the band.
Steve "The Colonel" Cropper – lead guitar
Donald "Duck" Dunn – bass guitar
Murphy Dunne ("Murph") – keyboards
Willie "Too Big" Hall – drums
Tom "Bones" Malone – trombone
"Blue Lou" Marini – saxophone
Matt "Guitar" Murphy – lead guitar
"Mr. Fabulous" Alan Rubin – trumpet
Carrie Fisher as the Mystery Woman, Jake's former fiancée; she tries to kill him for leaving her at the altar.
Henry Gibson as the Gruppenführer, the head of a division of the neo-Nazis
John Candy as Burton Mercer, Jake's parole officer assisting the police in their hunt for the Blues Brothers.
John Lee Hooker as Street Slim, a man singing "Boom Boom" together with a small band on Maxwell Street.
Kathleen Freeman as Sister Mary Stigmata, AKA "The Penguin", the nun who leads the orphanage where the brothers grew up.
Steve Lawrence as Maury Sline, the agent who organized and booked many of the Blues Brothers' performances before Jake was sent to jail.
Twiggy as the Chic Lady, a woman who flirts with Elwood at the gas station.
Frank Oz as a corrections officer, who gives Jake his clothes at the beginning of the film.
Jeff Morris as Bob, the owner of Bob's Country Bunker.
Charles Napier as Tucker McElroy, lead singer and Winnebago driver of The Good Old Boys.
Steven Spielberg as the Cook County Assessor, who takes Jake and Elwood's money at the end of the film.
Stephen Bishop as Charming Trooper
Steven Williams as Trooper Mount, one of the cops who follows Jake and Elwood from the start.
Armand Cerami as Trooper Daniel, Mount's partner and the other cop who follows Jake and Elwood from the start.
Joe Walsh as Prison Inmate
Ben Piazza as Father, dining with his wife and three daughters at the Chez Paul and subject to abuse by Jake.
Cindy Fisher as Daughter #2, one of the daughters who Jake leers at.
Paul Reubens as Waiter, a colleague of Mr Fabulous' at the Chez Paul.
Rosie Shuster as Cocktail Waitress
Chaka Khan as Choir Soloist
Gary McLarty as Toys "R" Us Customer, who asks about buying a Miss Piggy toy right before the Bluesmobile begins smashing the mall.
Layne Britton as The Cheese Whiz
Pinetop Perkins as Luther Jackson
Mr. T as Guy On Street (Uncredited)
Carolyn Franklin as Soul Food Chorus #1, who sings along with "Think".
De'voreaux White as Young Guitar Thief, who tries to steal from Ray's Music Exchange, only to nearly be shot by Ray.
James Avery as Detective Avery (Uncredited)
Lou Perryman as Man At Bar
Luis Contreras as Bob's Country Bunker Patron #1 (Uncredited)
Raven De La Croix as Woman In Concert Crowd
Ralph Foody as Police Dispatcher, who comments on the Bluesmobile's arrival at Cook County and allows for using unnecessary violence in capturing Jake and Elwood.
Leonard R. Garner Jr. as Lobby Guard #1
Production
Origins
The characters Jake and Elwood Blues were created by Belushi and Aykroyd in performances on Saturday Night Live. The name "The Blues Brothers" was the idea of Howard Shore. The fictional back story and character sketches of blood brothers Jake and Elwood were developed by Aykroyd in collaboration with Ron Gwynne, who is credited as a story consultant for the film. As related in the liner notes of the band's debut album, Briefcase Full of Blues, the brothers grew up in an orphanage, learned the blues from a janitor named Curtis, and sealed their brotherhood by cutting their middle fingers with a steel string said to have come from the guitar of Elmore James.
Belushi had become a star in 1978 as a result of both the Blues Brothers' musical success and his role in National Lampoon's Animal House. At one point, he managed the triple feat of being the star of the week's top-grossing film and top-rated television series and singing on the No. 1 album within a year. When Aykroyd and Belushi decided they could make a Blues Brothers film, the bidding war was intense. Universal Studios narrowly beat Paramount Pictures for the project. John Landis, who had directed Belushi in Animal House, was aboard as director.
However, the project had neither a budget nor a script. On the former issue, Universal head Lew Wasserman thought the film could be made for $12 million; the filmmakers wanted $20 million. It would be impossible to settle on a specific amount without a screenplay to review, and after Mitch Glazer declined to help him, Aykroyd wrote one on his own.
Aykroyd had never written a screenplay before, as he admitted in the 1998 documentary Stories Behind the Making of The Blues Brothers, or even read one, and he was unable to find a writing partner. Consequently, he put together a very descriptive volume that explained the characters' origins and how the band members were recruited. His final draft was 324 pages, which was three times longer than a standard screenplay, written not in a standard screenplay format, but more like free verse. To soften the impact, Aykroyd made a joke of the thick script and had it bound with the cover of the Los Angeles Yellow Pages directory for when he turned it in to producer Robert K. Weiss. He titled it "The Return of the Blues Brothers", and credited it to "Scriptatron GL-9000". Landis was given the task of editing the script into a usable screenplay, which took him about two weeks.
The Blues Brothers held the record for the most cars destroyed in the course of production for 18 years, at 103, one fewer than were wrecked in its 1998 sequel Blues Brothers 2000. Both were surpassed by G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009), with 112 cars destroyed.
Casting
At Aykroyd's demand, soul and R&B stars James Brown, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin were cast in speaking parts to support musical numbers built around them. This later caused friction in the production between Landis and Universal, as its costs far exceeded the original budget. Since none of them except Charles had any hits in recent years, the studio wanted the director to replace them with—or add performances by—younger acts, such as Rose Royce, whose "Car Wash" had made them disco stars after its use in the 1976 film of that name.
Other musicians in the cast include Big Walter Horton, Pinetop Perkins, and John Lee Hooker (who performed "Boom Boom" during the Maxwell Street scene). The members of The Blues Brothers Band were themselves notable. Steve Cropper and Donald Dunn are architects of the Stax Records sound (Cropper's guitar can be heard at the start of the Sam & Dave song "Soul Man") and were half of Booker T. & the M.G.'s. Horn players Lou Marini, Tom Malone, and Alan Rubin had all played in Blood, Sweat & Tears and the house band on Saturday Night Live. Drummer Willie Hall had played in The Bar-Kays and backed Isaac Hayes. Matt Murphy is a veteran blues guitarist. As the band developed at Saturday Night Live, pianist Paul Shaffer was part of the act and thus cast in the film. However, due to contractual obligations with SNL, he was unable to participate, so actor-musician Murphy Dunne (whose father, George Dunne, was the Cook County Board President) was hired to take his role.
Fisher, Freeman, Gibson, and Candy were cast in non-musical supporting roles. The film is also notable for the number of cameo appearances by established celebrities and entertainment-industry figures, including Steve Lawrence as a booking agent, Twiggy as a "chic lady" in a Jaguar convertible whom Elwood propositions at a gas station, Steven Spielberg as the Cook County Assessor's clerk, Landis as a state trooper in the mall chase, Paul Reubens (before he became Pee-wee Herman) as a waiter in the restaurant Chez Paul, Joe Walsh in a cameo as the first prisoner to jump up on a table in the final scene, and Chaka Khan as the soloist in the Triple Rock choir. Muppet performer Frank Oz plays a corrections officer, and in the scene where the brothers crash into Toys "R" Us, the customer who asks for a Miss Piggy doll is played by stunt coordinator Gary McLarty. Singer/songwriter Stephen Bishop is an Illinois State Trooper who complains that Jake and Elwood broke his watch (a result of the car chase in the mall). Makeup artist Layne Britton is the old card player who asks Elwood, "Did you get me my Cheez Whiz, boy?" The character portrayed by Cab Calloway is named Curtis as a homage to Curtis Salgado, an Oregon blues musician who inspired Belushi while he was in that area filming Animal House.
Over 500 extras were used for the next-to-last scene, the blockade of the building at Daley Center, including 200 National Guardsmen, 100 state and city police officers, with 15 horses for the mounted police (and three each Sherman tanks, helicopters, and fire engines).
Filming
Principal photography began in July 1979, with the film's budget still not settled. For the first month, things ran smoothly on and off the set. When Weiss saw the supposedly final $17.5 million budget, he reportedly joked, "I think we've spent that much already."
In the next month, the production began falling behind schedule. Much of the delay was due to Belushi's partying and carousing. When not on the set, he went out to his familiar Chicago haunts such as Wrigley Field and the Old Town Ale House. People often recognized him and slipped him cocaine, a drug he was already using heavily on his own, hoping to use it with him. "Every blue-collar Joe wants his John Belushi story," said Smokey Wendell, who was eventually hired to keep it away from the star. As a result of his late nights and drug and alcohol use, Belushi would often miss unit calls (the beginning of a production day) or go to his trailer after them and sleep, wasting hours of production time. One night, Aykroyd found him crashing on the sofa of a nearby house, where Belushi had already helped himself to food in the refrigerator.
Cocaine was already so prevalent on the set (like many other film productions of that era) that Aykroyd, who used far less than his partner, claims a section of the budget was actually set aside for purchases of the drug during night shooting. The stars had a private bar, the Blues Club, built on the set, for themselves, crew, and friends. Carrie Fisher, who was Aykroyd's girlfriend at that time, said that most of the bar's staff doubled as dealers, procuring any drug patrons desired.
The movie's original budget was quickly surpassed, and back in Los Angeles, Wasserman grew increasingly frustrated. He was regularly confronting Ned Tanen, the executive in charge of production for Universal, over the costs. Sean Daniel, another studio executive, was not reassured when he came to Chicago and saw the production had set up a special facility for the 70 cars used in the chase sequences. Filming there, which was supposed to have concluded in the middle of September, continued into late October.
On the set, Belushi's drug use worsened. Fisher, who herself later struggled with cocaine addiction, said Landis told her to keep Belushi away from the drug. Wendell was hired to clear any drugs from the places Belushi visited off-camera. Nevertheless, at one point, Landis found Belushi with what he described as a "mountain" of cocaine on a table in his trailer, which led to a tearful confrontation in which Belushi admitted his addiction and feared it could eventually kill him.
After Aykroyd and Belushi's wife Judy had a talk with Belushi about his antics, the production returned to Los Angeles. Filming there again ran smoothly until it came time to shoot the final sequence at the Hollywood Palladium. Just beforehand, Belushi fell off a borrowed skateboard and seriously injured his knee, making it unlikely he could go through with the scene, which required him to sing, dance, and do cartwheels. Wasserman persuaded the city's top orthopedic surgeon to postpone his weekend plans long enough to stop by and sufficiently anesthetize Belushi's knee, and the scene was filmed as intended.
Locations
Much of The Blues Brothers was shot on location in and around Chicago between July and October 1979, including Joliet Correctional Center in nearby Joliet, Illinois, and Wauconda, Illinois, where the car crashes into the side of Route 12. Made with the cooperation of Mayor Jane M. Byrne, it is credited for putting Chicago on the map as a venue for filmmaking. Nearly 200 movies have been filmed in Chicago. In an article written to mark the film's 25th Anniversary DVD release, Aykroyd told the Chicago Sun-Times: "Chicago is one of the stars of the movie. We wrote it as a tribute."
The first traffic stop was in Park Ridge, Illinois. The shopping mall car chase was filmed in the real, albeit shuttered, Dixie Square Mall, in Harvey, Illinois. The bridge jump was filmed on an actual drawbridge, the 95th Street bridge over the Calumet River, on the southeast side of Chicago. The main entrance to Wrigley Field (and its sign reading "Save lives. Drive safely, prevent fires") makes a brief appearance when the "Illinois Nazis" visit it after Elwood falsely registers the ballpark's location, 1060 West Addison, as his home address on his driver's license. (Elwood's Illinois driver's license number is an almost-valid encoded number, with Aykroyd's own birth date embedded.) Jake's final confrontation with his girlfriend was filmed in a replica of a section of the abandoned Chicago freight tunnel system. The other chase scenes included lower Wacker Drive, Lake Street, and Richard J. Daley Center.
In the final car chase scene, the production actually dropped a Ford Pinto, representing that which was driven by the "Illinois Nazis", from a helicopter at an altitude of about 1,200 feet—and had to gain a Special Airworthiness Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration to do it. The FAA was concerned that the car could prove too aerodynamic in a high-altitude drop, and pose a threat to nearby buildings. The shot leading up to the car drop, where the "Illinois Nazis" drive off a freeway ramp, was shot in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, near the Hoan Bridge on Interstate 794. The Lake Freeway (North) was a planned but not completed six-lane freeway, and I-794 contained an unfinished ramp off which the Nazis drove. Several Milwaukee skyscrapers are visible in the background as the Bluesmobile flips over, notably the U.S. Bank Center.
The Palace Hotel Ballroom, where the band performs their climactic concert, was at the time of filming a country club, but later became the South Shore Cultural Center, named after the Chicago neighborhood where it is located. The interior concert scenes were filmed in the Hollywood Palladium.
The filming in downtown Chicago was conducted on Sundays during the summer of 1979, and much of downtown was cordoned off from the public. Costs for filming the largest scene in the city's history totaled $3.5 million. Permission was given after Belushi and Aykroyd offered to donate $50,000 to a charity after filming. Although the Bluesmobile was allowed to be driven through the Daley Center lobby, special breakaway panes were temporarily substituted for the normal glass in the building. The speeding car caused $7,650 in damage to 35 granite paver stones and a bronze air grille in the building. Interior shots of the elevator, staircase, and assessor's office were all recreated in a film set for filming.
Bluesmobile
The film used 13 different cars bought at auction from the California Highway Patrol to depict the retired 1974 Mount Prospect, Illinois Dodge Monaco patrol car. The vehicles were outfitted by the studio to do particular driving chores; some were customized for speed and others for jumps, depending on the scene. For the large car chases, filmmakers purchased 60 police cars at $400 each, and most were destroyed at the completion of the filming. More than 40 stunt drivers were hired, and the crew kept a 24-hour body shop to repair cars.
For the scene when the Blues Brothers finally arrive at the Richard J. Daley Center, a mechanic took several months to rig the car to fall apart. At the time of its release, The Blues Brothers held the world record for the most cars destroyed in one film until it was surpassed by a single car in its 1998 sequel.
Post-production
Landis' difficulties continued even after principal photography was completed. The first cut of The Blues Brothers lasted two and a half hours, with an intermission. After one early screening, Wasserman demanded it be shortened, and 20 minutes were cut. The film's final budget was $27.5 million (equivalent to $ million in ), $10 million over its original budget.
Prospects for a successful release did not look good. Aykroyd and Belushi had left SNL at the end of the previous season, reducing their bankability. Belushi's fame had taken a further hit after the critical failure of Spielberg's film 1941 at the end of the year. One day after the editing was done, Wasserman invited Landis up to his office to speak with Ted Mann, head of the Mann Theatres chain, which dominated film exhibition in the Western United States. He told Landis that he would not book the film at any theaters in predominantly white neighborhoods, such as Westwood. Not only did Mann not want black patrons going there to see the film, but he also surmised that white viewers were unlikely to see a film featuring older black musical stars. Ultimately, the film got less than half the bookings nationwide for its initial release than a typical big-budget studio film of the era, which did not bode well for its success at the box office.
Reception
Box office
The Blues Brothers opened on June 20, 1980, with a release in 594 theaters. It took in $4,858,152, ranking second for that week (after The Empire Strikes Back). The film in total grossed $57,229,890 domestically and $58,000,000 in foreign box office for a total of $115,229,890. It ranked 10th at the domestic box office for the year. By genre, it is the ninth-highest-grossing musical and the 10th-highest earner among comedy road movies. It ranks second, between Wayne's World and Wayne's World 2, among films adapted from Saturday Night Live sketches. Director John Landis claimed The Blues Brothers was also the first American film to gross more money overseas than it did in the United States. Over the years, the film has retained a following through television and home video.
Critical reception
The Blues Brothers received mostly positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 73% "Certified Fresh" rating, based on 90 reviews, with an average rating of 7.60/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "Too over the top for its own good, but ultimately rescued by the cast's charm, director John Landis' grace, and several soul-stirring musical numbers." It won the Golden Reel Award for Best Sound Editing and Sound Effects, is 14th on Total Film magazine's "List of the 50 Greatest Comedy Films of All Time," is 20th on Empires list of "The 50 Greatest Comedies," and is number 69 on Bravo's "100 Funniest Movies." Metacritic gave the film a score of 60 based on 12 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews."
Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave The Blues Brothers three out of four stars, praising it for its energetic musical numbers and "incredible" car chases. Ebert further noted that "Belushi and Aykroyd come over as hard-boiled city guys, total cynics with a world-view of sublime simplicity, and that all fits perfectly with the movie's other parts. There's even room, in the midst of the carnage and mayhem, for a surprising amount of grace, humor, and whimsy." Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune gave the film a "rare four-star rating," calling it "one of the all-time great comedies" and "the best movie ever made in Chicago." He described the film as "technically superb," praised it for "countering every explosion with a quiet moment," and said it "is at once a pure exercise in physical comedy as well as a marvelous tribute to the urban blues sound." He ranked it number eight on his list of the ten best movies of 1980. Richard Corliss, writing in Time, opined: "The Blues Brothers is a demolition symphony that works with the cold efficiency of a Moog synthesizer gone sadistic."
In his review for The Washington Post, Gary Arnold criticized Landis for engorging "the frail plot of The Blues Brothers with car chases and crack-ups, filmed with such avid, humorless starkness on the streets of Chicago that comic sensations are virtually obliterated." Janet Maslin of The New York Times criticized The Blues Brothers for shortchanging viewers on more details about Jake and Elwood's affinity for African-American culture. She also took director Landis to task for "distracting editing," mentioning the Soul Food diner scene in which the head of saxophonist Marini is out of shot as he dances on the counter. In the documentary, Stories Behind the Making of The Blues Brothers, Landis acknowledges the criticism while stating "Everybody has his opinion," and Marini recalls the dismay he felt at seeing the completed film.
Kim Newman, writing for Empire in 2013, considered The Blues Brothers to be "an amalgam of urban sleaze, automobile crunch and blackheart rhythm and blues" with "better music than any film had had for many years." He noted that Belushi and Aykroyd pack in their heroes: "Aretha storming through 'Think', Cab Calloway cruising through 'Minnie the Moocher', John Lee Hooker boogying through 'Boom Boom' and Ray Charles on electric piano." He observed that "the picture had revived the careers of virtually all the musicians that appeared in it" and concluded that "it still sounds great and looks as good as ever through Ray Bans."
On the 30th Anniversary of the film's release, L'Osservatore Romano (the daily newspaper of Vatican City State) wrote that the film is filled with positive symbolism and moral references that can be related to Catholicism. They went further, stating, The Blues Brothers "is a memorable film, and, judging by the facts, a Catholic one."
Cult-film status
The Blues Brothers has become a staple of late-night cinema, even slowly morphing into an audience-participation show in its regular screenings at the Valhalla Cinema, in Melbourne, Australia. John Landis acknowledged the support of the cinema and the fans by a phone call he made to the cinema at the 10th Anniversary screening, and later invited regular attendees to make cameo appearances in Blues Brothers 2000. The fans act as the members of the crowd during the performance of "Ghost Riders in the Sky".
In August 2005, a 25th Anniversary celebration for The Blues Brothers was held at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. Attendees included Landis, former Universal Studios executive Thom Mount, film editor George Folsey, Jr., and cast members James Brown, Henry Gibson, Charles Napier, Steve Cropper, and Stephen Bishop. It featured a press conference, a panel discussion where Aykroyd joined by satellite, and a screening of the original theatrical version of the film. The panel discussion was broadcast direct to many other cinemas around the country.
The popularity of The Blues Brothers has also spread overseas; it was an inspiration for Japanese companies Studio Hibari and Aniplex, which led to the creation of the manga and anime franchise Nerima Daikon Brothers, which contain heavy references to the film.
American Film Institute
AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs – nominated
AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs:
"Think" – nominated
AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes:
"We're on a mission from God." – nominated
Release
Home media
When The Blues Brothers was first screened for a preview audience, a producer demanded that director Landis cut 25 minutes from the film. After trimming 15 minutes, it was released in theaters at 132 minutes. The film was first released on VHS and Betamax by MCA Videocassette Inc. in 1983; a Laserdisc from MCA Videodisc was released in the same year. It was then re-released on VHS, Laserdisc, and Betamax in 1985 from MCA Home Video, and again in 1990 from MCA/Universal Home Video. It was also released in a two-pack VHS box set with Animal House. The original length of The Blues Brothers was restored to 148 minutes for the "Collector's Edition" DVD and a Special Edition VHS and Laserdisc release in 1998. The DVD and Laserdisc versions included a 56-minute documentary, The Stories Behind the Making of The Blues Brothers. Produced and directed by JM Kenny (who also produced the "Collector's Edition" DVD of Animal House that same year), it included interviews with Landis, Aykroyd, members of The Blues Brothers Band, producer Robert K. Weiss, editor George Folsey Jr., and others involved with the film. It also included production photographs, the theatrical trailer, production notes, and cast and filmmaker bios. The 25th Anniversary DVD release in 2005 included both the theatrical cut and the extended version.
The Blues Brothers was released on Blu-ray on July 26, 2011, with the same basic contents as the 25th Anniversary DVD. In a March 2011 interview with Ain't it Cool News, Landis also mentioned he had approved the Blu-ray's remastered transfer. On May 19, 2020, the movie was given a 4K UHD release; it has a new 4K remaster from the original negative and the extended footage was remastered from the same archived print as well.
SoundtrackThe Blues Brothers: Original Soundtrack Recording (later re-released as The Blues Brothers: Music from the Soundtrack''') was released on June 20, 1980, as the second album by the Blues Brothers Band, which also toured that year to promote the film. "Gimme Some Lovin" was a Top 20 Billboard hit, peaking at number 18. The album was a followup to their debut, the live album, Briefcase Full of Blues. Later that year they released a second live album, Made in America, which featured the Top 40 track, "Who's Making Love".
The songs on the soundtrack album are a noticeably different audio mix than in the film, with a prominent baritone saxophone in the horn line (also heard in the film during "Shake a Tail Feather", though no baritone sax is present), and female backing vocals on "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love", though the band had no other backup singers, besides Jake and/or Elwood, in the film. A number of regular Blues Brothers' members, including saxophonist Tom Scott and drummer Steve Jordan, perform on the soundtrack album, but are not in the film.
According to Landis in the 1998 documentary The Stories Behind the Making of 'The Blues Brothers, filmed musical performances by Franklin and Brown took more effort, as neither artist was accustomed to lip-synching their performances on film. Franklin required several takes, and Brown simply rerecorded his performance live. Cab Calloway initially wanted to do a disco variation on his signature tune, "Minnie the Moocher", having done the song in several styles in the past, but Landis insisted that the song be done faithfully to the original big-band version.
Charts
Certifications
Other songs in the film
The film's score includes "God Music" (instrumental with choir vocalese) composed by Elmer Bernstein, who previously had worked with John Landis on National Lampoon's Animal House. Other songs in the film include:
Sequel
The 1998 sequel, Blues Brothers 2000, had similar traits to the original, including large car-chase scenes and musical numbers. Landis returned to direct the film and Aykroyd reprised his role, joining John Goodman, Joe Morton, and 10-year-old J. Evan Bonifant as the new Blues Brothers. Franklin and Brown were among the celebrities returning from the first film. There were also musical performances by Sam Moore, Wilson Pickett, Paul Shaffer, B.B. King, and Eric Clapton, among others. Dozens of artists were packed into an all-star band called The Louisiana Gator Boys. Even with many returning cast members, the film was considered a box-office failure, only generating a little over $14 million in sales, and critics' reactions were negative.
See also
Blues Brothers: Private The Blues Brothers Video Game''
References
External links
The Blues Brothers
1980 films
1980s action comedy films
1980s buddy comedy films
1980 comedy films
1980s chase films
1980s musical comedy films
American films
American action comedy films
American buddy comedy films
American chase films
American musical comedy films
Blues films
1980s English-language films
Fictional film duos
Films set in 1980
Films about brothers
Films about musical groups
Films about orphans
Films directed by John Landis
Films set in Chicago
Films set in Illinois
Films shot in Chicago
Films shot in Illinois
Films shot in Wisconsin
Jukebox musical films
Films about neo-Nazis
Saturday Night Live films
Saturday Night Live in the 1980s
Films with screenplays by Dan Aykroyd
Films with screenplays by John Landis
Universal Pictures films
Nuns in fiction
Films produced by George Folsey Jr.
United States National Film Registry films
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[
"Aquarium (Russian title Аквариум) is a partly-autobiographical description by Viktor Suvorov of the GRU (Soviet military intelligence directorate). The book was initially released on June 1, 1985, by Hamish Hamilton.\n\nOverview\nThe account starts in 1969, when Suvorov, as an ordinary tank company commander, is recruited into intelligence analysis by an up-and-coming lieutenant colonel. From there, he transfers to Spetsnaz and, from there, into the GRU proper. A combination of circumstances leads to his eventual defection to the British.\n\nThe \"Aquarium\" of the title is the nickname given to GRU headquarters in Moscow by those who work there. \"What sort of fish are there swimming there?\" asks Suvorov of his boss when he learns about it. \"There's only one kind there—piranhas.\"\n\nSuvorov admits that some details of his career have been altered; for example, he portrays himself as being posted to Austria when, in fact, he was in Switzerland. The reasons given are to hide his identity while the Soviet Union still existed and to protect from retaliation against friends and relatives.\n\nFilm\nA cinema film and a four-part television series on the book were made by a Polish-Ukrainian-German team in 1996. The film, entitled \"The Aquarium\" (Akwarium), was directed by Antoni Krauze and stars Jurij Smolskij, Janusz Gajos, Witold Pyrkosz and Henryk Bista, is available in Polish with English subtitles.\n\nPublication details\nOriginal English translation: Hamish Hamilton, 1985; \nUnited States publication (as Inside the Aquarium): Macmillan, 1985;\n\nExternal links\nhttps://archive.org/details/ViktorSuvorovAquariumTheCareerAndDefectibOk.xyz/page/n1 copy of book on the Internet Archive\n\n1985 books\nRussian intelligence agencies",
"A list of films produced by the Bollywood film industry based in Mumbai in 1949:\n\nHighest-grossing films\nThe nine highest-grossing films at the Indian Box Office in 1949:\n\nA-B\n\nC-J\n\nK-R\n\nS-Z\n\nThere is also unreleased movies called Vashishta Warwadevi(1949) and Main kaali pili nachaniya(1949) and not many details are available for them\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\n Bollywood films of 1949 at the Internet Movie Database\n\n1949\nBollywood\nFilms, Bollywood"
] |
[
"The Blues Brothers (film)",
"Origins",
"Who wrote the screenplay for \"The Blues Brothers\" film?",
"Aykroyd had never written a screenplay before,",
"When was the film released?",
"1978",
"What music stars made an appearance in the film?",
"I don't know.",
"What kind of music was used in the film?",
"I don't know.",
"Are there any other details about the film available?",
"The overriding plot premise was unrealistic:"
] |
C_a692aeffb79b4e5fa37641d9d33bd8ef_1
|
Who directed the film?
| 6 |
Who directed the "The Blues Brothers"?
|
The Blues Brothers (film)
|
The characters, Jake and Elwood Blues, were created by Belushi and Aykroyd in performances on Saturday Night Live. The name "The Blues Brothers" was the idea of Howard Shore. The fictional back story and character sketches of blood brothers Jake and Elwood were developed by Aykroyd in collaboration with Ron Gwynne, who is credited as a story consultant for the film. As related in the liner notes of the band's debut album, Briefcase Full of Blues, the brothers grew up in an orphanage, learned the blues from a janitor named Curtis, and sealed their brotherhood by cutting their middle fingers with a steel string said to have come from the guitar of Elmore James. Belushi had become a star in 1978 as a result of both the Blues Brothers' musical success and his role in National Lampoon's Animal House. At one point, he managed the triple feat of being the star of the week's top-grossing film, top-rated television show, and singing on the number-one album within a year. When Aykroyd and Belushi decided they could make a Blues Brothers film, the bidding war was intense. Universal Studios narrowly beat Paramount Pictures for the project. John Landis, who had directed Belushi in Animal House, was aboard as director. However, the project had neither a budget nor a script. On the former issue, Universal head Lew Wasserman thought the film could be made for $12 million; the filmmakers wanted $20 million. It would be impossible to settle on a specific amount without a screenplay to review, and after Mitch Glazer declined to help him, Aykroyd wrote one on his own. Aykroyd had never written a screenplay before, as he admitted in the 1998 documentary, Stories Behind the Making of The Blues Brothers, or even read one, and he was unable to find a writing partner. Consequently, he put together a very descriptive volume that explained the characters' origins and how the band members were recruited. His final draft was 324 pages, which was three times longer than a standard screenplay, written not in a standard screenplay format, but more like free verse. To soften the impact, Aykroyd made a joke of the thick script and had it bound with the cover of the Los Angeles Yellow Pages directory for when he turned it in to producer Robert K. Weiss. Landis was given the task of editing the script into a usable screenplay, which took him about two weeks. The overriding plot premise was unrealistic: religious groups and other not-for-profit organizations are typically exempt from federal or state taxes; although a legislative proposal to tax such property was under consideration in Illinois at the time. CANNOTANSWER
|
John Landis, who had directed Belushi in Animal House, was aboard as director.
|
The Blues Brothers is a 1980 American musical comedy film directed by John Landis. It stars John Belushi as "Joliet" Jake Blues and Dan Aykroyd as his brother Elwood, characters developed from the recurring musical sketch "The Blues Brothers" on NBC variety series Saturday Night Live. The film is set in and around Chicago, Illinois, where it was filmed, and the screenplay was written by Aykroyd and Landis. It features musical numbers by rhythm and blues (R&B), soul, and blues singers James Brown, Cab Calloway (in his final feature film role), Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Chaka Khan, and John Lee Hooker. It features non-musical supporting performances by Carrie Fisher, Henry Gibson, Charles Napier and John Candy.
The story is a tale of redemption for paroled convict Jake and his blood brother Elwood, who set out on "a mission from God" to save from foreclosure the Roman Catholic orphanage in which they were raised. To do so, they must reunite their R&B band and organize a performance to earn $5,000 needed to pay the orphanage's property tax bill. Along the way, they are targeted by a homicidal "mystery woman", Neo-Nazis, and a country and western band—all while being relentlessly pursued by the police.
Universal Studios, which had won the bidding war for the film, was hoping to take advantage of Belushi's popularity in the wake of Saturday Night Live, the film Animal House, and The Blues Brothers' musical success; it soon found itself unable to control production costs. The start of filming was delayed when Aykroyd, who was new to film screenwriting, took six months to deliver a long and unconventional script that Landis had to rewrite before production, which began without a final budget. On location in Chicago, Belushi's partying and drug use caused lengthy and costly delays that, along with the destructive car chases depicted onscreen, made the final film one of the most expensive comedies ever produced.
Due to concerns that the film would fail, its initial bookings were less than half of those similar films normally received. Released in the United States on June 20, 1980, it received mostly positive reviews from critics and grossed over $115 million in theaters worldwide before its release on home video, and has become a cult classic over the years. A sequel, Blues Brothers 2000, was released in 1998 to critical and commercial failure.
In 2020, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
Plot
Blues vocalist and petty criminal Jake Blues is released from prison after serving three years, and is picked up by his blood brother Elwood in his Bluesmobile, a battered former police car. Elwood demonstrates its capabilities by jumping an open drawbridge. The brothers visit the Roman Catholic orphanage where they were raised, and learn from Sister Mary Stigmata that it will be closed unless $5,000 in property taxes is collected. During a sermon by the Reverend Cleophus James at the Triple Rock Baptist Church, Jake has an epiphany: they can re-form their band, the Blues Brothers, which disbanded while Jake was in prison, and raise the money to save the orphanage.
That night, state troopers attempt to arrest Elwood for driving with a suspended license due to 116 parking tickets and 56 moving violations. After a high-speed chase through the Dixie Square Mall, the brothers escape. The next morning, as the police arrive at the flophouse where Elwood lives, a mysterious woman detonates a bomb that demolishes the building, but miraculously leaves Jake and Elwood unharmed, and saves them from being arrested.
Jake and Elwood begin tracking down members of the band. Five of them are playing at a deserted Holiday Inn lounge, and quickly agree to rejoin. Another turns them down as he is the maître d' at an expensive restaurant, but the brothers refuse to leave the restaurant until he relents. On their way to meet the final two band members, the brothers find the road through Jackson Park blocked by an American Nazi Party demonstration on a bridge; Elwood runs them off the bridge into the East Lagoon. The last two band members, who now run a soul food restaurant, rejoin the band against the advice of one's wife. The reunited group obtain instruments and equipment from Ray's Music Exchange in Calumet City, and Ray, as usual, takes an IOU.
As Jake attempts to book a gig, the mystery woman blows up the phone booth he is using; once again, he is miraculously unhurt. The band stumbles onto a gig at Bob's Country Bunker, a honky-tonk in Kokomo, Indiana. They win over the rowdy crowd, but run up a bar tab higher than their pay, and infuriate the country band that was actually booked for the gig, the Good Ol' Boys.
Realizing that they need one big show to raise the necessary money, the brothers persuade their old agent to book the Palace Hotel Ballroom, north of Chicago. They mount a loudspeaker atop the Bluesmobile and drive around the Chicago area promoting the concert—and alerting the police, the neo-Nazis, and the Good Ol' Boys of their whereabouts. The ballroom is packed with blues fans, police officers, and the Good Ol' Boys. Jake and Elwood perform two songs, then sneak offstage, as the tax deadline is rapidly approaching. A record company executive offers them a $10,000 cash advance on a recording contract—more than enough to pay off the orphanage's taxes and Ray's IOU—and then shows the brothers how to slip out of the building unnoticed. As they make their escape via a service tunnel, they are confronted by the mystery woman: Jake's vengeful ex-fiancée. After her volley of M16 rifle bullets leaves them miraculously unharmed, Jake offers a series of ridiculous excuses that she accepts, allowing the brothers to escape to the Bluesmobile.
Jake and Elwood race back toward Chicago with dozens of state and local police and the Good Ol' Boys in pursuit. They eventually elude them all with a series of improbable maneuvers, including a miraculous gravity-defying escape from the neo-Nazis. At the Richard J. Daley Center, they rush inside the adjacent Chicago City Hall building, soon followed by hundreds of police, state troopers, SWAT teams, firefighters, Illinois National Guardsmen, and the Military Police. Finding the office of the Cook County Assessor, the brothers pay the tax bill. Just as their receipt is stamped, they are arrested by the mob of law officers. In prison, the band plays "Jailhouse Rock" for the inmates.
Cast
John Belushi as "Joliet" Jake Blues, a former blues singer, paroled from prison after three years.
Dan Aykroyd as Elwood J. Blues, Jake's blood brother, also a former blues singer.
James Brown as the Reverend Cleophus James, pastor of the Triple Rock Baptist Church. His musical sermon "The Old Landmark" causes Jake to have an epiphany.
Cab Calloway as Curtis, an old friend of the brothers', who suggests they listen to James, and helps them advertise the show and performs "Minnie the Moocher" for the audience.
Ray Charles as Ray, a blind music instruments dealer, who performs "Shake a Tail Feather" to demonstrate their effectiveness.
Aretha Franklin as Mrs. Murphy, Matt Murphy's wife, who owns a soul food restaurant with him. She performs "Think" to persuade him not to join the band.
Steve "The Colonel" Cropper – lead guitar
Donald "Duck" Dunn – bass guitar
Murphy Dunne ("Murph") – keyboards
Willie "Too Big" Hall – drums
Tom "Bones" Malone – trombone
"Blue Lou" Marini – saxophone
Matt "Guitar" Murphy – lead guitar
"Mr. Fabulous" Alan Rubin – trumpet
Carrie Fisher as the Mystery Woman, Jake's former fiancée; she tries to kill him for leaving her at the altar.
Henry Gibson as the Gruppenführer, the head of a division of the neo-Nazis
John Candy as Burton Mercer, Jake's parole officer assisting the police in their hunt for the Blues Brothers.
John Lee Hooker as Street Slim, a man singing "Boom Boom" together with a small band on Maxwell Street.
Kathleen Freeman as Sister Mary Stigmata, AKA "The Penguin", the nun who leads the orphanage where the brothers grew up.
Steve Lawrence as Maury Sline, the agent who organized and booked many of the Blues Brothers' performances before Jake was sent to jail.
Twiggy as the Chic Lady, a woman who flirts with Elwood at the gas station.
Frank Oz as a corrections officer, who gives Jake his clothes at the beginning of the film.
Jeff Morris as Bob, the owner of Bob's Country Bunker.
Charles Napier as Tucker McElroy, lead singer and Winnebago driver of The Good Old Boys.
Steven Spielberg as the Cook County Assessor, who takes Jake and Elwood's money at the end of the film.
Stephen Bishop as Charming Trooper
Steven Williams as Trooper Mount, one of the cops who follows Jake and Elwood from the start.
Armand Cerami as Trooper Daniel, Mount's partner and the other cop who follows Jake and Elwood from the start.
Joe Walsh as Prison Inmate
Ben Piazza as Father, dining with his wife and three daughters at the Chez Paul and subject to abuse by Jake.
Cindy Fisher as Daughter #2, one of the daughters who Jake leers at.
Paul Reubens as Waiter, a colleague of Mr Fabulous' at the Chez Paul.
Rosie Shuster as Cocktail Waitress
Chaka Khan as Choir Soloist
Gary McLarty as Toys "R" Us Customer, who asks about buying a Miss Piggy toy right before the Bluesmobile begins smashing the mall.
Layne Britton as The Cheese Whiz
Pinetop Perkins as Luther Jackson
Mr. T as Guy On Street (Uncredited)
Carolyn Franklin as Soul Food Chorus #1, who sings along with "Think".
De'voreaux White as Young Guitar Thief, who tries to steal from Ray's Music Exchange, only to nearly be shot by Ray.
James Avery as Detective Avery (Uncredited)
Lou Perryman as Man At Bar
Luis Contreras as Bob's Country Bunker Patron #1 (Uncredited)
Raven De La Croix as Woman In Concert Crowd
Ralph Foody as Police Dispatcher, who comments on the Bluesmobile's arrival at Cook County and allows for using unnecessary violence in capturing Jake and Elwood.
Leonard R. Garner Jr. as Lobby Guard #1
Production
Origins
The characters Jake and Elwood Blues were created by Belushi and Aykroyd in performances on Saturday Night Live. The name "The Blues Brothers" was the idea of Howard Shore. The fictional back story and character sketches of blood brothers Jake and Elwood were developed by Aykroyd in collaboration with Ron Gwynne, who is credited as a story consultant for the film. As related in the liner notes of the band's debut album, Briefcase Full of Blues, the brothers grew up in an orphanage, learned the blues from a janitor named Curtis, and sealed their brotherhood by cutting their middle fingers with a steel string said to have come from the guitar of Elmore James.
Belushi had become a star in 1978 as a result of both the Blues Brothers' musical success and his role in National Lampoon's Animal House. At one point, he managed the triple feat of being the star of the week's top-grossing film and top-rated television series and singing on the No. 1 album within a year. When Aykroyd and Belushi decided they could make a Blues Brothers film, the bidding war was intense. Universal Studios narrowly beat Paramount Pictures for the project. John Landis, who had directed Belushi in Animal House, was aboard as director.
However, the project had neither a budget nor a script. On the former issue, Universal head Lew Wasserman thought the film could be made for $12 million; the filmmakers wanted $20 million. It would be impossible to settle on a specific amount without a screenplay to review, and after Mitch Glazer declined to help him, Aykroyd wrote one on his own.
Aykroyd had never written a screenplay before, as he admitted in the 1998 documentary Stories Behind the Making of The Blues Brothers, or even read one, and he was unable to find a writing partner. Consequently, he put together a very descriptive volume that explained the characters' origins and how the band members were recruited. His final draft was 324 pages, which was three times longer than a standard screenplay, written not in a standard screenplay format, but more like free verse. To soften the impact, Aykroyd made a joke of the thick script and had it bound with the cover of the Los Angeles Yellow Pages directory for when he turned it in to producer Robert K. Weiss. He titled it "The Return of the Blues Brothers", and credited it to "Scriptatron GL-9000". Landis was given the task of editing the script into a usable screenplay, which took him about two weeks.
The Blues Brothers held the record for the most cars destroyed in the course of production for 18 years, at 103, one fewer than were wrecked in its 1998 sequel Blues Brothers 2000. Both were surpassed by G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009), with 112 cars destroyed.
Casting
At Aykroyd's demand, soul and R&B stars James Brown, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin were cast in speaking parts to support musical numbers built around them. This later caused friction in the production between Landis and Universal, as its costs far exceeded the original budget. Since none of them except Charles had any hits in recent years, the studio wanted the director to replace them with—or add performances by—younger acts, such as Rose Royce, whose "Car Wash" had made them disco stars after its use in the 1976 film of that name.
Other musicians in the cast include Big Walter Horton, Pinetop Perkins, and John Lee Hooker (who performed "Boom Boom" during the Maxwell Street scene). The members of The Blues Brothers Band were themselves notable. Steve Cropper and Donald Dunn are architects of the Stax Records sound (Cropper's guitar can be heard at the start of the Sam & Dave song "Soul Man") and were half of Booker T. & the M.G.'s. Horn players Lou Marini, Tom Malone, and Alan Rubin had all played in Blood, Sweat & Tears and the house band on Saturday Night Live. Drummer Willie Hall had played in The Bar-Kays and backed Isaac Hayes. Matt Murphy is a veteran blues guitarist. As the band developed at Saturday Night Live, pianist Paul Shaffer was part of the act and thus cast in the film. However, due to contractual obligations with SNL, he was unable to participate, so actor-musician Murphy Dunne (whose father, George Dunne, was the Cook County Board President) was hired to take his role.
Fisher, Freeman, Gibson, and Candy were cast in non-musical supporting roles. The film is also notable for the number of cameo appearances by established celebrities and entertainment-industry figures, including Steve Lawrence as a booking agent, Twiggy as a "chic lady" in a Jaguar convertible whom Elwood propositions at a gas station, Steven Spielberg as the Cook County Assessor's clerk, Landis as a state trooper in the mall chase, Paul Reubens (before he became Pee-wee Herman) as a waiter in the restaurant Chez Paul, Joe Walsh in a cameo as the first prisoner to jump up on a table in the final scene, and Chaka Khan as the soloist in the Triple Rock choir. Muppet performer Frank Oz plays a corrections officer, and in the scene where the brothers crash into Toys "R" Us, the customer who asks for a Miss Piggy doll is played by stunt coordinator Gary McLarty. Singer/songwriter Stephen Bishop is an Illinois State Trooper who complains that Jake and Elwood broke his watch (a result of the car chase in the mall). Makeup artist Layne Britton is the old card player who asks Elwood, "Did you get me my Cheez Whiz, boy?" The character portrayed by Cab Calloway is named Curtis as a homage to Curtis Salgado, an Oregon blues musician who inspired Belushi while he was in that area filming Animal House.
Over 500 extras were used for the next-to-last scene, the blockade of the building at Daley Center, including 200 National Guardsmen, 100 state and city police officers, with 15 horses for the mounted police (and three each Sherman tanks, helicopters, and fire engines).
Filming
Principal photography began in July 1979, with the film's budget still not settled. For the first month, things ran smoothly on and off the set. When Weiss saw the supposedly final $17.5 million budget, he reportedly joked, "I think we've spent that much already."
In the next month, the production began falling behind schedule. Much of the delay was due to Belushi's partying and carousing. When not on the set, he went out to his familiar Chicago haunts such as Wrigley Field and the Old Town Ale House. People often recognized him and slipped him cocaine, a drug he was already using heavily on his own, hoping to use it with him. "Every blue-collar Joe wants his John Belushi story," said Smokey Wendell, who was eventually hired to keep it away from the star. As a result of his late nights and drug and alcohol use, Belushi would often miss unit calls (the beginning of a production day) or go to his trailer after them and sleep, wasting hours of production time. One night, Aykroyd found him crashing on the sofa of a nearby house, where Belushi had already helped himself to food in the refrigerator.
Cocaine was already so prevalent on the set (like many other film productions of that era) that Aykroyd, who used far less than his partner, claims a section of the budget was actually set aside for purchases of the drug during night shooting. The stars had a private bar, the Blues Club, built on the set, for themselves, crew, and friends. Carrie Fisher, who was Aykroyd's girlfriend at that time, said that most of the bar's staff doubled as dealers, procuring any drug patrons desired.
The movie's original budget was quickly surpassed, and back in Los Angeles, Wasserman grew increasingly frustrated. He was regularly confronting Ned Tanen, the executive in charge of production for Universal, over the costs. Sean Daniel, another studio executive, was not reassured when he came to Chicago and saw the production had set up a special facility for the 70 cars used in the chase sequences. Filming there, which was supposed to have concluded in the middle of September, continued into late October.
On the set, Belushi's drug use worsened. Fisher, who herself later struggled with cocaine addiction, said Landis told her to keep Belushi away from the drug. Wendell was hired to clear any drugs from the places Belushi visited off-camera. Nevertheless, at one point, Landis found Belushi with what he described as a "mountain" of cocaine on a table in his trailer, which led to a tearful confrontation in which Belushi admitted his addiction and feared it could eventually kill him.
After Aykroyd and Belushi's wife Judy had a talk with Belushi about his antics, the production returned to Los Angeles. Filming there again ran smoothly until it came time to shoot the final sequence at the Hollywood Palladium. Just beforehand, Belushi fell off a borrowed skateboard and seriously injured his knee, making it unlikely he could go through with the scene, which required him to sing, dance, and do cartwheels. Wasserman persuaded the city's top orthopedic surgeon to postpone his weekend plans long enough to stop by and sufficiently anesthetize Belushi's knee, and the scene was filmed as intended.
Locations
Much of The Blues Brothers was shot on location in and around Chicago between July and October 1979, including Joliet Correctional Center in nearby Joliet, Illinois, and Wauconda, Illinois, where the car crashes into the side of Route 12. Made with the cooperation of Mayor Jane M. Byrne, it is credited for putting Chicago on the map as a venue for filmmaking. Nearly 200 movies have been filmed in Chicago. In an article written to mark the film's 25th Anniversary DVD release, Aykroyd told the Chicago Sun-Times: "Chicago is one of the stars of the movie. We wrote it as a tribute."
The first traffic stop was in Park Ridge, Illinois. The shopping mall car chase was filmed in the real, albeit shuttered, Dixie Square Mall, in Harvey, Illinois. The bridge jump was filmed on an actual drawbridge, the 95th Street bridge over the Calumet River, on the southeast side of Chicago. The main entrance to Wrigley Field (and its sign reading "Save lives. Drive safely, prevent fires") makes a brief appearance when the "Illinois Nazis" visit it after Elwood falsely registers the ballpark's location, 1060 West Addison, as his home address on his driver's license. (Elwood's Illinois driver's license number is an almost-valid encoded number, with Aykroyd's own birth date embedded.) Jake's final confrontation with his girlfriend was filmed in a replica of a section of the abandoned Chicago freight tunnel system. The other chase scenes included lower Wacker Drive, Lake Street, and Richard J. Daley Center.
In the final car chase scene, the production actually dropped a Ford Pinto, representing that which was driven by the "Illinois Nazis", from a helicopter at an altitude of about 1,200 feet—and had to gain a Special Airworthiness Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration to do it. The FAA was concerned that the car could prove too aerodynamic in a high-altitude drop, and pose a threat to nearby buildings. The shot leading up to the car drop, where the "Illinois Nazis" drive off a freeway ramp, was shot in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, near the Hoan Bridge on Interstate 794. The Lake Freeway (North) was a planned but not completed six-lane freeway, and I-794 contained an unfinished ramp off which the Nazis drove. Several Milwaukee skyscrapers are visible in the background as the Bluesmobile flips over, notably the U.S. Bank Center.
The Palace Hotel Ballroom, where the band performs their climactic concert, was at the time of filming a country club, but later became the South Shore Cultural Center, named after the Chicago neighborhood where it is located. The interior concert scenes were filmed in the Hollywood Palladium.
The filming in downtown Chicago was conducted on Sundays during the summer of 1979, and much of downtown was cordoned off from the public. Costs for filming the largest scene in the city's history totaled $3.5 million. Permission was given after Belushi and Aykroyd offered to donate $50,000 to a charity after filming. Although the Bluesmobile was allowed to be driven through the Daley Center lobby, special breakaway panes were temporarily substituted for the normal glass in the building. The speeding car caused $7,650 in damage to 35 granite paver stones and a bronze air grille in the building. Interior shots of the elevator, staircase, and assessor's office were all recreated in a film set for filming.
Bluesmobile
The film used 13 different cars bought at auction from the California Highway Patrol to depict the retired 1974 Mount Prospect, Illinois Dodge Monaco patrol car. The vehicles were outfitted by the studio to do particular driving chores; some were customized for speed and others for jumps, depending on the scene. For the large car chases, filmmakers purchased 60 police cars at $400 each, and most were destroyed at the completion of the filming. More than 40 stunt drivers were hired, and the crew kept a 24-hour body shop to repair cars.
For the scene when the Blues Brothers finally arrive at the Richard J. Daley Center, a mechanic took several months to rig the car to fall apart. At the time of its release, The Blues Brothers held the world record for the most cars destroyed in one film until it was surpassed by a single car in its 1998 sequel.
Post-production
Landis' difficulties continued even after principal photography was completed. The first cut of The Blues Brothers lasted two and a half hours, with an intermission. After one early screening, Wasserman demanded it be shortened, and 20 minutes were cut. The film's final budget was $27.5 million (equivalent to $ million in ), $10 million over its original budget.
Prospects for a successful release did not look good. Aykroyd and Belushi had left SNL at the end of the previous season, reducing their bankability. Belushi's fame had taken a further hit after the critical failure of Spielberg's film 1941 at the end of the year. One day after the editing was done, Wasserman invited Landis up to his office to speak with Ted Mann, head of the Mann Theatres chain, which dominated film exhibition in the Western United States. He told Landis that he would not book the film at any theaters in predominantly white neighborhoods, such as Westwood. Not only did Mann not want black patrons going there to see the film, but he also surmised that white viewers were unlikely to see a film featuring older black musical stars. Ultimately, the film got less than half the bookings nationwide for its initial release than a typical big-budget studio film of the era, which did not bode well for its success at the box office.
Reception
Box office
The Blues Brothers opened on June 20, 1980, with a release in 594 theaters. It took in $4,858,152, ranking second for that week (after The Empire Strikes Back). The film in total grossed $57,229,890 domestically and $58,000,000 in foreign box office for a total of $115,229,890. It ranked 10th at the domestic box office for the year. By genre, it is the ninth-highest-grossing musical and the 10th-highest earner among comedy road movies. It ranks second, between Wayne's World and Wayne's World 2, among films adapted from Saturday Night Live sketches. Director John Landis claimed The Blues Brothers was also the first American film to gross more money overseas than it did in the United States. Over the years, the film has retained a following through television and home video.
Critical reception
The Blues Brothers received mostly positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 73% "Certified Fresh" rating, based on 90 reviews, with an average rating of 7.60/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "Too over the top for its own good, but ultimately rescued by the cast's charm, director John Landis' grace, and several soul-stirring musical numbers." It won the Golden Reel Award for Best Sound Editing and Sound Effects, is 14th on Total Film magazine's "List of the 50 Greatest Comedy Films of All Time," is 20th on Empires list of "The 50 Greatest Comedies," and is number 69 on Bravo's "100 Funniest Movies." Metacritic gave the film a score of 60 based on 12 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews."
Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave The Blues Brothers three out of four stars, praising it for its energetic musical numbers and "incredible" car chases. Ebert further noted that "Belushi and Aykroyd come over as hard-boiled city guys, total cynics with a world-view of sublime simplicity, and that all fits perfectly with the movie's other parts. There's even room, in the midst of the carnage and mayhem, for a surprising amount of grace, humor, and whimsy." Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune gave the film a "rare four-star rating," calling it "one of the all-time great comedies" and "the best movie ever made in Chicago." He described the film as "technically superb," praised it for "countering every explosion with a quiet moment," and said it "is at once a pure exercise in physical comedy as well as a marvelous tribute to the urban blues sound." He ranked it number eight on his list of the ten best movies of 1980. Richard Corliss, writing in Time, opined: "The Blues Brothers is a demolition symphony that works with the cold efficiency of a Moog synthesizer gone sadistic."
In his review for The Washington Post, Gary Arnold criticized Landis for engorging "the frail plot of The Blues Brothers with car chases and crack-ups, filmed with such avid, humorless starkness on the streets of Chicago that comic sensations are virtually obliterated." Janet Maslin of The New York Times criticized The Blues Brothers for shortchanging viewers on more details about Jake and Elwood's affinity for African-American culture. She also took director Landis to task for "distracting editing," mentioning the Soul Food diner scene in which the head of saxophonist Marini is out of shot as he dances on the counter. In the documentary, Stories Behind the Making of The Blues Brothers, Landis acknowledges the criticism while stating "Everybody has his opinion," and Marini recalls the dismay he felt at seeing the completed film.
Kim Newman, writing for Empire in 2013, considered The Blues Brothers to be "an amalgam of urban sleaze, automobile crunch and blackheart rhythm and blues" with "better music than any film had had for many years." He noted that Belushi and Aykroyd pack in their heroes: "Aretha storming through 'Think', Cab Calloway cruising through 'Minnie the Moocher', John Lee Hooker boogying through 'Boom Boom' and Ray Charles on electric piano." He observed that "the picture had revived the careers of virtually all the musicians that appeared in it" and concluded that "it still sounds great and looks as good as ever through Ray Bans."
On the 30th Anniversary of the film's release, L'Osservatore Romano (the daily newspaper of Vatican City State) wrote that the film is filled with positive symbolism and moral references that can be related to Catholicism. They went further, stating, The Blues Brothers "is a memorable film, and, judging by the facts, a Catholic one."
Cult-film status
The Blues Brothers has become a staple of late-night cinema, even slowly morphing into an audience-participation show in its regular screenings at the Valhalla Cinema, in Melbourne, Australia. John Landis acknowledged the support of the cinema and the fans by a phone call he made to the cinema at the 10th Anniversary screening, and later invited regular attendees to make cameo appearances in Blues Brothers 2000. The fans act as the members of the crowd during the performance of "Ghost Riders in the Sky".
In August 2005, a 25th Anniversary celebration for The Blues Brothers was held at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. Attendees included Landis, former Universal Studios executive Thom Mount, film editor George Folsey, Jr., and cast members James Brown, Henry Gibson, Charles Napier, Steve Cropper, and Stephen Bishop. It featured a press conference, a panel discussion where Aykroyd joined by satellite, and a screening of the original theatrical version of the film. The panel discussion was broadcast direct to many other cinemas around the country.
The popularity of The Blues Brothers has also spread overseas; it was an inspiration for Japanese companies Studio Hibari and Aniplex, which led to the creation of the manga and anime franchise Nerima Daikon Brothers, which contain heavy references to the film.
American Film Institute
AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs – nominated
AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs:
"Think" – nominated
AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes:
"We're on a mission from God." – nominated
Release
Home media
When The Blues Brothers was first screened for a preview audience, a producer demanded that director Landis cut 25 minutes from the film. After trimming 15 minutes, it was released in theaters at 132 minutes. The film was first released on VHS and Betamax by MCA Videocassette Inc. in 1983; a Laserdisc from MCA Videodisc was released in the same year. It was then re-released on VHS, Laserdisc, and Betamax in 1985 from MCA Home Video, and again in 1990 from MCA/Universal Home Video. It was also released in a two-pack VHS box set with Animal House. The original length of The Blues Brothers was restored to 148 minutes for the "Collector's Edition" DVD and a Special Edition VHS and Laserdisc release in 1998. The DVD and Laserdisc versions included a 56-minute documentary, The Stories Behind the Making of The Blues Brothers. Produced and directed by JM Kenny (who also produced the "Collector's Edition" DVD of Animal House that same year), it included interviews with Landis, Aykroyd, members of The Blues Brothers Band, producer Robert K. Weiss, editor George Folsey Jr., and others involved with the film. It also included production photographs, the theatrical trailer, production notes, and cast and filmmaker bios. The 25th Anniversary DVD release in 2005 included both the theatrical cut and the extended version.
The Blues Brothers was released on Blu-ray on July 26, 2011, with the same basic contents as the 25th Anniversary DVD. In a March 2011 interview with Ain't it Cool News, Landis also mentioned he had approved the Blu-ray's remastered transfer. On May 19, 2020, the movie was given a 4K UHD release; it has a new 4K remaster from the original negative and the extended footage was remastered from the same archived print as well.
SoundtrackThe Blues Brothers: Original Soundtrack Recording (later re-released as The Blues Brothers: Music from the Soundtrack''') was released on June 20, 1980, as the second album by the Blues Brothers Band, which also toured that year to promote the film. "Gimme Some Lovin" was a Top 20 Billboard hit, peaking at number 18. The album was a followup to their debut, the live album, Briefcase Full of Blues. Later that year they released a second live album, Made in America, which featured the Top 40 track, "Who's Making Love".
The songs on the soundtrack album are a noticeably different audio mix than in the film, with a prominent baritone saxophone in the horn line (also heard in the film during "Shake a Tail Feather", though no baritone sax is present), and female backing vocals on "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love", though the band had no other backup singers, besides Jake and/or Elwood, in the film. A number of regular Blues Brothers' members, including saxophonist Tom Scott and drummer Steve Jordan, perform on the soundtrack album, but are not in the film.
According to Landis in the 1998 documentary The Stories Behind the Making of 'The Blues Brothers, filmed musical performances by Franklin and Brown took more effort, as neither artist was accustomed to lip-synching their performances on film. Franklin required several takes, and Brown simply rerecorded his performance live. Cab Calloway initially wanted to do a disco variation on his signature tune, "Minnie the Moocher", having done the song in several styles in the past, but Landis insisted that the song be done faithfully to the original big-band version.
Charts
Certifications
Other songs in the film
The film's score includes "God Music" (instrumental with choir vocalese) composed by Elmer Bernstein, who previously had worked with John Landis on National Lampoon's Animal House. Other songs in the film include:
Sequel
The 1998 sequel, Blues Brothers 2000, had similar traits to the original, including large car-chase scenes and musical numbers. Landis returned to direct the film and Aykroyd reprised his role, joining John Goodman, Joe Morton, and 10-year-old J. Evan Bonifant as the new Blues Brothers. Franklin and Brown were among the celebrities returning from the first film. There were also musical performances by Sam Moore, Wilson Pickett, Paul Shaffer, B.B. King, and Eric Clapton, among others. Dozens of artists were packed into an all-star band called The Louisiana Gator Boys. Even with many returning cast members, the film was considered a box-office failure, only generating a little over $14 million in sales, and critics' reactions were negative.
See also
Blues Brothers: Private The Blues Brothers Video Game''
References
External links
The Blues Brothers
1980 films
1980s action comedy films
1980s buddy comedy films
1980 comedy films
1980s chase films
1980s musical comedy films
American films
American action comedy films
American buddy comedy films
American chase films
American musical comedy films
Blues films
1980s English-language films
Fictional film duos
Films set in 1980
Films about brothers
Films about musical groups
Films about orphans
Films directed by John Landis
Films set in Chicago
Films set in Illinois
Films shot in Chicago
Films shot in Illinois
Films shot in Wisconsin
Jukebox musical films
Films about neo-Nazis
Saturday Night Live films
Saturday Night Live in the 1980s
Films with screenplays by Dan Aykroyd
Films with screenplays by John Landis
Universal Pictures films
Nuns in fiction
Films produced by George Folsey Jr.
United States National Film Registry films
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[
"The Man Who Dared can refer to:\n\nThe Man Who Dared (1920 film), an American drama film directed by Emmett J. Flynn\nThe Man Who Dared (1933 film), an American drama film directed by Hamilton MacFadden\nThe Man Who Dared (1939 film), an American crime film directed by Crane Wilbur\nThe Man Who Dared (1946 film), an American crime film directed by John Sturges",
"The Woman Who Dared may refer to:\n\nThe Woman Who Dared (1916 film), American film directed by George E. Middleton\n The Woman Who Dared (1944 film), French film directed by Jean Grémillon\n The Woman Who Dared (1933 film), American film directed by Millard Webb"
] |
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"The Blues Brothers (film)",
"Origins",
"Who wrote the screenplay for \"The Blues Brothers\" film?",
"Aykroyd had never written a screenplay before,",
"When was the film released?",
"1978",
"What music stars made an appearance in the film?",
"I don't know.",
"What kind of music was used in the film?",
"I don't know.",
"Are there any other details about the film available?",
"The overriding plot premise was unrealistic:",
"Who directed the film?",
"John Landis, who had directed Belushi in Animal House, was aboard as director."
] |
C_a692aeffb79b4e5fa37641d9d33bd8ef_1
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What location did the film claim as its location?
| 7 |
What location did "The Blues Brothers" claim as the film's location?
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The Blues Brothers (film)
|
The characters, Jake and Elwood Blues, were created by Belushi and Aykroyd in performances on Saturday Night Live. The name "The Blues Brothers" was the idea of Howard Shore. The fictional back story and character sketches of blood brothers Jake and Elwood were developed by Aykroyd in collaboration with Ron Gwynne, who is credited as a story consultant for the film. As related in the liner notes of the band's debut album, Briefcase Full of Blues, the brothers grew up in an orphanage, learned the blues from a janitor named Curtis, and sealed their brotherhood by cutting their middle fingers with a steel string said to have come from the guitar of Elmore James. Belushi had become a star in 1978 as a result of both the Blues Brothers' musical success and his role in National Lampoon's Animal House. At one point, he managed the triple feat of being the star of the week's top-grossing film, top-rated television show, and singing on the number-one album within a year. When Aykroyd and Belushi decided they could make a Blues Brothers film, the bidding war was intense. Universal Studios narrowly beat Paramount Pictures for the project. John Landis, who had directed Belushi in Animal House, was aboard as director. However, the project had neither a budget nor a script. On the former issue, Universal head Lew Wasserman thought the film could be made for $12 million; the filmmakers wanted $20 million. It would be impossible to settle on a specific amount without a screenplay to review, and after Mitch Glazer declined to help him, Aykroyd wrote one on his own. Aykroyd had never written a screenplay before, as he admitted in the 1998 documentary, Stories Behind the Making of The Blues Brothers, or even read one, and he was unable to find a writing partner. Consequently, he put together a very descriptive volume that explained the characters' origins and how the band members were recruited. His final draft was 324 pages, which was three times longer than a standard screenplay, written not in a standard screenplay format, but more like free verse. To soften the impact, Aykroyd made a joke of the thick script and had it bound with the cover of the Los Angeles Yellow Pages directory for when he turned it in to producer Robert K. Weiss. Landis was given the task of editing the script into a usable screenplay, which took him about two weeks. The overriding plot premise was unrealistic: religious groups and other not-for-profit organizations are typically exempt from federal or state taxes; although a legislative proposal to tax such property was under consideration in Illinois at the time. CANNOTANSWER
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Illinois
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The Blues Brothers is a 1980 American musical comedy film directed by John Landis. It stars John Belushi as "Joliet" Jake Blues and Dan Aykroyd as his brother Elwood, characters developed from the recurring musical sketch "The Blues Brothers" on NBC variety series Saturday Night Live. The film is set in and around Chicago, Illinois, where it was filmed, and the screenplay was written by Aykroyd and Landis. It features musical numbers by rhythm and blues (R&B), soul, and blues singers James Brown, Cab Calloway (in his final feature film role), Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Chaka Khan, and John Lee Hooker. It features non-musical supporting performances by Carrie Fisher, Henry Gibson, Charles Napier and John Candy.
The story is a tale of redemption for paroled convict Jake and his blood brother Elwood, who set out on "a mission from God" to save from foreclosure the Roman Catholic orphanage in which they were raised. To do so, they must reunite their R&B band and organize a performance to earn $5,000 needed to pay the orphanage's property tax bill. Along the way, they are targeted by a homicidal "mystery woman", Neo-Nazis, and a country and western band—all while being relentlessly pursued by the police.
Universal Studios, which had won the bidding war for the film, was hoping to take advantage of Belushi's popularity in the wake of Saturday Night Live, the film Animal House, and The Blues Brothers' musical success; it soon found itself unable to control production costs. The start of filming was delayed when Aykroyd, who was new to film screenwriting, took six months to deliver a long and unconventional script that Landis had to rewrite before production, which began without a final budget. On location in Chicago, Belushi's partying and drug use caused lengthy and costly delays that, along with the destructive car chases depicted onscreen, made the final film one of the most expensive comedies ever produced.
Due to concerns that the film would fail, its initial bookings were less than half of those similar films normally received. Released in the United States on June 20, 1980, it received mostly positive reviews from critics and grossed over $115 million in theaters worldwide before its release on home video, and has become a cult classic over the years. A sequel, Blues Brothers 2000, was released in 1998 to critical and commercial failure.
In 2020, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
Plot
Blues vocalist and petty criminal Jake Blues is released from prison after serving three years, and is picked up by his blood brother Elwood in his Bluesmobile, a battered former police car. Elwood demonstrates its capabilities by jumping an open drawbridge. The brothers visit the Roman Catholic orphanage where they were raised, and learn from Sister Mary Stigmata that it will be closed unless $5,000 in property taxes is collected. During a sermon by the Reverend Cleophus James at the Triple Rock Baptist Church, Jake has an epiphany: they can re-form their band, the Blues Brothers, which disbanded while Jake was in prison, and raise the money to save the orphanage.
That night, state troopers attempt to arrest Elwood for driving with a suspended license due to 116 parking tickets and 56 moving violations. After a high-speed chase through the Dixie Square Mall, the brothers escape. The next morning, as the police arrive at the flophouse where Elwood lives, a mysterious woman detonates a bomb that demolishes the building, but miraculously leaves Jake and Elwood unharmed, and saves them from being arrested.
Jake and Elwood begin tracking down members of the band. Five of them are playing at a deserted Holiday Inn lounge, and quickly agree to rejoin. Another turns them down as he is the maître d' at an expensive restaurant, but the brothers refuse to leave the restaurant until he relents. On their way to meet the final two band members, the brothers find the road through Jackson Park blocked by an American Nazi Party demonstration on a bridge; Elwood runs them off the bridge into the East Lagoon. The last two band members, who now run a soul food restaurant, rejoin the band against the advice of one's wife. The reunited group obtain instruments and equipment from Ray's Music Exchange in Calumet City, and Ray, as usual, takes an IOU.
As Jake attempts to book a gig, the mystery woman blows up the phone booth he is using; once again, he is miraculously unhurt. The band stumbles onto a gig at Bob's Country Bunker, a honky-tonk in Kokomo, Indiana. They win over the rowdy crowd, but run up a bar tab higher than their pay, and infuriate the country band that was actually booked for the gig, the Good Ol' Boys.
Realizing that they need one big show to raise the necessary money, the brothers persuade their old agent to book the Palace Hotel Ballroom, north of Chicago. They mount a loudspeaker atop the Bluesmobile and drive around the Chicago area promoting the concert—and alerting the police, the neo-Nazis, and the Good Ol' Boys of their whereabouts. The ballroom is packed with blues fans, police officers, and the Good Ol' Boys. Jake and Elwood perform two songs, then sneak offstage, as the tax deadline is rapidly approaching. A record company executive offers them a $10,000 cash advance on a recording contract—more than enough to pay off the orphanage's taxes and Ray's IOU—and then shows the brothers how to slip out of the building unnoticed. As they make their escape via a service tunnel, they are confronted by the mystery woman: Jake's vengeful ex-fiancée. After her volley of M16 rifle bullets leaves them miraculously unharmed, Jake offers a series of ridiculous excuses that she accepts, allowing the brothers to escape to the Bluesmobile.
Jake and Elwood race back toward Chicago with dozens of state and local police and the Good Ol' Boys in pursuit. They eventually elude them all with a series of improbable maneuvers, including a miraculous gravity-defying escape from the neo-Nazis. At the Richard J. Daley Center, they rush inside the adjacent Chicago City Hall building, soon followed by hundreds of police, state troopers, SWAT teams, firefighters, Illinois National Guardsmen, and the Military Police. Finding the office of the Cook County Assessor, the brothers pay the tax bill. Just as their receipt is stamped, they are arrested by the mob of law officers. In prison, the band plays "Jailhouse Rock" for the inmates.
Cast
John Belushi as "Joliet" Jake Blues, a former blues singer, paroled from prison after three years.
Dan Aykroyd as Elwood J. Blues, Jake's blood brother, also a former blues singer.
James Brown as the Reverend Cleophus James, pastor of the Triple Rock Baptist Church. His musical sermon "The Old Landmark" causes Jake to have an epiphany.
Cab Calloway as Curtis, an old friend of the brothers', who suggests they listen to James, and helps them advertise the show and performs "Minnie the Moocher" for the audience.
Ray Charles as Ray, a blind music instruments dealer, who performs "Shake a Tail Feather" to demonstrate their effectiveness.
Aretha Franklin as Mrs. Murphy, Matt Murphy's wife, who owns a soul food restaurant with him. She performs "Think" to persuade him not to join the band.
Steve "The Colonel" Cropper – lead guitar
Donald "Duck" Dunn – bass guitar
Murphy Dunne ("Murph") – keyboards
Willie "Too Big" Hall – drums
Tom "Bones" Malone – trombone
"Blue Lou" Marini – saxophone
Matt "Guitar" Murphy – lead guitar
"Mr. Fabulous" Alan Rubin – trumpet
Carrie Fisher as the Mystery Woman, Jake's former fiancée; she tries to kill him for leaving her at the altar.
Henry Gibson as the Gruppenführer, the head of a division of the neo-Nazis
John Candy as Burton Mercer, Jake's parole officer assisting the police in their hunt for the Blues Brothers.
John Lee Hooker as Street Slim, a man singing "Boom Boom" together with a small band on Maxwell Street.
Kathleen Freeman as Sister Mary Stigmata, AKA "The Penguin", the nun who leads the orphanage where the brothers grew up.
Steve Lawrence as Maury Sline, the agent who organized and booked many of the Blues Brothers' performances before Jake was sent to jail.
Twiggy as the Chic Lady, a woman who flirts with Elwood at the gas station.
Frank Oz as a corrections officer, who gives Jake his clothes at the beginning of the film.
Jeff Morris as Bob, the owner of Bob's Country Bunker.
Charles Napier as Tucker McElroy, lead singer and Winnebago driver of The Good Old Boys.
Steven Spielberg as the Cook County Assessor, who takes Jake and Elwood's money at the end of the film.
Stephen Bishop as Charming Trooper
Steven Williams as Trooper Mount, one of the cops who follows Jake and Elwood from the start.
Armand Cerami as Trooper Daniel, Mount's partner and the other cop who follows Jake and Elwood from the start.
Joe Walsh as Prison Inmate
Ben Piazza as Father, dining with his wife and three daughters at the Chez Paul and subject to abuse by Jake.
Cindy Fisher as Daughter #2, one of the daughters who Jake leers at.
Paul Reubens as Waiter, a colleague of Mr Fabulous' at the Chez Paul.
Rosie Shuster as Cocktail Waitress
Chaka Khan as Choir Soloist
Gary McLarty as Toys "R" Us Customer, who asks about buying a Miss Piggy toy right before the Bluesmobile begins smashing the mall.
Layne Britton as The Cheese Whiz
Pinetop Perkins as Luther Jackson
Mr. T as Guy On Street (Uncredited)
Carolyn Franklin as Soul Food Chorus #1, who sings along with "Think".
De'voreaux White as Young Guitar Thief, who tries to steal from Ray's Music Exchange, only to nearly be shot by Ray.
James Avery as Detective Avery (Uncredited)
Lou Perryman as Man At Bar
Luis Contreras as Bob's Country Bunker Patron #1 (Uncredited)
Raven De La Croix as Woman In Concert Crowd
Ralph Foody as Police Dispatcher, who comments on the Bluesmobile's arrival at Cook County and allows for using unnecessary violence in capturing Jake and Elwood.
Leonard R. Garner Jr. as Lobby Guard #1
Production
Origins
The characters Jake and Elwood Blues were created by Belushi and Aykroyd in performances on Saturday Night Live. The name "The Blues Brothers" was the idea of Howard Shore. The fictional back story and character sketches of blood brothers Jake and Elwood were developed by Aykroyd in collaboration with Ron Gwynne, who is credited as a story consultant for the film. As related in the liner notes of the band's debut album, Briefcase Full of Blues, the brothers grew up in an orphanage, learned the blues from a janitor named Curtis, and sealed their brotherhood by cutting their middle fingers with a steel string said to have come from the guitar of Elmore James.
Belushi had become a star in 1978 as a result of both the Blues Brothers' musical success and his role in National Lampoon's Animal House. At one point, he managed the triple feat of being the star of the week's top-grossing film and top-rated television series and singing on the No. 1 album within a year. When Aykroyd and Belushi decided they could make a Blues Brothers film, the bidding war was intense. Universal Studios narrowly beat Paramount Pictures for the project. John Landis, who had directed Belushi in Animal House, was aboard as director.
However, the project had neither a budget nor a script. On the former issue, Universal head Lew Wasserman thought the film could be made for $12 million; the filmmakers wanted $20 million. It would be impossible to settle on a specific amount without a screenplay to review, and after Mitch Glazer declined to help him, Aykroyd wrote one on his own.
Aykroyd had never written a screenplay before, as he admitted in the 1998 documentary Stories Behind the Making of The Blues Brothers, or even read one, and he was unable to find a writing partner. Consequently, he put together a very descriptive volume that explained the characters' origins and how the band members were recruited. His final draft was 324 pages, which was three times longer than a standard screenplay, written not in a standard screenplay format, but more like free verse. To soften the impact, Aykroyd made a joke of the thick script and had it bound with the cover of the Los Angeles Yellow Pages directory for when he turned it in to producer Robert K. Weiss. He titled it "The Return of the Blues Brothers", and credited it to "Scriptatron GL-9000". Landis was given the task of editing the script into a usable screenplay, which took him about two weeks.
The Blues Brothers held the record for the most cars destroyed in the course of production for 18 years, at 103, one fewer than were wrecked in its 1998 sequel Blues Brothers 2000. Both were surpassed by G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009), with 112 cars destroyed.
Casting
At Aykroyd's demand, soul and R&B stars James Brown, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin were cast in speaking parts to support musical numbers built around them. This later caused friction in the production between Landis and Universal, as its costs far exceeded the original budget. Since none of them except Charles had any hits in recent years, the studio wanted the director to replace them with—or add performances by—younger acts, such as Rose Royce, whose "Car Wash" had made them disco stars after its use in the 1976 film of that name.
Other musicians in the cast include Big Walter Horton, Pinetop Perkins, and John Lee Hooker (who performed "Boom Boom" during the Maxwell Street scene). The members of The Blues Brothers Band were themselves notable. Steve Cropper and Donald Dunn are architects of the Stax Records sound (Cropper's guitar can be heard at the start of the Sam & Dave song "Soul Man") and were half of Booker T. & the M.G.'s. Horn players Lou Marini, Tom Malone, and Alan Rubin had all played in Blood, Sweat & Tears and the house band on Saturday Night Live. Drummer Willie Hall had played in The Bar-Kays and backed Isaac Hayes. Matt Murphy is a veteran blues guitarist. As the band developed at Saturday Night Live, pianist Paul Shaffer was part of the act and thus cast in the film. However, due to contractual obligations with SNL, he was unable to participate, so actor-musician Murphy Dunne (whose father, George Dunne, was the Cook County Board President) was hired to take his role.
Fisher, Freeman, Gibson, and Candy were cast in non-musical supporting roles. The film is also notable for the number of cameo appearances by established celebrities and entertainment-industry figures, including Steve Lawrence as a booking agent, Twiggy as a "chic lady" in a Jaguar convertible whom Elwood propositions at a gas station, Steven Spielberg as the Cook County Assessor's clerk, Landis as a state trooper in the mall chase, Paul Reubens (before he became Pee-wee Herman) as a waiter in the restaurant Chez Paul, Joe Walsh in a cameo as the first prisoner to jump up on a table in the final scene, and Chaka Khan as the soloist in the Triple Rock choir. Muppet performer Frank Oz plays a corrections officer, and in the scene where the brothers crash into Toys "R" Us, the customer who asks for a Miss Piggy doll is played by stunt coordinator Gary McLarty. Singer/songwriter Stephen Bishop is an Illinois State Trooper who complains that Jake and Elwood broke his watch (a result of the car chase in the mall). Makeup artist Layne Britton is the old card player who asks Elwood, "Did you get me my Cheez Whiz, boy?" The character portrayed by Cab Calloway is named Curtis as a homage to Curtis Salgado, an Oregon blues musician who inspired Belushi while he was in that area filming Animal House.
Over 500 extras were used for the next-to-last scene, the blockade of the building at Daley Center, including 200 National Guardsmen, 100 state and city police officers, with 15 horses for the mounted police (and three each Sherman tanks, helicopters, and fire engines).
Filming
Principal photography began in July 1979, with the film's budget still not settled. For the first month, things ran smoothly on and off the set. When Weiss saw the supposedly final $17.5 million budget, he reportedly joked, "I think we've spent that much already."
In the next month, the production began falling behind schedule. Much of the delay was due to Belushi's partying and carousing. When not on the set, he went out to his familiar Chicago haunts such as Wrigley Field and the Old Town Ale House. People often recognized him and slipped him cocaine, a drug he was already using heavily on his own, hoping to use it with him. "Every blue-collar Joe wants his John Belushi story," said Smokey Wendell, who was eventually hired to keep it away from the star. As a result of his late nights and drug and alcohol use, Belushi would often miss unit calls (the beginning of a production day) or go to his trailer after them and sleep, wasting hours of production time. One night, Aykroyd found him crashing on the sofa of a nearby house, where Belushi had already helped himself to food in the refrigerator.
Cocaine was already so prevalent on the set (like many other film productions of that era) that Aykroyd, who used far less than his partner, claims a section of the budget was actually set aside for purchases of the drug during night shooting. The stars had a private bar, the Blues Club, built on the set, for themselves, crew, and friends. Carrie Fisher, who was Aykroyd's girlfriend at that time, said that most of the bar's staff doubled as dealers, procuring any drug patrons desired.
The movie's original budget was quickly surpassed, and back in Los Angeles, Wasserman grew increasingly frustrated. He was regularly confronting Ned Tanen, the executive in charge of production for Universal, over the costs. Sean Daniel, another studio executive, was not reassured when he came to Chicago and saw the production had set up a special facility for the 70 cars used in the chase sequences. Filming there, which was supposed to have concluded in the middle of September, continued into late October.
On the set, Belushi's drug use worsened. Fisher, who herself later struggled with cocaine addiction, said Landis told her to keep Belushi away from the drug. Wendell was hired to clear any drugs from the places Belushi visited off-camera. Nevertheless, at one point, Landis found Belushi with what he described as a "mountain" of cocaine on a table in his trailer, which led to a tearful confrontation in which Belushi admitted his addiction and feared it could eventually kill him.
After Aykroyd and Belushi's wife Judy had a talk with Belushi about his antics, the production returned to Los Angeles. Filming there again ran smoothly until it came time to shoot the final sequence at the Hollywood Palladium. Just beforehand, Belushi fell off a borrowed skateboard and seriously injured his knee, making it unlikely he could go through with the scene, which required him to sing, dance, and do cartwheels. Wasserman persuaded the city's top orthopedic surgeon to postpone his weekend plans long enough to stop by and sufficiently anesthetize Belushi's knee, and the scene was filmed as intended.
Locations
Much of The Blues Brothers was shot on location in and around Chicago between July and October 1979, including Joliet Correctional Center in nearby Joliet, Illinois, and Wauconda, Illinois, where the car crashes into the side of Route 12. Made with the cooperation of Mayor Jane M. Byrne, it is credited for putting Chicago on the map as a venue for filmmaking. Nearly 200 movies have been filmed in Chicago. In an article written to mark the film's 25th Anniversary DVD release, Aykroyd told the Chicago Sun-Times: "Chicago is one of the stars of the movie. We wrote it as a tribute."
The first traffic stop was in Park Ridge, Illinois. The shopping mall car chase was filmed in the real, albeit shuttered, Dixie Square Mall, in Harvey, Illinois. The bridge jump was filmed on an actual drawbridge, the 95th Street bridge over the Calumet River, on the southeast side of Chicago. The main entrance to Wrigley Field (and its sign reading "Save lives. Drive safely, prevent fires") makes a brief appearance when the "Illinois Nazis" visit it after Elwood falsely registers the ballpark's location, 1060 West Addison, as his home address on his driver's license. (Elwood's Illinois driver's license number is an almost-valid encoded number, with Aykroyd's own birth date embedded.) Jake's final confrontation with his girlfriend was filmed in a replica of a section of the abandoned Chicago freight tunnel system. The other chase scenes included lower Wacker Drive, Lake Street, and Richard J. Daley Center.
In the final car chase scene, the production actually dropped a Ford Pinto, representing that which was driven by the "Illinois Nazis", from a helicopter at an altitude of about 1,200 feet—and had to gain a Special Airworthiness Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration to do it. The FAA was concerned that the car could prove too aerodynamic in a high-altitude drop, and pose a threat to nearby buildings. The shot leading up to the car drop, where the "Illinois Nazis" drive off a freeway ramp, was shot in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, near the Hoan Bridge on Interstate 794. The Lake Freeway (North) was a planned but not completed six-lane freeway, and I-794 contained an unfinished ramp off which the Nazis drove. Several Milwaukee skyscrapers are visible in the background as the Bluesmobile flips over, notably the U.S. Bank Center.
The Palace Hotel Ballroom, where the band performs their climactic concert, was at the time of filming a country club, but later became the South Shore Cultural Center, named after the Chicago neighborhood where it is located. The interior concert scenes were filmed in the Hollywood Palladium.
The filming in downtown Chicago was conducted on Sundays during the summer of 1979, and much of downtown was cordoned off from the public. Costs for filming the largest scene in the city's history totaled $3.5 million. Permission was given after Belushi and Aykroyd offered to donate $50,000 to a charity after filming. Although the Bluesmobile was allowed to be driven through the Daley Center lobby, special breakaway panes were temporarily substituted for the normal glass in the building. The speeding car caused $7,650 in damage to 35 granite paver stones and a bronze air grille in the building. Interior shots of the elevator, staircase, and assessor's office were all recreated in a film set for filming.
Bluesmobile
The film used 13 different cars bought at auction from the California Highway Patrol to depict the retired 1974 Mount Prospect, Illinois Dodge Monaco patrol car. The vehicles were outfitted by the studio to do particular driving chores; some were customized for speed and others for jumps, depending on the scene. For the large car chases, filmmakers purchased 60 police cars at $400 each, and most were destroyed at the completion of the filming. More than 40 stunt drivers were hired, and the crew kept a 24-hour body shop to repair cars.
For the scene when the Blues Brothers finally arrive at the Richard J. Daley Center, a mechanic took several months to rig the car to fall apart. At the time of its release, The Blues Brothers held the world record for the most cars destroyed in one film until it was surpassed by a single car in its 1998 sequel.
Post-production
Landis' difficulties continued even after principal photography was completed. The first cut of The Blues Brothers lasted two and a half hours, with an intermission. After one early screening, Wasserman demanded it be shortened, and 20 minutes were cut. The film's final budget was $27.5 million (equivalent to $ million in ), $10 million over its original budget.
Prospects for a successful release did not look good. Aykroyd and Belushi had left SNL at the end of the previous season, reducing their bankability. Belushi's fame had taken a further hit after the critical failure of Spielberg's film 1941 at the end of the year. One day after the editing was done, Wasserman invited Landis up to his office to speak with Ted Mann, head of the Mann Theatres chain, which dominated film exhibition in the Western United States. He told Landis that he would not book the film at any theaters in predominantly white neighborhoods, such as Westwood. Not only did Mann not want black patrons going there to see the film, but he also surmised that white viewers were unlikely to see a film featuring older black musical stars. Ultimately, the film got less than half the bookings nationwide for its initial release than a typical big-budget studio film of the era, which did not bode well for its success at the box office.
Reception
Box office
The Blues Brothers opened on June 20, 1980, with a release in 594 theaters. It took in $4,858,152, ranking second for that week (after The Empire Strikes Back). The film in total grossed $57,229,890 domestically and $58,000,000 in foreign box office for a total of $115,229,890. It ranked 10th at the domestic box office for the year. By genre, it is the ninth-highest-grossing musical and the 10th-highest earner among comedy road movies. It ranks second, between Wayne's World and Wayne's World 2, among films adapted from Saturday Night Live sketches. Director John Landis claimed The Blues Brothers was also the first American film to gross more money overseas than it did in the United States. Over the years, the film has retained a following through television and home video.
Critical reception
The Blues Brothers received mostly positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 73% "Certified Fresh" rating, based on 90 reviews, with an average rating of 7.60/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "Too over the top for its own good, but ultimately rescued by the cast's charm, director John Landis' grace, and several soul-stirring musical numbers." It won the Golden Reel Award for Best Sound Editing and Sound Effects, is 14th on Total Film magazine's "List of the 50 Greatest Comedy Films of All Time," is 20th on Empires list of "The 50 Greatest Comedies," and is number 69 on Bravo's "100 Funniest Movies." Metacritic gave the film a score of 60 based on 12 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews."
Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave The Blues Brothers three out of four stars, praising it for its energetic musical numbers and "incredible" car chases. Ebert further noted that "Belushi and Aykroyd come over as hard-boiled city guys, total cynics with a world-view of sublime simplicity, and that all fits perfectly with the movie's other parts. There's even room, in the midst of the carnage and mayhem, for a surprising amount of grace, humor, and whimsy." Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune gave the film a "rare four-star rating," calling it "one of the all-time great comedies" and "the best movie ever made in Chicago." He described the film as "technically superb," praised it for "countering every explosion with a quiet moment," and said it "is at once a pure exercise in physical comedy as well as a marvelous tribute to the urban blues sound." He ranked it number eight on his list of the ten best movies of 1980. Richard Corliss, writing in Time, opined: "The Blues Brothers is a demolition symphony that works with the cold efficiency of a Moog synthesizer gone sadistic."
In his review for The Washington Post, Gary Arnold criticized Landis for engorging "the frail plot of The Blues Brothers with car chases and crack-ups, filmed with such avid, humorless starkness on the streets of Chicago that comic sensations are virtually obliterated." Janet Maslin of The New York Times criticized The Blues Brothers for shortchanging viewers on more details about Jake and Elwood's affinity for African-American culture. She also took director Landis to task for "distracting editing," mentioning the Soul Food diner scene in which the head of saxophonist Marini is out of shot as he dances on the counter. In the documentary, Stories Behind the Making of The Blues Brothers, Landis acknowledges the criticism while stating "Everybody has his opinion," and Marini recalls the dismay he felt at seeing the completed film.
Kim Newman, writing for Empire in 2013, considered The Blues Brothers to be "an amalgam of urban sleaze, automobile crunch and blackheart rhythm and blues" with "better music than any film had had for many years." He noted that Belushi and Aykroyd pack in their heroes: "Aretha storming through 'Think', Cab Calloway cruising through 'Minnie the Moocher', John Lee Hooker boogying through 'Boom Boom' and Ray Charles on electric piano." He observed that "the picture had revived the careers of virtually all the musicians that appeared in it" and concluded that "it still sounds great and looks as good as ever through Ray Bans."
On the 30th Anniversary of the film's release, L'Osservatore Romano (the daily newspaper of Vatican City State) wrote that the film is filled with positive symbolism and moral references that can be related to Catholicism. They went further, stating, The Blues Brothers "is a memorable film, and, judging by the facts, a Catholic one."
Cult-film status
The Blues Brothers has become a staple of late-night cinema, even slowly morphing into an audience-participation show in its regular screenings at the Valhalla Cinema, in Melbourne, Australia. John Landis acknowledged the support of the cinema and the fans by a phone call he made to the cinema at the 10th Anniversary screening, and later invited regular attendees to make cameo appearances in Blues Brothers 2000. The fans act as the members of the crowd during the performance of "Ghost Riders in the Sky".
In August 2005, a 25th Anniversary celebration for The Blues Brothers was held at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. Attendees included Landis, former Universal Studios executive Thom Mount, film editor George Folsey, Jr., and cast members James Brown, Henry Gibson, Charles Napier, Steve Cropper, and Stephen Bishop. It featured a press conference, a panel discussion where Aykroyd joined by satellite, and a screening of the original theatrical version of the film. The panel discussion was broadcast direct to many other cinemas around the country.
The popularity of The Blues Brothers has also spread overseas; it was an inspiration for Japanese companies Studio Hibari and Aniplex, which led to the creation of the manga and anime franchise Nerima Daikon Brothers, which contain heavy references to the film.
American Film Institute
AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs – nominated
AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs:
"Think" – nominated
AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes:
"We're on a mission from God." – nominated
Release
Home media
When The Blues Brothers was first screened for a preview audience, a producer demanded that director Landis cut 25 minutes from the film. After trimming 15 minutes, it was released in theaters at 132 minutes. The film was first released on VHS and Betamax by MCA Videocassette Inc. in 1983; a Laserdisc from MCA Videodisc was released in the same year. It was then re-released on VHS, Laserdisc, and Betamax in 1985 from MCA Home Video, and again in 1990 from MCA/Universal Home Video. It was also released in a two-pack VHS box set with Animal House. The original length of The Blues Brothers was restored to 148 minutes for the "Collector's Edition" DVD and a Special Edition VHS and Laserdisc release in 1998. The DVD and Laserdisc versions included a 56-minute documentary, The Stories Behind the Making of The Blues Brothers. Produced and directed by JM Kenny (who also produced the "Collector's Edition" DVD of Animal House that same year), it included interviews with Landis, Aykroyd, members of The Blues Brothers Band, producer Robert K. Weiss, editor George Folsey Jr., and others involved with the film. It also included production photographs, the theatrical trailer, production notes, and cast and filmmaker bios. The 25th Anniversary DVD release in 2005 included both the theatrical cut and the extended version.
The Blues Brothers was released on Blu-ray on July 26, 2011, with the same basic contents as the 25th Anniversary DVD. In a March 2011 interview with Ain't it Cool News, Landis also mentioned he had approved the Blu-ray's remastered transfer. On May 19, 2020, the movie was given a 4K UHD release; it has a new 4K remaster from the original negative and the extended footage was remastered from the same archived print as well.
SoundtrackThe Blues Brothers: Original Soundtrack Recording (later re-released as The Blues Brothers: Music from the Soundtrack''') was released on June 20, 1980, as the second album by the Blues Brothers Band, which also toured that year to promote the film. "Gimme Some Lovin" was a Top 20 Billboard hit, peaking at number 18. The album was a followup to their debut, the live album, Briefcase Full of Blues. Later that year they released a second live album, Made in America, which featured the Top 40 track, "Who's Making Love".
The songs on the soundtrack album are a noticeably different audio mix than in the film, with a prominent baritone saxophone in the horn line (also heard in the film during "Shake a Tail Feather", though no baritone sax is present), and female backing vocals on "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love", though the band had no other backup singers, besides Jake and/or Elwood, in the film. A number of regular Blues Brothers' members, including saxophonist Tom Scott and drummer Steve Jordan, perform on the soundtrack album, but are not in the film.
According to Landis in the 1998 documentary The Stories Behind the Making of 'The Blues Brothers, filmed musical performances by Franklin and Brown took more effort, as neither artist was accustomed to lip-synching their performances on film. Franklin required several takes, and Brown simply rerecorded his performance live. Cab Calloway initially wanted to do a disco variation on his signature tune, "Minnie the Moocher", having done the song in several styles in the past, but Landis insisted that the song be done faithfully to the original big-band version.
Charts
Certifications
Other songs in the film
The film's score includes "God Music" (instrumental with choir vocalese) composed by Elmer Bernstein, who previously had worked with John Landis on National Lampoon's Animal House. Other songs in the film include:
Sequel
The 1998 sequel, Blues Brothers 2000, had similar traits to the original, including large car-chase scenes and musical numbers. Landis returned to direct the film and Aykroyd reprised his role, joining John Goodman, Joe Morton, and 10-year-old J. Evan Bonifant as the new Blues Brothers. Franklin and Brown were among the celebrities returning from the first film. There were also musical performances by Sam Moore, Wilson Pickett, Paul Shaffer, B.B. King, and Eric Clapton, among others. Dozens of artists were packed into an all-star band called The Louisiana Gator Boys. Even with many returning cast members, the film was considered a box-office failure, only generating a little over $14 million in sales, and critics' reactions were negative.
See also
Blues Brothers: Private The Blues Brothers Video Game''
References
External links
The Blues Brothers
1980 films
1980s action comedy films
1980s buddy comedy films
1980 comedy films
1980s chase films
1980s musical comedy films
American films
American action comedy films
American buddy comedy films
American chase films
American musical comedy films
Blues films
1980s English-language films
Fictional film duos
Films set in 1980
Films about brothers
Films about musical groups
Films about orphans
Films directed by John Landis
Films set in Chicago
Films set in Illinois
Films shot in Chicago
Films shot in Illinois
Films shot in Wisconsin
Jukebox musical films
Films about neo-Nazis
Saturday Night Live films
Saturday Night Live in the 1980s
Films with screenplays by Dan Aykroyd
Films with screenplays by John Landis
Universal Pictures films
Nuns in fiction
Films produced by George Folsey Jr.
United States National Film Registry films
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"Little Man, What Now? () is a 1933 German drama film directed by Fritz Wendhausen and starring Hermann Thimig, Hertha Thiele and Viktor de Kowa.\n\nIt is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Hans Fallada. The original concept for the film was to take a naturalistic approach, the same way the novel did, with Kurt Weill composing the music. Fallada had already remarked in 1932, after falling out with the producers and script writers, that the film had little to do with his novel, and that the script writers \"would take a different approach,\" which they did. The Nazi Film Review Office insisted on extensive cuts, including all scenes featuring the Comedian Harmonists.\n\nThe film's sets were designed by the art directors Willy Schiller and Otto Guelstorff. Location shooting took place around Swinemünde.\n\nIt was well received by contemporary critics, many of whom considered it the best German film of 1933. A separate American film adaptation of Fallada's novel, Little Man, What Now?, was released in 1934.\n\nCast\n Hermann Thimig as Pinneberg\n Hertha Thiele as Emma 'Lämmchen' Mörchel\n Viktor de Kowa as Heilbutt\n Ida Wüst as Pinnebergs Mutter\n Fritz Kampers as Jachmann\n Paul Henckels as Lehmann\n Theo Lingen as Der Verkäufer\n Jakob Tiedtke as Kleinholz\n Hugo Flink as Jaenicke\n Aenne Goerling as Frau Kleinholz\n Blandine Ebinger as Kleinholz' Tochter\n Günther Vogdt as Lauterbach\n Albert Hörrmann as Schulz\n Carl Auen as Kriminalbeamter\n Willi Tholen as Kriminalbeamter\n Comedian Harmonists as Themselves (scenes deleted)\n\nReferences\n\nBibliography\n\nExternal links \n \n\n1933 films\nGerman films\nFilms of the Weimar Republic\nGerman drama films\n1933 drama films\nGerman-language films\nFilms directed by Fritz Wendhausen\nFilms based on German novels\nFilms with screenplays by Fritz Wendhausen\nGerman black-and-white films\nTobis Film films",
"I Know What You Did Last Summer is a 1997 American slasher film directed by Jim Gillespie, written by Kevin Williamson, and starring Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe and Freddie Prinze Jr. It is loosely based on the 1973 novel of the same name by Lois Duncan and is the first installment in the I Know What You Did Last Summer franchise. The film centers on four young friends who are stalked by a hook-wielding killer one year after covering up a car accident in which they killed a man. The film also draws inspiration from the urban legend known as the Hook, and the 1980s slasher films Prom Night (1980) and The House on Sorority Row (1982).\n\nAfter having written Scream (released the year prior), Williamson was approached to adapt Duncan's source novel by producer Erik Feig. Where Williamson's screenplay for Scream contained prominent elements of satire and self-referentiality, his adaptation of I Know What You Did Last Summer reworked the novel's central plot to resemble a straightforward 1980s-era slasher film.\n\nI Know What You Did Last Summer was released theatrically on October 17, 1997. It received mixed reviews from critics, but was commercially successful, grossing $125 million worldwide on a budget of $17 million, and remaining number 1 at the U.S. box office for three consecutive weeks. It was also nominated for and won multiple awards.\n\nThe film was followed by two sequels, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998) and I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer (2006). I Know What You Did Last Summer has also been parodied and referenced in popular culture, and credited alongside Scream with revitalizing the slasher genre in the 1990s.\n\nPlot\nOn July 4, 1996 in Southport, North Carolina, Julie James and her friends Ray Bronson, Helen Shivers, and Barry Cox drive to the beach. While driving along a coastal byway, they accidentally hit a pedestrian. Julie's friend Max Neurick passes by them on the road. Julie reassures Max of their well-being, and he leaves. The group decides to dump the body in the water and never discuss what happened.\n\nA year later in 1997, Julie returns home from college for the summer. The friends have gone their separate ways. Julie receives a letter with no return address, stating, \"I know what you did last summer!\" Julie tracks down Helen, and they take the note to Barry, who suspects Max. They confront Max on the docks, and Barry threatens him with a hook. Julie meets Ray, who now works as a fisherman. Later, Max is killed by a figure in a rain slicker wielding a hook. Barry discovers a note in his gym locker saying, \"I know\". He is then ambushed by the same assailant stealing and driving his car.\n\nJulie researches newspaper articles, which lead her to believe that the man they ran over was a local named David Egan. Helen and Julie meet with David's sister Missy at her home. Missy explains that their family was devastated by David's death and that a friend of his named Billy Blue visited her to pay his respects. That night, the killer sneaks into Helen's house, cuts off her hair while she sleeps and writes \"Soon\" in lipstick on her mirror.\n\nThe following morning, Julie finds Max's corpse wearing Barry's stolen jacket and covered in crabs in the trunk of her car. When she calls the others, the body and the crabs are missing. Julie, Helen and Barry confront Ray about the recent events. The latter claims to also have received a threatening letter. Julie goes back to visit Missy, while Barry and Helen participate in the 4th of July parade. Missy reveals David allegedly committed suicide out of guilt for the death of his girlfriend, Susie Willis, in a car accident and shows David's suicide note to Julie. As the writing matches that of the note she received, Julie realizes it was not a suicide note, but a death threat.\n\nAt the Croaker Beauty Pageant, Helen witnesses Barry being murdered on the balcony. She rushes upstairs with a police officer, but finds no sign of the killer or Barry. A police officer escorts Helen home, but the killer lures him into an alley and murders him. Helen runs to her family's store, where her sister Elsa is closing for the night. The killer enters the store and murders Elsa. Helen is chased upstairs and escapes through a window, falling to an alleyway. She runs toward the street, but the killer stops her and slashes her to death, her screams unheard by the ongoing parade.\n\nJulie finds an article mentioning Susie's father, Ben Willis, and realizes Ben was the man that they ran over, moments after he killed David to avenge his daughter. She goes to the docks to tell Ray, but he does not believe her. Julie notices Ray's boat is called Billy Blue and flees. A fisherman appears and knocks Ray unconscious, inviting Julie to hide on his boat. On the boat, she finds photos and articles about her and her friends, and pictures of Susie. The boat leaves the docks, and the fisherman is revealed to be Ben Willis. He chases Julie below deck, where she uncovers the bodies of Helen and Barry in the boat's icebox. Ray regains consciousness and steals a motorboat to rescue Julie. He ultimately uses the rigging to sever Ben's hand and send him overboard. When Julie and Ray are questioned by the police, they deny knowing why Ben attempted to kill them, but are relieved not to have actually killed anyone, and reconcile.\n\nA year later in 1998, Julie is in college in Boston. As she enters the shower, she notices the words \"I still know\" written in the steam on the shower door. Moments later, a dark figure crashes through it as Julie screams.\n\nCast\n\n Jennifer Love Hewitt as Julie James\n Sarah Michelle Gellar as Helen Shivers\n Ryan Phillippe as Barry Cox\n Freddie Prinze Jr. as Ray Bronson\n Bridgette Wilson as Elsa Shivers\n Anne Heche as Melissa \"Missy\" Egan\n Muse Watson as Ben Willis / The Fisherman\n Johnny Galecki as Max Neurick\n Stuart Greer as Officer\n\nProduction\n\nDevelopment and writing\nI Know What You Did Last Summer was a screenplay penned by Kevin Williamson several years beforehand, which was then rushed into production by Columbia Pictures upon the success of the Williamson-written Scream (1996). It was based on the 1973 novel of the same name by Lois Duncan, a youth-oriented suspense novel about four young people who are involved in a hit-and-run accident involving a young boy. Producer Erik Feig pitched the idea of a screen adaptation to Mandalay Entertainment, and subsequently appointed Williamson to retool the core elements of Duncan's novel, rendering a screenplay more akin to a 1980s slasher film. Inspired by his father, who had been a commercial fisherman, Williamson changed the setting of the novel to a small fishing village, and made the villain a hook-wielding fisherman.\n\nThe killer's arming of himself with a hook is a reference to the urban legend \"The Hook\", which the four main characters recount at the beginning of the film around a campfire. According to Williamson, he wrote the scene as a way of indicating what was to come: \"Basically what I was doing was I was setting the framework to say, 'All right, audience: That's that legend. Now here's a new one.'\" Unlike Williamson's screenplay for the film's contemporary, Scream (1996), which incorporated satire of the slasher film, I Know What You Did Last Summer was written more as a straightforward slasher film. Gillespie commented in 2008: \"The joy of this film for me as a filmmaker was in taking [the] elements that we've seen before, and saying to the audience: 'Here's something you've seen before'—knowing that they're saying 'We've seen this before'—and still getting them to jump.\" Gillespie also claimed that he felt Williamson's screenplay did not resemble a \"slasher horror movie\" and that he saw it rather as simply \"a really good story\" with a morality tale embedded within it.\n\nPre-production\nAccording to producer Stokely Chaffin, the producers sought out actors who were \"beautiful, but likable\". Director Gillespie recalled that, though he had been unfamiliar with the screenplay's source material, that \"roughly 60 to 65%\" of the young women auditioning had read the novel as children. Jennifer Love Hewitt, who at the time was mainly known for her role on the television series Party of Five, was cast in the lead of Julie James based on her \"ability to project vulnerability\", which the producers, director Gillespie and writer Williamson unanimously agreed upon. Initially, Hewitt was considered for the role of Helen. Melissa Joan Hart was offered a role but she turned it down she felt that the film was rip-off of Scream. For the role of Barry, the crew had envisioned an actor with a \" quarterback\" appearance, as the character had been written as an intimidating figure. Ryan Phillippe was ultimately cast in the part based on his audition, despite the fact that he was not as physically tall as the script had called for. Director Gillespie chose Freddie Prinze Jr. for the role of Ray, because he felt Prinze himself had an \"everyman\" quality much like the character.\n\nSarah Michelle Gellar was the last of the lead performers to be cast in the role of Helen. Like Hewitt, Gellar was also known to American audiences at the time for her roles in television, primarily as the titular Buffy Summers on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Gillespie commented on casting Gellar: \"I wanted an actress that had a warmth to her, but could still come off as being a bitch.\" For the supporting role of Missy, Gillespie sought an actress with significant screen presence, as the character, despite appearing in only two scenes, is central to several major plot points. Anne Heche was cast in the role, which she recalled as being two days' worth of work that required her to \"be scary\".\n\nFilming\n\nScottish director Jim Gillespie was hired to direct the film after being suggested by writer Williamson. Star Hewitt would later state in 2008 that Gillespie was to date her \"favorite director [she's] ever worked with.\" Principal photography began on March 31, 1997 and took place over a period of ten weeks throughout the late spring-early summer of 1997. Approximately seven weeks of the ten-week shoot took place at night, which Gillespie says was difficult for the cast and crew, and also created commotion in primary small-town locations in which they shot. Gillespie devised a color scheme with cinematographer Denis Crossan which was marked by heavy blues throughout and a notable lack of bright colors.\n\nFor the beginning of the film, coastal areas of Sonoma County, California stood in for North Carolina, where the film is set. The opening shots of the sun setting on a rugged coast were filmed at Kolmer Gulch, just north of the town of Jenner, on Highway 1. The car crash scene was also filmed on Highway 1 in the same area. The scene in which the four friends are seated around a campfire on the beach next to a wrecked boat was inspired by a painting Gillespie had seen in a reference book; to achieve the image, the art department purchased an old boat in Bodega Bay, cut it in half and placed it at the beach location.\n\nThe remaining scenes were filmed primarily around the town of Southport, North Carolina. Specific sites included the Amuzu Theater, where the beauty pageant is held, the Old Yacht Basin and Southport Fish Company. Julie's house is on Short Street just north of Southport Marina. The daytime sequences shot on the marina show multiple vessels traversing the water; though real vessels, the boat traffic was orchestrated by a marine traffic coordinator to make the waterway appear lively. The Shivers Department Store setting in the film was discovered on location in Southport by director Gillespie, who was so impressed by the location that he reworked elements of the script in order to incorporate it into the film; it eventually became the primary setting for Helen's extended chase sequence with the killer. The exterior sequences of Julie's Boston college campus were in fact shot at Duke University, while the hospital sequence was filmed at Southport's Dosher Memorial Hospital in an unused wing of the hospital.\n\nThe final sequence on the boat was shot on an actual water-bound vessel on the Cape Fear River, which proved difficult for the actors and crew. According to Gillespie, the filmmakers nearly lost the boat while attempting to dock it due to the volatile waters, after which they were forced to leave and shoot other footage until the following day.\n\nPost-production\nGillespie chose to film virtually no onscreen blood as he did not want the film to be overly gratuitous in terms of violence. The scene in which Elsa has her throat slashed while standing against a glass door had originally been shot from behind without any blood appearing on the glass. However, producer Feig worried that the scene appeared \"medically impossible\" after which Gillespie re-shot it (post-principal photography) with a visual effect of blood spattering across the glass. Upon test screenings of the film, Gillespie and the producers decided that a death sequence needed to occur earlier in the film to establish a sense of legitimate danger for the main characters. The scene in which Max is murdered in the crab factory was subsequently filmed and implemented into the final cut to achieve this (in the original script, his character was not killed).\n\nThe original ending of the film featured a sequence in which Julie receives an email reading: \"I Still Know\". This ending was scrapped for the more dramatic ending featured in the final cut of the film, in which Julie finds the same message scrawled on a shower stall just before the killer comes crashing through the glass. This footage was also shot after principal photography, on a soundstage next-door to where Hewitt was filming Party of Five.\n\nMusic\nThe film produced two soundtracks. One of them featured the score composed by John Debney, while the other contained various rock songs found in the film.\n\nAdditional songs featured in the film (but not on a soundtrack):\n \"Forgotten Too\" by Ugly Beauty\n \"Wake Up Call\" by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones\n \"Where Did You Sleep Last Night\" by Lead Belly\n \"You're a Grand Old Flag\" by George M. Cohan\n \"Beautiful Girl\" by Bing Crosby\n \"Free\" by Ultra Naté\n\nRelease\n\nMarketing\nIn anticipation of the film's release, distributor Columbia Pictures began a summer marketing campaign that presented the film as being \"From the creator of Scream.\" Miramax Films subsequently filed a lawsuit against Columbia, arguing the claim was inaccurate as the director of Scream was Wes Craven, not Williamson. The week following the film's theatrical release, a federal judge awarded Miramax an injunction requiring that Columbia remove the claim from their advertising campaign. Williamson had requested its removal prior after seeing it on a theater poster.\n\nMiramax won a subsequent lawsuit against Columbia during a March 1998 hearing. In a press release, executive Bob Weinstein noted plans to \"vigorously pursue\" damage claims against Columbia Pictures for their use of the claim.\n\nHome media\nThe film was released on DVD by Columbia TriStar Home Video in the US on June 16, 1998. Special features included a theatrical trailer and the filmmaker's commentary.\n\nSony Pictures Home Entertainment released the film on Blu-ray for the first time on July 22, 2008, with additional special features including the director's short film, Joyride. On 30 September 2014, Mill Creek Entertainment re-released the film on Blu-ray as a budget disc, featuring the film alone with no bonus materials.\n\nReception\n\nBox office\nI Know What You Did Last Summer opened theatrically in North America on October 17, 1997. The film had been made on a $17 million budget, yet already in its opening weekend it grossed $15,818,645 in 2,524 theaters in the United States and Canada, ranking number one; it remained in the number one position for an additional two weekends. By the end of its theatrical run in December 1997, it had grossed $72,586,134 in the U.S. and Canada and $53 million in other countries for a worldwide total of $126 million.\n\nAccording to data compiled by Box Office Mojo, I Know What You Did Last Summer is the seventh highest-grossing slasher film as of 2021.\n\nIn retrospect, Jim Gillespie said: “It was meant to be kind of a stand-alone revisit of those classic '80s horror films. It worked! The movie was number one three weeks in a row. It just clicked with the audience. The title clicked and everything just seemed to work. Third week was Halloween weekend and it was number one in its third week. I couldn't believe it stuck there for three weeks.“\n\nCritical response\nOn review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 44% based on 72 reviews, with an average rating of 5.3/19. The site's critics consensus reads: \"A by-the-numbers slasher that arrived a decade too late, the mostly tedious I Know What You Did Last Summer will likely only hook diehard fans of the genre.\" Metacritic reported an aggregate score of 52 out of 100 based on 17 critics, indicating \"mixed or average reviews\". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of \"B-\" on an A+ to F scale.\n\nThe film inevitably drew both positive and negative comparisons to Scream, also written by Williamson. Mick LaSalle considered the movie inferior to its predecessor. Richard Harrington, on the other hand, cited IKWYDLS as superior to Scream; he described the newer picture as \"... a smart and sharply-drawn genre-film with a moral center, and with a solid cast of young actors to hold it.\" Derek Elley of Variety was also enthusiastic, calling the film a \"polished genre piece with superior fright elements that should perform at better-than-average theatrical levels.\" Roger Ebert gave the movie one of four stars and wrote that \"The best shot in this film is the first one. Not a good sign.\" Entertainment Weekly praised Jennifer Love Hewitt's performance, noting that she \"knows how to scream with soul\".\n\nLawrence Van Gelder of The New York Times wrote of the picture: \"This isn't real life. It's the grand guignol of I Know What You Did Last Summer, laying its claim to succeed Scream as a high-grossing and blood-drenched date-night crowd-pleaser. And why shouldn't it?\" James Kendrick of the Q Network wrote that \"Williamson's characters are all generic types; but they're still believable as people, and they react realistically according to the situations.\" Kendrick added that the film was \"head and shoulders above earlier 'dead teenager' movies\". \n\nTV Guides Maitland McDonagh awarded the movie two out of five stars, noting: \"Screenwriter Kevin Williamson takes a step backward and writes the kind of movie Scream mocks. You can see him now, soaking up videos of Friday the 13th and Halloween—not to mention the lesser likes of He Knows You're Alone, Terror Train and My Bloody Valentine—and saying, 'I can do that!' And boy, does he ever.\"\n\nCritic James Berardinelli credited both IKWYDLS and Scream with igniting a new boom of slasher films, adding: \"There is one minor aspect of the plot that elevates I Know What You Did Last Summer above the level of a typical '80s slasher flick -- it has an interesting subtext. I'm referring to the way the lives and friendships of these four individuals crumble in the wake of their accident. Guilt, confusion and doubt build in them until they can no longer stand to be with each other or look at themselves in the mirror. Sadly, this potentially-fascinating element of the movie is dismissed quickly to facilitate a higher body count. And, as I said before, a few extra deaths can only make a slasher movie better, right?\"\n\nMovie historian Leonard Maltin gave the film 2 out of a possible 4 stars; he described it as \"...Too routine to succeed overall...Despite being based on a young-adult novel, this is absolutely not for kids. Still, it's a classic compared to the sequel.\"\n\nMotion picture scholar Adam Rockoff notes in his book Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film, 1978–1986 that, at the time of its release, many critics branded I Know What You Did Last Summer as an imitation of Scream. However, he contends that it is a \"much different film\", despite both screenplays being penned by the same writer: \n\nLois Duncan, the author of the original novel, heavily criticized the film adaptation; she stated in a 2002 interview she was \"appalled\" that her story was turned into a slasher film.\n\nAccolades\n\nOther media\n\nSequels\n\nThe film was followed by I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998) and I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer (2006). In the first sequel, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Freddie Prinze Jr. and Muse Watson reprise their roles. The second sequel has very little relation to the first two, other than the premise, the villain and the producers. It featured new characters and a different setting.\n\nTelevision\n\nA television series adaptation of the novel was announced in July 2019, with Neal H. Moritz and James Wan producing and Shay Hatten writing the pilot. Amazon ordered a straight-to-series order in October 2020.\n\nIn popular culture\nI Know What You Did Last Summer has been referenced in various films and television series, and its central plot was parodied at length in the spoof film Scary Movie (2000).\n\nIt was also spoofed in The Simpsons episode \"Treehouse of Horror X\" as \"I Know What You Diddily-Iddily-Did\", with Ned Flanders as the killer.\n\nRemake\n\nThis film was unofficially remade in India as Kucch To Hai (2003), starring Tusshar Kapoor.In an interview to Hindustan Times Kapoor denied that makers his film copied this film\n\nNotes\n\nReferences\n\nWorks cited\n \n Gillespie, Jim; Mirkovich, Steve (1998). I Know What You Did Last Summer: Audio commentary (DVD). Columbia TriStar Home Video.\n\nExternal links\n\n \n \n \n \n\nI Know What You Did Last Summer (franchise)\n1997 horror films\n1997 films\n1990s serial killer films\n1990s slasher films\n1990s teen horror films\nAmerican slasher films\nAmerican films\nAmerican teen horror films\nEnglish-language films\nAmerican films about revenge\nFilms about stalking\nFilms based on American novels\nFilms based on thriller novels\nFilms based on urban legends\nFilms produced by Neal H. Moritz\nFilms set in 1996\nFilms set in 1997\nFilms set in 1998\nFilms set in Boston\nFilms set in North Carolina\nFilms shot in California\nFilms shot in North Carolina\nIndependence Day (United States) films\nColumbia Pictures films\nMandalay Pictures films\nOriginal Film films\nFilms scored by John Debney\nFilms directed by Jim Gillespie (director)\nFilms with screenplays by Kevin Williamson\nHoliday horror films\n1997 directorial debut films\nFilms about road accidents and incidents\nBeauty pageant films"
] |
[
"The Blues Brothers (film)",
"Origins",
"Who wrote the screenplay for \"The Blues Brothers\" film?",
"Aykroyd had never written a screenplay before,",
"When was the film released?",
"1978",
"What music stars made an appearance in the film?",
"I don't know.",
"What kind of music was used in the film?",
"I don't know.",
"Are there any other details about the film available?",
"The overriding plot premise was unrealistic:",
"Who directed the film?",
"John Landis, who had directed Belushi in Animal House, was aboard as director.",
"What location did the film claim as its location?",
"Illinois"
] |
C_a692aeffb79b4e5fa37641d9d33bd8ef_1
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How well did the film do in theaters?
| 8 |
How well did "The Blues Brothers" do in theaters?
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The Blues Brothers (film)
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The characters, Jake and Elwood Blues, were created by Belushi and Aykroyd in performances on Saturday Night Live. The name "The Blues Brothers" was the idea of Howard Shore. The fictional back story and character sketches of blood brothers Jake and Elwood were developed by Aykroyd in collaboration with Ron Gwynne, who is credited as a story consultant for the film. As related in the liner notes of the band's debut album, Briefcase Full of Blues, the brothers grew up in an orphanage, learned the blues from a janitor named Curtis, and sealed their brotherhood by cutting their middle fingers with a steel string said to have come from the guitar of Elmore James. Belushi had become a star in 1978 as a result of both the Blues Brothers' musical success and his role in National Lampoon's Animal House. At one point, he managed the triple feat of being the star of the week's top-grossing film, top-rated television show, and singing on the number-one album within a year. When Aykroyd and Belushi decided they could make a Blues Brothers film, the bidding war was intense. Universal Studios narrowly beat Paramount Pictures for the project. John Landis, who had directed Belushi in Animal House, was aboard as director. However, the project had neither a budget nor a script. On the former issue, Universal head Lew Wasserman thought the film could be made for $12 million; the filmmakers wanted $20 million. It would be impossible to settle on a specific amount without a screenplay to review, and after Mitch Glazer declined to help him, Aykroyd wrote one on his own. Aykroyd had never written a screenplay before, as he admitted in the 1998 documentary, Stories Behind the Making of The Blues Brothers, or even read one, and he was unable to find a writing partner. Consequently, he put together a very descriptive volume that explained the characters' origins and how the band members were recruited. His final draft was 324 pages, which was three times longer than a standard screenplay, written not in a standard screenplay format, but more like free verse. To soften the impact, Aykroyd made a joke of the thick script and had it bound with the cover of the Los Angeles Yellow Pages directory for when he turned it in to producer Robert K. Weiss. Landis was given the task of editing the script into a usable screenplay, which took him about two weeks. The overriding plot premise was unrealistic: religious groups and other not-for-profit organizations are typically exempt from federal or state taxes; although a legislative proposal to tax such property was under consideration in Illinois at the time. CANNOTANSWER
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CANNOTANSWER
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The Blues Brothers is a 1980 American musical comedy film directed by John Landis. It stars John Belushi as "Joliet" Jake Blues and Dan Aykroyd as his brother Elwood, characters developed from the recurring musical sketch "The Blues Brothers" on NBC variety series Saturday Night Live. The film is set in and around Chicago, Illinois, where it was filmed, and the screenplay was written by Aykroyd and Landis. It features musical numbers by rhythm and blues (R&B), soul, and blues singers James Brown, Cab Calloway (in his final feature film role), Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Chaka Khan, and John Lee Hooker. It features non-musical supporting performances by Carrie Fisher, Henry Gibson, Charles Napier and John Candy.
The story is a tale of redemption for paroled convict Jake and his blood brother Elwood, who set out on "a mission from God" to save from foreclosure the Roman Catholic orphanage in which they were raised. To do so, they must reunite their R&B band and organize a performance to earn $5,000 needed to pay the orphanage's property tax bill. Along the way, they are targeted by a homicidal "mystery woman", Neo-Nazis, and a country and western band—all while being relentlessly pursued by the police.
Universal Studios, which had won the bidding war for the film, was hoping to take advantage of Belushi's popularity in the wake of Saturday Night Live, the film Animal House, and The Blues Brothers' musical success; it soon found itself unable to control production costs. The start of filming was delayed when Aykroyd, who was new to film screenwriting, took six months to deliver a long and unconventional script that Landis had to rewrite before production, which began without a final budget. On location in Chicago, Belushi's partying and drug use caused lengthy and costly delays that, along with the destructive car chases depicted onscreen, made the final film one of the most expensive comedies ever produced.
Due to concerns that the film would fail, its initial bookings were less than half of those similar films normally received. Released in the United States on June 20, 1980, it received mostly positive reviews from critics and grossed over $115 million in theaters worldwide before its release on home video, and has become a cult classic over the years. A sequel, Blues Brothers 2000, was released in 1998 to critical and commercial failure.
In 2020, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
Plot
Blues vocalist and petty criminal Jake Blues is released from prison after serving three years, and is picked up by his blood brother Elwood in his Bluesmobile, a battered former police car. Elwood demonstrates its capabilities by jumping an open drawbridge. The brothers visit the Roman Catholic orphanage where they were raised, and learn from Sister Mary Stigmata that it will be closed unless $5,000 in property taxes is collected. During a sermon by the Reverend Cleophus James at the Triple Rock Baptist Church, Jake has an epiphany: they can re-form their band, the Blues Brothers, which disbanded while Jake was in prison, and raise the money to save the orphanage.
That night, state troopers attempt to arrest Elwood for driving with a suspended license due to 116 parking tickets and 56 moving violations. After a high-speed chase through the Dixie Square Mall, the brothers escape. The next morning, as the police arrive at the flophouse where Elwood lives, a mysterious woman detonates a bomb that demolishes the building, but miraculously leaves Jake and Elwood unharmed, and saves them from being arrested.
Jake and Elwood begin tracking down members of the band. Five of them are playing at a deserted Holiday Inn lounge, and quickly agree to rejoin. Another turns them down as he is the maître d' at an expensive restaurant, but the brothers refuse to leave the restaurant until he relents. On their way to meet the final two band members, the brothers find the road through Jackson Park blocked by an American Nazi Party demonstration on a bridge; Elwood runs them off the bridge into the East Lagoon. The last two band members, who now run a soul food restaurant, rejoin the band against the advice of one's wife. The reunited group obtain instruments and equipment from Ray's Music Exchange in Calumet City, and Ray, as usual, takes an IOU.
As Jake attempts to book a gig, the mystery woman blows up the phone booth he is using; once again, he is miraculously unhurt. The band stumbles onto a gig at Bob's Country Bunker, a honky-tonk in Kokomo, Indiana. They win over the rowdy crowd, but run up a bar tab higher than their pay, and infuriate the country band that was actually booked for the gig, the Good Ol' Boys.
Realizing that they need one big show to raise the necessary money, the brothers persuade their old agent to book the Palace Hotel Ballroom, north of Chicago. They mount a loudspeaker atop the Bluesmobile and drive around the Chicago area promoting the concert—and alerting the police, the neo-Nazis, and the Good Ol' Boys of their whereabouts. The ballroom is packed with blues fans, police officers, and the Good Ol' Boys. Jake and Elwood perform two songs, then sneak offstage, as the tax deadline is rapidly approaching. A record company executive offers them a $10,000 cash advance on a recording contract—more than enough to pay off the orphanage's taxes and Ray's IOU—and then shows the brothers how to slip out of the building unnoticed. As they make their escape via a service tunnel, they are confronted by the mystery woman: Jake's vengeful ex-fiancée. After her volley of M16 rifle bullets leaves them miraculously unharmed, Jake offers a series of ridiculous excuses that she accepts, allowing the brothers to escape to the Bluesmobile.
Jake and Elwood race back toward Chicago with dozens of state and local police and the Good Ol' Boys in pursuit. They eventually elude them all with a series of improbable maneuvers, including a miraculous gravity-defying escape from the neo-Nazis. At the Richard J. Daley Center, they rush inside the adjacent Chicago City Hall building, soon followed by hundreds of police, state troopers, SWAT teams, firefighters, Illinois National Guardsmen, and the Military Police. Finding the office of the Cook County Assessor, the brothers pay the tax bill. Just as their receipt is stamped, they are arrested by the mob of law officers. In prison, the band plays "Jailhouse Rock" for the inmates.
Cast
John Belushi as "Joliet" Jake Blues, a former blues singer, paroled from prison after three years.
Dan Aykroyd as Elwood J. Blues, Jake's blood brother, also a former blues singer.
James Brown as the Reverend Cleophus James, pastor of the Triple Rock Baptist Church. His musical sermon "The Old Landmark" causes Jake to have an epiphany.
Cab Calloway as Curtis, an old friend of the brothers', who suggests they listen to James, and helps them advertise the show and performs "Minnie the Moocher" for the audience.
Ray Charles as Ray, a blind music instruments dealer, who performs "Shake a Tail Feather" to demonstrate their effectiveness.
Aretha Franklin as Mrs. Murphy, Matt Murphy's wife, who owns a soul food restaurant with him. She performs "Think" to persuade him not to join the band.
Steve "The Colonel" Cropper – lead guitar
Donald "Duck" Dunn – bass guitar
Murphy Dunne ("Murph") – keyboards
Willie "Too Big" Hall – drums
Tom "Bones" Malone – trombone
"Blue Lou" Marini – saxophone
Matt "Guitar" Murphy – lead guitar
"Mr. Fabulous" Alan Rubin – trumpet
Carrie Fisher as the Mystery Woman, Jake's former fiancée; she tries to kill him for leaving her at the altar.
Henry Gibson as the Gruppenführer, the head of a division of the neo-Nazis
John Candy as Burton Mercer, Jake's parole officer assisting the police in their hunt for the Blues Brothers.
John Lee Hooker as Street Slim, a man singing "Boom Boom" together with a small band on Maxwell Street.
Kathleen Freeman as Sister Mary Stigmata, AKA "The Penguin", the nun who leads the orphanage where the brothers grew up.
Steve Lawrence as Maury Sline, the agent who organized and booked many of the Blues Brothers' performances before Jake was sent to jail.
Twiggy as the Chic Lady, a woman who flirts with Elwood at the gas station.
Frank Oz as a corrections officer, who gives Jake his clothes at the beginning of the film.
Jeff Morris as Bob, the owner of Bob's Country Bunker.
Charles Napier as Tucker McElroy, lead singer and Winnebago driver of The Good Old Boys.
Steven Spielberg as the Cook County Assessor, who takes Jake and Elwood's money at the end of the film.
Stephen Bishop as Charming Trooper
Steven Williams as Trooper Mount, one of the cops who follows Jake and Elwood from the start.
Armand Cerami as Trooper Daniel, Mount's partner and the other cop who follows Jake and Elwood from the start.
Joe Walsh as Prison Inmate
Ben Piazza as Father, dining with his wife and three daughters at the Chez Paul and subject to abuse by Jake.
Cindy Fisher as Daughter #2, one of the daughters who Jake leers at.
Paul Reubens as Waiter, a colleague of Mr Fabulous' at the Chez Paul.
Rosie Shuster as Cocktail Waitress
Chaka Khan as Choir Soloist
Gary McLarty as Toys "R" Us Customer, who asks about buying a Miss Piggy toy right before the Bluesmobile begins smashing the mall.
Layne Britton as The Cheese Whiz
Pinetop Perkins as Luther Jackson
Mr. T as Guy On Street (Uncredited)
Carolyn Franklin as Soul Food Chorus #1, who sings along with "Think".
De'voreaux White as Young Guitar Thief, who tries to steal from Ray's Music Exchange, only to nearly be shot by Ray.
James Avery as Detective Avery (Uncredited)
Lou Perryman as Man At Bar
Luis Contreras as Bob's Country Bunker Patron #1 (Uncredited)
Raven De La Croix as Woman In Concert Crowd
Ralph Foody as Police Dispatcher, who comments on the Bluesmobile's arrival at Cook County and allows for using unnecessary violence in capturing Jake and Elwood.
Leonard R. Garner Jr. as Lobby Guard #1
Production
Origins
The characters Jake and Elwood Blues were created by Belushi and Aykroyd in performances on Saturday Night Live. The name "The Blues Brothers" was the idea of Howard Shore. The fictional back story and character sketches of blood brothers Jake and Elwood were developed by Aykroyd in collaboration with Ron Gwynne, who is credited as a story consultant for the film. As related in the liner notes of the band's debut album, Briefcase Full of Blues, the brothers grew up in an orphanage, learned the blues from a janitor named Curtis, and sealed their brotherhood by cutting their middle fingers with a steel string said to have come from the guitar of Elmore James.
Belushi had become a star in 1978 as a result of both the Blues Brothers' musical success and his role in National Lampoon's Animal House. At one point, he managed the triple feat of being the star of the week's top-grossing film and top-rated television series and singing on the No. 1 album within a year. When Aykroyd and Belushi decided they could make a Blues Brothers film, the bidding war was intense. Universal Studios narrowly beat Paramount Pictures for the project. John Landis, who had directed Belushi in Animal House, was aboard as director.
However, the project had neither a budget nor a script. On the former issue, Universal head Lew Wasserman thought the film could be made for $12 million; the filmmakers wanted $20 million. It would be impossible to settle on a specific amount without a screenplay to review, and after Mitch Glazer declined to help him, Aykroyd wrote one on his own.
Aykroyd had never written a screenplay before, as he admitted in the 1998 documentary Stories Behind the Making of The Blues Brothers, or even read one, and he was unable to find a writing partner. Consequently, he put together a very descriptive volume that explained the characters' origins and how the band members were recruited. His final draft was 324 pages, which was three times longer than a standard screenplay, written not in a standard screenplay format, but more like free verse. To soften the impact, Aykroyd made a joke of the thick script and had it bound with the cover of the Los Angeles Yellow Pages directory for when he turned it in to producer Robert K. Weiss. He titled it "The Return of the Blues Brothers", and credited it to "Scriptatron GL-9000". Landis was given the task of editing the script into a usable screenplay, which took him about two weeks.
The Blues Brothers held the record for the most cars destroyed in the course of production for 18 years, at 103, one fewer than were wrecked in its 1998 sequel Blues Brothers 2000. Both were surpassed by G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009), with 112 cars destroyed.
Casting
At Aykroyd's demand, soul and R&B stars James Brown, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin were cast in speaking parts to support musical numbers built around them. This later caused friction in the production between Landis and Universal, as its costs far exceeded the original budget. Since none of them except Charles had any hits in recent years, the studio wanted the director to replace them with—or add performances by—younger acts, such as Rose Royce, whose "Car Wash" had made them disco stars after its use in the 1976 film of that name.
Other musicians in the cast include Big Walter Horton, Pinetop Perkins, and John Lee Hooker (who performed "Boom Boom" during the Maxwell Street scene). The members of The Blues Brothers Band were themselves notable. Steve Cropper and Donald Dunn are architects of the Stax Records sound (Cropper's guitar can be heard at the start of the Sam & Dave song "Soul Man") and were half of Booker T. & the M.G.'s. Horn players Lou Marini, Tom Malone, and Alan Rubin had all played in Blood, Sweat & Tears and the house band on Saturday Night Live. Drummer Willie Hall had played in The Bar-Kays and backed Isaac Hayes. Matt Murphy is a veteran blues guitarist. As the band developed at Saturday Night Live, pianist Paul Shaffer was part of the act and thus cast in the film. However, due to contractual obligations with SNL, he was unable to participate, so actor-musician Murphy Dunne (whose father, George Dunne, was the Cook County Board President) was hired to take his role.
Fisher, Freeman, Gibson, and Candy were cast in non-musical supporting roles. The film is also notable for the number of cameo appearances by established celebrities and entertainment-industry figures, including Steve Lawrence as a booking agent, Twiggy as a "chic lady" in a Jaguar convertible whom Elwood propositions at a gas station, Steven Spielberg as the Cook County Assessor's clerk, Landis as a state trooper in the mall chase, Paul Reubens (before he became Pee-wee Herman) as a waiter in the restaurant Chez Paul, Joe Walsh in a cameo as the first prisoner to jump up on a table in the final scene, and Chaka Khan as the soloist in the Triple Rock choir. Muppet performer Frank Oz plays a corrections officer, and in the scene where the brothers crash into Toys "R" Us, the customer who asks for a Miss Piggy doll is played by stunt coordinator Gary McLarty. Singer/songwriter Stephen Bishop is an Illinois State Trooper who complains that Jake and Elwood broke his watch (a result of the car chase in the mall). Makeup artist Layne Britton is the old card player who asks Elwood, "Did you get me my Cheez Whiz, boy?" The character portrayed by Cab Calloway is named Curtis as a homage to Curtis Salgado, an Oregon blues musician who inspired Belushi while he was in that area filming Animal House.
Over 500 extras were used for the next-to-last scene, the blockade of the building at Daley Center, including 200 National Guardsmen, 100 state and city police officers, with 15 horses for the mounted police (and three each Sherman tanks, helicopters, and fire engines).
Filming
Principal photography began in July 1979, with the film's budget still not settled. For the first month, things ran smoothly on and off the set. When Weiss saw the supposedly final $17.5 million budget, he reportedly joked, "I think we've spent that much already."
In the next month, the production began falling behind schedule. Much of the delay was due to Belushi's partying and carousing. When not on the set, he went out to his familiar Chicago haunts such as Wrigley Field and the Old Town Ale House. People often recognized him and slipped him cocaine, a drug he was already using heavily on his own, hoping to use it with him. "Every blue-collar Joe wants his John Belushi story," said Smokey Wendell, who was eventually hired to keep it away from the star. As a result of his late nights and drug and alcohol use, Belushi would often miss unit calls (the beginning of a production day) or go to his trailer after them and sleep, wasting hours of production time. One night, Aykroyd found him crashing on the sofa of a nearby house, where Belushi had already helped himself to food in the refrigerator.
Cocaine was already so prevalent on the set (like many other film productions of that era) that Aykroyd, who used far less than his partner, claims a section of the budget was actually set aside for purchases of the drug during night shooting. The stars had a private bar, the Blues Club, built on the set, for themselves, crew, and friends. Carrie Fisher, who was Aykroyd's girlfriend at that time, said that most of the bar's staff doubled as dealers, procuring any drug patrons desired.
The movie's original budget was quickly surpassed, and back in Los Angeles, Wasserman grew increasingly frustrated. He was regularly confronting Ned Tanen, the executive in charge of production for Universal, over the costs. Sean Daniel, another studio executive, was not reassured when he came to Chicago and saw the production had set up a special facility for the 70 cars used in the chase sequences. Filming there, which was supposed to have concluded in the middle of September, continued into late October.
On the set, Belushi's drug use worsened. Fisher, who herself later struggled with cocaine addiction, said Landis told her to keep Belushi away from the drug. Wendell was hired to clear any drugs from the places Belushi visited off-camera. Nevertheless, at one point, Landis found Belushi with what he described as a "mountain" of cocaine on a table in his trailer, which led to a tearful confrontation in which Belushi admitted his addiction and feared it could eventually kill him.
After Aykroyd and Belushi's wife Judy had a talk with Belushi about his antics, the production returned to Los Angeles. Filming there again ran smoothly until it came time to shoot the final sequence at the Hollywood Palladium. Just beforehand, Belushi fell off a borrowed skateboard and seriously injured his knee, making it unlikely he could go through with the scene, which required him to sing, dance, and do cartwheels. Wasserman persuaded the city's top orthopedic surgeon to postpone his weekend plans long enough to stop by and sufficiently anesthetize Belushi's knee, and the scene was filmed as intended.
Locations
Much of The Blues Brothers was shot on location in and around Chicago between July and October 1979, including Joliet Correctional Center in nearby Joliet, Illinois, and Wauconda, Illinois, where the car crashes into the side of Route 12. Made with the cooperation of Mayor Jane M. Byrne, it is credited for putting Chicago on the map as a venue for filmmaking. Nearly 200 movies have been filmed in Chicago. In an article written to mark the film's 25th Anniversary DVD release, Aykroyd told the Chicago Sun-Times: "Chicago is one of the stars of the movie. We wrote it as a tribute."
The first traffic stop was in Park Ridge, Illinois. The shopping mall car chase was filmed in the real, albeit shuttered, Dixie Square Mall, in Harvey, Illinois. The bridge jump was filmed on an actual drawbridge, the 95th Street bridge over the Calumet River, on the southeast side of Chicago. The main entrance to Wrigley Field (and its sign reading "Save lives. Drive safely, prevent fires") makes a brief appearance when the "Illinois Nazis" visit it after Elwood falsely registers the ballpark's location, 1060 West Addison, as his home address on his driver's license. (Elwood's Illinois driver's license number is an almost-valid encoded number, with Aykroyd's own birth date embedded.) Jake's final confrontation with his girlfriend was filmed in a replica of a section of the abandoned Chicago freight tunnel system. The other chase scenes included lower Wacker Drive, Lake Street, and Richard J. Daley Center.
In the final car chase scene, the production actually dropped a Ford Pinto, representing that which was driven by the "Illinois Nazis", from a helicopter at an altitude of about 1,200 feet—and had to gain a Special Airworthiness Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration to do it. The FAA was concerned that the car could prove too aerodynamic in a high-altitude drop, and pose a threat to nearby buildings. The shot leading up to the car drop, where the "Illinois Nazis" drive off a freeway ramp, was shot in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, near the Hoan Bridge on Interstate 794. The Lake Freeway (North) was a planned but not completed six-lane freeway, and I-794 contained an unfinished ramp off which the Nazis drove. Several Milwaukee skyscrapers are visible in the background as the Bluesmobile flips over, notably the U.S. Bank Center.
The Palace Hotel Ballroom, where the band performs their climactic concert, was at the time of filming a country club, but later became the South Shore Cultural Center, named after the Chicago neighborhood where it is located. The interior concert scenes were filmed in the Hollywood Palladium.
The filming in downtown Chicago was conducted on Sundays during the summer of 1979, and much of downtown was cordoned off from the public. Costs for filming the largest scene in the city's history totaled $3.5 million. Permission was given after Belushi and Aykroyd offered to donate $50,000 to a charity after filming. Although the Bluesmobile was allowed to be driven through the Daley Center lobby, special breakaway panes were temporarily substituted for the normal glass in the building. The speeding car caused $7,650 in damage to 35 granite paver stones and a bronze air grille in the building. Interior shots of the elevator, staircase, and assessor's office were all recreated in a film set for filming.
Bluesmobile
The film used 13 different cars bought at auction from the California Highway Patrol to depict the retired 1974 Mount Prospect, Illinois Dodge Monaco patrol car. The vehicles were outfitted by the studio to do particular driving chores; some were customized for speed and others for jumps, depending on the scene. For the large car chases, filmmakers purchased 60 police cars at $400 each, and most were destroyed at the completion of the filming. More than 40 stunt drivers were hired, and the crew kept a 24-hour body shop to repair cars.
For the scene when the Blues Brothers finally arrive at the Richard J. Daley Center, a mechanic took several months to rig the car to fall apart. At the time of its release, The Blues Brothers held the world record for the most cars destroyed in one film until it was surpassed by a single car in its 1998 sequel.
Post-production
Landis' difficulties continued even after principal photography was completed. The first cut of The Blues Brothers lasted two and a half hours, with an intermission. After one early screening, Wasserman demanded it be shortened, and 20 minutes were cut. The film's final budget was $27.5 million (equivalent to $ million in ), $10 million over its original budget.
Prospects for a successful release did not look good. Aykroyd and Belushi had left SNL at the end of the previous season, reducing their bankability. Belushi's fame had taken a further hit after the critical failure of Spielberg's film 1941 at the end of the year. One day after the editing was done, Wasserman invited Landis up to his office to speak with Ted Mann, head of the Mann Theatres chain, which dominated film exhibition in the Western United States. He told Landis that he would not book the film at any theaters in predominantly white neighborhoods, such as Westwood. Not only did Mann not want black patrons going there to see the film, but he also surmised that white viewers were unlikely to see a film featuring older black musical stars. Ultimately, the film got less than half the bookings nationwide for its initial release than a typical big-budget studio film of the era, which did not bode well for its success at the box office.
Reception
Box office
The Blues Brothers opened on June 20, 1980, with a release in 594 theaters. It took in $4,858,152, ranking second for that week (after The Empire Strikes Back). The film in total grossed $57,229,890 domestically and $58,000,000 in foreign box office for a total of $115,229,890. It ranked 10th at the domestic box office for the year. By genre, it is the ninth-highest-grossing musical and the 10th-highest earner among comedy road movies. It ranks second, between Wayne's World and Wayne's World 2, among films adapted from Saturday Night Live sketches. Director John Landis claimed The Blues Brothers was also the first American film to gross more money overseas than it did in the United States. Over the years, the film has retained a following through television and home video.
Critical reception
The Blues Brothers received mostly positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 73% "Certified Fresh" rating, based on 90 reviews, with an average rating of 7.60/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "Too over the top for its own good, but ultimately rescued by the cast's charm, director John Landis' grace, and several soul-stirring musical numbers." It won the Golden Reel Award for Best Sound Editing and Sound Effects, is 14th on Total Film magazine's "List of the 50 Greatest Comedy Films of All Time," is 20th on Empires list of "The 50 Greatest Comedies," and is number 69 on Bravo's "100 Funniest Movies." Metacritic gave the film a score of 60 based on 12 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews."
Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave The Blues Brothers three out of four stars, praising it for its energetic musical numbers and "incredible" car chases. Ebert further noted that "Belushi and Aykroyd come over as hard-boiled city guys, total cynics with a world-view of sublime simplicity, and that all fits perfectly with the movie's other parts. There's even room, in the midst of the carnage and mayhem, for a surprising amount of grace, humor, and whimsy." Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune gave the film a "rare four-star rating," calling it "one of the all-time great comedies" and "the best movie ever made in Chicago." He described the film as "technically superb," praised it for "countering every explosion with a quiet moment," and said it "is at once a pure exercise in physical comedy as well as a marvelous tribute to the urban blues sound." He ranked it number eight on his list of the ten best movies of 1980. Richard Corliss, writing in Time, opined: "The Blues Brothers is a demolition symphony that works with the cold efficiency of a Moog synthesizer gone sadistic."
In his review for The Washington Post, Gary Arnold criticized Landis for engorging "the frail plot of The Blues Brothers with car chases and crack-ups, filmed with such avid, humorless starkness on the streets of Chicago that comic sensations are virtually obliterated." Janet Maslin of The New York Times criticized The Blues Brothers for shortchanging viewers on more details about Jake and Elwood's affinity for African-American culture. She also took director Landis to task for "distracting editing," mentioning the Soul Food diner scene in which the head of saxophonist Marini is out of shot as he dances on the counter. In the documentary, Stories Behind the Making of The Blues Brothers, Landis acknowledges the criticism while stating "Everybody has his opinion," and Marini recalls the dismay he felt at seeing the completed film.
Kim Newman, writing for Empire in 2013, considered The Blues Brothers to be "an amalgam of urban sleaze, automobile crunch and blackheart rhythm and blues" with "better music than any film had had for many years." He noted that Belushi and Aykroyd pack in their heroes: "Aretha storming through 'Think', Cab Calloway cruising through 'Minnie the Moocher', John Lee Hooker boogying through 'Boom Boom' and Ray Charles on electric piano." He observed that "the picture had revived the careers of virtually all the musicians that appeared in it" and concluded that "it still sounds great and looks as good as ever through Ray Bans."
On the 30th Anniversary of the film's release, L'Osservatore Romano (the daily newspaper of Vatican City State) wrote that the film is filled with positive symbolism and moral references that can be related to Catholicism. They went further, stating, The Blues Brothers "is a memorable film, and, judging by the facts, a Catholic one."
Cult-film status
The Blues Brothers has become a staple of late-night cinema, even slowly morphing into an audience-participation show in its regular screenings at the Valhalla Cinema, in Melbourne, Australia. John Landis acknowledged the support of the cinema and the fans by a phone call he made to the cinema at the 10th Anniversary screening, and later invited regular attendees to make cameo appearances in Blues Brothers 2000. The fans act as the members of the crowd during the performance of "Ghost Riders in the Sky".
In August 2005, a 25th Anniversary celebration for The Blues Brothers was held at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. Attendees included Landis, former Universal Studios executive Thom Mount, film editor George Folsey, Jr., and cast members James Brown, Henry Gibson, Charles Napier, Steve Cropper, and Stephen Bishop. It featured a press conference, a panel discussion where Aykroyd joined by satellite, and a screening of the original theatrical version of the film. The panel discussion was broadcast direct to many other cinemas around the country.
The popularity of The Blues Brothers has also spread overseas; it was an inspiration for Japanese companies Studio Hibari and Aniplex, which led to the creation of the manga and anime franchise Nerima Daikon Brothers, which contain heavy references to the film.
American Film Institute
AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs – nominated
AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs:
"Think" – nominated
AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes:
"We're on a mission from God." – nominated
Release
Home media
When The Blues Brothers was first screened for a preview audience, a producer demanded that director Landis cut 25 minutes from the film. After trimming 15 minutes, it was released in theaters at 132 minutes. The film was first released on VHS and Betamax by MCA Videocassette Inc. in 1983; a Laserdisc from MCA Videodisc was released in the same year. It was then re-released on VHS, Laserdisc, and Betamax in 1985 from MCA Home Video, and again in 1990 from MCA/Universal Home Video. It was also released in a two-pack VHS box set with Animal House. The original length of The Blues Brothers was restored to 148 minutes for the "Collector's Edition" DVD and a Special Edition VHS and Laserdisc release in 1998. The DVD and Laserdisc versions included a 56-minute documentary, The Stories Behind the Making of The Blues Brothers. Produced and directed by JM Kenny (who also produced the "Collector's Edition" DVD of Animal House that same year), it included interviews with Landis, Aykroyd, members of The Blues Brothers Band, producer Robert K. Weiss, editor George Folsey Jr., and others involved with the film. It also included production photographs, the theatrical trailer, production notes, and cast and filmmaker bios. The 25th Anniversary DVD release in 2005 included both the theatrical cut and the extended version.
The Blues Brothers was released on Blu-ray on July 26, 2011, with the same basic contents as the 25th Anniversary DVD. In a March 2011 interview with Ain't it Cool News, Landis also mentioned he had approved the Blu-ray's remastered transfer. On May 19, 2020, the movie was given a 4K UHD release; it has a new 4K remaster from the original negative and the extended footage was remastered from the same archived print as well.
SoundtrackThe Blues Brothers: Original Soundtrack Recording (later re-released as The Blues Brothers: Music from the Soundtrack''') was released on June 20, 1980, as the second album by the Blues Brothers Band, which also toured that year to promote the film. "Gimme Some Lovin" was a Top 20 Billboard hit, peaking at number 18. The album was a followup to their debut, the live album, Briefcase Full of Blues. Later that year they released a second live album, Made in America, which featured the Top 40 track, "Who's Making Love".
The songs on the soundtrack album are a noticeably different audio mix than in the film, with a prominent baritone saxophone in the horn line (also heard in the film during "Shake a Tail Feather", though no baritone sax is present), and female backing vocals on "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love", though the band had no other backup singers, besides Jake and/or Elwood, in the film. A number of regular Blues Brothers' members, including saxophonist Tom Scott and drummer Steve Jordan, perform on the soundtrack album, but are not in the film.
According to Landis in the 1998 documentary The Stories Behind the Making of 'The Blues Brothers, filmed musical performances by Franklin and Brown took more effort, as neither artist was accustomed to lip-synching their performances on film. Franklin required several takes, and Brown simply rerecorded his performance live. Cab Calloway initially wanted to do a disco variation on his signature tune, "Minnie the Moocher", having done the song in several styles in the past, but Landis insisted that the song be done faithfully to the original big-band version.
Charts
Certifications
Other songs in the film
The film's score includes "God Music" (instrumental with choir vocalese) composed by Elmer Bernstein, who previously had worked with John Landis on National Lampoon's Animal House. Other songs in the film include:
Sequel
The 1998 sequel, Blues Brothers 2000, had similar traits to the original, including large car-chase scenes and musical numbers. Landis returned to direct the film and Aykroyd reprised his role, joining John Goodman, Joe Morton, and 10-year-old J. Evan Bonifant as the new Blues Brothers. Franklin and Brown were among the celebrities returning from the first film. There were also musical performances by Sam Moore, Wilson Pickett, Paul Shaffer, B.B. King, and Eric Clapton, among others. Dozens of artists were packed into an all-star band called The Louisiana Gator Boys. Even with many returning cast members, the film was considered a box-office failure, only generating a little over $14 million in sales, and critics' reactions were negative.
See also
Blues Brothers: Private The Blues Brothers Video Game''
References
External links
The Blues Brothers
1980 films
1980s action comedy films
1980s buddy comedy films
1980 comedy films
1980s chase films
1980s musical comedy films
American films
American action comedy films
American buddy comedy films
American chase films
American musical comedy films
Blues films
1980s English-language films
Fictional film duos
Films set in 1980
Films about brothers
Films about musical groups
Films about orphans
Films directed by John Landis
Films set in Chicago
Films set in Illinois
Films shot in Chicago
Films shot in Illinois
Films shot in Wisconsin
Jukebox musical films
Films about neo-Nazis
Saturday Night Live films
Saturday Night Live in the 1980s
Films with screenplays by Dan Aykroyd
Films with screenplays by John Landis
Universal Pictures films
Nuns in fiction
Films produced by George Folsey Jr.
United States National Film Registry films
| false |
[
"The cinema of Djibouti refers to the film industry in Djibouti.\n\nHistory\nStorytelling is an ancient custom in the culture of Djibouti. Love of cinema is but a modern, visual incarnation and continuation of this well-established tradition. The earliest forms of public film display in Djibouti were in French. In the 1920s, the first local movie theaters opened, during a time when Djibouti City was growing in size. Film theaters became a place where local residents could watch movies in a relaxed atmosphere. With the development of the local film industry, additional theaters were launched. Among these establishments was the Eden in 1934, Olympia in 1939, Le Paris in 1965, and Al Hilal in 1975.\n\nDuring the 1970s, the capital city had five movie theaters, with one in each district. Some local film making attempts were carried out with local actors. One was Burta Djinka, a 1972 film in Somali directed by G. Borg. Following independence in 1977, a growing number of government-owned production and distribution companies as well as actual projection theaters sprang up.\n\nIn the 1990s two of the biggest cinemas, Odeon and Olympia, closed their doors.\n\nReferences",
"A is a type of Japanese independent movie theater that is not under the direct influence of any major film companies. Mini theaters are characterized by their relatively smaller size and seating capacity compared to larger, non-independent movie theaters found in Japan, as well as their programming, which includes independent or arthouse films.\n\nHistory\n\nOrigins and rise in popularity\nIn 1974, a film distribution project known as Equipe de Cinema was instituted at , a venue constructed by Iwanami Shoten, in Tokyo, Japan. Iwanami Hall, which was originally used as a multipurpose hall, became one of the first mini theaters, able to seat 220 people. The project was headed by Etsuko Tanakno, general manager of Iwanami Hall, and film producer Kashiko Kawakita, who sought to screen films deemed inappropriate for wide distribution.\n\nMini theaters were popularized throughout Japan in the 1980s. During that decade, mini theaters often screened European independent and arthouse films, such as films produced during the French New Wave, as well as films originating from Hungary, Poland and Bulgaria. Mini theaters also screened independent films produced in Japan by relatively unknown Japanese filmmakers. The popularity of mini theaters continued into the 1990s, and some mini-theater operators, such as Theatre Shinjuku and Eurospace, began investing in film production.\n\nIn the 21st century\n\nSeveral mini theaters in the Tokyo metropolitan area were closed during the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Mini theater Cine Vivant ceased operations in 1999, and Cine Saison and Ginza Theatre Cinema closed in 2011 and 2013, respectively. On April 7, 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the Japanese government to declare a state of emergency for Tokyo and six other prefectures, resulting in the closure of movie theaters nationwide. Consequently, mini theaters have suffered significant drops in revenue.\n\nDue to the negative financial impact of the pandemic on mini theaters, Japanese filmmakers have organized movements to help support them. Directors Kōji Fukada and Ryūsuke Hamaguchi launched a crowdfunding campaign to assist mini theaters; the campaign amassed over 100 million yen in donations in three days.\n\nSee also\n\n Movie palace\n Multiplex (movie theater)\n\nReferences\n\nCinemas and movie theaters\nCinemas in Japan\nTheatres"
] |
[
"Matt Hardy",
"Broken gimmick legal battle"
] |
C_2396c4bd272c4d19b473c69cbf3464c8_1
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what was the broken gimmick legal battle about?
| 1 |
What was Matt Hardy's Broken gimmick legal battle about?
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Matt Hardy
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Shortly after the departure of Matt and Jeff from TNA was made public, Matt's wife, Reby, went on a social media tirade in which she repeatedly slammed TNA, the company's new management and the way in which contract negotiations between the company and the Hardy family were conducted. A few weeks following this, the bad blood between the two sides intensified, so much so that the new management of TNA (now renamed Impact Wrestling) Anthem Sports & Entertainment issued a cease and desist letter to The Hardys' new promotion Ring of Honor (ROH), in which Anthem essentially ordered ROH as well as any broadcasting company airing ROH's 15th Anniversary pay-per-view show (on which The Hardys were to participate in a match) to not in any way speak of, indicate or acknowledge the existence of the Broken Matt and Brother Nero characters and instead to refer to The Hardys as simply Matt Hardy and Jeff Hardy. The issue with this is that while The Hardys were in TNA, they had full creative control over the Broken gimmick, with them even filming their own segments to air on TNA programming in some circumstances, thus making the Hardy family (in their belief) the owners of the Broken gimmick. It is believed that civil litigation will follow and a potential court hearing will take place regarding the final outcome on who owns the Broken gimmick: Anthem or the Hardy family. Until then, the status of the Broken gimmick remains undecided. Despite this, Matt continues to use the Broken gimmick through his social media accounts, but neither him or Jeff use the Broken gimmick at any professional wrestling shows for ROH or on the independent circuit, presumably until the results of the expected legal proceedings have been finalized. Newly-appointed Impact Wrestling President Ed Nordholm credits the invention of and the vision behind the Broken gimmick to Jeremy Borash, Dave Lagana and Billy Corgan, and while Borash specifically had the most input into the gimmick of the three aside from Matt, the Hardy family deny that Borash was the sole person behind the gimmick. In November 2017, Impact Wrestling changed their policy, allowing all talent to retain complete ownership over their intellectual property, essentially forfeiting ownership of the "Broken" character to Hardy. On January 31, 2018, the legal battle officially concluded when Matt legally acquired ownership of all trademarks related to the Broken universe and the Broken gimmick, which includes 'Broken Matt', 'Brother Nero', 'Broken Brilliance' and 'Vanguard1'. Matt is now able to use the Broken gimmick as he sees fit, regardless of the promotion he competes in with the one caveat being that the promotion green-lights the use of the gimmick in that promotion, which includes major domestic U.S. promotions such as WWE or ROH. CANNOTANSWER
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while The Hardys were in TNA, they had full creative control over the Broken gimmick,
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Matthew Moore Hardy (born September 23, 1974) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). He is also known for his time with WWE, Impact Wrestling, and Ring of Honor (ROH).
With his real life brother Jeff, Hardy gained notoriety in WWF's tag team division during the 2000s due to his participation in TLC matches. He is a 14-time world tag team champion, having held the WWE World Tag Team Championship six times, the WWE Raw Tag Team Championship three times, the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship, ROH World Tag Team Championship, and WCW Tag Team Championship once each, and the TNA World Tag Team Championships twice.
Wrestling through four separate decades, Hardy has kept himself relevant partially through a variety of different gimmicks and his use of social media. In 2002, Hardy began a solo career in WWE. His subsequent "Version 1" persona was named Best Gimmick by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Hardy's eccentric "Broken" gimmick, which he debuted in 2016 (and which was renamed "Woken" following his subsequent WWE return), garnered praise from wrestling critics and earned him multiple awards, including a second Best Gimmick award, becoming one of the most talked about characters in all of wrestling. As a singles wrestler, Hardy has won three world championships (one ECW Championship, and two TNA World Heavyweight Championships). All totaled between WWE, TNA/Impact, and ROH, Hardy has held 21 total championships.
Early life
Hardy was born in Cameron, North Carolina, the son of Gilbert and Ruby Moore Hardy. He is the older brother of Jeff Hardy. Their mother died of brain cancer in 1987. Hardy played baseball as a child and throughout high school, but had stopped by his senior year. He also played football, either as a linebacker or a defensive end. Hardy was a good student at Union Pines High School in North Carolina, and was a nominee for the "Morehead Award", a scholarship to any university in North Carolina. Hardy attended University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where he majored in engineering; after a year, however, he dropped out due to his father being ill. He then attended Sandhills Community College in Pinehurst to gain his associate degree.
Professional wrestling career
Early career (1992–2001)
Hardy, along with his brother Jeff and friends, started their own federation, the Trampoline Wrestling Federation (TWF) and mimicked the moves they saw on television. Shortly after Hardy sent in a tape for the World Championship Wrestling (WCW) Amateur Challenge using the ring name High Voltage, a tag team named High Voltage began competing in WCW, causing Hardy to change his name to Surge. A few years later, it was revealed to him by Chris Kanyon that the tape had been kept in the WCW Power Plant, watched multiple times, and that the name High Voltage was blatantly stolen from it. Beginning in 1994, The Hardys wrestled for several North Carolina-based independent circuit promotions and adapted a number of alter-egos. As The Wolverine, Hardy captured the New England Wrestling Alliance (NEWA) Championship in May 1994. As High Voltage, he teamed with Venom to claim the New Frontier Wrestling Association (NFWA) Tag Team Championship in March 1995. A month later, High Voltage defeated the Willow for the NFWA Championship.
In 1997, Matt and Jeff created their own wrestling promotion, The Organization of Modern Extreme Grappling Arts (frequently abbreviated to OMEGA Championship Wrestling, or simply OMEGA), in which Matt competed under the name High Voltage. Both Matt and Jeff took apart the ring and put it back together at every event they had, while Matt sewed all the costumes worn in OMEGA. The promotion folded in October 1999, after both Matt and Jeff signed with the World Wrestling Federation.
World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment
Early years (1994–1998)
Hardy worked as a jobber for the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) from 1994 up until he signed a full-time contract in 1998. His first WWF match was against Nikolai Volkoff on the May 23, 1994 episode of Monday Night Raw, which he lost by submission. A night later at a taping of WWF Wrestling Challenge, he lost a match against Owen Hart. He continued to wrestle sporadically in the WWF throughout 1994 and 1995, losing matches against Crush, Razor Ramon, Hakushi, Owen Hart, the imposter Undertaker, Hunter Hearst Helmsley and "The Ringmaster" Steve Austin.
Hardy teamed with Jeff for the first time in the WWF in 1996, losing to teams such as The Smoking Gunns and The Grimm Twins on WWF television. Matt and Jeff had a short lived feud with The Headbangers (Thrasher and Mosh), losing to the duo twice in 1997. It was during this time that Matt and Jeff experimented with different ring names, at one stage being called Ingus (Matt) and Wildo Jinx (Jeff). In Matt's final singles match for the promotion before signing a full-time contract he lost to Val Venis on a taping of Shotgun in 1998.
The Hardy Boyz (1998–2001)
It was not until 1998, however, (at the height of The Attitude Era) that the Hardy brothers were given full-time WWF contracts and sent to train with former wrestler Dory Funk, Jr. The Hardy Boyz used a cruiserweight, fast-paced high flying style in their matches, often leaping from great heights to do damage to their opponents (and themselves in the process). In 1999, while feuding with Edge and Christian, the duo briefly picked up Michael Hayes as a manager.
At King of the Ring, The Hardyz defeated Edge and Christian to earn the #1 contendership for the WWF Tag Team Championship. On July 5, they defeated The APA to win their first Tag Team Championship. They soon dumped Hayes and briefly picked up Gangrel as a manager, after Gangrel turned on Edge and Christian. At No Mercy, The Hardyz defeated Edge and Christian in the first ever tag team ladder match. At the Royal Rumble pay-per-view, The Hardyz defeated The Dudley Boyz in the first ever tag team tables match. They competed against The Dudley Boyz and Edge and Christian for the Tag Team Championships at WrestleMania 2000 in the first ever Triangle Ladder match, but were unsuccessful.
Hardy won the Hardcore Championship on April 24, 2000, on Raw Is War, by defeating Crash Holly, but lost it back to Holly three days later on SmackDown!, when Holly applied the "24/7 rule" during Hardy's title defense against Jeff. The Hardy Boyz then found a new manager in Matt's real-life girlfriend Lita. Together, the three became known as "Team Xtreme".
The Hardy Boyz competed in the first ever Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match, for the WWF Tag Team Championship against The Dudley Boyz and Edge and Christian, but were unsuccessful. At Unforgiven, The Hardyz defeated Edge and Christian in a steel cage match to win the tag team championship, and successfully retained it the following night on Raw Is War against Edge and Christian in a ladder match.
In April 2001, The Hardyz began feuding with Stone Cold Steve Austin and Triple H (known as The Power Trip), which also led to a singles push for both Matt and Jeff. Hardy helped Jeff defeat Triple H for the Intercontinental Championship, and shortly after Hardy defeated Eddie Guerrero to win the European Championship on SmackDown!. At Backlash he retained the title against Guerrero and Christian in a triple threat, and against Edge the following night on Raw.
Throughout the year, the Hardy Boyz continued to win as a tag team, winning the WWF Tag Team Titles two more times, and the WCW Tag Team Championship during the Invasion. By the end of the year, the Hardy Boyz began a storyline where they were having trouble co-existing. This culminated in a match between the two, with Lita as the guest referee, at the Vengeance pay-per-view, which Jeff won. Hardy defeated Jeff and Lita the following night on Raw in a two-on-one handicap match.
Version 1 gimmick and feud with Kane (2002–2004)
At the beginning of 2002, it seemed Team Xtreme had patched things up. After the brand extension, however, Matt was relegated to Heat while Jeff wrestled on the main show, Raw. On the August 12 episode of Raw, Hardy turned heel by attacking Jeff during Jeff's match against Rob Van Dam, because Hardy was frustrated at not receiving a match against Van Dam for the number one contendership for the Intercontinental Championship. A short time later, Hardy joined the SmackDown! roster, and began dubbing himself "Matt Hardy: Version 1", complete with a "version 1" hand signal. Hardy defeated The Undertaker on the September 12 and October 3 episodes of the show, due to interference from Brock Lesnar.
Along with his Mattitude Follower Shannon Moore in his corner, 2003 began with Hardy frantically trying to lose weight to get under the weight limit to compete for the Cruiserweight Championship. After just barely making weight, Hardy defeated Billy Kidman at No Way Out to win the Cruiserweight title. At WrestleMania XIX, he successfully defended it against Rey Mysterio. Hardy lost the Cruiserweight Championship to Mysterio in the main event of the June 5 episode of SmackDown! - the first and only time a Cruiserweight Championship match main evented a show.
After dropping the Cruiserweight Championship, Hardy briefly feuded with Eddie Guerrero, but was unsuccessful in capturing Guerrero's United States Championship or WWE Tag Team Championship. The Mattitude faction then expanded to include Crash Holly as Moore's "Moore-on" (apprentice). He later disbanded the group in November and returned to Raw in order to be able to travel and work with his then girlfriend Lita, who just returned from an injury. On his first night back, he turned on Lita in storyline after teasing a proposal to her. He defeated Christian, who was vying for Lita's affections, on the following edition of Raw.
In April 2004, Hardy saved Lita from getting attacked by Kane, turning face in the process. Hardy defeated Kane in a no disqualification match at Vengeance, but lost a "Till Death To Us Part" match against Kane at SummerSlam, resulting in Lita being forced to marry Kane. On the August 23 episode of Raw, Hardy was chokeslamed off the stage by Kane during the wedding. Hardy then spent almost a year off from wrestling due to a severe knee injury.
Departure and sporadic appearances (2005)
Along with his friend Rhyno, Hardy was released by WWE on April 11, 2005. Hardy's release was largely due to unprofessional conduct with social media after discovering that Lita was having a real-life affair with his best friend Edge. The public knowledge of the affair and Hardy's release led to Edge and Lita receiving jeers from the crowds at WWE events, often resulting in chants of "You screwed Matt!", and, "We want Matt!", which meant kayfabe storylines being affected considering that Lita was married to Kane at the time in kayfabe. Edge and Lita used the affair and fan backlash to become a hated on-screen couple, which led to Lita turning heel for the first time in over five years.
Fans began a petition on the internet, wanting WWE to re-sign Hardy, and amassed over fifteen thousand signatures. Hardy released two character promotional vignettes, that he was planning to use before he was offered a new contract by WWE. Hardy called himself The Angelic Diablo with the tagline "the scar will become a symbol" in reference to the way in which he had been treated by Lita and WWE. On the June 20 episode of Raw, during the storyline wedding of Edge and Lita, Hardy's entrance music and video were played when the priest asked if anyone had a reason why Edge and Lita should not be wed.
Independent circuit and Ring of Honor (2005)
Following his WWE release, Matt returned to the independent circuit and wrestled several matches for the Allied Powers Wrestling Federation (APWF), International Wrestling Cartel (IWC) and Big Time Wrestling (BTW).
Hardy appeared at a scheduled Ring of Honor (ROH) event on July 16, 2005, in Woodbridge, Connecticut where he defeated Christopher Daniels via submission. Hardy also cut a brief worked shoot promo where he criticized WWE and John Laurinaitis. Following his official return to WWE, Hardy was met with backlash following a match with Homicide from the fans at a subsequent ROH event, which Hardy won. The next day at his final ROH appearance, he lost to Roderick Strong.
Return to WWE
Feud with Edge (2005–2006)
On July 11, 2005, on Raw, Hardy attacked Edge backstage and again later during Edge's match with Kane. Before being escorted out of the building by security, Hardy stated that Edge (calling him by his real name of "Adam") and Lita would pay for their actions and told fans that they could see him at Ring of Honor while security officials and event staff were trying to restrain him. Hardy also called out Johnny Ace as security had him in handcuffs taking him out of the arena. This caused an uproar amongst fans, who were confused and wondered if the whole thing was a work or a shoot. Similar occurrences repeated during the following two weeks.
On the August 1 episode of Raw, Vince McMahon officially announced Hardy's return to WWE, adding that Hardy would face Edge at SummerSlam. Hardy made his in-ring return, defeating Snitsky on the August 8 Raw. Seconds after the victory, Hardy was attacked by Edge, and as he was being carried backstage, Matt counterattacked Edge in the locker room. On August 21 at SummerSlam, their match came to a premature end when Edge dropped Hardy onto the top of a ring post, causing him to bleed heavily. The referee ended the match on the grounds that Hardy could not continue, and Edge was declared the winner. After SummerSlam, the two continued feuding on Raw, including a Street Fight on August 29 that resulted in Hardy performing a Side Effect on Edge off the entrance stage and into electrical equipment below; the match ended in a no contest. At Unforgiven, Edge faced Hardy in a steel cage match. Hardy caught an interfering Lita with the Twist of Fate and won the match with a leg drop off the top of the cage. Hardy and Edge faced each other on October 3 at WWE Raw Homecoming in a Loser Leaves Raw ladder match. Edge's briefcase holding his Money in the Bank contract for his WWE Championship opportunity was suspended above the ring. The winner of the match received the contract and the loser was forced to leave Raw. Edge tied Hardy's arms in the ropes, and Lita trapped Hardy in a crucifix hold, leaving Hardy only able to watch Edge win.
With his defeat at the hands of Edge, Hardy was moved to the SmackDown! brand where he re-debuted with a win over Simon Dean on October 21 in Reno, Nevada. One week later, Hardy won the fan vote to represent Team SmackDown! (alongside Rey Mysterio) to challenge Team Raw (Edge and Chris Masters) at Taboo Tuesday. Edge, however, refused to wrestle and sent Snitsky in place of him in the match, which Hardy and Mysterio won.
Back on SmackDown!, Hardy started an angle with MNM (Johnny Nitro and Joey Mercury) and their manager Melina when Melina approached Hardy, seemingly wanting Hardy to join with her team. Hardy refused the offer, which led to him facing the tag team on several occasions with a variety of partners. On July 25, after the SmackDown! taping, Hardy was taken out of action after doctors found the remnants of the staph infection that had plagued him the previous year. He was sidelined until August 25 while he healed.
Upon his return to action, Hardy feuded against childhood friend and reigning Cruiserweight Champion Gregory Helms. At No Mercy, in their home state, Hardy beat Helms in a non-title match. The two met again at Survivor Series, where Hardy's team won in a clean sweep. They wrestled one final match, a one time appearance in Booker T's Pro Wrestling Alliance (PWA) promotion, where Hardy defeated Helms in a North Carolina Street Fight.
The Hardy Boyz reunion (2006–2007)
On the November 21, 2006 episode of ECW on Sci Fi, Hardy and Jeff competed in a match together for the first time in almost five years, defeating The Full Blooded Italians. At December to Dismember, the Hardy Boyz issued an open challenge to any tag team who wanted to face them. MNM answered their challenge by reuniting at December to Dismember, a match won by the Hardy Boyz. At Armageddon, Hardy and Jeff competed against Paul London and Brian Kendrick, MNM, and Dave Taylor and William Regal in a Ladder match for the WWE Tag Team Championship but lost. Subsequently, he and Jeff feuded with MNM after the legitimate incident where they injured Mercury's face at Armageddon. This led to a long term rivalry, and at the Royal Rumble, Hardy and Jeff defeated MNM. Mercury and Hardy continued to feud on SmackDown! until Mercury was released from WWE on March 26.
The night after WrestleMania 23 on Raw, the Hardys competed in a 10-team battle royal for the World Tag Team Championship. They won the titles for the sixth time from then WWE Champion John Cena and Shawn Michaels after last eliminating Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch. This started a feud with Cade and Murdoch, and the Hardys successfully retained their World Tag Team Championship in their first title defense at Backlash. The Hardy Boyz also successfully retained their titles at Judgment Day against Cade and Murdoch. One month later at One Night Stand, they defeated The World's Greatest Tag Team to retain the titles in a Ladder match. The following night on Raw, Vince McMahon demanded that The Hardys once again defend their championships against Cade and Murdoch. The Hardys were defeated after Murdoch pushed Jeff's foot off the bottom rope during Cade's pinfall, causing the three count to continue. They invoked their rematch clause against Cade and Murdoch at Vengeance: Night of Champions, but were unsuccessful.
Feud with MVP and championship reigns (2007–2009)
On the July 6, 2007 episode of SmackDown!, Hardy won a non-title match against United States Champion Montel Vontavious Porter (MVP), which resulted in a feud between the two. Hardy was defeated by MVP at The Great American Bash for the United States Championship. MVP then claimed that he was "better than Hardy at everything", which led to a series of contests between Hardy and MVP, such as a basketball game, an arm wrestling contest, and a chess match which MVP "sneezed" on and ruined when Hardy put him in check. MVP challenged Hardy to a boxing match at Saturday Night's Main Event XXXV, however MVP was legitimately diagnosed with the heart condition Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. Since MVP was unable to compete, Hardy faced his replacement, former world champion boxer, Evander Holyfield. The match ended in a no contest after MVP entered the ring to verbally abuse Holyfield, who then knocked him out. MVP also challenged Hardy to a beer drinking contest at SummerSlam, but as revenge for what happened at SNME, Hardy allowed Stone Cold Steve Austin to replace him; Austin simply performed a stunner on MVP then kept drinking.
After a segment involving MVP inadvertently choosing Hardy as his tag-team partner, Theodore Long promptly set up a match against Deuce 'n Domino for the WWE Tag Team Championship on the August 31 episode of SmackDown! which Hardy and MVP were able to win, therefore setting up Hardy's first reign as WWE Tag Team Champion. Hardy and MVP retained the titles at Unforgiven in a rematch against former champions Deuce 'n Domino. Hardy was scheduled to face MVP at Cyber Sunday, but due to a real-life head injury sustained on the October 26 episode of SmackDown!, he was not medically cleared to compete. As part of the storyline, Hardy continually asked MVP for a shot at the United States Championship but MVP refused stating that he was more focused on the Tag Team Championship.
On the November 16 episode of SmackDown!, Hardy and MVP dropped the WWE Tag Team Championship to John Morrison and The Miz. Despite the fact that Hardy was hurt, MVP immediately invoked the rematch clause. After the rematch, in which Hardy was forced to tap out, MVP attacked Hardy, repeatedly targeting his knee. It was later confirmed by WWE.com that Hardy had suffered an injury at his former partner's hands and that he might not be able to compete at Survivor Series. Despite Hardy's absence at Survivor Series, his team was able to win the match. On November 21, WWE's official website reported that Hardy underwent an emergency appendectomy in Tampa, Florida after his appendix burst. Hardy made an appearance at the December 31 episode of Raw supporting his brother Jeff. To further Jeff's storyline with Randy Orton, however, Hardy was attacked by Orton. Hardy made his return at a live event in Muncie, Indiana on March 1, 2008.
On March 30, 2008, at WrestleMania XXIV, during the Money in the Bank ladder match Hardy cut through the crowd and attacked MVP to prevent him from winning the match. He made his official in-ring return the next night on Raw, losing a singles match to WWE Champion Randy Orton. On the April 4 episode of SmackDown, Hardy faced MVP in a non-title match, which he won, re-igniting their storyline rivalry. On April 27, 2008, Hardy defeated MVP to win the United States Championship at Backlash, and successfully retained his title against MVP five days later on SmackDown.
Hardy declared himself as a fighting champion that would take on all challenges, defending the United States championship against Shelton Benjamin, Elijah Burke, Chuck Palumbo, Mr. Kennedy, Chavo Guerrero and Umaga. Hardy was drafted to the ECW brand on the June 23, 2008 episode of Raw during the 2008 WWE Draft, in the process making the United States Championship exclusive to ECW. He dropped the United States Championship to Shelton Benjamin at the Great American Bash pay-per-view on July 20, 2008, which meant that the title returned to SmackDown.
On the July 22 episode of ECW, Hardy became the number one contender to Mark Henry's ECW Championship after defeating John Morrison, The Miz and Finlay in a fatal four-way match. He won the title match at SummerSlam by disqualification due to interference from Henry's manager, Tony Atlas, thus he failed to win the title. Due to the ending of the pay-per-view match, Hardy received a rematch for the title on the next episode of ECW, but again failed to win the title when Henry pinned him after a distraction by Atlas. At Unforgiven, Hardy won the ECW Championship during the Championship scramble match, defeating then-champion Henry, The Miz, Finlay and Chavo Guerrero by pinning the Miz with three minutes left, marking his first world heavyweight championship win. He continued to feud with Henry until No Mercy, where Hardy successfully retained the title. Hardy lost the title to Jack Swagger on the January 13, 2009 episode of ECW, which was taped on January 12.
Feud with Jeff Hardy and departure (2009–2010)
At the 2009 Royal Rumble pay-per-view, after losing an ECW Championship rematch to Swagger, Hardy turned on his brother when he hit Jeff with a steel chair, allowing Edge to win the WWE Championship, turning heel in the process. On the January 27, 2009 episode of ECW, it was announced by General Manager Theodore Long that Hardy had requested, and been granted, his release from ECW and had re-signed with the SmackDown brand. As part of the buildup to this feud, Matt strongly implied that he was responsible for all of Jeff's accidents leading back to November, including an assault in a hotel stairwell that prevented Jeff from appearing at Survivor Series, an automobile accident where Jeff's car was run off the road, and a pyrotechnics malfunction where part of the pyro from Jeff's entrance was fired directly at Jeff, in an attempt to stop Jeff holding the WWE Championship. Despite Hardy's attempts to goad Jeff into fighting him, Jeff refused to fight his brother, but, on the March 6 episode of SmackDown, Jeff attacked him during a promo where Matt implied that he was also responsible for the fire that burned down Jeff's house, going so far as to reveal that he had in his possession a dog collar that supposedly belonged to Jeff's dog, Jack (who died in the fire), that he claimed to have salvaged from the wreckage of the house. At WrestleMania 25, Matt defeated Jeff in an Extreme Rules match, and in a stretcher match on the following episode of SmackDown.
On the April 13 episode of Raw, Hardy was drafted to the Raw brand as part of the WWE draft. Despite the fact that the two were on different brands, he continued his feud with Jeff. Two weeks later, in a rematch from WrestleMania, Hardy lost to Jeff in an "I Quit" match at Backlash, in which he legitimately broke his hand.
Hardy continued to wrestle with his hand in a cast, incorporating it into his persona and claiming that he was wrestling under protest. He reignited his feud with MVP on Raw for the United States Championship. He also formed a tag team with William Regal, and the two acted as henchmen for General Manager Vickie Guerrero. At the June 22 taping of WWE Superstars, Hardy suffered yet another injury, when his intestines went through his abdominal wall, during a triple threat match against MVP and Kofi Kingston. Hardy had suffered a tear in his abdominal muscle two years previously, but had not needed surgery until it worsened, and became a danger to his health.
He was then traded back to the SmackDown brand on June 29, and underwent surgery for the torn abdominal muscle on July 2. He made his return on the August 7 episode of SmackDown as the special guest referee in the World Heavyweight Championship match between his brother, Jeff, and CM Punk, and helped Jeff retain the championship by counting the pinfall. The following week Hardy turned face again when he saved his brother when CM Punk and The Hart Dynasty attacked both Jeff and John Morrison. On the August 21 episode of SmackDown, after apologizing for his past actions towards Jeff and admitting that he was not behind any of Jeff's accidents, he had his first match back after his injury when he teamed with Jeff and John Morrison to defeat The Hart Dynasty and CM Punk, when Matt pinned Punk.
In early 2010, Hardy began an on-screen relationship with Maria; but was brief and the relationship ended when Maria was released from her WWE contract. On the March 5 episode of SmackDown, Hardy qualified for the Money in the Bank ladder match at WrestleMania XXVI by defeating Drew McIntyre, but was unsuccessful at WrestleMania, as the match was won by Jack Swagger. Hardy was suspended by Vince McMahon because he attacked McIntyre after McIntyre lost to Kofi Kingston at Over the Limit. He was able to get his revenge on McIntyre during the Viewer's Choice episode of Raw when chosen as the opponent for McIntyre, with General Manager Theodore Long stating that Hardy was suspended from SmackDown, but not from Raw. On the following episode of SmackDown, however, Vickie Guerrero announced that, per orders of Vince McMahon, Hardy had been suspended from all WWE programming. However, at Fatal 4-Way, Hardy prevented McIntyre from regaining the Intercontinental Championship, thus continuing their feud. On the following edition of SmackDown, he was reinstated by Long and had a match with McIntyre, which Hardy won. After the match, it was announced that McIntyre's visa had legitimately expired and was sent back to Scotland, thus ending their feud. Hardy was featured in the SmackDown Money in the Bank ladder match but was unsuccessful in winning with Kane coming out victorious.
On September 12, WWE confirmed they had sent Hardy home from a European tour. Following this, Hardy began posting videos on his YouTube channel expressing his disinterest in the WWE product and insisting that he wanted to be released from the company. On October 15, 2010, WWE announced that Hardy had been released from his contract. Hardy later stated that his release had been in effect two weeks before WWE made the announcement.
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2011)
On January 9, 2011, Hardy made his debut for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) at the Genesis pay-per-view, as part of the stable Immortal. He was the surprise opponent for Rob Van Dam, and defeated him to prevent Van Dam from receiving a match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, held by Hardy's brother Jeff. In the main event, Hardy attempted to interfere in Jeff's World Heavyweight Championship match with Mr. Anderson, but was stopped by Van Dam, which led to Jeff losing both the match and the championship. On the January 13 episode of Impact!, the Hardy Boyz reunited to defeat Anderson and Van Dam in a tag team match, following interference from Beer Money, Inc. On February 13 at Against All Odds, Van Dam defeated Hardy in a rematch.
On the following episode of Impact!, Hardy, along with the rest of Immortal and Ric Flair, betrayed Fortune. On March 13 at Victory Road, Hardy was defeated by Flair's previous protégé, A.J. Styles. On April 17 at Lockdown, Immortal, represented by Hardy, Abyss, Bully Ray and Ric Flair, were defeated by Fortune members James Storm, Kazarian and Robert Roode and Christopher Daniels, who replaced an injured A.J. Styles, in a Lethal Lockdown match. On the April 21 episode of Impact!, Hardy faced Sting for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, Hardy's first World Title match in TNA, but was defeated. The following month, Hardy was granted a shot at the TNA World Tag Team Championship against Beer Money, Inc. (James Storm and Robert Roode). While the champions looked to defend the title against the Hardy Boyz, Matt instead introduced the returning Chris Harris, Storm's old tag team partner, as his partner for the title match. The match took place at Sacrifice, where Storm and Roode retained their titles.
On June 21, it was reported that TNA had suspended Hardy. On August 20, Hardy was released from TNA following a DUI arrest that occurred earlier that same day.
Return to the independent circuit (2011–2017)
Hardy announced his retirement from full-time professional wrestling due to injuries on September 1, 2011. He issued a challenge to his long-time rival MVP, who was wrestling in Japan at the time, to one final match at "Crossfire Live!" in Nashville. The event was held May 19, 2012 and benefited the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Hardy won the match.
Throughout 2012, Hardy wrestled sporadically on the independent circuit, working with promotions such as Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Syndicate and Northeast Wrestling. On October 5, Hardy was defeated by Kevin Steen at Pro Wrestling Xperience's An Evil Twist of Fate. On November 11, Hardy, as the masked wrestler Rahway Reaper, defeated the Pro Wrestling Syndicate Kevin Matthews, winning the championship. On February 9, 2013, Hardy lost the Pro Wrestling Syndicate Championship back to Matthews.
On February 16, 2013, at Family Wrestling Entertainment's No Limit, Hardy wrestled a TLC match for the FWE Heavyweight Championship against the champion Carlito and Tommy Dreamer, but he was defeated. On November 30, 2013, at WrestleCade, Hardy defeated Carlito to become the first ever WrestleCade Champion.
On May 3, 2014, following a match between Christian York and Drolix, Hardy defeated Drolix to become the new MCW Heavyweight Champion. At Maryland Championship Wrestling's Shane Shamrock Cup, Hardy defeated Luke Hawx in a TLC match for Hardy's title and Hawx's Extreme Rising World title. Hardy won the match, but he gave back the title to Hawx. On October 4, Hardy lost the MCW Heavyweight Championship back to Drolix, following outside interference from Kevin Eck.
On February 9, 2015, Hardy appeared on FWE's "No Limits 2015" iPPV, challenging Drew Galloway for the ICW World Heavyweight Championship, but was defeated.
On November 28, 2015, Hardy lost the WrestleCade Championship to Jeff Jarrett at WrestleCade IV in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Hardy regained the title in a triple-threat cage match against Jarrett and Ethan Carter III in Hickory, North Carolina on May 20, 2016. He appeared at the #DELETEWCPW event for What Culture Pro Wrestling (WCPW) in Nottingham, England on November 30. Hardy, billed as "Broken" Matt Hardy, lost a no-disqualification match to Bully Ray, with Ray proposing the no-disqualification stipulation at the last minute, and Hardy accepting there and then.
Return to ROH (2012–2014)
At Death Before Dishonor X: State of Emergency in 2012, Hardy returned to Ring of Honor, confronting Adam Cole and challenging him to a match for the ROH World Television Championship. On December 16 at Final Battle 2012: Doomsday, Hardy defeated Cole in a non-title match.
At the following iPPV, 11th Anniversary Show on March 2, 2013, Hardy joined the villainous S.C.U.M. stable. On April 5 at the Supercard of Honor VII iPPV, Hardy unsuccessfully challenged Matt Taven for the ROH World Television Championship in a three-way elimination match, which also included Adam Cole. On June 22 at Best in the World 2013, Hardy defeated former S.C.U.M. stablemate Kevin Steen in a No Disqualification match to become the number one contender to the ROH World Championship. Hardy received his title shot at the following day's Ring of Honor Wrestling tapings, but was defeated by the defending champion, Jay Briscoe. Later that same day, S.C.U.M. was forced to disband after losing a Steel Cage Warfare match against Team ROH. On December 14, 2013, at Final Battle 2013, Hardy defeated Adam Page in a singles match; later on in the main event, Hardy aided Adam Cole in retaining his title and forming a tag team with him. After aiding Cole at Supercard of Honor VIII, Hardy was given Jay Briscoe's unofficial "Real World Title" belt, which he renamed the "ROH Iconic Championship". In July, Hardy opted out of his ROH contract and went back to TNA.
Return to OMEGA (2013–2018)
Matt announced that OMEGA would return in January 2013 with an event titled "Chinlock For Chuck". The main event featured Matt, Jeff, Shane "Hurricane" Helms and "Cowboy" James Storm defeating Gunner, Steve Corino, CW Anderson and Lodi. On October 12, 2013, at "Chapel Thrill", Hardy announced a Tournament for the OMEGA Heavyweight Championship which featured himself vs. CW Anderson and Shane "Hurricane" Helms vs. "The King" Shane Williams. After Hardy's qualifying match he was attacked by CW but was saved by the returning Willow the Whisp. Hardy won that match and advanced to the finals.
On November 21, 2015, Matt won the OMEGA Heavyweight Championship for the second time, defeating former student Trevor Lee. Following this, Matt (upon regaining the TNA world title as part of his villainous egotistical "Iconic" gimmick) began proclaiming himself to be the only world champion that matters, and the only "true" world champion in wrestling, as he held both the TNA and OMEGA Championships, which (according to him) put him above any other promotions' world champions. Throughout 2016, Hardy defended the TNA and OMEGA titles jointly at OMEGA events as part of his "only true world champion" gimmick.
On January 29, The Hardys won the OMEGA Tag Team Championships.
Return to TNA
The Hardys third reunion (2014–2015)
On July 24, 2014, Hardy returned to TNA and reunited with Jeff to reform The Hardys for the third time. At the Destination X episode of Impact Wrestling, The Hardys were defeated by The Wolves in a match for the TNA World Tag Team Championship. On the August 14 episode of Impact Wrestling, Team 3D (formerly the Dudley Boyz) challenged The Hardys to a match, which Team 3D won. At the Hardcore Justice episode of Impact Wrestling, The Hardys and Team 3D talked about a match involving themselves and The Wolves. When The Wolves were asked by the two teams, they agreed. Later that night, Kurt Angle announced all three teams would compete in a best of three series for the TNA World Tag Team Championship with the winners of the first match choosing the stipulation of the next one. The Hardys won the second match of the series on the September 10 episode of Impact Wrestling in a tables match and choose a ladder match for the third match of the series. The Hardys were unsuccessful in winning that match on the September 17 episode of Impact Wrestling, as the Wolves won that match. The Wolves then went on to pick the final match of the series to be a Full Metal Mayhem match to take place on the October 8 episode of Impact Wrestling. The Hardys were unsuccessful in that match as the Wolves won that match.
On October 22, The Hardys entered a number one contenders tournament for the TNA World Tag Team Championship defeating The BroMans (Jessie Godderz and DJ Z) in the first round of the tournament. On the October 29 episode of Impact Wrestling, The Hardys defeated Team Dixie (Ethan Carter III and Tyrus) in the semifinals to advance to the finals of the tournament, where they defeated Samoa Joe and Low Ki to become number one contenders for the TNA World Tag Team Championship. On the January 16, 2015 episode of Impact Wrestling, The Hardys defeated the Wolves. At the Lockdown episode of Impact Wrestling, The Hardys were defeated by The Revolution in a six sides of steel cage match for the TNA World Tag Team Championship. On the February 20 episode of Impact Wrestling, Hardy and The Wolves defeated The Revolution in a six-man tag team match. In March, The Hardys participated in a tournament for the vacant TNA World Tag Team Championship. On March 16, 2015, Matt and Jeff won an Ultimate X match for the titles. On May 8, 2015, Hardy vacated the TNA World Tag Team Championship due to his brother Jeff being injured.
World Heavyweight Champion (2015–2016)
On June 28, 2015, Hardy was among the five wrestlers who competed for the TNA King of the Mountain Championship at Slammiversary, with Jeff Jarrett ultimately emerging victorious. On the July 8 episode of Impact Wrestling, Hardy requested a world title shot against Ethan Carter III, but was denied and forced to face the Dirty Heels (Austin Aries and Bobby Roode) in a handicap match, which he lost. On the July 22 episode of Impact Wrestling, Hardy defeated Roode in a Tables match to become the #1 contender for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. On the August 5 episode of Impact Wrestling, Hardy got his shot at the title against EC3 in a Full Metal Mayhem match, but failed to win the title. On the September 2 episode of Impact Wrestling, Hardy got another shot at the TNA World Heavyweight Championship against EC3, but again failed to win the title; as part of the storyline, Jeff Hardy was forced to act as Ethan Carter's personal assistant. On the September 30 episode of Impact Wrestling, Hardy was added to the Ethan Carter III vs. Drew Galloway main event match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship at Bound for Glory after he and Galloway defeated Carter and Tyrus, making it a three-way match, following which Jeff, who EC3 had just "fired" in the previous episode, was revealed to be the special guest referee.
On October 4 at Bound for Glory, Matt won the TNA World Heavyweight Championship by pinning Galloway. However, EC3 filed an injunction (kayfabe) that banned Hardy from appearing on Impact Wrestling for a month, which forced Hardy to relinquish the title in order to stay on the show. However, Hardy had been participating in the TNA World Title Series for the vacant title. He qualified to the round of 16 by defeating Davey Richards, Robbie E and Eddie Edwards. He then advanced to the round of 8 by defeating the King of the Mountain Champion Bobby Roode and then to Jessie Godderz to continue his winning streak. The semifinals and finals were held on the January 5, 2016, live episode of Impact Wrestling during its debut on Pop TV, in which he defeated Eric Young to advance to the final round. Hardy faced EC3 in the TNA World Title Series finals, but lost the match via pinfall.
Hardy won the TNA World Title from EC3 on the January 19, 2016 episode of Impact Wrestling, becoming the first man to defeat him in a one-on-one match in TNA. During the match a double turn took place; Hardy turned heel after Tyrus betrayed EC3. The following week on Impact Wrestling, Jeff Hardy had confronted him about last week and issued a challenge to Matt for the World Heavyweight title in the main event and Matt accepted. However, later before the main event could begin, Eric Young and Bram attacked Jeff from behind. Kurt Angle then came out to try save Jeff, and Matt had Tyrus attack Angle from behind. While Matt watched from the ramp, Young attacked Jeff with the Piledriver off the apron through a table. The following week, he successfully retained his title against Angle. At Lockdown, he retained his title in a Six-side of steel match against Ethan Carter III, with the help of Rockstar Spud. He lost his title against Drew Galloway on the March 15 episode of Impact Wrestling, after a match featuring EC3 and Jeff Hardy.
Two weeks later he received a rematch for the title on Impact Wrestling, but was again defeated by Galloway. After losing the title he started a feud with Jeff. On the April 19 episode of Impact Wrestling, and an I Quit match ended in a no-contest as both Matt and Jeff were badly injured and Matt was taken out to the hospital on a stretcher.
The Broken Universe (2016–2017)
Hardy returned on May 17 episode of Impact Wrestling, revealing himself to be one of the impostor Willows behind the attacks on Jeff. Later that night, he attacked Jeff. In the following weeks, Hardy debuted a new persona as a "Broken" man with part of his hair bleached blonde along with a strange sophisticated accent, blaming Jeff (who he began referring to as "Brother Nero", Nero being Jeff's middle name) for breaking him and becoming obsessed with "deleting" him. His line “Delete”, is mostly inspired by the Death Note manga/anime series character Teru Mikami. On June 12, at Slammiversary, Matt was defeated by Jeff in a Full Metal Mayhem match. On the June 21 episode of Impact Wrestling, Matt was once again defeated by Jeff in a Six Sides of Steel match. On the June 28 episode of Impact Wrestling, Matt challenged Jeff to a final battle with the Hardy brand on the line, to take place at their home in Cameron, North Carolina the next week. On July 5, during special episode "The Final Deletion", Matt defeated Jeff in the match to become sole owner of the Hardy brand, forcing Jeff to drop his last name and become referred to as "Brother Nero".
On the August 18 episode of Impact Wrestling, Matt and Brother Nero defeated The Tribunal, The BroMans and The Helms Dynasty in an "Ascension To Hell" match for an opportunity to challenge Decay for the TNA World Tag Team Championship. On September 8, during special episode "Delete or Decay", the Hardys faced Decay in a match held at the Hardy compound, where Brother Nero sacrificed himself to save Matt from Abyss. Thanks to Brother Nero's sacrifice, Hardy was able to confront Rosemary and prevent his son Maxel from being abducted, which turned Hardy babyface as a result, and he furthered the face turn by healing Brother Nero in the Lake of Reincarnation. At Bound for Glory, the Hardys defeated Decay in "The Great War" to win the TNA World Tag Team Championship for the second time. On the October 6 episode of Impact Wrestling, they successfully defended their titles against Decay, in a Wolf Creek match.
On the November 3 episode of Impact Wrestling, the Hardys successfully defended the titles against The Tribunal. After the match, the Hardys were attacked by the masked trio known as Death Crew Council (DCC). After accepting DCC's title challenge, The Hardys faced Bram and Kingston, and Matt pinned Kingston to retain the titles. On December 15, during special episode "Total Nonstop Deletion", they were once again successful in retaining. Brother Nero attacked Crazzy Steve with the Twist of Fate, who then fell into a volcano (that had appeared on the compound in the weeks leading up the event), and was shot up into the sky, landing in the ring. Matt then covered him to win the match.
On the January 12, 2017 episode of Impact Wrestling, The Hardys successfully defended their titles against The Wolves. At Genesis, The Hardys retained their titles against the DCC and Decay in a three-way tag team match. On Open Fight Night, the Hardys began a storyline where they would teleport to different promotions and win that promotions' tag team championship gold, which was referred to by Matt as their "Expedition of Gold". On February 27, Hardy announced that both he and Jeff had finally left TNA, following years of speculation, with their contracts expiring that week. Though the two sides were reportedly close to a contract agreement, talks began to break down and changes in management prompted their departure from the company. The TNA World Tag Team Championships were vacated due to the Hardys' departure and was explained on TNA television in a segment where The Hardys teleported to their next Expedition of Gold destination, but a technicality resulted in them disappearing and the belts appearing in the arms of Decay.
Broken gimmick legal battle
Shortly after the departure of Matt and Jeff from TNA was made public, Matt's wife, Reby, went on a social media tirade in which she repeatedly slammed TNA, the company's new management and the way in which contract negotiations between the company and the Hardy family were conducted. A few weeks following this, the bad blood between the two sides intensified, so much so that the new management of TNA (now renamed Impact Wrestling) Anthem Sports & Entertainment issued a cease and desist letter to The Hardys' new promotion Ring of Honor (ROH), in which Anthem essentially ordered ROH as well as any broadcasting company airing ROH's 15th Anniversary pay–per–view show (on which The Hardys were to participate in a match) to not in any way speak of, indicate or acknowledge the existence of the Broken Matt and Brother Nero characters and instead to refer to The Hardys as simply Matt Hardy and Jeff Hardy. The issue with this is that while The Hardys were in TNA, they had full creative control over the Broken gimmick, with them even filming their own segments to air on TNA programming in some circumstances, thus making the Hardy family (in their belief) the owners of the Broken gimmick. It is believed that civil litigation will follow and a potential court hearing will take place regarding the outcome on who owns the Broken gimmick: Anthem or the Hardy family. Until then, the status of the Broken gimmick remains undecided. Despite this, Matt continues to use the Broken gimmick through his social media accounts, but neither he nor Jeff uses the Broken gimmick at any professional wrestling shows for ROH or on the independent circuit, presumably until the results of the expected legal proceedings have been finalized.
Newly–appointed Impact Wrestling President Ed Nordholm credits the invention of and the vision behind the Broken gimmick to Jeremy Borash, Dave Lagana and Billy Corgan, and while Borash specifically had the most input into the gimmick of the three aside from Matt, the Hardy family deny that Borash was the sole person behind the gimmick. In November 2017, Impact Wrestling changed their policy, allowing all talent to retain complete ownership over their intellectual property, essentially forfeiting ownership of the "Broken" character to Hardy.
On January 31, 2018, the legal battle officially concluded when Matt legally acquired ownership of all trademarks related to the Broken universe and the Broken gimmick, which includes 'Broken Matt', 'Brother Nero', 'Broken Brilliance' and 'Vanguard1'.
International matches (2014–2015)
On November 1, 2014, Hardy traveled to Japan to compete for Wrestle-1 at the promotions Keiji Muto 30th Anniversary Hold Out show in a triple threat match against Seiya Sanada and Tajiri, which he lost.
On May 24, 2015, Hardy traveled to Mexico to compete as a team captain for Team TNA/Lucha Underground with teammates Mr. Anderson and Johnny Mundo at Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide's 2015 Lucha Libre World Cup pay–per–view show. In the quarter–final round, Team TNA/Lucha Underground faced Team Rest of the World (Drew Galloway, Angélico and El Mesías) to a 15-minute time limit draw, with Team TNA/Lucha Underground winning in overtime and advancing to the semi–final round. In the semi–final round, Team TNA/Lucha Underground defeated Team MexLeyendas (Blue Demon Jr., Dr. Wagner Jr. and El Solar) to advance to the final round. In the final round, Team TNA/Lucha Underground faced Dream Team (El Patrón Alberto, Myzteziz and Rey Mysterio Jr.) to a 15–minute time limit draw, with Dream Team winning both the match and the tournament in overtime with Hardy on the losing end of the final pinfall.
Second return to ROH (2016–2017)
On December 2, 2016, Hardy returned to ROH for the second time while still under contract with TNA, appearing at the promotions Final Battle pay-per-view show as Broken Matt, where a video message showed him addressing The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) and The Briscoes (Jay Briscoe and Mark Briscoe).
On March 4, 2017, in the same week that both Matt and Jeff were released from TNA, The Hardys defeated The Young Bucks in an impromptu match at ROH's 2017 installment of the company's Manhattan Mayhem show series to become the new ROH World Tag Team Champions for the first time. Moments after winning the titles, Hardy announced in a post-match promo that both he and Brother Nero (Jeff) had signed "the biggest ROH contracts in (the company's) history". It was later confirmed that the contracts were short-term, only for the "immediate future". On March 10, The Hardys successfully defended the ROH World Tag Team Championship for the first time at ROH's 15th Anniversary pay-per-view show against The Young Bucks and Roppongi Vice (Beretta and Rocky Romero) in a three-way Las Vegas tag team street fight match. Prior to the event, the Hardys had been sent a legal threat by Impact Wrestling regarding the use of the Broken Matt and Brother Nero gimmicks. The following night on March 11, The Hardys (not billed but using the Broken gimmicks anyway) once again retained the titles, this time against The Briscoes at a set of Ring of Honor Wrestling television tapings. The Hardys lost the titles back to The Young Bucks in a ladder match on April 1 at ROH's Supercard of Honor XI pay-per-view show, which would be the final ROH appearances for both Hardys in this tenure with the promotion.
Second return to WWE (2017–2020)
Feud with The Bar (2017)
At the WrestleMania 33 pay-per-view on April 2, 2017, Hardy made his surprise return to WWE, along with his brother Jeff Hardy, being added as last-minute participants in the ladder match for the Raw Tag Team Championship, defeating Gallows and Anderson, Cesaro and Sheamus, and Enzo and Cass to win the Raw Tag Team Championship. Afterwards on Raw Talk, Hardy mentioned that The Hardy Boyz had successfully completed the Expedition of Gold, after winning the Raw Tag Team Championship. At Payback, The Hardy Boyz retained their championships against Cesaro and Sheamus, who attacked them after the match. The next night on Raw, Cesaro and Sheamus explained their actions, claiming the fans were more supportive of 'novelty acts' from the past like The Hardy Boyz, who they feel did not deserve to be in the match at WrestleMania 33. Subsequently, at Extreme Rules, The Hardy Boyz lost the titles against Cesaro and Sheamus in a steel cage match, and failed to regain it back the following month at the Great Balls of Fire event. Afterwards, it was revealed that Jeff had gotten injured and would be out for an estimated six months, thus Hardy began wrestling in singles matches.
Woken Universe and storyline with Bray Wyatt (2017–2018)
During his feud with Bray Wyatt, Hardy introduced his "Woken" gimmick, after Impact Wrestling dropped their claim to the gimmick and Hardy gained full ownership of it. Wyatt defeated Hardy at Raw 25 on January 22, 2018, and Hardy defeated Wyatt at Elimination Chamber on February 25. Their final match happened on the March 19 episode of Raw, dubbed The Ultimate Deletion, with Hardy winning after distractions from Señor Benjamin. Wyatt then disappeared after being thrown into the Lake of Reincarnation. At WrestleMania 34 on April 7, Hardy competed in the annual André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, and won the match due to a distraction by the returning Wyatt. After WrestleMania, Hardy and Wyatt performed as a tag team, sometimes referred to as The Deleters of Worlds. They won a tournament for the vacant Raw Tag Team Championship, defeating Cesaro and Sheamus at the Greatest Royal Rumble event to win the title. However, they lost the titles at Extreme Rules to The B-Team (Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel). On the July 23 episode of Raw, Hardy and Wyatt received a rematch for the titles, but was again defeated by The B-Team. Following this, Hardy revealed that he was taking time off due to his back fusing with his pelvis, effectively disbanding the team. According to Hardy, the reason WWE disbanded the team was because he and Wyatt pitched several ideas to WWE to work with their characters.
The Hardys fourth reunion and departure (2019–2020)
After more than seven months of absence from television, Hardy returned on the February 26, 2019 episode of SmackDown Live, teaming with his brother Jeff to defeat The Bar (Cesaro and Sheamus). At WrestleMania 35 on April 7, Hardy competed in the André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, but was eliminated by eventual winner, Braun Strowman. Two days later on SmackDown Live, The Hardy Boyz defeated The Usos to win the SmackDown Tag Team Championship. The reign only lasted 21 days (recognized as 20 days by WWE), as they had to vacate the title due to Jeff injuring his knee, this was explained in storyline as injuries afflicted by Lars Sullivan. After his brother Jeff's injury, Hardy began to appear on WWE programming less frequently. At Super ShowDown on June 7, Hardy competed in the 51-man Battle Royal, which was eventually won by Mansoor. From November to December, Hardy occasionally appeared on Raw, losing matches against superstars like Buddy Murphy, Drew McIntyre, Ricochet and Erick Rowan.
On the February 10, 2020 episode of Raw, Hardy confronted Randy Orton about Orton's attack on Edge two weeks earlier. Hardy then got himself into a brawl with him moments after, and was viciously attacked by Orton. The following week on Raw, an injured Hardy appeared and was once again assaulted by Orton, which would be his final appearance in WWE. On March 2, Hardy announced his departure from WWE through his official YouTube channel, where Hardy said that while he's grateful towards the people behind the scenes, he said he is also on different pages with WWE as he feels he needs to have creative input and still has more to give. Later that day, WWE announced that his contract had expired.
All Elite Wrestling
Multiple personalities (2020–2021)
Hardy made his All Elite Wrestling (AEW) debut on the March 18, 2020 episode of Dynamite, reverting to his "Broken" gimmick and being announced as the replacement for the kayfabe injured Nick Jackson on The Elite's team at Blood and Guts. However, the event was postponed to the following year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On the May 6 episode of Dynamite, Hardy wrestled his first match with AEW, teaming up with Kenny Omega for a street fight against The Inner Circle's Chris Jericho and Sammy Guevara, and Hardy and Omega lost when Jericho pinned Omega. During this period, due to the lack of live audience, Hardy felt that the Broken character needs public, so he began to include several of his gimmicks, including Broken Matt Hardy, Big Money Matt, Matt Hardy V1, and Unkillable Matt Hardy, being referred to as "Multifarious" Matt Hardy. AEW president Tony Khan later admitted that he "wasn't a fan" of the Broken gimmick and much preferred more realistic presentations in wrestling.
At Double or Nothing, Hardy teamed with The Elite to defeat The Inner Circle in the first ever Stadium Stampede match. During the match, Santana and Ortiz dunked Hardy in the stadium pool, which acted as a version of the Lake of Reincarnation, as Hardy kept cycling through his various gimmicks throughout his career when he surfaced. Hardy then feuded with Sammy Guevara, and after Hardy defeated Guevara in a Broken Rules match at All Out, Hardy took time off until he was cleared to return, due to an injury sustained during the match. On the September 16 episode of Dynamite, Hardy aligned with Private Party (Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen) as their manager, but was attacked backstage before their match. The attacker was later revealed as Guevara and The Elite Deletion match was announced, which took place at The Hardy Compound in Cameron, North Carolina, where Hardy won.
The Hardy Family Office (2021–present)
Hardy then switched to his Big Money persona as he focused on managing Private Party. Over the following weeks, Hardy would display villainous tactics as he began cheating during matches much to Private Party's dismay. On the January 20, 2021 episode of Dynamite, Hardy and Private Party defeated Matt Sydal and Top Flight (Dante Martin and Darius Martin) after using a steel chair before attacking Sydal and Top Flight afterwards, thus turning heel. Hardy then approached Adam Page to accompany and befriend him, and during tag team matches, Hardy would always tag himself in and pick up the victory for his team to Page's behest. After Page set up a match between Hardy and himself, Hardy double-crossed Page, with Private Party and The Hybrid 2 (Angélico and Jack Evans) attacking Page until The Dark Order came out to save him. At the Revolution event, Hardy lost to Page despite multiple interferences from Private Party.
Following Revolution, Hardy became the manager for The Butcher and The Blade (with their valet The Bunny in tow), and along with Private Party, the stable became known as the Matt Hardy Empire before settling on the name Hardy Family Office. Hardy also added The Hybrid 2 to his group in July having previously hiring them on a mercenary basis. At Double or Nothing, Hardy competed in Casino Battle Royale but was eliminated by Christian Cage. This led to a match between the two at Fyter Fest, where Hardy lost to Cage. In August, Matt Hardy and HFO began a feud with Orange Cassidy and Best Friends, which led to a match on the August 25 episode of Dynamite, where Hardy was defeated by Cassidy. However, on the November 12 episode of Rampage, Hardy defeated Cassidy in a Lumberjack match, thanks to an interference from HFO and the heel lumberjacks. Their feud ended on the November 17 episode of Dynamite where his team of The Butcher and The Blade lost to the team of Cassidy and Tomohiro Ishii, where Cassidy gave a crossbody to the interfering Hardy and The Blade during the match.
Professional wrestling style and persona
After the creation of his Broken character, Hardy was praised by several wrestlers and critics for reinventing himself several times during his career. During his career, Hardy has won the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Best Gimmick award two times under two different characters, once in 2002 and again in 2016.
Personal life
Hardy was in a six-year relationship with wrestler Amy Dumas, better known as Lita. They first met in January 1999 at a NWA Mid-Atlantic show but did not begin dating until a few months later. They broke up in February 2005 when he discovered that she was having an affair with one of Hardy's close friends, fellow wrestler Adam Copeland, better known as Edge. Hardy also dated WWE wrestler Ashley Massaro.
Hardy married wrestler Rebecca Reyes, better known as Reby Sky, on October 5, 2013. They have three sons and one daughter. Hardy had previously been an addict, and credits his wife for helping him get clean.
Hardy is good friends with fellow wrestlers Marty Garner, Shannon Moore, and Gregory Helms. In December 2020, he claimed to have Native American ancestry.
Legal issues
Hardy was arrested for a DUI on August 20, 2011. Two days later, he was arrested on felony drug charges when police found steroids in his home. In November 2011, Hardy was removed from court-ordered rehab and sent back to jail for drinking.
In January 2014, Hardy and his wife were both arrested after a fight at a hotel.
Other media
In 1999, Matt, along with his brother Jeff, appeared as an uncredited wrestler on That '70s Show episode "That Wrestling Show". Matt and Jeff also appeared on Tough Enough in early 2001, talking to and wrestling the contestants. He appeared in the February 25, 2002 episode of Fear Factor competing against five other World Wrestling Federation wrestlers, including his brother. He won $50,000 for the American Cancer Society. Hardy also appeared on the October 13, 2009 episode of Scare Tactics, as a mental patient who threatens to attack the prank's victim.
In 2001, Matt, Jeff, and Lita appeared in Rolling Stone magazine's 2001 Sports Hall of Fame issue. In 2003, Matt and Jeff, with the help of Michael Krugman, wrote and published their autobiography The Hardy Boyz: Exist 2 Inspire. As part of WWE, Matt appeared in their DVD, The Hardy Boyz: Leap of Faith in 2001. On April 29, 2008, WWE released Twist of Fate: The Matt and Jeff Hardy Story. The DVD featured footage of the brothers in OMEGA and WWE. Hardy also appears on The Hardy Show, an Internet web show which features the Hardys, Shannon Moore, and many of their friends.
Hardy plays himself in the 2013 film Pro Wrestlers vs Zombies in which he and his real-life wife Reby Sky battle the undead.
Hardy's first WWE video game was WWF WrestleMania 2000 in 1999 on the Nintendo 64 shortly followed by WWF SmackDown! in early 2000 on the PlayStation. He made several appearances later in WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your Role, WWF SmackDown! Just Bring It, WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth, WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain, and WWE SmackDown vs. Raw. He later returned to the series in WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008, WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009, WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2010, and WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011, which was his last WWE video game before his departure to TNA. Following his return to WWE in 2017, he was revealed as a DLC character in WWE 2K18 on September 25 that year alongside tag team partner and brother, Jeff Hardy. Hardy was revealed as a playable character in WWE 2K19 on August 30, 2018. His final appearance in a WWE video game came with WWE 2K20 in 2019.
Filmography
Championships and accomplishments
All Elite Wrestling
Dynamite Award (1 time)
"Bleacher Report PPV Moment of the Year" (2021) – Stadium Stampede match (The Elite vs. The Inner Circle) – Double or Nothing (May 23)
All Star Wrestling (West Virginia)
ASW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Brother Nero
CBS Sports
Worst Moment of the Year (2020) vs. Sammy Guevara at All Out (2020)
The Crash
The Crash Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Brother Nero
Future Stars of Wrestling
FSW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
House of Glory
HOG Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jeff Hardy
Maryland Championship Wrestling/MCW Pro Wrestling
MCW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
MCW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jeff Hardy
Extreme Rising World Championship (1 time)
National Championship Wrestling
NCW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
NCW Light Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
New Dimension Wrestling
NDW Light Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
NDW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jeff Hardy
New England Wrestling Alliance
NEWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
NEWA Hall of Fame (class of 2012)
New Frontier Wrestling Association
NFWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
NFWA Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Venom
NWA 2000
NWA 2000 Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jeff Hardy
OMEGA Championship Wrestling
OMEGA Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
OMEGA Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Brother Nero/Jeff Hardy
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Comeback of the Year (2017) with Jeff Hardy
Feud of the Year (2005) vs. Edge and Lita
Match of the Year (2000) with Jeff Hardy vs. The Dudley Boyz and Edge and Christian in a triangle ladder match at WrestleMania 2000
Match of the Year (2001) with Jeff Hardy vs. The Dudley Boyz and Edge and Christian in a Tables, Ladders and Chairs match at WrestleMania X-Seven
Tag Team of the Year (2000) with Jeff Hardy
Ranked No. 17 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2003
Pro Wrestling Syndicate
PWS Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
Remix Pro Wrestling
Remix Pro Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Facade
Ring of Honor
ROH World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jeff Hardy
Holy S*** Moment of the Decade (2010s) – – with Jeff Hardy
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
TNA World Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
TNA World Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Jeff Hardy/Brother Nero
TNA World Tag Team Championship Tournament (2015) – with Jeff Hardy
TNA World Tag Team Championship #1 Contender Tournament (2014) – with Jeff Hardy
WrestleCade
WrestleCade Championship (2 times)
Wrestling Observer Newsletter
Best Gimmick (2002, 2016)
Worst Feud of the Year (2004) with Lita vs. Kane
Wrestling Superstar
Wrestling Superstar Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jeff Hardy
WWE/World Wrestling Entertainment/Federation
ECW Championship (1 time)
WWF Hardcore Championship (1 time)
WWF European Championship (1 time)
WWE United States Championship (1 time)
WWE Cruiserweight Championship (1 time)
WWF/World Tag Team Championship (6 times) – with Jeff Hardy
WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jeff Hardy
WWE Raw Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with Montel Vontavious Porter (1) Jeff Hardy (1) and Bray Wyatt (1)
WCW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jeff Hardy
André the Giant Memorial Trophy (2018)
Bragging Rights Trophy (2009) – with Team SmackDown
Terri Invitational Tournament (1999) – with Jeff Hardy
WWE Tag Team Eliminator (2018) - with Bray Wyatt
Luchas de Apuestas record
Notes
References
Sources
External links
1974 births
All Elite Wrestling personnel
American bloggers
American male professional wrestlers
American YouTubers
Male YouTubers
ECW champions
ECW Heavyweight Champions/ECW World Heavyweight Champions
Living people
NWA/WCW/WWE United States Heavyweight Champions
Participants in American reality television series
Professional wrestlers from North Carolina
Professional wrestling managers and valets
Reality show winners
Sportspeople from Raleigh, North Carolina
TNA World Heavyweight/Impact World Champions
TNA/Impact World Tag Team Champions
Twitch (service) streamers
University of North Carolina at Charlotte alumni
WWF European Champions
WWF/WWE Hardcore Champions
| true |
[
"Broken Arrow was the name popularly given to Hill 391 in the south of North Korea, between the South Korean city of Chorwon and Pyonggang in North Korea. Its correct name was Haktang-ni, but on account of its perceived similarity with an Arrow head, it was nicknamed by US troops in the area \"Broken Arrow\".\n\nHaktang-ni\n\nThe hill of \"Broken Arrow\" is an isolated ridge about 1,500 meters long, extending from south to north and dominating the surrounding plain for hundreds of metres in each direction. It is rocky and entirely clear of cover. At the northern extremity of the hill is the steepest and highest point of the hill, the centre section plateaus before a very steep rocky outcrop to the extreme south.\n\nBattle of Haktang-ni, October 1951\n\nDuring the Korean War, in the winter of 1951, \"Broken Arrow\" was the site of the Battle of Haktang-ni where a small UN Belgian force held off a much larger Chinese assault for several days.\n\nExternal links\n Description of the Battle\n Description of the Battle with model of the hill\n\nReferences\n\nKorean War",
"Five ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Barfleur after the Battle of Barfleur:\n was a 90-gun second-rate ship of the line launched in 1697, rebuilt in 1716 with 80 guns, and hulked in 1764. She was broken up in 1783. \n was a 90-gun second-rate ship of the line launched in 1768, and later increased to 98 guns. She was broken up in 1819. \n HMS Barfleur was a 100-gun first-rate ship of the line launched in 1762 as . She was renamed HMS Barfleur in 1819 and was broken up in 1825.\n was a launched in 1892 and broken up in 1910.\n was a launched in 1943 and broken up in 1966.\n\nBattle honours\nShips named Barfleur have earned the following battle honours:\n\n Vigo, 1702\n Velez Malaga, 1704\n Passero, 1718\n St Kitts, 1782\n The Saints, 1782\n First of June, 1794\n Groix Island, 1795\n St Vincent, 1797\n China, 1900\n\nSee also \n Barfleur (disambiguation)\n\nReferences\n \n\nRoyal Navy ship names"
] |
[
"Matt Hardy",
"Broken gimmick legal battle",
"what was the broken gimmick legal battle about?",
"while The Hardys were in TNA, they had full creative control over the Broken gimmick,"
] |
C_2396c4bd272c4d19b473c69cbf3464c8_1
|
what happened legally?
| 2 |
What happened legally in the case of Matt Hardy's Broken gimmick?
|
Matt Hardy
|
Shortly after the departure of Matt and Jeff from TNA was made public, Matt's wife, Reby, went on a social media tirade in which she repeatedly slammed TNA, the company's new management and the way in which contract negotiations between the company and the Hardy family were conducted. A few weeks following this, the bad blood between the two sides intensified, so much so that the new management of TNA (now renamed Impact Wrestling) Anthem Sports & Entertainment issued a cease and desist letter to The Hardys' new promotion Ring of Honor (ROH), in which Anthem essentially ordered ROH as well as any broadcasting company airing ROH's 15th Anniversary pay-per-view show (on which The Hardys were to participate in a match) to not in any way speak of, indicate or acknowledge the existence of the Broken Matt and Brother Nero characters and instead to refer to The Hardys as simply Matt Hardy and Jeff Hardy. The issue with this is that while The Hardys were in TNA, they had full creative control over the Broken gimmick, with them even filming their own segments to air on TNA programming in some circumstances, thus making the Hardy family (in their belief) the owners of the Broken gimmick. It is believed that civil litigation will follow and a potential court hearing will take place regarding the final outcome on who owns the Broken gimmick: Anthem or the Hardy family. Until then, the status of the Broken gimmick remains undecided. Despite this, Matt continues to use the Broken gimmick through his social media accounts, but neither him or Jeff use the Broken gimmick at any professional wrestling shows for ROH or on the independent circuit, presumably until the results of the expected legal proceedings have been finalized. Newly-appointed Impact Wrestling President Ed Nordholm credits the invention of and the vision behind the Broken gimmick to Jeremy Borash, Dave Lagana and Billy Corgan, and while Borash specifically had the most input into the gimmick of the three aside from Matt, the Hardy family deny that Borash was the sole person behind the gimmick. In November 2017, Impact Wrestling changed their policy, allowing all talent to retain complete ownership over their intellectual property, essentially forfeiting ownership of the "Broken" character to Hardy. On January 31, 2018, the legal battle officially concluded when Matt legally acquired ownership of all trademarks related to the Broken universe and the Broken gimmick, which includes 'Broken Matt', 'Brother Nero', 'Broken Brilliance' and 'Vanguard1'. Matt is now able to use the Broken gimmick as he sees fit, regardless of the promotion he competes in with the one caveat being that the promotion green-lights the use of the gimmick in that promotion, which includes major domestic U.S. promotions such as WWE or ROH. CANNOTANSWER
|
legal battle officially concluded when Matt legally acquired ownership of all trademarks
|
Matthew Moore Hardy (born September 23, 1974) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). He is also known for his time with WWE, Impact Wrestling, and Ring of Honor (ROH).
With his real life brother Jeff, Hardy gained notoriety in WWF's tag team division during the 2000s due to his participation in TLC matches. He is a 14-time world tag team champion, having held the WWE World Tag Team Championship six times, the WWE Raw Tag Team Championship three times, the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship, ROH World Tag Team Championship, and WCW Tag Team Championship once each, and the TNA World Tag Team Championships twice.
Wrestling through four separate decades, Hardy has kept himself relevant partially through a variety of different gimmicks and his use of social media. In 2002, Hardy began a solo career in WWE. His subsequent "Version 1" persona was named Best Gimmick by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Hardy's eccentric "Broken" gimmick, which he debuted in 2016 (and which was renamed "Woken" following his subsequent WWE return), garnered praise from wrestling critics and earned him multiple awards, including a second Best Gimmick award, becoming one of the most talked about characters in all of wrestling. As a singles wrestler, Hardy has won three world championships (one ECW Championship, and two TNA World Heavyweight Championships). All totaled between WWE, TNA/Impact, and ROH, Hardy has held 21 total championships.
Early life
Hardy was born in Cameron, North Carolina, the son of Gilbert and Ruby Moore Hardy. He is the older brother of Jeff Hardy. Their mother died of brain cancer in 1987. Hardy played baseball as a child and throughout high school, but had stopped by his senior year. He also played football, either as a linebacker or a defensive end. Hardy was a good student at Union Pines High School in North Carolina, and was a nominee for the "Morehead Award", a scholarship to any university in North Carolina. Hardy attended University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where he majored in engineering; after a year, however, he dropped out due to his father being ill. He then attended Sandhills Community College in Pinehurst to gain his associate degree.
Professional wrestling career
Early career (1992–2001)
Hardy, along with his brother Jeff and friends, started their own federation, the Trampoline Wrestling Federation (TWF) and mimicked the moves they saw on television. Shortly after Hardy sent in a tape for the World Championship Wrestling (WCW) Amateur Challenge using the ring name High Voltage, a tag team named High Voltage began competing in WCW, causing Hardy to change his name to Surge. A few years later, it was revealed to him by Chris Kanyon that the tape had been kept in the WCW Power Plant, watched multiple times, and that the name High Voltage was blatantly stolen from it. Beginning in 1994, The Hardys wrestled for several North Carolina-based independent circuit promotions and adapted a number of alter-egos. As The Wolverine, Hardy captured the New England Wrestling Alliance (NEWA) Championship in May 1994. As High Voltage, he teamed with Venom to claim the New Frontier Wrestling Association (NFWA) Tag Team Championship in March 1995. A month later, High Voltage defeated the Willow for the NFWA Championship.
In 1997, Matt and Jeff created their own wrestling promotion, The Organization of Modern Extreme Grappling Arts (frequently abbreviated to OMEGA Championship Wrestling, or simply OMEGA), in which Matt competed under the name High Voltage. Both Matt and Jeff took apart the ring and put it back together at every event they had, while Matt sewed all the costumes worn in OMEGA. The promotion folded in October 1999, after both Matt and Jeff signed with the World Wrestling Federation.
World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment
Early years (1994–1998)
Hardy worked as a jobber for the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) from 1994 up until he signed a full-time contract in 1998. His first WWF match was against Nikolai Volkoff on the May 23, 1994 episode of Monday Night Raw, which he lost by submission. A night later at a taping of WWF Wrestling Challenge, he lost a match against Owen Hart. He continued to wrestle sporadically in the WWF throughout 1994 and 1995, losing matches against Crush, Razor Ramon, Hakushi, Owen Hart, the imposter Undertaker, Hunter Hearst Helmsley and "The Ringmaster" Steve Austin.
Hardy teamed with Jeff for the first time in the WWF in 1996, losing to teams such as The Smoking Gunns and The Grimm Twins on WWF television. Matt and Jeff had a short lived feud with The Headbangers (Thrasher and Mosh), losing to the duo twice in 1997. It was during this time that Matt and Jeff experimented with different ring names, at one stage being called Ingus (Matt) and Wildo Jinx (Jeff). In Matt's final singles match for the promotion before signing a full-time contract he lost to Val Venis on a taping of Shotgun in 1998.
The Hardy Boyz (1998–2001)
It was not until 1998, however, (at the height of The Attitude Era) that the Hardy brothers were given full-time WWF contracts and sent to train with former wrestler Dory Funk, Jr. The Hardy Boyz used a cruiserweight, fast-paced high flying style in their matches, often leaping from great heights to do damage to their opponents (and themselves in the process). In 1999, while feuding with Edge and Christian, the duo briefly picked up Michael Hayes as a manager.
At King of the Ring, The Hardyz defeated Edge and Christian to earn the #1 contendership for the WWF Tag Team Championship. On July 5, they defeated The APA to win their first Tag Team Championship. They soon dumped Hayes and briefly picked up Gangrel as a manager, after Gangrel turned on Edge and Christian. At No Mercy, The Hardyz defeated Edge and Christian in the first ever tag team ladder match. At the Royal Rumble pay-per-view, The Hardyz defeated The Dudley Boyz in the first ever tag team tables match. They competed against The Dudley Boyz and Edge and Christian for the Tag Team Championships at WrestleMania 2000 in the first ever Triangle Ladder match, but were unsuccessful.
Hardy won the Hardcore Championship on April 24, 2000, on Raw Is War, by defeating Crash Holly, but lost it back to Holly three days later on SmackDown!, when Holly applied the "24/7 rule" during Hardy's title defense against Jeff. The Hardy Boyz then found a new manager in Matt's real-life girlfriend Lita. Together, the three became known as "Team Xtreme".
The Hardy Boyz competed in the first ever Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match, for the WWF Tag Team Championship against The Dudley Boyz and Edge and Christian, but were unsuccessful. At Unforgiven, The Hardyz defeated Edge and Christian in a steel cage match to win the tag team championship, and successfully retained it the following night on Raw Is War against Edge and Christian in a ladder match.
In April 2001, The Hardyz began feuding with Stone Cold Steve Austin and Triple H (known as The Power Trip), which also led to a singles push for both Matt and Jeff. Hardy helped Jeff defeat Triple H for the Intercontinental Championship, and shortly after Hardy defeated Eddie Guerrero to win the European Championship on SmackDown!. At Backlash he retained the title against Guerrero and Christian in a triple threat, and against Edge the following night on Raw.
Throughout the year, the Hardy Boyz continued to win as a tag team, winning the WWF Tag Team Titles two more times, and the WCW Tag Team Championship during the Invasion. By the end of the year, the Hardy Boyz began a storyline where they were having trouble co-existing. This culminated in a match between the two, with Lita as the guest referee, at the Vengeance pay-per-view, which Jeff won. Hardy defeated Jeff and Lita the following night on Raw in a two-on-one handicap match.
Version 1 gimmick and feud with Kane (2002–2004)
At the beginning of 2002, it seemed Team Xtreme had patched things up. After the brand extension, however, Matt was relegated to Heat while Jeff wrestled on the main show, Raw. On the August 12 episode of Raw, Hardy turned heel by attacking Jeff during Jeff's match against Rob Van Dam, because Hardy was frustrated at not receiving a match against Van Dam for the number one contendership for the Intercontinental Championship. A short time later, Hardy joined the SmackDown! roster, and began dubbing himself "Matt Hardy: Version 1", complete with a "version 1" hand signal. Hardy defeated The Undertaker on the September 12 and October 3 episodes of the show, due to interference from Brock Lesnar.
Along with his Mattitude Follower Shannon Moore in his corner, 2003 began with Hardy frantically trying to lose weight to get under the weight limit to compete for the Cruiserweight Championship. After just barely making weight, Hardy defeated Billy Kidman at No Way Out to win the Cruiserweight title. At WrestleMania XIX, he successfully defended it against Rey Mysterio. Hardy lost the Cruiserweight Championship to Mysterio in the main event of the June 5 episode of SmackDown! - the first and only time a Cruiserweight Championship match main evented a show.
After dropping the Cruiserweight Championship, Hardy briefly feuded with Eddie Guerrero, but was unsuccessful in capturing Guerrero's United States Championship or WWE Tag Team Championship. The Mattitude faction then expanded to include Crash Holly as Moore's "Moore-on" (apprentice). He later disbanded the group in November and returned to Raw in order to be able to travel and work with his then girlfriend Lita, who just returned from an injury. On his first night back, he turned on Lita in storyline after teasing a proposal to her. He defeated Christian, who was vying for Lita's affections, on the following edition of Raw.
In April 2004, Hardy saved Lita from getting attacked by Kane, turning face in the process. Hardy defeated Kane in a no disqualification match at Vengeance, but lost a "Till Death To Us Part" match against Kane at SummerSlam, resulting in Lita being forced to marry Kane. On the August 23 episode of Raw, Hardy was chokeslamed off the stage by Kane during the wedding. Hardy then spent almost a year off from wrestling due to a severe knee injury.
Departure and sporadic appearances (2005)
Along with his friend Rhyno, Hardy was released by WWE on April 11, 2005. Hardy's release was largely due to unprofessional conduct with social media after discovering that Lita was having a real-life affair with his best friend Edge. The public knowledge of the affair and Hardy's release led to Edge and Lita receiving jeers from the crowds at WWE events, often resulting in chants of "You screwed Matt!", and, "We want Matt!", which meant kayfabe storylines being affected considering that Lita was married to Kane at the time in kayfabe. Edge and Lita used the affair and fan backlash to become a hated on-screen couple, which led to Lita turning heel for the first time in over five years.
Fans began a petition on the internet, wanting WWE to re-sign Hardy, and amassed over fifteen thousand signatures. Hardy released two character promotional vignettes, that he was planning to use before he was offered a new contract by WWE. Hardy called himself The Angelic Diablo with the tagline "the scar will become a symbol" in reference to the way in which he had been treated by Lita and WWE. On the June 20 episode of Raw, during the storyline wedding of Edge and Lita, Hardy's entrance music and video were played when the priest asked if anyone had a reason why Edge and Lita should not be wed.
Independent circuit and Ring of Honor (2005)
Following his WWE release, Matt returned to the independent circuit and wrestled several matches for the Allied Powers Wrestling Federation (APWF), International Wrestling Cartel (IWC) and Big Time Wrestling (BTW).
Hardy appeared at a scheduled Ring of Honor (ROH) event on July 16, 2005, in Woodbridge, Connecticut where he defeated Christopher Daniels via submission. Hardy also cut a brief worked shoot promo where he criticized WWE and John Laurinaitis. Following his official return to WWE, Hardy was met with backlash following a match with Homicide from the fans at a subsequent ROH event, which Hardy won. The next day at his final ROH appearance, he lost to Roderick Strong.
Return to WWE
Feud with Edge (2005–2006)
On July 11, 2005, on Raw, Hardy attacked Edge backstage and again later during Edge's match with Kane. Before being escorted out of the building by security, Hardy stated that Edge (calling him by his real name of "Adam") and Lita would pay for their actions and told fans that they could see him at Ring of Honor while security officials and event staff were trying to restrain him. Hardy also called out Johnny Ace as security had him in handcuffs taking him out of the arena. This caused an uproar amongst fans, who were confused and wondered if the whole thing was a work or a shoot. Similar occurrences repeated during the following two weeks.
On the August 1 episode of Raw, Vince McMahon officially announced Hardy's return to WWE, adding that Hardy would face Edge at SummerSlam. Hardy made his in-ring return, defeating Snitsky on the August 8 Raw. Seconds after the victory, Hardy was attacked by Edge, and as he was being carried backstage, Matt counterattacked Edge in the locker room. On August 21 at SummerSlam, their match came to a premature end when Edge dropped Hardy onto the top of a ring post, causing him to bleed heavily. The referee ended the match on the grounds that Hardy could not continue, and Edge was declared the winner. After SummerSlam, the two continued feuding on Raw, including a Street Fight on August 29 that resulted in Hardy performing a Side Effect on Edge off the entrance stage and into electrical equipment below; the match ended in a no contest. At Unforgiven, Edge faced Hardy in a steel cage match. Hardy caught an interfering Lita with the Twist of Fate and won the match with a leg drop off the top of the cage. Hardy and Edge faced each other on October 3 at WWE Raw Homecoming in a Loser Leaves Raw ladder match. Edge's briefcase holding his Money in the Bank contract for his WWE Championship opportunity was suspended above the ring. The winner of the match received the contract and the loser was forced to leave Raw. Edge tied Hardy's arms in the ropes, and Lita trapped Hardy in a crucifix hold, leaving Hardy only able to watch Edge win.
With his defeat at the hands of Edge, Hardy was moved to the SmackDown! brand where he re-debuted with a win over Simon Dean on October 21 in Reno, Nevada. One week later, Hardy won the fan vote to represent Team SmackDown! (alongside Rey Mysterio) to challenge Team Raw (Edge and Chris Masters) at Taboo Tuesday. Edge, however, refused to wrestle and sent Snitsky in place of him in the match, which Hardy and Mysterio won.
Back on SmackDown!, Hardy started an angle with MNM (Johnny Nitro and Joey Mercury) and their manager Melina when Melina approached Hardy, seemingly wanting Hardy to join with her team. Hardy refused the offer, which led to him facing the tag team on several occasions with a variety of partners. On July 25, after the SmackDown! taping, Hardy was taken out of action after doctors found the remnants of the staph infection that had plagued him the previous year. He was sidelined until August 25 while he healed.
Upon his return to action, Hardy feuded against childhood friend and reigning Cruiserweight Champion Gregory Helms. At No Mercy, in their home state, Hardy beat Helms in a non-title match. The two met again at Survivor Series, where Hardy's team won in a clean sweep. They wrestled one final match, a one time appearance in Booker T's Pro Wrestling Alliance (PWA) promotion, where Hardy defeated Helms in a North Carolina Street Fight.
The Hardy Boyz reunion (2006–2007)
On the November 21, 2006 episode of ECW on Sci Fi, Hardy and Jeff competed in a match together for the first time in almost five years, defeating The Full Blooded Italians. At December to Dismember, the Hardy Boyz issued an open challenge to any tag team who wanted to face them. MNM answered their challenge by reuniting at December to Dismember, a match won by the Hardy Boyz. At Armageddon, Hardy and Jeff competed against Paul London and Brian Kendrick, MNM, and Dave Taylor and William Regal in a Ladder match for the WWE Tag Team Championship but lost. Subsequently, he and Jeff feuded with MNM after the legitimate incident where they injured Mercury's face at Armageddon. This led to a long term rivalry, and at the Royal Rumble, Hardy and Jeff defeated MNM. Mercury and Hardy continued to feud on SmackDown! until Mercury was released from WWE on March 26.
The night after WrestleMania 23 on Raw, the Hardys competed in a 10-team battle royal for the World Tag Team Championship. They won the titles for the sixth time from then WWE Champion John Cena and Shawn Michaels after last eliminating Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch. This started a feud with Cade and Murdoch, and the Hardys successfully retained their World Tag Team Championship in their first title defense at Backlash. The Hardy Boyz also successfully retained their titles at Judgment Day against Cade and Murdoch. One month later at One Night Stand, they defeated The World's Greatest Tag Team to retain the titles in a Ladder match. The following night on Raw, Vince McMahon demanded that The Hardys once again defend their championships against Cade and Murdoch. The Hardys were defeated after Murdoch pushed Jeff's foot off the bottom rope during Cade's pinfall, causing the three count to continue. They invoked their rematch clause against Cade and Murdoch at Vengeance: Night of Champions, but were unsuccessful.
Feud with MVP and championship reigns (2007–2009)
On the July 6, 2007 episode of SmackDown!, Hardy won a non-title match against United States Champion Montel Vontavious Porter (MVP), which resulted in a feud between the two. Hardy was defeated by MVP at The Great American Bash for the United States Championship. MVP then claimed that he was "better than Hardy at everything", which led to a series of contests between Hardy and MVP, such as a basketball game, an arm wrestling contest, and a chess match which MVP "sneezed" on and ruined when Hardy put him in check. MVP challenged Hardy to a boxing match at Saturday Night's Main Event XXXV, however MVP was legitimately diagnosed with the heart condition Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. Since MVP was unable to compete, Hardy faced his replacement, former world champion boxer, Evander Holyfield. The match ended in a no contest after MVP entered the ring to verbally abuse Holyfield, who then knocked him out. MVP also challenged Hardy to a beer drinking contest at SummerSlam, but as revenge for what happened at SNME, Hardy allowed Stone Cold Steve Austin to replace him; Austin simply performed a stunner on MVP then kept drinking.
After a segment involving MVP inadvertently choosing Hardy as his tag-team partner, Theodore Long promptly set up a match against Deuce 'n Domino for the WWE Tag Team Championship on the August 31 episode of SmackDown! which Hardy and MVP were able to win, therefore setting up Hardy's first reign as WWE Tag Team Champion. Hardy and MVP retained the titles at Unforgiven in a rematch against former champions Deuce 'n Domino. Hardy was scheduled to face MVP at Cyber Sunday, but due to a real-life head injury sustained on the October 26 episode of SmackDown!, he was not medically cleared to compete. As part of the storyline, Hardy continually asked MVP for a shot at the United States Championship but MVP refused stating that he was more focused on the Tag Team Championship.
On the November 16 episode of SmackDown!, Hardy and MVP dropped the WWE Tag Team Championship to John Morrison and The Miz. Despite the fact that Hardy was hurt, MVP immediately invoked the rematch clause. After the rematch, in which Hardy was forced to tap out, MVP attacked Hardy, repeatedly targeting his knee. It was later confirmed by WWE.com that Hardy had suffered an injury at his former partner's hands and that he might not be able to compete at Survivor Series. Despite Hardy's absence at Survivor Series, his team was able to win the match. On November 21, WWE's official website reported that Hardy underwent an emergency appendectomy in Tampa, Florida after his appendix burst. Hardy made an appearance at the December 31 episode of Raw supporting his brother Jeff. To further Jeff's storyline with Randy Orton, however, Hardy was attacked by Orton. Hardy made his return at a live event in Muncie, Indiana on March 1, 2008.
On March 30, 2008, at WrestleMania XXIV, during the Money in the Bank ladder match Hardy cut through the crowd and attacked MVP to prevent him from winning the match. He made his official in-ring return the next night on Raw, losing a singles match to WWE Champion Randy Orton. On the April 4 episode of SmackDown, Hardy faced MVP in a non-title match, which he won, re-igniting their storyline rivalry. On April 27, 2008, Hardy defeated MVP to win the United States Championship at Backlash, and successfully retained his title against MVP five days later on SmackDown.
Hardy declared himself as a fighting champion that would take on all challenges, defending the United States championship against Shelton Benjamin, Elijah Burke, Chuck Palumbo, Mr. Kennedy, Chavo Guerrero and Umaga. Hardy was drafted to the ECW brand on the June 23, 2008 episode of Raw during the 2008 WWE Draft, in the process making the United States Championship exclusive to ECW. He dropped the United States Championship to Shelton Benjamin at the Great American Bash pay-per-view on July 20, 2008, which meant that the title returned to SmackDown.
On the July 22 episode of ECW, Hardy became the number one contender to Mark Henry's ECW Championship after defeating John Morrison, The Miz and Finlay in a fatal four-way match. He won the title match at SummerSlam by disqualification due to interference from Henry's manager, Tony Atlas, thus he failed to win the title. Due to the ending of the pay-per-view match, Hardy received a rematch for the title on the next episode of ECW, but again failed to win the title when Henry pinned him after a distraction by Atlas. At Unforgiven, Hardy won the ECW Championship during the Championship scramble match, defeating then-champion Henry, The Miz, Finlay and Chavo Guerrero by pinning the Miz with three minutes left, marking his first world heavyweight championship win. He continued to feud with Henry until No Mercy, where Hardy successfully retained the title. Hardy lost the title to Jack Swagger on the January 13, 2009 episode of ECW, which was taped on January 12.
Feud with Jeff Hardy and departure (2009–2010)
At the 2009 Royal Rumble pay-per-view, after losing an ECW Championship rematch to Swagger, Hardy turned on his brother when he hit Jeff with a steel chair, allowing Edge to win the WWE Championship, turning heel in the process. On the January 27, 2009 episode of ECW, it was announced by General Manager Theodore Long that Hardy had requested, and been granted, his release from ECW and had re-signed with the SmackDown brand. As part of the buildup to this feud, Matt strongly implied that he was responsible for all of Jeff's accidents leading back to November, including an assault in a hotel stairwell that prevented Jeff from appearing at Survivor Series, an automobile accident where Jeff's car was run off the road, and a pyrotechnics malfunction where part of the pyro from Jeff's entrance was fired directly at Jeff, in an attempt to stop Jeff holding the WWE Championship. Despite Hardy's attempts to goad Jeff into fighting him, Jeff refused to fight his brother, but, on the March 6 episode of SmackDown, Jeff attacked him during a promo where Matt implied that he was also responsible for the fire that burned down Jeff's house, going so far as to reveal that he had in his possession a dog collar that supposedly belonged to Jeff's dog, Jack (who died in the fire), that he claimed to have salvaged from the wreckage of the house. At WrestleMania 25, Matt defeated Jeff in an Extreme Rules match, and in a stretcher match on the following episode of SmackDown.
On the April 13 episode of Raw, Hardy was drafted to the Raw brand as part of the WWE draft. Despite the fact that the two were on different brands, he continued his feud with Jeff. Two weeks later, in a rematch from WrestleMania, Hardy lost to Jeff in an "I Quit" match at Backlash, in which he legitimately broke his hand.
Hardy continued to wrestle with his hand in a cast, incorporating it into his persona and claiming that he was wrestling under protest. He reignited his feud with MVP on Raw for the United States Championship. He also formed a tag team with William Regal, and the two acted as henchmen for General Manager Vickie Guerrero. At the June 22 taping of WWE Superstars, Hardy suffered yet another injury, when his intestines went through his abdominal wall, during a triple threat match against MVP and Kofi Kingston. Hardy had suffered a tear in his abdominal muscle two years previously, but had not needed surgery until it worsened, and became a danger to his health.
He was then traded back to the SmackDown brand on June 29, and underwent surgery for the torn abdominal muscle on July 2. He made his return on the August 7 episode of SmackDown as the special guest referee in the World Heavyweight Championship match between his brother, Jeff, and CM Punk, and helped Jeff retain the championship by counting the pinfall. The following week Hardy turned face again when he saved his brother when CM Punk and The Hart Dynasty attacked both Jeff and John Morrison. On the August 21 episode of SmackDown, after apologizing for his past actions towards Jeff and admitting that he was not behind any of Jeff's accidents, he had his first match back after his injury when he teamed with Jeff and John Morrison to defeat The Hart Dynasty and CM Punk, when Matt pinned Punk.
In early 2010, Hardy began an on-screen relationship with Maria; but was brief and the relationship ended when Maria was released from her WWE contract. On the March 5 episode of SmackDown, Hardy qualified for the Money in the Bank ladder match at WrestleMania XXVI by defeating Drew McIntyre, but was unsuccessful at WrestleMania, as the match was won by Jack Swagger. Hardy was suspended by Vince McMahon because he attacked McIntyre after McIntyre lost to Kofi Kingston at Over the Limit. He was able to get his revenge on McIntyre during the Viewer's Choice episode of Raw when chosen as the opponent for McIntyre, with General Manager Theodore Long stating that Hardy was suspended from SmackDown, but not from Raw. On the following episode of SmackDown, however, Vickie Guerrero announced that, per orders of Vince McMahon, Hardy had been suspended from all WWE programming. However, at Fatal 4-Way, Hardy prevented McIntyre from regaining the Intercontinental Championship, thus continuing their feud. On the following edition of SmackDown, he was reinstated by Long and had a match with McIntyre, which Hardy won. After the match, it was announced that McIntyre's visa had legitimately expired and was sent back to Scotland, thus ending their feud. Hardy was featured in the SmackDown Money in the Bank ladder match but was unsuccessful in winning with Kane coming out victorious.
On September 12, WWE confirmed they had sent Hardy home from a European tour. Following this, Hardy began posting videos on his YouTube channel expressing his disinterest in the WWE product and insisting that he wanted to be released from the company. On October 15, 2010, WWE announced that Hardy had been released from his contract. Hardy later stated that his release had been in effect two weeks before WWE made the announcement.
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2011)
On January 9, 2011, Hardy made his debut for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) at the Genesis pay-per-view, as part of the stable Immortal. He was the surprise opponent for Rob Van Dam, and defeated him to prevent Van Dam from receiving a match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, held by Hardy's brother Jeff. In the main event, Hardy attempted to interfere in Jeff's World Heavyweight Championship match with Mr. Anderson, but was stopped by Van Dam, which led to Jeff losing both the match and the championship. On the January 13 episode of Impact!, the Hardy Boyz reunited to defeat Anderson and Van Dam in a tag team match, following interference from Beer Money, Inc. On February 13 at Against All Odds, Van Dam defeated Hardy in a rematch.
On the following episode of Impact!, Hardy, along with the rest of Immortal and Ric Flair, betrayed Fortune. On March 13 at Victory Road, Hardy was defeated by Flair's previous protégé, A.J. Styles. On April 17 at Lockdown, Immortal, represented by Hardy, Abyss, Bully Ray and Ric Flair, were defeated by Fortune members James Storm, Kazarian and Robert Roode and Christopher Daniels, who replaced an injured A.J. Styles, in a Lethal Lockdown match. On the April 21 episode of Impact!, Hardy faced Sting for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, Hardy's first World Title match in TNA, but was defeated. The following month, Hardy was granted a shot at the TNA World Tag Team Championship against Beer Money, Inc. (James Storm and Robert Roode). While the champions looked to defend the title against the Hardy Boyz, Matt instead introduced the returning Chris Harris, Storm's old tag team partner, as his partner for the title match. The match took place at Sacrifice, where Storm and Roode retained their titles.
On June 21, it was reported that TNA had suspended Hardy. On August 20, Hardy was released from TNA following a DUI arrest that occurred earlier that same day.
Return to the independent circuit (2011–2017)
Hardy announced his retirement from full-time professional wrestling due to injuries on September 1, 2011. He issued a challenge to his long-time rival MVP, who was wrestling in Japan at the time, to one final match at "Crossfire Live!" in Nashville. The event was held May 19, 2012 and benefited the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Hardy won the match.
Throughout 2012, Hardy wrestled sporadically on the independent circuit, working with promotions such as Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Syndicate and Northeast Wrestling. On October 5, Hardy was defeated by Kevin Steen at Pro Wrestling Xperience's An Evil Twist of Fate. On November 11, Hardy, as the masked wrestler Rahway Reaper, defeated the Pro Wrestling Syndicate Kevin Matthews, winning the championship. On February 9, 2013, Hardy lost the Pro Wrestling Syndicate Championship back to Matthews.
On February 16, 2013, at Family Wrestling Entertainment's No Limit, Hardy wrestled a TLC match for the FWE Heavyweight Championship against the champion Carlito and Tommy Dreamer, but he was defeated. On November 30, 2013, at WrestleCade, Hardy defeated Carlito to become the first ever WrestleCade Champion.
On May 3, 2014, following a match between Christian York and Drolix, Hardy defeated Drolix to become the new MCW Heavyweight Champion. At Maryland Championship Wrestling's Shane Shamrock Cup, Hardy defeated Luke Hawx in a TLC match for Hardy's title and Hawx's Extreme Rising World title. Hardy won the match, but he gave back the title to Hawx. On October 4, Hardy lost the MCW Heavyweight Championship back to Drolix, following outside interference from Kevin Eck.
On February 9, 2015, Hardy appeared on FWE's "No Limits 2015" iPPV, challenging Drew Galloway for the ICW World Heavyweight Championship, but was defeated.
On November 28, 2015, Hardy lost the WrestleCade Championship to Jeff Jarrett at WrestleCade IV in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Hardy regained the title in a triple-threat cage match against Jarrett and Ethan Carter III in Hickory, North Carolina on May 20, 2016. He appeared at the #DELETEWCPW event for What Culture Pro Wrestling (WCPW) in Nottingham, England on November 30. Hardy, billed as "Broken" Matt Hardy, lost a no-disqualification match to Bully Ray, with Ray proposing the no-disqualification stipulation at the last minute, and Hardy accepting there and then.
Return to ROH (2012–2014)
At Death Before Dishonor X: State of Emergency in 2012, Hardy returned to Ring of Honor, confronting Adam Cole and challenging him to a match for the ROH World Television Championship. On December 16 at Final Battle 2012: Doomsday, Hardy defeated Cole in a non-title match.
At the following iPPV, 11th Anniversary Show on March 2, 2013, Hardy joined the villainous S.C.U.M. stable. On April 5 at the Supercard of Honor VII iPPV, Hardy unsuccessfully challenged Matt Taven for the ROH World Television Championship in a three-way elimination match, which also included Adam Cole. On June 22 at Best in the World 2013, Hardy defeated former S.C.U.M. stablemate Kevin Steen in a No Disqualification match to become the number one contender to the ROH World Championship. Hardy received his title shot at the following day's Ring of Honor Wrestling tapings, but was defeated by the defending champion, Jay Briscoe. Later that same day, S.C.U.M. was forced to disband after losing a Steel Cage Warfare match against Team ROH. On December 14, 2013, at Final Battle 2013, Hardy defeated Adam Page in a singles match; later on in the main event, Hardy aided Adam Cole in retaining his title and forming a tag team with him. After aiding Cole at Supercard of Honor VIII, Hardy was given Jay Briscoe's unofficial "Real World Title" belt, which he renamed the "ROH Iconic Championship". In July, Hardy opted out of his ROH contract and went back to TNA.
Return to OMEGA (2013–2018)
Matt announced that OMEGA would return in January 2013 with an event titled "Chinlock For Chuck". The main event featured Matt, Jeff, Shane "Hurricane" Helms and "Cowboy" James Storm defeating Gunner, Steve Corino, CW Anderson and Lodi. On October 12, 2013, at "Chapel Thrill", Hardy announced a Tournament for the OMEGA Heavyweight Championship which featured himself vs. CW Anderson and Shane "Hurricane" Helms vs. "The King" Shane Williams. After Hardy's qualifying match he was attacked by CW but was saved by the returning Willow the Whisp. Hardy won that match and advanced to the finals.
On November 21, 2015, Matt won the OMEGA Heavyweight Championship for the second time, defeating former student Trevor Lee. Following this, Matt (upon regaining the TNA world title as part of his villainous egotistical "Iconic" gimmick) began proclaiming himself to be the only world champion that matters, and the only "true" world champion in wrestling, as he held both the TNA and OMEGA Championships, which (according to him) put him above any other promotions' world champions. Throughout 2016, Hardy defended the TNA and OMEGA titles jointly at OMEGA events as part of his "only true world champion" gimmick.
On January 29, The Hardys won the OMEGA Tag Team Championships.
Return to TNA
The Hardys third reunion (2014–2015)
On July 24, 2014, Hardy returned to TNA and reunited with Jeff to reform The Hardys for the third time. At the Destination X episode of Impact Wrestling, The Hardys were defeated by The Wolves in a match for the TNA World Tag Team Championship. On the August 14 episode of Impact Wrestling, Team 3D (formerly the Dudley Boyz) challenged The Hardys to a match, which Team 3D won. At the Hardcore Justice episode of Impact Wrestling, The Hardys and Team 3D talked about a match involving themselves and The Wolves. When The Wolves were asked by the two teams, they agreed. Later that night, Kurt Angle announced all three teams would compete in a best of three series for the TNA World Tag Team Championship with the winners of the first match choosing the stipulation of the next one. The Hardys won the second match of the series on the September 10 episode of Impact Wrestling in a tables match and choose a ladder match for the third match of the series. The Hardys were unsuccessful in winning that match on the September 17 episode of Impact Wrestling, as the Wolves won that match. The Wolves then went on to pick the final match of the series to be a Full Metal Mayhem match to take place on the October 8 episode of Impact Wrestling. The Hardys were unsuccessful in that match as the Wolves won that match.
On October 22, The Hardys entered a number one contenders tournament for the TNA World Tag Team Championship defeating The BroMans (Jessie Godderz and DJ Z) in the first round of the tournament. On the October 29 episode of Impact Wrestling, The Hardys defeated Team Dixie (Ethan Carter III and Tyrus) in the semifinals to advance to the finals of the tournament, where they defeated Samoa Joe and Low Ki to become number one contenders for the TNA World Tag Team Championship. On the January 16, 2015 episode of Impact Wrestling, The Hardys defeated the Wolves. At the Lockdown episode of Impact Wrestling, The Hardys were defeated by The Revolution in a six sides of steel cage match for the TNA World Tag Team Championship. On the February 20 episode of Impact Wrestling, Hardy and The Wolves defeated The Revolution in a six-man tag team match. In March, The Hardys participated in a tournament for the vacant TNA World Tag Team Championship. On March 16, 2015, Matt and Jeff won an Ultimate X match for the titles. On May 8, 2015, Hardy vacated the TNA World Tag Team Championship due to his brother Jeff being injured.
World Heavyweight Champion (2015–2016)
On June 28, 2015, Hardy was among the five wrestlers who competed for the TNA King of the Mountain Championship at Slammiversary, with Jeff Jarrett ultimately emerging victorious. On the July 8 episode of Impact Wrestling, Hardy requested a world title shot against Ethan Carter III, but was denied and forced to face the Dirty Heels (Austin Aries and Bobby Roode) in a handicap match, which he lost. On the July 22 episode of Impact Wrestling, Hardy defeated Roode in a Tables match to become the #1 contender for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. On the August 5 episode of Impact Wrestling, Hardy got his shot at the title against EC3 in a Full Metal Mayhem match, but failed to win the title. On the September 2 episode of Impact Wrestling, Hardy got another shot at the TNA World Heavyweight Championship against EC3, but again failed to win the title; as part of the storyline, Jeff Hardy was forced to act as Ethan Carter's personal assistant. On the September 30 episode of Impact Wrestling, Hardy was added to the Ethan Carter III vs. Drew Galloway main event match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship at Bound for Glory after he and Galloway defeated Carter and Tyrus, making it a three-way match, following which Jeff, who EC3 had just "fired" in the previous episode, was revealed to be the special guest referee.
On October 4 at Bound for Glory, Matt won the TNA World Heavyweight Championship by pinning Galloway. However, EC3 filed an injunction (kayfabe) that banned Hardy from appearing on Impact Wrestling for a month, which forced Hardy to relinquish the title in order to stay on the show. However, Hardy had been participating in the TNA World Title Series for the vacant title. He qualified to the round of 16 by defeating Davey Richards, Robbie E and Eddie Edwards. He then advanced to the round of 8 by defeating the King of the Mountain Champion Bobby Roode and then to Jessie Godderz to continue his winning streak. The semifinals and finals were held on the January 5, 2016, live episode of Impact Wrestling during its debut on Pop TV, in which he defeated Eric Young to advance to the final round. Hardy faced EC3 in the TNA World Title Series finals, but lost the match via pinfall.
Hardy won the TNA World Title from EC3 on the January 19, 2016 episode of Impact Wrestling, becoming the first man to defeat him in a one-on-one match in TNA. During the match a double turn took place; Hardy turned heel after Tyrus betrayed EC3. The following week on Impact Wrestling, Jeff Hardy had confronted him about last week and issued a challenge to Matt for the World Heavyweight title in the main event and Matt accepted. However, later before the main event could begin, Eric Young and Bram attacked Jeff from behind. Kurt Angle then came out to try save Jeff, and Matt had Tyrus attack Angle from behind. While Matt watched from the ramp, Young attacked Jeff with the Piledriver off the apron through a table. The following week, he successfully retained his title against Angle. At Lockdown, he retained his title in a Six-side of steel match against Ethan Carter III, with the help of Rockstar Spud. He lost his title against Drew Galloway on the March 15 episode of Impact Wrestling, after a match featuring EC3 and Jeff Hardy.
Two weeks later he received a rematch for the title on Impact Wrestling, but was again defeated by Galloway. After losing the title he started a feud with Jeff. On the April 19 episode of Impact Wrestling, and an I Quit match ended in a no-contest as both Matt and Jeff were badly injured and Matt was taken out to the hospital on a stretcher.
The Broken Universe (2016–2017)
Hardy returned on May 17 episode of Impact Wrestling, revealing himself to be one of the impostor Willows behind the attacks on Jeff. Later that night, he attacked Jeff. In the following weeks, Hardy debuted a new persona as a "Broken" man with part of his hair bleached blonde along with a strange sophisticated accent, blaming Jeff (who he began referring to as "Brother Nero", Nero being Jeff's middle name) for breaking him and becoming obsessed with "deleting" him. His line “Delete”, is mostly inspired by the Death Note manga/anime series character Teru Mikami. On June 12, at Slammiversary, Matt was defeated by Jeff in a Full Metal Mayhem match. On the June 21 episode of Impact Wrestling, Matt was once again defeated by Jeff in a Six Sides of Steel match. On the June 28 episode of Impact Wrestling, Matt challenged Jeff to a final battle with the Hardy brand on the line, to take place at their home in Cameron, North Carolina the next week. On July 5, during special episode "The Final Deletion", Matt defeated Jeff in the match to become sole owner of the Hardy brand, forcing Jeff to drop his last name and become referred to as "Brother Nero".
On the August 18 episode of Impact Wrestling, Matt and Brother Nero defeated The Tribunal, The BroMans and The Helms Dynasty in an "Ascension To Hell" match for an opportunity to challenge Decay for the TNA World Tag Team Championship. On September 8, during special episode "Delete or Decay", the Hardys faced Decay in a match held at the Hardy compound, where Brother Nero sacrificed himself to save Matt from Abyss. Thanks to Brother Nero's sacrifice, Hardy was able to confront Rosemary and prevent his son Maxel from being abducted, which turned Hardy babyface as a result, and he furthered the face turn by healing Brother Nero in the Lake of Reincarnation. At Bound for Glory, the Hardys defeated Decay in "The Great War" to win the TNA World Tag Team Championship for the second time. On the October 6 episode of Impact Wrestling, they successfully defended their titles against Decay, in a Wolf Creek match.
On the November 3 episode of Impact Wrestling, the Hardys successfully defended the titles against The Tribunal. After the match, the Hardys were attacked by the masked trio known as Death Crew Council (DCC). After accepting DCC's title challenge, The Hardys faced Bram and Kingston, and Matt pinned Kingston to retain the titles. On December 15, during special episode "Total Nonstop Deletion", they were once again successful in retaining. Brother Nero attacked Crazzy Steve with the Twist of Fate, who then fell into a volcano (that had appeared on the compound in the weeks leading up the event), and was shot up into the sky, landing in the ring. Matt then covered him to win the match.
On the January 12, 2017 episode of Impact Wrestling, The Hardys successfully defended their titles against The Wolves. At Genesis, The Hardys retained their titles against the DCC and Decay in a three-way tag team match. On Open Fight Night, the Hardys began a storyline where they would teleport to different promotions and win that promotions' tag team championship gold, which was referred to by Matt as their "Expedition of Gold". On February 27, Hardy announced that both he and Jeff had finally left TNA, following years of speculation, with their contracts expiring that week. Though the two sides were reportedly close to a contract agreement, talks began to break down and changes in management prompted their departure from the company. The TNA World Tag Team Championships were vacated due to the Hardys' departure and was explained on TNA television in a segment where The Hardys teleported to their next Expedition of Gold destination, but a technicality resulted in them disappearing and the belts appearing in the arms of Decay.
Broken gimmick legal battle
Shortly after the departure of Matt and Jeff from TNA was made public, Matt's wife, Reby, went on a social media tirade in which she repeatedly slammed TNA, the company's new management and the way in which contract negotiations between the company and the Hardy family were conducted. A few weeks following this, the bad blood between the two sides intensified, so much so that the new management of TNA (now renamed Impact Wrestling) Anthem Sports & Entertainment issued a cease and desist letter to The Hardys' new promotion Ring of Honor (ROH), in which Anthem essentially ordered ROH as well as any broadcasting company airing ROH's 15th Anniversary pay–per–view show (on which The Hardys were to participate in a match) to not in any way speak of, indicate or acknowledge the existence of the Broken Matt and Brother Nero characters and instead to refer to The Hardys as simply Matt Hardy and Jeff Hardy. The issue with this is that while The Hardys were in TNA, they had full creative control over the Broken gimmick, with them even filming their own segments to air on TNA programming in some circumstances, thus making the Hardy family (in their belief) the owners of the Broken gimmick. It is believed that civil litigation will follow and a potential court hearing will take place regarding the outcome on who owns the Broken gimmick: Anthem or the Hardy family. Until then, the status of the Broken gimmick remains undecided. Despite this, Matt continues to use the Broken gimmick through his social media accounts, but neither he nor Jeff uses the Broken gimmick at any professional wrestling shows for ROH or on the independent circuit, presumably until the results of the expected legal proceedings have been finalized.
Newly–appointed Impact Wrestling President Ed Nordholm credits the invention of and the vision behind the Broken gimmick to Jeremy Borash, Dave Lagana and Billy Corgan, and while Borash specifically had the most input into the gimmick of the three aside from Matt, the Hardy family deny that Borash was the sole person behind the gimmick. In November 2017, Impact Wrestling changed their policy, allowing all talent to retain complete ownership over their intellectual property, essentially forfeiting ownership of the "Broken" character to Hardy.
On January 31, 2018, the legal battle officially concluded when Matt legally acquired ownership of all trademarks related to the Broken universe and the Broken gimmick, which includes 'Broken Matt', 'Brother Nero', 'Broken Brilliance' and 'Vanguard1'.
International matches (2014–2015)
On November 1, 2014, Hardy traveled to Japan to compete for Wrestle-1 at the promotions Keiji Muto 30th Anniversary Hold Out show in a triple threat match against Seiya Sanada and Tajiri, which he lost.
On May 24, 2015, Hardy traveled to Mexico to compete as a team captain for Team TNA/Lucha Underground with teammates Mr. Anderson and Johnny Mundo at Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide's 2015 Lucha Libre World Cup pay–per–view show. In the quarter–final round, Team TNA/Lucha Underground faced Team Rest of the World (Drew Galloway, Angélico and El Mesías) to a 15-minute time limit draw, with Team TNA/Lucha Underground winning in overtime and advancing to the semi–final round. In the semi–final round, Team TNA/Lucha Underground defeated Team MexLeyendas (Blue Demon Jr., Dr. Wagner Jr. and El Solar) to advance to the final round. In the final round, Team TNA/Lucha Underground faced Dream Team (El Patrón Alberto, Myzteziz and Rey Mysterio Jr.) to a 15–minute time limit draw, with Dream Team winning both the match and the tournament in overtime with Hardy on the losing end of the final pinfall.
Second return to ROH (2016–2017)
On December 2, 2016, Hardy returned to ROH for the second time while still under contract with TNA, appearing at the promotions Final Battle pay-per-view show as Broken Matt, where a video message showed him addressing The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) and The Briscoes (Jay Briscoe and Mark Briscoe).
On March 4, 2017, in the same week that both Matt and Jeff were released from TNA, The Hardys defeated The Young Bucks in an impromptu match at ROH's 2017 installment of the company's Manhattan Mayhem show series to become the new ROH World Tag Team Champions for the first time. Moments after winning the titles, Hardy announced in a post-match promo that both he and Brother Nero (Jeff) had signed "the biggest ROH contracts in (the company's) history". It was later confirmed that the contracts were short-term, only for the "immediate future". On March 10, The Hardys successfully defended the ROH World Tag Team Championship for the first time at ROH's 15th Anniversary pay-per-view show against The Young Bucks and Roppongi Vice (Beretta and Rocky Romero) in a three-way Las Vegas tag team street fight match. Prior to the event, the Hardys had been sent a legal threat by Impact Wrestling regarding the use of the Broken Matt and Brother Nero gimmicks. The following night on March 11, The Hardys (not billed but using the Broken gimmicks anyway) once again retained the titles, this time against The Briscoes at a set of Ring of Honor Wrestling television tapings. The Hardys lost the titles back to The Young Bucks in a ladder match on April 1 at ROH's Supercard of Honor XI pay-per-view show, which would be the final ROH appearances for both Hardys in this tenure with the promotion.
Second return to WWE (2017–2020)
Feud with The Bar (2017)
At the WrestleMania 33 pay-per-view on April 2, 2017, Hardy made his surprise return to WWE, along with his brother Jeff Hardy, being added as last-minute participants in the ladder match for the Raw Tag Team Championship, defeating Gallows and Anderson, Cesaro and Sheamus, and Enzo and Cass to win the Raw Tag Team Championship. Afterwards on Raw Talk, Hardy mentioned that The Hardy Boyz had successfully completed the Expedition of Gold, after winning the Raw Tag Team Championship. At Payback, The Hardy Boyz retained their championships against Cesaro and Sheamus, who attacked them after the match. The next night on Raw, Cesaro and Sheamus explained their actions, claiming the fans were more supportive of 'novelty acts' from the past like The Hardy Boyz, who they feel did not deserve to be in the match at WrestleMania 33. Subsequently, at Extreme Rules, The Hardy Boyz lost the titles against Cesaro and Sheamus in a steel cage match, and failed to regain it back the following month at the Great Balls of Fire event. Afterwards, it was revealed that Jeff had gotten injured and would be out for an estimated six months, thus Hardy began wrestling in singles matches.
Woken Universe and storyline with Bray Wyatt (2017–2018)
During his feud with Bray Wyatt, Hardy introduced his "Woken" gimmick, after Impact Wrestling dropped their claim to the gimmick and Hardy gained full ownership of it. Wyatt defeated Hardy at Raw 25 on January 22, 2018, and Hardy defeated Wyatt at Elimination Chamber on February 25. Their final match happened on the March 19 episode of Raw, dubbed The Ultimate Deletion, with Hardy winning after distractions from Señor Benjamin. Wyatt then disappeared after being thrown into the Lake of Reincarnation. At WrestleMania 34 on April 7, Hardy competed in the annual André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, and won the match due to a distraction by the returning Wyatt. After WrestleMania, Hardy and Wyatt performed as a tag team, sometimes referred to as The Deleters of Worlds. They won a tournament for the vacant Raw Tag Team Championship, defeating Cesaro and Sheamus at the Greatest Royal Rumble event to win the title. However, they lost the titles at Extreme Rules to The B-Team (Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel). On the July 23 episode of Raw, Hardy and Wyatt received a rematch for the titles, but was again defeated by The B-Team. Following this, Hardy revealed that he was taking time off due to his back fusing with his pelvis, effectively disbanding the team. According to Hardy, the reason WWE disbanded the team was because he and Wyatt pitched several ideas to WWE to work with their characters.
The Hardys fourth reunion and departure (2019–2020)
After more than seven months of absence from television, Hardy returned on the February 26, 2019 episode of SmackDown Live, teaming with his brother Jeff to defeat The Bar (Cesaro and Sheamus). At WrestleMania 35 on April 7, Hardy competed in the André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, but was eliminated by eventual winner, Braun Strowman. Two days later on SmackDown Live, The Hardy Boyz defeated The Usos to win the SmackDown Tag Team Championship. The reign only lasted 21 days (recognized as 20 days by WWE), as they had to vacate the title due to Jeff injuring his knee, this was explained in storyline as injuries afflicted by Lars Sullivan. After his brother Jeff's injury, Hardy began to appear on WWE programming less frequently. At Super ShowDown on June 7, Hardy competed in the 51-man Battle Royal, which was eventually won by Mansoor. From November to December, Hardy occasionally appeared on Raw, losing matches against superstars like Buddy Murphy, Drew McIntyre, Ricochet and Erick Rowan.
On the February 10, 2020 episode of Raw, Hardy confronted Randy Orton about Orton's attack on Edge two weeks earlier. Hardy then got himself into a brawl with him moments after, and was viciously attacked by Orton. The following week on Raw, an injured Hardy appeared and was once again assaulted by Orton, which would be his final appearance in WWE. On March 2, Hardy announced his departure from WWE through his official YouTube channel, where Hardy said that while he's grateful towards the people behind the scenes, he said he is also on different pages with WWE as he feels he needs to have creative input and still has more to give. Later that day, WWE announced that his contract had expired.
All Elite Wrestling
Multiple personalities (2020–2021)
Hardy made his All Elite Wrestling (AEW) debut on the March 18, 2020 episode of Dynamite, reverting to his "Broken" gimmick and being announced as the replacement for the kayfabe injured Nick Jackson on The Elite's team at Blood and Guts. However, the event was postponed to the following year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On the May 6 episode of Dynamite, Hardy wrestled his first match with AEW, teaming up with Kenny Omega for a street fight against The Inner Circle's Chris Jericho and Sammy Guevara, and Hardy and Omega lost when Jericho pinned Omega. During this period, due to the lack of live audience, Hardy felt that the Broken character needs public, so he began to include several of his gimmicks, including Broken Matt Hardy, Big Money Matt, Matt Hardy V1, and Unkillable Matt Hardy, being referred to as "Multifarious" Matt Hardy. AEW president Tony Khan later admitted that he "wasn't a fan" of the Broken gimmick and much preferred more realistic presentations in wrestling.
At Double or Nothing, Hardy teamed with The Elite to defeat The Inner Circle in the first ever Stadium Stampede match. During the match, Santana and Ortiz dunked Hardy in the stadium pool, which acted as a version of the Lake of Reincarnation, as Hardy kept cycling through his various gimmicks throughout his career when he surfaced. Hardy then feuded with Sammy Guevara, and after Hardy defeated Guevara in a Broken Rules match at All Out, Hardy took time off until he was cleared to return, due to an injury sustained during the match. On the September 16 episode of Dynamite, Hardy aligned with Private Party (Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen) as their manager, but was attacked backstage before their match. The attacker was later revealed as Guevara and The Elite Deletion match was announced, which took place at The Hardy Compound in Cameron, North Carolina, where Hardy won.
The Hardy Family Office (2021–present)
Hardy then switched to his Big Money persona as he focused on managing Private Party. Over the following weeks, Hardy would display villainous tactics as he began cheating during matches much to Private Party's dismay. On the January 20, 2021 episode of Dynamite, Hardy and Private Party defeated Matt Sydal and Top Flight (Dante Martin and Darius Martin) after using a steel chair before attacking Sydal and Top Flight afterwards, thus turning heel. Hardy then approached Adam Page to accompany and befriend him, and during tag team matches, Hardy would always tag himself in and pick up the victory for his team to Page's behest. After Page set up a match between Hardy and himself, Hardy double-crossed Page, with Private Party and The Hybrid 2 (Angélico and Jack Evans) attacking Page until The Dark Order came out to save him. At the Revolution event, Hardy lost to Page despite multiple interferences from Private Party.
Following Revolution, Hardy became the manager for The Butcher and The Blade (with their valet The Bunny in tow), and along with Private Party, the stable became known as the Matt Hardy Empire before settling on the name Hardy Family Office. Hardy also added The Hybrid 2 to his group in July having previously hiring them on a mercenary basis. At Double or Nothing, Hardy competed in Casino Battle Royale but was eliminated by Christian Cage. This led to a match between the two at Fyter Fest, where Hardy lost to Cage. In August, Matt Hardy and HFO began a feud with Orange Cassidy and Best Friends, which led to a match on the August 25 episode of Dynamite, where Hardy was defeated by Cassidy. However, on the November 12 episode of Rampage, Hardy defeated Cassidy in a Lumberjack match, thanks to an interference from HFO and the heel lumberjacks. Their feud ended on the November 17 episode of Dynamite where his team of The Butcher and The Blade lost to the team of Cassidy and Tomohiro Ishii, where Cassidy gave a crossbody to the interfering Hardy and The Blade during the match.
Professional wrestling style and persona
After the creation of his Broken character, Hardy was praised by several wrestlers and critics for reinventing himself several times during his career. During his career, Hardy has won the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Best Gimmick award two times under two different characters, once in 2002 and again in 2016.
Personal life
Hardy was in a six-year relationship with wrestler Amy Dumas, better known as Lita. They first met in January 1999 at a NWA Mid-Atlantic show but did not begin dating until a few months later. They broke up in February 2005 when he discovered that she was having an affair with one of Hardy's close friends, fellow wrestler Adam Copeland, better known as Edge. Hardy also dated WWE wrestler Ashley Massaro.
Hardy married wrestler Rebecca Reyes, better known as Reby Sky, on October 5, 2013. They have three sons and one daughter. Hardy had previously been an addict, and credits his wife for helping him get clean.
Hardy is good friends with fellow wrestlers Marty Garner, Shannon Moore, and Gregory Helms. In December 2020, he claimed to have Native American ancestry.
Legal issues
Hardy was arrested for a DUI on August 20, 2011. Two days later, he was arrested on felony drug charges when police found steroids in his home. In November 2011, Hardy was removed from court-ordered rehab and sent back to jail for drinking.
In January 2014, Hardy and his wife were both arrested after a fight at a hotel.
Other media
In 1999, Matt, along with his brother Jeff, appeared as an uncredited wrestler on That '70s Show episode "That Wrestling Show". Matt and Jeff also appeared on Tough Enough in early 2001, talking to and wrestling the contestants. He appeared in the February 25, 2002 episode of Fear Factor competing against five other World Wrestling Federation wrestlers, including his brother. He won $50,000 for the American Cancer Society. Hardy also appeared on the October 13, 2009 episode of Scare Tactics, as a mental patient who threatens to attack the prank's victim.
In 2001, Matt, Jeff, and Lita appeared in Rolling Stone magazine's 2001 Sports Hall of Fame issue. In 2003, Matt and Jeff, with the help of Michael Krugman, wrote and published their autobiography The Hardy Boyz: Exist 2 Inspire. As part of WWE, Matt appeared in their DVD, The Hardy Boyz: Leap of Faith in 2001. On April 29, 2008, WWE released Twist of Fate: The Matt and Jeff Hardy Story. The DVD featured footage of the brothers in OMEGA and WWE. Hardy also appears on The Hardy Show, an Internet web show which features the Hardys, Shannon Moore, and many of their friends.
Hardy plays himself in the 2013 film Pro Wrestlers vs Zombies in which he and his real-life wife Reby Sky battle the undead.
Hardy's first WWE video game was WWF WrestleMania 2000 in 1999 on the Nintendo 64 shortly followed by WWF SmackDown! in early 2000 on the PlayStation. He made several appearances later in WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your Role, WWF SmackDown! Just Bring It, WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth, WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain, and WWE SmackDown vs. Raw. He later returned to the series in WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008, WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009, WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2010, and WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011, which was his last WWE video game before his departure to TNA. Following his return to WWE in 2017, he was revealed as a DLC character in WWE 2K18 on September 25 that year alongside tag team partner and brother, Jeff Hardy. Hardy was revealed as a playable character in WWE 2K19 on August 30, 2018. His final appearance in a WWE video game came with WWE 2K20 in 2019.
Filmography
Championships and accomplishments
All Elite Wrestling
Dynamite Award (1 time)
"Bleacher Report PPV Moment of the Year" (2021) – Stadium Stampede match (The Elite vs. The Inner Circle) – Double or Nothing (May 23)
All Star Wrestling (West Virginia)
ASW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Brother Nero
CBS Sports
Worst Moment of the Year (2020) vs. Sammy Guevara at All Out (2020)
The Crash
The Crash Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Brother Nero
Future Stars of Wrestling
FSW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
House of Glory
HOG Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jeff Hardy
Maryland Championship Wrestling/MCW Pro Wrestling
MCW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
MCW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jeff Hardy
Extreme Rising World Championship (1 time)
National Championship Wrestling
NCW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
NCW Light Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
New Dimension Wrestling
NDW Light Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
NDW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jeff Hardy
New England Wrestling Alliance
NEWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
NEWA Hall of Fame (class of 2012)
New Frontier Wrestling Association
NFWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
NFWA Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Venom
NWA 2000
NWA 2000 Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jeff Hardy
OMEGA Championship Wrestling
OMEGA Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
OMEGA Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Brother Nero/Jeff Hardy
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Comeback of the Year (2017) with Jeff Hardy
Feud of the Year (2005) vs. Edge and Lita
Match of the Year (2000) with Jeff Hardy vs. The Dudley Boyz and Edge and Christian in a triangle ladder match at WrestleMania 2000
Match of the Year (2001) with Jeff Hardy vs. The Dudley Boyz and Edge and Christian in a Tables, Ladders and Chairs match at WrestleMania X-Seven
Tag Team of the Year (2000) with Jeff Hardy
Ranked No. 17 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2003
Pro Wrestling Syndicate
PWS Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
Remix Pro Wrestling
Remix Pro Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Facade
Ring of Honor
ROH World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jeff Hardy
Holy S*** Moment of the Decade (2010s) – – with Jeff Hardy
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
TNA World Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
TNA World Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Jeff Hardy/Brother Nero
TNA World Tag Team Championship Tournament (2015) – with Jeff Hardy
TNA World Tag Team Championship #1 Contender Tournament (2014) – with Jeff Hardy
WrestleCade
WrestleCade Championship (2 times)
Wrestling Observer Newsletter
Best Gimmick (2002, 2016)
Worst Feud of the Year (2004) with Lita vs. Kane
Wrestling Superstar
Wrestling Superstar Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jeff Hardy
WWE/World Wrestling Entertainment/Federation
ECW Championship (1 time)
WWF Hardcore Championship (1 time)
WWF European Championship (1 time)
WWE United States Championship (1 time)
WWE Cruiserweight Championship (1 time)
WWF/World Tag Team Championship (6 times) – with Jeff Hardy
WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jeff Hardy
WWE Raw Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with Montel Vontavious Porter (1) Jeff Hardy (1) and Bray Wyatt (1)
WCW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jeff Hardy
André the Giant Memorial Trophy (2018)
Bragging Rights Trophy (2009) – with Team SmackDown
Terri Invitational Tournament (1999) – with Jeff Hardy
WWE Tag Team Eliminator (2018) - with Bray Wyatt
Luchas de Apuestas record
Notes
References
Sources
External links
1974 births
All Elite Wrestling personnel
American bloggers
American male professional wrestlers
American YouTubers
Male YouTubers
ECW champions
ECW Heavyweight Champions/ECW World Heavyweight Champions
Living people
NWA/WCW/WWE United States Heavyweight Champions
Participants in American reality television series
Professional wrestlers from North Carolina
Professional wrestling managers and valets
Reality show winners
Sportspeople from Raleigh, North Carolina
TNA World Heavyweight/Impact World Champions
TNA/Impact World Tag Team Champions
Twitch (service) streamers
University of North Carolina at Charlotte alumni
WWF European Champions
WWF/WWE Hardcore Champions
| true |
[
"What Happened to Jones may refer to:\n What Happened to Jones (1897 play), a play by George Broadhurst\n What Happened to Jones (1915 film), a lost silent film\n What Happened to Jones (1920 film), a lost silent film\n What Happened to Jones (1926 film), a silent film comedy",
"What Happened may refer to:\n\n What Happened (Clinton book), 2017 book by Hillary Clinton\n What Happened (McClellan book), 2008 autobiography by Scott McClellan\n \"What Happened\", a song by Sublime from the album 40oz. to Freedom\n \"What Happened\", an episode of One Day at a Time (2017 TV series)\n\nSee also\nWhat's Happening (disambiguation)"
] |
[
"Matt Hardy",
"Broken gimmick legal battle",
"what was the broken gimmick legal battle about?",
"while The Hardys were in TNA, they had full creative control over the Broken gimmick,",
"what happened legally?",
"legal battle officially concluded when Matt legally acquired ownership of all trademarks"
] |
C_2396c4bd272c4d19b473c69cbf3464c8_1
|
who did he acquire them from?
| 3 |
Who did Matt Hardy acquire ownership of the Broken gimmick trademarks from?
|
Matt Hardy
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Shortly after the departure of Matt and Jeff from TNA was made public, Matt's wife, Reby, went on a social media tirade in which she repeatedly slammed TNA, the company's new management and the way in which contract negotiations between the company and the Hardy family were conducted. A few weeks following this, the bad blood between the two sides intensified, so much so that the new management of TNA (now renamed Impact Wrestling) Anthem Sports & Entertainment issued a cease and desist letter to The Hardys' new promotion Ring of Honor (ROH), in which Anthem essentially ordered ROH as well as any broadcasting company airing ROH's 15th Anniversary pay-per-view show (on which The Hardys were to participate in a match) to not in any way speak of, indicate or acknowledge the existence of the Broken Matt and Brother Nero characters and instead to refer to The Hardys as simply Matt Hardy and Jeff Hardy. The issue with this is that while The Hardys were in TNA, they had full creative control over the Broken gimmick, with them even filming their own segments to air on TNA programming in some circumstances, thus making the Hardy family (in their belief) the owners of the Broken gimmick. It is believed that civil litigation will follow and a potential court hearing will take place regarding the final outcome on who owns the Broken gimmick: Anthem or the Hardy family. Until then, the status of the Broken gimmick remains undecided. Despite this, Matt continues to use the Broken gimmick through his social media accounts, but neither him or Jeff use the Broken gimmick at any professional wrestling shows for ROH or on the independent circuit, presumably until the results of the expected legal proceedings have been finalized. Newly-appointed Impact Wrestling President Ed Nordholm credits the invention of and the vision behind the Broken gimmick to Jeremy Borash, Dave Lagana and Billy Corgan, and while Borash specifically had the most input into the gimmick of the three aside from Matt, the Hardy family deny that Borash was the sole person behind the gimmick. In November 2017, Impact Wrestling changed their policy, allowing all talent to retain complete ownership over their intellectual property, essentially forfeiting ownership of the "Broken" character to Hardy. On January 31, 2018, the legal battle officially concluded when Matt legally acquired ownership of all trademarks related to the Broken universe and the Broken gimmick, which includes 'Broken Matt', 'Brother Nero', 'Broken Brilliance' and 'Vanguard1'. Matt is now able to use the Broken gimmick as he sees fit, regardless of the promotion he competes in with the one caveat being that the promotion green-lights the use of the gimmick in that promotion, which includes major domestic U.S. promotions such as WWE or ROH. CANNOTANSWER
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the Hardy family deny that Borash was the sole person behind the gimmick.
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Matthew Moore Hardy (born September 23, 1974) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). He is also known for his time with WWE, Impact Wrestling, and Ring of Honor (ROH).
With his real life brother Jeff, Hardy gained notoriety in WWF's tag team division during the 2000s due to his participation in TLC matches. He is a 14-time world tag team champion, having held the WWE World Tag Team Championship six times, the WWE Raw Tag Team Championship three times, the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship, ROH World Tag Team Championship, and WCW Tag Team Championship once each, and the TNA World Tag Team Championships twice.
Wrestling through four separate decades, Hardy has kept himself relevant partially through a variety of different gimmicks and his use of social media. In 2002, Hardy began a solo career in WWE. His subsequent "Version 1" persona was named Best Gimmick by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Hardy's eccentric "Broken" gimmick, which he debuted in 2016 (and which was renamed "Woken" following his subsequent WWE return), garnered praise from wrestling critics and earned him multiple awards, including a second Best Gimmick award, becoming one of the most talked about characters in all of wrestling. As a singles wrestler, Hardy has won three world championships (one ECW Championship, and two TNA World Heavyweight Championships). All totaled between WWE, TNA/Impact, and ROH, Hardy has held 21 total championships.
Early life
Hardy was born in Cameron, North Carolina, the son of Gilbert and Ruby Moore Hardy. He is the older brother of Jeff Hardy. Their mother died of brain cancer in 1987. Hardy played baseball as a child and throughout high school, but had stopped by his senior year. He also played football, either as a linebacker or a defensive end. Hardy was a good student at Union Pines High School in North Carolina, and was a nominee for the "Morehead Award", a scholarship to any university in North Carolina. Hardy attended University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where he majored in engineering; after a year, however, he dropped out due to his father being ill. He then attended Sandhills Community College in Pinehurst to gain his associate degree.
Professional wrestling career
Early career (1992–2001)
Hardy, along with his brother Jeff and friends, started their own federation, the Trampoline Wrestling Federation (TWF) and mimicked the moves they saw on television. Shortly after Hardy sent in a tape for the World Championship Wrestling (WCW) Amateur Challenge using the ring name High Voltage, a tag team named High Voltage began competing in WCW, causing Hardy to change his name to Surge. A few years later, it was revealed to him by Chris Kanyon that the tape had been kept in the WCW Power Plant, watched multiple times, and that the name High Voltage was blatantly stolen from it. Beginning in 1994, The Hardys wrestled for several North Carolina-based independent circuit promotions and adapted a number of alter-egos. As The Wolverine, Hardy captured the New England Wrestling Alliance (NEWA) Championship in May 1994. As High Voltage, he teamed with Venom to claim the New Frontier Wrestling Association (NFWA) Tag Team Championship in March 1995. A month later, High Voltage defeated the Willow for the NFWA Championship.
In 1997, Matt and Jeff created their own wrestling promotion, The Organization of Modern Extreme Grappling Arts (frequently abbreviated to OMEGA Championship Wrestling, or simply OMEGA), in which Matt competed under the name High Voltage. Both Matt and Jeff took apart the ring and put it back together at every event they had, while Matt sewed all the costumes worn in OMEGA. The promotion folded in October 1999, after both Matt and Jeff signed with the World Wrestling Federation.
World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment
Early years (1994–1998)
Hardy worked as a jobber for the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) from 1994 up until he signed a full-time contract in 1998. His first WWF match was against Nikolai Volkoff on the May 23, 1994 episode of Monday Night Raw, which he lost by submission. A night later at a taping of WWF Wrestling Challenge, he lost a match against Owen Hart. He continued to wrestle sporadically in the WWF throughout 1994 and 1995, losing matches against Crush, Razor Ramon, Hakushi, Owen Hart, the imposter Undertaker, Hunter Hearst Helmsley and "The Ringmaster" Steve Austin.
Hardy teamed with Jeff for the first time in the WWF in 1996, losing to teams such as The Smoking Gunns and The Grimm Twins on WWF television. Matt and Jeff had a short lived feud with The Headbangers (Thrasher and Mosh), losing to the duo twice in 1997. It was during this time that Matt and Jeff experimented with different ring names, at one stage being called Ingus (Matt) and Wildo Jinx (Jeff). In Matt's final singles match for the promotion before signing a full-time contract he lost to Val Venis on a taping of Shotgun in 1998.
The Hardy Boyz (1998–2001)
It was not until 1998, however, (at the height of The Attitude Era) that the Hardy brothers were given full-time WWF contracts and sent to train with former wrestler Dory Funk, Jr. The Hardy Boyz used a cruiserweight, fast-paced high flying style in their matches, often leaping from great heights to do damage to their opponents (and themselves in the process). In 1999, while feuding with Edge and Christian, the duo briefly picked up Michael Hayes as a manager.
At King of the Ring, The Hardyz defeated Edge and Christian to earn the #1 contendership for the WWF Tag Team Championship. On July 5, they defeated The APA to win their first Tag Team Championship. They soon dumped Hayes and briefly picked up Gangrel as a manager, after Gangrel turned on Edge and Christian. At No Mercy, The Hardyz defeated Edge and Christian in the first ever tag team ladder match. At the Royal Rumble pay-per-view, The Hardyz defeated The Dudley Boyz in the first ever tag team tables match. They competed against The Dudley Boyz and Edge and Christian for the Tag Team Championships at WrestleMania 2000 in the first ever Triangle Ladder match, but were unsuccessful.
Hardy won the Hardcore Championship on April 24, 2000, on Raw Is War, by defeating Crash Holly, but lost it back to Holly three days later on SmackDown!, when Holly applied the "24/7 rule" during Hardy's title defense against Jeff. The Hardy Boyz then found a new manager in Matt's real-life girlfriend Lita. Together, the three became known as "Team Xtreme".
The Hardy Boyz competed in the first ever Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match, for the WWF Tag Team Championship against The Dudley Boyz and Edge and Christian, but were unsuccessful. At Unforgiven, The Hardyz defeated Edge and Christian in a steel cage match to win the tag team championship, and successfully retained it the following night on Raw Is War against Edge and Christian in a ladder match.
In April 2001, The Hardyz began feuding with Stone Cold Steve Austin and Triple H (known as The Power Trip), which also led to a singles push for both Matt and Jeff. Hardy helped Jeff defeat Triple H for the Intercontinental Championship, and shortly after Hardy defeated Eddie Guerrero to win the European Championship on SmackDown!. At Backlash he retained the title against Guerrero and Christian in a triple threat, and against Edge the following night on Raw.
Throughout the year, the Hardy Boyz continued to win as a tag team, winning the WWF Tag Team Titles two more times, and the WCW Tag Team Championship during the Invasion. By the end of the year, the Hardy Boyz began a storyline where they were having trouble co-existing. This culminated in a match between the two, with Lita as the guest referee, at the Vengeance pay-per-view, which Jeff won. Hardy defeated Jeff and Lita the following night on Raw in a two-on-one handicap match.
Version 1 gimmick and feud with Kane (2002–2004)
At the beginning of 2002, it seemed Team Xtreme had patched things up. After the brand extension, however, Matt was relegated to Heat while Jeff wrestled on the main show, Raw. On the August 12 episode of Raw, Hardy turned heel by attacking Jeff during Jeff's match against Rob Van Dam, because Hardy was frustrated at not receiving a match against Van Dam for the number one contendership for the Intercontinental Championship. A short time later, Hardy joined the SmackDown! roster, and began dubbing himself "Matt Hardy: Version 1", complete with a "version 1" hand signal. Hardy defeated The Undertaker on the September 12 and October 3 episodes of the show, due to interference from Brock Lesnar.
Along with his Mattitude Follower Shannon Moore in his corner, 2003 began with Hardy frantically trying to lose weight to get under the weight limit to compete for the Cruiserweight Championship. After just barely making weight, Hardy defeated Billy Kidman at No Way Out to win the Cruiserweight title. At WrestleMania XIX, he successfully defended it against Rey Mysterio. Hardy lost the Cruiserweight Championship to Mysterio in the main event of the June 5 episode of SmackDown! - the first and only time a Cruiserweight Championship match main evented a show.
After dropping the Cruiserweight Championship, Hardy briefly feuded with Eddie Guerrero, but was unsuccessful in capturing Guerrero's United States Championship or WWE Tag Team Championship. The Mattitude faction then expanded to include Crash Holly as Moore's "Moore-on" (apprentice). He later disbanded the group in November and returned to Raw in order to be able to travel and work with his then girlfriend Lita, who just returned from an injury. On his first night back, he turned on Lita in storyline after teasing a proposal to her. He defeated Christian, who was vying for Lita's affections, on the following edition of Raw.
In April 2004, Hardy saved Lita from getting attacked by Kane, turning face in the process. Hardy defeated Kane in a no disqualification match at Vengeance, but lost a "Till Death To Us Part" match against Kane at SummerSlam, resulting in Lita being forced to marry Kane. On the August 23 episode of Raw, Hardy was chokeslamed off the stage by Kane during the wedding. Hardy then spent almost a year off from wrestling due to a severe knee injury.
Departure and sporadic appearances (2005)
Along with his friend Rhyno, Hardy was released by WWE on April 11, 2005. Hardy's release was largely due to unprofessional conduct with social media after discovering that Lita was having a real-life affair with his best friend Edge. The public knowledge of the affair and Hardy's release led to Edge and Lita receiving jeers from the crowds at WWE events, often resulting in chants of "You screwed Matt!", and, "We want Matt!", which meant kayfabe storylines being affected considering that Lita was married to Kane at the time in kayfabe. Edge and Lita used the affair and fan backlash to become a hated on-screen couple, which led to Lita turning heel for the first time in over five years.
Fans began a petition on the internet, wanting WWE to re-sign Hardy, and amassed over fifteen thousand signatures. Hardy released two character promotional vignettes, that he was planning to use before he was offered a new contract by WWE. Hardy called himself The Angelic Diablo with the tagline "the scar will become a symbol" in reference to the way in which he had been treated by Lita and WWE. On the June 20 episode of Raw, during the storyline wedding of Edge and Lita, Hardy's entrance music and video were played when the priest asked if anyone had a reason why Edge and Lita should not be wed.
Independent circuit and Ring of Honor (2005)
Following his WWE release, Matt returned to the independent circuit and wrestled several matches for the Allied Powers Wrestling Federation (APWF), International Wrestling Cartel (IWC) and Big Time Wrestling (BTW).
Hardy appeared at a scheduled Ring of Honor (ROH) event on July 16, 2005, in Woodbridge, Connecticut where he defeated Christopher Daniels via submission. Hardy also cut a brief worked shoot promo where he criticized WWE and John Laurinaitis. Following his official return to WWE, Hardy was met with backlash following a match with Homicide from the fans at a subsequent ROH event, which Hardy won. The next day at his final ROH appearance, he lost to Roderick Strong.
Return to WWE
Feud with Edge (2005–2006)
On July 11, 2005, on Raw, Hardy attacked Edge backstage and again later during Edge's match with Kane. Before being escorted out of the building by security, Hardy stated that Edge (calling him by his real name of "Adam") and Lita would pay for their actions and told fans that they could see him at Ring of Honor while security officials and event staff were trying to restrain him. Hardy also called out Johnny Ace as security had him in handcuffs taking him out of the arena. This caused an uproar amongst fans, who were confused and wondered if the whole thing was a work or a shoot. Similar occurrences repeated during the following two weeks.
On the August 1 episode of Raw, Vince McMahon officially announced Hardy's return to WWE, adding that Hardy would face Edge at SummerSlam. Hardy made his in-ring return, defeating Snitsky on the August 8 Raw. Seconds after the victory, Hardy was attacked by Edge, and as he was being carried backstage, Matt counterattacked Edge in the locker room. On August 21 at SummerSlam, their match came to a premature end when Edge dropped Hardy onto the top of a ring post, causing him to bleed heavily. The referee ended the match on the grounds that Hardy could not continue, and Edge was declared the winner. After SummerSlam, the two continued feuding on Raw, including a Street Fight on August 29 that resulted in Hardy performing a Side Effect on Edge off the entrance stage and into electrical equipment below; the match ended in a no contest. At Unforgiven, Edge faced Hardy in a steel cage match. Hardy caught an interfering Lita with the Twist of Fate and won the match with a leg drop off the top of the cage. Hardy and Edge faced each other on October 3 at WWE Raw Homecoming in a Loser Leaves Raw ladder match. Edge's briefcase holding his Money in the Bank contract for his WWE Championship opportunity was suspended above the ring. The winner of the match received the contract and the loser was forced to leave Raw. Edge tied Hardy's arms in the ropes, and Lita trapped Hardy in a crucifix hold, leaving Hardy only able to watch Edge win.
With his defeat at the hands of Edge, Hardy was moved to the SmackDown! brand where he re-debuted with a win over Simon Dean on October 21 in Reno, Nevada. One week later, Hardy won the fan vote to represent Team SmackDown! (alongside Rey Mysterio) to challenge Team Raw (Edge and Chris Masters) at Taboo Tuesday. Edge, however, refused to wrestle and sent Snitsky in place of him in the match, which Hardy and Mysterio won.
Back on SmackDown!, Hardy started an angle with MNM (Johnny Nitro and Joey Mercury) and their manager Melina when Melina approached Hardy, seemingly wanting Hardy to join with her team. Hardy refused the offer, which led to him facing the tag team on several occasions with a variety of partners. On July 25, after the SmackDown! taping, Hardy was taken out of action after doctors found the remnants of the staph infection that had plagued him the previous year. He was sidelined until August 25 while he healed.
Upon his return to action, Hardy feuded against childhood friend and reigning Cruiserweight Champion Gregory Helms. At No Mercy, in their home state, Hardy beat Helms in a non-title match. The two met again at Survivor Series, where Hardy's team won in a clean sweep. They wrestled one final match, a one time appearance in Booker T's Pro Wrestling Alliance (PWA) promotion, where Hardy defeated Helms in a North Carolina Street Fight.
The Hardy Boyz reunion (2006–2007)
On the November 21, 2006 episode of ECW on Sci Fi, Hardy and Jeff competed in a match together for the first time in almost five years, defeating The Full Blooded Italians. At December to Dismember, the Hardy Boyz issued an open challenge to any tag team who wanted to face them. MNM answered their challenge by reuniting at December to Dismember, a match won by the Hardy Boyz. At Armageddon, Hardy and Jeff competed against Paul London and Brian Kendrick, MNM, and Dave Taylor and William Regal in a Ladder match for the WWE Tag Team Championship but lost. Subsequently, he and Jeff feuded with MNM after the legitimate incident where they injured Mercury's face at Armageddon. This led to a long term rivalry, and at the Royal Rumble, Hardy and Jeff defeated MNM. Mercury and Hardy continued to feud on SmackDown! until Mercury was released from WWE on March 26.
The night after WrestleMania 23 on Raw, the Hardys competed in a 10-team battle royal for the World Tag Team Championship. They won the titles for the sixth time from then WWE Champion John Cena and Shawn Michaels after last eliminating Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch. This started a feud with Cade and Murdoch, and the Hardys successfully retained their World Tag Team Championship in their first title defense at Backlash. The Hardy Boyz also successfully retained their titles at Judgment Day against Cade and Murdoch. One month later at One Night Stand, they defeated The World's Greatest Tag Team to retain the titles in a Ladder match. The following night on Raw, Vince McMahon demanded that The Hardys once again defend their championships against Cade and Murdoch. The Hardys were defeated after Murdoch pushed Jeff's foot off the bottom rope during Cade's pinfall, causing the three count to continue. They invoked their rematch clause against Cade and Murdoch at Vengeance: Night of Champions, but were unsuccessful.
Feud with MVP and championship reigns (2007–2009)
On the July 6, 2007 episode of SmackDown!, Hardy won a non-title match against United States Champion Montel Vontavious Porter (MVP), which resulted in a feud between the two. Hardy was defeated by MVP at The Great American Bash for the United States Championship. MVP then claimed that he was "better than Hardy at everything", which led to a series of contests between Hardy and MVP, such as a basketball game, an arm wrestling contest, and a chess match which MVP "sneezed" on and ruined when Hardy put him in check. MVP challenged Hardy to a boxing match at Saturday Night's Main Event XXXV, however MVP was legitimately diagnosed with the heart condition Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. Since MVP was unable to compete, Hardy faced his replacement, former world champion boxer, Evander Holyfield. The match ended in a no contest after MVP entered the ring to verbally abuse Holyfield, who then knocked him out. MVP also challenged Hardy to a beer drinking contest at SummerSlam, but as revenge for what happened at SNME, Hardy allowed Stone Cold Steve Austin to replace him; Austin simply performed a stunner on MVP then kept drinking.
After a segment involving MVP inadvertently choosing Hardy as his tag-team partner, Theodore Long promptly set up a match against Deuce 'n Domino for the WWE Tag Team Championship on the August 31 episode of SmackDown! which Hardy and MVP were able to win, therefore setting up Hardy's first reign as WWE Tag Team Champion. Hardy and MVP retained the titles at Unforgiven in a rematch against former champions Deuce 'n Domino. Hardy was scheduled to face MVP at Cyber Sunday, but due to a real-life head injury sustained on the October 26 episode of SmackDown!, he was not medically cleared to compete. As part of the storyline, Hardy continually asked MVP for a shot at the United States Championship but MVP refused stating that he was more focused on the Tag Team Championship.
On the November 16 episode of SmackDown!, Hardy and MVP dropped the WWE Tag Team Championship to John Morrison and The Miz. Despite the fact that Hardy was hurt, MVP immediately invoked the rematch clause. After the rematch, in which Hardy was forced to tap out, MVP attacked Hardy, repeatedly targeting his knee. It was later confirmed by WWE.com that Hardy had suffered an injury at his former partner's hands and that he might not be able to compete at Survivor Series. Despite Hardy's absence at Survivor Series, his team was able to win the match. On November 21, WWE's official website reported that Hardy underwent an emergency appendectomy in Tampa, Florida after his appendix burst. Hardy made an appearance at the December 31 episode of Raw supporting his brother Jeff. To further Jeff's storyline with Randy Orton, however, Hardy was attacked by Orton. Hardy made his return at a live event in Muncie, Indiana on March 1, 2008.
On March 30, 2008, at WrestleMania XXIV, during the Money in the Bank ladder match Hardy cut through the crowd and attacked MVP to prevent him from winning the match. He made his official in-ring return the next night on Raw, losing a singles match to WWE Champion Randy Orton. On the April 4 episode of SmackDown, Hardy faced MVP in a non-title match, which he won, re-igniting their storyline rivalry. On April 27, 2008, Hardy defeated MVP to win the United States Championship at Backlash, and successfully retained his title against MVP five days later on SmackDown.
Hardy declared himself as a fighting champion that would take on all challenges, defending the United States championship against Shelton Benjamin, Elijah Burke, Chuck Palumbo, Mr. Kennedy, Chavo Guerrero and Umaga. Hardy was drafted to the ECW brand on the June 23, 2008 episode of Raw during the 2008 WWE Draft, in the process making the United States Championship exclusive to ECW. He dropped the United States Championship to Shelton Benjamin at the Great American Bash pay-per-view on July 20, 2008, which meant that the title returned to SmackDown.
On the July 22 episode of ECW, Hardy became the number one contender to Mark Henry's ECW Championship after defeating John Morrison, The Miz and Finlay in a fatal four-way match. He won the title match at SummerSlam by disqualification due to interference from Henry's manager, Tony Atlas, thus he failed to win the title. Due to the ending of the pay-per-view match, Hardy received a rematch for the title on the next episode of ECW, but again failed to win the title when Henry pinned him after a distraction by Atlas. At Unforgiven, Hardy won the ECW Championship during the Championship scramble match, defeating then-champion Henry, The Miz, Finlay and Chavo Guerrero by pinning the Miz with three minutes left, marking his first world heavyweight championship win. He continued to feud with Henry until No Mercy, where Hardy successfully retained the title. Hardy lost the title to Jack Swagger on the January 13, 2009 episode of ECW, which was taped on January 12.
Feud with Jeff Hardy and departure (2009–2010)
At the 2009 Royal Rumble pay-per-view, after losing an ECW Championship rematch to Swagger, Hardy turned on his brother when he hit Jeff with a steel chair, allowing Edge to win the WWE Championship, turning heel in the process. On the January 27, 2009 episode of ECW, it was announced by General Manager Theodore Long that Hardy had requested, and been granted, his release from ECW and had re-signed with the SmackDown brand. As part of the buildup to this feud, Matt strongly implied that he was responsible for all of Jeff's accidents leading back to November, including an assault in a hotel stairwell that prevented Jeff from appearing at Survivor Series, an automobile accident where Jeff's car was run off the road, and a pyrotechnics malfunction where part of the pyro from Jeff's entrance was fired directly at Jeff, in an attempt to stop Jeff holding the WWE Championship. Despite Hardy's attempts to goad Jeff into fighting him, Jeff refused to fight his brother, but, on the March 6 episode of SmackDown, Jeff attacked him during a promo where Matt implied that he was also responsible for the fire that burned down Jeff's house, going so far as to reveal that he had in his possession a dog collar that supposedly belonged to Jeff's dog, Jack (who died in the fire), that he claimed to have salvaged from the wreckage of the house. At WrestleMania 25, Matt defeated Jeff in an Extreme Rules match, and in a stretcher match on the following episode of SmackDown.
On the April 13 episode of Raw, Hardy was drafted to the Raw brand as part of the WWE draft. Despite the fact that the two were on different brands, he continued his feud with Jeff. Two weeks later, in a rematch from WrestleMania, Hardy lost to Jeff in an "I Quit" match at Backlash, in which he legitimately broke his hand.
Hardy continued to wrestle with his hand in a cast, incorporating it into his persona and claiming that he was wrestling under protest. He reignited his feud with MVP on Raw for the United States Championship. He also formed a tag team with William Regal, and the two acted as henchmen for General Manager Vickie Guerrero. At the June 22 taping of WWE Superstars, Hardy suffered yet another injury, when his intestines went through his abdominal wall, during a triple threat match against MVP and Kofi Kingston. Hardy had suffered a tear in his abdominal muscle two years previously, but had not needed surgery until it worsened, and became a danger to his health.
He was then traded back to the SmackDown brand on June 29, and underwent surgery for the torn abdominal muscle on July 2. He made his return on the August 7 episode of SmackDown as the special guest referee in the World Heavyweight Championship match between his brother, Jeff, and CM Punk, and helped Jeff retain the championship by counting the pinfall. The following week Hardy turned face again when he saved his brother when CM Punk and The Hart Dynasty attacked both Jeff and John Morrison. On the August 21 episode of SmackDown, after apologizing for his past actions towards Jeff and admitting that he was not behind any of Jeff's accidents, he had his first match back after his injury when he teamed with Jeff and John Morrison to defeat The Hart Dynasty and CM Punk, when Matt pinned Punk.
In early 2010, Hardy began an on-screen relationship with Maria; but was brief and the relationship ended when Maria was released from her WWE contract. On the March 5 episode of SmackDown, Hardy qualified for the Money in the Bank ladder match at WrestleMania XXVI by defeating Drew McIntyre, but was unsuccessful at WrestleMania, as the match was won by Jack Swagger. Hardy was suspended by Vince McMahon because he attacked McIntyre after McIntyre lost to Kofi Kingston at Over the Limit. He was able to get his revenge on McIntyre during the Viewer's Choice episode of Raw when chosen as the opponent for McIntyre, with General Manager Theodore Long stating that Hardy was suspended from SmackDown, but not from Raw. On the following episode of SmackDown, however, Vickie Guerrero announced that, per orders of Vince McMahon, Hardy had been suspended from all WWE programming. However, at Fatal 4-Way, Hardy prevented McIntyre from regaining the Intercontinental Championship, thus continuing their feud. On the following edition of SmackDown, he was reinstated by Long and had a match with McIntyre, which Hardy won. After the match, it was announced that McIntyre's visa had legitimately expired and was sent back to Scotland, thus ending their feud. Hardy was featured in the SmackDown Money in the Bank ladder match but was unsuccessful in winning with Kane coming out victorious.
On September 12, WWE confirmed they had sent Hardy home from a European tour. Following this, Hardy began posting videos on his YouTube channel expressing his disinterest in the WWE product and insisting that he wanted to be released from the company. On October 15, 2010, WWE announced that Hardy had been released from his contract. Hardy later stated that his release had been in effect two weeks before WWE made the announcement.
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2011)
On January 9, 2011, Hardy made his debut for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) at the Genesis pay-per-view, as part of the stable Immortal. He was the surprise opponent for Rob Van Dam, and defeated him to prevent Van Dam from receiving a match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, held by Hardy's brother Jeff. In the main event, Hardy attempted to interfere in Jeff's World Heavyweight Championship match with Mr. Anderson, but was stopped by Van Dam, which led to Jeff losing both the match and the championship. On the January 13 episode of Impact!, the Hardy Boyz reunited to defeat Anderson and Van Dam in a tag team match, following interference from Beer Money, Inc. On February 13 at Against All Odds, Van Dam defeated Hardy in a rematch.
On the following episode of Impact!, Hardy, along with the rest of Immortal and Ric Flair, betrayed Fortune. On March 13 at Victory Road, Hardy was defeated by Flair's previous protégé, A.J. Styles. On April 17 at Lockdown, Immortal, represented by Hardy, Abyss, Bully Ray and Ric Flair, were defeated by Fortune members James Storm, Kazarian and Robert Roode and Christopher Daniels, who replaced an injured A.J. Styles, in a Lethal Lockdown match. On the April 21 episode of Impact!, Hardy faced Sting for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, Hardy's first World Title match in TNA, but was defeated. The following month, Hardy was granted a shot at the TNA World Tag Team Championship against Beer Money, Inc. (James Storm and Robert Roode). While the champions looked to defend the title against the Hardy Boyz, Matt instead introduced the returning Chris Harris, Storm's old tag team partner, as his partner for the title match. The match took place at Sacrifice, where Storm and Roode retained their titles.
On June 21, it was reported that TNA had suspended Hardy. On August 20, Hardy was released from TNA following a DUI arrest that occurred earlier that same day.
Return to the independent circuit (2011–2017)
Hardy announced his retirement from full-time professional wrestling due to injuries on September 1, 2011. He issued a challenge to his long-time rival MVP, who was wrestling in Japan at the time, to one final match at "Crossfire Live!" in Nashville. The event was held May 19, 2012 and benefited the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Hardy won the match.
Throughout 2012, Hardy wrestled sporadically on the independent circuit, working with promotions such as Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Syndicate and Northeast Wrestling. On October 5, Hardy was defeated by Kevin Steen at Pro Wrestling Xperience's An Evil Twist of Fate. On November 11, Hardy, as the masked wrestler Rahway Reaper, defeated the Pro Wrestling Syndicate Kevin Matthews, winning the championship. On February 9, 2013, Hardy lost the Pro Wrestling Syndicate Championship back to Matthews.
On February 16, 2013, at Family Wrestling Entertainment's No Limit, Hardy wrestled a TLC match for the FWE Heavyweight Championship against the champion Carlito and Tommy Dreamer, but he was defeated. On November 30, 2013, at WrestleCade, Hardy defeated Carlito to become the first ever WrestleCade Champion.
On May 3, 2014, following a match between Christian York and Drolix, Hardy defeated Drolix to become the new MCW Heavyweight Champion. At Maryland Championship Wrestling's Shane Shamrock Cup, Hardy defeated Luke Hawx in a TLC match for Hardy's title and Hawx's Extreme Rising World title. Hardy won the match, but he gave back the title to Hawx. On October 4, Hardy lost the MCW Heavyweight Championship back to Drolix, following outside interference from Kevin Eck.
On February 9, 2015, Hardy appeared on FWE's "No Limits 2015" iPPV, challenging Drew Galloway for the ICW World Heavyweight Championship, but was defeated.
On November 28, 2015, Hardy lost the WrestleCade Championship to Jeff Jarrett at WrestleCade IV in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Hardy regained the title in a triple-threat cage match against Jarrett and Ethan Carter III in Hickory, North Carolina on May 20, 2016. He appeared at the #DELETEWCPW event for What Culture Pro Wrestling (WCPW) in Nottingham, England on November 30. Hardy, billed as "Broken" Matt Hardy, lost a no-disqualification match to Bully Ray, with Ray proposing the no-disqualification stipulation at the last minute, and Hardy accepting there and then.
Return to ROH (2012–2014)
At Death Before Dishonor X: State of Emergency in 2012, Hardy returned to Ring of Honor, confronting Adam Cole and challenging him to a match for the ROH World Television Championship. On December 16 at Final Battle 2012: Doomsday, Hardy defeated Cole in a non-title match.
At the following iPPV, 11th Anniversary Show on March 2, 2013, Hardy joined the villainous S.C.U.M. stable. On April 5 at the Supercard of Honor VII iPPV, Hardy unsuccessfully challenged Matt Taven for the ROH World Television Championship in a three-way elimination match, which also included Adam Cole. On June 22 at Best in the World 2013, Hardy defeated former S.C.U.M. stablemate Kevin Steen in a No Disqualification match to become the number one contender to the ROH World Championship. Hardy received his title shot at the following day's Ring of Honor Wrestling tapings, but was defeated by the defending champion, Jay Briscoe. Later that same day, S.C.U.M. was forced to disband after losing a Steel Cage Warfare match against Team ROH. On December 14, 2013, at Final Battle 2013, Hardy defeated Adam Page in a singles match; later on in the main event, Hardy aided Adam Cole in retaining his title and forming a tag team with him. After aiding Cole at Supercard of Honor VIII, Hardy was given Jay Briscoe's unofficial "Real World Title" belt, which he renamed the "ROH Iconic Championship". In July, Hardy opted out of his ROH contract and went back to TNA.
Return to OMEGA (2013–2018)
Matt announced that OMEGA would return in January 2013 with an event titled "Chinlock For Chuck". The main event featured Matt, Jeff, Shane "Hurricane" Helms and "Cowboy" James Storm defeating Gunner, Steve Corino, CW Anderson and Lodi. On October 12, 2013, at "Chapel Thrill", Hardy announced a Tournament for the OMEGA Heavyweight Championship which featured himself vs. CW Anderson and Shane "Hurricane" Helms vs. "The King" Shane Williams. After Hardy's qualifying match he was attacked by CW but was saved by the returning Willow the Whisp. Hardy won that match and advanced to the finals.
On November 21, 2015, Matt won the OMEGA Heavyweight Championship for the second time, defeating former student Trevor Lee. Following this, Matt (upon regaining the TNA world title as part of his villainous egotistical "Iconic" gimmick) began proclaiming himself to be the only world champion that matters, and the only "true" world champion in wrestling, as he held both the TNA and OMEGA Championships, which (according to him) put him above any other promotions' world champions. Throughout 2016, Hardy defended the TNA and OMEGA titles jointly at OMEGA events as part of his "only true world champion" gimmick.
On January 29, The Hardys won the OMEGA Tag Team Championships.
Return to TNA
The Hardys third reunion (2014–2015)
On July 24, 2014, Hardy returned to TNA and reunited with Jeff to reform The Hardys for the third time. At the Destination X episode of Impact Wrestling, The Hardys were defeated by The Wolves in a match for the TNA World Tag Team Championship. On the August 14 episode of Impact Wrestling, Team 3D (formerly the Dudley Boyz) challenged The Hardys to a match, which Team 3D won. At the Hardcore Justice episode of Impact Wrestling, The Hardys and Team 3D talked about a match involving themselves and The Wolves. When The Wolves were asked by the two teams, they agreed. Later that night, Kurt Angle announced all three teams would compete in a best of three series for the TNA World Tag Team Championship with the winners of the first match choosing the stipulation of the next one. The Hardys won the second match of the series on the September 10 episode of Impact Wrestling in a tables match and choose a ladder match for the third match of the series. The Hardys were unsuccessful in winning that match on the September 17 episode of Impact Wrestling, as the Wolves won that match. The Wolves then went on to pick the final match of the series to be a Full Metal Mayhem match to take place on the October 8 episode of Impact Wrestling. The Hardys were unsuccessful in that match as the Wolves won that match.
On October 22, The Hardys entered a number one contenders tournament for the TNA World Tag Team Championship defeating The BroMans (Jessie Godderz and DJ Z) in the first round of the tournament. On the October 29 episode of Impact Wrestling, The Hardys defeated Team Dixie (Ethan Carter III and Tyrus) in the semifinals to advance to the finals of the tournament, where they defeated Samoa Joe and Low Ki to become number one contenders for the TNA World Tag Team Championship. On the January 16, 2015 episode of Impact Wrestling, The Hardys defeated the Wolves. At the Lockdown episode of Impact Wrestling, The Hardys were defeated by The Revolution in a six sides of steel cage match for the TNA World Tag Team Championship. On the February 20 episode of Impact Wrestling, Hardy and The Wolves defeated The Revolution in a six-man tag team match. In March, The Hardys participated in a tournament for the vacant TNA World Tag Team Championship. On March 16, 2015, Matt and Jeff won an Ultimate X match for the titles. On May 8, 2015, Hardy vacated the TNA World Tag Team Championship due to his brother Jeff being injured.
World Heavyweight Champion (2015–2016)
On June 28, 2015, Hardy was among the five wrestlers who competed for the TNA King of the Mountain Championship at Slammiversary, with Jeff Jarrett ultimately emerging victorious. On the July 8 episode of Impact Wrestling, Hardy requested a world title shot against Ethan Carter III, but was denied and forced to face the Dirty Heels (Austin Aries and Bobby Roode) in a handicap match, which he lost. On the July 22 episode of Impact Wrestling, Hardy defeated Roode in a Tables match to become the #1 contender for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. On the August 5 episode of Impact Wrestling, Hardy got his shot at the title against EC3 in a Full Metal Mayhem match, but failed to win the title. On the September 2 episode of Impact Wrestling, Hardy got another shot at the TNA World Heavyweight Championship against EC3, but again failed to win the title; as part of the storyline, Jeff Hardy was forced to act as Ethan Carter's personal assistant. On the September 30 episode of Impact Wrestling, Hardy was added to the Ethan Carter III vs. Drew Galloway main event match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship at Bound for Glory after he and Galloway defeated Carter and Tyrus, making it a three-way match, following which Jeff, who EC3 had just "fired" in the previous episode, was revealed to be the special guest referee.
On October 4 at Bound for Glory, Matt won the TNA World Heavyweight Championship by pinning Galloway. However, EC3 filed an injunction (kayfabe) that banned Hardy from appearing on Impact Wrestling for a month, which forced Hardy to relinquish the title in order to stay on the show. However, Hardy had been participating in the TNA World Title Series for the vacant title. He qualified to the round of 16 by defeating Davey Richards, Robbie E and Eddie Edwards. He then advanced to the round of 8 by defeating the King of the Mountain Champion Bobby Roode and then to Jessie Godderz to continue his winning streak. The semifinals and finals were held on the January 5, 2016, live episode of Impact Wrestling during its debut on Pop TV, in which he defeated Eric Young to advance to the final round. Hardy faced EC3 in the TNA World Title Series finals, but lost the match via pinfall.
Hardy won the TNA World Title from EC3 on the January 19, 2016 episode of Impact Wrestling, becoming the first man to defeat him in a one-on-one match in TNA. During the match a double turn took place; Hardy turned heel after Tyrus betrayed EC3. The following week on Impact Wrestling, Jeff Hardy had confronted him about last week and issued a challenge to Matt for the World Heavyweight title in the main event and Matt accepted. However, later before the main event could begin, Eric Young and Bram attacked Jeff from behind. Kurt Angle then came out to try save Jeff, and Matt had Tyrus attack Angle from behind. While Matt watched from the ramp, Young attacked Jeff with the Piledriver off the apron through a table. The following week, he successfully retained his title against Angle. At Lockdown, he retained his title in a Six-side of steel match against Ethan Carter III, with the help of Rockstar Spud. He lost his title against Drew Galloway on the March 15 episode of Impact Wrestling, after a match featuring EC3 and Jeff Hardy.
Two weeks later he received a rematch for the title on Impact Wrestling, but was again defeated by Galloway. After losing the title he started a feud with Jeff. On the April 19 episode of Impact Wrestling, and an I Quit match ended in a no-contest as both Matt and Jeff were badly injured and Matt was taken out to the hospital on a stretcher.
The Broken Universe (2016–2017)
Hardy returned on May 17 episode of Impact Wrestling, revealing himself to be one of the impostor Willows behind the attacks on Jeff. Later that night, he attacked Jeff. In the following weeks, Hardy debuted a new persona as a "Broken" man with part of his hair bleached blonde along with a strange sophisticated accent, blaming Jeff (who he began referring to as "Brother Nero", Nero being Jeff's middle name) for breaking him and becoming obsessed with "deleting" him. His line “Delete”, is mostly inspired by the Death Note manga/anime series character Teru Mikami. On June 12, at Slammiversary, Matt was defeated by Jeff in a Full Metal Mayhem match. On the June 21 episode of Impact Wrestling, Matt was once again defeated by Jeff in a Six Sides of Steel match. On the June 28 episode of Impact Wrestling, Matt challenged Jeff to a final battle with the Hardy brand on the line, to take place at their home in Cameron, North Carolina the next week. On July 5, during special episode "The Final Deletion", Matt defeated Jeff in the match to become sole owner of the Hardy brand, forcing Jeff to drop his last name and become referred to as "Brother Nero".
On the August 18 episode of Impact Wrestling, Matt and Brother Nero defeated The Tribunal, The BroMans and The Helms Dynasty in an "Ascension To Hell" match for an opportunity to challenge Decay for the TNA World Tag Team Championship. On September 8, during special episode "Delete or Decay", the Hardys faced Decay in a match held at the Hardy compound, where Brother Nero sacrificed himself to save Matt from Abyss. Thanks to Brother Nero's sacrifice, Hardy was able to confront Rosemary and prevent his son Maxel from being abducted, which turned Hardy babyface as a result, and he furthered the face turn by healing Brother Nero in the Lake of Reincarnation. At Bound for Glory, the Hardys defeated Decay in "The Great War" to win the TNA World Tag Team Championship for the second time. On the October 6 episode of Impact Wrestling, they successfully defended their titles against Decay, in a Wolf Creek match.
On the November 3 episode of Impact Wrestling, the Hardys successfully defended the titles against The Tribunal. After the match, the Hardys were attacked by the masked trio known as Death Crew Council (DCC). After accepting DCC's title challenge, The Hardys faced Bram and Kingston, and Matt pinned Kingston to retain the titles. On December 15, during special episode "Total Nonstop Deletion", they were once again successful in retaining. Brother Nero attacked Crazzy Steve with the Twist of Fate, who then fell into a volcano (that had appeared on the compound in the weeks leading up the event), and was shot up into the sky, landing in the ring. Matt then covered him to win the match.
On the January 12, 2017 episode of Impact Wrestling, The Hardys successfully defended their titles against The Wolves. At Genesis, The Hardys retained their titles against the DCC and Decay in a three-way tag team match. On Open Fight Night, the Hardys began a storyline where they would teleport to different promotions and win that promotions' tag team championship gold, which was referred to by Matt as their "Expedition of Gold". On February 27, Hardy announced that both he and Jeff had finally left TNA, following years of speculation, with their contracts expiring that week. Though the two sides were reportedly close to a contract agreement, talks began to break down and changes in management prompted their departure from the company. The TNA World Tag Team Championships were vacated due to the Hardys' departure and was explained on TNA television in a segment where The Hardys teleported to their next Expedition of Gold destination, but a technicality resulted in them disappearing and the belts appearing in the arms of Decay.
Broken gimmick legal battle
Shortly after the departure of Matt and Jeff from TNA was made public, Matt's wife, Reby, went on a social media tirade in which she repeatedly slammed TNA, the company's new management and the way in which contract negotiations between the company and the Hardy family were conducted. A few weeks following this, the bad blood between the two sides intensified, so much so that the new management of TNA (now renamed Impact Wrestling) Anthem Sports & Entertainment issued a cease and desist letter to The Hardys' new promotion Ring of Honor (ROH), in which Anthem essentially ordered ROH as well as any broadcasting company airing ROH's 15th Anniversary pay–per–view show (on which The Hardys were to participate in a match) to not in any way speak of, indicate or acknowledge the existence of the Broken Matt and Brother Nero characters and instead to refer to The Hardys as simply Matt Hardy and Jeff Hardy. The issue with this is that while The Hardys were in TNA, they had full creative control over the Broken gimmick, with them even filming their own segments to air on TNA programming in some circumstances, thus making the Hardy family (in their belief) the owners of the Broken gimmick. It is believed that civil litigation will follow and a potential court hearing will take place regarding the outcome on who owns the Broken gimmick: Anthem or the Hardy family. Until then, the status of the Broken gimmick remains undecided. Despite this, Matt continues to use the Broken gimmick through his social media accounts, but neither he nor Jeff uses the Broken gimmick at any professional wrestling shows for ROH or on the independent circuit, presumably until the results of the expected legal proceedings have been finalized.
Newly–appointed Impact Wrestling President Ed Nordholm credits the invention of and the vision behind the Broken gimmick to Jeremy Borash, Dave Lagana and Billy Corgan, and while Borash specifically had the most input into the gimmick of the three aside from Matt, the Hardy family deny that Borash was the sole person behind the gimmick. In November 2017, Impact Wrestling changed their policy, allowing all talent to retain complete ownership over their intellectual property, essentially forfeiting ownership of the "Broken" character to Hardy.
On January 31, 2018, the legal battle officially concluded when Matt legally acquired ownership of all trademarks related to the Broken universe and the Broken gimmick, which includes 'Broken Matt', 'Brother Nero', 'Broken Brilliance' and 'Vanguard1'.
International matches (2014–2015)
On November 1, 2014, Hardy traveled to Japan to compete for Wrestle-1 at the promotions Keiji Muto 30th Anniversary Hold Out show in a triple threat match against Seiya Sanada and Tajiri, which he lost.
On May 24, 2015, Hardy traveled to Mexico to compete as a team captain for Team TNA/Lucha Underground with teammates Mr. Anderson and Johnny Mundo at Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide's 2015 Lucha Libre World Cup pay–per–view show. In the quarter–final round, Team TNA/Lucha Underground faced Team Rest of the World (Drew Galloway, Angélico and El Mesías) to a 15-minute time limit draw, with Team TNA/Lucha Underground winning in overtime and advancing to the semi–final round. In the semi–final round, Team TNA/Lucha Underground defeated Team MexLeyendas (Blue Demon Jr., Dr. Wagner Jr. and El Solar) to advance to the final round. In the final round, Team TNA/Lucha Underground faced Dream Team (El Patrón Alberto, Myzteziz and Rey Mysterio Jr.) to a 15–minute time limit draw, with Dream Team winning both the match and the tournament in overtime with Hardy on the losing end of the final pinfall.
Second return to ROH (2016–2017)
On December 2, 2016, Hardy returned to ROH for the second time while still under contract with TNA, appearing at the promotions Final Battle pay-per-view show as Broken Matt, where a video message showed him addressing The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) and The Briscoes (Jay Briscoe and Mark Briscoe).
On March 4, 2017, in the same week that both Matt and Jeff were released from TNA, The Hardys defeated The Young Bucks in an impromptu match at ROH's 2017 installment of the company's Manhattan Mayhem show series to become the new ROH World Tag Team Champions for the first time. Moments after winning the titles, Hardy announced in a post-match promo that both he and Brother Nero (Jeff) had signed "the biggest ROH contracts in (the company's) history". It was later confirmed that the contracts were short-term, only for the "immediate future". On March 10, The Hardys successfully defended the ROH World Tag Team Championship for the first time at ROH's 15th Anniversary pay-per-view show against The Young Bucks and Roppongi Vice (Beretta and Rocky Romero) in a three-way Las Vegas tag team street fight match. Prior to the event, the Hardys had been sent a legal threat by Impact Wrestling regarding the use of the Broken Matt and Brother Nero gimmicks. The following night on March 11, The Hardys (not billed but using the Broken gimmicks anyway) once again retained the titles, this time against The Briscoes at a set of Ring of Honor Wrestling television tapings. The Hardys lost the titles back to The Young Bucks in a ladder match on April 1 at ROH's Supercard of Honor XI pay-per-view show, which would be the final ROH appearances for both Hardys in this tenure with the promotion.
Second return to WWE (2017–2020)
Feud with The Bar (2017)
At the WrestleMania 33 pay-per-view on April 2, 2017, Hardy made his surprise return to WWE, along with his brother Jeff Hardy, being added as last-minute participants in the ladder match for the Raw Tag Team Championship, defeating Gallows and Anderson, Cesaro and Sheamus, and Enzo and Cass to win the Raw Tag Team Championship. Afterwards on Raw Talk, Hardy mentioned that The Hardy Boyz had successfully completed the Expedition of Gold, after winning the Raw Tag Team Championship. At Payback, The Hardy Boyz retained their championships against Cesaro and Sheamus, who attacked them after the match. The next night on Raw, Cesaro and Sheamus explained their actions, claiming the fans were more supportive of 'novelty acts' from the past like The Hardy Boyz, who they feel did not deserve to be in the match at WrestleMania 33. Subsequently, at Extreme Rules, The Hardy Boyz lost the titles against Cesaro and Sheamus in a steel cage match, and failed to regain it back the following month at the Great Balls of Fire event. Afterwards, it was revealed that Jeff had gotten injured and would be out for an estimated six months, thus Hardy began wrestling in singles matches.
Woken Universe and storyline with Bray Wyatt (2017–2018)
During his feud with Bray Wyatt, Hardy introduced his "Woken" gimmick, after Impact Wrestling dropped their claim to the gimmick and Hardy gained full ownership of it. Wyatt defeated Hardy at Raw 25 on January 22, 2018, and Hardy defeated Wyatt at Elimination Chamber on February 25. Their final match happened on the March 19 episode of Raw, dubbed The Ultimate Deletion, with Hardy winning after distractions from Señor Benjamin. Wyatt then disappeared after being thrown into the Lake of Reincarnation. At WrestleMania 34 on April 7, Hardy competed in the annual André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, and won the match due to a distraction by the returning Wyatt. After WrestleMania, Hardy and Wyatt performed as a tag team, sometimes referred to as The Deleters of Worlds. They won a tournament for the vacant Raw Tag Team Championship, defeating Cesaro and Sheamus at the Greatest Royal Rumble event to win the title. However, they lost the titles at Extreme Rules to The B-Team (Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel). On the July 23 episode of Raw, Hardy and Wyatt received a rematch for the titles, but was again defeated by The B-Team. Following this, Hardy revealed that he was taking time off due to his back fusing with his pelvis, effectively disbanding the team. According to Hardy, the reason WWE disbanded the team was because he and Wyatt pitched several ideas to WWE to work with their characters.
The Hardys fourth reunion and departure (2019–2020)
After more than seven months of absence from television, Hardy returned on the February 26, 2019 episode of SmackDown Live, teaming with his brother Jeff to defeat The Bar (Cesaro and Sheamus). At WrestleMania 35 on April 7, Hardy competed in the André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, but was eliminated by eventual winner, Braun Strowman. Two days later on SmackDown Live, The Hardy Boyz defeated The Usos to win the SmackDown Tag Team Championship. The reign only lasted 21 days (recognized as 20 days by WWE), as they had to vacate the title due to Jeff injuring his knee, this was explained in storyline as injuries afflicted by Lars Sullivan. After his brother Jeff's injury, Hardy began to appear on WWE programming less frequently. At Super ShowDown on June 7, Hardy competed in the 51-man Battle Royal, which was eventually won by Mansoor. From November to December, Hardy occasionally appeared on Raw, losing matches against superstars like Buddy Murphy, Drew McIntyre, Ricochet and Erick Rowan.
On the February 10, 2020 episode of Raw, Hardy confronted Randy Orton about Orton's attack on Edge two weeks earlier. Hardy then got himself into a brawl with him moments after, and was viciously attacked by Orton. The following week on Raw, an injured Hardy appeared and was once again assaulted by Orton, which would be his final appearance in WWE. On March 2, Hardy announced his departure from WWE through his official YouTube channel, where Hardy said that while he's grateful towards the people behind the scenes, he said he is also on different pages with WWE as he feels he needs to have creative input and still has more to give. Later that day, WWE announced that his contract had expired.
All Elite Wrestling
Multiple personalities (2020–2021)
Hardy made his All Elite Wrestling (AEW) debut on the March 18, 2020 episode of Dynamite, reverting to his "Broken" gimmick and being announced as the replacement for the kayfabe injured Nick Jackson on The Elite's team at Blood and Guts. However, the event was postponed to the following year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On the May 6 episode of Dynamite, Hardy wrestled his first match with AEW, teaming up with Kenny Omega for a street fight against The Inner Circle's Chris Jericho and Sammy Guevara, and Hardy and Omega lost when Jericho pinned Omega. During this period, due to the lack of live audience, Hardy felt that the Broken character needs public, so he began to include several of his gimmicks, including Broken Matt Hardy, Big Money Matt, Matt Hardy V1, and Unkillable Matt Hardy, being referred to as "Multifarious" Matt Hardy. AEW president Tony Khan later admitted that he "wasn't a fan" of the Broken gimmick and much preferred more realistic presentations in wrestling.
At Double or Nothing, Hardy teamed with The Elite to defeat The Inner Circle in the first ever Stadium Stampede match. During the match, Santana and Ortiz dunked Hardy in the stadium pool, which acted as a version of the Lake of Reincarnation, as Hardy kept cycling through his various gimmicks throughout his career when he surfaced. Hardy then feuded with Sammy Guevara, and after Hardy defeated Guevara in a Broken Rules match at All Out, Hardy took time off until he was cleared to return, due to an injury sustained during the match. On the September 16 episode of Dynamite, Hardy aligned with Private Party (Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen) as their manager, but was attacked backstage before their match. The attacker was later revealed as Guevara and The Elite Deletion match was announced, which took place at The Hardy Compound in Cameron, North Carolina, where Hardy won.
The Hardy Family Office (2021–present)
Hardy then switched to his Big Money persona as he focused on managing Private Party. Over the following weeks, Hardy would display villainous tactics as he began cheating during matches much to Private Party's dismay. On the January 20, 2021 episode of Dynamite, Hardy and Private Party defeated Matt Sydal and Top Flight (Dante Martin and Darius Martin) after using a steel chair before attacking Sydal and Top Flight afterwards, thus turning heel. Hardy then approached Adam Page to accompany and befriend him, and during tag team matches, Hardy would always tag himself in and pick up the victory for his team to Page's behest. After Page set up a match between Hardy and himself, Hardy double-crossed Page, with Private Party and The Hybrid 2 (Angélico and Jack Evans) attacking Page until The Dark Order came out to save him. At the Revolution event, Hardy lost to Page despite multiple interferences from Private Party.
Following Revolution, Hardy became the manager for The Butcher and The Blade (with their valet The Bunny in tow), and along with Private Party, the stable became known as the Matt Hardy Empire before settling on the name Hardy Family Office. Hardy also added The Hybrid 2 to his group in July having previously hiring them on a mercenary basis. At Double or Nothing, Hardy competed in Casino Battle Royale but was eliminated by Christian Cage. This led to a match between the two at Fyter Fest, where Hardy lost to Cage. In August, Matt Hardy and HFO began a feud with Orange Cassidy and Best Friends, which led to a match on the August 25 episode of Dynamite, where Hardy was defeated by Cassidy. However, on the November 12 episode of Rampage, Hardy defeated Cassidy in a Lumberjack match, thanks to an interference from HFO and the heel lumberjacks. Their feud ended on the November 17 episode of Dynamite where his team of The Butcher and The Blade lost to the team of Cassidy and Tomohiro Ishii, where Cassidy gave a crossbody to the interfering Hardy and The Blade during the match.
Professional wrestling style and persona
After the creation of his Broken character, Hardy was praised by several wrestlers and critics for reinventing himself several times during his career. During his career, Hardy has won the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Best Gimmick award two times under two different characters, once in 2002 and again in 2016.
Personal life
Hardy was in a six-year relationship with wrestler Amy Dumas, better known as Lita. They first met in January 1999 at a NWA Mid-Atlantic show but did not begin dating until a few months later. They broke up in February 2005 when he discovered that she was having an affair with one of Hardy's close friends, fellow wrestler Adam Copeland, better known as Edge. Hardy also dated WWE wrestler Ashley Massaro.
Hardy married wrestler Rebecca Reyes, better known as Reby Sky, on October 5, 2013. They have three sons and one daughter. Hardy had previously been an addict, and credits his wife for helping him get clean.
Hardy is good friends with fellow wrestlers Marty Garner, Shannon Moore, and Gregory Helms. In December 2020, he claimed to have Native American ancestry.
Legal issues
Hardy was arrested for a DUI on August 20, 2011. Two days later, he was arrested on felony drug charges when police found steroids in his home. In November 2011, Hardy was removed from court-ordered rehab and sent back to jail for drinking.
In January 2014, Hardy and his wife were both arrested after a fight at a hotel.
Other media
In 1999, Matt, along with his brother Jeff, appeared as an uncredited wrestler on That '70s Show episode "That Wrestling Show". Matt and Jeff also appeared on Tough Enough in early 2001, talking to and wrestling the contestants. He appeared in the February 25, 2002 episode of Fear Factor competing against five other World Wrestling Federation wrestlers, including his brother. He won $50,000 for the American Cancer Society. Hardy also appeared on the October 13, 2009 episode of Scare Tactics, as a mental patient who threatens to attack the prank's victim.
In 2001, Matt, Jeff, and Lita appeared in Rolling Stone magazine's 2001 Sports Hall of Fame issue. In 2003, Matt and Jeff, with the help of Michael Krugman, wrote and published their autobiography The Hardy Boyz: Exist 2 Inspire. As part of WWE, Matt appeared in their DVD, The Hardy Boyz: Leap of Faith in 2001. On April 29, 2008, WWE released Twist of Fate: The Matt and Jeff Hardy Story. The DVD featured footage of the brothers in OMEGA and WWE. Hardy also appears on The Hardy Show, an Internet web show which features the Hardys, Shannon Moore, and many of their friends.
Hardy plays himself in the 2013 film Pro Wrestlers vs Zombies in which he and his real-life wife Reby Sky battle the undead.
Hardy's first WWE video game was WWF WrestleMania 2000 in 1999 on the Nintendo 64 shortly followed by WWF SmackDown! in early 2000 on the PlayStation. He made several appearances later in WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your Role, WWF SmackDown! Just Bring It, WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth, WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain, and WWE SmackDown vs. Raw. He later returned to the series in WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008, WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009, WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2010, and WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011, which was his last WWE video game before his departure to TNA. Following his return to WWE in 2017, he was revealed as a DLC character in WWE 2K18 on September 25 that year alongside tag team partner and brother, Jeff Hardy. Hardy was revealed as a playable character in WWE 2K19 on August 30, 2018. His final appearance in a WWE video game came with WWE 2K20 in 2019.
Filmography
Championships and accomplishments
All Elite Wrestling
Dynamite Award (1 time)
"Bleacher Report PPV Moment of the Year" (2021) – Stadium Stampede match (The Elite vs. The Inner Circle) – Double or Nothing (May 23)
All Star Wrestling (West Virginia)
ASW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Brother Nero
CBS Sports
Worst Moment of the Year (2020) vs. Sammy Guevara at All Out (2020)
The Crash
The Crash Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Brother Nero
Future Stars of Wrestling
FSW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
House of Glory
HOG Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jeff Hardy
Maryland Championship Wrestling/MCW Pro Wrestling
MCW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
MCW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jeff Hardy
Extreme Rising World Championship (1 time)
National Championship Wrestling
NCW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
NCW Light Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
New Dimension Wrestling
NDW Light Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
NDW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jeff Hardy
New England Wrestling Alliance
NEWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
NEWA Hall of Fame (class of 2012)
New Frontier Wrestling Association
NFWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
NFWA Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Venom
NWA 2000
NWA 2000 Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jeff Hardy
OMEGA Championship Wrestling
OMEGA Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
OMEGA Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Brother Nero/Jeff Hardy
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Comeback of the Year (2017) with Jeff Hardy
Feud of the Year (2005) vs. Edge and Lita
Match of the Year (2000) with Jeff Hardy vs. The Dudley Boyz and Edge and Christian in a triangle ladder match at WrestleMania 2000
Match of the Year (2001) with Jeff Hardy vs. The Dudley Boyz and Edge and Christian in a Tables, Ladders and Chairs match at WrestleMania X-Seven
Tag Team of the Year (2000) with Jeff Hardy
Ranked No. 17 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2003
Pro Wrestling Syndicate
PWS Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
Remix Pro Wrestling
Remix Pro Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Facade
Ring of Honor
ROH World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jeff Hardy
Holy S*** Moment of the Decade (2010s) – – with Jeff Hardy
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
TNA World Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
TNA World Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Jeff Hardy/Brother Nero
TNA World Tag Team Championship Tournament (2015) – with Jeff Hardy
TNA World Tag Team Championship #1 Contender Tournament (2014) – with Jeff Hardy
WrestleCade
WrestleCade Championship (2 times)
Wrestling Observer Newsletter
Best Gimmick (2002, 2016)
Worst Feud of the Year (2004) with Lita vs. Kane
Wrestling Superstar
Wrestling Superstar Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jeff Hardy
WWE/World Wrestling Entertainment/Federation
ECW Championship (1 time)
WWF Hardcore Championship (1 time)
WWF European Championship (1 time)
WWE United States Championship (1 time)
WWE Cruiserweight Championship (1 time)
WWF/World Tag Team Championship (6 times) – with Jeff Hardy
WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jeff Hardy
WWE Raw Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with Montel Vontavious Porter (1) Jeff Hardy (1) and Bray Wyatt (1)
WCW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jeff Hardy
André the Giant Memorial Trophy (2018)
Bragging Rights Trophy (2009) – with Team SmackDown
Terri Invitational Tournament (1999) – with Jeff Hardy
WWE Tag Team Eliminator (2018) - with Bray Wyatt
Luchas de Apuestas record
Notes
References
Sources
External links
1974 births
All Elite Wrestling personnel
American bloggers
American male professional wrestlers
American YouTubers
Male YouTubers
ECW champions
ECW Heavyweight Champions/ECW World Heavyweight Champions
Living people
NWA/WCW/WWE United States Heavyweight Champions
Participants in American reality television series
Professional wrestlers from North Carolina
Professional wrestling managers and valets
Reality show winners
Sportspeople from Raleigh, North Carolina
TNA World Heavyweight/Impact World Champions
TNA/Impact World Tag Team Champions
Twitch (service) streamers
University of North Carolina at Charlotte alumni
WWF European Champions
WWF/WWE Hardcore Champions
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"Bartolomeo Cittadella (1636–1704), a painter of the Venetian school, who, according to Guarienti, flourished at Vicenza in the latter part of the seventeenth century. He wrought with great rapidity, and Lanzi says there are a multitude of his works at Vicenza, in which he imitated the styles of Paolo Veronese and the younger Palma. Probably from this fact he did not acquire much distinction.\n\nReferences\n\nBartolomeo Cittadella on Artnet\n\n1636 births\n1704 deaths\n17th-century Italian painters\nItalian male painters\n18th-century Italian painters\nPainters from Venice\nPeople from Vicenza",
"Con was a television series on Comedy Central in which con artist Skyler Stone revealed the secrets of his profession by performing confidence tricks, scams, and hoaxes of various degrees of complexity on camera. These could range from simply claiming that an order for food was botched, to claiming to be a certain profession, which required training (received through cons). In one episode Stone showed how he received free soft drinks at fast food restaurants by retaining paper cups from various fast food restaurants and then refilling them at soda fountains. Most of his cons revolved around him claiming that he is filming a television show or movie of some sort, and that the product or service he wished to acquire would be advertised in the film or show. The products did wind up getting free advertisement – but on Con, not where they were told.\n\nExternal links\n \n\nComedy Central original programming\n2000s American comedy television series\n2005 American television series debuts\n2005 American television series endings"
] |
[
"Matt Hardy",
"Broken gimmick legal battle",
"what was the broken gimmick legal battle about?",
"while The Hardys were in TNA, they had full creative control over the Broken gimmick,",
"what happened legally?",
"legal battle officially concluded when Matt legally acquired ownership of all trademarks",
"who did he acquire them from?",
"the Hardy family deny that Borash was the sole person behind the gimmick."
] |
C_2396c4bd272c4d19b473c69cbf3464c8_1
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Are there any other interesting aspects about this article?
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Are there any other interesting aspects about this article besides Matt Hardy's legal issues relating to the Broken gimmick?
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Matt Hardy
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Shortly after the departure of Matt and Jeff from TNA was made public, Matt's wife, Reby, went on a social media tirade in which she repeatedly slammed TNA, the company's new management and the way in which contract negotiations between the company and the Hardy family were conducted. A few weeks following this, the bad blood between the two sides intensified, so much so that the new management of TNA (now renamed Impact Wrestling) Anthem Sports & Entertainment issued a cease and desist letter to The Hardys' new promotion Ring of Honor (ROH), in which Anthem essentially ordered ROH as well as any broadcasting company airing ROH's 15th Anniversary pay-per-view show (on which The Hardys were to participate in a match) to not in any way speak of, indicate or acknowledge the existence of the Broken Matt and Brother Nero characters and instead to refer to The Hardys as simply Matt Hardy and Jeff Hardy. The issue with this is that while The Hardys were in TNA, they had full creative control over the Broken gimmick, with them even filming their own segments to air on TNA programming in some circumstances, thus making the Hardy family (in their belief) the owners of the Broken gimmick. It is believed that civil litigation will follow and a potential court hearing will take place regarding the final outcome on who owns the Broken gimmick: Anthem or the Hardy family. Until then, the status of the Broken gimmick remains undecided. Despite this, Matt continues to use the Broken gimmick through his social media accounts, but neither him or Jeff use the Broken gimmick at any professional wrestling shows for ROH or on the independent circuit, presumably until the results of the expected legal proceedings have been finalized. Newly-appointed Impact Wrestling President Ed Nordholm credits the invention of and the vision behind the Broken gimmick to Jeremy Borash, Dave Lagana and Billy Corgan, and while Borash specifically had the most input into the gimmick of the three aside from Matt, the Hardy family deny that Borash was the sole person behind the gimmick. In November 2017, Impact Wrestling changed their policy, allowing all talent to retain complete ownership over their intellectual property, essentially forfeiting ownership of the "Broken" character to Hardy. On January 31, 2018, the legal battle officially concluded when Matt legally acquired ownership of all trademarks related to the Broken universe and the Broken gimmick, which includes 'Broken Matt', 'Brother Nero', 'Broken Brilliance' and 'Vanguard1'. Matt is now able to use the Broken gimmick as he sees fit, regardless of the promotion he competes in with the one caveat being that the promotion green-lights the use of the gimmick in that promotion, which includes major domestic U.S. promotions such as WWE or ROH. CANNOTANSWER
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Matt's wife, Reby, went on a social media tirade
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Matthew Moore Hardy (born September 23, 1974) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). He is also known for his time with WWE, Impact Wrestling, and Ring of Honor (ROH).
With his real life brother Jeff, Hardy gained notoriety in WWF's tag team division during the 2000s due to his participation in TLC matches. He is a 14-time world tag team champion, having held the WWE World Tag Team Championship six times, the WWE Raw Tag Team Championship three times, the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship, ROH World Tag Team Championship, and WCW Tag Team Championship once each, and the TNA World Tag Team Championships twice.
Wrestling through four separate decades, Hardy has kept himself relevant partially through a variety of different gimmicks and his use of social media. In 2002, Hardy began a solo career in WWE. His subsequent "Version 1" persona was named Best Gimmick by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Hardy's eccentric "Broken" gimmick, which he debuted in 2016 (and which was renamed "Woken" following his subsequent WWE return), garnered praise from wrestling critics and earned him multiple awards, including a second Best Gimmick award, becoming one of the most talked about characters in all of wrestling. As a singles wrestler, Hardy has won three world championships (one ECW Championship, and two TNA World Heavyweight Championships). All totaled between WWE, TNA/Impact, and ROH, Hardy has held 21 total championships.
Early life
Hardy was born in Cameron, North Carolina, the son of Gilbert and Ruby Moore Hardy. He is the older brother of Jeff Hardy. Their mother died of brain cancer in 1987. Hardy played baseball as a child and throughout high school, but had stopped by his senior year. He also played football, either as a linebacker or a defensive end. Hardy was a good student at Union Pines High School in North Carolina, and was a nominee for the "Morehead Award", a scholarship to any university in North Carolina. Hardy attended University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where he majored in engineering; after a year, however, he dropped out due to his father being ill. He then attended Sandhills Community College in Pinehurst to gain his associate degree.
Professional wrestling career
Early career (1992–2001)
Hardy, along with his brother Jeff and friends, started their own federation, the Trampoline Wrestling Federation (TWF) and mimicked the moves they saw on television. Shortly after Hardy sent in a tape for the World Championship Wrestling (WCW) Amateur Challenge using the ring name High Voltage, a tag team named High Voltage began competing in WCW, causing Hardy to change his name to Surge. A few years later, it was revealed to him by Chris Kanyon that the tape had been kept in the WCW Power Plant, watched multiple times, and that the name High Voltage was blatantly stolen from it. Beginning in 1994, The Hardys wrestled for several North Carolina-based independent circuit promotions and adapted a number of alter-egos. As The Wolverine, Hardy captured the New England Wrestling Alliance (NEWA) Championship in May 1994. As High Voltage, he teamed with Venom to claim the New Frontier Wrestling Association (NFWA) Tag Team Championship in March 1995. A month later, High Voltage defeated the Willow for the NFWA Championship.
In 1997, Matt and Jeff created their own wrestling promotion, The Organization of Modern Extreme Grappling Arts (frequently abbreviated to OMEGA Championship Wrestling, or simply OMEGA), in which Matt competed under the name High Voltage. Both Matt and Jeff took apart the ring and put it back together at every event they had, while Matt sewed all the costumes worn in OMEGA. The promotion folded in October 1999, after both Matt and Jeff signed with the World Wrestling Federation.
World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment
Early years (1994–1998)
Hardy worked as a jobber for the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) from 1994 up until he signed a full-time contract in 1998. His first WWF match was against Nikolai Volkoff on the May 23, 1994 episode of Monday Night Raw, which he lost by submission. A night later at a taping of WWF Wrestling Challenge, he lost a match against Owen Hart. He continued to wrestle sporadically in the WWF throughout 1994 and 1995, losing matches against Crush, Razor Ramon, Hakushi, Owen Hart, the imposter Undertaker, Hunter Hearst Helmsley and "The Ringmaster" Steve Austin.
Hardy teamed with Jeff for the first time in the WWF in 1996, losing to teams such as The Smoking Gunns and The Grimm Twins on WWF television. Matt and Jeff had a short lived feud with The Headbangers (Thrasher and Mosh), losing to the duo twice in 1997. It was during this time that Matt and Jeff experimented with different ring names, at one stage being called Ingus (Matt) and Wildo Jinx (Jeff). In Matt's final singles match for the promotion before signing a full-time contract he lost to Val Venis on a taping of Shotgun in 1998.
The Hardy Boyz (1998–2001)
It was not until 1998, however, (at the height of The Attitude Era) that the Hardy brothers were given full-time WWF contracts and sent to train with former wrestler Dory Funk, Jr. The Hardy Boyz used a cruiserweight, fast-paced high flying style in their matches, often leaping from great heights to do damage to their opponents (and themselves in the process). In 1999, while feuding with Edge and Christian, the duo briefly picked up Michael Hayes as a manager.
At King of the Ring, The Hardyz defeated Edge and Christian to earn the #1 contendership for the WWF Tag Team Championship. On July 5, they defeated The APA to win their first Tag Team Championship. They soon dumped Hayes and briefly picked up Gangrel as a manager, after Gangrel turned on Edge and Christian. At No Mercy, The Hardyz defeated Edge and Christian in the first ever tag team ladder match. At the Royal Rumble pay-per-view, The Hardyz defeated The Dudley Boyz in the first ever tag team tables match. They competed against The Dudley Boyz and Edge and Christian for the Tag Team Championships at WrestleMania 2000 in the first ever Triangle Ladder match, but were unsuccessful.
Hardy won the Hardcore Championship on April 24, 2000, on Raw Is War, by defeating Crash Holly, but lost it back to Holly three days later on SmackDown!, when Holly applied the "24/7 rule" during Hardy's title defense against Jeff. The Hardy Boyz then found a new manager in Matt's real-life girlfriend Lita. Together, the three became known as "Team Xtreme".
The Hardy Boyz competed in the first ever Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match, for the WWF Tag Team Championship against The Dudley Boyz and Edge and Christian, but were unsuccessful. At Unforgiven, The Hardyz defeated Edge and Christian in a steel cage match to win the tag team championship, and successfully retained it the following night on Raw Is War against Edge and Christian in a ladder match.
In April 2001, The Hardyz began feuding with Stone Cold Steve Austin and Triple H (known as The Power Trip), which also led to a singles push for both Matt and Jeff. Hardy helped Jeff defeat Triple H for the Intercontinental Championship, and shortly after Hardy defeated Eddie Guerrero to win the European Championship on SmackDown!. At Backlash he retained the title against Guerrero and Christian in a triple threat, and against Edge the following night on Raw.
Throughout the year, the Hardy Boyz continued to win as a tag team, winning the WWF Tag Team Titles two more times, and the WCW Tag Team Championship during the Invasion. By the end of the year, the Hardy Boyz began a storyline where they were having trouble co-existing. This culminated in a match between the two, with Lita as the guest referee, at the Vengeance pay-per-view, which Jeff won. Hardy defeated Jeff and Lita the following night on Raw in a two-on-one handicap match.
Version 1 gimmick and feud with Kane (2002–2004)
At the beginning of 2002, it seemed Team Xtreme had patched things up. After the brand extension, however, Matt was relegated to Heat while Jeff wrestled on the main show, Raw. On the August 12 episode of Raw, Hardy turned heel by attacking Jeff during Jeff's match against Rob Van Dam, because Hardy was frustrated at not receiving a match against Van Dam for the number one contendership for the Intercontinental Championship. A short time later, Hardy joined the SmackDown! roster, and began dubbing himself "Matt Hardy: Version 1", complete with a "version 1" hand signal. Hardy defeated The Undertaker on the September 12 and October 3 episodes of the show, due to interference from Brock Lesnar.
Along with his Mattitude Follower Shannon Moore in his corner, 2003 began with Hardy frantically trying to lose weight to get under the weight limit to compete for the Cruiserweight Championship. After just barely making weight, Hardy defeated Billy Kidman at No Way Out to win the Cruiserweight title. At WrestleMania XIX, he successfully defended it against Rey Mysterio. Hardy lost the Cruiserweight Championship to Mysterio in the main event of the June 5 episode of SmackDown! - the first and only time a Cruiserweight Championship match main evented a show.
After dropping the Cruiserweight Championship, Hardy briefly feuded with Eddie Guerrero, but was unsuccessful in capturing Guerrero's United States Championship or WWE Tag Team Championship. The Mattitude faction then expanded to include Crash Holly as Moore's "Moore-on" (apprentice). He later disbanded the group in November and returned to Raw in order to be able to travel and work with his then girlfriend Lita, who just returned from an injury. On his first night back, he turned on Lita in storyline after teasing a proposal to her. He defeated Christian, who was vying for Lita's affections, on the following edition of Raw.
In April 2004, Hardy saved Lita from getting attacked by Kane, turning face in the process. Hardy defeated Kane in a no disqualification match at Vengeance, but lost a "Till Death To Us Part" match against Kane at SummerSlam, resulting in Lita being forced to marry Kane. On the August 23 episode of Raw, Hardy was chokeslamed off the stage by Kane during the wedding. Hardy then spent almost a year off from wrestling due to a severe knee injury.
Departure and sporadic appearances (2005)
Along with his friend Rhyno, Hardy was released by WWE on April 11, 2005. Hardy's release was largely due to unprofessional conduct with social media after discovering that Lita was having a real-life affair with his best friend Edge. The public knowledge of the affair and Hardy's release led to Edge and Lita receiving jeers from the crowds at WWE events, often resulting in chants of "You screwed Matt!", and, "We want Matt!", which meant kayfabe storylines being affected considering that Lita was married to Kane at the time in kayfabe. Edge and Lita used the affair and fan backlash to become a hated on-screen couple, which led to Lita turning heel for the first time in over five years.
Fans began a petition on the internet, wanting WWE to re-sign Hardy, and amassed over fifteen thousand signatures. Hardy released two character promotional vignettes, that he was planning to use before he was offered a new contract by WWE. Hardy called himself The Angelic Diablo with the tagline "the scar will become a symbol" in reference to the way in which he had been treated by Lita and WWE. On the June 20 episode of Raw, during the storyline wedding of Edge and Lita, Hardy's entrance music and video were played when the priest asked if anyone had a reason why Edge and Lita should not be wed.
Independent circuit and Ring of Honor (2005)
Following his WWE release, Matt returned to the independent circuit and wrestled several matches for the Allied Powers Wrestling Federation (APWF), International Wrestling Cartel (IWC) and Big Time Wrestling (BTW).
Hardy appeared at a scheduled Ring of Honor (ROH) event on July 16, 2005, in Woodbridge, Connecticut where he defeated Christopher Daniels via submission. Hardy also cut a brief worked shoot promo where he criticized WWE and John Laurinaitis. Following his official return to WWE, Hardy was met with backlash following a match with Homicide from the fans at a subsequent ROH event, which Hardy won. The next day at his final ROH appearance, he lost to Roderick Strong.
Return to WWE
Feud with Edge (2005–2006)
On July 11, 2005, on Raw, Hardy attacked Edge backstage and again later during Edge's match with Kane. Before being escorted out of the building by security, Hardy stated that Edge (calling him by his real name of "Adam") and Lita would pay for their actions and told fans that they could see him at Ring of Honor while security officials and event staff were trying to restrain him. Hardy also called out Johnny Ace as security had him in handcuffs taking him out of the arena. This caused an uproar amongst fans, who were confused and wondered if the whole thing was a work or a shoot. Similar occurrences repeated during the following two weeks.
On the August 1 episode of Raw, Vince McMahon officially announced Hardy's return to WWE, adding that Hardy would face Edge at SummerSlam. Hardy made his in-ring return, defeating Snitsky on the August 8 Raw. Seconds after the victory, Hardy was attacked by Edge, and as he was being carried backstage, Matt counterattacked Edge in the locker room. On August 21 at SummerSlam, their match came to a premature end when Edge dropped Hardy onto the top of a ring post, causing him to bleed heavily. The referee ended the match on the grounds that Hardy could not continue, and Edge was declared the winner. After SummerSlam, the two continued feuding on Raw, including a Street Fight on August 29 that resulted in Hardy performing a Side Effect on Edge off the entrance stage and into electrical equipment below; the match ended in a no contest. At Unforgiven, Edge faced Hardy in a steel cage match. Hardy caught an interfering Lita with the Twist of Fate and won the match with a leg drop off the top of the cage. Hardy and Edge faced each other on October 3 at WWE Raw Homecoming in a Loser Leaves Raw ladder match. Edge's briefcase holding his Money in the Bank contract for his WWE Championship opportunity was suspended above the ring. The winner of the match received the contract and the loser was forced to leave Raw. Edge tied Hardy's arms in the ropes, and Lita trapped Hardy in a crucifix hold, leaving Hardy only able to watch Edge win.
With his defeat at the hands of Edge, Hardy was moved to the SmackDown! brand where he re-debuted with a win over Simon Dean on October 21 in Reno, Nevada. One week later, Hardy won the fan vote to represent Team SmackDown! (alongside Rey Mysterio) to challenge Team Raw (Edge and Chris Masters) at Taboo Tuesday. Edge, however, refused to wrestle and sent Snitsky in place of him in the match, which Hardy and Mysterio won.
Back on SmackDown!, Hardy started an angle with MNM (Johnny Nitro and Joey Mercury) and their manager Melina when Melina approached Hardy, seemingly wanting Hardy to join with her team. Hardy refused the offer, which led to him facing the tag team on several occasions with a variety of partners. On July 25, after the SmackDown! taping, Hardy was taken out of action after doctors found the remnants of the staph infection that had plagued him the previous year. He was sidelined until August 25 while he healed.
Upon his return to action, Hardy feuded against childhood friend and reigning Cruiserweight Champion Gregory Helms. At No Mercy, in their home state, Hardy beat Helms in a non-title match. The two met again at Survivor Series, where Hardy's team won in a clean sweep. They wrestled one final match, a one time appearance in Booker T's Pro Wrestling Alliance (PWA) promotion, where Hardy defeated Helms in a North Carolina Street Fight.
The Hardy Boyz reunion (2006–2007)
On the November 21, 2006 episode of ECW on Sci Fi, Hardy and Jeff competed in a match together for the first time in almost five years, defeating The Full Blooded Italians. At December to Dismember, the Hardy Boyz issued an open challenge to any tag team who wanted to face them. MNM answered their challenge by reuniting at December to Dismember, a match won by the Hardy Boyz. At Armageddon, Hardy and Jeff competed against Paul London and Brian Kendrick, MNM, and Dave Taylor and William Regal in a Ladder match for the WWE Tag Team Championship but lost. Subsequently, he and Jeff feuded with MNM after the legitimate incident where they injured Mercury's face at Armageddon. This led to a long term rivalry, and at the Royal Rumble, Hardy and Jeff defeated MNM. Mercury and Hardy continued to feud on SmackDown! until Mercury was released from WWE on March 26.
The night after WrestleMania 23 on Raw, the Hardys competed in a 10-team battle royal for the World Tag Team Championship. They won the titles for the sixth time from then WWE Champion John Cena and Shawn Michaels after last eliminating Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch. This started a feud with Cade and Murdoch, and the Hardys successfully retained their World Tag Team Championship in their first title defense at Backlash. The Hardy Boyz also successfully retained their titles at Judgment Day against Cade and Murdoch. One month later at One Night Stand, they defeated The World's Greatest Tag Team to retain the titles in a Ladder match. The following night on Raw, Vince McMahon demanded that The Hardys once again defend their championships against Cade and Murdoch. The Hardys were defeated after Murdoch pushed Jeff's foot off the bottom rope during Cade's pinfall, causing the three count to continue. They invoked their rematch clause against Cade and Murdoch at Vengeance: Night of Champions, but were unsuccessful.
Feud with MVP and championship reigns (2007–2009)
On the July 6, 2007 episode of SmackDown!, Hardy won a non-title match against United States Champion Montel Vontavious Porter (MVP), which resulted in a feud between the two. Hardy was defeated by MVP at The Great American Bash for the United States Championship. MVP then claimed that he was "better than Hardy at everything", which led to a series of contests between Hardy and MVP, such as a basketball game, an arm wrestling contest, and a chess match which MVP "sneezed" on and ruined when Hardy put him in check. MVP challenged Hardy to a boxing match at Saturday Night's Main Event XXXV, however MVP was legitimately diagnosed with the heart condition Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. Since MVP was unable to compete, Hardy faced his replacement, former world champion boxer, Evander Holyfield. The match ended in a no contest after MVP entered the ring to verbally abuse Holyfield, who then knocked him out. MVP also challenged Hardy to a beer drinking contest at SummerSlam, but as revenge for what happened at SNME, Hardy allowed Stone Cold Steve Austin to replace him; Austin simply performed a stunner on MVP then kept drinking.
After a segment involving MVP inadvertently choosing Hardy as his tag-team partner, Theodore Long promptly set up a match against Deuce 'n Domino for the WWE Tag Team Championship on the August 31 episode of SmackDown! which Hardy and MVP were able to win, therefore setting up Hardy's first reign as WWE Tag Team Champion. Hardy and MVP retained the titles at Unforgiven in a rematch against former champions Deuce 'n Domino. Hardy was scheduled to face MVP at Cyber Sunday, but due to a real-life head injury sustained on the October 26 episode of SmackDown!, he was not medically cleared to compete. As part of the storyline, Hardy continually asked MVP for a shot at the United States Championship but MVP refused stating that he was more focused on the Tag Team Championship.
On the November 16 episode of SmackDown!, Hardy and MVP dropped the WWE Tag Team Championship to John Morrison and The Miz. Despite the fact that Hardy was hurt, MVP immediately invoked the rematch clause. After the rematch, in which Hardy was forced to tap out, MVP attacked Hardy, repeatedly targeting his knee. It was later confirmed by WWE.com that Hardy had suffered an injury at his former partner's hands and that he might not be able to compete at Survivor Series. Despite Hardy's absence at Survivor Series, his team was able to win the match. On November 21, WWE's official website reported that Hardy underwent an emergency appendectomy in Tampa, Florida after his appendix burst. Hardy made an appearance at the December 31 episode of Raw supporting his brother Jeff. To further Jeff's storyline with Randy Orton, however, Hardy was attacked by Orton. Hardy made his return at a live event in Muncie, Indiana on March 1, 2008.
On March 30, 2008, at WrestleMania XXIV, during the Money in the Bank ladder match Hardy cut through the crowd and attacked MVP to prevent him from winning the match. He made his official in-ring return the next night on Raw, losing a singles match to WWE Champion Randy Orton. On the April 4 episode of SmackDown, Hardy faced MVP in a non-title match, which he won, re-igniting their storyline rivalry. On April 27, 2008, Hardy defeated MVP to win the United States Championship at Backlash, and successfully retained his title against MVP five days later on SmackDown.
Hardy declared himself as a fighting champion that would take on all challenges, defending the United States championship against Shelton Benjamin, Elijah Burke, Chuck Palumbo, Mr. Kennedy, Chavo Guerrero and Umaga. Hardy was drafted to the ECW brand on the June 23, 2008 episode of Raw during the 2008 WWE Draft, in the process making the United States Championship exclusive to ECW. He dropped the United States Championship to Shelton Benjamin at the Great American Bash pay-per-view on July 20, 2008, which meant that the title returned to SmackDown.
On the July 22 episode of ECW, Hardy became the number one contender to Mark Henry's ECW Championship after defeating John Morrison, The Miz and Finlay in a fatal four-way match. He won the title match at SummerSlam by disqualification due to interference from Henry's manager, Tony Atlas, thus he failed to win the title. Due to the ending of the pay-per-view match, Hardy received a rematch for the title on the next episode of ECW, but again failed to win the title when Henry pinned him after a distraction by Atlas. At Unforgiven, Hardy won the ECW Championship during the Championship scramble match, defeating then-champion Henry, The Miz, Finlay and Chavo Guerrero by pinning the Miz with three minutes left, marking his first world heavyweight championship win. He continued to feud with Henry until No Mercy, where Hardy successfully retained the title. Hardy lost the title to Jack Swagger on the January 13, 2009 episode of ECW, which was taped on January 12.
Feud with Jeff Hardy and departure (2009–2010)
At the 2009 Royal Rumble pay-per-view, after losing an ECW Championship rematch to Swagger, Hardy turned on his brother when he hit Jeff with a steel chair, allowing Edge to win the WWE Championship, turning heel in the process. On the January 27, 2009 episode of ECW, it was announced by General Manager Theodore Long that Hardy had requested, and been granted, his release from ECW and had re-signed with the SmackDown brand. As part of the buildup to this feud, Matt strongly implied that he was responsible for all of Jeff's accidents leading back to November, including an assault in a hotel stairwell that prevented Jeff from appearing at Survivor Series, an automobile accident where Jeff's car was run off the road, and a pyrotechnics malfunction where part of the pyro from Jeff's entrance was fired directly at Jeff, in an attempt to stop Jeff holding the WWE Championship. Despite Hardy's attempts to goad Jeff into fighting him, Jeff refused to fight his brother, but, on the March 6 episode of SmackDown, Jeff attacked him during a promo where Matt implied that he was also responsible for the fire that burned down Jeff's house, going so far as to reveal that he had in his possession a dog collar that supposedly belonged to Jeff's dog, Jack (who died in the fire), that he claimed to have salvaged from the wreckage of the house. At WrestleMania 25, Matt defeated Jeff in an Extreme Rules match, and in a stretcher match on the following episode of SmackDown.
On the April 13 episode of Raw, Hardy was drafted to the Raw brand as part of the WWE draft. Despite the fact that the two were on different brands, he continued his feud with Jeff. Two weeks later, in a rematch from WrestleMania, Hardy lost to Jeff in an "I Quit" match at Backlash, in which he legitimately broke his hand.
Hardy continued to wrestle with his hand in a cast, incorporating it into his persona and claiming that he was wrestling under protest. He reignited his feud with MVP on Raw for the United States Championship. He also formed a tag team with William Regal, and the two acted as henchmen for General Manager Vickie Guerrero. At the June 22 taping of WWE Superstars, Hardy suffered yet another injury, when his intestines went through his abdominal wall, during a triple threat match against MVP and Kofi Kingston. Hardy had suffered a tear in his abdominal muscle two years previously, but had not needed surgery until it worsened, and became a danger to his health.
He was then traded back to the SmackDown brand on June 29, and underwent surgery for the torn abdominal muscle on July 2. He made his return on the August 7 episode of SmackDown as the special guest referee in the World Heavyweight Championship match between his brother, Jeff, and CM Punk, and helped Jeff retain the championship by counting the pinfall. The following week Hardy turned face again when he saved his brother when CM Punk and The Hart Dynasty attacked both Jeff and John Morrison. On the August 21 episode of SmackDown, after apologizing for his past actions towards Jeff and admitting that he was not behind any of Jeff's accidents, he had his first match back after his injury when he teamed with Jeff and John Morrison to defeat The Hart Dynasty and CM Punk, when Matt pinned Punk.
In early 2010, Hardy began an on-screen relationship with Maria; but was brief and the relationship ended when Maria was released from her WWE contract. On the March 5 episode of SmackDown, Hardy qualified for the Money in the Bank ladder match at WrestleMania XXVI by defeating Drew McIntyre, but was unsuccessful at WrestleMania, as the match was won by Jack Swagger. Hardy was suspended by Vince McMahon because he attacked McIntyre after McIntyre lost to Kofi Kingston at Over the Limit. He was able to get his revenge on McIntyre during the Viewer's Choice episode of Raw when chosen as the opponent for McIntyre, with General Manager Theodore Long stating that Hardy was suspended from SmackDown, but not from Raw. On the following episode of SmackDown, however, Vickie Guerrero announced that, per orders of Vince McMahon, Hardy had been suspended from all WWE programming. However, at Fatal 4-Way, Hardy prevented McIntyre from regaining the Intercontinental Championship, thus continuing their feud. On the following edition of SmackDown, he was reinstated by Long and had a match with McIntyre, which Hardy won. After the match, it was announced that McIntyre's visa had legitimately expired and was sent back to Scotland, thus ending their feud. Hardy was featured in the SmackDown Money in the Bank ladder match but was unsuccessful in winning with Kane coming out victorious.
On September 12, WWE confirmed they had sent Hardy home from a European tour. Following this, Hardy began posting videos on his YouTube channel expressing his disinterest in the WWE product and insisting that he wanted to be released from the company. On October 15, 2010, WWE announced that Hardy had been released from his contract. Hardy later stated that his release had been in effect two weeks before WWE made the announcement.
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2011)
On January 9, 2011, Hardy made his debut for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) at the Genesis pay-per-view, as part of the stable Immortal. He was the surprise opponent for Rob Van Dam, and defeated him to prevent Van Dam from receiving a match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, held by Hardy's brother Jeff. In the main event, Hardy attempted to interfere in Jeff's World Heavyweight Championship match with Mr. Anderson, but was stopped by Van Dam, which led to Jeff losing both the match and the championship. On the January 13 episode of Impact!, the Hardy Boyz reunited to defeat Anderson and Van Dam in a tag team match, following interference from Beer Money, Inc. On February 13 at Against All Odds, Van Dam defeated Hardy in a rematch.
On the following episode of Impact!, Hardy, along with the rest of Immortal and Ric Flair, betrayed Fortune. On March 13 at Victory Road, Hardy was defeated by Flair's previous protégé, A.J. Styles. On April 17 at Lockdown, Immortal, represented by Hardy, Abyss, Bully Ray and Ric Flair, were defeated by Fortune members James Storm, Kazarian and Robert Roode and Christopher Daniels, who replaced an injured A.J. Styles, in a Lethal Lockdown match. On the April 21 episode of Impact!, Hardy faced Sting for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, Hardy's first World Title match in TNA, but was defeated. The following month, Hardy was granted a shot at the TNA World Tag Team Championship against Beer Money, Inc. (James Storm and Robert Roode). While the champions looked to defend the title against the Hardy Boyz, Matt instead introduced the returning Chris Harris, Storm's old tag team partner, as his partner for the title match. The match took place at Sacrifice, where Storm and Roode retained their titles.
On June 21, it was reported that TNA had suspended Hardy. On August 20, Hardy was released from TNA following a DUI arrest that occurred earlier that same day.
Return to the independent circuit (2011–2017)
Hardy announced his retirement from full-time professional wrestling due to injuries on September 1, 2011. He issued a challenge to his long-time rival MVP, who was wrestling in Japan at the time, to one final match at "Crossfire Live!" in Nashville. The event was held May 19, 2012 and benefited the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Hardy won the match.
Throughout 2012, Hardy wrestled sporadically on the independent circuit, working with promotions such as Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Syndicate and Northeast Wrestling. On October 5, Hardy was defeated by Kevin Steen at Pro Wrestling Xperience's An Evil Twist of Fate. On November 11, Hardy, as the masked wrestler Rahway Reaper, defeated the Pro Wrestling Syndicate Kevin Matthews, winning the championship. On February 9, 2013, Hardy lost the Pro Wrestling Syndicate Championship back to Matthews.
On February 16, 2013, at Family Wrestling Entertainment's No Limit, Hardy wrestled a TLC match for the FWE Heavyweight Championship against the champion Carlito and Tommy Dreamer, but he was defeated. On November 30, 2013, at WrestleCade, Hardy defeated Carlito to become the first ever WrestleCade Champion.
On May 3, 2014, following a match between Christian York and Drolix, Hardy defeated Drolix to become the new MCW Heavyweight Champion. At Maryland Championship Wrestling's Shane Shamrock Cup, Hardy defeated Luke Hawx in a TLC match for Hardy's title and Hawx's Extreme Rising World title. Hardy won the match, but he gave back the title to Hawx. On October 4, Hardy lost the MCW Heavyweight Championship back to Drolix, following outside interference from Kevin Eck.
On February 9, 2015, Hardy appeared on FWE's "No Limits 2015" iPPV, challenging Drew Galloway for the ICW World Heavyweight Championship, but was defeated.
On November 28, 2015, Hardy lost the WrestleCade Championship to Jeff Jarrett at WrestleCade IV in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Hardy regained the title in a triple-threat cage match against Jarrett and Ethan Carter III in Hickory, North Carolina on May 20, 2016. He appeared at the #DELETEWCPW event for What Culture Pro Wrestling (WCPW) in Nottingham, England on November 30. Hardy, billed as "Broken" Matt Hardy, lost a no-disqualification match to Bully Ray, with Ray proposing the no-disqualification stipulation at the last minute, and Hardy accepting there and then.
Return to ROH (2012–2014)
At Death Before Dishonor X: State of Emergency in 2012, Hardy returned to Ring of Honor, confronting Adam Cole and challenging him to a match for the ROH World Television Championship. On December 16 at Final Battle 2012: Doomsday, Hardy defeated Cole in a non-title match.
At the following iPPV, 11th Anniversary Show on March 2, 2013, Hardy joined the villainous S.C.U.M. stable. On April 5 at the Supercard of Honor VII iPPV, Hardy unsuccessfully challenged Matt Taven for the ROH World Television Championship in a three-way elimination match, which also included Adam Cole. On June 22 at Best in the World 2013, Hardy defeated former S.C.U.M. stablemate Kevin Steen in a No Disqualification match to become the number one contender to the ROH World Championship. Hardy received his title shot at the following day's Ring of Honor Wrestling tapings, but was defeated by the defending champion, Jay Briscoe. Later that same day, S.C.U.M. was forced to disband after losing a Steel Cage Warfare match against Team ROH. On December 14, 2013, at Final Battle 2013, Hardy defeated Adam Page in a singles match; later on in the main event, Hardy aided Adam Cole in retaining his title and forming a tag team with him. After aiding Cole at Supercard of Honor VIII, Hardy was given Jay Briscoe's unofficial "Real World Title" belt, which he renamed the "ROH Iconic Championship". In July, Hardy opted out of his ROH contract and went back to TNA.
Return to OMEGA (2013–2018)
Matt announced that OMEGA would return in January 2013 with an event titled "Chinlock For Chuck". The main event featured Matt, Jeff, Shane "Hurricane" Helms and "Cowboy" James Storm defeating Gunner, Steve Corino, CW Anderson and Lodi. On October 12, 2013, at "Chapel Thrill", Hardy announced a Tournament for the OMEGA Heavyweight Championship which featured himself vs. CW Anderson and Shane "Hurricane" Helms vs. "The King" Shane Williams. After Hardy's qualifying match he was attacked by CW but was saved by the returning Willow the Whisp. Hardy won that match and advanced to the finals.
On November 21, 2015, Matt won the OMEGA Heavyweight Championship for the second time, defeating former student Trevor Lee. Following this, Matt (upon regaining the TNA world title as part of his villainous egotistical "Iconic" gimmick) began proclaiming himself to be the only world champion that matters, and the only "true" world champion in wrestling, as he held both the TNA and OMEGA Championships, which (according to him) put him above any other promotions' world champions. Throughout 2016, Hardy defended the TNA and OMEGA titles jointly at OMEGA events as part of his "only true world champion" gimmick.
On January 29, The Hardys won the OMEGA Tag Team Championships.
Return to TNA
The Hardys third reunion (2014–2015)
On July 24, 2014, Hardy returned to TNA and reunited with Jeff to reform The Hardys for the third time. At the Destination X episode of Impact Wrestling, The Hardys were defeated by The Wolves in a match for the TNA World Tag Team Championship. On the August 14 episode of Impact Wrestling, Team 3D (formerly the Dudley Boyz) challenged The Hardys to a match, which Team 3D won. At the Hardcore Justice episode of Impact Wrestling, The Hardys and Team 3D talked about a match involving themselves and The Wolves. When The Wolves were asked by the two teams, they agreed. Later that night, Kurt Angle announced all three teams would compete in a best of three series for the TNA World Tag Team Championship with the winners of the first match choosing the stipulation of the next one. The Hardys won the second match of the series on the September 10 episode of Impact Wrestling in a tables match and choose a ladder match for the third match of the series. The Hardys were unsuccessful in winning that match on the September 17 episode of Impact Wrestling, as the Wolves won that match. The Wolves then went on to pick the final match of the series to be a Full Metal Mayhem match to take place on the October 8 episode of Impact Wrestling. The Hardys were unsuccessful in that match as the Wolves won that match.
On October 22, The Hardys entered a number one contenders tournament for the TNA World Tag Team Championship defeating The BroMans (Jessie Godderz and DJ Z) in the first round of the tournament. On the October 29 episode of Impact Wrestling, The Hardys defeated Team Dixie (Ethan Carter III and Tyrus) in the semifinals to advance to the finals of the tournament, where they defeated Samoa Joe and Low Ki to become number one contenders for the TNA World Tag Team Championship. On the January 16, 2015 episode of Impact Wrestling, The Hardys defeated the Wolves. At the Lockdown episode of Impact Wrestling, The Hardys were defeated by The Revolution in a six sides of steel cage match for the TNA World Tag Team Championship. On the February 20 episode of Impact Wrestling, Hardy and The Wolves defeated The Revolution in a six-man tag team match. In March, The Hardys participated in a tournament for the vacant TNA World Tag Team Championship. On March 16, 2015, Matt and Jeff won an Ultimate X match for the titles. On May 8, 2015, Hardy vacated the TNA World Tag Team Championship due to his brother Jeff being injured.
World Heavyweight Champion (2015–2016)
On June 28, 2015, Hardy was among the five wrestlers who competed for the TNA King of the Mountain Championship at Slammiversary, with Jeff Jarrett ultimately emerging victorious. On the July 8 episode of Impact Wrestling, Hardy requested a world title shot against Ethan Carter III, but was denied and forced to face the Dirty Heels (Austin Aries and Bobby Roode) in a handicap match, which he lost. On the July 22 episode of Impact Wrestling, Hardy defeated Roode in a Tables match to become the #1 contender for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. On the August 5 episode of Impact Wrestling, Hardy got his shot at the title against EC3 in a Full Metal Mayhem match, but failed to win the title. On the September 2 episode of Impact Wrestling, Hardy got another shot at the TNA World Heavyweight Championship against EC3, but again failed to win the title; as part of the storyline, Jeff Hardy was forced to act as Ethan Carter's personal assistant. On the September 30 episode of Impact Wrestling, Hardy was added to the Ethan Carter III vs. Drew Galloway main event match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship at Bound for Glory after he and Galloway defeated Carter and Tyrus, making it a three-way match, following which Jeff, who EC3 had just "fired" in the previous episode, was revealed to be the special guest referee.
On October 4 at Bound for Glory, Matt won the TNA World Heavyweight Championship by pinning Galloway. However, EC3 filed an injunction (kayfabe) that banned Hardy from appearing on Impact Wrestling for a month, which forced Hardy to relinquish the title in order to stay on the show. However, Hardy had been participating in the TNA World Title Series for the vacant title. He qualified to the round of 16 by defeating Davey Richards, Robbie E and Eddie Edwards. He then advanced to the round of 8 by defeating the King of the Mountain Champion Bobby Roode and then to Jessie Godderz to continue his winning streak. The semifinals and finals were held on the January 5, 2016, live episode of Impact Wrestling during its debut on Pop TV, in which he defeated Eric Young to advance to the final round. Hardy faced EC3 in the TNA World Title Series finals, but lost the match via pinfall.
Hardy won the TNA World Title from EC3 on the January 19, 2016 episode of Impact Wrestling, becoming the first man to defeat him in a one-on-one match in TNA. During the match a double turn took place; Hardy turned heel after Tyrus betrayed EC3. The following week on Impact Wrestling, Jeff Hardy had confronted him about last week and issued a challenge to Matt for the World Heavyweight title in the main event and Matt accepted. However, later before the main event could begin, Eric Young and Bram attacked Jeff from behind. Kurt Angle then came out to try save Jeff, and Matt had Tyrus attack Angle from behind. While Matt watched from the ramp, Young attacked Jeff with the Piledriver off the apron through a table. The following week, he successfully retained his title against Angle. At Lockdown, he retained his title in a Six-side of steel match against Ethan Carter III, with the help of Rockstar Spud. He lost his title against Drew Galloway on the March 15 episode of Impact Wrestling, after a match featuring EC3 and Jeff Hardy.
Two weeks later he received a rematch for the title on Impact Wrestling, but was again defeated by Galloway. After losing the title he started a feud with Jeff. On the April 19 episode of Impact Wrestling, and an I Quit match ended in a no-contest as both Matt and Jeff were badly injured and Matt was taken out to the hospital on a stretcher.
The Broken Universe (2016–2017)
Hardy returned on May 17 episode of Impact Wrestling, revealing himself to be one of the impostor Willows behind the attacks on Jeff. Later that night, he attacked Jeff. In the following weeks, Hardy debuted a new persona as a "Broken" man with part of his hair bleached blonde along with a strange sophisticated accent, blaming Jeff (who he began referring to as "Brother Nero", Nero being Jeff's middle name) for breaking him and becoming obsessed with "deleting" him. His line “Delete”, is mostly inspired by the Death Note manga/anime series character Teru Mikami. On June 12, at Slammiversary, Matt was defeated by Jeff in a Full Metal Mayhem match. On the June 21 episode of Impact Wrestling, Matt was once again defeated by Jeff in a Six Sides of Steel match. On the June 28 episode of Impact Wrestling, Matt challenged Jeff to a final battle with the Hardy brand on the line, to take place at their home in Cameron, North Carolina the next week. On July 5, during special episode "The Final Deletion", Matt defeated Jeff in the match to become sole owner of the Hardy brand, forcing Jeff to drop his last name and become referred to as "Brother Nero".
On the August 18 episode of Impact Wrestling, Matt and Brother Nero defeated The Tribunal, The BroMans and The Helms Dynasty in an "Ascension To Hell" match for an opportunity to challenge Decay for the TNA World Tag Team Championship. On September 8, during special episode "Delete or Decay", the Hardys faced Decay in a match held at the Hardy compound, where Brother Nero sacrificed himself to save Matt from Abyss. Thanks to Brother Nero's sacrifice, Hardy was able to confront Rosemary and prevent his son Maxel from being abducted, which turned Hardy babyface as a result, and he furthered the face turn by healing Brother Nero in the Lake of Reincarnation. At Bound for Glory, the Hardys defeated Decay in "The Great War" to win the TNA World Tag Team Championship for the second time. On the October 6 episode of Impact Wrestling, they successfully defended their titles against Decay, in a Wolf Creek match.
On the November 3 episode of Impact Wrestling, the Hardys successfully defended the titles against The Tribunal. After the match, the Hardys were attacked by the masked trio known as Death Crew Council (DCC). After accepting DCC's title challenge, The Hardys faced Bram and Kingston, and Matt pinned Kingston to retain the titles. On December 15, during special episode "Total Nonstop Deletion", they were once again successful in retaining. Brother Nero attacked Crazzy Steve with the Twist of Fate, who then fell into a volcano (that had appeared on the compound in the weeks leading up the event), and was shot up into the sky, landing in the ring. Matt then covered him to win the match.
On the January 12, 2017 episode of Impact Wrestling, The Hardys successfully defended their titles against The Wolves. At Genesis, The Hardys retained their titles against the DCC and Decay in a three-way tag team match. On Open Fight Night, the Hardys began a storyline where they would teleport to different promotions and win that promotions' tag team championship gold, which was referred to by Matt as their "Expedition of Gold". On February 27, Hardy announced that both he and Jeff had finally left TNA, following years of speculation, with their contracts expiring that week. Though the two sides were reportedly close to a contract agreement, talks began to break down and changes in management prompted their departure from the company. The TNA World Tag Team Championships were vacated due to the Hardys' departure and was explained on TNA television in a segment where The Hardys teleported to their next Expedition of Gold destination, but a technicality resulted in them disappearing and the belts appearing in the arms of Decay.
Broken gimmick legal battle
Shortly after the departure of Matt and Jeff from TNA was made public, Matt's wife, Reby, went on a social media tirade in which she repeatedly slammed TNA, the company's new management and the way in which contract negotiations between the company and the Hardy family were conducted. A few weeks following this, the bad blood between the two sides intensified, so much so that the new management of TNA (now renamed Impact Wrestling) Anthem Sports & Entertainment issued a cease and desist letter to The Hardys' new promotion Ring of Honor (ROH), in which Anthem essentially ordered ROH as well as any broadcasting company airing ROH's 15th Anniversary pay–per–view show (on which The Hardys were to participate in a match) to not in any way speak of, indicate or acknowledge the existence of the Broken Matt and Brother Nero characters and instead to refer to The Hardys as simply Matt Hardy and Jeff Hardy. The issue with this is that while The Hardys were in TNA, they had full creative control over the Broken gimmick, with them even filming their own segments to air on TNA programming in some circumstances, thus making the Hardy family (in their belief) the owners of the Broken gimmick. It is believed that civil litigation will follow and a potential court hearing will take place regarding the outcome on who owns the Broken gimmick: Anthem or the Hardy family. Until then, the status of the Broken gimmick remains undecided. Despite this, Matt continues to use the Broken gimmick through his social media accounts, but neither he nor Jeff uses the Broken gimmick at any professional wrestling shows for ROH or on the independent circuit, presumably until the results of the expected legal proceedings have been finalized.
Newly–appointed Impact Wrestling President Ed Nordholm credits the invention of and the vision behind the Broken gimmick to Jeremy Borash, Dave Lagana and Billy Corgan, and while Borash specifically had the most input into the gimmick of the three aside from Matt, the Hardy family deny that Borash was the sole person behind the gimmick. In November 2017, Impact Wrestling changed their policy, allowing all talent to retain complete ownership over their intellectual property, essentially forfeiting ownership of the "Broken" character to Hardy.
On January 31, 2018, the legal battle officially concluded when Matt legally acquired ownership of all trademarks related to the Broken universe and the Broken gimmick, which includes 'Broken Matt', 'Brother Nero', 'Broken Brilliance' and 'Vanguard1'.
International matches (2014–2015)
On November 1, 2014, Hardy traveled to Japan to compete for Wrestle-1 at the promotions Keiji Muto 30th Anniversary Hold Out show in a triple threat match against Seiya Sanada and Tajiri, which he lost.
On May 24, 2015, Hardy traveled to Mexico to compete as a team captain for Team TNA/Lucha Underground with teammates Mr. Anderson and Johnny Mundo at Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide's 2015 Lucha Libre World Cup pay–per–view show. In the quarter–final round, Team TNA/Lucha Underground faced Team Rest of the World (Drew Galloway, Angélico and El Mesías) to a 15-minute time limit draw, with Team TNA/Lucha Underground winning in overtime and advancing to the semi–final round. In the semi–final round, Team TNA/Lucha Underground defeated Team MexLeyendas (Blue Demon Jr., Dr. Wagner Jr. and El Solar) to advance to the final round. In the final round, Team TNA/Lucha Underground faced Dream Team (El Patrón Alberto, Myzteziz and Rey Mysterio Jr.) to a 15–minute time limit draw, with Dream Team winning both the match and the tournament in overtime with Hardy on the losing end of the final pinfall.
Second return to ROH (2016–2017)
On December 2, 2016, Hardy returned to ROH for the second time while still under contract with TNA, appearing at the promotions Final Battle pay-per-view show as Broken Matt, where a video message showed him addressing The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) and The Briscoes (Jay Briscoe and Mark Briscoe).
On March 4, 2017, in the same week that both Matt and Jeff were released from TNA, The Hardys defeated The Young Bucks in an impromptu match at ROH's 2017 installment of the company's Manhattan Mayhem show series to become the new ROH World Tag Team Champions for the first time. Moments after winning the titles, Hardy announced in a post-match promo that both he and Brother Nero (Jeff) had signed "the biggest ROH contracts in (the company's) history". It was later confirmed that the contracts were short-term, only for the "immediate future". On March 10, The Hardys successfully defended the ROH World Tag Team Championship for the first time at ROH's 15th Anniversary pay-per-view show against The Young Bucks and Roppongi Vice (Beretta and Rocky Romero) in a three-way Las Vegas tag team street fight match. Prior to the event, the Hardys had been sent a legal threat by Impact Wrestling regarding the use of the Broken Matt and Brother Nero gimmicks. The following night on March 11, The Hardys (not billed but using the Broken gimmicks anyway) once again retained the titles, this time against The Briscoes at a set of Ring of Honor Wrestling television tapings. The Hardys lost the titles back to The Young Bucks in a ladder match on April 1 at ROH's Supercard of Honor XI pay-per-view show, which would be the final ROH appearances for both Hardys in this tenure with the promotion.
Second return to WWE (2017–2020)
Feud with The Bar (2017)
At the WrestleMania 33 pay-per-view on April 2, 2017, Hardy made his surprise return to WWE, along with his brother Jeff Hardy, being added as last-minute participants in the ladder match for the Raw Tag Team Championship, defeating Gallows and Anderson, Cesaro and Sheamus, and Enzo and Cass to win the Raw Tag Team Championship. Afterwards on Raw Talk, Hardy mentioned that The Hardy Boyz had successfully completed the Expedition of Gold, after winning the Raw Tag Team Championship. At Payback, The Hardy Boyz retained their championships against Cesaro and Sheamus, who attacked them after the match. The next night on Raw, Cesaro and Sheamus explained their actions, claiming the fans were more supportive of 'novelty acts' from the past like The Hardy Boyz, who they feel did not deserve to be in the match at WrestleMania 33. Subsequently, at Extreme Rules, The Hardy Boyz lost the titles against Cesaro and Sheamus in a steel cage match, and failed to regain it back the following month at the Great Balls of Fire event. Afterwards, it was revealed that Jeff had gotten injured and would be out for an estimated six months, thus Hardy began wrestling in singles matches.
Woken Universe and storyline with Bray Wyatt (2017–2018)
During his feud with Bray Wyatt, Hardy introduced his "Woken" gimmick, after Impact Wrestling dropped their claim to the gimmick and Hardy gained full ownership of it. Wyatt defeated Hardy at Raw 25 on January 22, 2018, and Hardy defeated Wyatt at Elimination Chamber on February 25. Their final match happened on the March 19 episode of Raw, dubbed The Ultimate Deletion, with Hardy winning after distractions from Señor Benjamin. Wyatt then disappeared after being thrown into the Lake of Reincarnation. At WrestleMania 34 on April 7, Hardy competed in the annual André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, and won the match due to a distraction by the returning Wyatt. After WrestleMania, Hardy and Wyatt performed as a tag team, sometimes referred to as The Deleters of Worlds. They won a tournament for the vacant Raw Tag Team Championship, defeating Cesaro and Sheamus at the Greatest Royal Rumble event to win the title. However, they lost the titles at Extreme Rules to The B-Team (Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel). On the July 23 episode of Raw, Hardy and Wyatt received a rematch for the titles, but was again defeated by The B-Team. Following this, Hardy revealed that he was taking time off due to his back fusing with his pelvis, effectively disbanding the team. According to Hardy, the reason WWE disbanded the team was because he and Wyatt pitched several ideas to WWE to work with their characters.
The Hardys fourth reunion and departure (2019–2020)
After more than seven months of absence from television, Hardy returned on the February 26, 2019 episode of SmackDown Live, teaming with his brother Jeff to defeat The Bar (Cesaro and Sheamus). At WrestleMania 35 on April 7, Hardy competed in the André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, but was eliminated by eventual winner, Braun Strowman. Two days later on SmackDown Live, The Hardy Boyz defeated The Usos to win the SmackDown Tag Team Championship. The reign only lasted 21 days (recognized as 20 days by WWE), as they had to vacate the title due to Jeff injuring his knee, this was explained in storyline as injuries afflicted by Lars Sullivan. After his brother Jeff's injury, Hardy began to appear on WWE programming less frequently. At Super ShowDown on June 7, Hardy competed in the 51-man Battle Royal, which was eventually won by Mansoor. From November to December, Hardy occasionally appeared on Raw, losing matches against superstars like Buddy Murphy, Drew McIntyre, Ricochet and Erick Rowan.
On the February 10, 2020 episode of Raw, Hardy confronted Randy Orton about Orton's attack on Edge two weeks earlier. Hardy then got himself into a brawl with him moments after, and was viciously attacked by Orton. The following week on Raw, an injured Hardy appeared and was once again assaulted by Orton, which would be his final appearance in WWE. On March 2, Hardy announced his departure from WWE through his official YouTube channel, where Hardy said that while he's grateful towards the people behind the scenes, he said he is also on different pages with WWE as he feels he needs to have creative input and still has more to give. Later that day, WWE announced that his contract had expired.
All Elite Wrestling
Multiple personalities (2020–2021)
Hardy made his All Elite Wrestling (AEW) debut on the March 18, 2020 episode of Dynamite, reverting to his "Broken" gimmick and being announced as the replacement for the kayfabe injured Nick Jackson on The Elite's team at Blood and Guts. However, the event was postponed to the following year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On the May 6 episode of Dynamite, Hardy wrestled his first match with AEW, teaming up with Kenny Omega for a street fight against The Inner Circle's Chris Jericho and Sammy Guevara, and Hardy and Omega lost when Jericho pinned Omega. During this period, due to the lack of live audience, Hardy felt that the Broken character needs public, so he began to include several of his gimmicks, including Broken Matt Hardy, Big Money Matt, Matt Hardy V1, and Unkillable Matt Hardy, being referred to as "Multifarious" Matt Hardy. AEW president Tony Khan later admitted that he "wasn't a fan" of the Broken gimmick and much preferred more realistic presentations in wrestling.
At Double or Nothing, Hardy teamed with The Elite to defeat The Inner Circle in the first ever Stadium Stampede match. During the match, Santana and Ortiz dunked Hardy in the stadium pool, which acted as a version of the Lake of Reincarnation, as Hardy kept cycling through his various gimmicks throughout his career when he surfaced. Hardy then feuded with Sammy Guevara, and after Hardy defeated Guevara in a Broken Rules match at All Out, Hardy took time off until he was cleared to return, due to an injury sustained during the match. On the September 16 episode of Dynamite, Hardy aligned with Private Party (Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen) as their manager, but was attacked backstage before their match. The attacker was later revealed as Guevara and The Elite Deletion match was announced, which took place at The Hardy Compound in Cameron, North Carolina, where Hardy won.
The Hardy Family Office (2021–present)
Hardy then switched to his Big Money persona as he focused on managing Private Party. Over the following weeks, Hardy would display villainous tactics as he began cheating during matches much to Private Party's dismay. On the January 20, 2021 episode of Dynamite, Hardy and Private Party defeated Matt Sydal and Top Flight (Dante Martin and Darius Martin) after using a steel chair before attacking Sydal and Top Flight afterwards, thus turning heel. Hardy then approached Adam Page to accompany and befriend him, and during tag team matches, Hardy would always tag himself in and pick up the victory for his team to Page's behest. After Page set up a match between Hardy and himself, Hardy double-crossed Page, with Private Party and The Hybrid 2 (Angélico and Jack Evans) attacking Page until The Dark Order came out to save him. At the Revolution event, Hardy lost to Page despite multiple interferences from Private Party.
Following Revolution, Hardy became the manager for The Butcher and The Blade (with their valet The Bunny in tow), and along with Private Party, the stable became known as the Matt Hardy Empire before settling on the name Hardy Family Office. Hardy also added The Hybrid 2 to his group in July having previously hiring them on a mercenary basis. At Double or Nothing, Hardy competed in Casino Battle Royale but was eliminated by Christian Cage. This led to a match between the two at Fyter Fest, where Hardy lost to Cage. In August, Matt Hardy and HFO began a feud with Orange Cassidy and Best Friends, which led to a match on the August 25 episode of Dynamite, where Hardy was defeated by Cassidy. However, on the November 12 episode of Rampage, Hardy defeated Cassidy in a Lumberjack match, thanks to an interference from HFO and the heel lumberjacks. Their feud ended on the November 17 episode of Dynamite where his team of The Butcher and The Blade lost to the team of Cassidy and Tomohiro Ishii, where Cassidy gave a crossbody to the interfering Hardy and The Blade during the match.
Professional wrestling style and persona
After the creation of his Broken character, Hardy was praised by several wrestlers and critics for reinventing himself several times during his career. During his career, Hardy has won the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Best Gimmick award two times under two different characters, once in 2002 and again in 2016.
Personal life
Hardy was in a six-year relationship with wrestler Amy Dumas, better known as Lita. They first met in January 1999 at a NWA Mid-Atlantic show but did not begin dating until a few months later. They broke up in February 2005 when he discovered that she was having an affair with one of Hardy's close friends, fellow wrestler Adam Copeland, better known as Edge. Hardy also dated WWE wrestler Ashley Massaro.
Hardy married wrestler Rebecca Reyes, better known as Reby Sky, on October 5, 2013. They have three sons and one daughter. Hardy had previously been an addict, and credits his wife for helping him get clean.
Hardy is good friends with fellow wrestlers Marty Garner, Shannon Moore, and Gregory Helms. In December 2020, he claimed to have Native American ancestry.
Legal issues
Hardy was arrested for a DUI on August 20, 2011. Two days later, he was arrested on felony drug charges when police found steroids in his home. In November 2011, Hardy was removed from court-ordered rehab and sent back to jail for drinking.
In January 2014, Hardy and his wife were both arrested after a fight at a hotel.
Other media
In 1999, Matt, along with his brother Jeff, appeared as an uncredited wrestler on That '70s Show episode "That Wrestling Show". Matt and Jeff also appeared on Tough Enough in early 2001, talking to and wrestling the contestants. He appeared in the February 25, 2002 episode of Fear Factor competing against five other World Wrestling Federation wrestlers, including his brother. He won $50,000 for the American Cancer Society. Hardy also appeared on the October 13, 2009 episode of Scare Tactics, as a mental patient who threatens to attack the prank's victim.
In 2001, Matt, Jeff, and Lita appeared in Rolling Stone magazine's 2001 Sports Hall of Fame issue. In 2003, Matt and Jeff, with the help of Michael Krugman, wrote and published their autobiography The Hardy Boyz: Exist 2 Inspire. As part of WWE, Matt appeared in their DVD, The Hardy Boyz: Leap of Faith in 2001. On April 29, 2008, WWE released Twist of Fate: The Matt and Jeff Hardy Story. The DVD featured footage of the brothers in OMEGA and WWE. Hardy also appears on The Hardy Show, an Internet web show which features the Hardys, Shannon Moore, and many of their friends.
Hardy plays himself in the 2013 film Pro Wrestlers vs Zombies in which he and his real-life wife Reby Sky battle the undead.
Hardy's first WWE video game was WWF WrestleMania 2000 in 1999 on the Nintendo 64 shortly followed by WWF SmackDown! in early 2000 on the PlayStation. He made several appearances later in WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your Role, WWF SmackDown! Just Bring It, WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth, WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain, and WWE SmackDown vs. Raw. He later returned to the series in WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008, WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009, WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2010, and WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011, which was his last WWE video game before his departure to TNA. Following his return to WWE in 2017, he was revealed as a DLC character in WWE 2K18 on September 25 that year alongside tag team partner and brother, Jeff Hardy. Hardy was revealed as a playable character in WWE 2K19 on August 30, 2018. His final appearance in a WWE video game came with WWE 2K20 in 2019.
Filmography
Championships and accomplishments
All Elite Wrestling
Dynamite Award (1 time)
"Bleacher Report PPV Moment of the Year" (2021) – Stadium Stampede match (The Elite vs. The Inner Circle) – Double or Nothing (May 23)
All Star Wrestling (West Virginia)
ASW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Brother Nero
CBS Sports
Worst Moment of the Year (2020) vs. Sammy Guevara at All Out (2020)
The Crash
The Crash Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Brother Nero
Future Stars of Wrestling
FSW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
House of Glory
HOG Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jeff Hardy
Maryland Championship Wrestling/MCW Pro Wrestling
MCW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
MCW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jeff Hardy
Extreme Rising World Championship (1 time)
National Championship Wrestling
NCW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
NCW Light Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
New Dimension Wrestling
NDW Light Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
NDW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jeff Hardy
New England Wrestling Alliance
NEWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
NEWA Hall of Fame (class of 2012)
New Frontier Wrestling Association
NFWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
NFWA Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Venom
NWA 2000
NWA 2000 Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jeff Hardy
OMEGA Championship Wrestling
OMEGA Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
OMEGA Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Brother Nero/Jeff Hardy
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Comeback of the Year (2017) with Jeff Hardy
Feud of the Year (2005) vs. Edge and Lita
Match of the Year (2000) with Jeff Hardy vs. The Dudley Boyz and Edge and Christian in a triangle ladder match at WrestleMania 2000
Match of the Year (2001) with Jeff Hardy vs. The Dudley Boyz and Edge and Christian in a Tables, Ladders and Chairs match at WrestleMania X-Seven
Tag Team of the Year (2000) with Jeff Hardy
Ranked No. 17 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2003
Pro Wrestling Syndicate
PWS Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
Remix Pro Wrestling
Remix Pro Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Facade
Ring of Honor
ROH World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jeff Hardy
Holy S*** Moment of the Decade (2010s) – – with Jeff Hardy
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
TNA World Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
TNA World Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Jeff Hardy/Brother Nero
TNA World Tag Team Championship Tournament (2015) – with Jeff Hardy
TNA World Tag Team Championship #1 Contender Tournament (2014) – with Jeff Hardy
WrestleCade
WrestleCade Championship (2 times)
Wrestling Observer Newsletter
Best Gimmick (2002, 2016)
Worst Feud of the Year (2004) with Lita vs. Kane
Wrestling Superstar
Wrestling Superstar Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jeff Hardy
WWE/World Wrestling Entertainment/Federation
ECW Championship (1 time)
WWF Hardcore Championship (1 time)
WWF European Championship (1 time)
WWE United States Championship (1 time)
WWE Cruiserweight Championship (1 time)
WWF/World Tag Team Championship (6 times) – with Jeff Hardy
WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jeff Hardy
WWE Raw Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with Montel Vontavious Porter (1) Jeff Hardy (1) and Bray Wyatt (1)
WCW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jeff Hardy
André the Giant Memorial Trophy (2018)
Bragging Rights Trophy (2009) – with Team SmackDown
Terri Invitational Tournament (1999) – with Jeff Hardy
WWE Tag Team Eliminator (2018) - with Bray Wyatt
Luchas de Apuestas record
Notes
References
Sources
External links
1974 births
All Elite Wrestling personnel
American bloggers
American male professional wrestlers
American YouTubers
Male YouTubers
ECW champions
ECW Heavyweight Champions/ECW World Heavyweight Champions
Living people
NWA/WCW/WWE United States Heavyweight Champions
Participants in American reality television series
Professional wrestlers from North Carolina
Professional wrestling managers and valets
Reality show winners
Sportspeople from Raleigh, North Carolina
TNA World Heavyweight/Impact World Champions
TNA/Impact World Tag Team Champions
Twitch (service) streamers
University of North Carolina at Charlotte alumni
WWF European Champions
WWF/WWE Hardcore Champions
| true |
[
"Přírodní park Třebíčsko (before Oblast klidu Třebíčsko) is a natural park near Třebíč in the Czech Republic. There are many interesting plants. The park was founded in 1983.\n\nKobylinec and Ptáčovský kopeček\n\nKobylinec is a natural monument situated ca 0,5 km from the village of Trnava.\nThe area of this monument is 0,44 ha. Pulsatilla grandis can be found here and in the Ptáčovský kopeček park near Ptáčov near Třebíč. Both monuments are very popular for tourists.\n\nPonds\n\nIn the natural park there are some interesting ponds such as Velký Bor, Malý Bor, Buršík near Přeckov and a brook Březinka. Dams on the brook are examples of European beaver activity.\n\nSyenitové skály near Pocoucov\n\nSyenitové skály (rocks of syenit) near Pocoucov is one of famed locations. There are interesting granite boulders. The area of the reservation is 0,77 ha.\n\nExternal links\nParts of this article or all article was translated from Czech. The original article is :cs:Přírodní park Třebíčsko.\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\nNature near the village Trnava which is there\n\nTřebíč\nParks in the Czech Republic\nTourist attractions in the Vysočina Region",
"Damn Interesting is an independent website founded by Alan Bellows in 2005. The website presents true stories from science, history, and psychology, primarily as long-form articles, often illustrated with original artwork. Works are written by various authors, and published at irregular intervals. The website openly rejects advertising, relying on reader and listener donations to cover operating costs.\n\nAs of October 2012, each article is also published as a podcast under the same name. In November 2019, a second podcast was launched under the title Damn Interesting Week, featuring unscripted commentary on an assortment of news articles featured on the website's \"Curated Links\" section that week. In mid-2020, a third podcast called Damn Interesting Curio Cabinet began highlighting the website's periodic short-form articles in the same radioplay format as the original podcast.\n\nIn July 2009, Damn Interesting published the print book Alien Hand Syndrome through Workman Publishing. It contains some favorites from the site and some exclusive content.\n\nAwards and recognition \nIn August 2007, PC Magazine named Damn Interesting one of the \"Top 100 Undiscovered Web Sites\".\nThe article \"The Zero-Armed Bandit\" by Alan Bellows won a 2015 Sidney Award from David Brooks in The New York Times.\nThe article \"Ghoulish Acts and Dastardly Deeds\" by Alan Bellows was cited as \"nonfiction journalism from 2017 that will stand the test of time\" by Conor Friedersdorf in The Atlantic.\nThe article \"Dupes and Duplicity\" by Jennifer Lee Noonan won a 2020 Sidney Award from David Brooks in the New York Times.\n\nAccusing The Dollop of plagiarism \n\nOn July 9, 2015, Bellows posted an open letter accusing The Dollop, a comedy podcast about history, of plagiarism due to their repeated use of verbatim text from Damn Interesting articles without permission or attribution. Dave Anthony, the writer of The Dollop, responded on reddit, admitting to using Damn Interesting content, but claiming that the use was protected by fair use, and that \"historical facts are not copyrightable.\" In an article about the controversy on Plagiarism Today, Jonathan Bailey concluded, \"Any way one looks at it, The Dollop failed its ethical obligations to all of the people, not just those writing for Damn Interesting, who put in the time, energy and expertise into writing the original content upon which their show is based.\"\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links \n Official website\n\n2005 podcast debuts"
] |
[
"Isidore of Seville",
"Etymologiae"
] |
C_abb11947d0be4f0abd17685d04bd7377_1
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What is Etymologiae?
| 1 |
What is Etymologiae in regards to Isidore of Seville?
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Isidore of Seville
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Isidore was the first Christian writer to try to compile a summa of universal knowledge, in his most important work, the Etymologiae (taking its title from the method he uncritically used in the transcription of his era's knowledge). It is also known by classicists as the Origines (the standard abbreviation being Orig). This encyclopedia -- the first such Christian epitome--formed a huge compilation of 448 chapters in 20 volumes. In it, as Isidore entered his own terse digest of Roman handbooks, miscellanies and compendia, he continued the trend towards abridgements and summaries that had characterised Roman learning in Late Antiquity. In the process, many fragments of classical learning are preserved which otherwise would have been hopelessly lost; "in fact, in the majority of his works, including the Origines, he contributes little more than the mortar which connects excerpts from other authors, as if he was aware of his deficiencies and had more confidence in the stilus maiorum than his own" his translator Katherine Nell MacFarlane remarks; Some of these fragments were lost in the first place because Isidore's work was so highly regarded--Braulio called it quecunque fere sciri debentur, "practically everything that it is necessary to know"-- that it superseded the use of many individual works of the classics themselves, which were not recopied and have therefore been lost: "all secular knowledge that was of use to the Christian scholar had been winnowed out and contained in one handy volume; the scholar need search no further". The fame of this work imparted a new impetus to encyclopedic writing, which bore abundant fruit in the subsequent centuries of the Middle Ages. It was the most popular compendium in medieval libraries. It was printed in at least ten editions between 1470 and 1530, showing Isidore's continued popularity in the Renaissance. Until the 12th century brought translations from Arabic sources, Isidore transmitted what western Europeans remembered of the works of Aristotle and other Greeks, although he understood only a limited amount of Greek. The Etymologiae was much copied, particularly into medieval bestiaries. CANNOTANSWER
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Etymologiae (taking its title from the method he
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Isidore of Seville (; ; c. 560 – 4 April 636) was a Spanish scholar and cleric. For over three decades, he was Archbishop of Seville. He is widely regarded, in the words of 19th-century historian Montalembert, as "the last scholar of the ancient world".
At a time of disintegration of classical culture, aristocratic violence and widespread illiteracy, Isidore was involved in the conversion of the Arian Visigothic kings to Catholicism, both assisting his brother Leander of Seville and continuing after his brother's death. He was influential in the inner circle of Sisebut, Visigothic king of Hispania. Like Leander, he played a prominent role in the Councils of Toledo and Seville.
His fame after his death was based on his Etymologiae, an etymological encyclopedia that assembled extracts of many books from classical antiquity that would have otherwise been lost. He also invented the period (full stop), comma, and colon.
Life
Childhood and education
Isidore was born in Cartagena, Spain, a former Carthaginian colony, to Severianus and Theodora. Both Severianus and Theodora belonged to notable Hispano-Roman families of high social rank. His parents were members of an influential family who were instrumental in the political-religious manoeuvring that converted the Visigothic kings from Arianism to Catholicism. The Catholic Church celebrates him and all his siblings as known saints:
An elder brother, Leander of Seville, immediately preceded Isidore as Archbishop of Seville and, while in office, opposed King Liuvigild.
A younger brother, Fulgentius of Cartagena, served as the Bishop of Astigi at the start of the new reign of the Catholic King Reccared.
His sister, Florentina of Cartagena, was a nun who allegedly ruled over forty convents and one thousand consecrated religious. This claim seems unlikely, however, given the few functioning monastic institutions in Spania during her lifetime.
Isidore received his elementary education in the Cathedral school of Seville. In this institution, the first of its kind in Spania, a body of learned men including Archbishop Leander of Seville taught the trivium and quadrivium, the classic liberal arts. Isidore applied himself to study diligently enough that he quickly mastered classical Latin, and acquired some Greek and Hebrew.
Two centuries of Gothic control of Iberia incrementally suppressed the ancient institutions, classical learning, and manners of the Roman Empire. The associated culture entered a period of long-term decline. The ruling Visigoths nevertheless showed some respect for the outward trappings of Roman culture. Arianism meanwhile took deep root among the Visigoths as the form of Christianity that they received.
Scholars may debate whether Isidore ever personally embraced monastic life or affiliated with any religious order, but he undoubtedly esteemed the monks highly.
Bishop of Seville
After the death of Leander of Seville on 13 March 600 or 601, Isidore succeeded to the See of Seville. On his elevation to the episcopate, he immediately constituted himself as the protector of monks.
Recognizing that the spiritual and material welfare of the people of his see depended on the assimilation of remnant Roman and ruling barbarian cultures, Isidore attempted to weld the peoples and subcultures of the Visigothic kingdom into a united nation. He used all available religious resources toward this end and succeeded. Isidore practically eradicated the heresy of Arianism and completely stifled the new heresy of Acephali at its outset. Archbishop Isidore strengthened religious discipline throughout his see.
Archbishop Isidore also used resources of education to counteract increasingly influential Gothic barbarism throughout his episcopal jurisdiction. His quickening spirit animated the educational movement centered on Seville. Isidore introduced his countrymen to Aristotle long before the Arabs studied Greek philosophy extensively.
In 619, Isidore of Seville pronounced anathema against any ecclesiastic who in any way should molest the monasteries.
Second Synod of Seville (November 619)
Isidore presided over the Second Council of Seville, begun on 13 November 619 in the reign of King Sisebut, a provincial council attended by eight other bishops, all from the ecclesiastical province of Baetica in southern Spain. The Acts of the Council fully set forth the nature of Christ, countering the conceptions of Gregory, a Syrian representing the heretical Acephali.
Third Synod of Seville (624)
Based on a few surviving canons found in the Pseudo-Isidorian Decretals, Isidore is known to have presided over an additional provincial council around 624.
The council dealt with a conflict over the See of Écija and wrongfully stripped bishop Martianus of his see, a situation that was rectified by the Fourth Council of Toledo. It also addressed a concern over Jews who had been forced to convert to Christianity,.
The records of the council, unlike the First and Second Councils of Seville, were not preserved in the Hispana, a collection of canons and decretals likely edited by Isidore himself.
Fourth National Council of Toledo
All bishops of Hispania attended the Fourth National Council of Toledo, begun on 5 December 633. The aged Archbishop Isidore presided over its deliberations and originated most enactments of the council.
Through Isidore's influence, this Council of Toledo promulgated a decree commanding all bishops to establish seminaries in their cathedral cities along the lines of the cathedral school at Seville, which had educated Isidore decades earlier. The decree prescribed the study of Greek, Hebrew, and the liberal arts and encouraged interest in law and medicine. The authority of the council made this education policy obligatory upon all bishops of the Kingdom of the Visigoths. The council granted remarkable position and deference to the king of the Visigoths. The independent Church bound itself in allegiance to the acknowledged king; it said nothing of allegiance to the Bishop of Rome.
Death
Isidore of Seville died on 4 April 636 after serving more than 32 years as archbishop of Seville.
Work
Isidore's Latin style in the Etymologiae and elsewhere, though simple and lucid, reveals increasing local Visigothic traditions.
Etymologiae
Isidore was the first Christian writer to try to compile a summa of universal knowledge, in his most important work, the Etymologiae (taking its title from the method he uncritically used in the transcription of his era's knowledge). It is also known by classicists as the Origines (the standard abbreviation being Orig.). This encyclopedia—the first such Christian epitome—formed a huge compilation of 448 chapters in 20 volumes.
In it, Isidore entered his own terse digest of Roman handbooks, miscellanies and compendia, he continued the trend towards abridgements and summaries that had characterised Roman learning in Late Antiquity. In the process, many fragments of classical learning are preserved that otherwise would have been hopelessly lost; "in fact, in the majority of his works, including the Origines, he contributes little more than the mortar which connects excerpts from other authors, as if he was aware of his deficiencies and had more confidence in the stilus maiorum than his own," his translator Katherine Nell MacFarlane remarks.
Some of these fragments were lost in the first place because Isidore's work was so highly regarded—Braulio called it quaecunque fere sciri debentur, "practically everything that it is necessary to know"—that it superseded the use of many individual works of the classics themselves, which were not recopied and have therefore been lost: "all secular knowledge that was of use to the Christian scholar had been winnowed out and contained in one handy volume; the scholar need search no further".
The fame of this work imparted a new impetus to encyclopedic writing, which bore abundant fruit in the subsequent centuries of the Middle Ages. It was the most popular compendium in medieval libraries. It was printed in at least ten editions between 1470 and 1530, showing Isidore's continued popularity in the Renaissance. Until the 12th century brought translations from Arabic sources, Isidore transmitted what western Europeans remembered of the works of Aristotle and other Greeks, although he understood only a limited amount of Greek. The Etymologiae was much copied, particularly into medieval bestiaries.
On the Catholic faith against the Jews
Isidore's De fide catholica contra Iudaeos furthers Augustine of Hippo's ideas on the Jewish presence in Christian society. Like Augustine, Isidore accepted the necessity of the Jewish presence because of their expected role in the anticipated Second Coming of Christ. In De fide catholica contra Iudaeos, Isidore exceeds the anti-rabbinic polemics of earlier theologians by criticizing Jewish practice as deliberately disingenuous.
He contributed two decisions to the Fourth Council of Toledo: Canon 60 calling for the forced removal of children from parents practising Crypto-Judaism and their education by Christians, and Canon 65 forbidding Jews and Christians of Jewish origin from holding public office.
Other works
Isidore's authored more than a dozen major works on various topics including mathematics, holy scripture, and monastic life, all in Latin:
Historia de regibus Gothorum, Vandalorum et Suevorum, a history of the Gothic, Vandal and Suebi kings. The longer edition, issued in 624, includes the Laus Spaniae and the Laus Gothorum.
Chronica Majora, a universal history
De differentiis verborum, a brief theological treatise on the doctrine of the Trinity, the nature of Christ, of Paradise, angels, and men
De natura rerum (On the Nature of Things), a book of astronomy and natural history dedicated to the Visigothic king Sisebut
Questions on the Old Testament
a mystical treatise on the allegorical meanings of numbers
a number of brief letters
Sententiae libri tres Codex Sang. 228; 9th century
De viris illustribus
De ecclesiasticis officiis
De summo bono
De ortu et obitu patrum
Veneration
Isidore was one of the last of the ancient Christian philosophers and was contemporary with Maximus the Confessor. He has been called the most learned man of his age by some scholars, and he exercised a far-reaching and immeasurable influence on the educational life of the Middle Ages. His contemporary and friend, Braulio of Zaragoza, regarded him as a man raised up by God to save the Iberian peoples from the tidal wave of barbarism that threatened to inundate the ancient civilization of Hispania.
The Eighth Council of Toledo (653) recorded its admiration of his character in these glowing terms: "The extraordinary doctor, the latest ornament of the Catholic Church, the most learned man of the latter ages, always to be named with reverence, Isidore". This tribute was endorsed by the Fifteenth Council of Toledo, held in 688, and later in 1598 by Pope Clement VIII. Isidore was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1722 by Pope Innocent XIII.
Isidore was interred in Seville. His tomb represented an important place of veneration for the Mozarabs during the centuries after the Arab conquest of Visigothic Hispania. In the middle of the 11th century, with the division of Al Andalus into taifas and the strengthening of the Christian holdings in the Iberian peninsula, Ferdinand I of León and Castile found himself in a position to extract tribute from the fractured Arab states. In addition to money, Abbad II al-Mu'tadid, the Abbadid ruler of Seville (1042–1069), agreed to turn over St. Isidore's remains to Ferdinand I. A Catholic poet described al-Mutatid placing a brocaded cover over Isidore's sarcophagus, and remarked, "Now you are leaving here, revered Isidore. You know well how much your fame was mine!" Ferdinand had Isidore's remains reinterred in the then-recently constructed Basilica of San Isidoro in León. Today, many of his bones are buried in the cathedral of Murcia, Spain.
Legacy
In Dante's Paradiso (X.130), Isidore is mentioned among theologians and Doctors of the Church alongside the Scot Richard of St. Victor and the Englishman Bede the Venerable.
The University of Dayton has named their implementation of the Sakai Project in honour of Saint Isidore.
His likeness, along with that of Leander of Sevile and Ferdinand III of Castile, is depicted on the crest badge of Sevilla FC.
The Order of St. Isidore of Seville is a chivalric order formed on 1 January 2000. An international organisation, the order aims to honour Saint Isidore as patron saint of the Internet, alongside promoting Christian chivalry online. (This honour is unofficial: the Holy See considered naming Isidore as patron saint of the Internet but has not done so.)
Honours
St. Isidore Island in Antarctica is named after the saint.
See also
Saint Isidore of Seville, patron saint archive
References
Sources
Primary sources
The Etymologiae (complete Latin text)
Barney, Stephen A., Lewis, W.J., Beach, J.A. and Berghof, Oliver (translators). The Etymologies of Isidore of Seville. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006. .
Ziolkowski, Vernon P., The De Fide Catholica contra Iudaeos of Saint Isidorus, Bishop, Book 1, Saint Louis University, PhD diss. (1982).
Castro Caridad, Eva and Peña Fernández, Francisco (translators). "Isidoro de Sevilla. Sobre la fe católica contra los judíos". Sevilla: Universidad de Sevilla, 2012. .
Throop, Priscilla, (translator). Isidore of Seville's Etymologies. Charlotte, VT: MedievalMS, 2005, 2 vols.
Throop, Priscilla, (translator). Isidore's Synonyms and Differences. (a translation of Synonyms or Lamentations of a Sinful Soul, Book of Differences I, and Book of Differences II) Charlotte, VT: MedievalMS, 2012 (EPub )
Online Galleries, History of Science Collections, University of Oklahoma Libraries High resolution images of works by Isidore of Seville in .jpg and .tiff format.
De natura rerum (Msc.Nat.1) (On the Nature of Things) digitized by the Staatsbibliothek Bamberg.
Lewis E 136 Carta pisana; Sententiae (Sentences) at OPenn
Lewis E 137 Sententiae (Sentences) at OPenn
MS 484/18 Quaestiones in josue, judicum, regum, machabeis at OPenn
Secondary sources
Henderson, John. The Medieval World of Isidore of Seville: Truth from Words. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007. .
Herren, Michael. "On the Earliest Irish Acquaintance with Isidore of Seville." Visigothic Spain: New Approaches. James, Edward (ed). Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1980. .
Englisch, Brigitte. "Die Artes liberales im frühen Mittelalter." Stuttgart, 1994.
Other material
The Order of Saint Isidore of Seville, st-isidore.org
Jones, Peter. "Patron saint of the internet", telegraph.co.uk, 27 August 2006 (Review of The Etymologies of Isidore of Seville, Cambridge University Press, 2006)
Shachtman, Noah. "Searchin' for the Surfer's Saint", wired.com, 25 January 2002
External links
560 births
636 deaths
Doctors of the Church
Church Fathers
6th-century Latin writers
7th-century Latin writers
Spanish encyclopedists
Etymologists
7th-century philosophers
7th-century Christian saints
7th-century archbishops
7th-century Christian theologians
7th-century people of the Visigothic Kingdom
Roman Catholic archbishops of Seville
Spanish philosophers
Medieval Spanish saints
Augustinian philosophers
Catholic philosophers
Spanish music theorists
Spanish Christian theologians
Trope theorists
Medieval Spanish theologians
7th-century astronomers
7th-century mathematicians
7th-century historians
7th-century jurists
Writers about religion and science
| true |
[
"The Aberdeen Bestiary (Aberdeen University Library, Univ Lib. MS 24) is a 12th-century English illuminated manuscript bestiary that was first listed in 1542 in the inventory of the Old Royal Library at the Palace of Westminster. Due to similarities, it is often considered to be the \"sister\" manuscript of the Ashmole Bestiary. The connection between the ancient Greek didactic text Physiologus and similar bestiary manuscripts is also often noted. Information about the manuscript's origins and patrons are circumstantial, although the manuscript most likely originated from the 13th century and was owned by a wealthy ecclesiastical patron from north or south England. Currently, the Aberdeen Bestiary resides in the Aberdeen University Library in Scotland.\n\nHistory \nThe Aberdeen Bestiary and the Ashmole Bestiary are considered by Xenia Muratova, a professor of art history, to be \"the work of different artists belonging to the same artistic milieu.\" Due to their \"striking similarities\" they are often compared and described by scholars as being \"sister manuscripts.\" The medievalist scholar M. R. James considered the Aberdeen Bestiary ''a replica of Ashmole 1511\" a view echoed by many other art historians.\n\nProvenance \nThe original patron of both the Aberdeen and Ashmole Bestiary was considered to be a high-ranking member of society such as a prince, king or another high ranking church official or monastery. However, since the section related to monastery life that was commonly depicted within the Aviarium manuscript was missing the original patron remains uncertain but it appears less likely to be a church member. The Aberdeen Bestiary was kept in Church and monastic settings for a majority of its history. However at some point it entered into the English royal collections library. The royal Westminster Library shelf stamp of King Henry the VIII is stamped on the side of the bestiary. How King Henry acquired the manuscript remains unknown although it was probably taken from a monastery. The manuscript appears to have been well-read by the family based on the amount of reading wear on the edges of the pages. Around the time King James of Scotland became the King of England the bestiary was passed along to the Marischal College, Aberdeen. The manuscript is in fragmented condition as many illuminations on folios were removed individually as miniatures likely not for monetary but possibly for personal reasons. The manuscript currently is in the Aberdeen Library in Scotland where it has remained since 1542.\n\nDescription\n\nMaterials \nThe Aberdeen bestiary is a gilded decorated manuscript featuring large miniatures and some of the finest pigment, parchment and gold leaf from its time. Some portions of the manuscript such as folio eight recto even feature tarnished silver leaf. The original patron was wealthy enough to afford such materials so that the artists and scribes could enjoy creative freedom while creating the manuscripts. The artists were professionally trained and experimented with new techniques - such as heavy washes mixed with light washes and dark thick lines and use of contrasting color. The aqua color that is in the Aberdeen Bestiary is not present in the Ashmole Bestiary. The Aberdeen manuscript is loaded with filigree flora design and champie style gold leaf initials. Canterbury is considered to be the original location of manufacture as the location was well known for manufacturing high-end luxury books during the thirteen century. Its similarities with the Canterbury Paris Psalter tree style also further draws evidence of this relation.\n\nStyle \nThe craftsmanship of both Ashmole and Aberdeen bestiary suggest similar artists and scribes. Both the Ashmole and Aberdeen bestiary were probably made within 10 years of each other due to their stylistic and material similarities and the fact that both are crafted with the finest materials of their time. Stylistically both manuscripts are very similar but the Aberdeen has figures that are both more voluminous and less energetic than those of the Ashmole Bestiary. The color usage has been suggested as potentially Biblical in meaning as color usage had different interpretations in the early 13th century. The overall style of the human figures as well as color usage is very reminiscent of Roman mosaic art especially with the attention to detail in the drapery. Circles and ovals semi-realistically depict highlights throughout the manuscript. The way that animals are shaded in a Romanesque fashion with the use of bands to depict volume and form, which is similar to an earlier 12th-century Bury Bible made at Bury St.Edmunds. This Bestiary also shows stylistic similarities with the Paris Psalters of Canterbury. The Aviary section is similar to the Aviariium which is a well-known 12th century monastic text. The deviation from traditional color usage can be seen in the tiger, satyr, and unicorn folios as well as many other folios. The satyr in the Aberdeen Bestiary when compared to the satyr section of the slightly older Worksop bestiary is almost identical. There are small color notes in the Aberdeen Bestiary that are often seen in similar manuscripts dating between 1175 and 1250 which help indicate that it was made near the year 1200 or 1210. These notes are similar to many other side notes written on the sides of pages throughout the manuscript and were probably by the painter to remind himself of special circumstances, these note occur irregularly throughout the text.\n\nIlluminations \nFolio page 1 to 3 recto depicts the Genesis 1:1-25 which is represented with a large full page illumination Biblical Creation scene in the manuscript. Folio 5 recto shows Adam, a large figure surrounded by gold leaf and towering over others, with the theme of 'Adam naming the animals' - this starts the compilation of the bestiary portion within the manuscript. Folio 5 verso depicts quadrupeds, livestock, wild beasts, and the concept of the herd. Folio 7 to 18 recto depicts large cats and other beasts such as wolves, foxes and dogs. Many pages from the start of the manuscript's bestiary section such as 11 verso featuring a hyena shows small pin holes which were likely used to map out and copy artwork to a new manuscript. Folio 20 verso to 28 recto depicts livestock such as sheep, horses, and goats. Small animals like cats and mice are depicted on folio 24 to 25. Pages 25 recto to 63 recto feature depictions of birds and folio 64 recto to 80 recto depicts reptiles, worms and fish. 77 recto to 91 verso depicts trees and plants and other elements of nature such as the nature of man. The end folios of the manuscript from 93 recto to 100 recto depicts the nature of stones and rocks.\n\nSeventeen of the Aberdeen manuscript pages are pricked for transfer in a process called pouncing such as clearly seen in the hyena folio as well as folio 3 recto and 3 verso depicting Genesis 1:26-1:28, 31, 1:1-2. The pricking must have been done shortly after the creation of the Adam and Eve folio pages since there is not damage done to nearby pages. Other pages used for pouncing include folio 7 recto to 18 verso which is the beginning of the beasts portion of the manuscript and likely depicted a lions as well as other big cats such as leopards, panthers and their characteristic as well as other large wild and domesticated beasts.\n\nMissing Folios \nOn folio 6 recto there was likely intended to be a depiction of a lion as in the Ashmole bestiary, but in this instance the pages were left blank although there are markings of margin lines. In comparison to the Ashmole bestiary, on 9 verso some leaves are missing which should have likely contained imagery of the antelope (Antalops), unicorn (Unicornis), lynx (Lynx), griffin (Gryps), part of elephant (Elephans). Near folio 21 verso two illuminations of the ox (Bos), camel (Camelus), dromedary (Dromedarius), ass (Asinus), onager (Onager) and part of horse (Equus) are also assumed to be missing. Also missing from folio 15 recto on are some leaves which should have contained crocodile (Crocodilus), manticore (Mantichora) and part of parandrus (Parandrus). These missing folios are assumed from comparisons between the Ashmole and other related bestiaries.\n\nContents \n\n Folio 1 recto : Creation of heaven and earth (Genesis, 1: 1–5). (Full page)\n Folio 1 verso: Creation of the waters and the firmament (Genesis, 1: 6–8)\n Folio 2 recto : Creation of the birds and fishes (Genesis, 1: 20–23)\n Folio 2 verso : Creation of the animals (Genesis, 1: 24–25)\n Folio 3 recto : Creation of man (Genesis, 1: 26–28, 31; 2: 1–2)\n Folio 5 recto : Adam names the animals (Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae, Book XII, i, 1–2)\n Folio 5 verso : Animal (Animal) (Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae, Book XII, i, 3)\n Folio 5 verso : Quadruped (Quadrupes) (Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae, Book XII, i, 4)\n Folio 5 verso : Livestock (Pecus) (Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae, Book XII, i, 5–6)\n Folio 5 verso : Beast of burden (Iumentum) (Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae, Book XII, i, 7)\n Folio 5 verso : Herd (Armentum) (Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae, Book XII, i, 8)\n\nBeasts (Bestiae) \n\n Folio 7 recto : Lion (Leo) (Physiologus, Chapter 1; Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae, Book XII, ii, 3–6)\n Folio 8 recto : Tiger (Tigris) (Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae, Book XII, ii, 7)\n Folio 8 verso : Pard (Pard) (Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae, Book XII, ii, 10–11)\n Folio 9 recto : Panther (Panther) (Physiologus, Chapter 16; Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae, Book XII, ii, 8–9)\n Folio 10 recto : Elephant (Elephans) (Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae, Book XII, ii, 14; Physiologus, Chapter 43; Ambrose, Hexaemeron, Book VI, 35; Solinus, Collectanea rerum memorabilium, xxv, 1–7)\n Folio 11 recto : Beaver (Castor)\n Folio 11 recto : Ibex (Ibex) (Hugh of Fouilloy, II, 15)\n Folio 11 verso : Hyena (Yena) (Physiologus, Chapter 24; Solinus, Collectanea rerum memorabilium, xxvii, 23–24)\n Folio 12 recto : Crocotta (Crocotta) (Solinus, Collectanea rerum memorabilium, xxvii, 26)\n Folio 12 recto : Bonnacon (Bonnacon) (Solinus, Collectanea rerum memorabilium, xl, 10–11)\n Folio 12 verso : Ape (Simia)\n Folio 13 recto : Satyr (Satyrs)\n Folio 13 recto : Deer (Cervus)\n Folio 14 recto : Goat (Caper)\n Folio 14 verso : Wild goat (Caprea)\n Folio 15 recto : Monoceros (Monoceros) (Solinus, Collectanea rerum memorabilium, lii, 39–40)\n Folio 15 recto : Bear (Ursus)\n Folio 15 verso : Leucrota (Leucrota) (Solinus, Collectanea rerum memorabilium, lii, 34)\n Folio 16 recto : Parandrus (Parandrus) (Solinus, Collectanea rerum memorabilium, xxx, 25)\n Folio 16 recto : Fox (Vulpes)\n Folio 16 verso : Yale (Eale) (Solinus, Collectanea rerum memorabilium, lii, 35)\n Folio 16 verso : Wolf (Lupus)\n Folio 18 recto : Dog (Canis)\n\nLivestock (Pecora) \n\n Folio 20 verso : Sheep (Ovis) (Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae, Book XII, i, 9; Ambrose, Hexaemeron, Book VI, 20)\n Folio 21 recto : Wether (Vervex) (Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae, Book XII, i, 10)\n Folio 21 recto : Ram (Aries) (Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae, Book XII, i, 11)\n Folio 21 recto : Lamb (Agnus) (Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae, Book XII, i, 12; Ambrose, Hexaemeron, Book VI, 28)\n Folio 21 recto : He-goat (Hircus) (Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae, Book XII, i, 14)\n Folio 21 verso : Kid (Hedus) (Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae, Book XII, i, 13)\n Folio 21 verso : Boar (Aper) (Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae, Book XII, i, 27)\n Folio 21 verso : Bullock (Iuvencus) (Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae, Book XII, i, 28)\n Folio 21 verso : Bull (Taurus) (Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae, Book XII, i, 29)\n Folio 22 recto : Horse (Equus) (Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae, Book XII, i, 41–56; Hugh of Fouilloy, III, xxiii)\n Folio 23 recto : Mule (Mulus) (Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae, Book XII, i, 57–60)\n\nSmall animals (Minuta animala) \n\n Folio 23 verso : Cat (Musio) (Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae, Book XII, ii, 38)\n Folio 23 verso : Mouse (Mus) (Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae, Book XII, iii, 1)\n Folio 23 verso : Weasel (Mustela) (Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae, Book XII, iii, 2; Physiologus, Chapter 21)\n Folio 24 recto : Mole (Talpa) (Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae, Book XII, iii, 5)\n Folio 24 recto : Hedgehog (Ericius) (Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae, Book XII, iii, 7; Ambrose, Hexaemeron, VI, 20)\n Folio 24 verso : Ant (Formica) (Physiologus, 12; Ambrose, Hexaemeron, Book VI, 16, 20)\n\nBirds (Aves) \n\n Folio 25 recto : Bird (Avis)\n Folio 25 verso : Dove (Columba)\n Folio 26 recto : Dove and hawk (Columba et Accipiter)\n Folio 26 verso : Dove (Columba)\n Folio 29 verso : North wind and South wind (Aquilo et Auster ventus)\n Folio 30 recto : Hawk (Accipiter)\n Folio 31 recto : Turtle dove (Turtur)\n Folio 32 verso : Palm tree (Palma)\n Folio 33 verso : Cedar (Cedrus)\n Folio 34 verso : Pelican (Pellicanus) - Orange and blue\n Folio 35 verso : Night heron (Nicticorax)\n Folio 36 recto : Hoopoe (Epops)\n Folio 36 verso : Magpie (Pica)\n Folio 37 recto : Raven (Corvus)\n Folio 38 verso : Cock (Gallus)\n Folio 41 recto : Ostrich (Strutio)\n Folio 44 recto : Vulture (Vultur)\n Folio 45 verso : Crane (Grus)\n Folio 46 verso : Kite (Milvus)\n Folio 46 verso : Parrot (Psitacus)\n Folio 47 recto : Ibis (Ibis)\n Folio 47 verso : Swallow (Yrundo)\n Folio 48 verso : Stork (Ciconia)\n Folio 49 verso : Blackbird (Merula)\n Folio 50 recto : Eagle-owl (Bubo)\n Folio 50 verso : Hoopoe (Hupupa)\n Folio 51 recto : Little owl (Noctua)\n Folio 51 recto : Bat (Vespertilio)\n Folio 51 verso : Jay (Gragulus)\n Folio 52 verso : Nightingale (Lucinia)\n Folio 53 recto : Goose (Anser)\n Folio 53 verso : Heron (Ardea)\n Folio 54 recto : Partridge (Perdix)\n Folio 54 verso : Halcyon (Alcyon)\n Folio 55 recto : Coot (Fulica)\n Folio 55 recto : Phoenix (Fenix)\n Folio 56 verso : Caladrius (Caladrius)\n Folio 57 verso : Quail (Coturnix)\n Folio 58 recto : Crow (Cornix)\n Folio 58 verso : Swan (Cignus)\n Folio 59 recto : Duck (Anas)\n Folio 59 verso : Peacock (Pavo)\n Folio 61 recto : Eagle (Aquila)\n Folio 63 recto : Bee (Apis)\n\nSnakes and Reptiles (Serpentes) \n\n Folio 64 verso : Perindens tree (Perindens)\n Folio 65 verso : Snake (Serpens)\n Folio 65 verso : Dragon (Draco)\n Folio 66 recto : Basilisk (Basiliscus)\n Folio 66 verso : Regulus (Regulus)\n Folio 66 verso : Viper (Vipera)\n Folio 67 verso : Asp (Aspis)\n Folio 68 verso : Scitalis (Scitalis)\n Folio 68 verso : Amphisbaena (Anphivena)\n Folio 68 verso : Hydrus (Ydrus)\n Folio 69 recto : Boa (Boa)\n Folio 69 recto : Iaculus (Iaculus)\n Folio 69 verso : Siren (Siren)\n Folio 69 verso : Seps (Seps)\n Folio 69 verso : Dipsa (Dipsa)\n Folio 69 verso : Lizard (Lacertus)\n Folio 69 verso : Salamander (Salamandra)\n Folio 70 recto : Saura (Saura)\n Folio 70 verso : Newt (Stellio)\n Folio 71 recto : Of the nature of Snakes (De natura serpentium)\n\nWorms (Vermes) \n\n Folio 72 recto : Worms (Vermis)\n\nFish (Pisces) \n\n Folio 72 verso : Fish (Piscis)\n Folio 73 recto : Whale (Balena)\n Folio 73 recto : Serra (Serra)\n Folio 73 recto : Dolphin (Delphinus)\n Folio 73 verso : Sea-pig (Porcus marinus)\n Folio 73 verso : Crocodile (Crocodrillus)\n Folio 73 verso : Mullet (Mullus)\n Folio 74 recto : Fish (Piscis)\n\nTrees and Plants (Arbories) \n\n Folio 77 verso : Tree (Arbor)\n Folio 78 verso : Fig (Ficus)\n Folio 79 recto : Again of trees (Item de arboribus)\n Folio 79 recto : Mulberry\n Folio 79 recto : Sycamore\n Folio 79 recto : Hazel\n Folio 79 recto : Nuts\n Folio 79 recto : Almond\n Folio 79 recto : Chestnut\n Folio 79 recto : Oak\n Folio 79 verso : Beech\n Folio 79 verso : Carob\n Folio 79 verso : Pistachio\n Folio 79 verso : Pitch pine\n Folio 79 verso : Pine\n Folio 79 verso : Fir\n Folio 79 verso : Cedar\n Folio 80 recto : Cypress\n Folio 80 recto : Juniper\n Folio 80 recto : Plane\n Folio 80 recto : Oak\n Folio 80 recto : Ash\n Folio 80 recto : Alder\n Folio 80 verso : Elm\n Folio 80 verso : Poplar\n Folio 80 verso : Willow\n Folio 80 verso : Osier\n Folio 80 verso : Box\n\nNature of Man (Natura hominis) \n\n Folio 80 verso : Isidorus on the nature of man (Ysidorus de natura hominis)\n Folio 89 recto : Isidorus on the parts of man's body (Ysidorus de membris hominis)\n Folio 91 recto : Of the age of man (De etate hominis)\n\nStones (Lapides) \n\n Folio 93 verso : Fire-bearing stone (Lapis ignifer)\n Folio 94 verso : Adamas stone (Lapis adamas)\n Folio 96 recto : Myrmecoleon (Mermecoleon)\n Folio 96 verso : Verse (Versus)\n Folio 97 recto : Stone in the foundation of the wall (Lapis in fundamento muri)\n Folio 97 recto : The first stone, Jasper\n Folio 97 recto : The second stone, Sapphire\n Folio 97 recto : The third stone, Chalcedony\n Folio 97 verso : The fourth stone, Smaragdus\n Folio 98 recto : The fifth stone, Sardonyx\n Folio 98 recto : The sixth stone, Sard\n Folio 98 verso : The seventh stone, Chrysolite\n Folio 98 verso : The eighth stone, Beryl\n Folio 99 recto : The ninth stone, Topaz\n Folio 99 verso : The tenth stone, Chrysoprase\n Folio 99 verso : The eleventh stone, Hyacinth\n Folio 100 recto : The twelfth stone, Amethyst\n Folio 100 recto : Of stones and what they can do (De effectu lapidum)\n\nGallery\n\nSee also \n Bestiary\n List of medieval bestiaries\n Physiologus\nAshmole Bestiary\nParis Psalter\nAviarium\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links \n\n The Aberdeen Bestiary Project - University of Aberdeen, Online version of the bestiary.\n David Badke, The Medieval Bestiary : Manuscript: Univ. Lib. MS 24 (Aberdeen Bestiary)\n\nBestiaries\nUniversity of Aberdeen\n12th-century illuminated manuscripts\nBiology books\nWorks of unknown authorship",
"Etymology is the study of the history of words.\n\nEtymology or etymologies may also refer to: \n Etymologiae, a 7th century encyclopedia compiled by Isidore of Seville\n The Etymologies (Tolkien), an 1987 Elvish dictionary by J. R. R. Tolkien\n Etymology (album), a 1997 audio library by Skeleton Crew"
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[
"Isidore of Seville",
"Etymologiae",
"What is Etymologiae?",
"Etymologiae (taking its title from the method he"
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C_abb11947d0be4f0abd17685d04bd7377_1
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How was he involved with it?
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How was Isidore of Seville involved with Etymologiae?
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Isidore of Seville
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Isidore was the first Christian writer to try to compile a summa of universal knowledge, in his most important work, the Etymologiae (taking its title from the method he uncritically used in the transcription of his era's knowledge). It is also known by classicists as the Origines (the standard abbreviation being Orig). This encyclopedia -- the first such Christian epitome--formed a huge compilation of 448 chapters in 20 volumes. In it, as Isidore entered his own terse digest of Roman handbooks, miscellanies and compendia, he continued the trend towards abridgements and summaries that had characterised Roman learning in Late Antiquity. In the process, many fragments of classical learning are preserved which otherwise would have been hopelessly lost; "in fact, in the majority of his works, including the Origines, he contributes little more than the mortar which connects excerpts from other authors, as if he was aware of his deficiencies and had more confidence in the stilus maiorum than his own" his translator Katherine Nell MacFarlane remarks; Some of these fragments were lost in the first place because Isidore's work was so highly regarded--Braulio called it quecunque fere sciri debentur, "practically everything that it is necessary to know"-- that it superseded the use of many individual works of the classics themselves, which were not recopied and have therefore been lost: "all secular knowledge that was of use to the Christian scholar had been winnowed out and contained in one handy volume; the scholar need search no further". The fame of this work imparted a new impetus to encyclopedic writing, which bore abundant fruit in the subsequent centuries of the Middle Ages. It was the most popular compendium in medieval libraries. It was printed in at least ten editions between 1470 and 1530, showing Isidore's continued popularity in the Renaissance. Until the 12th century brought translations from Arabic sources, Isidore transmitted what western Europeans remembered of the works of Aristotle and other Greeks, although he understood only a limited amount of Greek. The Etymologiae was much copied, particularly into medieval bestiaries. CANNOTANSWER
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Isidore was the first Christian writer to try to compile a summa of universal knowledge, in his most important work, the Etymologiae (taking its title from the method he uncritically
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Isidore of Seville (; ; c. 560 – 4 April 636) was a Spanish scholar and cleric. For over three decades, he was Archbishop of Seville. He is widely regarded, in the words of 19th-century historian Montalembert, as "the last scholar of the ancient world".
At a time of disintegration of classical culture, aristocratic violence and widespread illiteracy, Isidore was involved in the conversion of the Arian Visigothic kings to Catholicism, both assisting his brother Leander of Seville and continuing after his brother's death. He was influential in the inner circle of Sisebut, Visigothic king of Hispania. Like Leander, he played a prominent role in the Councils of Toledo and Seville.
His fame after his death was based on his Etymologiae, an etymological encyclopedia that assembled extracts of many books from classical antiquity that would have otherwise been lost. He also invented the period (full stop), comma, and colon.
Life
Childhood and education
Isidore was born in Cartagena, Spain, a former Carthaginian colony, to Severianus and Theodora. Both Severianus and Theodora belonged to notable Hispano-Roman families of high social rank. His parents were members of an influential family who were instrumental in the political-religious manoeuvring that converted the Visigothic kings from Arianism to Catholicism. The Catholic Church celebrates him and all his siblings as known saints:
An elder brother, Leander of Seville, immediately preceded Isidore as Archbishop of Seville and, while in office, opposed King Liuvigild.
A younger brother, Fulgentius of Cartagena, served as the Bishop of Astigi at the start of the new reign of the Catholic King Reccared.
His sister, Florentina of Cartagena, was a nun who allegedly ruled over forty convents and one thousand consecrated religious. This claim seems unlikely, however, given the few functioning monastic institutions in Spania during her lifetime.
Isidore received his elementary education in the Cathedral school of Seville. In this institution, the first of its kind in Spania, a body of learned men including Archbishop Leander of Seville taught the trivium and quadrivium, the classic liberal arts. Isidore applied himself to study diligently enough that he quickly mastered classical Latin, and acquired some Greek and Hebrew.
Two centuries of Gothic control of Iberia incrementally suppressed the ancient institutions, classical learning, and manners of the Roman Empire. The associated culture entered a period of long-term decline. The ruling Visigoths nevertheless showed some respect for the outward trappings of Roman culture. Arianism meanwhile took deep root among the Visigoths as the form of Christianity that they received.
Scholars may debate whether Isidore ever personally embraced monastic life or affiliated with any religious order, but he undoubtedly esteemed the monks highly.
Bishop of Seville
After the death of Leander of Seville on 13 March 600 or 601, Isidore succeeded to the See of Seville. On his elevation to the episcopate, he immediately constituted himself as the protector of monks.
Recognizing that the spiritual and material welfare of the people of his see depended on the assimilation of remnant Roman and ruling barbarian cultures, Isidore attempted to weld the peoples and subcultures of the Visigothic kingdom into a united nation. He used all available religious resources toward this end and succeeded. Isidore practically eradicated the heresy of Arianism and completely stifled the new heresy of Acephali at its outset. Archbishop Isidore strengthened religious discipline throughout his see.
Archbishop Isidore also used resources of education to counteract increasingly influential Gothic barbarism throughout his episcopal jurisdiction. His quickening spirit animated the educational movement centered on Seville. Isidore introduced his countrymen to Aristotle long before the Arabs studied Greek philosophy extensively.
In 619, Isidore of Seville pronounced anathema against any ecclesiastic who in any way should molest the monasteries.
Second Synod of Seville (November 619)
Isidore presided over the Second Council of Seville, begun on 13 November 619 in the reign of King Sisebut, a provincial council attended by eight other bishops, all from the ecclesiastical province of Baetica in southern Spain. The Acts of the Council fully set forth the nature of Christ, countering the conceptions of Gregory, a Syrian representing the heretical Acephali.
Third Synod of Seville (624)
Based on a few surviving canons found in the Pseudo-Isidorian Decretals, Isidore is known to have presided over an additional provincial council around 624.
The council dealt with a conflict over the See of Écija and wrongfully stripped bishop Martianus of his see, a situation that was rectified by the Fourth Council of Toledo. It also addressed a concern over Jews who had been forced to convert to Christianity,.
The records of the council, unlike the First and Second Councils of Seville, were not preserved in the Hispana, a collection of canons and decretals likely edited by Isidore himself.
Fourth National Council of Toledo
All bishops of Hispania attended the Fourth National Council of Toledo, begun on 5 December 633. The aged Archbishop Isidore presided over its deliberations and originated most enactments of the council.
Through Isidore's influence, this Council of Toledo promulgated a decree commanding all bishops to establish seminaries in their cathedral cities along the lines of the cathedral school at Seville, which had educated Isidore decades earlier. The decree prescribed the study of Greek, Hebrew, and the liberal arts and encouraged interest in law and medicine. The authority of the council made this education policy obligatory upon all bishops of the Kingdom of the Visigoths. The council granted remarkable position and deference to the king of the Visigoths. The independent Church bound itself in allegiance to the acknowledged king; it said nothing of allegiance to the Bishop of Rome.
Death
Isidore of Seville died on 4 April 636 after serving more than 32 years as archbishop of Seville.
Work
Isidore's Latin style in the Etymologiae and elsewhere, though simple and lucid, reveals increasing local Visigothic traditions.
Etymologiae
Isidore was the first Christian writer to try to compile a summa of universal knowledge, in his most important work, the Etymologiae (taking its title from the method he uncritically used in the transcription of his era's knowledge). It is also known by classicists as the Origines (the standard abbreviation being Orig.). This encyclopedia—the first such Christian epitome—formed a huge compilation of 448 chapters in 20 volumes.
In it, Isidore entered his own terse digest of Roman handbooks, miscellanies and compendia, he continued the trend towards abridgements and summaries that had characterised Roman learning in Late Antiquity. In the process, many fragments of classical learning are preserved that otherwise would have been hopelessly lost; "in fact, in the majority of his works, including the Origines, he contributes little more than the mortar which connects excerpts from other authors, as if he was aware of his deficiencies and had more confidence in the stilus maiorum than his own," his translator Katherine Nell MacFarlane remarks.
Some of these fragments were lost in the first place because Isidore's work was so highly regarded—Braulio called it quaecunque fere sciri debentur, "practically everything that it is necessary to know"—that it superseded the use of many individual works of the classics themselves, which were not recopied and have therefore been lost: "all secular knowledge that was of use to the Christian scholar had been winnowed out and contained in one handy volume; the scholar need search no further".
The fame of this work imparted a new impetus to encyclopedic writing, which bore abundant fruit in the subsequent centuries of the Middle Ages. It was the most popular compendium in medieval libraries. It was printed in at least ten editions between 1470 and 1530, showing Isidore's continued popularity in the Renaissance. Until the 12th century brought translations from Arabic sources, Isidore transmitted what western Europeans remembered of the works of Aristotle and other Greeks, although he understood only a limited amount of Greek. The Etymologiae was much copied, particularly into medieval bestiaries.
On the Catholic faith against the Jews
Isidore's De fide catholica contra Iudaeos furthers Augustine of Hippo's ideas on the Jewish presence in Christian society. Like Augustine, Isidore accepted the necessity of the Jewish presence because of their expected role in the anticipated Second Coming of Christ. In De fide catholica contra Iudaeos, Isidore exceeds the anti-rabbinic polemics of earlier theologians by criticizing Jewish practice as deliberately disingenuous.
He contributed two decisions to the Fourth Council of Toledo: Canon 60 calling for the forced removal of children from parents practising Crypto-Judaism and their education by Christians, and Canon 65 forbidding Jews and Christians of Jewish origin from holding public office.
Other works
Isidore's authored more than a dozen major works on various topics including mathematics, holy scripture, and monastic life, all in Latin:
Historia de regibus Gothorum, Vandalorum et Suevorum, a history of the Gothic, Vandal and Suebi kings. The longer edition, issued in 624, includes the Laus Spaniae and the Laus Gothorum.
Chronica Majora, a universal history
De differentiis verborum, a brief theological treatise on the doctrine of the Trinity, the nature of Christ, of Paradise, angels, and men
De natura rerum (On the Nature of Things), a book of astronomy and natural history dedicated to the Visigothic king Sisebut
Questions on the Old Testament
a mystical treatise on the allegorical meanings of numbers
a number of brief letters
Sententiae libri tres Codex Sang. 228; 9th century
De viris illustribus
De ecclesiasticis officiis
De summo bono
De ortu et obitu patrum
Veneration
Isidore was one of the last of the ancient Christian philosophers and was contemporary with Maximus the Confessor. He has been called the most learned man of his age by some scholars, and he exercised a far-reaching and immeasurable influence on the educational life of the Middle Ages. His contemporary and friend, Braulio of Zaragoza, regarded him as a man raised up by God to save the Iberian peoples from the tidal wave of barbarism that threatened to inundate the ancient civilization of Hispania.
The Eighth Council of Toledo (653) recorded its admiration of his character in these glowing terms: "The extraordinary doctor, the latest ornament of the Catholic Church, the most learned man of the latter ages, always to be named with reverence, Isidore". This tribute was endorsed by the Fifteenth Council of Toledo, held in 688, and later in 1598 by Pope Clement VIII. Isidore was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1722 by Pope Innocent XIII.
Isidore was interred in Seville. His tomb represented an important place of veneration for the Mozarabs during the centuries after the Arab conquest of Visigothic Hispania. In the middle of the 11th century, with the division of Al Andalus into taifas and the strengthening of the Christian holdings in the Iberian peninsula, Ferdinand I of León and Castile found himself in a position to extract tribute from the fractured Arab states. In addition to money, Abbad II al-Mu'tadid, the Abbadid ruler of Seville (1042–1069), agreed to turn over St. Isidore's remains to Ferdinand I. A Catholic poet described al-Mutatid placing a brocaded cover over Isidore's sarcophagus, and remarked, "Now you are leaving here, revered Isidore. You know well how much your fame was mine!" Ferdinand had Isidore's remains reinterred in the then-recently constructed Basilica of San Isidoro in León. Today, many of his bones are buried in the cathedral of Murcia, Spain.
Legacy
In Dante's Paradiso (X.130), Isidore is mentioned among theologians and Doctors of the Church alongside the Scot Richard of St. Victor and the Englishman Bede the Venerable.
The University of Dayton has named their implementation of the Sakai Project in honour of Saint Isidore.
His likeness, along with that of Leander of Sevile and Ferdinand III of Castile, is depicted on the crest badge of Sevilla FC.
The Order of St. Isidore of Seville is a chivalric order formed on 1 January 2000. An international organisation, the order aims to honour Saint Isidore as patron saint of the Internet, alongside promoting Christian chivalry online. (This honour is unofficial: the Holy See considered naming Isidore as patron saint of the Internet but has not done so.)
Honours
St. Isidore Island in Antarctica is named after the saint.
See also
Saint Isidore of Seville, patron saint archive
References
Sources
Primary sources
The Etymologiae (complete Latin text)
Barney, Stephen A., Lewis, W.J., Beach, J.A. and Berghof, Oliver (translators). The Etymologies of Isidore of Seville. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006. .
Ziolkowski, Vernon P., The De Fide Catholica contra Iudaeos of Saint Isidorus, Bishop, Book 1, Saint Louis University, PhD diss. (1982).
Castro Caridad, Eva and Peña Fernández, Francisco (translators). "Isidoro de Sevilla. Sobre la fe católica contra los judíos". Sevilla: Universidad de Sevilla, 2012. .
Throop, Priscilla, (translator). Isidore of Seville's Etymologies. Charlotte, VT: MedievalMS, 2005, 2 vols.
Throop, Priscilla, (translator). Isidore's Synonyms and Differences. (a translation of Synonyms or Lamentations of a Sinful Soul, Book of Differences I, and Book of Differences II) Charlotte, VT: MedievalMS, 2012 (EPub )
Online Galleries, History of Science Collections, University of Oklahoma Libraries High resolution images of works by Isidore of Seville in .jpg and .tiff format.
De natura rerum (Msc.Nat.1) (On the Nature of Things) digitized by the Staatsbibliothek Bamberg.
Lewis E 136 Carta pisana; Sententiae (Sentences) at OPenn
Lewis E 137 Sententiae (Sentences) at OPenn
MS 484/18 Quaestiones in josue, judicum, regum, machabeis at OPenn
Secondary sources
Henderson, John. The Medieval World of Isidore of Seville: Truth from Words. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007. .
Herren, Michael. "On the Earliest Irish Acquaintance with Isidore of Seville." Visigothic Spain: New Approaches. James, Edward (ed). Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1980. .
Englisch, Brigitte. "Die Artes liberales im frühen Mittelalter." Stuttgart, 1994.
Other material
The Order of Saint Isidore of Seville, st-isidore.org
Jones, Peter. "Patron saint of the internet", telegraph.co.uk, 27 August 2006 (Review of The Etymologies of Isidore of Seville, Cambridge University Press, 2006)
Shachtman, Noah. "Searchin' for the Surfer's Saint", wired.com, 25 January 2002
External links
560 births
636 deaths
Doctors of the Church
Church Fathers
6th-century Latin writers
7th-century Latin writers
Spanish encyclopedists
Etymologists
7th-century philosophers
7th-century Christian saints
7th-century archbishops
7th-century Christian theologians
7th-century people of the Visigothic Kingdom
Roman Catholic archbishops of Seville
Spanish philosophers
Medieval Spanish saints
Augustinian philosophers
Catholic philosophers
Spanish music theorists
Spanish Christian theologians
Trope theorists
Medieval Spanish theologians
7th-century astronomers
7th-century mathematicians
7th-century historians
7th-century jurists
Writers about religion and science
| true |
[
"Edward Kemp (25 September 1817 – 1 March 1891) was an English landscape architect and an author. Together with Joseph Paxton and Edward Milner, Kemp became one of the leaders in the design of parks and gardens during the mid-Victorian era in England.\n\nBiography\nKemp was born at Streatham, Surrey (now Lambeth), the son of Charles Kemp, a tailor, and his wife, Ann. Nothing is known about his education or early career. In the 1830s he worked with Edward Milner as a garden apprentice at Chatsworth House in Derbyshire under Joseph Paxton. In 1841 Kemp was living back in Streatham, giving his occupation in the census of that year as \"gardener\". Around that time he was involved with botanical and gardening publications, including The Gardening Magazine. In August 1843 the Improvement Commissioners of Birkenhead appointed Paxton to plan and construct Birkenhead Park. This was the first park to have been provided in Britain at public expense. Paxton appointed Kemp to be superintendent of the park, and Kemp took up this post in September 1843 when he was aged 25. Paxton was responsible for the overall planning and design, while Kemp was involved with the day to day implementation of the plans. By the summer of 1845 Paxton's work was more or less complete, and he recommended to the Commissioners that Kemp be retained as superintendent and to be provided with a residence; this was accepted.\n\nIn September 1845 Kemp took leave of absence to marry Sophia, daughter of Henry Bailey who had been park steward and gardener to the Spencer family at Althorp House. When Kemp returned to Birkenhead, his work was not fully occupying his time, and he became involved with planning a residential park estate, Carlett Park, at Eastham in the Wirral. The plans were not realised, and the Commissioners were unhappy that Kemp had become involved in private practice. Birkenhead Park was opened officially in April 1847, and in 1849 the Commissioners decided that a superintendent of parks was no longer required. However Kemp negotiated a settlement that he should work for no salary, but remain in his residence at Italian Lodge plus be given a small plot of land for him to cultivate for his needs. This was agreed, but Kemp had to find sources of income; this was to result in his becoming an author and a landscape gardener.\n\nKemp's first recorded commission was in 1849 when he designed a rose garden for James Barratt on the grounds of Lymm Hall, Lymm, Cheshire. The following year he worked with the architect Charles Verelst to design the garden at Stanacres (now Thornton Court) in Raby. Also in 1850 came Kemp's first publication, How to Lay Out a Small Garden. Following this came a succession of garden designs and publications. In 1858 a second edition of his book was published (now entitled How to Lay Out a Garden) and, although he was still working for the park, the Commissioners reviewed the agreement to provide him with free accommodation. Kemp then agreed to build a house for himself adjoining the park, and he moved into this house (now 74 Park Road West) in 1860.\n\nKemp's clients were mainly the newly rich, but he also gained commissions for the designs of parks and cemeteries. These included Flaybrick Hill Cemetery in Birkenhead, Grosvenor Park in Chester, Congleton Park in Congleton, and Queen's Park in Crewe. Kemp's work influenced other garden designers, including Thomas Hayton Mawson, who designed Hanley Park in Stoke-on-Trent. Kemp died at his home in Birkenhead Park in 1891 and was buried in Flaybrick Cemetery. His estate amounted to nearly £10,500 ().\n\nPublications\n\nWorks\n\nReferences\nCitations\n\nSources\n\n1817 births\n1891 deaths\nEnglish gardeners\nEnglish landscape architects",
"Nicolas Ruwet (December 31, 1932 – November 15, 2001) was a linguist, literary critic and musical analyst. He was involved with the development of generative grammar.\n\nBiography\nRuwet was born in Saive in Belgium and studied philology in Liège. Later he studied with Claude Lévi-Strauss and later still with Noam Chomsky and Roman Jakobson, both influences, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He studied music privately.\n\nRuwet is best known for his work as a linguist and critic, but he was also a significant figure in musical analysis. He attempted to make his analyses completely objective by not making any a priori assumptions about how the music worked, instead breaking the piece down into small parts and seeing how those parts related to each other, thus discovering the syntax of the piece without reference to any external sources or norms. His work in this field constitutes a kind of musical semiology and his analytical methods were later named paradigmatic analysis.\n\nSome of his musical analyses were published along with other works in Langage, musique, poésie [Speech, music, poetry] (1972).\n\nRuwet died in Paris.\n\nBibliography\n(1967). Introduction à la Grammaire Générative. Plon.\n(1973). An Introduction to Generative Grammar. .\n(1991). Syntax and Human Experience.\n\nSee also\n Jean-Jacques Nattiez\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\n\"Nicolas Ruwet (1932-2001)\", UChicago.edu.\n\n1932 births\n2001 deaths\nBelgian musicologists\n20th-century musicologists"
] |
[
"Isidore of Seville",
"Etymologiae",
"What is Etymologiae?",
"Etymologiae (taking its title from the method he",
"How was he involved with it?",
"Isidore was the first Christian writer to try to compile a summa of universal knowledge, in his most important work, the Etymologiae (taking its title from the method he uncritically"
] |
C_abb11947d0be4f0abd17685d04bd7377_1
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Are there any other interesting aspects about this article?
| 3 |
Besides Isidore of Seville being the first Christian writer to try to compile a summa of universal knowledge, Are there any other interesting aspects about this article?
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Isidore of Seville
|
Isidore was the first Christian writer to try to compile a summa of universal knowledge, in his most important work, the Etymologiae (taking its title from the method he uncritically used in the transcription of his era's knowledge). It is also known by classicists as the Origines (the standard abbreviation being Orig). This encyclopedia -- the first such Christian epitome--formed a huge compilation of 448 chapters in 20 volumes. In it, as Isidore entered his own terse digest of Roman handbooks, miscellanies and compendia, he continued the trend towards abridgements and summaries that had characterised Roman learning in Late Antiquity. In the process, many fragments of classical learning are preserved which otherwise would have been hopelessly lost; "in fact, in the majority of his works, including the Origines, he contributes little more than the mortar which connects excerpts from other authors, as if he was aware of his deficiencies and had more confidence in the stilus maiorum than his own" his translator Katherine Nell MacFarlane remarks; Some of these fragments were lost in the first place because Isidore's work was so highly regarded--Braulio called it quecunque fere sciri debentur, "practically everything that it is necessary to know"-- that it superseded the use of many individual works of the classics themselves, which were not recopied and have therefore been lost: "all secular knowledge that was of use to the Christian scholar had been winnowed out and contained in one handy volume; the scholar need search no further". The fame of this work imparted a new impetus to encyclopedic writing, which bore abundant fruit in the subsequent centuries of the Middle Ages. It was the most popular compendium in medieval libraries. It was printed in at least ten editions between 1470 and 1530, showing Isidore's continued popularity in the Renaissance. Until the 12th century brought translations from Arabic sources, Isidore transmitted what western Europeans remembered of the works of Aristotle and other Greeks, although he understood only a limited amount of Greek. The Etymologiae was much copied, particularly into medieval bestiaries. CANNOTANSWER
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The fame of this work imparted a new impetus to encyclopedic writing, which bore abundant fruit in the subsequent
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Isidore of Seville (; ; c. 560 – 4 April 636) was a Spanish scholar and cleric. For over three decades, he was Archbishop of Seville. He is widely regarded, in the words of 19th-century historian Montalembert, as "the last scholar of the ancient world".
At a time of disintegration of classical culture, aristocratic violence and widespread illiteracy, Isidore was involved in the conversion of the Arian Visigothic kings to Catholicism, both assisting his brother Leander of Seville and continuing after his brother's death. He was influential in the inner circle of Sisebut, Visigothic king of Hispania. Like Leander, he played a prominent role in the Councils of Toledo and Seville.
His fame after his death was based on his Etymologiae, an etymological encyclopedia that assembled extracts of many books from classical antiquity that would have otherwise been lost. He also invented the period (full stop), comma, and colon.
Life
Childhood and education
Isidore was born in Cartagena, Spain, a former Carthaginian colony, to Severianus and Theodora. Both Severianus and Theodora belonged to notable Hispano-Roman families of high social rank. His parents were members of an influential family who were instrumental in the political-religious manoeuvring that converted the Visigothic kings from Arianism to Catholicism. The Catholic Church celebrates him and all his siblings as known saints:
An elder brother, Leander of Seville, immediately preceded Isidore as Archbishop of Seville and, while in office, opposed King Liuvigild.
A younger brother, Fulgentius of Cartagena, served as the Bishop of Astigi at the start of the new reign of the Catholic King Reccared.
His sister, Florentina of Cartagena, was a nun who allegedly ruled over forty convents and one thousand consecrated religious. This claim seems unlikely, however, given the few functioning monastic institutions in Spania during her lifetime.
Isidore received his elementary education in the Cathedral school of Seville. In this institution, the first of its kind in Spania, a body of learned men including Archbishop Leander of Seville taught the trivium and quadrivium, the classic liberal arts. Isidore applied himself to study diligently enough that he quickly mastered classical Latin, and acquired some Greek and Hebrew.
Two centuries of Gothic control of Iberia incrementally suppressed the ancient institutions, classical learning, and manners of the Roman Empire. The associated culture entered a period of long-term decline. The ruling Visigoths nevertheless showed some respect for the outward trappings of Roman culture. Arianism meanwhile took deep root among the Visigoths as the form of Christianity that they received.
Scholars may debate whether Isidore ever personally embraced monastic life or affiliated with any religious order, but he undoubtedly esteemed the monks highly.
Bishop of Seville
After the death of Leander of Seville on 13 March 600 or 601, Isidore succeeded to the See of Seville. On his elevation to the episcopate, he immediately constituted himself as the protector of monks.
Recognizing that the spiritual and material welfare of the people of his see depended on the assimilation of remnant Roman and ruling barbarian cultures, Isidore attempted to weld the peoples and subcultures of the Visigothic kingdom into a united nation. He used all available religious resources toward this end and succeeded. Isidore practically eradicated the heresy of Arianism and completely stifled the new heresy of Acephali at its outset. Archbishop Isidore strengthened religious discipline throughout his see.
Archbishop Isidore also used resources of education to counteract increasingly influential Gothic barbarism throughout his episcopal jurisdiction. His quickening spirit animated the educational movement centered on Seville. Isidore introduced his countrymen to Aristotle long before the Arabs studied Greek philosophy extensively.
In 619, Isidore of Seville pronounced anathema against any ecclesiastic who in any way should molest the monasteries.
Second Synod of Seville (November 619)
Isidore presided over the Second Council of Seville, begun on 13 November 619 in the reign of King Sisebut, a provincial council attended by eight other bishops, all from the ecclesiastical province of Baetica in southern Spain. The Acts of the Council fully set forth the nature of Christ, countering the conceptions of Gregory, a Syrian representing the heretical Acephali.
Third Synod of Seville (624)
Based on a few surviving canons found in the Pseudo-Isidorian Decretals, Isidore is known to have presided over an additional provincial council around 624.
The council dealt with a conflict over the See of Écija and wrongfully stripped bishop Martianus of his see, a situation that was rectified by the Fourth Council of Toledo. It also addressed a concern over Jews who had been forced to convert to Christianity,.
The records of the council, unlike the First and Second Councils of Seville, were not preserved in the Hispana, a collection of canons and decretals likely edited by Isidore himself.
Fourth National Council of Toledo
All bishops of Hispania attended the Fourth National Council of Toledo, begun on 5 December 633. The aged Archbishop Isidore presided over its deliberations and originated most enactments of the council.
Through Isidore's influence, this Council of Toledo promulgated a decree commanding all bishops to establish seminaries in their cathedral cities along the lines of the cathedral school at Seville, which had educated Isidore decades earlier. The decree prescribed the study of Greek, Hebrew, and the liberal arts and encouraged interest in law and medicine. The authority of the council made this education policy obligatory upon all bishops of the Kingdom of the Visigoths. The council granted remarkable position and deference to the king of the Visigoths. The independent Church bound itself in allegiance to the acknowledged king; it said nothing of allegiance to the Bishop of Rome.
Death
Isidore of Seville died on 4 April 636 after serving more than 32 years as archbishop of Seville.
Work
Isidore's Latin style in the Etymologiae and elsewhere, though simple and lucid, reveals increasing local Visigothic traditions.
Etymologiae
Isidore was the first Christian writer to try to compile a summa of universal knowledge, in his most important work, the Etymologiae (taking its title from the method he uncritically used in the transcription of his era's knowledge). It is also known by classicists as the Origines (the standard abbreviation being Orig.). This encyclopedia—the first such Christian epitome—formed a huge compilation of 448 chapters in 20 volumes.
In it, Isidore entered his own terse digest of Roman handbooks, miscellanies and compendia, he continued the trend towards abridgements and summaries that had characterised Roman learning in Late Antiquity. In the process, many fragments of classical learning are preserved that otherwise would have been hopelessly lost; "in fact, in the majority of his works, including the Origines, he contributes little more than the mortar which connects excerpts from other authors, as if he was aware of his deficiencies and had more confidence in the stilus maiorum than his own," his translator Katherine Nell MacFarlane remarks.
Some of these fragments were lost in the first place because Isidore's work was so highly regarded—Braulio called it quaecunque fere sciri debentur, "practically everything that it is necessary to know"—that it superseded the use of many individual works of the classics themselves, which were not recopied and have therefore been lost: "all secular knowledge that was of use to the Christian scholar had been winnowed out and contained in one handy volume; the scholar need search no further".
The fame of this work imparted a new impetus to encyclopedic writing, which bore abundant fruit in the subsequent centuries of the Middle Ages. It was the most popular compendium in medieval libraries. It was printed in at least ten editions between 1470 and 1530, showing Isidore's continued popularity in the Renaissance. Until the 12th century brought translations from Arabic sources, Isidore transmitted what western Europeans remembered of the works of Aristotle and other Greeks, although he understood only a limited amount of Greek. The Etymologiae was much copied, particularly into medieval bestiaries.
On the Catholic faith against the Jews
Isidore's De fide catholica contra Iudaeos furthers Augustine of Hippo's ideas on the Jewish presence in Christian society. Like Augustine, Isidore accepted the necessity of the Jewish presence because of their expected role in the anticipated Second Coming of Christ. In De fide catholica contra Iudaeos, Isidore exceeds the anti-rabbinic polemics of earlier theologians by criticizing Jewish practice as deliberately disingenuous.
He contributed two decisions to the Fourth Council of Toledo: Canon 60 calling for the forced removal of children from parents practising Crypto-Judaism and their education by Christians, and Canon 65 forbidding Jews and Christians of Jewish origin from holding public office.
Other works
Isidore's authored more than a dozen major works on various topics including mathematics, holy scripture, and monastic life, all in Latin:
Historia de regibus Gothorum, Vandalorum et Suevorum, a history of the Gothic, Vandal and Suebi kings. The longer edition, issued in 624, includes the Laus Spaniae and the Laus Gothorum.
Chronica Majora, a universal history
De differentiis verborum, a brief theological treatise on the doctrine of the Trinity, the nature of Christ, of Paradise, angels, and men
De natura rerum (On the Nature of Things), a book of astronomy and natural history dedicated to the Visigothic king Sisebut
Questions on the Old Testament
a mystical treatise on the allegorical meanings of numbers
a number of brief letters
Sententiae libri tres Codex Sang. 228; 9th century
De viris illustribus
De ecclesiasticis officiis
De summo bono
De ortu et obitu patrum
Veneration
Isidore was one of the last of the ancient Christian philosophers and was contemporary with Maximus the Confessor. He has been called the most learned man of his age by some scholars, and he exercised a far-reaching and immeasurable influence on the educational life of the Middle Ages. His contemporary and friend, Braulio of Zaragoza, regarded him as a man raised up by God to save the Iberian peoples from the tidal wave of barbarism that threatened to inundate the ancient civilization of Hispania.
The Eighth Council of Toledo (653) recorded its admiration of his character in these glowing terms: "The extraordinary doctor, the latest ornament of the Catholic Church, the most learned man of the latter ages, always to be named with reverence, Isidore". This tribute was endorsed by the Fifteenth Council of Toledo, held in 688, and later in 1598 by Pope Clement VIII. Isidore was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1722 by Pope Innocent XIII.
Isidore was interred in Seville. His tomb represented an important place of veneration for the Mozarabs during the centuries after the Arab conquest of Visigothic Hispania. In the middle of the 11th century, with the division of Al Andalus into taifas and the strengthening of the Christian holdings in the Iberian peninsula, Ferdinand I of León and Castile found himself in a position to extract tribute from the fractured Arab states. In addition to money, Abbad II al-Mu'tadid, the Abbadid ruler of Seville (1042–1069), agreed to turn over St. Isidore's remains to Ferdinand I. A Catholic poet described al-Mutatid placing a brocaded cover over Isidore's sarcophagus, and remarked, "Now you are leaving here, revered Isidore. You know well how much your fame was mine!" Ferdinand had Isidore's remains reinterred in the then-recently constructed Basilica of San Isidoro in León. Today, many of his bones are buried in the cathedral of Murcia, Spain.
Legacy
In Dante's Paradiso (X.130), Isidore is mentioned among theologians and Doctors of the Church alongside the Scot Richard of St. Victor and the Englishman Bede the Venerable.
The University of Dayton has named their implementation of the Sakai Project in honour of Saint Isidore.
His likeness, along with that of Leander of Sevile and Ferdinand III of Castile, is depicted on the crest badge of Sevilla FC.
The Order of St. Isidore of Seville is a chivalric order formed on 1 January 2000. An international organisation, the order aims to honour Saint Isidore as patron saint of the Internet, alongside promoting Christian chivalry online. (This honour is unofficial: the Holy See considered naming Isidore as patron saint of the Internet but has not done so.)
Honours
St. Isidore Island in Antarctica is named after the saint.
See also
Saint Isidore of Seville, patron saint archive
References
Sources
Primary sources
The Etymologiae (complete Latin text)
Barney, Stephen A., Lewis, W.J., Beach, J.A. and Berghof, Oliver (translators). The Etymologies of Isidore of Seville. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006. .
Ziolkowski, Vernon P., The De Fide Catholica contra Iudaeos of Saint Isidorus, Bishop, Book 1, Saint Louis University, PhD diss. (1982).
Castro Caridad, Eva and Peña Fernández, Francisco (translators). "Isidoro de Sevilla. Sobre la fe católica contra los judíos". Sevilla: Universidad de Sevilla, 2012. .
Throop, Priscilla, (translator). Isidore of Seville's Etymologies. Charlotte, VT: MedievalMS, 2005, 2 vols.
Throop, Priscilla, (translator). Isidore's Synonyms and Differences. (a translation of Synonyms or Lamentations of a Sinful Soul, Book of Differences I, and Book of Differences II) Charlotte, VT: MedievalMS, 2012 (EPub )
Online Galleries, History of Science Collections, University of Oklahoma Libraries High resolution images of works by Isidore of Seville in .jpg and .tiff format.
De natura rerum (Msc.Nat.1) (On the Nature of Things) digitized by the Staatsbibliothek Bamberg.
Lewis E 136 Carta pisana; Sententiae (Sentences) at OPenn
Lewis E 137 Sententiae (Sentences) at OPenn
MS 484/18 Quaestiones in josue, judicum, regum, machabeis at OPenn
Secondary sources
Henderson, John. The Medieval World of Isidore of Seville: Truth from Words. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007. .
Herren, Michael. "On the Earliest Irish Acquaintance with Isidore of Seville." Visigothic Spain: New Approaches. James, Edward (ed). Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1980. .
Englisch, Brigitte. "Die Artes liberales im frühen Mittelalter." Stuttgart, 1994.
Other material
The Order of Saint Isidore of Seville, st-isidore.org
Jones, Peter. "Patron saint of the internet", telegraph.co.uk, 27 August 2006 (Review of The Etymologies of Isidore of Seville, Cambridge University Press, 2006)
Shachtman, Noah. "Searchin' for the Surfer's Saint", wired.com, 25 January 2002
External links
560 births
636 deaths
Doctors of the Church
Church Fathers
6th-century Latin writers
7th-century Latin writers
Spanish encyclopedists
Etymologists
7th-century philosophers
7th-century Christian saints
7th-century archbishops
7th-century Christian theologians
7th-century people of the Visigothic Kingdom
Roman Catholic archbishops of Seville
Spanish philosophers
Medieval Spanish saints
Augustinian philosophers
Catholic philosophers
Spanish music theorists
Spanish Christian theologians
Trope theorists
Medieval Spanish theologians
7th-century astronomers
7th-century mathematicians
7th-century historians
7th-century jurists
Writers about religion and science
| true |
[
"Přírodní park Třebíčsko (before Oblast klidu Třebíčsko) is a natural park near Třebíč in the Czech Republic. There are many interesting plants. The park was founded in 1983.\n\nKobylinec and Ptáčovský kopeček\n\nKobylinec is a natural monument situated ca 0,5 km from the village of Trnava.\nThe area of this monument is 0,44 ha. Pulsatilla grandis can be found here and in the Ptáčovský kopeček park near Ptáčov near Třebíč. Both monuments are very popular for tourists.\n\nPonds\n\nIn the natural park there are some interesting ponds such as Velký Bor, Malý Bor, Buršík near Přeckov and a brook Březinka. Dams on the brook are examples of European beaver activity.\n\nSyenitové skály near Pocoucov\n\nSyenitové skály (rocks of syenit) near Pocoucov is one of famed locations. There are interesting granite boulders. The area of the reservation is 0,77 ha.\n\nExternal links\nParts of this article or all article was translated from Czech. The original article is :cs:Přírodní park Třebíčsko.\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\nNature near the village Trnava which is there\n\nTřebíč\nParks in the Czech Republic\nTourist attractions in the Vysočina Region",
"Damn Interesting is an independent website founded by Alan Bellows in 2005. The website presents true stories from science, history, and psychology, primarily as long-form articles, often illustrated with original artwork. Works are written by various authors, and published at irregular intervals. The website openly rejects advertising, relying on reader and listener donations to cover operating costs.\n\nAs of October 2012, each article is also published as a podcast under the same name. In November 2019, a second podcast was launched under the title Damn Interesting Week, featuring unscripted commentary on an assortment of news articles featured on the website's \"Curated Links\" section that week. In mid-2020, a third podcast called Damn Interesting Curio Cabinet began highlighting the website's periodic short-form articles in the same radioplay format as the original podcast.\n\nIn July 2009, Damn Interesting published the print book Alien Hand Syndrome through Workman Publishing. It contains some favorites from the site and some exclusive content.\n\nAwards and recognition \nIn August 2007, PC Magazine named Damn Interesting one of the \"Top 100 Undiscovered Web Sites\".\nThe article \"The Zero-Armed Bandit\" by Alan Bellows won a 2015 Sidney Award from David Brooks in The New York Times.\nThe article \"Ghoulish Acts and Dastardly Deeds\" by Alan Bellows was cited as \"nonfiction journalism from 2017 that will stand the test of time\" by Conor Friedersdorf in The Atlantic.\nThe article \"Dupes and Duplicity\" by Jennifer Lee Noonan won a 2020 Sidney Award from David Brooks in the New York Times.\n\nAccusing The Dollop of plagiarism \n\nOn July 9, 2015, Bellows posted an open letter accusing The Dollop, a comedy podcast about history, of plagiarism due to their repeated use of verbatim text from Damn Interesting articles without permission or attribution. Dave Anthony, the writer of The Dollop, responded on reddit, admitting to using Damn Interesting content, but claiming that the use was protected by fair use, and that \"historical facts are not copyrightable.\" In an article about the controversy on Plagiarism Today, Jonathan Bailey concluded, \"Any way one looks at it, The Dollop failed its ethical obligations to all of the people, not just those writing for Damn Interesting, who put in the time, energy and expertise into writing the original content upon which their show is based.\"\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links \n Official website\n\n2005 podcast debuts"
] |
[
"Isidore of Seville",
"Etymologiae",
"What is Etymologiae?",
"Etymologiae (taking its title from the method he",
"How was he involved with it?",
"Isidore was the first Christian writer to try to compile a summa of universal knowledge, in his most important work, the Etymologiae (taking its title from the method he uncritically",
"Are there any other interesting aspects about this article?",
"The fame of this work imparted a new impetus to encyclopedic writing, which bore abundant fruit in the subsequent"
] |
C_abb11947d0be4f0abd17685d04bd7377_1
|
What were the fruit subsequent too?
| 4 |
What were the abundant fruit assoiated with the fame of Etymologiae?
|
Isidore of Seville
|
Isidore was the first Christian writer to try to compile a summa of universal knowledge, in his most important work, the Etymologiae (taking its title from the method he uncritically used in the transcription of his era's knowledge). It is also known by classicists as the Origines (the standard abbreviation being Orig). This encyclopedia -- the first such Christian epitome--formed a huge compilation of 448 chapters in 20 volumes. In it, as Isidore entered his own terse digest of Roman handbooks, miscellanies and compendia, he continued the trend towards abridgements and summaries that had characterised Roman learning in Late Antiquity. In the process, many fragments of classical learning are preserved which otherwise would have been hopelessly lost; "in fact, in the majority of his works, including the Origines, he contributes little more than the mortar which connects excerpts from other authors, as if he was aware of his deficiencies and had more confidence in the stilus maiorum than his own" his translator Katherine Nell MacFarlane remarks; Some of these fragments were lost in the first place because Isidore's work was so highly regarded--Braulio called it quecunque fere sciri debentur, "practically everything that it is necessary to know"-- that it superseded the use of many individual works of the classics themselves, which were not recopied and have therefore been lost: "all secular knowledge that was of use to the Christian scholar had been winnowed out and contained in one handy volume; the scholar need search no further". The fame of this work imparted a new impetus to encyclopedic writing, which bore abundant fruit in the subsequent centuries of the Middle Ages. It was the most popular compendium in medieval libraries. It was printed in at least ten editions between 1470 and 1530, showing Isidore's continued popularity in the Renaissance. Until the 12th century brought translations from Arabic sources, Isidore transmitted what western Europeans remembered of the works of Aristotle and other Greeks, although he understood only a limited amount of Greek. The Etymologiae was much copied, particularly into medieval bestiaries. CANNOTANSWER
|
It was the most popular compendium in medieval libraries. It was printed in at least ten editions between 1470 and 1530, showing Isidore's continued popularity in the Renaissance.
|
Isidore of Seville (; ; c. 560 – 4 April 636) was a Spanish scholar and cleric. For over three decades, he was Archbishop of Seville. He is widely regarded, in the words of 19th-century historian Montalembert, as "the last scholar of the ancient world".
At a time of disintegration of classical culture, aristocratic violence and widespread illiteracy, Isidore was involved in the conversion of the Arian Visigothic kings to Catholicism, both assisting his brother Leander of Seville and continuing after his brother's death. He was influential in the inner circle of Sisebut, Visigothic king of Hispania. Like Leander, he played a prominent role in the Councils of Toledo and Seville.
His fame after his death was based on his Etymologiae, an etymological encyclopedia that assembled extracts of many books from classical antiquity that would have otherwise been lost. He also invented the period (full stop), comma, and colon.
Life
Childhood and education
Isidore was born in Cartagena, Spain, a former Carthaginian colony, to Severianus and Theodora. Both Severianus and Theodora belonged to notable Hispano-Roman families of high social rank. His parents were members of an influential family who were instrumental in the political-religious manoeuvring that converted the Visigothic kings from Arianism to Catholicism. The Catholic Church celebrates him and all his siblings as known saints:
An elder brother, Leander of Seville, immediately preceded Isidore as Archbishop of Seville and, while in office, opposed King Liuvigild.
A younger brother, Fulgentius of Cartagena, served as the Bishop of Astigi at the start of the new reign of the Catholic King Reccared.
His sister, Florentina of Cartagena, was a nun who allegedly ruled over forty convents and one thousand consecrated religious. This claim seems unlikely, however, given the few functioning monastic institutions in Spania during her lifetime.
Isidore received his elementary education in the Cathedral school of Seville. In this institution, the first of its kind in Spania, a body of learned men including Archbishop Leander of Seville taught the trivium and quadrivium, the classic liberal arts. Isidore applied himself to study diligently enough that he quickly mastered classical Latin, and acquired some Greek and Hebrew.
Two centuries of Gothic control of Iberia incrementally suppressed the ancient institutions, classical learning, and manners of the Roman Empire. The associated culture entered a period of long-term decline. The ruling Visigoths nevertheless showed some respect for the outward trappings of Roman culture. Arianism meanwhile took deep root among the Visigoths as the form of Christianity that they received.
Scholars may debate whether Isidore ever personally embraced monastic life or affiliated with any religious order, but he undoubtedly esteemed the monks highly.
Bishop of Seville
After the death of Leander of Seville on 13 March 600 or 601, Isidore succeeded to the See of Seville. On his elevation to the episcopate, he immediately constituted himself as the protector of monks.
Recognizing that the spiritual and material welfare of the people of his see depended on the assimilation of remnant Roman and ruling barbarian cultures, Isidore attempted to weld the peoples and subcultures of the Visigothic kingdom into a united nation. He used all available religious resources toward this end and succeeded. Isidore practically eradicated the heresy of Arianism and completely stifled the new heresy of Acephali at its outset. Archbishop Isidore strengthened religious discipline throughout his see.
Archbishop Isidore also used resources of education to counteract increasingly influential Gothic barbarism throughout his episcopal jurisdiction. His quickening spirit animated the educational movement centered on Seville. Isidore introduced his countrymen to Aristotle long before the Arabs studied Greek philosophy extensively.
In 619, Isidore of Seville pronounced anathema against any ecclesiastic who in any way should molest the monasteries.
Second Synod of Seville (November 619)
Isidore presided over the Second Council of Seville, begun on 13 November 619 in the reign of King Sisebut, a provincial council attended by eight other bishops, all from the ecclesiastical province of Baetica in southern Spain. The Acts of the Council fully set forth the nature of Christ, countering the conceptions of Gregory, a Syrian representing the heretical Acephali.
Third Synod of Seville (624)
Based on a few surviving canons found in the Pseudo-Isidorian Decretals, Isidore is known to have presided over an additional provincial council around 624.
The council dealt with a conflict over the See of Écija and wrongfully stripped bishop Martianus of his see, a situation that was rectified by the Fourth Council of Toledo. It also addressed a concern over Jews who had been forced to convert to Christianity,.
The records of the council, unlike the First and Second Councils of Seville, were not preserved in the Hispana, a collection of canons and decretals likely edited by Isidore himself.
Fourth National Council of Toledo
All bishops of Hispania attended the Fourth National Council of Toledo, begun on 5 December 633. The aged Archbishop Isidore presided over its deliberations and originated most enactments of the council.
Through Isidore's influence, this Council of Toledo promulgated a decree commanding all bishops to establish seminaries in their cathedral cities along the lines of the cathedral school at Seville, which had educated Isidore decades earlier. The decree prescribed the study of Greek, Hebrew, and the liberal arts and encouraged interest in law and medicine. The authority of the council made this education policy obligatory upon all bishops of the Kingdom of the Visigoths. The council granted remarkable position and deference to the king of the Visigoths. The independent Church bound itself in allegiance to the acknowledged king; it said nothing of allegiance to the Bishop of Rome.
Death
Isidore of Seville died on 4 April 636 after serving more than 32 years as archbishop of Seville.
Work
Isidore's Latin style in the Etymologiae and elsewhere, though simple and lucid, reveals increasing local Visigothic traditions.
Etymologiae
Isidore was the first Christian writer to try to compile a summa of universal knowledge, in his most important work, the Etymologiae (taking its title from the method he uncritically used in the transcription of his era's knowledge). It is also known by classicists as the Origines (the standard abbreviation being Orig.). This encyclopedia—the first such Christian epitome—formed a huge compilation of 448 chapters in 20 volumes.
In it, Isidore entered his own terse digest of Roman handbooks, miscellanies and compendia, he continued the trend towards abridgements and summaries that had characterised Roman learning in Late Antiquity. In the process, many fragments of classical learning are preserved that otherwise would have been hopelessly lost; "in fact, in the majority of his works, including the Origines, he contributes little more than the mortar which connects excerpts from other authors, as if he was aware of his deficiencies and had more confidence in the stilus maiorum than his own," his translator Katherine Nell MacFarlane remarks.
Some of these fragments were lost in the first place because Isidore's work was so highly regarded—Braulio called it quaecunque fere sciri debentur, "practically everything that it is necessary to know"—that it superseded the use of many individual works of the classics themselves, which were not recopied and have therefore been lost: "all secular knowledge that was of use to the Christian scholar had been winnowed out and contained in one handy volume; the scholar need search no further".
The fame of this work imparted a new impetus to encyclopedic writing, which bore abundant fruit in the subsequent centuries of the Middle Ages. It was the most popular compendium in medieval libraries. It was printed in at least ten editions between 1470 and 1530, showing Isidore's continued popularity in the Renaissance. Until the 12th century brought translations from Arabic sources, Isidore transmitted what western Europeans remembered of the works of Aristotle and other Greeks, although he understood only a limited amount of Greek. The Etymologiae was much copied, particularly into medieval bestiaries.
On the Catholic faith against the Jews
Isidore's De fide catholica contra Iudaeos furthers Augustine of Hippo's ideas on the Jewish presence in Christian society. Like Augustine, Isidore accepted the necessity of the Jewish presence because of their expected role in the anticipated Second Coming of Christ. In De fide catholica contra Iudaeos, Isidore exceeds the anti-rabbinic polemics of earlier theologians by criticizing Jewish practice as deliberately disingenuous.
He contributed two decisions to the Fourth Council of Toledo: Canon 60 calling for the forced removal of children from parents practising Crypto-Judaism and their education by Christians, and Canon 65 forbidding Jews and Christians of Jewish origin from holding public office.
Other works
Isidore's authored more than a dozen major works on various topics including mathematics, holy scripture, and monastic life, all in Latin:
Historia de regibus Gothorum, Vandalorum et Suevorum, a history of the Gothic, Vandal and Suebi kings. The longer edition, issued in 624, includes the Laus Spaniae and the Laus Gothorum.
Chronica Majora, a universal history
De differentiis verborum, a brief theological treatise on the doctrine of the Trinity, the nature of Christ, of Paradise, angels, and men
De natura rerum (On the Nature of Things), a book of astronomy and natural history dedicated to the Visigothic king Sisebut
Questions on the Old Testament
a mystical treatise on the allegorical meanings of numbers
a number of brief letters
Sententiae libri tres Codex Sang. 228; 9th century
De viris illustribus
De ecclesiasticis officiis
De summo bono
De ortu et obitu patrum
Veneration
Isidore was one of the last of the ancient Christian philosophers and was contemporary with Maximus the Confessor. He has been called the most learned man of his age by some scholars, and he exercised a far-reaching and immeasurable influence on the educational life of the Middle Ages. His contemporary and friend, Braulio of Zaragoza, regarded him as a man raised up by God to save the Iberian peoples from the tidal wave of barbarism that threatened to inundate the ancient civilization of Hispania.
The Eighth Council of Toledo (653) recorded its admiration of his character in these glowing terms: "The extraordinary doctor, the latest ornament of the Catholic Church, the most learned man of the latter ages, always to be named with reverence, Isidore". This tribute was endorsed by the Fifteenth Council of Toledo, held in 688, and later in 1598 by Pope Clement VIII. Isidore was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1722 by Pope Innocent XIII.
Isidore was interred in Seville. His tomb represented an important place of veneration for the Mozarabs during the centuries after the Arab conquest of Visigothic Hispania. In the middle of the 11th century, with the division of Al Andalus into taifas and the strengthening of the Christian holdings in the Iberian peninsula, Ferdinand I of León and Castile found himself in a position to extract tribute from the fractured Arab states. In addition to money, Abbad II al-Mu'tadid, the Abbadid ruler of Seville (1042–1069), agreed to turn over St. Isidore's remains to Ferdinand I. A Catholic poet described al-Mutatid placing a brocaded cover over Isidore's sarcophagus, and remarked, "Now you are leaving here, revered Isidore. You know well how much your fame was mine!" Ferdinand had Isidore's remains reinterred in the then-recently constructed Basilica of San Isidoro in León. Today, many of his bones are buried in the cathedral of Murcia, Spain.
Legacy
In Dante's Paradiso (X.130), Isidore is mentioned among theologians and Doctors of the Church alongside the Scot Richard of St. Victor and the Englishman Bede the Venerable.
The University of Dayton has named their implementation of the Sakai Project in honour of Saint Isidore.
His likeness, along with that of Leander of Sevile and Ferdinand III of Castile, is depicted on the crest badge of Sevilla FC.
The Order of St. Isidore of Seville is a chivalric order formed on 1 January 2000. An international organisation, the order aims to honour Saint Isidore as patron saint of the Internet, alongside promoting Christian chivalry online. (This honour is unofficial: the Holy See considered naming Isidore as patron saint of the Internet but has not done so.)
Honours
St. Isidore Island in Antarctica is named after the saint.
See also
Saint Isidore of Seville, patron saint archive
References
Sources
Primary sources
The Etymologiae (complete Latin text)
Barney, Stephen A., Lewis, W.J., Beach, J.A. and Berghof, Oliver (translators). The Etymologies of Isidore of Seville. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006. .
Ziolkowski, Vernon P., The De Fide Catholica contra Iudaeos of Saint Isidorus, Bishop, Book 1, Saint Louis University, PhD diss. (1982).
Castro Caridad, Eva and Peña Fernández, Francisco (translators). "Isidoro de Sevilla. Sobre la fe católica contra los judíos". Sevilla: Universidad de Sevilla, 2012. .
Throop, Priscilla, (translator). Isidore of Seville's Etymologies. Charlotte, VT: MedievalMS, 2005, 2 vols.
Throop, Priscilla, (translator). Isidore's Synonyms and Differences. (a translation of Synonyms or Lamentations of a Sinful Soul, Book of Differences I, and Book of Differences II) Charlotte, VT: MedievalMS, 2012 (EPub )
Online Galleries, History of Science Collections, University of Oklahoma Libraries High resolution images of works by Isidore of Seville in .jpg and .tiff format.
De natura rerum (Msc.Nat.1) (On the Nature of Things) digitized by the Staatsbibliothek Bamberg.
Lewis E 136 Carta pisana; Sententiae (Sentences) at OPenn
Lewis E 137 Sententiae (Sentences) at OPenn
MS 484/18 Quaestiones in josue, judicum, regum, machabeis at OPenn
Secondary sources
Henderson, John. The Medieval World of Isidore of Seville: Truth from Words. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007. .
Herren, Michael. "On the Earliest Irish Acquaintance with Isidore of Seville." Visigothic Spain: New Approaches. James, Edward (ed). Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1980. .
Englisch, Brigitte. "Die Artes liberales im frühen Mittelalter." Stuttgart, 1994.
Other material
The Order of Saint Isidore of Seville, st-isidore.org
Jones, Peter. "Patron saint of the internet", telegraph.co.uk, 27 August 2006 (Review of The Etymologies of Isidore of Seville, Cambridge University Press, 2006)
Shachtman, Noah. "Searchin' for the Surfer's Saint", wired.com, 25 January 2002
External links
560 births
636 deaths
Doctors of the Church
Church Fathers
6th-century Latin writers
7th-century Latin writers
Spanish encyclopedists
Etymologists
7th-century philosophers
7th-century Christian saints
7th-century archbishops
7th-century Christian theologians
7th-century people of the Visigothic Kingdom
Roman Catholic archbishops of Seville
Spanish philosophers
Medieval Spanish saints
Augustinian philosophers
Catholic philosophers
Spanish music theorists
Spanish Christian theologians
Trope theorists
Medieval Spanish theologians
7th-century astronomers
7th-century mathematicians
7th-century historians
7th-century jurists
Writers about religion and science
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[
"Biennial bearing (or alternate) bearing is a term used in pomology to refer to trees that have an irregular crop load from year to year. In the \"on\" year too much fruit is set, leading to small fruit size. Excess weight in the main branches can be too much for their mechanical resistance, causing them to break. Another major consequence is that flower induction will be lower, and the subsequent year will be \"off\" year (too little fruit).\n\nThe behavior could be due to plant hormones, particularly gibberellins produced in excess in the \"on\" years in the embryos of the young fruit. It could also be caused by depletion of carbohydrate reserves in the tree.\n\nBiennial bearing is more common in certain fruit crops like mango, apple, pear, apricot and avocado, and is almost nonexistent in grapes.\n\nBiennial bearing is a regular feature of Arabica coffee production in Ethiopia and East Africa, and indeed throughout the coffee-growing world. In Biennial bearing a good or excellent (bumper) crop is followed by a poor, low-yielding crop in the next year's harvest. This phenomenon occurs independently of weather and climate, so that even when climatic conditions are favourable for a good crop, the yield can be poor. There can be a fivehold (x5) difference between on and off years, although in extreme cases there can be a tenfold (x10) difference in Ethiopia and areas of East Africa.\n\nThe biennial cropping rhythm is due to the allocation of the plant's resources: in the productive 'on' year, the coffee tree puts it's resources into producing the crop at the expense of vegetative growth (stem growth and particularly shoot development and flower bud production); in the 'off' year the plant must make up for this vegetative shortfall, at the \nexpense of flower and fruct production. \n\nBiennial bearing can be reduced or almost eliminated using various means, including pruning, the addition of fertiliser, controlled irrigation and the use of selected vigorous clones or cultivars.\n\nHorticultural management\nThis disorder can be reduced by thinning of flowers and young fruit.\n\nReferences\n\nAgricultural terminology\nFruit production\nGardening aids",
"Laraha (Citrus × aurantium subsp. currassuviencis), or Curaçao orange (Citrus aurantium var. currassuviencis), is the name of a citrus tree that grows on the island of Curaçao, and also the fruit of this tree. A descendant of the bitter orange, the fruit of the laraha is too bitter and too fibrous to be considered edible.\n\nHistory and use\nSeville orange trees transplanted on Curaçao from Spain in 1527 did not thrive in the arid climate and soil of this Southern Caribbean island. As the trees were then abandoned, the fruit evolved from a bright orange color into the green laraha. The dried peels of the laraha, however, were discovered to be pleasantly aromatic, and experimentation with the extracts of these peels led to the creation of Curaçao liqueur.\n\nSee also\nBitter orange\n\nReferences\n\nCitrus\nFlora of Curaçao"
] |
[
"Jascha Heifetz",
"Early recordings"
] |
C_b3fbac98eb0244d78e9b6bd86b59cf6d_1
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Did Jascha attend college?
| 1 |
Did Jascha Heifetz attend college?
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Jascha Heifetz
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Heifetz made his first recordings in Russia during 1910-11, while still a student of Leopold Auer. The existence of these recordings was not widely known until after Heifetz's death, when several sides, including Francois Schubert's L'Abeille, were reissued on an LP included as a supplement to The Strad magazine. Shortly after his Carnegie Hall debut on 7 November 1917, Heifetz made his first recordings for the Victor Talking Machine Company/RCA Victor where he would remain for most of his career. For several years, in the 1930s, Heifetz recorded primarily for HMV in the UK because RCA Victor cut back on expensive classical recording sessions during the Great Depression; these discs were issued in the US by RCA Victor. Heifetz often enjoyed playing chamber music. Various critics have blamed his limited success in chamber ensembles to the fact that his artistic personality tended to overwhelm his colleagues. Some notable collaborations include his 1941 recordings of piano trios by Beethoven, Schubert, and Brahms with cellist Emanuel Feuermann and pianist Arthur Rubinstein as well as a later collaboration with Rubinstein and cellist Gregor Piatigorsky, with whom he recorded trios by Maurice Ravel, Tchaikovsky, and Felix Mendelssohn. Both formations were sometimes referred to as the Million Dollar Trio. Heifetz also recorded some string quintets with violinist Israel Baker, violists William Primrose and Virginia Majewski, and Piatigorsky. He recorded the Beethoven Violin Concerto in 1940 with the NBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Arturo Toscanini, and again in stereo in 1955 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Charles Munch. A live performance of an NBC radio broadcast from 9 April 1944, of Heifetz playing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto, with Toscanini and the NBC Symphony, has also been released. He performed and recorded Erich Wolfgang Korngold's Violin Concerto at a time when Korngold's scoring of numerous films for Warner Brothers prompted many classical musicians to develop the scarcely warranted opinion that Korngold was not a "serious" composer and to avoid his music in order to avoid being associated with him. CANNOTANSWER
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CANNOTANSWER
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Jascha Heifetz (; December 10, 1987) was a Russian-American violinist. Born in Vilnius, he moved while still a teenager to the United States, where his Carnegie Hall debut was rapturously received. He was a virtuoso since childhood. Fritz Kreisler, another leading violinist of the twentieth century, said after hearing Heifetz's debut, "We might as well take our fiddles and break them across our knees." He had a long and successful performing career; however, after an injury to his right (bowing) arm, he switched his focus to teaching.
Late in life, Heifetz became a dedicated teacher and a champion of socio-political causes. He publicly advocated to establish 9-1-1 as an emergency phone number, and crusaded for clean air. He and his students at the University of Southern California protested smog by wearing gas masks, and in 1967, he converted his Renault passenger car into an electric vehicle.
Early life
Heifetz was born into a Russian-Jewish family in Vilnius (Russian Empire, now Lithuania).
His father, Reuven Heifetz, was a local violin teacher and served as the concertmaster of the Vilnius Theatre Orchestra for one season before the theatre closed down. While Jascha was an infant, his father did a series of tests, observing how his son responded to his violin playing. This convinced him that Jascha had great potential, and before Jascha was two years old, his father bought him a small violin, and taught him bowing and simple fingering.
At four years old, he started lessons with Elias Malkin. He was a child prodigy, making his public debut at seven, in Kovno (now Kaunas, Lithuania) playing the Violin Concerto in E minor by Felix Mendelssohn. In 1910, he entered the Saint Petersburg Conservatory to study under Ovanes Nalbandian and later under Leopold Auer.
He played in Germany and Scandinavia, and met Fritz Kreisler for the first time in a Berlin private house, in a "private press matinee on May 20, 1912. The home was that of Arthur Abell, the pre-eminent Berlin music critic for the American magazine, Musical Courier. Among other noted violinists in attendance was Fritz Kreisler. After the 12-year-old Heifetz performed the Mendelssohn violin concerto, Abell reported that Kreisler said to all present, 'We may as well break our fiddles across our knees.'"
Heifetz visited much of Europe while still in his teens. In April 1911, he performed in an outdoor concert in St. Petersburg before 25,000 spectators; there was such a reaction that police officers needed to protect the young violinist after the concert. In 1914, he performed with the Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Arthur Nikisch. The conductor said he had never heard such an excellent violinist.
Career
Heifetz and his family left Russia in 1917, traveling by rail to the Russian far east and then by ship to the United States, arriving in San Francisco. On October 27, 1917, Heifetz played for the first time in the United States, at Carnegie Hall in New York, and became an immediate sensation.
Fellow violinist Mischa Elman in the audience asked "Do you think it's hot in here?", whereupon the pianist Leopold Godowsky, in the next seat, replied, "Not for pianists."
In 1917, Heifetz was elected an honorary member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the national fraternity for men in music, by the fraternity's Alpha chapter at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. At 16, he was perhaps the youngest person ever elected to membership in the organization. Heifetz remained in the country and became an American citizen in 1925. A story circulates that tells of an interaction with one of the Marx Brothers: when he told the brother (usually Groucho or Harpo) that he had been earning his living as a musician since the age of seven, he received the reply, "Before that, I suppose, you were just a bum."
In 1954, Heifetz began working with pianist Brooks Smith, who was Heifetz's accompanist for many years until he changed to Ayke Agus as his accompanist in retirement. He was also accompanied in concert for more than 20 years by Emmanuel Bay, another immigrant from Russia and a personal friend. Heifetz's musicianship was such that he would demonstrate to his accompanist how he wanted passages to sound on the piano, and would even suggest which fingerings to use.
After the seasons of 1955–56, Heifetz announced that he would sharply curtail his concert activity, saying "I have been playing for a very long time." In 1958, he tripped in his kitchen and fractured his right hip, resulting in hospitalization at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital and a near fatal staphylococcus infection. He was invited to play Beethoven at the United Nations General Assembly, and entered leaning on a cane. By 1967, Heifetz had considerably curtailed his concert performances.
Technique and timbre
Heifetz was "regarded as the greatest violin virtuoso since Paganini", wrote Lois Timnick of the Los Angeles Times. "He set all standards for 20th-century violin playing...everything about him conspired to create a sense of awe", wrote music critic Harold Schonberg of The New York Times. "The goals he set still remain, and for violinists today it's rather depressing that they may never really be attained again", wrote violinist Itzhak Perlman.
Virgil Thomson called Heifetz's style of playing "silk underwear music", a term he did not intend as a compliment. Other critics argue that he infused his playing with feeling and reverence for the composer's intentions. His style of playing was highly influential in defining the way modern violinists approached the instrument. His use of rapid vibrato, emotionally charged portamento, fast tempi, and superb bow control coalesced to create a highly distinctive sound that makes Heifetz's playing instantly recognizable to aficionados. Itzhak Perlman, who himself is known for his rich warm tone and expressive use of portamento, described Heifetz's tone as like "a tornado" because of its emotional intensity. Perlman said that Heifetz preferred to record relatively close to the microphone—and as a result, one would perceive a somewhat different tone quality when listening to Heifetz during a concert hall performance.
Heifetz was very particular about his choice of strings. He used a silver wound Tricolore gut G string, plain unvarnished gut D and A strings, and a Goldbrokat medium steel E string, and employed clear Hill-brand rosin sparingly. Heifetz believed that playing on gut strings was important in rendering an individual sound.
Early recordings
Heifetz made his first recordings in Russia during 1910–11, while still a student of Leopold Auer. The existence of these recordings was not generally known until after Heifetz's death, when several sides, including François Schubert's L'Abeille, were reissued on an LP included as a supplement to The Strad magazine.
Shortly after his Carnegie Hall debut on November 7, 1917, Heifetz made his first recordings for the Victor Talking Machine Company/RCA Victor where he remained for most of the rest of his career. On October 28, 1927, Heifetz was the starring act at the grand opening of Tucson, Arizona's now-historic Temple of Music and Art. For several years, in the 1930s, Heifetz recorded primarily for HMV/EMI in the UK because RCA Victor cut back on expensive classical recording sessions during the Great Depression; these HMV discs were issued in the United States by RCA Victor. Heifetz often enjoyed playing chamber music. Various critics have blamed his limited success in chamber ensembles to the fact that his artistic personality tended to overwhelm his colleagues. Collaborations include his 1941 recordings of piano trios by Beethoven, Schubert, and Brahms with cellist Emanuel Feuermann and pianist Arthur Rubinstein as well as a later collaboration with Rubinstein and cellist Gregor Piatigorsky, with whom he recorded trios by Maurice Ravel, Tchaikovsky, and Felix Mendelssohn. Both formations were sometimes referred to as the Million Dollar Trio. Heifetz also recorded some string quintets with violinist Israel Baker, violists William Primrose and Virginia Majewski, and Piatigorsky.
Heifetz recorded the Beethoven Violin Concerto in 1940 with the NBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Arturo Toscanini, and again in stereo in 1955 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Charles Munch. A live performance of an NBC radio broadcast from April 9, 1944, of Heifetz playing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto with Toscanini and the NBC Symphony has also been released, unofficially.
He performed and recorded Erich Wolfgang Korngold's Violin Concerto at a time when Korngold's scoring of films for Warner Bros. prompted many classical musicians to develop the opinion Korngold was not a "serious" composer and to avoid his music in order to avoid being associated with him.
World War II
During the war, Heifetz commissioned a number of pieces, including the Violin Concerto by William Walton. He also arranged a number of pieces, such as Hora Staccato by Grigoraș Dinicu, a Romanian whom Heifetz is rumoured to have called the greatest violinist he had ever heard. Heifetz also played and composed for the piano. He performed mess hall jazz for soldiers at Allied camps across Europe during the Second World War, and under the alias Jim Hoyl he wrote a hit song, When You Make Love to Me (Don't Make Believe), which was sung by Bing Crosby.
Decca recordings
From 1944 to 1946, largely as a result of the American Federation of Musicians recording ban (which began in 1942), Heifetz recorded with American Decca because the company settled with the union in 1943, well before RCA Victor resolved their dispute with the musicians. He recorded primarily short pieces, including his own arrangements of music by George Gershwin and Stephen Foster; these were pieces he often played as encores in his recitals. He was accompanied on the piano by Emanuel Bay or Milton Kaye. Among the more uncommon discs featured one of Decca's popular artists, Bing Crosby, in the "Lullaby" from Benjamin Godard's opera Jocelyn and Where My Caravan Has Rested (arranged by Heifetz and Crosby) by Hermann Löhr (1871–1943); Decca's studio orchestra was conducted by Victor Young on July 27, 1946, session. Heifetz soon returned to RCA Victor, where he continued to make recordings until the early 1970s.
Later recordings
Returning to RCA Victor in 1946, Heifetz continued to record extensively for the company, including solo, chamber, and concerto recordings, primarily with the Boston Symphony Orchestra under Charles Munch and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under Fritz Reiner.
In 2000, RCA released a double CD compilation entitled Jascha Heifetz – The Supreme. This release provides a sampling of Heifetz's major recordings, including the 1955 recording of Brahms's Violin Concerto with Reiner and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; the 1957 recording of Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto (with the same forces); the 1959 recording of Sibelius's Violin Concerto with Walter Hendl and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; the 1961 recording of Max Bruch's Scottish Fantasy with Sir Malcolm Sargent and the New Symphony Orchestra of London; the 1963 recording of Glazunov's A minor Concerto with Walter Hendl and the RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra (drawn from New York musicians); the 1965 recording of George Gershwin's Three Preludes (transcribed by Heifetz) with pianist Brooks Smith; and the 1970 recording of Bach's unaccompanied Chaconne from the Partita No. 2 in D minor.
Third Israel tour
On his third tour to Israel in 1953, Heifetz included the Violin Sonata by Richard Strauss in his recitals. At the time, many considered Strauss and a number of other German intellectuals Nazis, or at least Nazi sympathizers, and Strauss works were unofficially banned in Israel along with those of Richard Wagner. Despite the fact that the Holocaust had occurred less than ten years earlier and a last-minute plea from the Israeli Minister of Education, the defiant Heifetz argued, "The music is above these factors … I will not change my program. I have the right to decide on my repertoire." Throughout his tour the performance of the Strauss sonata was followed by dead silence.
Heifetz was attacked after his recital in Jerusalem outside his hotel by a young man who struck Heifetz's violin case with a crowbar, prompting Heifetz to use his bow-controlling right hand to protect his priceless violins. The attacker escaped and was never found. The attack has since been attributed to the Kingdom of Israel terrorist group. The incident made headlines and Heifetz defiantly announced that he would not stop playing the Strauss. Threats continued to come, however, and he omitted the Strauss from his next recital without explanation. His last concert was cancelled after his swollen right hand began to hurt. He left Israel and did not return until 1970.
Immigration to the U.S.
The Soviet establishment considered Heifetz and his teacher Leopold Auer traitors to their home country for emigrating to the US. Meanwhile, musicians who remained, such as David Oistrakh, were seen as patriots. Heifetz greatly criticized the Soviet regime, and condemned the International Tchaikovsky Competition for bias against Western competitors. During the Carl Flesch Competition in London, Oistrakh tried to persuade Erick Friedman, Heifetz's star student, to enter the Tchaikovsky Competition, of which he was the principal juror. Hearing of this, Heifetz strongly advised against it, warning Friedman, "You will see what will happen there."
Consequently, the competition received international outrage after Friedman, already a seasoned performer and RCA Victor recording artist, who had performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra, among many others, was placed sixth behind players who had yet to establish themselves. Joseph Szigeti later informed Heifetz himself that he had given Friedman top scores.
Later life
After an only partially successful operation on his right shoulder in 1972, Heifetz ceased giving concerts and making records. His prowess as a performer remained, and he still played privately until the end—but his bow arm was affected, and he could never again hold the bow as high as before.
Heifetz taught the violin extensively, holding master classes first at UCLA, then at the University of Southern California, where the faculty included renowned cellist Gregor Piatigorsky and violist William Primrose. For a few years in the 1980s, he also held classes in his private studio at home in Beverly Hills. His teaching studio can be seen today in the main building of the Colburn School and serves as an inspiration to the students there. During his teaching career Heifetz taught, among others, Erick Friedman, Pierre Amoyal, Adam Han-Gorski, Rudolf Koelman, Endre Granat, Teiji Okubo, Eugene Fodor, Paul Rosenthal, Ilkka Talvi and Ayke Agus.
During the last ten years of his life, Heifetz visited Hans Benning at Benning Violins for maintenance on his 1740 Guarneri violin.
Death
Heifetz died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, on December 10, 1987, at the age of 86 following a fall in his home.
Legacy
Heifetz owned the 1714 Dolphin Stradivarius, the 1731 "Piel" Stradivarius, the 1736 Carlo Tononi, and the 1742 ex David Guarneri del Gesù, the last of which he preferred and kept until his death. The Dolphin Strad is currently owned by the Nippon Music Foundation. The Heifetz Tononi violin, used at his 1917 Carnegie Hall debut, was left in his will to Sherry Kloss, his Master-Teaching Assistant, with "one of my four good bows". Violinist Kloss wrote Jascha Heifetz Through My Eyes, and is a co-founder of the Jascha Heifetz Society.
The famed Guarneri is now in the San Francisco Legion of Honor Museum, as instructed by Heifetz in his will, and may only be taken out and played "on special occasions" by deserving players. The instrument has recently been on loan to San Francisco Symphony's concertmaster Alexander Barantschik, who featured it in 2006 with Andrei Gorbatenko and the San Francisco Academy Orchestra in 2006. In 1989, Heifetz received a posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Family
Heifetz's son Jay is a professional photographer. He was formerly head of marketing for the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Hollywood Bowl, and the chief financial officer of Paramount Pictures' Worldwide Video Division. He lives and works in Fremantle, Western Australia. Heifetz's daughter, Josefa Heifetz Byrne, is a lexicographer, the author of the Dictionary of Unusual, Obscure and Preposterous Words.
Heifetz's great-niece is famed clarinetist, formerly of the LA Philharmonic, Michele Zukovsky.
Filmography
Heifetz played a featured role in the movie They Shall Have Music (1939) directed by Archie Mayo and written by John Howard Lawson and Irmgard von Cube. He played himself, stepping in to save a music school for poor children from foreclosure. He later appeared in the film, Carnegie Hall (1947), performing an abridged version of the first movement of Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto, with the orchestra led by Fritz Reiner, and consoling the star of the picture, who had watched his performance. In 1951, he appeared in the film Of Men and Music. In 1962, he appeared in a televised series of his master classes, and, in 1971, Heifetz on Television aired, an hour-long color special that featured the violinist performing a series of short works, the Scottish Fantasy by Max Bruch, and the Chaconne from the Partita No. 2 by J.S.Bach. Heifetz conducted the orchestra, as the surviving video recording documents.
The most recent film featuring Heifetz, Jascha Heifetz: God's Fiddler, premiered on April 16, 2011, at the Colburn School of Music. It is described as: "The only film biography of the world's most renowned violinist, featuring family home movies in Los Angeles and all over the world. The documentary-like film talks about Heifetz's life and accomplishments and gives an inside view of his personal life."
Notable instruments
Dolphin 1714 Stradivarius
Heifetz-Piel 1731 Stradivarius
Antonio Stradivari 1734
Carlo Tononi 1736
Giovanni Battista Guadagnini, Piacenza 1741
ex-David 1742 Guarneri
Discography
Jascha Heifetz was a prolific recording artist. All of his recordings have been reissued on compact disc.
J.S. Bach Chaconne DVD
Mendelssohn Octet In E-flat Major
Mozart Concerto In D Major
Mozart Symphonie Concertante In E-flat Major
Stravinsky Suite Italienne
Toch "Divertimento, Op. 37, No. 2"
Turina "Trio, Op. 35, No. 1"
Vieuxtemps Concerto No. 5
Bach Concerto In A Minor
Bach "Sonata No. 1, Partita No. 2"
Bach "Sonata No. 2, Partita No. 3"
Bach "Sonata, No. 3, Partita No. 1"
Beethoven Concerto In D Major
Beethoven "Archduke Trio In B-flat Major, Op. 97, No. 7"
Beethoven "Sonata In A Minor, No. 4"
Beethoven Kreutzer Sonata
Beethoven "Sonata No. 8, Sonata No. 10"
Beethoven "Trios In G, Op. 9, No. 1"
Beethoven "Trio In E-flat Major, Op. 3"
Beethoven Violin Concerto In D
Beethoven "Trio In D, Op. 9, No. 2"
Beethoven "Piano Trio, Op. 1, No. 1 "
Bloch Poème Mystique
Bloch Sonata
Brahms Concerto For Violin And Cello
Brahms Piano Quartet In C Minor
Brahms "Quintette In G, Op. 111 "
Brahms Trio No. 1 In B Major
Brahms "Concerto In D, Op. 77"
Brahms Violin Concerto
Brahms 3 Hungarian Dances
Brahms Concerto, Chausson – Poème, Bruch – Scottish Fantasy
Bruch Scottish Fantasy
Bruch "Concerto In G Minor, Op. 26, No. 1"
Bruch Concerto No. 2
Castelnuovo -Tedesco ? Concerto No. 2
Chausson Poème Op. 25
Dohnányi Serenade In C
Dvořák "Piano Trio In F Minor, Op. 65"
Dvořák Piano Quintet In A
Dvořák Piano Quintet No. 2
Ferguson Sonata No. 1
Françaix String Trio
Franck Sonata In A
Franck Piano Quintet In F Minor
Gershwin Porgy And Bess; Music Of France
Glazounov Violin Concerto
Glière "Duo For Violin And Cello, Op. 39"
Handel Halvorsen Passacaglia For Violin And Cello
J.S. Bach Concerto In D Minor
Khachaturian "Sonata, Op. 1"
Korngold "Violin Concerto In D, Op. 35"
Mendelssohn "Trio In C Minor, No. 2"
Mendelssohn "Trio No. 1 In D Minor, Op. 49 "
Mendelssohn Concerto In E Minor
Mendelssohn Concerto In E Minor
Mendelssohn "String Octet in E-flat Major, Op. 20"
Mozart Quintet In C Minor
Mozart "Divertimento In E=flat Major, K. 563"
Mozart "Concerto In A, No. 5, K. 219 "
Mozart "Divertimento In E-flat, Duo In B-flat, No. 2"
Mozart "Sonata No. 10, K378, No. 15, K454"
Mozart "Symphonie In E-flat, K. 364"
Mozart "Violin Concerto, No. 5, K. 219"
Mozart "Quintet In C, K. 515"
Paganini 3 Caprices
Prokofieff "Concerto In G Minor, No. 2"
Respighi Sonata In D Minor
Rózsa Concerto
Saint-Saëns "Sonata In D, No. 1"
Schubert Fantaisie
Schubert "Trio No. 1, In B, Op. 49"
Schubert Quintet In C Major
Sibelius Violin Concerto
Spohr Double String Quartet
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto In D, Op. 35
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto, Sinding – Suite
Tschaikowsky Violin Concerto
Tschaikowsky Sérénade Mélancolique
Vivaldi Concerto For Violin And Cello In B-flat;
Walton Concerto For Violin
Arensky Trio In D Minor
Bach Concerto In E Major
Beethoven "Sonata In C Minor, No. 7"
Beethoven "Romances, No. 1 and 2"
Beethoven "Trios In C Minor, Op. 9, No. 3"
Beethoven "Spring Sonata In F, Op. 24, No. 5"
Beethoven "Piano Trio In E-flat, Op. 70, No. 2"
Brahms Concerto In A Minor
Bruch Concerto In G Minor
Castelnuovo-Tedesco "The Lark, Fauré – Sonata, Op. 13"
Grieg Sonata In G
Haydn Divertimento, Rózsa – Tema Con Variazioni
Lalo "Symphonie Espagnole, Op. 21"
Martin Duo For Violin And Cello
Schubert Sonatina in G minor
Schubert "Trio In B-flat, No. 2"
Strauss Sonata In E-flat
Tchaikovsky "Trio In A Minor, Op. 50"
Beethoven "Sonata No. 3, Sonata No. 6"
Bach Three Sinfonia;
Bach Concerto For Two Violins
Beethoven Sonata No. 7
Beethoven Sonata Nos. 1 &2
Benjamin Romantic Fantasy
Benjamin Romantic Fantasy
Boccherini Sonata In D
Brahms Sextet In G Major
Bruch Scottish Fantasy
Chausson Concerto For Violin
Conus Concerto In E Minor
Debussy "Sonata In G Minor, No. 3"
Dvořák "Piano Trio, Dumky"
Grieg "Sonata No. 3, Brahms – Sonata No. 1
Wieniawski, Tchaikovsky, Rameau, J.S.Bach, Padilla, Sarasate"
Handel Halvorsen – Passacaglia
Handel Sonata In E Major
Mozart "Sonata In C, No. 8, K. 296"
Mozart "Concerto In D, No. 1, K. 218"
Prokofieff Concerto In G Minor
Ravel Trio In A Minor
Ravel Tzigane
Saint-Saëns "Sonata In D Minor, Op. 75, No. 1"
Schubert Sonata In G Minor
Spohr Concerto No. 8
Strauss Sonata In E-flat
Toch Vivace molto
Vieuxtemps "Concerto In A Minor, Op. 37, No. 5"
Vitali Chaconne
Wieniawski Concerto No. 2
See also
Jascha Heifetz Competition
References
Sources
Auer, Leopold, 1923, My Long Life in Music, Stokes, New York
External links
Jascha Heifetz official website
Jascha Heifetz at Sony BMG Masterworks
NPR Classical Music: Heifetz at War: Behind the Scenes, Near the Front
Jascha Heifetz Collection (ARS.0046), Stanford Archive of Recorded Sound
Jascha Heifetz recordings at the Discography of American Historical Recordings.
20th-century American musicians
20th-century classical violinists
1901 births
1987 deaths
American classical violinists
Male classical violinists
American male violinists
Child classical musicians
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winners
Jewish American classical musicians
Jewish classical musicians
Jewish classical violinists
Musicians from Vilnius
Saint Petersburg Conservatory alumni
Thornton School of Music faculty
20th-century American male musicians
Russian Jews
Russian classical violinists
20th-century Russian male musicians
20th-century Russian musicians
20th-century American Jews
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[
"Jascha Zayde (October 25, 1911 – September 3, 1999) was an American pianist, composer, and conductor. From the 1930s, he was the first staff musician hired by WQXR. From 1954, he was the staff keyboard player of the New York City Ballet.\n\nNotes\n\nExternal links\n Jascha Zayde playing pieces by \n Jascha Zayde's recording of \n Jascha Zayde's and John Strauss's recording of Strauss's \n Jascha Zayde's recordings of (from Ulric Coles's Metropolitones: Three Compositions for the Piano)\n Jascha Zayde's recordings of (from Emerson Whithorne's New York Days and Nights, op. 40)\n Jascha Zayde et al.'s recording of (composed by Borodin, Cui, Liadov and Rimsky-Korsakov)\n Jascha Zayde's recordings of \n Jascha Zayde's recording of (from Four Roman Sketches by Charles Tomlinson Griffes)\n Jascha Zayde's recordings of (composed by Villa-Lobos, Khachaturian, Prokofiev, et al.)\n\nAmerican male classical composers\nAmerican classical composers\nAmerican classical pianists\nMale classical pianists\nAmerican male pianists\nAmerican male conductors (music)\n1911 births\n1999 deaths\n20th-century American conductors (music)\n20th-century classical composers\n20th-century classical pianists\n20th-century American pianists\n20th-century American composers\n20th-century American male musicians",
"Jascha Lieberman is a Polish violinist and violist. He studied with Stefan Kamasa, Giora Feidman, and Lepold Kozłowski. Lieberman was a member of the string quartet conducted by Krzysztof Penderecki.\n\nFestivals\n\nHe performed in numerous festivals, most important of which are:\n Sagra Malatestiana Rimini, Italy\n Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, Germany\n Verbier Festival & Academy, Switzerland\n\nJascha Lieberman Trio\n\nJascha Lieberman Trio is a klezmer band from Kraków, Poland, formed in 1995.\n\nThe musicians play traditional jewish music, classical music, and jazz. They did perform on television, radio and in concerts in Europe and North America.\n\nDiscography\n\n Remembrance of Kazimierz (1999)\n The Bats Gallery (2010)\n\nSee also\n Giora Feidman\n Klezmer music\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\n \n Last.fm profile\n\nKlezmer musicians\nPolish musicians"
] |
[
"Jascha Heifetz",
"Early recordings",
"Did Jascha attend college?",
"I don't know."
] |
C_b3fbac98eb0244d78e9b6bd86b59cf6d_1
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Did he make any professional musical releases during his career?
| 2 |
Did Jascha Heifetz make any professional musical releases during his career?
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Jascha Heifetz
|
Heifetz made his first recordings in Russia during 1910-11, while still a student of Leopold Auer. The existence of these recordings was not widely known until after Heifetz's death, when several sides, including Francois Schubert's L'Abeille, were reissued on an LP included as a supplement to The Strad magazine. Shortly after his Carnegie Hall debut on 7 November 1917, Heifetz made his first recordings for the Victor Talking Machine Company/RCA Victor where he would remain for most of his career. For several years, in the 1930s, Heifetz recorded primarily for HMV in the UK because RCA Victor cut back on expensive classical recording sessions during the Great Depression; these discs were issued in the US by RCA Victor. Heifetz often enjoyed playing chamber music. Various critics have blamed his limited success in chamber ensembles to the fact that his artistic personality tended to overwhelm his colleagues. Some notable collaborations include his 1941 recordings of piano trios by Beethoven, Schubert, and Brahms with cellist Emanuel Feuermann and pianist Arthur Rubinstein as well as a later collaboration with Rubinstein and cellist Gregor Piatigorsky, with whom he recorded trios by Maurice Ravel, Tchaikovsky, and Felix Mendelssohn. Both formations were sometimes referred to as the Million Dollar Trio. Heifetz also recorded some string quintets with violinist Israel Baker, violists William Primrose and Virginia Majewski, and Piatigorsky. He recorded the Beethoven Violin Concerto in 1940 with the NBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Arturo Toscanini, and again in stereo in 1955 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Charles Munch. A live performance of an NBC radio broadcast from 9 April 1944, of Heifetz playing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto, with Toscanini and the NBC Symphony, has also been released. He performed and recorded Erich Wolfgang Korngold's Violin Concerto at a time when Korngold's scoring of numerous films for Warner Brothers prompted many classical musicians to develop the scarcely warranted opinion that Korngold was not a "serious" composer and to avoid his music in order to avoid being associated with him. CANNOTANSWER
|
Heifetz made his first recordings in Russia during 1910-11,
|
Jascha Heifetz (; December 10, 1987) was a Russian-American violinist. Born in Vilnius, he moved while still a teenager to the United States, where his Carnegie Hall debut was rapturously received. He was a virtuoso since childhood. Fritz Kreisler, another leading violinist of the twentieth century, said after hearing Heifetz's debut, "We might as well take our fiddles and break them across our knees." He had a long and successful performing career; however, after an injury to his right (bowing) arm, he switched his focus to teaching.
Late in life, Heifetz became a dedicated teacher and a champion of socio-political causes. He publicly advocated to establish 9-1-1 as an emergency phone number, and crusaded for clean air. He and his students at the University of Southern California protested smog by wearing gas masks, and in 1967, he converted his Renault passenger car into an electric vehicle.
Early life
Heifetz was born into a Russian-Jewish family in Vilnius (Russian Empire, now Lithuania).
His father, Reuven Heifetz, was a local violin teacher and served as the concertmaster of the Vilnius Theatre Orchestra for one season before the theatre closed down. While Jascha was an infant, his father did a series of tests, observing how his son responded to his violin playing. This convinced him that Jascha had great potential, and before Jascha was two years old, his father bought him a small violin, and taught him bowing and simple fingering.
At four years old, he started lessons with Elias Malkin. He was a child prodigy, making his public debut at seven, in Kovno (now Kaunas, Lithuania) playing the Violin Concerto in E minor by Felix Mendelssohn. In 1910, he entered the Saint Petersburg Conservatory to study under Ovanes Nalbandian and later under Leopold Auer.
He played in Germany and Scandinavia, and met Fritz Kreisler for the first time in a Berlin private house, in a "private press matinee on May 20, 1912. The home was that of Arthur Abell, the pre-eminent Berlin music critic for the American magazine, Musical Courier. Among other noted violinists in attendance was Fritz Kreisler. After the 12-year-old Heifetz performed the Mendelssohn violin concerto, Abell reported that Kreisler said to all present, 'We may as well break our fiddles across our knees.'"
Heifetz visited much of Europe while still in his teens. In April 1911, he performed in an outdoor concert in St. Petersburg before 25,000 spectators; there was such a reaction that police officers needed to protect the young violinist after the concert. In 1914, he performed with the Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Arthur Nikisch. The conductor said he had never heard such an excellent violinist.
Career
Heifetz and his family left Russia in 1917, traveling by rail to the Russian far east and then by ship to the United States, arriving in San Francisco. On October 27, 1917, Heifetz played for the first time in the United States, at Carnegie Hall in New York, and became an immediate sensation.
Fellow violinist Mischa Elman in the audience asked "Do you think it's hot in here?", whereupon the pianist Leopold Godowsky, in the next seat, replied, "Not for pianists."
In 1917, Heifetz was elected an honorary member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the national fraternity for men in music, by the fraternity's Alpha chapter at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. At 16, he was perhaps the youngest person ever elected to membership in the organization. Heifetz remained in the country and became an American citizen in 1925. A story circulates that tells of an interaction with one of the Marx Brothers: when he told the brother (usually Groucho or Harpo) that he had been earning his living as a musician since the age of seven, he received the reply, "Before that, I suppose, you were just a bum."
In 1954, Heifetz began working with pianist Brooks Smith, who was Heifetz's accompanist for many years until he changed to Ayke Agus as his accompanist in retirement. He was also accompanied in concert for more than 20 years by Emmanuel Bay, another immigrant from Russia and a personal friend. Heifetz's musicianship was such that he would demonstrate to his accompanist how he wanted passages to sound on the piano, and would even suggest which fingerings to use.
After the seasons of 1955–56, Heifetz announced that he would sharply curtail his concert activity, saying "I have been playing for a very long time." In 1958, he tripped in his kitchen and fractured his right hip, resulting in hospitalization at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital and a near fatal staphylococcus infection. He was invited to play Beethoven at the United Nations General Assembly, and entered leaning on a cane. By 1967, Heifetz had considerably curtailed his concert performances.
Technique and timbre
Heifetz was "regarded as the greatest violin virtuoso since Paganini", wrote Lois Timnick of the Los Angeles Times. "He set all standards for 20th-century violin playing...everything about him conspired to create a sense of awe", wrote music critic Harold Schonberg of The New York Times. "The goals he set still remain, and for violinists today it's rather depressing that they may never really be attained again", wrote violinist Itzhak Perlman.
Virgil Thomson called Heifetz's style of playing "silk underwear music", a term he did not intend as a compliment. Other critics argue that he infused his playing with feeling and reverence for the composer's intentions. His style of playing was highly influential in defining the way modern violinists approached the instrument. His use of rapid vibrato, emotionally charged portamento, fast tempi, and superb bow control coalesced to create a highly distinctive sound that makes Heifetz's playing instantly recognizable to aficionados. Itzhak Perlman, who himself is known for his rich warm tone and expressive use of portamento, described Heifetz's tone as like "a tornado" because of its emotional intensity. Perlman said that Heifetz preferred to record relatively close to the microphone—and as a result, one would perceive a somewhat different tone quality when listening to Heifetz during a concert hall performance.
Heifetz was very particular about his choice of strings. He used a silver wound Tricolore gut G string, plain unvarnished gut D and A strings, and a Goldbrokat medium steel E string, and employed clear Hill-brand rosin sparingly. Heifetz believed that playing on gut strings was important in rendering an individual sound.
Early recordings
Heifetz made his first recordings in Russia during 1910–11, while still a student of Leopold Auer. The existence of these recordings was not generally known until after Heifetz's death, when several sides, including François Schubert's L'Abeille, were reissued on an LP included as a supplement to The Strad magazine.
Shortly after his Carnegie Hall debut on November 7, 1917, Heifetz made his first recordings for the Victor Talking Machine Company/RCA Victor where he remained for most of the rest of his career. On October 28, 1927, Heifetz was the starring act at the grand opening of Tucson, Arizona's now-historic Temple of Music and Art. For several years, in the 1930s, Heifetz recorded primarily for HMV/EMI in the UK because RCA Victor cut back on expensive classical recording sessions during the Great Depression; these HMV discs were issued in the United States by RCA Victor. Heifetz often enjoyed playing chamber music. Various critics have blamed his limited success in chamber ensembles to the fact that his artistic personality tended to overwhelm his colleagues. Collaborations include his 1941 recordings of piano trios by Beethoven, Schubert, and Brahms with cellist Emanuel Feuermann and pianist Arthur Rubinstein as well as a later collaboration with Rubinstein and cellist Gregor Piatigorsky, with whom he recorded trios by Maurice Ravel, Tchaikovsky, and Felix Mendelssohn. Both formations were sometimes referred to as the Million Dollar Trio. Heifetz also recorded some string quintets with violinist Israel Baker, violists William Primrose and Virginia Majewski, and Piatigorsky.
Heifetz recorded the Beethoven Violin Concerto in 1940 with the NBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Arturo Toscanini, and again in stereo in 1955 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Charles Munch. A live performance of an NBC radio broadcast from April 9, 1944, of Heifetz playing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto with Toscanini and the NBC Symphony has also been released, unofficially.
He performed and recorded Erich Wolfgang Korngold's Violin Concerto at a time when Korngold's scoring of films for Warner Bros. prompted many classical musicians to develop the opinion Korngold was not a "serious" composer and to avoid his music in order to avoid being associated with him.
World War II
During the war, Heifetz commissioned a number of pieces, including the Violin Concerto by William Walton. He also arranged a number of pieces, such as Hora Staccato by Grigoraș Dinicu, a Romanian whom Heifetz is rumoured to have called the greatest violinist he had ever heard. Heifetz also played and composed for the piano. He performed mess hall jazz for soldiers at Allied camps across Europe during the Second World War, and under the alias Jim Hoyl he wrote a hit song, When You Make Love to Me (Don't Make Believe), which was sung by Bing Crosby.
Decca recordings
From 1944 to 1946, largely as a result of the American Federation of Musicians recording ban (which began in 1942), Heifetz recorded with American Decca because the company settled with the union in 1943, well before RCA Victor resolved their dispute with the musicians. He recorded primarily short pieces, including his own arrangements of music by George Gershwin and Stephen Foster; these were pieces he often played as encores in his recitals. He was accompanied on the piano by Emanuel Bay or Milton Kaye. Among the more uncommon discs featured one of Decca's popular artists, Bing Crosby, in the "Lullaby" from Benjamin Godard's opera Jocelyn and Where My Caravan Has Rested (arranged by Heifetz and Crosby) by Hermann Löhr (1871–1943); Decca's studio orchestra was conducted by Victor Young on July 27, 1946, session. Heifetz soon returned to RCA Victor, where he continued to make recordings until the early 1970s.
Later recordings
Returning to RCA Victor in 1946, Heifetz continued to record extensively for the company, including solo, chamber, and concerto recordings, primarily with the Boston Symphony Orchestra under Charles Munch and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under Fritz Reiner.
In 2000, RCA released a double CD compilation entitled Jascha Heifetz – The Supreme. This release provides a sampling of Heifetz's major recordings, including the 1955 recording of Brahms's Violin Concerto with Reiner and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; the 1957 recording of Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto (with the same forces); the 1959 recording of Sibelius's Violin Concerto with Walter Hendl and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; the 1961 recording of Max Bruch's Scottish Fantasy with Sir Malcolm Sargent and the New Symphony Orchestra of London; the 1963 recording of Glazunov's A minor Concerto with Walter Hendl and the RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra (drawn from New York musicians); the 1965 recording of George Gershwin's Three Preludes (transcribed by Heifetz) with pianist Brooks Smith; and the 1970 recording of Bach's unaccompanied Chaconne from the Partita No. 2 in D minor.
Third Israel tour
On his third tour to Israel in 1953, Heifetz included the Violin Sonata by Richard Strauss in his recitals. At the time, many considered Strauss and a number of other German intellectuals Nazis, or at least Nazi sympathizers, and Strauss works were unofficially banned in Israel along with those of Richard Wagner. Despite the fact that the Holocaust had occurred less than ten years earlier and a last-minute plea from the Israeli Minister of Education, the defiant Heifetz argued, "The music is above these factors … I will not change my program. I have the right to decide on my repertoire." Throughout his tour the performance of the Strauss sonata was followed by dead silence.
Heifetz was attacked after his recital in Jerusalem outside his hotel by a young man who struck Heifetz's violin case with a crowbar, prompting Heifetz to use his bow-controlling right hand to protect his priceless violins. The attacker escaped and was never found. The attack has since been attributed to the Kingdom of Israel terrorist group. The incident made headlines and Heifetz defiantly announced that he would not stop playing the Strauss. Threats continued to come, however, and he omitted the Strauss from his next recital without explanation. His last concert was cancelled after his swollen right hand began to hurt. He left Israel and did not return until 1970.
Immigration to the U.S.
The Soviet establishment considered Heifetz and his teacher Leopold Auer traitors to their home country for emigrating to the US. Meanwhile, musicians who remained, such as David Oistrakh, were seen as patriots. Heifetz greatly criticized the Soviet regime, and condemned the International Tchaikovsky Competition for bias against Western competitors. During the Carl Flesch Competition in London, Oistrakh tried to persuade Erick Friedman, Heifetz's star student, to enter the Tchaikovsky Competition, of which he was the principal juror. Hearing of this, Heifetz strongly advised against it, warning Friedman, "You will see what will happen there."
Consequently, the competition received international outrage after Friedman, already a seasoned performer and RCA Victor recording artist, who had performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra, among many others, was placed sixth behind players who had yet to establish themselves. Joseph Szigeti later informed Heifetz himself that he had given Friedman top scores.
Later life
After an only partially successful operation on his right shoulder in 1972, Heifetz ceased giving concerts and making records. His prowess as a performer remained, and he still played privately until the end—but his bow arm was affected, and he could never again hold the bow as high as before.
Heifetz taught the violin extensively, holding master classes first at UCLA, then at the University of Southern California, where the faculty included renowned cellist Gregor Piatigorsky and violist William Primrose. For a few years in the 1980s, he also held classes in his private studio at home in Beverly Hills. His teaching studio can be seen today in the main building of the Colburn School and serves as an inspiration to the students there. During his teaching career Heifetz taught, among others, Erick Friedman, Pierre Amoyal, Adam Han-Gorski, Rudolf Koelman, Endre Granat, Teiji Okubo, Eugene Fodor, Paul Rosenthal, Ilkka Talvi and Ayke Agus.
During the last ten years of his life, Heifetz visited Hans Benning at Benning Violins for maintenance on his 1740 Guarneri violin.
Death
Heifetz died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, on December 10, 1987, at the age of 86 following a fall in his home.
Legacy
Heifetz owned the 1714 Dolphin Stradivarius, the 1731 "Piel" Stradivarius, the 1736 Carlo Tononi, and the 1742 ex David Guarneri del Gesù, the last of which he preferred and kept until his death. The Dolphin Strad is currently owned by the Nippon Music Foundation. The Heifetz Tononi violin, used at his 1917 Carnegie Hall debut, was left in his will to Sherry Kloss, his Master-Teaching Assistant, with "one of my four good bows". Violinist Kloss wrote Jascha Heifetz Through My Eyes, and is a co-founder of the Jascha Heifetz Society.
The famed Guarneri is now in the San Francisco Legion of Honor Museum, as instructed by Heifetz in his will, and may only be taken out and played "on special occasions" by deserving players. The instrument has recently been on loan to San Francisco Symphony's concertmaster Alexander Barantschik, who featured it in 2006 with Andrei Gorbatenko and the San Francisco Academy Orchestra in 2006. In 1989, Heifetz received a posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Family
Heifetz's son Jay is a professional photographer. He was formerly head of marketing for the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Hollywood Bowl, and the chief financial officer of Paramount Pictures' Worldwide Video Division. He lives and works in Fremantle, Western Australia. Heifetz's daughter, Josefa Heifetz Byrne, is a lexicographer, the author of the Dictionary of Unusual, Obscure and Preposterous Words.
Heifetz's great-niece is famed clarinetist, formerly of the LA Philharmonic, Michele Zukovsky.
Filmography
Heifetz played a featured role in the movie They Shall Have Music (1939) directed by Archie Mayo and written by John Howard Lawson and Irmgard von Cube. He played himself, stepping in to save a music school for poor children from foreclosure. He later appeared in the film, Carnegie Hall (1947), performing an abridged version of the first movement of Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto, with the orchestra led by Fritz Reiner, and consoling the star of the picture, who had watched his performance. In 1951, he appeared in the film Of Men and Music. In 1962, he appeared in a televised series of his master classes, and, in 1971, Heifetz on Television aired, an hour-long color special that featured the violinist performing a series of short works, the Scottish Fantasy by Max Bruch, and the Chaconne from the Partita No. 2 by J.S.Bach. Heifetz conducted the orchestra, as the surviving video recording documents.
The most recent film featuring Heifetz, Jascha Heifetz: God's Fiddler, premiered on April 16, 2011, at the Colburn School of Music. It is described as: "The only film biography of the world's most renowned violinist, featuring family home movies in Los Angeles and all over the world. The documentary-like film talks about Heifetz's life and accomplishments and gives an inside view of his personal life."
Notable instruments
Dolphin 1714 Stradivarius
Heifetz-Piel 1731 Stradivarius
Antonio Stradivari 1734
Carlo Tononi 1736
Giovanni Battista Guadagnini, Piacenza 1741
ex-David 1742 Guarneri
Discography
Jascha Heifetz was a prolific recording artist. All of his recordings have been reissued on compact disc.
J.S. Bach Chaconne DVD
Mendelssohn Octet In E-flat Major
Mozart Concerto In D Major
Mozart Symphonie Concertante In E-flat Major
Stravinsky Suite Italienne
Toch "Divertimento, Op. 37, No. 2"
Turina "Trio, Op. 35, No. 1"
Vieuxtemps Concerto No. 5
Bach Concerto In A Minor
Bach "Sonata No. 1, Partita No. 2"
Bach "Sonata No. 2, Partita No. 3"
Bach "Sonata, No. 3, Partita No. 1"
Beethoven Concerto In D Major
Beethoven "Archduke Trio In B-flat Major, Op. 97, No. 7"
Beethoven "Sonata In A Minor, No. 4"
Beethoven Kreutzer Sonata
Beethoven "Sonata No. 8, Sonata No. 10"
Beethoven "Trios In G, Op. 9, No. 1"
Beethoven "Trio In E-flat Major, Op. 3"
Beethoven Violin Concerto In D
Beethoven "Trio In D, Op. 9, No. 2"
Beethoven "Piano Trio, Op. 1, No. 1 "
Bloch Poème Mystique
Bloch Sonata
Brahms Concerto For Violin And Cello
Brahms Piano Quartet In C Minor
Brahms "Quintette In G, Op. 111 "
Brahms Trio No. 1 In B Major
Brahms "Concerto In D, Op. 77"
Brahms Violin Concerto
Brahms 3 Hungarian Dances
Brahms Concerto, Chausson – Poème, Bruch – Scottish Fantasy
Bruch Scottish Fantasy
Bruch "Concerto In G Minor, Op. 26, No. 1"
Bruch Concerto No. 2
Castelnuovo -Tedesco ? Concerto No. 2
Chausson Poème Op. 25
Dohnányi Serenade In C
Dvořák "Piano Trio In F Minor, Op. 65"
Dvořák Piano Quintet In A
Dvořák Piano Quintet No. 2
Ferguson Sonata No. 1
Françaix String Trio
Franck Sonata In A
Franck Piano Quintet In F Minor
Gershwin Porgy And Bess; Music Of France
Glazounov Violin Concerto
Glière "Duo For Violin And Cello, Op. 39"
Handel Halvorsen Passacaglia For Violin And Cello
J.S. Bach Concerto In D Minor
Khachaturian "Sonata, Op. 1"
Korngold "Violin Concerto In D, Op. 35"
Mendelssohn "Trio In C Minor, No. 2"
Mendelssohn "Trio No. 1 In D Minor, Op. 49 "
Mendelssohn Concerto In E Minor
Mendelssohn Concerto In E Minor
Mendelssohn "String Octet in E-flat Major, Op. 20"
Mozart Quintet In C Minor
Mozart "Divertimento In E=flat Major, K. 563"
Mozart "Concerto In A, No. 5, K. 219 "
Mozart "Divertimento In E-flat, Duo In B-flat, No. 2"
Mozart "Sonata No. 10, K378, No. 15, K454"
Mozart "Symphonie In E-flat, K. 364"
Mozart "Violin Concerto, No. 5, K. 219"
Mozart "Quintet In C, K. 515"
Paganini 3 Caprices
Prokofieff "Concerto In G Minor, No. 2"
Respighi Sonata In D Minor
Rózsa Concerto
Saint-Saëns "Sonata In D, No. 1"
Schubert Fantaisie
Schubert "Trio No. 1, In B, Op. 49"
Schubert Quintet In C Major
Sibelius Violin Concerto
Spohr Double String Quartet
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto In D, Op. 35
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto, Sinding – Suite
Tschaikowsky Violin Concerto
Tschaikowsky Sérénade Mélancolique
Vivaldi Concerto For Violin And Cello In B-flat;
Walton Concerto For Violin
Arensky Trio In D Minor
Bach Concerto In E Major
Beethoven "Sonata In C Minor, No. 7"
Beethoven "Romances, No. 1 and 2"
Beethoven "Trios In C Minor, Op. 9, No. 3"
Beethoven "Spring Sonata In F, Op. 24, No. 5"
Beethoven "Piano Trio In E-flat, Op. 70, No. 2"
Brahms Concerto In A Minor
Bruch Concerto In G Minor
Castelnuovo-Tedesco "The Lark, Fauré – Sonata, Op. 13"
Grieg Sonata In G
Haydn Divertimento, Rózsa – Tema Con Variazioni
Lalo "Symphonie Espagnole, Op. 21"
Martin Duo For Violin And Cello
Schubert Sonatina in G minor
Schubert "Trio In B-flat, No. 2"
Strauss Sonata In E-flat
Tchaikovsky "Trio In A Minor, Op. 50"
Beethoven "Sonata No. 3, Sonata No. 6"
Bach Three Sinfonia;
Bach Concerto For Two Violins
Beethoven Sonata No. 7
Beethoven Sonata Nos. 1 &2
Benjamin Romantic Fantasy
Benjamin Romantic Fantasy
Boccherini Sonata In D
Brahms Sextet In G Major
Bruch Scottish Fantasy
Chausson Concerto For Violin
Conus Concerto In E Minor
Debussy "Sonata In G Minor, No. 3"
Dvořák "Piano Trio, Dumky"
Grieg "Sonata No. 3, Brahms – Sonata No. 1
Wieniawski, Tchaikovsky, Rameau, J.S.Bach, Padilla, Sarasate"
Handel Halvorsen – Passacaglia
Handel Sonata In E Major
Mozart "Sonata In C, No. 8, K. 296"
Mozart "Concerto In D, No. 1, K. 218"
Prokofieff Concerto In G Minor
Ravel Trio In A Minor
Ravel Tzigane
Saint-Saëns "Sonata In D Minor, Op. 75, No. 1"
Schubert Sonata In G Minor
Spohr Concerto No. 8
Strauss Sonata In E-flat
Toch Vivace molto
Vieuxtemps "Concerto In A Minor, Op. 37, No. 5"
Vitali Chaconne
Wieniawski Concerto No. 2
See also
Jascha Heifetz Competition
References
Sources
Auer, Leopold, 1923, My Long Life in Music, Stokes, New York
External links
Jascha Heifetz official website
Jascha Heifetz at Sony BMG Masterworks
NPR Classical Music: Heifetz at War: Behind the Scenes, Near the Front
Jascha Heifetz Collection (ARS.0046), Stanford Archive of Recorded Sound
Jascha Heifetz recordings at the Discography of American Historical Recordings.
20th-century American musicians
20th-century classical violinists
1901 births
1987 deaths
American classical violinists
Male classical violinists
American male violinists
Child classical musicians
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winners
Jewish American classical musicians
Jewish classical musicians
Jewish classical violinists
Musicians from Vilnius
Saint Petersburg Conservatory alumni
Thornton School of Music faculty
20th-century American male musicians
Russian Jews
Russian classical violinists
20th-century Russian male musicians
20th-century Russian musicians
20th-century American Jews
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[
"Norman Winslow Sharp (26 November 1919 – 1977) was an English professional footballer who played as an inside-right.\n\nCareer\nSharp joined Everton in November 1938, however he did not make a single senior appearance for the club. He did, however, guest for them 8 times during the war.\n\nHe also guested for Leeds United during the war.\n\nAfter the war, he signed for Wrexham where he make his professional debut and would go on make 122 league appearances for Wrexham, before retiring from football.\n\nSharp died in 1977.\n\nReferences\n\n1919 births\n1977 deaths\nEnglish footballers\nEnglish Football League players\nEverton F.C. players\nWrexham A.F.C. players\nEverton F.C. wartime guest players\nLeeds United F.C. wartime guest players\nFootballers from Liverpool\nAssociation football inside forwards",
"Kevin Martin (born 13 June 1995) is a Swiss professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Swiss Promotion League club Yverdon-Sport FC.\n\nClub career \nMartin made his first steps in professional football with Lausanne-Sport, making nine appearances in the Swiss Super League during the 2016–17 season. In 2018, he signed for Yverdon-Sport.\n\nInternational career \nMartin made three appearances for the Switzerland U19 team in 2014. He was also called up with the Switzerland U20 team later on, but did not make any appearances.\n\nCareer statistics\n\nHonours \nTeam Vaud U21\n\n 2. Liga Interregional Group 2: 2013–14\n\nLausanne-Sport\n\n Swiss Challenge League: 2015–16\n\nReferences\n\n1995 births\nLiving people\nSwiss footballers\nAssociation football goalkeepers\n2. Liga Interregional players\nSwiss 1. Liga (football) players\nSwiss Challenge League players\nSwiss Super League players\nSwiss Promotion League players\nYverdon-Sport FC players\nFC Lausanne-Sport players\n\nExternal links"
] |
[
"Jascha Heifetz",
"Early recordings",
"Did Jascha attend college?",
"I don't know.",
"Did he make any professional musical releases during his career?",
"Heifetz made his first recordings in Russia during 1910-11,"
] |
C_b3fbac98eb0244d78e9b6bd86b59cf6d_1
|
What was Heifetz's most famous work?
| 3 |
What was Jascha Heifetz's most famous work?
|
Jascha Heifetz
|
Heifetz made his first recordings in Russia during 1910-11, while still a student of Leopold Auer. The existence of these recordings was not widely known until after Heifetz's death, when several sides, including Francois Schubert's L'Abeille, were reissued on an LP included as a supplement to The Strad magazine. Shortly after his Carnegie Hall debut on 7 November 1917, Heifetz made his first recordings for the Victor Talking Machine Company/RCA Victor where he would remain for most of his career. For several years, in the 1930s, Heifetz recorded primarily for HMV in the UK because RCA Victor cut back on expensive classical recording sessions during the Great Depression; these discs were issued in the US by RCA Victor. Heifetz often enjoyed playing chamber music. Various critics have blamed his limited success in chamber ensembles to the fact that his artistic personality tended to overwhelm his colleagues. Some notable collaborations include his 1941 recordings of piano trios by Beethoven, Schubert, and Brahms with cellist Emanuel Feuermann and pianist Arthur Rubinstein as well as a later collaboration with Rubinstein and cellist Gregor Piatigorsky, with whom he recorded trios by Maurice Ravel, Tchaikovsky, and Felix Mendelssohn. Both formations were sometimes referred to as the Million Dollar Trio. Heifetz also recorded some string quintets with violinist Israel Baker, violists William Primrose and Virginia Majewski, and Piatigorsky. He recorded the Beethoven Violin Concerto in 1940 with the NBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Arturo Toscanini, and again in stereo in 1955 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Charles Munch. A live performance of an NBC radio broadcast from 9 April 1944, of Heifetz playing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto, with Toscanini and the NBC Symphony, has also been released. He performed and recorded Erich Wolfgang Korngold's Violin Concerto at a time when Korngold's scoring of numerous films for Warner Brothers prompted many classical musicians to develop the scarcely warranted opinion that Korngold was not a "serious" composer and to avoid his music in order to avoid being associated with him. CANNOTANSWER
|
He recorded the Beethoven Violin Concerto in 1940 with the NBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Arturo Toscanini,
|
Jascha Heifetz (; December 10, 1987) was a Russian-American violinist. Born in Vilnius, he moved while still a teenager to the United States, where his Carnegie Hall debut was rapturously received. He was a virtuoso since childhood. Fritz Kreisler, another leading violinist of the twentieth century, said after hearing Heifetz's debut, "We might as well take our fiddles and break them across our knees." He had a long and successful performing career; however, after an injury to his right (bowing) arm, he switched his focus to teaching.
Late in life, Heifetz became a dedicated teacher and a champion of socio-political causes. He publicly advocated to establish 9-1-1 as an emergency phone number, and crusaded for clean air. He and his students at the University of Southern California protested smog by wearing gas masks, and in 1967, he converted his Renault passenger car into an electric vehicle.
Early life
Heifetz was born into a Russian-Jewish family in Vilnius (Russian Empire, now Lithuania).
His father, Reuven Heifetz, was a local violin teacher and served as the concertmaster of the Vilnius Theatre Orchestra for one season before the theatre closed down. While Jascha was an infant, his father did a series of tests, observing how his son responded to his violin playing. This convinced him that Jascha had great potential, and before Jascha was two years old, his father bought him a small violin, and taught him bowing and simple fingering.
At four years old, he started lessons with Elias Malkin. He was a child prodigy, making his public debut at seven, in Kovno (now Kaunas, Lithuania) playing the Violin Concerto in E minor by Felix Mendelssohn. In 1910, he entered the Saint Petersburg Conservatory to study under Ovanes Nalbandian and later under Leopold Auer.
He played in Germany and Scandinavia, and met Fritz Kreisler for the first time in a Berlin private house, in a "private press matinee on May 20, 1912. The home was that of Arthur Abell, the pre-eminent Berlin music critic for the American magazine, Musical Courier. Among other noted violinists in attendance was Fritz Kreisler. After the 12-year-old Heifetz performed the Mendelssohn violin concerto, Abell reported that Kreisler said to all present, 'We may as well break our fiddles across our knees.'"
Heifetz visited much of Europe while still in his teens. In April 1911, he performed in an outdoor concert in St. Petersburg before 25,000 spectators; there was such a reaction that police officers needed to protect the young violinist after the concert. In 1914, he performed with the Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Arthur Nikisch. The conductor said he had never heard such an excellent violinist.
Career
Heifetz and his family left Russia in 1917, traveling by rail to the Russian far east and then by ship to the United States, arriving in San Francisco. On October 27, 1917, Heifetz played for the first time in the United States, at Carnegie Hall in New York, and became an immediate sensation.
Fellow violinist Mischa Elman in the audience asked "Do you think it's hot in here?", whereupon the pianist Leopold Godowsky, in the next seat, replied, "Not for pianists."
In 1917, Heifetz was elected an honorary member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the national fraternity for men in music, by the fraternity's Alpha chapter at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. At 16, he was perhaps the youngest person ever elected to membership in the organization. Heifetz remained in the country and became an American citizen in 1925. A story circulates that tells of an interaction with one of the Marx Brothers: when he told the brother (usually Groucho or Harpo) that he had been earning his living as a musician since the age of seven, he received the reply, "Before that, I suppose, you were just a bum."
In 1954, Heifetz began working with pianist Brooks Smith, who was Heifetz's accompanist for many years until he changed to Ayke Agus as his accompanist in retirement. He was also accompanied in concert for more than 20 years by Emmanuel Bay, another immigrant from Russia and a personal friend. Heifetz's musicianship was such that he would demonstrate to his accompanist how he wanted passages to sound on the piano, and would even suggest which fingerings to use.
After the seasons of 1955–56, Heifetz announced that he would sharply curtail his concert activity, saying "I have been playing for a very long time." In 1958, he tripped in his kitchen and fractured his right hip, resulting in hospitalization at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital and a near fatal staphylococcus infection. He was invited to play Beethoven at the United Nations General Assembly, and entered leaning on a cane. By 1967, Heifetz had considerably curtailed his concert performances.
Technique and timbre
Heifetz was "regarded as the greatest violin virtuoso since Paganini", wrote Lois Timnick of the Los Angeles Times. "He set all standards for 20th-century violin playing...everything about him conspired to create a sense of awe", wrote music critic Harold Schonberg of The New York Times. "The goals he set still remain, and for violinists today it's rather depressing that they may never really be attained again", wrote violinist Itzhak Perlman.
Virgil Thomson called Heifetz's style of playing "silk underwear music", a term he did not intend as a compliment. Other critics argue that he infused his playing with feeling and reverence for the composer's intentions. His style of playing was highly influential in defining the way modern violinists approached the instrument. His use of rapid vibrato, emotionally charged portamento, fast tempi, and superb bow control coalesced to create a highly distinctive sound that makes Heifetz's playing instantly recognizable to aficionados. Itzhak Perlman, who himself is known for his rich warm tone and expressive use of portamento, described Heifetz's tone as like "a tornado" because of its emotional intensity. Perlman said that Heifetz preferred to record relatively close to the microphone—and as a result, one would perceive a somewhat different tone quality when listening to Heifetz during a concert hall performance.
Heifetz was very particular about his choice of strings. He used a silver wound Tricolore gut G string, plain unvarnished gut D and A strings, and a Goldbrokat medium steel E string, and employed clear Hill-brand rosin sparingly. Heifetz believed that playing on gut strings was important in rendering an individual sound.
Early recordings
Heifetz made his first recordings in Russia during 1910–11, while still a student of Leopold Auer. The existence of these recordings was not generally known until after Heifetz's death, when several sides, including François Schubert's L'Abeille, were reissued on an LP included as a supplement to The Strad magazine.
Shortly after his Carnegie Hall debut on November 7, 1917, Heifetz made his first recordings for the Victor Talking Machine Company/RCA Victor where he remained for most of the rest of his career. On October 28, 1927, Heifetz was the starring act at the grand opening of Tucson, Arizona's now-historic Temple of Music and Art. For several years, in the 1930s, Heifetz recorded primarily for HMV/EMI in the UK because RCA Victor cut back on expensive classical recording sessions during the Great Depression; these HMV discs were issued in the United States by RCA Victor. Heifetz often enjoyed playing chamber music. Various critics have blamed his limited success in chamber ensembles to the fact that his artistic personality tended to overwhelm his colleagues. Collaborations include his 1941 recordings of piano trios by Beethoven, Schubert, and Brahms with cellist Emanuel Feuermann and pianist Arthur Rubinstein as well as a later collaboration with Rubinstein and cellist Gregor Piatigorsky, with whom he recorded trios by Maurice Ravel, Tchaikovsky, and Felix Mendelssohn. Both formations were sometimes referred to as the Million Dollar Trio. Heifetz also recorded some string quintets with violinist Israel Baker, violists William Primrose and Virginia Majewski, and Piatigorsky.
Heifetz recorded the Beethoven Violin Concerto in 1940 with the NBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Arturo Toscanini, and again in stereo in 1955 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Charles Munch. A live performance of an NBC radio broadcast from April 9, 1944, of Heifetz playing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto with Toscanini and the NBC Symphony has also been released, unofficially.
He performed and recorded Erich Wolfgang Korngold's Violin Concerto at a time when Korngold's scoring of films for Warner Bros. prompted many classical musicians to develop the opinion Korngold was not a "serious" composer and to avoid his music in order to avoid being associated with him.
World War II
During the war, Heifetz commissioned a number of pieces, including the Violin Concerto by William Walton. He also arranged a number of pieces, such as Hora Staccato by Grigoraș Dinicu, a Romanian whom Heifetz is rumoured to have called the greatest violinist he had ever heard. Heifetz also played and composed for the piano. He performed mess hall jazz for soldiers at Allied camps across Europe during the Second World War, and under the alias Jim Hoyl he wrote a hit song, When You Make Love to Me (Don't Make Believe), which was sung by Bing Crosby.
Decca recordings
From 1944 to 1946, largely as a result of the American Federation of Musicians recording ban (which began in 1942), Heifetz recorded with American Decca because the company settled with the union in 1943, well before RCA Victor resolved their dispute with the musicians. He recorded primarily short pieces, including his own arrangements of music by George Gershwin and Stephen Foster; these were pieces he often played as encores in his recitals. He was accompanied on the piano by Emanuel Bay or Milton Kaye. Among the more uncommon discs featured one of Decca's popular artists, Bing Crosby, in the "Lullaby" from Benjamin Godard's opera Jocelyn and Where My Caravan Has Rested (arranged by Heifetz and Crosby) by Hermann Löhr (1871–1943); Decca's studio orchestra was conducted by Victor Young on July 27, 1946, session. Heifetz soon returned to RCA Victor, where he continued to make recordings until the early 1970s.
Later recordings
Returning to RCA Victor in 1946, Heifetz continued to record extensively for the company, including solo, chamber, and concerto recordings, primarily with the Boston Symphony Orchestra under Charles Munch and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under Fritz Reiner.
In 2000, RCA released a double CD compilation entitled Jascha Heifetz – The Supreme. This release provides a sampling of Heifetz's major recordings, including the 1955 recording of Brahms's Violin Concerto with Reiner and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; the 1957 recording of Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto (with the same forces); the 1959 recording of Sibelius's Violin Concerto with Walter Hendl and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; the 1961 recording of Max Bruch's Scottish Fantasy with Sir Malcolm Sargent and the New Symphony Orchestra of London; the 1963 recording of Glazunov's A minor Concerto with Walter Hendl and the RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra (drawn from New York musicians); the 1965 recording of George Gershwin's Three Preludes (transcribed by Heifetz) with pianist Brooks Smith; and the 1970 recording of Bach's unaccompanied Chaconne from the Partita No. 2 in D minor.
Third Israel tour
On his third tour to Israel in 1953, Heifetz included the Violin Sonata by Richard Strauss in his recitals. At the time, many considered Strauss and a number of other German intellectuals Nazis, or at least Nazi sympathizers, and Strauss works were unofficially banned in Israel along with those of Richard Wagner. Despite the fact that the Holocaust had occurred less than ten years earlier and a last-minute plea from the Israeli Minister of Education, the defiant Heifetz argued, "The music is above these factors … I will not change my program. I have the right to decide on my repertoire." Throughout his tour the performance of the Strauss sonata was followed by dead silence.
Heifetz was attacked after his recital in Jerusalem outside his hotel by a young man who struck Heifetz's violin case with a crowbar, prompting Heifetz to use his bow-controlling right hand to protect his priceless violins. The attacker escaped and was never found. The attack has since been attributed to the Kingdom of Israel terrorist group. The incident made headlines and Heifetz defiantly announced that he would not stop playing the Strauss. Threats continued to come, however, and he omitted the Strauss from his next recital without explanation. His last concert was cancelled after his swollen right hand began to hurt. He left Israel and did not return until 1970.
Immigration to the U.S.
The Soviet establishment considered Heifetz and his teacher Leopold Auer traitors to their home country for emigrating to the US. Meanwhile, musicians who remained, such as David Oistrakh, were seen as patriots. Heifetz greatly criticized the Soviet regime, and condemned the International Tchaikovsky Competition for bias against Western competitors. During the Carl Flesch Competition in London, Oistrakh tried to persuade Erick Friedman, Heifetz's star student, to enter the Tchaikovsky Competition, of which he was the principal juror. Hearing of this, Heifetz strongly advised against it, warning Friedman, "You will see what will happen there."
Consequently, the competition received international outrage after Friedman, already a seasoned performer and RCA Victor recording artist, who had performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra, among many others, was placed sixth behind players who had yet to establish themselves. Joseph Szigeti later informed Heifetz himself that he had given Friedman top scores.
Later life
After an only partially successful operation on his right shoulder in 1972, Heifetz ceased giving concerts and making records. His prowess as a performer remained, and he still played privately until the end—but his bow arm was affected, and he could never again hold the bow as high as before.
Heifetz taught the violin extensively, holding master classes first at UCLA, then at the University of Southern California, where the faculty included renowned cellist Gregor Piatigorsky and violist William Primrose. For a few years in the 1980s, he also held classes in his private studio at home in Beverly Hills. His teaching studio can be seen today in the main building of the Colburn School and serves as an inspiration to the students there. During his teaching career Heifetz taught, among others, Erick Friedman, Pierre Amoyal, Adam Han-Gorski, Rudolf Koelman, Endre Granat, Teiji Okubo, Eugene Fodor, Paul Rosenthal, Ilkka Talvi and Ayke Agus.
During the last ten years of his life, Heifetz visited Hans Benning at Benning Violins for maintenance on his 1740 Guarneri violin.
Death
Heifetz died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, on December 10, 1987, at the age of 86 following a fall in his home.
Legacy
Heifetz owned the 1714 Dolphin Stradivarius, the 1731 "Piel" Stradivarius, the 1736 Carlo Tononi, and the 1742 ex David Guarneri del Gesù, the last of which he preferred and kept until his death. The Dolphin Strad is currently owned by the Nippon Music Foundation. The Heifetz Tononi violin, used at his 1917 Carnegie Hall debut, was left in his will to Sherry Kloss, his Master-Teaching Assistant, with "one of my four good bows". Violinist Kloss wrote Jascha Heifetz Through My Eyes, and is a co-founder of the Jascha Heifetz Society.
The famed Guarneri is now in the San Francisco Legion of Honor Museum, as instructed by Heifetz in his will, and may only be taken out and played "on special occasions" by deserving players. The instrument has recently been on loan to San Francisco Symphony's concertmaster Alexander Barantschik, who featured it in 2006 with Andrei Gorbatenko and the San Francisco Academy Orchestra in 2006. In 1989, Heifetz received a posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Family
Heifetz's son Jay is a professional photographer. He was formerly head of marketing for the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Hollywood Bowl, and the chief financial officer of Paramount Pictures' Worldwide Video Division. He lives and works in Fremantle, Western Australia. Heifetz's daughter, Josefa Heifetz Byrne, is a lexicographer, the author of the Dictionary of Unusual, Obscure and Preposterous Words.
Heifetz's great-niece is famed clarinetist, formerly of the LA Philharmonic, Michele Zukovsky.
Filmography
Heifetz played a featured role in the movie They Shall Have Music (1939) directed by Archie Mayo and written by John Howard Lawson and Irmgard von Cube. He played himself, stepping in to save a music school for poor children from foreclosure. He later appeared in the film, Carnegie Hall (1947), performing an abridged version of the first movement of Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto, with the orchestra led by Fritz Reiner, and consoling the star of the picture, who had watched his performance. In 1951, he appeared in the film Of Men and Music. In 1962, he appeared in a televised series of his master classes, and, in 1971, Heifetz on Television aired, an hour-long color special that featured the violinist performing a series of short works, the Scottish Fantasy by Max Bruch, and the Chaconne from the Partita No. 2 by J.S.Bach. Heifetz conducted the orchestra, as the surviving video recording documents.
The most recent film featuring Heifetz, Jascha Heifetz: God's Fiddler, premiered on April 16, 2011, at the Colburn School of Music. It is described as: "The only film biography of the world's most renowned violinist, featuring family home movies in Los Angeles and all over the world. The documentary-like film talks about Heifetz's life and accomplishments and gives an inside view of his personal life."
Notable instruments
Dolphin 1714 Stradivarius
Heifetz-Piel 1731 Stradivarius
Antonio Stradivari 1734
Carlo Tononi 1736
Giovanni Battista Guadagnini, Piacenza 1741
ex-David 1742 Guarneri
Discography
Jascha Heifetz was a prolific recording artist. All of his recordings have been reissued on compact disc.
J.S. Bach Chaconne DVD
Mendelssohn Octet In E-flat Major
Mozart Concerto In D Major
Mozart Symphonie Concertante In E-flat Major
Stravinsky Suite Italienne
Toch "Divertimento, Op. 37, No. 2"
Turina "Trio, Op. 35, No. 1"
Vieuxtemps Concerto No. 5
Bach Concerto In A Minor
Bach "Sonata No. 1, Partita No. 2"
Bach "Sonata No. 2, Partita No. 3"
Bach "Sonata, No. 3, Partita No. 1"
Beethoven Concerto In D Major
Beethoven "Archduke Trio In B-flat Major, Op. 97, No. 7"
Beethoven "Sonata In A Minor, No. 4"
Beethoven Kreutzer Sonata
Beethoven "Sonata No. 8, Sonata No. 10"
Beethoven "Trios In G, Op. 9, No. 1"
Beethoven "Trio In E-flat Major, Op. 3"
Beethoven Violin Concerto In D
Beethoven "Trio In D, Op. 9, No. 2"
Beethoven "Piano Trio, Op. 1, No. 1 "
Bloch Poème Mystique
Bloch Sonata
Brahms Concerto For Violin And Cello
Brahms Piano Quartet In C Minor
Brahms "Quintette In G, Op. 111 "
Brahms Trio No. 1 In B Major
Brahms "Concerto In D, Op. 77"
Brahms Violin Concerto
Brahms 3 Hungarian Dances
Brahms Concerto, Chausson – Poème, Bruch – Scottish Fantasy
Bruch Scottish Fantasy
Bruch "Concerto In G Minor, Op. 26, No. 1"
Bruch Concerto No. 2
Castelnuovo -Tedesco ? Concerto No. 2
Chausson Poème Op. 25
Dohnányi Serenade In C
Dvořák "Piano Trio In F Minor, Op. 65"
Dvořák Piano Quintet In A
Dvořák Piano Quintet No. 2
Ferguson Sonata No. 1
Françaix String Trio
Franck Sonata In A
Franck Piano Quintet In F Minor
Gershwin Porgy And Bess; Music Of France
Glazounov Violin Concerto
Glière "Duo For Violin And Cello, Op. 39"
Handel Halvorsen Passacaglia For Violin And Cello
J.S. Bach Concerto In D Minor
Khachaturian "Sonata, Op. 1"
Korngold "Violin Concerto In D, Op. 35"
Mendelssohn "Trio In C Minor, No. 2"
Mendelssohn "Trio No. 1 In D Minor, Op. 49 "
Mendelssohn Concerto In E Minor
Mendelssohn Concerto In E Minor
Mendelssohn "String Octet in E-flat Major, Op. 20"
Mozart Quintet In C Minor
Mozart "Divertimento In E=flat Major, K. 563"
Mozart "Concerto In A, No. 5, K. 219 "
Mozart "Divertimento In E-flat, Duo In B-flat, No. 2"
Mozart "Sonata No. 10, K378, No. 15, K454"
Mozart "Symphonie In E-flat, K. 364"
Mozart "Violin Concerto, No. 5, K. 219"
Mozart "Quintet In C, K. 515"
Paganini 3 Caprices
Prokofieff "Concerto In G Minor, No. 2"
Respighi Sonata In D Minor
Rózsa Concerto
Saint-Saëns "Sonata In D, No. 1"
Schubert Fantaisie
Schubert "Trio No. 1, In B, Op. 49"
Schubert Quintet In C Major
Sibelius Violin Concerto
Spohr Double String Quartet
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto In D, Op. 35
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto, Sinding – Suite
Tschaikowsky Violin Concerto
Tschaikowsky Sérénade Mélancolique
Vivaldi Concerto For Violin And Cello In B-flat;
Walton Concerto For Violin
Arensky Trio In D Minor
Bach Concerto In E Major
Beethoven "Sonata In C Minor, No. 7"
Beethoven "Romances, No. 1 and 2"
Beethoven "Trios In C Minor, Op. 9, No. 3"
Beethoven "Spring Sonata In F, Op. 24, No. 5"
Beethoven "Piano Trio In E-flat, Op. 70, No. 2"
Brahms Concerto In A Minor
Bruch Concerto In G Minor
Castelnuovo-Tedesco "The Lark, Fauré – Sonata, Op. 13"
Grieg Sonata In G
Haydn Divertimento, Rózsa – Tema Con Variazioni
Lalo "Symphonie Espagnole, Op. 21"
Martin Duo For Violin And Cello
Schubert Sonatina in G minor
Schubert "Trio In B-flat, No. 2"
Strauss Sonata In E-flat
Tchaikovsky "Trio In A Minor, Op. 50"
Beethoven "Sonata No. 3, Sonata No. 6"
Bach Three Sinfonia;
Bach Concerto For Two Violins
Beethoven Sonata No. 7
Beethoven Sonata Nos. 1 &2
Benjamin Romantic Fantasy
Benjamin Romantic Fantasy
Boccherini Sonata In D
Brahms Sextet In G Major
Bruch Scottish Fantasy
Chausson Concerto For Violin
Conus Concerto In E Minor
Debussy "Sonata In G Minor, No. 3"
Dvořák "Piano Trio, Dumky"
Grieg "Sonata No. 3, Brahms – Sonata No. 1
Wieniawski, Tchaikovsky, Rameau, J.S.Bach, Padilla, Sarasate"
Handel Halvorsen – Passacaglia
Handel Sonata In E Major
Mozart "Sonata In C, No. 8, K. 296"
Mozart "Concerto In D, No. 1, K. 218"
Prokofieff Concerto In G Minor
Ravel Trio In A Minor
Ravel Tzigane
Saint-Saëns "Sonata In D Minor, Op. 75, No. 1"
Schubert Sonata In G Minor
Spohr Concerto No. 8
Strauss Sonata In E-flat
Toch Vivace molto
Vieuxtemps "Concerto In A Minor, Op. 37, No. 5"
Vitali Chaconne
Wieniawski Concerto No. 2
See also
Jascha Heifetz Competition
References
Sources
Auer, Leopold, 1923, My Long Life in Music, Stokes, New York
External links
Jascha Heifetz official website
Jascha Heifetz at Sony BMG Masterworks
NPR Classical Music: Heifetz at War: Behind the Scenes, Near the Front
Jascha Heifetz Collection (ARS.0046), Stanford Archive of Recorded Sound
Jascha Heifetz recordings at the Discography of American Historical Recordings.
20th-century American musicians
20th-century classical violinists
1901 births
1987 deaths
American classical violinists
Male classical violinists
American male violinists
Child classical musicians
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winners
Jewish American classical musicians
Jewish classical musicians
Jewish classical violinists
Musicians from Vilnius
Saint Petersburg Conservatory alumni
Thornton School of Music faculty
20th-century American male musicians
Russian Jews
Russian classical violinists
20th-century Russian male musicians
20th-century Russian musicians
20th-century American Jews
| false |
[
"Miklós Rózsa composed his Violin Concerto, Op. 24, in 1953, following a request from the renowned violinist Jascha Heifetz. It premiered on January 15, 1956, in Dallas, Texas, with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra conducted by Walter Hendl, with Heifetz as soloist.\n\nRózsa adapted the concerto into a score for Billy Wilder's 1970 film The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes. The work is also available in a reduction for violin and piano.\n\nStructure \n\nThe concerto is structured in the traditional concerto form of three movements:\n\n Allegro non troppo ma passionato\n Lento cantabile\n Allegro vivace\n\nThe concerto is scored for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, timpani, glockenspiel, xylophone, snare drum, bass drum, cymbals (both crashed and suspended), celesta, harp and strings.\n\nHistory \n\nRózsa attempted to compose a violin concerto earlier in his career, when he was twenty one, but he abandoned the work because he considered it to be \"immature\". At the beginning of the 1950s he decided to try again. Reasoning that all great composers had written their concertos with a particular artist in mind, he decided to approach Heifetz. Rózsa met Heifetz only once, being introduced to him shortly after Rózsa's arrival in the United States during a concert at the Hollywood Bowl.\n\nRózsa knew Heifetz's accompanist, Emmanuel Bay, and he asked him to approach Heifetz on his behalf. He appeared interested, writing to Rózsa to compose only one movement. According to Rózsa's autobiography, Double Life, he considered it to be a risky proposition because Heifetz was known for refusing other composers' works after hearing only one movement.\n\nDuring his break from MGM in 1953, Rózsa rented a villa in Rapallo, Italy, where he began to write music for the new concerto. At first he wanted to compose only one movement, as Heifetz requested, but he soon decided to compose a full-scale concerto in three movements; the concerto was completed in just six weeks.\n\nWhen he returned to the United States, Rózsa delivered the manuscript to Emmanuel Bay who offered it to Heifetz for his approval. Heifetz contacted Rózsa saying that he liked the completed work and he suggested that the two should meet in four weeks, after the violinist would return from his concert tour. Six months elapsed without a word from Heifetz, and Rózsa assumed that he had lost interest in their collaboration.\n\nAt the suggestion of fellow artists, Rózsa was encouraged to offer his work to other violinists. Before anyone else had an opportunity to accept or decline the invitation, however, Heifetz telephoned. Rózsa, perhaps inappropriately, assumed that the caller was not the great soloist at all but, rather, his friend and fellow composer Bronislau Kaper playing a practical joke on him. Consequently, when Heifetz contacted him by telephone, Rózsa replied \"If you’re Heifetz, I’m Mozart.\" After recovering from what the composer considered one of the most embarrassing moments of his career, discussions proceeded. Heifetz wished to make some minor changes and edits, and Rózsa happily agreed, working together toward a finalized version of the concerto.\n\nHeifetz contacted Rózsa at the end of 1955 telling him that he was prepared to give the concert premiere of the work. The premiere took place on January 15, 1956, in Dallas, Texas, with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra conducted by Walter Hendl, with Heifetz as soloist. At the conclusion of the performance, Heifetz called Rózsa to the stage where both were greeted by a standing ovation. Later that year Heifetz recorded the concerto, teaming again with Hendl and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.\n\nNotable recordings \n\n Jascha Heifetz with Walter Hendl and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra\n Anastasia Khitruk with Dmitry Yablonsky and the Russian Philharmonic Orchestra\n Robert McDuffie with Yoel Levi and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra\n Igor Gruppman with James Sedares and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra\n Matthew Trusler with Yasuo Shinozaki and the Düsseldorfer Symphoniker\n\nNotes \n\nCompositions by Miklós Rózsa\nR\nR",
"Zvi Heifetz, born December 9, 1956, is an Israeli diplomat, a lawyer, businessman and media executive. Heifetz previously served as an Ambassador at large, Special Envoy to the Golf countries, UAE and Bahrain, Ambassador of the State of Israel to the People’s Republic of China and Mongolia, Ambassador to Russian Federation, Ambassador to Austria, UNIDO, UNDOC and OSCE and Ambassador to the United Kingdomand.\n\nEarly life \nHeifetz was born in Tomsk, Siberia, where his Latvian Jewish family had been exiled to from Riga, Latvia, in 1940. His grandfather, Ya’akov Jedeikin, was executed by the Stalin regime due to his involvement in Zionist activities and donating money to Jewish organizations in Palestine. Jedeikin was later granted the title of a “Martyr” by the State of Israel for these activities. At the age of eleven months, Heifetz and his family returned to Riga, (then still a part of the USSR).\n\nIn 1971, the family immigrated to Israel, first settled in Givat HaMoreh and later moved to Petah Tikva. Heifetz served for seven years in the Israeli Intelligence Corps of the IDF (unit 8200), and was discharged as a Major. He obtained his law degree from Tel Aviv University and is a member of the Israeli Bar Association (1985). Heifetz was a partner in the law firm \"Osnat Heifetz and Co.\"\n\nCareer \nIn 1989, Heifetz was posted to Moscow as a member the “Group of Israeli Diplomats under the Dutch Embassy in the USSR”, as part of the first steps towards reinstating diplomatic relations between Israel and the Soviet Union after they were severed in 1967. From 1990 to 1996, Heifetz served as an external legal adviser to the Prime Minister’s Office consulting on affairs related to the former Soviet Union.\n\nFrom the early 1990s, Heifetz's law office specialized in handling international business transactions, mostly representing Israeli companies conducting business in the former USSR and Eastern Europe, as well as companies from the former USSR in Israel and the rest of the world. From 1999 to 2004, Heifetz was the acting Vice Chairman of Marriv Holdings Ltd, and from 2001 to 2003 he was the acting Chairman of Head Arzi Ltd (major music production company). He was also involved in managing Hapoel Tel Aviv basketball team.\n\nHeifetz is a close friend of Sir Leonard (Len) Blavatnik. He was appointed by Sir Leonard Blavatnik as Director on the Board of Clal Industries Ltd., Hadera Paper Ltd. and Beit Shemesh Engines Ltd.\n\nIn 2004, Heifetz was appointed Ambassador to the United Kingdom. However, his deployment was delayed due to a petition filed with the High Court of Justice by the Movement for Quality Government in Israel, claiming that Heifetz was appointed due to his ties with then Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. The Supreme Court rejected the petition, and Heifetz went on to serve as Ambassador to the United Kingdom from June 2004 until November 2007. In 2005, it was published in the media that Heifetz received information which prevented the arrest of retired Major-General Doron Almog, who arrived in London for a charity event for children with special needs.\n\nFollowing the end of his UK posting, Heifetz became an advisor to former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, then the Special Envoy of the Quartet on the Middle East. During this period, Heifetz returned to his businesses and legal work, while also serving as a strategic consultant on international affairs.\n\nFrom 2013 to 2015, Heifetz served as the Israeli Ambassador to Austria and the international organizations (UNIDO and UNDOC) in Vienna, as well as Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). During this time, Heifetz was awarded the “Grand Decoration of Honor in Gold with Sash” by the President of the Republic of Austria for his service to the country. This state decoration is the highest honor awarded in Austria (excluding acting Heads of States). At this time, German Chancellor Angela Merkel was also awarded this decoration.\n\nIn November 2015, Heifetz was appointed Ambassador to the Russian Federation. During that time, the Russian government began its involvement in Syria, which significantly reshaped its relations with Israel.\n\nIn June 2016, Heifetz held an event marking the 25th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Russia and Israel. This event was held at the Bolshoi Theatre, and was attended by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Following the request of Prime Minister Netanyahu which was granted by President Putin during a previous meeting between the leaders, Heifetz facilitated the return of an Israeli tank, that was believed to have been used by the MIA soldiers in the “Battle of Sultan Yacoub” during the 1982 Lebanon War. The tank was seized by Syrian armed forces during the battle and was transferred to the USSR for further examination of its capabilities. During this celebratory visit in June 2016, the Tank was transferred to Israel. Following the return of the tank to Israel it was placed in the Yad La-Shiryon Memorial, The Armored Corps Memorial Site and Museum, as a monument for the Israeli soldiers that were declared missing in action during that battle.\n\nThe Israeli Embassy in Moscow, under the leadership of Heifetz, was given the award “Exemplary Embassy” by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2016. During the same year, Heifetz was also awarded a decoration from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for his significant personal role in strengthening the relations between Russia and Israel.\n\nIn January 2017, Heifetz was appointed Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China and Mongolia. In March 2017, Prime Minister Netanyahu made an official visit to China in order to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between the two countries. On this occasion, both countries signed a Comprehensive Innovation Partnership Agreement. In January 2019, the Mongolian government awarded Heifetz a medal for his assistance and aid to the Mongolian police force.\n\nIn December 2020, the Israel Embassy in Beijing with Heifetz as its ambassador initiated four projects in the fields of health, education, agriculture and elderly care, under the framework of China-Israel InnoFriendship cooperation. The projects were supported by Chinese high officials and were sponsored by the two countries. The initiative had received unprecedented exposure in the traditional and social media with more than 227 million views.\n\nUnder the leadership of Ambassador Heifetz, the Embassy in Beijing awarded “Outstanding Embassy״ for the year 2020 by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs for its work during the COVID-19 epidemic and the promotion of projects between the two countries. The committee's reasons for the award referred to the professionalism and efficiency that the Embassy has presented under conditions of uncertainty and health concerns. The committee had also mentioned the embassy's assistance in sending emergency medical equipment to Israel from China, such as respirators and COVID-19 testing laboratories. In addition, the committee noted that with the easing of the COVID-19 crisis in China, the Embassy carried out four flagship projects for cooperation in various fields with the approval and support of Chinese Deputy Prime Minister Liu He, events that received massive exposure in China.\n\nUpon completion of his position in China, Heifetz returned to Israel and was appointed as Special Envoy to the Gulf States and was responsible for the opening of Embassies and Consulate in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Bahrain in light of the Abraham Accords. After the opening of the Missions in the presence of Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, Heifetz sought to end his position and retire back to private life after many years in which he served as Ambassador.\n\nIn October 2021, Heifetz was appointed as a Governor of Tel Aviv University.\n\nHeifetz is married to Sigalia, between them the couple has seven children.\n\nReferences\nhttps://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-47806780\n\nhttps://www.haaretz.com/1.4996529\n\nhttps://ejpress.org/israeli-ambassador-to-london-announces-israel-60-programme-2/\n\nhttps://www.haaretz.com/.premium-zvi-heifetz-nominated-envoy-to-china-1.5325379\n\nhttps://interfax.com/newsroom/top-stories/27968/\n\nhttps://www.montsame.mn/en/read/205475\n\nhttps://www.mid.ru/en_GB/foreign_policy/news/-/asset_publisher/cKNonkJE02Bw/content/id/2580793\n\nhttp://www.aiani.at/news--events/visit-of-ambassador-mr-zvi-heifetz-at-the-university-of-innsbruck\n\nhttps://embassies.gov.il/beijing-en/AboutTheEmbassy/Pages/The-ambassador.aspx\n\nhttps://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1686958719432130608&wfr=spider&for=pc\n\nExternal links \n\nInterview with Zvi Heifetz (2005)\n\n1956 births\nLiving people\nPeople from Tomsk\nRussian Jews\nAmbassadors of Israel to Russia\nSoviet emigrants to Israel\nAmbassadors of Israel to the United Kingdom\nTel Aviv University alumni\nAmbassadors of Israel to Austria\nAmbassadors of Israel to China"
] |
[
"Jascha Heifetz",
"Early recordings",
"Did Jascha attend college?",
"I don't know.",
"Did he make any professional musical releases during his career?",
"Heifetz made his first recordings in Russia during 1910-11,",
"What was Heifetz's most famous work?",
"He recorded the Beethoven Violin Concerto in 1940 with the NBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Arturo Toscanini,"
] |
C_b3fbac98eb0244d78e9b6bd86b59cf6d_1
|
Did Heifetz play any other instruments?
| 4 |
Did Jascha Heifetz play any other instruments besides violin?
|
Jascha Heifetz
|
Heifetz made his first recordings in Russia during 1910-11, while still a student of Leopold Auer. The existence of these recordings was not widely known until after Heifetz's death, when several sides, including Francois Schubert's L'Abeille, were reissued on an LP included as a supplement to The Strad magazine. Shortly after his Carnegie Hall debut on 7 November 1917, Heifetz made his first recordings for the Victor Talking Machine Company/RCA Victor where he would remain for most of his career. For several years, in the 1930s, Heifetz recorded primarily for HMV in the UK because RCA Victor cut back on expensive classical recording sessions during the Great Depression; these discs were issued in the US by RCA Victor. Heifetz often enjoyed playing chamber music. Various critics have blamed his limited success in chamber ensembles to the fact that his artistic personality tended to overwhelm his colleagues. Some notable collaborations include his 1941 recordings of piano trios by Beethoven, Schubert, and Brahms with cellist Emanuel Feuermann and pianist Arthur Rubinstein as well as a later collaboration with Rubinstein and cellist Gregor Piatigorsky, with whom he recorded trios by Maurice Ravel, Tchaikovsky, and Felix Mendelssohn. Both formations were sometimes referred to as the Million Dollar Trio. Heifetz also recorded some string quintets with violinist Israel Baker, violists William Primrose and Virginia Majewski, and Piatigorsky. He recorded the Beethoven Violin Concerto in 1940 with the NBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Arturo Toscanini, and again in stereo in 1955 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Charles Munch. A live performance of an NBC radio broadcast from 9 April 1944, of Heifetz playing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto, with Toscanini and the NBC Symphony, has also been released. He performed and recorded Erich Wolfgang Korngold's Violin Concerto at a time when Korngold's scoring of numerous films for Warner Brothers prompted many classical musicians to develop the scarcely warranted opinion that Korngold was not a "serious" composer and to avoid his music in order to avoid being associated with him. CANNOTANSWER
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of Heifetz playing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto,
|
Jascha Heifetz (; December 10, 1987) was a Russian-American violinist. Born in Vilnius, he moved while still a teenager to the United States, where his Carnegie Hall debut was rapturously received. He was a virtuoso since childhood. Fritz Kreisler, another leading violinist of the twentieth century, said after hearing Heifetz's debut, "We might as well take our fiddles and break them across our knees." He had a long and successful performing career; however, after an injury to his right (bowing) arm, he switched his focus to teaching.
Late in life, Heifetz became a dedicated teacher and a champion of socio-political causes. He publicly advocated to establish 9-1-1 as an emergency phone number, and crusaded for clean air. He and his students at the University of Southern California protested smog by wearing gas masks, and in 1967, he converted his Renault passenger car into an electric vehicle.
Early life
Heifetz was born into a Russian-Jewish family in Vilnius (Russian Empire, now Lithuania).
His father, Reuven Heifetz, was a local violin teacher and served as the concertmaster of the Vilnius Theatre Orchestra for one season before the theatre closed down. While Jascha was an infant, his father did a series of tests, observing how his son responded to his violin playing. This convinced him that Jascha had great potential, and before Jascha was two years old, his father bought him a small violin, and taught him bowing and simple fingering.
At four years old, he started lessons with Elias Malkin. He was a child prodigy, making his public debut at seven, in Kovno (now Kaunas, Lithuania) playing the Violin Concerto in E minor by Felix Mendelssohn. In 1910, he entered the Saint Petersburg Conservatory to study under Ovanes Nalbandian and later under Leopold Auer.
He played in Germany and Scandinavia, and met Fritz Kreisler for the first time in a Berlin private house, in a "private press matinee on May 20, 1912. The home was that of Arthur Abell, the pre-eminent Berlin music critic for the American magazine, Musical Courier. Among other noted violinists in attendance was Fritz Kreisler. After the 12-year-old Heifetz performed the Mendelssohn violin concerto, Abell reported that Kreisler said to all present, 'We may as well break our fiddles across our knees.'"
Heifetz visited much of Europe while still in his teens. In April 1911, he performed in an outdoor concert in St. Petersburg before 25,000 spectators; there was such a reaction that police officers needed to protect the young violinist after the concert. In 1914, he performed with the Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Arthur Nikisch. The conductor said he had never heard such an excellent violinist.
Career
Heifetz and his family left Russia in 1917, traveling by rail to the Russian far east and then by ship to the United States, arriving in San Francisco. On October 27, 1917, Heifetz played for the first time in the United States, at Carnegie Hall in New York, and became an immediate sensation.
Fellow violinist Mischa Elman in the audience asked "Do you think it's hot in here?", whereupon the pianist Leopold Godowsky, in the next seat, replied, "Not for pianists."
In 1917, Heifetz was elected an honorary member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the national fraternity for men in music, by the fraternity's Alpha chapter at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. At 16, he was perhaps the youngest person ever elected to membership in the organization. Heifetz remained in the country and became an American citizen in 1925. A story circulates that tells of an interaction with one of the Marx Brothers: when he told the brother (usually Groucho or Harpo) that he had been earning his living as a musician since the age of seven, he received the reply, "Before that, I suppose, you were just a bum."
In 1954, Heifetz began working with pianist Brooks Smith, who was Heifetz's accompanist for many years until he changed to Ayke Agus as his accompanist in retirement. He was also accompanied in concert for more than 20 years by Emmanuel Bay, another immigrant from Russia and a personal friend. Heifetz's musicianship was such that he would demonstrate to his accompanist how he wanted passages to sound on the piano, and would even suggest which fingerings to use.
After the seasons of 1955–56, Heifetz announced that he would sharply curtail his concert activity, saying "I have been playing for a very long time." In 1958, he tripped in his kitchen and fractured his right hip, resulting in hospitalization at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital and a near fatal staphylococcus infection. He was invited to play Beethoven at the United Nations General Assembly, and entered leaning on a cane. By 1967, Heifetz had considerably curtailed his concert performances.
Technique and timbre
Heifetz was "regarded as the greatest violin virtuoso since Paganini", wrote Lois Timnick of the Los Angeles Times. "He set all standards for 20th-century violin playing...everything about him conspired to create a sense of awe", wrote music critic Harold Schonberg of The New York Times. "The goals he set still remain, and for violinists today it's rather depressing that they may never really be attained again", wrote violinist Itzhak Perlman.
Virgil Thomson called Heifetz's style of playing "silk underwear music", a term he did not intend as a compliment. Other critics argue that he infused his playing with feeling and reverence for the composer's intentions. His style of playing was highly influential in defining the way modern violinists approached the instrument. His use of rapid vibrato, emotionally charged portamento, fast tempi, and superb bow control coalesced to create a highly distinctive sound that makes Heifetz's playing instantly recognizable to aficionados. Itzhak Perlman, who himself is known for his rich warm tone and expressive use of portamento, described Heifetz's tone as like "a tornado" because of its emotional intensity. Perlman said that Heifetz preferred to record relatively close to the microphone—and as a result, one would perceive a somewhat different tone quality when listening to Heifetz during a concert hall performance.
Heifetz was very particular about his choice of strings. He used a silver wound Tricolore gut G string, plain unvarnished gut D and A strings, and a Goldbrokat medium steel E string, and employed clear Hill-brand rosin sparingly. Heifetz believed that playing on gut strings was important in rendering an individual sound.
Early recordings
Heifetz made his first recordings in Russia during 1910–11, while still a student of Leopold Auer. The existence of these recordings was not generally known until after Heifetz's death, when several sides, including François Schubert's L'Abeille, were reissued on an LP included as a supplement to The Strad magazine.
Shortly after his Carnegie Hall debut on November 7, 1917, Heifetz made his first recordings for the Victor Talking Machine Company/RCA Victor where he remained for most of the rest of his career. On October 28, 1927, Heifetz was the starring act at the grand opening of Tucson, Arizona's now-historic Temple of Music and Art. For several years, in the 1930s, Heifetz recorded primarily for HMV/EMI in the UK because RCA Victor cut back on expensive classical recording sessions during the Great Depression; these HMV discs were issued in the United States by RCA Victor. Heifetz often enjoyed playing chamber music. Various critics have blamed his limited success in chamber ensembles to the fact that his artistic personality tended to overwhelm his colleagues. Collaborations include his 1941 recordings of piano trios by Beethoven, Schubert, and Brahms with cellist Emanuel Feuermann and pianist Arthur Rubinstein as well as a later collaboration with Rubinstein and cellist Gregor Piatigorsky, with whom he recorded trios by Maurice Ravel, Tchaikovsky, and Felix Mendelssohn. Both formations were sometimes referred to as the Million Dollar Trio. Heifetz also recorded some string quintets with violinist Israel Baker, violists William Primrose and Virginia Majewski, and Piatigorsky.
Heifetz recorded the Beethoven Violin Concerto in 1940 with the NBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Arturo Toscanini, and again in stereo in 1955 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Charles Munch. A live performance of an NBC radio broadcast from April 9, 1944, of Heifetz playing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto with Toscanini and the NBC Symphony has also been released, unofficially.
He performed and recorded Erich Wolfgang Korngold's Violin Concerto at a time when Korngold's scoring of films for Warner Bros. prompted many classical musicians to develop the opinion Korngold was not a "serious" composer and to avoid his music in order to avoid being associated with him.
World War II
During the war, Heifetz commissioned a number of pieces, including the Violin Concerto by William Walton. He also arranged a number of pieces, such as Hora Staccato by Grigoraș Dinicu, a Romanian whom Heifetz is rumoured to have called the greatest violinist he had ever heard. Heifetz also played and composed for the piano. He performed mess hall jazz for soldiers at Allied camps across Europe during the Second World War, and under the alias Jim Hoyl he wrote a hit song, When You Make Love to Me (Don't Make Believe), which was sung by Bing Crosby.
Decca recordings
From 1944 to 1946, largely as a result of the American Federation of Musicians recording ban (which began in 1942), Heifetz recorded with American Decca because the company settled with the union in 1943, well before RCA Victor resolved their dispute with the musicians. He recorded primarily short pieces, including his own arrangements of music by George Gershwin and Stephen Foster; these were pieces he often played as encores in his recitals. He was accompanied on the piano by Emanuel Bay or Milton Kaye. Among the more uncommon discs featured one of Decca's popular artists, Bing Crosby, in the "Lullaby" from Benjamin Godard's opera Jocelyn and Where My Caravan Has Rested (arranged by Heifetz and Crosby) by Hermann Löhr (1871–1943); Decca's studio orchestra was conducted by Victor Young on July 27, 1946, session. Heifetz soon returned to RCA Victor, where he continued to make recordings until the early 1970s.
Later recordings
Returning to RCA Victor in 1946, Heifetz continued to record extensively for the company, including solo, chamber, and concerto recordings, primarily with the Boston Symphony Orchestra under Charles Munch and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under Fritz Reiner.
In 2000, RCA released a double CD compilation entitled Jascha Heifetz – The Supreme. This release provides a sampling of Heifetz's major recordings, including the 1955 recording of Brahms's Violin Concerto with Reiner and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; the 1957 recording of Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto (with the same forces); the 1959 recording of Sibelius's Violin Concerto with Walter Hendl and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; the 1961 recording of Max Bruch's Scottish Fantasy with Sir Malcolm Sargent and the New Symphony Orchestra of London; the 1963 recording of Glazunov's A minor Concerto with Walter Hendl and the RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra (drawn from New York musicians); the 1965 recording of George Gershwin's Three Preludes (transcribed by Heifetz) with pianist Brooks Smith; and the 1970 recording of Bach's unaccompanied Chaconne from the Partita No. 2 in D minor.
Third Israel tour
On his third tour to Israel in 1953, Heifetz included the Violin Sonata by Richard Strauss in his recitals. At the time, many considered Strauss and a number of other German intellectuals Nazis, or at least Nazi sympathizers, and Strauss works were unofficially banned in Israel along with those of Richard Wagner. Despite the fact that the Holocaust had occurred less than ten years earlier and a last-minute plea from the Israeli Minister of Education, the defiant Heifetz argued, "The music is above these factors … I will not change my program. I have the right to decide on my repertoire." Throughout his tour the performance of the Strauss sonata was followed by dead silence.
Heifetz was attacked after his recital in Jerusalem outside his hotel by a young man who struck Heifetz's violin case with a crowbar, prompting Heifetz to use his bow-controlling right hand to protect his priceless violins. The attacker escaped and was never found. The attack has since been attributed to the Kingdom of Israel terrorist group. The incident made headlines and Heifetz defiantly announced that he would not stop playing the Strauss. Threats continued to come, however, and he omitted the Strauss from his next recital without explanation. His last concert was cancelled after his swollen right hand began to hurt. He left Israel and did not return until 1970.
Immigration to the U.S.
The Soviet establishment considered Heifetz and his teacher Leopold Auer traitors to their home country for emigrating to the US. Meanwhile, musicians who remained, such as David Oistrakh, were seen as patriots. Heifetz greatly criticized the Soviet regime, and condemned the International Tchaikovsky Competition for bias against Western competitors. During the Carl Flesch Competition in London, Oistrakh tried to persuade Erick Friedman, Heifetz's star student, to enter the Tchaikovsky Competition, of which he was the principal juror. Hearing of this, Heifetz strongly advised against it, warning Friedman, "You will see what will happen there."
Consequently, the competition received international outrage after Friedman, already a seasoned performer and RCA Victor recording artist, who had performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra, among many others, was placed sixth behind players who had yet to establish themselves. Joseph Szigeti later informed Heifetz himself that he had given Friedman top scores.
Later life
After an only partially successful operation on his right shoulder in 1972, Heifetz ceased giving concerts and making records. His prowess as a performer remained, and he still played privately until the end—but his bow arm was affected, and he could never again hold the bow as high as before.
Heifetz taught the violin extensively, holding master classes first at UCLA, then at the University of Southern California, where the faculty included renowned cellist Gregor Piatigorsky and violist William Primrose. For a few years in the 1980s, he also held classes in his private studio at home in Beverly Hills. His teaching studio can be seen today in the main building of the Colburn School and serves as an inspiration to the students there. During his teaching career Heifetz taught, among others, Erick Friedman, Pierre Amoyal, Adam Han-Gorski, Rudolf Koelman, Endre Granat, Teiji Okubo, Eugene Fodor, Paul Rosenthal, Ilkka Talvi and Ayke Agus.
During the last ten years of his life, Heifetz visited Hans Benning at Benning Violins for maintenance on his 1740 Guarneri violin.
Death
Heifetz died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, on December 10, 1987, at the age of 86 following a fall in his home.
Legacy
Heifetz owned the 1714 Dolphin Stradivarius, the 1731 "Piel" Stradivarius, the 1736 Carlo Tononi, and the 1742 ex David Guarneri del Gesù, the last of which he preferred and kept until his death. The Dolphin Strad is currently owned by the Nippon Music Foundation. The Heifetz Tononi violin, used at his 1917 Carnegie Hall debut, was left in his will to Sherry Kloss, his Master-Teaching Assistant, with "one of my four good bows". Violinist Kloss wrote Jascha Heifetz Through My Eyes, and is a co-founder of the Jascha Heifetz Society.
The famed Guarneri is now in the San Francisco Legion of Honor Museum, as instructed by Heifetz in his will, and may only be taken out and played "on special occasions" by deserving players. The instrument has recently been on loan to San Francisco Symphony's concertmaster Alexander Barantschik, who featured it in 2006 with Andrei Gorbatenko and the San Francisco Academy Orchestra in 2006. In 1989, Heifetz received a posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Family
Heifetz's son Jay is a professional photographer. He was formerly head of marketing for the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Hollywood Bowl, and the chief financial officer of Paramount Pictures' Worldwide Video Division. He lives and works in Fremantle, Western Australia. Heifetz's daughter, Josefa Heifetz Byrne, is a lexicographer, the author of the Dictionary of Unusual, Obscure and Preposterous Words.
Heifetz's great-niece is famed clarinetist, formerly of the LA Philharmonic, Michele Zukovsky.
Filmography
Heifetz played a featured role in the movie They Shall Have Music (1939) directed by Archie Mayo and written by John Howard Lawson and Irmgard von Cube. He played himself, stepping in to save a music school for poor children from foreclosure. He later appeared in the film, Carnegie Hall (1947), performing an abridged version of the first movement of Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto, with the orchestra led by Fritz Reiner, and consoling the star of the picture, who had watched his performance. In 1951, he appeared in the film Of Men and Music. In 1962, he appeared in a televised series of his master classes, and, in 1971, Heifetz on Television aired, an hour-long color special that featured the violinist performing a series of short works, the Scottish Fantasy by Max Bruch, and the Chaconne from the Partita No. 2 by J.S.Bach. Heifetz conducted the orchestra, as the surviving video recording documents.
The most recent film featuring Heifetz, Jascha Heifetz: God's Fiddler, premiered on April 16, 2011, at the Colburn School of Music. It is described as: "The only film biography of the world's most renowned violinist, featuring family home movies in Los Angeles and all over the world. The documentary-like film talks about Heifetz's life and accomplishments and gives an inside view of his personal life."
Notable instruments
Dolphin 1714 Stradivarius
Heifetz-Piel 1731 Stradivarius
Antonio Stradivari 1734
Carlo Tononi 1736
Giovanni Battista Guadagnini, Piacenza 1741
ex-David 1742 Guarneri
Discography
Jascha Heifetz was a prolific recording artist. All of his recordings have been reissued on compact disc.
J.S. Bach Chaconne DVD
Mendelssohn Octet In E-flat Major
Mozart Concerto In D Major
Mozart Symphonie Concertante In E-flat Major
Stravinsky Suite Italienne
Toch "Divertimento, Op. 37, No. 2"
Turina "Trio, Op. 35, No. 1"
Vieuxtemps Concerto No. 5
Bach Concerto In A Minor
Bach "Sonata No. 1, Partita No. 2"
Bach "Sonata No. 2, Partita No. 3"
Bach "Sonata, No. 3, Partita No. 1"
Beethoven Concerto In D Major
Beethoven "Archduke Trio In B-flat Major, Op. 97, No. 7"
Beethoven "Sonata In A Minor, No. 4"
Beethoven Kreutzer Sonata
Beethoven "Sonata No. 8, Sonata No. 10"
Beethoven "Trios In G, Op. 9, No. 1"
Beethoven "Trio In E-flat Major, Op. 3"
Beethoven Violin Concerto In D
Beethoven "Trio In D, Op. 9, No. 2"
Beethoven "Piano Trio, Op. 1, No. 1 "
Bloch Poème Mystique
Bloch Sonata
Brahms Concerto For Violin And Cello
Brahms Piano Quartet In C Minor
Brahms "Quintette In G, Op. 111 "
Brahms Trio No. 1 In B Major
Brahms "Concerto In D, Op. 77"
Brahms Violin Concerto
Brahms 3 Hungarian Dances
Brahms Concerto, Chausson – Poème, Bruch – Scottish Fantasy
Bruch Scottish Fantasy
Bruch "Concerto In G Minor, Op. 26, No. 1"
Bruch Concerto No. 2
Castelnuovo -Tedesco ? Concerto No. 2
Chausson Poème Op. 25
Dohnányi Serenade In C
Dvořák "Piano Trio In F Minor, Op. 65"
Dvořák Piano Quintet In A
Dvořák Piano Quintet No. 2
Ferguson Sonata No. 1
Françaix String Trio
Franck Sonata In A
Franck Piano Quintet In F Minor
Gershwin Porgy And Bess; Music Of France
Glazounov Violin Concerto
Glière "Duo For Violin And Cello, Op. 39"
Handel Halvorsen Passacaglia For Violin And Cello
J.S. Bach Concerto In D Minor
Khachaturian "Sonata, Op. 1"
Korngold "Violin Concerto In D, Op. 35"
Mendelssohn "Trio In C Minor, No. 2"
Mendelssohn "Trio No. 1 In D Minor, Op. 49 "
Mendelssohn Concerto In E Minor
Mendelssohn Concerto In E Minor
Mendelssohn "String Octet in E-flat Major, Op. 20"
Mozart Quintet In C Minor
Mozart "Divertimento In E=flat Major, K. 563"
Mozart "Concerto In A, No. 5, K. 219 "
Mozart "Divertimento In E-flat, Duo In B-flat, No. 2"
Mozart "Sonata No. 10, K378, No. 15, K454"
Mozart "Symphonie In E-flat, K. 364"
Mozart "Violin Concerto, No. 5, K. 219"
Mozart "Quintet In C, K. 515"
Paganini 3 Caprices
Prokofieff "Concerto In G Minor, No. 2"
Respighi Sonata In D Minor
Rózsa Concerto
Saint-Saëns "Sonata In D, No. 1"
Schubert Fantaisie
Schubert "Trio No. 1, In B, Op. 49"
Schubert Quintet In C Major
Sibelius Violin Concerto
Spohr Double String Quartet
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto In D, Op. 35
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto, Sinding – Suite
Tschaikowsky Violin Concerto
Tschaikowsky Sérénade Mélancolique
Vivaldi Concerto For Violin And Cello In B-flat;
Walton Concerto For Violin
Arensky Trio In D Minor
Bach Concerto In E Major
Beethoven "Sonata In C Minor, No. 7"
Beethoven "Romances, No. 1 and 2"
Beethoven "Trios In C Minor, Op. 9, No. 3"
Beethoven "Spring Sonata In F, Op. 24, No. 5"
Beethoven "Piano Trio In E-flat, Op. 70, No. 2"
Brahms Concerto In A Minor
Bruch Concerto In G Minor
Castelnuovo-Tedesco "The Lark, Fauré – Sonata, Op. 13"
Grieg Sonata In G
Haydn Divertimento, Rózsa – Tema Con Variazioni
Lalo "Symphonie Espagnole, Op. 21"
Martin Duo For Violin And Cello
Schubert Sonatina in G minor
Schubert "Trio In B-flat, No. 2"
Strauss Sonata In E-flat
Tchaikovsky "Trio In A Minor, Op. 50"
Beethoven "Sonata No. 3, Sonata No. 6"
Bach Three Sinfonia;
Bach Concerto For Two Violins
Beethoven Sonata No. 7
Beethoven Sonata Nos. 1 &2
Benjamin Romantic Fantasy
Benjamin Romantic Fantasy
Boccherini Sonata In D
Brahms Sextet In G Major
Bruch Scottish Fantasy
Chausson Concerto For Violin
Conus Concerto In E Minor
Debussy "Sonata In G Minor, No. 3"
Dvořák "Piano Trio, Dumky"
Grieg "Sonata No. 3, Brahms – Sonata No. 1
Wieniawski, Tchaikovsky, Rameau, J.S.Bach, Padilla, Sarasate"
Handel Halvorsen – Passacaglia
Handel Sonata In E Major
Mozart "Sonata In C, No. 8, K. 296"
Mozart "Concerto In D, No. 1, K. 218"
Prokofieff Concerto In G Minor
Ravel Trio In A Minor
Ravel Tzigane
Saint-Saëns "Sonata In D Minor, Op. 75, No. 1"
Schubert Sonata In G Minor
Spohr Concerto No. 8
Strauss Sonata In E-flat
Toch Vivace molto
Vieuxtemps "Concerto In A Minor, Op. 37, No. 5"
Vitali Chaconne
Wieniawski Concerto No. 2
See also
Jascha Heifetz Competition
References
Sources
Auer, Leopold, 1923, My Long Life in Music, Stokes, New York
External links
Jascha Heifetz official website
Jascha Heifetz at Sony BMG Masterworks
NPR Classical Music: Heifetz at War: Behind the Scenes, Near the Front
Jascha Heifetz Collection (ARS.0046), Stanford Archive of Recorded Sound
Jascha Heifetz recordings at the Discography of American Historical Recordings.
20th-century American musicians
20th-century classical violinists
1901 births
1987 deaths
American classical violinists
Male classical violinists
American male violinists
Child classical musicians
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winners
Jewish American classical musicians
Jewish classical musicians
Jewish classical violinists
Musicians from Vilnius
Saint Petersburg Conservatory alumni
Thornton School of Music faculty
20th-century American male musicians
Russian Jews
Russian classical violinists
20th-century Russian male musicians
20th-century Russian musicians
20th-century American Jews
| false |
[
"They Shall Have Music is a 1939 musical film directed by Archie Mayo and starring famed violinist Jascha Heifetz (as himself), Joel McCrea, Andrea Leeds, and Gene Reynolds. The screenplay concerns a young runaway finds his purpose in life after hearing Heifetz play, and the kindly master of a music school in financial difficulty takes him in.\n\nPlot\nYoungster Frankie (Gene Reynolds) and his small gang commit petty crimes in their New York City tenement neighborhood, such as stealing bicycles and taking money from other boys. One of those boys, Willy (Tommy Kelly), complains to his father about this, who takes the matter to Frankie's mother (Marjorie Main) and stepfather (Arthur Hohl). Frankie finds an old violin in his basement which he used to play when his father was around. He then pawns it to get some money to put in the gang's treasury.\n\nOne day, Frankie and his friend \"Limey\" (Terry Kilburn) hide from the police in the lobby of a concert hall. When a couple has an argument, the man disgustedly throws away his tickets. Unable to scalp them, the boys decide to attend the concert. Frankie is entranced by the virtuoso performance of Jascha Heifetz. Later, he sees his violin in the window of a local pawn shop, and decides he wants it back. Frankie steals his little gang's stash of spare change to buy the violin, which he handles with aplomb back in his mother's kitchen. His stepfather comes home and believes Frankie stole it, smashes the instrument, and decides to pack him off to reform school. Frankie immediately runs away, putting his shoe shine gear into the empty violin case as his only possession.\n\nHe stumbles upon a music school for the poor, founded by Professor Lawson (Walter Brennan). Lawson discovers that Frankie has perfect pitch and instantly enrolls the boy. That night, Frankie sneaks into the basement to sleep, but Lawson finds him. After hearing his story, he lets Frankie stay.\n\nUnbeknownst to Lawson, the school (which does not require tuition fees) is in financial trouble. The school's sponsor has died, and bills have gone unpaid for months. All of the musical instruments are rented from a stingy music store owner ironically named Mr. Flower (Porter Hall). Flower assigns one of his clerks, Peter (Joel McCrea), to collect payment, but Peter's girlfriend is Lawson's daughter, Ann (Andrea Leeds), so he does nothing. When Flower finds out, he fires Peter and goes to confront Ann.\n\nFrankie overhears Peter and Ann discussing the situation, and organizes a street band with some of the other students to raise money. They set up right next to a concert hall where, according to clever Frankie, \"people will like us.\" When Jascha Heifetz comes out of the hall, Frankie recognizes him and tells him about the school and the fund raising concert they have scheduled. Heifetz is impressed with Frankie and the story and offers to send a film of himself playing. Later, when Flower and the other creditors show up to collect payment, they get the mistaken impression that Heifetz is the school's new sponsor. Peter plays along to buy time, and even claims that the violinist will perform at the school's upcoming concert.\n\nSuspicious, Flower goes to see Heifetz and discovers the truth. Limey and the rest of Frankie's old gang try to persuade Heifetz to come, but they are turned away without seeing him. Limey steals Heifetz's Stradivarius violin as a present for Frankie, unaware of its great value. When Frankie tries to return it, he is detained by the police but refuses to talk to anyone but Heifetz. When Heifetz shows up at the police station to collect his instrument, Frankie is able to persuade him to perform at the concert. Heifetz plays to Flower and a rapt audience of the parents of the children, and it appears that the school will now be sponsored by Heifetz.\n\nCast\n\nJascha Heifetz as himself\nJoel McCrea as Peter McCarthy\nAndrea Leeds as Ann Lawson\nGene Reynolds as Frankie\nWalter Brennan as Professor Lawson\nTerry Kilburn as Limey\nPorter Hall as Mr. Flower\nWalter Tetley as Rocks Mulligan\nChuck Stubbs as Fever Jones\nTommy Kelly as Willie\nGale Sherwood as Betty (as Jacqueline Nash)\nAlfred Newman as Musical Director\nMary Ruth as Suzie\nJohn St. Polis as Davis\nAlexander Schoenberg as Menken (as Alexander Schonberg)\nMarjorie Main as Mrs. Miller\nArthur Hohl as Mr. Miller\nPaul Harvey as Heifetz's Manager\nEmory Parnell as Policeman in Rain\n\nExternal links\n\nThe Official Website of American Violinist Jascha Heifetz\n\n1939 films\n1930s musical drama films\nAmerican musical drama films\nAmerican films\nFilms directed by Archie Mayo\nAmerican black-and-white films\nFilms about classical music and musicians\nFilms about violins and violinists\nFilms scored by Alfred Newman\nSamuel Goldwyn Productions films\nUnited Artists films\n1939 drama films",
"A Walk With Mr. Heifetz is a 2018 Off-Broadway play written by James Inverne which premiered on January 31, presented by Primary Stages Theater Company at the Cherry Lane Theatre. Directed by Primary Stages' artistic director Andrew Leynse, the play stars Adam Green, Yuval Boim, and Erik Lochtefeld, and will feature live music performed by violinist Mariella Haubs.\n\nIn May 2020 an audio recording of the play was released on YouTube for a limited time and to benefit the charities the America Israel Cultural Foundation and Meir Panim. The cast included Yuval Boim, Ed Stoppard, Richard Topol and Mariella Haubs.\n\nSummary\nThe play revolves around the true-life story in 1926 of a visit by famed violinist Jascha Heifetz to British Mandatory Palestine, where he performed in a stone quarry at the Ein Harod kibbutz. After the concert, Heifetz goes on a long walk with Yehuda Sharett, the kibbutz movement pioneer, composer and brother to Zionist leader (and later first Foreign Minister and second Prime Minister of Israel) Moshe Sharett. The play deals with the reverberations of that visit on the Sharett brothers and the implications of Yehuda's conversation with Heifetz on the creation of Israel, as 20 years later the brothers meet as war looms on the horizon.\n\nDevelopment\nThe play was developed through a series of private readings in New York City and a public preview reading in London at the Jewish Book Week festival at King's Place in March 2017, which featured performances by Henry Goodman and Ed Stoppard.\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\nA Walk With Mr. Heifetz at Primary Stages\n\n2018 plays\nAmerican plays\nOff-Broadway plays\nPlays set in the 1920s"
] |
[
"Jascha Heifetz",
"Early recordings",
"Did Jascha attend college?",
"I don't know.",
"Did he make any professional musical releases during his career?",
"Heifetz made his first recordings in Russia during 1910-11,",
"What was Heifetz's most famous work?",
"He recorded the Beethoven Violin Concerto in 1940 with the NBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Arturo Toscanini,",
"Did Heifetz play any other instruments?",
"of Heifetz playing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto,"
] |
C_b3fbac98eb0244d78e9b6bd86b59cf6d_1
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Did he work with other musicians?
| 5 |
Did Jascha Heifetz work with any musicians other than Arturo Toscanini?
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Jascha Heifetz
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Heifetz made his first recordings in Russia during 1910-11, while still a student of Leopold Auer. The existence of these recordings was not widely known until after Heifetz's death, when several sides, including Francois Schubert's L'Abeille, were reissued on an LP included as a supplement to The Strad magazine. Shortly after his Carnegie Hall debut on 7 November 1917, Heifetz made his first recordings for the Victor Talking Machine Company/RCA Victor where he would remain for most of his career. For several years, in the 1930s, Heifetz recorded primarily for HMV in the UK because RCA Victor cut back on expensive classical recording sessions during the Great Depression; these discs were issued in the US by RCA Victor. Heifetz often enjoyed playing chamber music. Various critics have blamed his limited success in chamber ensembles to the fact that his artistic personality tended to overwhelm his colleagues. Some notable collaborations include his 1941 recordings of piano trios by Beethoven, Schubert, and Brahms with cellist Emanuel Feuermann and pianist Arthur Rubinstein as well as a later collaboration with Rubinstein and cellist Gregor Piatigorsky, with whom he recorded trios by Maurice Ravel, Tchaikovsky, and Felix Mendelssohn. Both formations were sometimes referred to as the Million Dollar Trio. Heifetz also recorded some string quintets with violinist Israel Baker, violists William Primrose and Virginia Majewski, and Piatigorsky. He recorded the Beethoven Violin Concerto in 1940 with the NBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Arturo Toscanini, and again in stereo in 1955 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Charles Munch. A live performance of an NBC radio broadcast from 9 April 1944, of Heifetz playing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto, with Toscanini and the NBC Symphony, has also been released. He performed and recorded Erich Wolfgang Korngold's Violin Concerto at a time when Korngold's scoring of numerous films for Warner Brothers prompted many classical musicians to develop the scarcely warranted opinion that Korngold was not a "serious" composer and to avoid his music in order to avoid being associated with him. CANNOTANSWER
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Some notable collaborations include his 1941 recordings of piano trios by Beethoven, Schubert, and Brahms with
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Jascha Heifetz (; December 10, 1987) was a Russian-American violinist. Born in Vilnius, he moved while still a teenager to the United States, where his Carnegie Hall debut was rapturously received. He was a virtuoso since childhood. Fritz Kreisler, another leading violinist of the twentieth century, said after hearing Heifetz's debut, "We might as well take our fiddles and break them across our knees." He had a long and successful performing career; however, after an injury to his right (bowing) arm, he switched his focus to teaching.
Late in life, Heifetz became a dedicated teacher and a champion of socio-political causes. He publicly advocated to establish 9-1-1 as an emergency phone number, and crusaded for clean air. He and his students at the University of Southern California protested smog by wearing gas masks, and in 1967, he converted his Renault passenger car into an electric vehicle.
Early life
Heifetz was born into a Russian-Jewish family in Vilnius (Russian Empire, now Lithuania).
His father, Reuven Heifetz, was a local violin teacher and served as the concertmaster of the Vilnius Theatre Orchestra for one season before the theatre closed down. While Jascha was an infant, his father did a series of tests, observing how his son responded to his violin playing. This convinced him that Jascha had great potential, and before Jascha was two years old, his father bought him a small violin, and taught him bowing and simple fingering.
At four years old, he started lessons with Elias Malkin. He was a child prodigy, making his public debut at seven, in Kovno (now Kaunas, Lithuania) playing the Violin Concerto in E minor by Felix Mendelssohn. In 1910, he entered the Saint Petersburg Conservatory to study under Ovanes Nalbandian and later under Leopold Auer.
He played in Germany and Scandinavia, and met Fritz Kreisler for the first time in a Berlin private house, in a "private press matinee on May 20, 1912. The home was that of Arthur Abell, the pre-eminent Berlin music critic for the American magazine, Musical Courier. Among other noted violinists in attendance was Fritz Kreisler. After the 12-year-old Heifetz performed the Mendelssohn violin concerto, Abell reported that Kreisler said to all present, 'We may as well break our fiddles across our knees.'"
Heifetz visited much of Europe while still in his teens. In April 1911, he performed in an outdoor concert in St. Petersburg before 25,000 spectators; there was such a reaction that police officers needed to protect the young violinist after the concert. In 1914, he performed with the Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Arthur Nikisch. The conductor said he had never heard such an excellent violinist.
Career
Heifetz and his family left Russia in 1917, traveling by rail to the Russian far east and then by ship to the United States, arriving in San Francisco. On October 27, 1917, Heifetz played for the first time in the United States, at Carnegie Hall in New York, and became an immediate sensation.
Fellow violinist Mischa Elman in the audience asked "Do you think it's hot in here?", whereupon the pianist Leopold Godowsky, in the next seat, replied, "Not for pianists."
In 1917, Heifetz was elected an honorary member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the national fraternity for men in music, by the fraternity's Alpha chapter at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. At 16, he was perhaps the youngest person ever elected to membership in the organization. Heifetz remained in the country and became an American citizen in 1925. A story circulates that tells of an interaction with one of the Marx Brothers: when he told the brother (usually Groucho or Harpo) that he had been earning his living as a musician since the age of seven, he received the reply, "Before that, I suppose, you were just a bum."
In 1954, Heifetz began working with pianist Brooks Smith, who was Heifetz's accompanist for many years until he changed to Ayke Agus as his accompanist in retirement. He was also accompanied in concert for more than 20 years by Emmanuel Bay, another immigrant from Russia and a personal friend. Heifetz's musicianship was such that he would demonstrate to his accompanist how he wanted passages to sound on the piano, and would even suggest which fingerings to use.
After the seasons of 1955–56, Heifetz announced that he would sharply curtail his concert activity, saying "I have been playing for a very long time." In 1958, he tripped in his kitchen and fractured his right hip, resulting in hospitalization at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital and a near fatal staphylococcus infection. He was invited to play Beethoven at the United Nations General Assembly, and entered leaning on a cane. By 1967, Heifetz had considerably curtailed his concert performances.
Technique and timbre
Heifetz was "regarded as the greatest violin virtuoso since Paganini", wrote Lois Timnick of the Los Angeles Times. "He set all standards for 20th-century violin playing...everything about him conspired to create a sense of awe", wrote music critic Harold Schonberg of The New York Times. "The goals he set still remain, and for violinists today it's rather depressing that they may never really be attained again", wrote violinist Itzhak Perlman.
Virgil Thomson called Heifetz's style of playing "silk underwear music", a term he did not intend as a compliment. Other critics argue that he infused his playing with feeling and reverence for the composer's intentions. His style of playing was highly influential in defining the way modern violinists approached the instrument. His use of rapid vibrato, emotionally charged portamento, fast tempi, and superb bow control coalesced to create a highly distinctive sound that makes Heifetz's playing instantly recognizable to aficionados. Itzhak Perlman, who himself is known for his rich warm tone and expressive use of portamento, described Heifetz's tone as like "a tornado" because of its emotional intensity. Perlman said that Heifetz preferred to record relatively close to the microphone—and as a result, one would perceive a somewhat different tone quality when listening to Heifetz during a concert hall performance.
Heifetz was very particular about his choice of strings. He used a silver wound Tricolore gut G string, plain unvarnished gut D and A strings, and a Goldbrokat medium steel E string, and employed clear Hill-brand rosin sparingly. Heifetz believed that playing on gut strings was important in rendering an individual sound.
Early recordings
Heifetz made his first recordings in Russia during 1910–11, while still a student of Leopold Auer. The existence of these recordings was not generally known until after Heifetz's death, when several sides, including François Schubert's L'Abeille, were reissued on an LP included as a supplement to The Strad magazine.
Shortly after his Carnegie Hall debut on November 7, 1917, Heifetz made his first recordings for the Victor Talking Machine Company/RCA Victor where he remained for most of the rest of his career. On October 28, 1927, Heifetz was the starring act at the grand opening of Tucson, Arizona's now-historic Temple of Music and Art. For several years, in the 1930s, Heifetz recorded primarily for HMV/EMI in the UK because RCA Victor cut back on expensive classical recording sessions during the Great Depression; these HMV discs were issued in the United States by RCA Victor. Heifetz often enjoyed playing chamber music. Various critics have blamed his limited success in chamber ensembles to the fact that his artistic personality tended to overwhelm his colleagues. Collaborations include his 1941 recordings of piano trios by Beethoven, Schubert, and Brahms with cellist Emanuel Feuermann and pianist Arthur Rubinstein as well as a later collaboration with Rubinstein and cellist Gregor Piatigorsky, with whom he recorded trios by Maurice Ravel, Tchaikovsky, and Felix Mendelssohn. Both formations were sometimes referred to as the Million Dollar Trio. Heifetz also recorded some string quintets with violinist Israel Baker, violists William Primrose and Virginia Majewski, and Piatigorsky.
Heifetz recorded the Beethoven Violin Concerto in 1940 with the NBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Arturo Toscanini, and again in stereo in 1955 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Charles Munch. A live performance of an NBC radio broadcast from April 9, 1944, of Heifetz playing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto with Toscanini and the NBC Symphony has also been released, unofficially.
He performed and recorded Erich Wolfgang Korngold's Violin Concerto at a time when Korngold's scoring of films for Warner Bros. prompted many classical musicians to develop the opinion Korngold was not a "serious" composer and to avoid his music in order to avoid being associated with him.
World War II
During the war, Heifetz commissioned a number of pieces, including the Violin Concerto by William Walton. He also arranged a number of pieces, such as Hora Staccato by Grigoraș Dinicu, a Romanian whom Heifetz is rumoured to have called the greatest violinist he had ever heard. Heifetz also played and composed for the piano. He performed mess hall jazz for soldiers at Allied camps across Europe during the Second World War, and under the alias Jim Hoyl he wrote a hit song, When You Make Love to Me (Don't Make Believe), which was sung by Bing Crosby.
Decca recordings
From 1944 to 1946, largely as a result of the American Federation of Musicians recording ban (which began in 1942), Heifetz recorded with American Decca because the company settled with the union in 1943, well before RCA Victor resolved their dispute with the musicians. He recorded primarily short pieces, including his own arrangements of music by George Gershwin and Stephen Foster; these were pieces he often played as encores in his recitals. He was accompanied on the piano by Emanuel Bay or Milton Kaye. Among the more uncommon discs featured one of Decca's popular artists, Bing Crosby, in the "Lullaby" from Benjamin Godard's opera Jocelyn and Where My Caravan Has Rested (arranged by Heifetz and Crosby) by Hermann Löhr (1871–1943); Decca's studio orchestra was conducted by Victor Young on July 27, 1946, session. Heifetz soon returned to RCA Victor, where he continued to make recordings until the early 1970s.
Later recordings
Returning to RCA Victor in 1946, Heifetz continued to record extensively for the company, including solo, chamber, and concerto recordings, primarily with the Boston Symphony Orchestra under Charles Munch and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under Fritz Reiner.
In 2000, RCA released a double CD compilation entitled Jascha Heifetz – The Supreme. This release provides a sampling of Heifetz's major recordings, including the 1955 recording of Brahms's Violin Concerto with Reiner and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; the 1957 recording of Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto (with the same forces); the 1959 recording of Sibelius's Violin Concerto with Walter Hendl and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; the 1961 recording of Max Bruch's Scottish Fantasy with Sir Malcolm Sargent and the New Symphony Orchestra of London; the 1963 recording of Glazunov's A minor Concerto with Walter Hendl and the RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra (drawn from New York musicians); the 1965 recording of George Gershwin's Three Preludes (transcribed by Heifetz) with pianist Brooks Smith; and the 1970 recording of Bach's unaccompanied Chaconne from the Partita No. 2 in D minor.
Third Israel tour
On his third tour to Israel in 1953, Heifetz included the Violin Sonata by Richard Strauss in his recitals. At the time, many considered Strauss and a number of other German intellectuals Nazis, or at least Nazi sympathizers, and Strauss works were unofficially banned in Israel along with those of Richard Wagner. Despite the fact that the Holocaust had occurred less than ten years earlier and a last-minute plea from the Israeli Minister of Education, the defiant Heifetz argued, "The music is above these factors … I will not change my program. I have the right to decide on my repertoire." Throughout his tour the performance of the Strauss sonata was followed by dead silence.
Heifetz was attacked after his recital in Jerusalem outside his hotel by a young man who struck Heifetz's violin case with a crowbar, prompting Heifetz to use his bow-controlling right hand to protect his priceless violins. The attacker escaped and was never found. The attack has since been attributed to the Kingdom of Israel terrorist group. The incident made headlines and Heifetz defiantly announced that he would not stop playing the Strauss. Threats continued to come, however, and he omitted the Strauss from his next recital without explanation. His last concert was cancelled after his swollen right hand began to hurt. He left Israel and did not return until 1970.
Immigration to the U.S.
The Soviet establishment considered Heifetz and his teacher Leopold Auer traitors to their home country for emigrating to the US. Meanwhile, musicians who remained, such as David Oistrakh, were seen as patriots. Heifetz greatly criticized the Soviet regime, and condemned the International Tchaikovsky Competition for bias against Western competitors. During the Carl Flesch Competition in London, Oistrakh tried to persuade Erick Friedman, Heifetz's star student, to enter the Tchaikovsky Competition, of which he was the principal juror. Hearing of this, Heifetz strongly advised against it, warning Friedman, "You will see what will happen there."
Consequently, the competition received international outrage after Friedman, already a seasoned performer and RCA Victor recording artist, who had performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra, among many others, was placed sixth behind players who had yet to establish themselves. Joseph Szigeti later informed Heifetz himself that he had given Friedman top scores.
Later life
After an only partially successful operation on his right shoulder in 1972, Heifetz ceased giving concerts and making records. His prowess as a performer remained, and he still played privately until the end—but his bow arm was affected, and he could never again hold the bow as high as before.
Heifetz taught the violin extensively, holding master classes first at UCLA, then at the University of Southern California, where the faculty included renowned cellist Gregor Piatigorsky and violist William Primrose. For a few years in the 1980s, he also held classes in his private studio at home in Beverly Hills. His teaching studio can be seen today in the main building of the Colburn School and serves as an inspiration to the students there. During his teaching career Heifetz taught, among others, Erick Friedman, Pierre Amoyal, Adam Han-Gorski, Rudolf Koelman, Endre Granat, Teiji Okubo, Eugene Fodor, Paul Rosenthal, Ilkka Talvi and Ayke Agus.
During the last ten years of his life, Heifetz visited Hans Benning at Benning Violins for maintenance on his 1740 Guarneri violin.
Death
Heifetz died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, on December 10, 1987, at the age of 86 following a fall in his home.
Legacy
Heifetz owned the 1714 Dolphin Stradivarius, the 1731 "Piel" Stradivarius, the 1736 Carlo Tononi, and the 1742 ex David Guarneri del Gesù, the last of which he preferred and kept until his death. The Dolphin Strad is currently owned by the Nippon Music Foundation. The Heifetz Tononi violin, used at his 1917 Carnegie Hall debut, was left in his will to Sherry Kloss, his Master-Teaching Assistant, with "one of my four good bows". Violinist Kloss wrote Jascha Heifetz Through My Eyes, and is a co-founder of the Jascha Heifetz Society.
The famed Guarneri is now in the San Francisco Legion of Honor Museum, as instructed by Heifetz in his will, and may only be taken out and played "on special occasions" by deserving players. The instrument has recently been on loan to San Francisco Symphony's concertmaster Alexander Barantschik, who featured it in 2006 with Andrei Gorbatenko and the San Francisco Academy Orchestra in 2006. In 1989, Heifetz received a posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Family
Heifetz's son Jay is a professional photographer. He was formerly head of marketing for the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Hollywood Bowl, and the chief financial officer of Paramount Pictures' Worldwide Video Division. He lives and works in Fremantle, Western Australia. Heifetz's daughter, Josefa Heifetz Byrne, is a lexicographer, the author of the Dictionary of Unusual, Obscure and Preposterous Words.
Heifetz's great-niece is famed clarinetist, formerly of the LA Philharmonic, Michele Zukovsky.
Filmography
Heifetz played a featured role in the movie They Shall Have Music (1939) directed by Archie Mayo and written by John Howard Lawson and Irmgard von Cube. He played himself, stepping in to save a music school for poor children from foreclosure. He later appeared in the film, Carnegie Hall (1947), performing an abridged version of the first movement of Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto, with the orchestra led by Fritz Reiner, and consoling the star of the picture, who had watched his performance. In 1951, he appeared in the film Of Men and Music. In 1962, he appeared in a televised series of his master classes, and, in 1971, Heifetz on Television aired, an hour-long color special that featured the violinist performing a series of short works, the Scottish Fantasy by Max Bruch, and the Chaconne from the Partita No. 2 by J.S.Bach. Heifetz conducted the orchestra, as the surviving video recording documents.
The most recent film featuring Heifetz, Jascha Heifetz: God's Fiddler, premiered on April 16, 2011, at the Colburn School of Music. It is described as: "The only film biography of the world's most renowned violinist, featuring family home movies in Los Angeles and all over the world. The documentary-like film talks about Heifetz's life and accomplishments and gives an inside view of his personal life."
Notable instruments
Dolphin 1714 Stradivarius
Heifetz-Piel 1731 Stradivarius
Antonio Stradivari 1734
Carlo Tononi 1736
Giovanni Battista Guadagnini, Piacenza 1741
ex-David 1742 Guarneri
Discography
Jascha Heifetz was a prolific recording artist. All of his recordings have been reissued on compact disc.
J.S. Bach Chaconne DVD
Mendelssohn Octet In E-flat Major
Mozart Concerto In D Major
Mozart Symphonie Concertante In E-flat Major
Stravinsky Suite Italienne
Toch "Divertimento, Op. 37, No. 2"
Turina "Trio, Op. 35, No. 1"
Vieuxtemps Concerto No. 5
Bach Concerto In A Minor
Bach "Sonata No. 1, Partita No. 2"
Bach "Sonata No. 2, Partita No. 3"
Bach "Sonata, No. 3, Partita No. 1"
Beethoven Concerto In D Major
Beethoven "Archduke Trio In B-flat Major, Op. 97, No. 7"
Beethoven "Sonata In A Minor, No. 4"
Beethoven Kreutzer Sonata
Beethoven "Sonata No. 8, Sonata No. 10"
Beethoven "Trios In G, Op. 9, No. 1"
Beethoven "Trio In E-flat Major, Op. 3"
Beethoven Violin Concerto In D
Beethoven "Trio In D, Op. 9, No. 2"
Beethoven "Piano Trio, Op. 1, No. 1 "
Bloch Poème Mystique
Bloch Sonata
Brahms Concerto For Violin And Cello
Brahms Piano Quartet In C Minor
Brahms "Quintette In G, Op. 111 "
Brahms Trio No. 1 In B Major
Brahms "Concerto In D, Op. 77"
Brahms Violin Concerto
Brahms 3 Hungarian Dances
Brahms Concerto, Chausson – Poème, Bruch – Scottish Fantasy
Bruch Scottish Fantasy
Bruch "Concerto In G Minor, Op. 26, No. 1"
Bruch Concerto No. 2
Castelnuovo -Tedesco ? Concerto No. 2
Chausson Poème Op. 25
Dohnányi Serenade In C
Dvořák "Piano Trio In F Minor, Op. 65"
Dvořák Piano Quintet In A
Dvořák Piano Quintet No. 2
Ferguson Sonata No. 1
Françaix String Trio
Franck Sonata In A
Franck Piano Quintet In F Minor
Gershwin Porgy And Bess; Music Of France
Glazounov Violin Concerto
Glière "Duo For Violin And Cello, Op. 39"
Handel Halvorsen Passacaglia For Violin And Cello
J.S. Bach Concerto In D Minor
Khachaturian "Sonata, Op. 1"
Korngold "Violin Concerto In D, Op. 35"
Mendelssohn "Trio In C Minor, No. 2"
Mendelssohn "Trio No. 1 In D Minor, Op. 49 "
Mendelssohn Concerto In E Minor
Mendelssohn Concerto In E Minor
Mendelssohn "String Octet in E-flat Major, Op. 20"
Mozart Quintet In C Minor
Mozart "Divertimento In E=flat Major, K. 563"
Mozart "Concerto In A, No. 5, K. 219 "
Mozart "Divertimento In E-flat, Duo In B-flat, No. 2"
Mozart "Sonata No. 10, K378, No. 15, K454"
Mozart "Symphonie In E-flat, K. 364"
Mozart "Violin Concerto, No. 5, K. 219"
Mozart "Quintet In C, K. 515"
Paganini 3 Caprices
Prokofieff "Concerto In G Minor, No. 2"
Respighi Sonata In D Minor
Rózsa Concerto
Saint-Saëns "Sonata In D, No. 1"
Schubert Fantaisie
Schubert "Trio No. 1, In B, Op. 49"
Schubert Quintet In C Major
Sibelius Violin Concerto
Spohr Double String Quartet
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto In D, Op. 35
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto, Sinding – Suite
Tschaikowsky Violin Concerto
Tschaikowsky Sérénade Mélancolique
Vivaldi Concerto For Violin And Cello In B-flat;
Walton Concerto For Violin
Arensky Trio In D Minor
Bach Concerto In E Major
Beethoven "Sonata In C Minor, No. 7"
Beethoven "Romances, No. 1 and 2"
Beethoven "Trios In C Minor, Op. 9, No. 3"
Beethoven "Spring Sonata In F, Op. 24, No. 5"
Beethoven "Piano Trio In E-flat, Op. 70, No. 2"
Brahms Concerto In A Minor
Bruch Concerto In G Minor
Castelnuovo-Tedesco "The Lark, Fauré – Sonata, Op. 13"
Grieg Sonata In G
Haydn Divertimento, Rózsa – Tema Con Variazioni
Lalo "Symphonie Espagnole, Op. 21"
Martin Duo For Violin And Cello
Schubert Sonatina in G minor
Schubert "Trio In B-flat, No. 2"
Strauss Sonata In E-flat
Tchaikovsky "Trio In A Minor, Op. 50"
Beethoven "Sonata No. 3, Sonata No. 6"
Bach Three Sinfonia;
Bach Concerto For Two Violins
Beethoven Sonata No. 7
Beethoven Sonata Nos. 1 &2
Benjamin Romantic Fantasy
Benjamin Romantic Fantasy
Boccherini Sonata In D
Brahms Sextet In G Major
Bruch Scottish Fantasy
Chausson Concerto For Violin
Conus Concerto In E Minor
Debussy "Sonata In G Minor, No. 3"
Dvořák "Piano Trio, Dumky"
Grieg "Sonata No. 3, Brahms – Sonata No. 1
Wieniawski, Tchaikovsky, Rameau, J.S.Bach, Padilla, Sarasate"
Handel Halvorsen – Passacaglia
Handel Sonata In E Major
Mozart "Sonata In C, No. 8, K. 296"
Mozart "Concerto In D, No. 1, K. 218"
Prokofieff Concerto In G Minor
Ravel Trio In A Minor
Ravel Tzigane
Saint-Saëns "Sonata In D Minor, Op. 75, No. 1"
Schubert Sonata In G Minor
Spohr Concerto No. 8
Strauss Sonata In E-flat
Toch Vivace molto
Vieuxtemps "Concerto In A Minor, Op. 37, No. 5"
Vitali Chaconne
Wieniawski Concerto No. 2
See also
Jascha Heifetz Competition
References
Sources
Auer, Leopold, 1923, My Long Life in Music, Stokes, New York
External links
Jascha Heifetz official website
Jascha Heifetz at Sony BMG Masterworks
NPR Classical Music: Heifetz at War: Behind the Scenes, Near the Front
Jascha Heifetz Collection (ARS.0046), Stanford Archive of Recorded Sound
Jascha Heifetz recordings at the Discography of American Historical Recordings.
20th-century American musicians
20th-century classical violinists
1901 births
1987 deaths
American classical violinists
Male classical violinists
American male violinists
Child classical musicians
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winners
Jewish American classical musicians
Jewish classical musicians
Jewish classical violinists
Musicians from Vilnius
Saint Petersburg Conservatory alumni
Thornton School of Music faculty
20th-century American male musicians
Russian Jews
Russian classical violinists
20th-century Russian male musicians
20th-century Russian musicians
20th-century American Jews
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[
"John Anderson (January 31, 1921 – August 18, 1974) was a jazz trumpeter. Born in Birmingham, Alabama, he studied at the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music and the Westlake College of Music. He did a good deal of work in West Coast jazz with Stan Kenton and others.\n\nDiscography\nWith Count Basie\nEveryday I Have the Blues (Roulette, 1959) - with Joe Williams\nDance Along with Basie (Roulette, 1959)\nThe Count Basie Story (Roulette, 1960)\nWith Buddy Collette\nTanganyika (Dig, 1956)\nWith Chico Hamilton\nChic Chic Chico (Impulse!, 1965)\nWith Stan Kenton\nStan Kenton's Milestones (Capitol, 1943-47 [1950])\nStan Kenton Classics (Capitol, 1944-47 [1952])\nArtistry in Rhythm (Capitol, 1946)\nEncores (Capitol, 1947)\nA Presentation of Progressive Jazz (Capitol, 1947)\nThe Kenton Era (Capitol, 1940–54, [1955])\nTwo Much! (Capitol, 1960) with Ann Richards\n\nReferences \n\nAfrican-American jazz musicians\nWest Coast jazz trumpeters\n1921 births\n1974 deaths\n20th-century American musicians\n20th-century trumpeters\nAmerican jazz trumpeters\nAmerican male trumpeters\n20th-century American male musicians\nAmerican male jazz musicians\n20th-century African-American musicians",
"George Washington (born October 18, 1907) was an American jazz trombonist.\n\nWashington was born in Brunswick, Georgia, United States, and raised in Jacksonville, Florida. He began playing trombone at age ten, and attended Edward Waters College in the early 1920s. He relocated to Philadelphia in 1925 and played with J.W. Pepper before moving to New York City shortly thereafter.\n\nIn New York, Washington studied under Walter Damrosch at the New York Conservatory, playing with various ensembles in the late 1920s. In 1931, he began playing with Don Redman, and gigged with Benny Carter in 1932 and Spike Hughes in 1933. In the mid-1930s, he played and arranged for the Mills Blue Rhythm Band and worked with Red Allen and Fletcher Henderson. From 1937 to 1943, he played in Louis Armstrong's orchestra.\n\nAfter his tenure with Armstrong he moved to the West Coast, and played with Horace Henderson, Carter again, and Count Basie. From 1947 he led his own ensemble, playing in California and the Las Vegas Strip. He and drummer Johnny Otis collaborated often, and in 1960 Washington worked with Joe Darensbourg. He did freelance work as a player and arranger later in his life.\n\nGunther Schuller wrote of him:George Washington is another one of the many gifted lesser-known musicians jazz has produced. While not a path-breaking major figure, Washington was a consistently inventive soloist whose fine work can be heard not only with the Blue Rhythm Band but with Armstrong's late 1930s' band and Count Basie. The range of his talent can be assessed on, for example, Kokey Joe (hot and growly, rangey) or Harlem After Midnight.\n\nWashington should not be confused with any of several other musicians named George Washington, including a bassist who played with John Lee Hooker.\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\nBiography and discography at Jazzarcheology.com\n\n1907 births\nYear of death missing\nAmerican jazz trombonists\nAmerican male jazz musicians\nMale trombonists\nMills Blue Rhythm Band members\nMusicians from Georgia (U.S. state)\n20th-century trombonists\n20th-century American musicians\n20th-century American male musicians\nPeople from Brunswick, Georgia\nMusicians from Jacksonville, Florida\nJazz musicians from Florida"
] |
[
"Jascha Heifetz",
"Early recordings",
"Did Jascha attend college?",
"I don't know.",
"Did he make any professional musical releases during his career?",
"Heifetz made his first recordings in Russia during 1910-11,",
"What was Heifetz's most famous work?",
"He recorded the Beethoven Violin Concerto in 1940 with the NBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Arturo Toscanini,",
"Did Heifetz play any other instruments?",
"of Heifetz playing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto,",
"Did he work with other musicians?",
"Some notable collaborations include his 1941 recordings of piano trios by Beethoven, Schubert, and Brahms with"
] |
C_b3fbac98eb0244d78e9b6bd86b59cf6d_1
|
What type of music did he usually perform?
| 6 |
What type of music did Jascha Heifetz usually perform?
|
Jascha Heifetz
|
Heifetz made his first recordings in Russia during 1910-11, while still a student of Leopold Auer. The existence of these recordings was not widely known until after Heifetz's death, when several sides, including Francois Schubert's L'Abeille, were reissued on an LP included as a supplement to The Strad magazine. Shortly after his Carnegie Hall debut on 7 November 1917, Heifetz made his first recordings for the Victor Talking Machine Company/RCA Victor where he would remain for most of his career. For several years, in the 1930s, Heifetz recorded primarily for HMV in the UK because RCA Victor cut back on expensive classical recording sessions during the Great Depression; these discs were issued in the US by RCA Victor. Heifetz often enjoyed playing chamber music. Various critics have blamed his limited success in chamber ensembles to the fact that his artistic personality tended to overwhelm his colleagues. Some notable collaborations include his 1941 recordings of piano trios by Beethoven, Schubert, and Brahms with cellist Emanuel Feuermann and pianist Arthur Rubinstein as well as a later collaboration with Rubinstein and cellist Gregor Piatigorsky, with whom he recorded trios by Maurice Ravel, Tchaikovsky, and Felix Mendelssohn. Both formations were sometimes referred to as the Million Dollar Trio. Heifetz also recorded some string quintets with violinist Israel Baker, violists William Primrose and Virginia Majewski, and Piatigorsky. He recorded the Beethoven Violin Concerto in 1940 with the NBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Arturo Toscanini, and again in stereo in 1955 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Charles Munch. A live performance of an NBC radio broadcast from 9 April 1944, of Heifetz playing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto, with Toscanini and the NBC Symphony, has also been released. He performed and recorded Erich Wolfgang Korngold's Violin Concerto at a time when Korngold's scoring of numerous films for Warner Brothers prompted many classical musicians to develop the scarcely warranted opinion that Korngold was not a "serious" composer and to avoid his music in order to avoid being associated with him. CANNOTANSWER
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Heifetz often enjoyed playing chamber music.
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Jascha Heifetz (; December 10, 1987) was a Russian-American violinist. Born in Vilnius, he moved while still a teenager to the United States, where his Carnegie Hall debut was rapturously received. He was a virtuoso since childhood. Fritz Kreisler, another leading violinist of the twentieth century, said after hearing Heifetz's debut, "We might as well take our fiddles and break them across our knees." He had a long and successful performing career; however, after an injury to his right (bowing) arm, he switched his focus to teaching.
Late in life, Heifetz became a dedicated teacher and a champion of socio-political causes. He publicly advocated to establish 9-1-1 as an emergency phone number, and crusaded for clean air. He and his students at the University of Southern California protested smog by wearing gas masks, and in 1967, he converted his Renault passenger car into an electric vehicle.
Early life
Heifetz was born into a Russian-Jewish family in Vilnius (Russian Empire, now Lithuania).
His father, Reuven Heifetz, was a local violin teacher and served as the concertmaster of the Vilnius Theatre Orchestra for one season before the theatre closed down. While Jascha was an infant, his father did a series of tests, observing how his son responded to his violin playing. This convinced him that Jascha had great potential, and before Jascha was two years old, his father bought him a small violin, and taught him bowing and simple fingering.
At four years old, he started lessons with Elias Malkin. He was a child prodigy, making his public debut at seven, in Kovno (now Kaunas, Lithuania) playing the Violin Concerto in E minor by Felix Mendelssohn. In 1910, he entered the Saint Petersburg Conservatory to study under Ovanes Nalbandian and later under Leopold Auer.
He played in Germany and Scandinavia, and met Fritz Kreisler for the first time in a Berlin private house, in a "private press matinee on May 20, 1912. The home was that of Arthur Abell, the pre-eminent Berlin music critic for the American magazine, Musical Courier. Among other noted violinists in attendance was Fritz Kreisler. After the 12-year-old Heifetz performed the Mendelssohn violin concerto, Abell reported that Kreisler said to all present, 'We may as well break our fiddles across our knees.'"
Heifetz visited much of Europe while still in his teens. In April 1911, he performed in an outdoor concert in St. Petersburg before 25,000 spectators; there was such a reaction that police officers needed to protect the young violinist after the concert. In 1914, he performed with the Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Arthur Nikisch. The conductor said he had never heard such an excellent violinist.
Career
Heifetz and his family left Russia in 1917, traveling by rail to the Russian far east and then by ship to the United States, arriving in San Francisco. On October 27, 1917, Heifetz played for the first time in the United States, at Carnegie Hall in New York, and became an immediate sensation.
Fellow violinist Mischa Elman in the audience asked "Do you think it's hot in here?", whereupon the pianist Leopold Godowsky, in the next seat, replied, "Not for pianists."
In 1917, Heifetz was elected an honorary member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the national fraternity for men in music, by the fraternity's Alpha chapter at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. At 16, he was perhaps the youngest person ever elected to membership in the organization. Heifetz remained in the country and became an American citizen in 1925. A story circulates that tells of an interaction with one of the Marx Brothers: when he told the brother (usually Groucho or Harpo) that he had been earning his living as a musician since the age of seven, he received the reply, "Before that, I suppose, you were just a bum."
In 1954, Heifetz began working with pianist Brooks Smith, who was Heifetz's accompanist for many years until he changed to Ayke Agus as his accompanist in retirement. He was also accompanied in concert for more than 20 years by Emmanuel Bay, another immigrant from Russia and a personal friend. Heifetz's musicianship was such that he would demonstrate to his accompanist how he wanted passages to sound on the piano, and would even suggest which fingerings to use.
After the seasons of 1955–56, Heifetz announced that he would sharply curtail his concert activity, saying "I have been playing for a very long time." In 1958, he tripped in his kitchen and fractured his right hip, resulting in hospitalization at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital and a near fatal staphylococcus infection. He was invited to play Beethoven at the United Nations General Assembly, and entered leaning on a cane. By 1967, Heifetz had considerably curtailed his concert performances.
Technique and timbre
Heifetz was "regarded as the greatest violin virtuoso since Paganini", wrote Lois Timnick of the Los Angeles Times. "He set all standards for 20th-century violin playing...everything about him conspired to create a sense of awe", wrote music critic Harold Schonberg of The New York Times. "The goals he set still remain, and for violinists today it's rather depressing that they may never really be attained again", wrote violinist Itzhak Perlman.
Virgil Thomson called Heifetz's style of playing "silk underwear music", a term he did not intend as a compliment. Other critics argue that he infused his playing with feeling and reverence for the composer's intentions. His style of playing was highly influential in defining the way modern violinists approached the instrument. His use of rapid vibrato, emotionally charged portamento, fast tempi, and superb bow control coalesced to create a highly distinctive sound that makes Heifetz's playing instantly recognizable to aficionados. Itzhak Perlman, who himself is known for his rich warm tone and expressive use of portamento, described Heifetz's tone as like "a tornado" because of its emotional intensity. Perlman said that Heifetz preferred to record relatively close to the microphone—and as a result, one would perceive a somewhat different tone quality when listening to Heifetz during a concert hall performance.
Heifetz was very particular about his choice of strings. He used a silver wound Tricolore gut G string, plain unvarnished gut D and A strings, and a Goldbrokat medium steel E string, and employed clear Hill-brand rosin sparingly. Heifetz believed that playing on gut strings was important in rendering an individual sound.
Early recordings
Heifetz made his first recordings in Russia during 1910–11, while still a student of Leopold Auer. The existence of these recordings was not generally known until after Heifetz's death, when several sides, including François Schubert's L'Abeille, were reissued on an LP included as a supplement to The Strad magazine.
Shortly after his Carnegie Hall debut on November 7, 1917, Heifetz made his first recordings for the Victor Talking Machine Company/RCA Victor where he remained for most of the rest of his career. On October 28, 1927, Heifetz was the starring act at the grand opening of Tucson, Arizona's now-historic Temple of Music and Art. For several years, in the 1930s, Heifetz recorded primarily for HMV/EMI in the UK because RCA Victor cut back on expensive classical recording sessions during the Great Depression; these HMV discs were issued in the United States by RCA Victor. Heifetz often enjoyed playing chamber music. Various critics have blamed his limited success in chamber ensembles to the fact that his artistic personality tended to overwhelm his colleagues. Collaborations include his 1941 recordings of piano trios by Beethoven, Schubert, and Brahms with cellist Emanuel Feuermann and pianist Arthur Rubinstein as well as a later collaboration with Rubinstein and cellist Gregor Piatigorsky, with whom he recorded trios by Maurice Ravel, Tchaikovsky, and Felix Mendelssohn. Both formations were sometimes referred to as the Million Dollar Trio. Heifetz also recorded some string quintets with violinist Israel Baker, violists William Primrose and Virginia Majewski, and Piatigorsky.
Heifetz recorded the Beethoven Violin Concerto in 1940 with the NBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Arturo Toscanini, and again in stereo in 1955 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Charles Munch. A live performance of an NBC radio broadcast from April 9, 1944, of Heifetz playing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto with Toscanini and the NBC Symphony has also been released, unofficially.
He performed and recorded Erich Wolfgang Korngold's Violin Concerto at a time when Korngold's scoring of films for Warner Bros. prompted many classical musicians to develop the opinion Korngold was not a "serious" composer and to avoid his music in order to avoid being associated with him.
World War II
During the war, Heifetz commissioned a number of pieces, including the Violin Concerto by William Walton. He also arranged a number of pieces, such as Hora Staccato by Grigoraș Dinicu, a Romanian whom Heifetz is rumoured to have called the greatest violinist he had ever heard. Heifetz also played and composed for the piano. He performed mess hall jazz for soldiers at Allied camps across Europe during the Second World War, and under the alias Jim Hoyl he wrote a hit song, When You Make Love to Me (Don't Make Believe), which was sung by Bing Crosby.
Decca recordings
From 1944 to 1946, largely as a result of the American Federation of Musicians recording ban (which began in 1942), Heifetz recorded with American Decca because the company settled with the union in 1943, well before RCA Victor resolved their dispute with the musicians. He recorded primarily short pieces, including his own arrangements of music by George Gershwin and Stephen Foster; these were pieces he often played as encores in his recitals. He was accompanied on the piano by Emanuel Bay or Milton Kaye. Among the more uncommon discs featured one of Decca's popular artists, Bing Crosby, in the "Lullaby" from Benjamin Godard's opera Jocelyn and Where My Caravan Has Rested (arranged by Heifetz and Crosby) by Hermann Löhr (1871–1943); Decca's studio orchestra was conducted by Victor Young on July 27, 1946, session. Heifetz soon returned to RCA Victor, where he continued to make recordings until the early 1970s.
Later recordings
Returning to RCA Victor in 1946, Heifetz continued to record extensively for the company, including solo, chamber, and concerto recordings, primarily with the Boston Symphony Orchestra under Charles Munch and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under Fritz Reiner.
In 2000, RCA released a double CD compilation entitled Jascha Heifetz – The Supreme. This release provides a sampling of Heifetz's major recordings, including the 1955 recording of Brahms's Violin Concerto with Reiner and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; the 1957 recording of Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto (with the same forces); the 1959 recording of Sibelius's Violin Concerto with Walter Hendl and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; the 1961 recording of Max Bruch's Scottish Fantasy with Sir Malcolm Sargent and the New Symphony Orchestra of London; the 1963 recording of Glazunov's A minor Concerto with Walter Hendl and the RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra (drawn from New York musicians); the 1965 recording of George Gershwin's Three Preludes (transcribed by Heifetz) with pianist Brooks Smith; and the 1970 recording of Bach's unaccompanied Chaconne from the Partita No. 2 in D minor.
Third Israel tour
On his third tour to Israel in 1953, Heifetz included the Violin Sonata by Richard Strauss in his recitals. At the time, many considered Strauss and a number of other German intellectuals Nazis, or at least Nazi sympathizers, and Strauss works were unofficially banned in Israel along with those of Richard Wagner. Despite the fact that the Holocaust had occurred less than ten years earlier and a last-minute plea from the Israeli Minister of Education, the defiant Heifetz argued, "The music is above these factors … I will not change my program. I have the right to decide on my repertoire." Throughout his tour the performance of the Strauss sonata was followed by dead silence.
Heifetz was attacked after his recital in Jerusalem outside his hotel by a young man who struck Heifetz's violin case with a crowbar, prompting Heifetz to use his bow-controlling right hand to protect his priceless violins. The attacker escaped and was never found. The attack has since been attributed to the Kingdom of Israel terrorist group. The incident made headlines and Heifetz defiantly announced that he would not stop playing the Strauss. Threats continued to come, however, and he omitted the Strauss from his next recital without explanation. His last concert was cancelled after his swollen right hand began to hurt. He left Israel and did not return until 1970.
Immigration to the U.S.
The Soviet establishment considered Heifetz and his teacher Leopold Auer traitors to their home country for emigrating to the US. Meanwhile, musicians who remained, such as David Oistrakh, were seen as patriots. Heifetz greatly criticized the Soviet regime, and condemned the International Tchaikovsky Competition for bias against Western competitors. During the Carl Flesch Competition in London, Oistrakh tried to persuade Erick Friedman, Heifetz's star student, to enter the Tchaikovsky Competition, of which he was the principal juror. Hearing of this, Heifetz strongly advised against it, warning Friedman, "You will see what will happen there."
Consequently, the competition received international outrage after Friedman, already a seasoned performer and RCA Victor recording artist, who had performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra, among many others, was placed sixth behind players who had yet to establish themselves. Joseph Szigeti later informed Heifetz himself that he had given Friedman top scores.
Later life
After an only partially successful operation on his right shoulder in 1972, Heifetz ceased giving concerts and making records. His prowess as a performer remained, and he still played privately until the end—but his bow arm was affected, and he could never again hold the bow as high as before.
Heifetz taught the violin extensively, holding master classes first at UCLA, then at the University of Southern California, where the faculty included renowned cellist Gregor Piatigorsky and violist William Primrose. For a few years in the 1980s, he also held classes in his private studio at home in Beverly Hills. His teaching studio can be seen today in the main building of the Colburn School and serves as an inspiration to the students there. During his teaching career Heifetz taught, among others, Erick Friedman, Pierre Amoyal, Adam Han-Gorski, Rudolf Koelman, Endre Granat, Teiji Okubo, Eugene Fodor, Paul Rosenthal, Ilkka Talvi and Ayke Agus.
During the last ten years of his life, Heifetz visited Hans Benning at Benning Violins for maintenance on his 1740 Guarneri violin.
Death
Heifetz died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, on December 10, 1987, at the age of 86 following a fall in his home.
Legacy
Heifetz owned the 1714 Dolphin Stradivarius, the 1731 "Piel" Stradivarius, the 1736 Carlo Tononi, and the 1742 ex David Guarneri del Gesù, the last of which he preferred and kept until his death. The Dolphin Strad is currently owned by the Nippon Music Foundation. The Heifetz Tononi violin, used at his 1917 Carnegie Hall debut, was left in his will to Sherry Kloss, his Master-Teaching Assistant, with "one of my four good bows". Violinist Kloss wrote Jascha Heifetz Through My Eyes, and is a co-founder of the Jascha Heifetz Society.
The famed Guarneri is now in the San Francisco Legion of Honor Museum, as instructed by Heifetz in his will, and may only be taken out and played "on special occasions" by deserving players. The instrument has recently been on loan to San Francisco Symphony's concertmaster Alexander Barantschik, who featured it in 2006 with Andrei Gorbatenko and the San Francisco Academy Orchestra in 2006. In 1989, Heifetz received a posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Family
Heifetz's son Jay is a professional photographer. He was formerly head of marketing for the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Hollywood Bowl, and the chief financial officer of Paramount Pictures' Worldwide Video Division. He lives and works in Fremantle, Western Australia. Heifetz's daughter, Josefa Heifetz Byrne, is a lexicographer, the author of the Dictionary of Unusual, Obscure and Preposterous Words.
Heifetz's great-niece is famed clarinetist, formerly of the LA Philharmonic, Michele Zukovsky.
Filmography
Heifetz played a featured role in the movie They Shall Have Music (1939) directed by Archie Mayo and written by John Howard Lawson and Irmgard von Cube. He played himself, stepping in to save a music school for poor children from foreclosure. He later appeared in the film, Carnegie Hall (1947), performing an abridged version of the first movement of Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto, with the orchestra led by Fritz Reiner, and consoling the star of the picture, who had watched his performance. In 1951, he appeared in the film Of Men and Music. In 1962, he appeared in a televised series of his master classes, and, in 1971, Heifetz on Television aired, an hour-long color special that featured the violinist performing a series of short works, the Scottish Fantasy by Max Bruch, and the Chaconne from the Partita No. 2 by J.S.Bach. Heifetz conducted the orchestra, as the surviving video recording documents.
The most recent film featuring Heifetz, Jascha Heifetz: God's Fiddler, premiered on April 16, 2011, at the Colburn School of Music. It is described as: "The only film biography of the world's most renowned violinist, featuring family home movies in Los Angeles and all over the world. The documentary-like film talks about Heifetz's life and accomplishments and gives an inside view of his personal life."
Notable instruments
Dolphin 1714 Stradivarius
Heifetz-Piel 1731 Stradivarius
Antonio Stradivari 1734
Carlo Tononi 1736
Giovanni Battista Guadagnini, Piacenza 1741
ex-David 1742 Guarneri
Discography
Jascha Heifetz was a prolific recording artist. All of his recordings have been reissued on compact disc.
J.S. Bach Chaconne DVD
Mendelssohn Octet In E-flat Major
Mozart Concerto In D Major
Mozart Symphonie Concertante In E-flat Major
Stravinsky Suite Italienne
Toch "Divertimento, Op. 37, No. 2"
Turina "Trio, Op. 35, No. 1"
Vieuxtemps Concerto No. 5
Bach Concerto In A Minor
Bach "Sonata No. 1, Partita No. 2"
Bach "Sonata No. 2, Partita No. 3"
Bach "Sonata, No. 3, Partita No. 1"
Beethoven Concerto In D Major
Beethoven "Archduke Trio In B-flat Major, Op. 97, No. 7"
Beethoven "Sonata In A Minor, No. 4"
Beethoven Kreutzer Sonata
Beethoven "Sonata No. 8, Sonata No. 10"
Beethoven "Trios In G, Op. 9, No. 1"
Beethoven "Trio In E-flat Major, Op. 3"
Beethoven Violin Concerto In D
Beethoven "Trio In D, Op. 9, No. 2"
Beethoven "Piano Trio, Op. 1, No. 1 "
Bloch Poème Mystique
Bloch Sonata
Brahms Concerto For Violin And Cello
Brahms Piano Quartet In C Minor
Brahms "Quintette In G, Op. 111 "
Brahms Trio No. 1 In B Major
Brahms "Concerto In D, Op. 77"
Brahms Violin Concerto
Brahms 3 Hungarian Dances
Brahms Concerto, Chausson – Poème, Bruch – Scottish Fantasy
Bruch Scottish Fantasy
Bruch "Concerto In G Minor, Op. 26, No. 1"
Bruch Concerto No. 2
Castelnuovo -Tedesco ? Concerto No. 2
Chausson Poème Op. 25
Dohnányi Serenade In C
Dvořák "Piano Trio In F Minor, Op. 65"
Dvořák Piano Quintet In A
Dvořák Piano Quintet No. 2
Ferguson Sonata No. 1
Françaix String Trio
Franck Sonata In A
Franck Piano Quintet In F Minor
Gershwin Porgy And Bess; Music Of France
Glazounov Violin Concerto
Glière "Duo For Violin And Cello, Op. 39"
Handel Halvorsen Passacaglia For Violin And Cello
J.S. Bach Concerto In D Minor
Khachaturian "Sonata, Op. 1"
Korngold "Violin Concerto In D, Op. 35"
Mendelssohn "Trio In C Minor, No. 2"
Mendelssohn "Trio No. 1 In D Minor, Op. 49 "
Mendelssohn Concerto In E Minor
Mendelssohn Concerto In E Minor
Mendelssohn "String Octet in E-flat Major, Op. 20"
Mozart Quintet In C Minor
Mozart "Divertimento In E=flat Major, K. 563"
Mozart "Concerto In A, No. 5, K. 219 "
Mozart "Divertimento In E-flat, Duo In B-flat, No. 2"
Mozart "Sonata No. 10, K378, No. 15, K454"
Mozart "Symphonie In E-flat, K. 364"
Mozart "Violin Concerto, No. 5, K. 219"
Mozart "Quintet In C, K. 515"
Paganini 3 Caprices
Prokofieff "Concerto In G Minor, No. 2"
Respighi Sonata In D Minor
Rózsa Concerto
Saint-Saëns "Sonata In D, No. 1"
Schubert Fantaisie
Schubert "Trio No. 1, In B, Op. 49"
Schubert Quintet In C Major
Sibelius Violin Concerto
Spohr Double String Quartet
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto In D, Op. 35
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto, Sinding – Suite
Tschaikowsky Violin Concerto
Tschaikowsky Sérénade Mélancolique
Vivaldi Concerto For Violin And Cello In B-flat;
Walton Concerto For Violin
Arensky Trio In D Minor
Bach Concerto In E Major
Beethoven "Sonata In C Minor, No. 7"
Beethoven "Romances, No. 1 and 2"
Beethoven "Trios In C Minor, Op. 9, No. 3"
Beethoven "Spring Sonata In F, Op. 24, No. 5"
Beethoven "Piano Trio In E-flat, Op. 70, No. 2"
Brahms Concerto In A Minor
Bruch Concerto In G Minor
Castelnuovo-Tedesco "The Lark, Fauré – Sonata, Op. 13"
Grieg Sonata In G
Haydn Divertimento, Rózsa – Tema Con Variazioni
Lalo "Symphonie Espagnole, Op. 21"
Martin Duo For Violin And Cello
Schubert Sonatina in G minor
Schubert "Trio In B-flat, No. 2"
Strauss Sonata In E-flat
Tchaikovsky "Trio In A Minor, Op. 50"
Beethoven "Sonata No. 3, Sonata No. 6"
Bach Three Sinfonia;
Bach Concerto For Two Violins
Beethoven Sonata No. 7
Beethoven Sonata Nos. 1 &2
Benjamin Romantic Fantasy
Benjamin Romantic Fantasy
Boccherini Sonata In D
Brahms Sextet In G Major
Bruch Scottish Fantasy
Chausson Concerto For Violin
Conus Concerto In E Minor
Debussy "Sonata In G Minor, No. 3"
Dvořák "Piano Trio, Dumky"
Grieg "Sonata No. 3, Brahms – Sonata No. 1
Wieniawski, Tchaikovsky, Rameau, J.S.Bach, Padilla, Sarasate"
Handel Halvorsen – Passacaglia
Handel Sonata In E Major
Mozart "Sonata In C, No. 8, K. 296"
Mozart "Concerto In D, No. 1, K. 218"
Prokofieff Concerto In G Minor
Ravel Trio In A Minor
Ravel Tzigane
Saint-Saëns "Sonata In D Minor, Op. 75, No. 1"
Schubert Sonata In G Minor
Spohr Concerto No. 8
Strauss Sonata In E-flat
Toch Vivace molto
Vieuxtemps "Concerto In A Minor, Op. 37, No. 5"
Vitali Chaconne
Wieniawski Concerto No. 2
See also
Jascha Heifetz Competition
References
Sources
Auer, Leopold, 1923, My Long Life in Music, Stokes, New York
External links
Jascha Heifetz official website
Jascha Heifetz at Sony BMG Masterworks
NPR Classical Music: Heifetz at War: Behind the Scenes, Near the Front
Jascha Heifetz Collection (ARS.0046), Stanford Archive of Recorded Sound
Jascha Heifetz recordings at the Discography of American Historical Recordings.
20th-century American musicians
20th-century classical violinists
1901 births
1987 deaths
American classical violinists
Male classical violinists
American male violinists
Child classical musicians
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winners
Jewish American classical musicians
Jewish classical musicians
Jewish classical violinists
Musicians from Vilnius
Saint Petersburg Conservatory alumni
Thornton School of Music faculty
20th-century American male musicians
Russian Jews
Russian classical violinists
20th-century Russian male musicians
20th-century Russian musicians
20th-century American Jews
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[
"Toi music (Той) is a genre of popular folk music originated from Central Asia. This genre of music is popular in countries like Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.\n\nEtymology \nThe meanings of toi or tой in several Turkic languages are either celebration, gathering, or wedding. This is due to the fact that toi music usually played at social gatherings, where toi musicians usually invited to perform in it.\n\nReferences \n\n20th-century music genres\nKazakhstani popular music\nKazakhstani styles of music\nKyrgyzstani popular music\nKyrgyzstani styles of music\nUzbekistani popular music\nUzbekistani styles of music",
"A music jury is a final performance by a music student for a panel of jurors, usually consisting of faculty of the institution. Students attend private lessons throughout the year, and they perform at the end of a semester or the year to illustrate progress before the panel.\n\nReferences\n\nBoth cited references no longer exist.\n\nMusic education"
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"Jascha Heifetz",
"Early recordings",
"Did Jascha attend college?",
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"Did he make any professional musical releases during his career?",
"Heifetz made his first recordings in Russia during 1910-11,",
"What was Heifetz's most famous work?",
"He recorded the Beethoven Violin Concerto in 1940 with the NBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Arturo Toscanini,",
"Did Heifetz play any other instruments?",
"of Heifetz playing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto,",
"Did he work with other musicians?",
"Some notable collaborations include his 1941 recordings of piano trios by Beethoven, Schubert, and Brahms with",
"What type of music did he usually perform?",
"Heifetz often enjoyed playing chamber music."
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C_b3fbac98eb0244d78e9b6bd86b59cf6d_1
|
In what format was his music recorded?
| 7 |
In what format was Jascha Heifetz's music recorded?
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Jascha Heifetz
|
Heifetz made his first recordings in Russia during 1910-11, while still a student of Leopold Auer. The existence of these recordings was not widely known until after Heifetz's death, when several sides, including Francois Schubert's L'Abeille, were reissued on an LP included as a supplement to The Strad magazine. Shortly after his Carnegie Hall debut on 7 November 1917, Heifetz made his first recordings for the Victor Talking Machine Company/RCA Victor where he would remain for most of his career. For several years, in the 1930s, Heifetz recorded primarily for HMV in the UK because RCA Victor cut back on expensive classical recording sessions during the Great Depression; these discs were issued in the US by RCA Victor. Heifetz often enjoyed playing chamber music. Various critics have blamed his limited success in chamber ensembles to the fact that his artistic personality tended to overwhelm his colleagues. Some notable collaborations include his 1941 recordings of piano trios by Beethoven, Schubert, and Brahms with cellist Emanuel Feuermann and pianist Arthur Rubinstein as well as a later collaboration with Rubinstein and cellist Gregor Piatigorsky, with whom he recorded trios by Maurice Ravel, Tchaikovsky, and Felix Mendelssohn. Both formations were sometimes referred to as the Million Dollar Trio. Heifetz also recorded some string quintets with violinist Israel Baker, violists William Primrose and Virginia Majewski, and Piatigorsky. He recorded the Beethoven Violin Concerto in 1940 with the NBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Arturo Toscanini, and again in stereo in 1955 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Charles Munch. A live performance of an NBC radio broadcast from 9 April 1944, of Heifetz playing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto, with Toscanini and the NBC Symphony, has also been released. He performed and recorded Erich Wolfgang Korngold's Violin Concerto at a time when Korngold's scoring of numerous films for Warner Brothers prompted many classical musicians to develop the scarcely warranted opinion that Korngold was not a "serious" composer and to avoid his music in order to avoid being associated with him. CANNOTANSWER
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CANNOTANSWER
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Jascha Heifetz (; December 10, 1987) was a Russian-American violinist. Born in Vilnius, he moved while still a teenager to the United States, where his Carnegie Hall debut was rapturously received. He was a virtuoso since childhood. Fritz Kreisler, another leading violinist of the twentieth century, said after hearing Heifetz's debut, "We might as well take our fiddles and break them across our knees." He had a long and successful performing career; however, after an injury to his right (bowing) arm, he switched his focus to teaching.
Late in life, Heifetz became a dedicated teacher and a champion of socio-political causes. He publicly advocated to establish 9-1-1 as an emergency phone number, and crusaded for clean air. He and his students at the University of Southern California protested smog by wearing gas masks, and in 1967, he converted his Renault passenger car into an electric vehicle.
Early life
Heifetz was born into a Russian-Jewish family in Vilnius (Russian Empire, now Lithuania).
His father, Reuven Heifetz, was a local violin teacher and served as the concertmaster of the Vilnius Theatre Orchestra for one season before the theatre closed down. While Jascha was an infant, his father did a series of tests, observing how his son responded to his violin playing. This convinced him that Jascha had great potential, and before Jascha was two years old, his father bought him a small violin, and taught him bowing and simple fingering.
At four years old, he started lessons with Elias Malkin. He was a child prodigy, making his public debut at seven, in Kovno (now Kaunas, Lithuania) playing the Violin Concerto in E minor by Felix Mendelssohn. In 1910, he entered the Saint Petersburg Conservatory to study under Ovanes Nalbandian and later under Leopold Auer.
He played in Germany and Scandinavia, and met Fritz Kreisler for the first time in a Berlin private house, in a "private press matinee on May 20, 1912. The home was that of Arthur Abell, the pre-eminent Berlin music critic for the American magazine, Musical Courier. Among other noted violinists in attendance was Fritz Kreisler. After the 12-year-old Heifetz performed the Mendelssohn violin concerto, Abell reported that Kreisler said to all present, 'We may as well break our fiddles across our knees.'"
Heifetz visited much of Europe while still in his teens. In April 1911, he performed in an outdoor concert in St. Petersburg before 25,000 spectators; there was such a reaction that police officers needed to protect the young violinist after the concert. In 1914, he performed with the Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Arthur Nikisch. The conductor said he had never heard such an excellent violinist.
Career
Heifetz and his family left Russia in 1917, traveling by rail to the Russian far east and then by ship to the United States, arriving in San Francisco. On October 27, 1917, Heifetz played for the first time in the United States, at Carnegie Hall in New York, and became an immediate sensation.
Fellow violinist Mischa Elman in the audience asked "Do you think it's hot in here?", whereupon the pianist Leopold Godowsky, in the next seat, replied, "Not for pianists."
In 1917, Heifetz was elected an honorary member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the national fraternity for men in music, by the fraternity's Alpha chapter at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. At 16, he was perhaps the youngest person ever elected to membership in the organization. Heifetz remained in the country and became an American citizen in 1925. A story circulates that tells of an interaction with one of the Marx Brothers: when he told the brother (usually Groucho or Harpo) that he had been earning his living as a musician since the age of seven, he received the reply, "Before that, I suppose, you were just a bum."
In 1954, Heifetz began working with pianist Brooks Smith, who was Heifetz's accompanist for many years until he changed to Ayke Agus as his accompanist in retirement. He was also accompanied in concert for more than 20 years by Emmanuel Bay, another immigrant from Russia and a personal friend. Heifetz's musicianship was such that he would demonstrate to his accompanist how he wanted passages to sound on the piano, and would even suggest which fingerings to use.
After the seasons of 1955–56, Heifetz announced that he would sharply curtail his concert activity, saying "I have been playing for a very long time." In 1958, he tripped in his kitchen and fractured his right hip, resulting in hospitalization at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital and a near fatal staphylococcus infection. He was invited to play Beethoven at the United Nations General Assembly, and entered leaning on a cane. By 1967, Heifetz had considerably curtailed his concert performances.
Technique and timbre
Heifetz was "regarded as the greatest violin virtuoso since Paganini", wrote Lois Timnick of the Los Angeles Times. "He set all standards for 20th-century violin playing...everything about him conspired to create a sense of awe", wrote music critic Harold Schonberg of The New York Times. "The goals he set still remain, and for violinists today it's rather depressing that they may never really be attained again", wrote violinist Itzhak Perlman.
Virgil Thomson called Heifetz's style of playing "silk underwear music", a term he did not intend as a compliment. Other critics argue that he infused his playing with feeling and reverence for the composer's intentions. His style of playing was highly influential in defining the way modern violinists approached the instrument. His use of rapid vibrato, emotionally charged portamento, fast tempi, and superb bow control coalesced to create a highly distinctive sound that makes Heifetz's playing instantly recognizable to aficionados. Itzhak Perlman, who himself is known for his rich warm tone and expressive use of portamento, described Heifetz's tone as like "a tornado" because of its emotional intensity. Perlman said that Heifetz preferred to record relatively close to the microphone—and as a result, one would perceive a somewhat different tone quality when listening to Heifetz during a concert hall performance.
Heifetz was very particular about his choice of strings. He used a silver wound Tricolore gut G string, plain unvarnished gut D and A strings, and a Goldbrokat medium steel E string, and employed clear Hill-brand rosin sparingly. Heifetz believed that playing on gut strings was important in rendering an individual sound.
Early recordings
Heifetz made his first recordings in Russia during 1910–11, while still a student of Leopold Auer. The existence of these recordings was not generally known until after Heifetz's death, when several sides, including François Schubert's L'Abeille, were reissued on an LP included as a supplement to The Strad magazine.
Shortly after his Carnegie Hall debut on November 7, 1917, Heifetz made his first recordings for the Victor Talking Machine Company/RCA Victor where he remained for most of the rest of his career. On October 28, 1927, Heifetz was the starring act at the grand opening of Tucson, Arizona's now-historic Temple of Music and Art. For several years, in the 1930s, Heifetz recorded primarily for HMV/EMI in the UK because RCA Victor cut back on expensive classical recording sessions during the Great Depression; these HMV discs were issued in the United States by RCA Victor. Heifetz often enjoyed playing chamber music. Various critics have blamed his limited success in chamber ensembles to the fact that his artistic personality tended to overwhelm his colleagues. Collaborations include his 1941 recordings of piano trios by Beethoven, Schubert, and Brahms with cellist Emanuel Feuermann and pianist Arthur Rubinstein as well as a later collaboration with Rubinstein and cellist Gregor Piatigorsky, with whom he recorded trios by Maurice Ravel, Tchaikovsky, and Felix Mendelssohn. Both formations were sometimes referred to as the Million Dollar Trio. Heifetz also recorded some string quintets with violinist Israel Baker, violists William Primrose and Virginia Majewski, and Piatigorsky.
Heifetz recorded the Beethoven Violin Concerto in 1940 with the NBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Arturo Toscanini, and again in stereo in 1955 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Charles Munch. A live performance of an NBC radio broadcast from April 9, 1944, of Heifetz playing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto with Toscanini and the NBC Symphony has also been released, unofficially.
He performed and recorded Erich Wolfgang Korngold's Violin Concerto at a time when Korngold's scoring of films for Warner Bros. prompted many classical musicians to develop the opinion Korngold was not a "serious" composer and to avoid his music in order to avoid being associated with him.
World War II
During the war, Heifetz commissioned a number of pieces, including the Violin Concerto by William Walton. He also arranged a number of pieces, such as Hora Staccato by Grigoraș Dinicu, a Romanian whom Heifetz is rumoured to have called the greatest violinist he had ever heard. Heifetz also played and composed for the piano. He performed mess hall jazz for soldiers at Allied camps across Europe during the Second World War, and under the alias Jim Hoyl he wrote a hit song, When You Make Love to Me (Don't Make Believe), which was sung by Bing Crosby.
Decca recordings
From 1944 to 1946, largely as a result of the American Federation of Musicians recording ban (which began in 1942), Heifetz recorded with American Decca because the company settled with the union in 1943, well before RCA Victor resolved their dispute with the musicians. He recorded primarily short pieces, including his own arrangements of music by George Gershwin and Stephen Foster; these were pieces he often played as encores in his recitals. He was accompanied on the piano by Emanuel Bay or Milton Kaye. Among the more uncommon discs featured one of Decca's popular artists, Bing Crosby, in the "Lullaby" from Benjamin Godard's opera Jocelyn and Where My Caravan Has Rested (arranged by Heifetz and Crosby) by Hermann Löhr (1871–1943); Decca's studio orchestra was conducted by Victor Young on July 27, 1946, session. Heifetz soon returned to RCA Victor, where he continued to make recordings until the early 1970s.
Later recordings
Returning to RCA Victor in 1946, Heifetz continued to record extensively for the company, including solo, chamber, and concerto recordings, primarily with the Boston Symphony Orchestra under Charles Munch and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under Fritz Reiner.
In 2000, RCA released a double CD compilation entitled Jascha Heifetz – The Supreme. This release provides a sampling of Heifetz's major recordings, including the 1955 recording of Brahms's Violin Concerto with Reiner and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; the 1957 recording of Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto (with the same forces); the 1959 recording of Sibelius's Violin Concerto with Walter Hendl and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; the 1961 recording of Max Bruch's Scottish Fantasy with Sir Malcolm Sargent and the New Symphony Orchestra of London; the 1963 recording of Glazunov's A minor Concerto with Walter Hendl and the RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra (drawn from New York musicians); the 1965 recording of George Gershwin's Three Preludes (transcribed by Heifetz) with pianist Brooks Smith; and the 1970 recording of Bach's unaccompanied Chaconne from the Partita No. 2 in D minor.
Third Israel tour
On his third tour to Israel in 1953, Heifetz included the Violin Sonata by Richard Strauss in his recitals. At the time, many considered Strauss and a number of other German intellectuals Nazis, or at least Nazi sympathizers, and Strauss works were unofficially banned in Israel along with those of Richard Wagner. Despite the fact that the Holocaust had occurred less than ten years earlier and a last-minute plea from the Israeli Minister of Education, the defiant Heifetz argued, "The music is above these factors … I will not change my program. I have the right to decide on my repertoire." Throughout his tour the performance of the Strauss sonata was followed by dead silence.
Heifetz was attacked after his recital in Jerusalem outside his hotel by a young man who struck Heifetz's violin case with a crowbar, prompting Heifetz to use his bow-controlling right hand to protect his priceless violins. The attacker escaped and was never found. The attack has since been attributed to the Kingdom of Israel terrorist group. The incident made headlines and Heifetz defiantly announced that he would not stop playing the Strauss. Threats continued to come, however, and he omitted the Strauss from his next recital without explanation. His last concert was cancelled after his swollen right hand began to hurt. He left Israel and did not return until 1970.
Immigration to the U.S.
The Soviet establishment considered Heifetz and his teacher Leopold Auer traitors to their home country for emigrating to the US. Meanwhile, musicians who remained, such as David Oistrakh, were seen as patriots. Heifetz greatly criticized the Soviet regime, and condemned the International Tchaikovsky Competition for bias against Western competitors. During the Carl Flesch Competition in London, Oistrakh tried to persuade Erick Friedman, Heifetz's star student, to enter the Tchaikovsky Competition, of which he was the principal juror. Hearing of this, Heifetz strongly advised against it, warning Friedman, "You will see what will happen there."
Consequently, the competition received international outrage after Friedman, already a seasoned performer and RCA Victor recording artist, who had performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra, among many others, was placed sixth behind players who had yet to establish themselves. Joseph Szigeti later informed Heifetz himself that he had given Friedman top scores.
Later life
After an only partially successful operation on his right shoulder in 1972, Heifetz ceased giving concerts and making records. His prowess as a performer remained, and he still played privately until the end—but his bow arm was affected, and he could never again hold the bow as high as before.
Heifetz taught the violin extensively, holding master classes first at UCLA, then at the University of Southern California, where the faculty included renowned cellist Gregor Piatigorsky and violist William Primrose. For a few years in the 1980s, he also held classes in his private studio at home in Beverly Hills. His teaching studio can be seen today in the main building of the Colburn School and serves as an inspiration to the students there. During his teaching career Heifetz taught, among others, Erick Friedman, Pierre Amoyal, Adam Han-Gorski, Rudolf Koelman, Endre Granat, Teiji Okubo, Eugene Fodor, Paul Rosenthal, Ilkka Talvi and Ayke Agus.
During the last ten years of his life, Heifetz visited Hans Benning at Benning Violins for maintenance on his 1740 Guarneri violin.
Death
Heifetz died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, on December 10, 1987, at the age of 86 following a fall in his home.
Legacy
Heifetz owned the 1714 Dolphin Stradivarius, the 1731 "Piel" Stradivarius, the 1736 Carlo Tononi, and the 1742 ex David Guarneri del Gesù, the last of which he preferred and kept until his death. The Dolphin Strad is currently owned by the Nippon Music Foundation. The Heifetz Tononi violin, used at his 1917 Carnegie Hall debut, was left in his will to Sherry Kloss, his Master-Teaching Assistant, with "one of my four good bows". Violinist Kloss wrote Jascha Heifetz Through My Eyes, and is a co-founder of the Jascha Heifetz Society.
The famed Guarneri is now in the San Francisco Legion of Honor Museum, as instructed by Heifetz in his will, and may only be taken out and played "on special occasions" by deserving players. The instrument has recently been on loan to San Francisco Symphony's concertmaster Alexander Barantschik, who featured it in 2006 with Andrei Gorbatenko and the San Francisco Academy Orchestra in 2006. In 1989, Heifetz received a posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Family
Heifetz's son Jay is a professional photographer. He was formerly head of marketing for the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Hollywood Bowl, and the chief financial officer of Paramount Pictures' Worldwide Video Division. He lives and works in Fremantle, Western Australia. Heifetz's daughter, Josefa Heifetz Byrne, is a lexicographer, the author of the Dictionary of Unusual, Obscure and Preposterous Words.
Heifetz's great-niece is famed clarinetist, formerly of the LA Philharmonic, Michele Zukovsky.
Filmography
Heifetz played a featured role in the movie They Shall Have Music (1939) directed by Archie Mayo and written by John Howard Lawson and Irmgard von Cube. He played himself, stepping in to save a music school for poor children from foreclosure. He later appeared in the film, Carnegie Hall (1947), performing an abridged version of the first movement of Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto, with the orchestra led by Fritz Reiner, and consoling the star of the picture, who had watched his performance. In 1951, he appeared in the film Of Men and Music. In 1962, he appeared in a televised series of his master classes, and, in 1971, Heifetz on Television aired, an hour-long color special that featured the violinist performing a series of short works, the Scottish Fantasy by Max Bruch, and the Chaconne from the Partita No. 2 by J.S.Bach. Heifetz conducted the orchestra, as the surviving video recording documents.
The most recent film featuring Heifetz, Jascha Heifetz: God's Fiddler, premiered on April 16, 2011, at the Colburn School of Music. It is described as: "The only film biography of the world's most renowned violinist, featuring family home movies in Los Angeles and all over the world. The documentary-like film talks about Heifetz's life and accomplishments and gives an inside view of his personal life."
Notable instruments
Dolphin 1714 Stradivarius
Heifetz-Piel 1731 Stradivarius
Antonio Stradivari 1734
Carlo Tononi 1736
Giovanni Battista Guadagnini, Piacenza 1741
ex-David 1742 Guarneri
Discography
Jascha Heifetz was a prolific recording artist. All of his recordings have been reissued on compact disc.
J.S. Bach Chaconne DVD
Mendelssohn Octet In E-flat Major
Mozart Concerto In D Major
Mozart Symphonie Concertante In E-flat Major
Stravinsky Suite Italienne
Toch "Divertimento, Op. 37, No. 2"
Turina "Trio, Op. 35, No. 1"
Vieuxtemps Concerto No. 5
Bach Concerto In A Minor
Bach "Sonata No. 1, Partita No. 2"
Bach "Sonata No. 2, Partita No. 3"
Bach "Sonata, No. 3, Partita No. 1"
Beethoven Concerto In D Major
Beethoven "Archduke Trio In B-flat Major, Op. 97, No. 7"
Beethoven "Sonata In A Minor, No. 4"
Beethoven Kreutzer Sonata
Beethoven "Sonata No. 8, Sonata No. 10"
Beethoven "Trios In G, Op. 9, No. 1"
Beethoven "Trio In E-flat Major, Op. 3"
Beethoven Violin Concerto In D
Beethoven "Trio In D, Op. 9, No. 2"
Beethoven "Piano Trio, Op. 1, No. 1 "
Bloch Poème Mystique
Bloch Sonata
Brahms Concerto For Violin And Cello
Brahms Piano Quartet In C Minor
Brahms "Quintette In G, Op. 111 "
Brahms Trio No. 1 In B Major
Brahms "Concerto In D, Op. 77"
Brahms Violin Concerto
Brahms 3 Hungarian Dances
Brahms Concerto, Chausson – Poème, Bruch – Scottish Fantasy
Bruch Scottish Fantasy
Bruch "Concerto In G Minor, Op. 26, No. 1"
Bruch Concerto No. 2
Castelnuovo -Tedesco ? Concerto No. 2
Chausson Poème Op. 25
Dohnányi Serenade In C
Dvořák "Piano Trio In F Minor, Op. 65"
Dvořák Piano Quintet In A
Dvořák Piano Quintet No. 2
Ferguson Sonata No. 1
Françaix String Trio
Franck Sonata In A
Franck Piano Quintet In F Minor
Gershwin Porgy And Bess; Music Of France
Glazounov Violin Concerto
Glière "Duo For Violin And Cello, Op. 39"
Handel Halvorsen Passacaglia For Violin And Cello
J.S. Bach Concerto In D Minor
Khachaturian "Sonata, Op. 1"
Korngold "Violin Concerto In D, Op. 35"
Mendelssohn "Trio In C Minor, No. 2"
Mendelssohn "Trio No. 1 In D Minor, Op. 49 "
Mendelssohn Concerto In E Minor
Mendelssohn Concerto In E Minor
Mendelssohn "String Octet in E-flat Major, Op. 20"
Mozart Quintet In C Minor
Mozart "Divertimento In E=flat Major, K. 563"
Mozart "Concerto In A, No. 5, K. 219 "
Mozart "Divertimento In E-flat, Duo In B-flat, No. 2"
Mozart "Sonata No. 10, K378, No. 15, K454"
Mozart "Symphonie In E-flat, K. 364"
Mozart "Violin Concerto, No. 5, K. 219"
Mozart "Quintet In C, K. 515"
Paganini 3 Caprices
Prokofieff "Concerto In G Minor, No. 2"
Respighi Sonata In D Minor
Rózsa Concerto
Saint-Saëns "Sonata In D, No. 1"
Schubert Fantaisie
Schubert "Trio No. 1, In B, Op. 49"
Schubert Quintet In C Major
Sibelius Violin Concerto
Spohr Double String Quartet
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto In D, Op. 35
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto, Sinding – Suite
Tschaikowsky Violin Concerto
Tschaikowsky Sérénade Mélancolique
Vivaldi Concerto For Violin And Cello In B-flat;
Walton Concerto For Violin
Arensky Trio In D Minor
Bach Concerto In E Major
Beethoven "Sonata In C Minor, No. 7"
Beethoven "Romances, No. 1 and 2"
Beethoven "Trios In C Minor, Op. 9, No. 3"
Beethoven "Spring Sonata In F, Op. 24, No. 5"
Beethoven "Piano Trio In E-flat, Op. 70, No. 2"
Brahms Concerto In A Minor
Bruch Concerto In G Minor
Castelnuovo-Tedesco "The Lark, Fauré – Sonata, Op. 13"
Grieg Sonata In G
Haydn Divertimento, Rózsa – Tema Con Variazioni
Lalo "Symphonie Espagnole, Op. 21"
Martin Duo For Violin And Cello
Schubert Sonatina in G minor
Schubert "Trio In B-flat, No. 2"
Strauss Sonata In E-flat
Tchaikovsky "Trio In A Minor, Op. 50"
Beethoven "Sonata No. 3, Sonata No. 6"
Bach Three Sinfonia;
Bach Concerto For Two Violins
Beethoven Sonata No. 7
Beethoven Sonata Nos. 1 &2
Benjamin Romantic Fantasy
Benjamin Romantic Fantasy
Boccherini Sonata In D
Brahms Sextet In G Major
Bruch Scottish Fantasy
Chausson Concerto For Violin
Conus Concerto In E Minor
Debussy "Sonata In G Minor, No. 3"
Dvořák "Piano Trio, Dumky"
Grieg "Sonata No. 3, Brahms – Sonata No. 1
Wieniawski, Tchaikovsky, Rameau, J.S.Bach, Padilla, Sarasate"
Handel Halvorsen – Passacaglia
Handel Sonata In E Major
Mozart "Sonata In C, No. 8, K. 296"
Mozart "Concerto In D, No. 1, K. 218"
Prokofieff Concerto In G Minor
Ravel Trio In A Minor
Ravel Tzigane
Saint-Saëns "Sonata In D Minor, Op. 75, No. 1"
Schubert Sonata In G Minor
Spohr Concerto No. 8
Strauss Sonata In E-flat
Toch Vivace molto
Vieuxtemps "Concerto In A Minor, Op. 37, No. 5"
Vitali Chaconne
Wieniawski Concerto No. 2
See also
Jascha Heifetz Competition
References
Sources
Auer, Leopold, 1923, My Long Life in Music, Stokes, New York
External links
Jascha Heifetz official website
Jascha Heifetz at Sony BMG Masterworks
NPR Classical Music: Heifetz at War: Behind the Scenes, Near the Front
Jascha Heifetz Collection (ARS.0046), Stanford Archive of Recorded Sound
Jascha Heifetz recordings at the Discography of American Historical Recordings.
20th-century American musicians
20th-century classical violinists
1901 births
1987 deaths
American classical violinists
Male classical violinists
American male violinists
Child classical musicians
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winners
Jewish American classical musicians
Jewish classical musicians
Jewish classical violinists
Musicians from Vilnius
Saint Petersburg Conservatory alumni
Thornton School of Music faculty
20th-century American male musicians
Russian Jews
Russian classical violinists
20th-century Russian male musicians
20th-century Russian musicians
20th-century American Jews
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"XHSRO-FM is a station in Monterrey, Nuevo León. It broadcasts on 92.5 FM and carries the La Mejor regional Mexican format from MVS Radio.\n\nHistory\n\nStereorey\nIn 1965, Joaquín Vargas Gómez, the founder of MVS, was driving in a car in the United States and was surprised by the increased sound quality available on the then-new FM band. The quality available on FM inspired him to start a new FM radio station in Monterrey. On April 15, 1967, XHSRO-FM, the first stereo FM radio station in Mexico, hit the air. While FM radio had already entered the Mexican market on stations such as the short-lived XHFM-FM and XEOY-FM, both in Mexico City, XHSRO and its format would help to encourage the development of FM radio across Mexico.\n\nThe format chosen by Várgas Gómez for this pioneering venture was dubbed Stereorey, for stereo and Monterrey. It consisted of contemporary music in English. It promptly began to expand; the second city to get Stereorey was Guadalajara, XHRO-FM 95.5. Then came Mexico City with XHV-FM 102.5, while the fourth Stereorey station was León, on XHSO-FM 99.9. (MVS still owns the stations, which, except for Mexico City, now broadcast the La Mejor format.)\n\nOver time, and particularly after 1990, Stereorey stations also had a considerable news presence. Para Empezar, a morning news program with Pedro Ferriz de Con, soon expanded to evenings. However, the news content began to proliferate to the point where what had been conceived as a music station now carried 7 hours of news on weekdays.\n\nThe voice of Stereorey was Ken Smith, who from 1967 until his death in 1990 recorded all the station identifications and promos used on Stereorey's stations across Mexico. Stereorey's importance in MVS's history is such that all of MVS Radio's owned and operated station concessions are held by Stereorey México, S.A.\n\nFormat changes in the 2000s\nStereorey ended its run on XHSRO in 2002 to give way to Best FM, which consisted of newer contemporary music in English. Whereas Stereorey's catalog still had 1960s music in it, Best FM was newer, with more rock and less easy listening. In addition, the news programming was reduced.\n\nThis format, in turn, was replaced in January 2005 with La Mejor, an MVS national format of grupera music.\n\nReferences\n\nRadio stations established in 1967\nRadio stations in Nuevo León\nMVS Radio",
"WBSX is an FM radio station licensed to the city of Hazleton, Pennsylvania, broadcasting to the Scranton/Wilkes Barre/Hazleton radio market on 97.9 MHz. WBSX airs an active rock music format branded as \"97-9 X\" (pronounced as \"Ninety-Seven Nine X\").\n\nHistory\nThe radio station first signed on the air in 1949 as WAZL-FM, the FM sister station to WAZL AM also located in the city of Hazleton. During the early 1970s, the station switched to what was branded as a \"beautiful music\" format (which was a form of Easy Listening or Elevator Music) and the call sign WVCD. The station was automated with no live DJs or announcers during this time. The station evolved their music format slightly by 1985 when the station changed call signs to WWSH and branded on air as \"Wish 98\". The station made a dramatic switch in 1994 to a rock music format and another call sign change to WZMT to reflect the new on air branding as \"The Mountain\". In 1996, it was renamed \"98 Rock\". In 1997, under Citadel Broadcasting, the name changed to \"The Bear\", with the call letters WXBE, and featuring the syndicated Howard Stern Show in mornings. In October 2001, the station shifted to a format branded as \"classic hard rock\", name change to \"Z-Rock\", and call letters to WAOZ. 7 months later, in May 2002, the station returned to a more current-based rock format under the call sign of WBSX, and branding as \"97-9 X\" with an alternative rock format (which was moved over from 93.7 FM). By 2007, the station adopted its current active rock format. Citadel merged with Cumulus Media on September 16, 2011.\n\nTrivia\n97.9X is known for being the first commercial station to play Breaking Benjamin, who started in local Wilkes-Barre. The station's Breaking Benjamin promotion is also briefly featured in Breaking Benjamin's video for \"Breath\", which was recorded at Stabler Arena in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania in early 2007.\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\nWBSX Official Website\n\nWBSX-FM Broadcast Signal Coverage Map from the FCC Database\n\nBSX\nActive rock radio stations in the United States\nCumulus Media radio stations"
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[
"Jascha Heifetz",
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"Did Jascha attend college?",
"I don't know.",
"Did he make any professional musical releases during his career?",
"Heifetz made his first recordings in Russia during 1910-11,",
"What was Heifetz's most famous work?",
"He recorded the Beethoven Violin Concerto in 1940 with the NBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Arturo Toscanini,",
"Did Heifetz play any other instruments?",
"of Heifetz playing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto,",
"Did he work with other musicians?",
"Some notable collaborations include his 1941 recordings of piano trios by Beethoven, Schubert, and Brahms with",
"What type of music did he usually perform?",
"Heifetz often enjoyed playing chamber music.",
"In what format was his music recorded?",
"I don't know."
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C_b3fbac98eb0244d78e9b6bd86b59cf6d_1
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When was his last music recorded?
| 8 |
When was Jascha HEeifetz's last music recorded?
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Jascha Heifetz
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Heifetz made his first recordings in Russia during 1910-11, while still a student of Leopold Auer. The existence of these recordings was not widely known until after Heifetz's death, when several sides, including Francois Schubert's L'Abeille, were reissued on an LP included as a supplement to The Strad magazine. Shortly after his Carnegie Hall debut on 7 November 1917, Heifetz made his first recordings for the Victor Talking Machine Company/RCA Victor where he would remain for most of his career. For several years, in the 1930s, Heifetz recorded primarily for HMV in the UK because RCA Victor cut back on expensive classical recording sessions during the Great Depression; these discs were issued in the US by RCA Victor. Heifetz often enjoyed playing chamber music. Various critics have blamed his limited success in chamber ensembles to the fact that his artistic personality tended to overwhelm his colleagues. Some notable collaborations include his 1941 recordings of piano trios by Beethoven, Schubert, and Brahms with cellist Emanuel Feuermann and pianist Arthur Rubinstein as well as a later collaboration with Rubinstein and cellist Gregor Piatigorsky, with whom he recorded trios by Maurice Ravel, Tchaikovsky, and Felix Mendelssohn. Both formations were sometimes referred to as the Million Dollar Trio. Heifetz also recorded some string quintets with violinist Israel Baker, violists William Primrose and Virginia Majewski, and Piatigorsky. He recorded the Beethoven Violin Concerto in 1940 with the NBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Arturo Toscanini, and again in stereo in 1955 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Charles Munch. A live performance of an NBC radio broadcast from 9 April 1944, of Heifetz playing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto, with Toscanini and the NBC Symphony, has also been released. He performed and recorded Erich Wolfgang Korngold's Violin Concerto at a time when Korngold's scoring of numerous films for Warner Brothers prompted many classical musicians to develop the scarcely warranted opinion that Korngold was not a "serious" composer and to avoid his music in order to avoid being associated with him. CANNOTANSWER
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CANNOTANSWER
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Jascha Heifetz (; December 10, 1987) was a Russian-American violinist. Born in Vilnius, he moved while still a teenager to the United States, where his Carnegie Hall debut was rapturously received. He was a virtuoso since childhood. Fritz Kreisler, another leading violinist of the twentieth century, said after hearing Heifetz's debut, "We might as well take our fiddles and break them across our knees." He had a long and successful performing career; however, after an injury to his right (bowing) arm, he switched his focus to teaching.
Late in life, Heifetz became a dedicated teacher and a champion of socio-political causes. He publicly advocated to establish 9-1-1 as an emergency phone number, and crusaded for clean air. He and his students at the University of Southern California protested smog by wearing gas masks, and in 1967, he converted his Renault passenger car into an electric vehicle.
Early life
Heifetz was born into a Russian-Jewish family in Vilnius (Russian Empire, now Lithuania).
His father, Reuven Heifetz, was a local violin teacher and served as the concertmaster of the Vilnius Theatre Orchestra for one season before the theatre closed down. While Jascha was an infant, his father did a series of tests, observing how his son responded to his violin playing. This convinced him that Jascha had great potential, and before Jascha was two years old, his father bought him a small violin, and taught him bowing and simple fingering.
At four years old, he started lessons with Elias Malkin. He was a child prodigy, making his public debut at seven, in Kovno (now Kaunas, Lithuania) playing the Violin Concerto in E minor by Felix Mendelssohn. In 1910, he entered the Saint Petersburg Conservatory to study under Ovanes Nalbandian and later under Leopold Auer.
He played in Germany and Scandinavia, and met Fritz Kreisler for the first time in a Berlin private house, in a "private press matinee on May 20, 1912. The home was that of Arthur Abell, the pre-eminent Berlin music critic for the American magazine, Musical Courier. Among other noted violinists in attendance was Fritz Kreisler. After the 12-year-old Heifetz performed the Mendelssohn violin concerto, Abell reported that Kreisler said to all present, 'We may as well break our fiddles across our knees.'"
Heifetz visited much of Europe while still in his teens. In April 1911, he performed in an outdoor concert in St. Petersburg before 25,000 spectators; there was such a reaction that police officers needed to protect the young violinist after the concert. In 1914, he performed with the Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Arthur Nikisch. The conductor said he had never heard such an excellent violinist.
Career
Heifetz and his family left Russia in 1917, traveling by rail to the Russian far east and then by ship to the United States, arriving in San Francisco. On October 27, 1917, Heifetz played for the first time in the United States, at Carnegie Hall in New York, and became an immediate sensation.
Fellow violinist Mischa Elman in the audience asked "Do you think it's hot in here?", whereupon the pianist Leopold Godowsky, in the next seat, replied, "Not for pianists."
In 1917, Heifetz was elected an honorary member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the national fraternity for men in music, by the fraternity's Alpha chapter at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. At 16, he was perhaps the youngest person ever elected to membership in the organization. Heifetz remained in the country and became an American citizen in 1925. A story circulates that tells of an interaction with one of the Marx Brothers: when he told the brother (usually Groucho or Harpo) that he had been earning his living as a musician since the age of seven, he received the reply, "Before that, I suppose, you were just a bum."
In 1954, Heifetz began working with pianist Brooks Smith, who was Heifetz's accompanist for many years until he changed to Ayke Agus as his accompanist in retirement. He was also accompanied in concert for more than 20 years by Emmanuel Bay, another immigrant from Russia and a personal friend. Heifetz's musicianship was such that he would demonstrate to his accompanist how he wanted passages to sound on the piano, and would even suggest which fingerings to use.
After the seasons of 1955–56, Heifetz announced that he would sharply curtail his concert activity, saying "I have been playing for a very long time." In 1958, he tripped in his kitchen and fractured his right hip, resulting in hospitalization at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital and a near fatal staphylococcus infection. He was invited to play Beethoven at the United Nations General Assembly, and entered leaning on a cane. By 1967, Heifetz had considerably curtailed his concert performances.
Technique and timbre
Heifetz was "regarded as the greatest violin virtuoso since Paganini", wrote Lois Timnick of the Los Angeles Times. "He set all standards for 20th-century violin playing...everything about him conspired to create a sense of awe", wrote music critic Harold Schonberg of The New York Times. "The goals he set still remain, and for violinists today it's rather depressing that they may never really be attained again", wrote violinist Itzhak Perlman.
Virgil Thomson called Heifetz's style of playing "silk underwear music", a term he did not intend as a compliment. Other critics argue that he infused his playing with feeling and reverence for the composer's intentions. His style of playing was highly influential in defining the way modern violinists approached the instrument. His use of rapid vibrato, emotionally charged portamento, fast tempi, and superb bow control coalesced to create a highly distinctive sound that makes Heifetz's playing instantly recognizable to aficionados. Itzhak Perlman, who himself is known for his rich warm tone and expressive use of portamento, described Heifetz's tone as like "a tornado" because of its emotional intensity. Perlman said that Heifetz preferred to record relatively close to the microphone—and as a result, one would perceive a somewhat different tone quality when listening to Heifetz during a concert hall performance.
Heifetz was very particular about his choice of strings. He used a silver wound Tricolore gut G string, plain unvarnished gut D and A strings, and a Goldbrokat medium steel E string, and employed clear Hill-brand rosin sparingly. Heifetz believed that playing on gut strings was important in rendering an individual sound.
Early recordings
Heifetz made his first recordings in Russia during 1910–11, while still a student of Leopold Auer. The existence of these recordings was not generally known until after Heifetz's death, when several sides, including François Schubert's L'Abeille, were reissued on an LP included as a supplement to The Strad magazine.
Shortly after his Carnegie Hall debut on November 7, 1917, Heifetz made his first recordings for the Victor Talking Machine Company/RCA Victor where he remained for most of the rest of his career. On October 28, 1927, Heifetz was the starring act at the grand opening of Tucson, Arizona's now-historic Temple of Music and Art. For several years, in the 1930s, Heifetz recorded primarily for HMV/EMI in the UK because RCA Victor cut back on expensive classical recording sessions during the Great Depression; these HMV discs were issued in the United States by RCA Victor. Heifetz often enjoyed playing chamber music. Various critics have blamed his limited success in chamber ensembles to the fact that his artistic personality tended to overwhelm his colleagues. Collaborations include his 1941 recordings of piano trios by Beethoven, Schubert, and Brahms with cellist Emanuel Feuermann and pianist Arthur Rubinstein as well as a later collaboration with Rubinstein and cellist Gregor Piatigorsky, with whom he recorded trios by Maurice Ravel, Tchaikovsky, and Felix Mendelssohn. Both formations were sometimes referred to as the Million Dollar Trio. Heifetz also recorded some string quintets with violinist Israel Baker, violists William Primrose and Virginia Majewski, and Piatigorsky.
Heifetz recorded the Beethoven Violin Concerto in 1940 with the NBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Arturo Toscanini, and again in stereo in 1955 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Charles Munch. A live performance of an NBC radio broadcast from April 9, 1944, of Heifetz playing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto with Toscanini and the NBC Symphony has also been released, unofficially.
He performed and recorded Erich Wolfgang Korngold's Violin Concerto at a time when Korngold's scoring of films for Warner Bros. prompted many classical musicians to develop the opinion Korngold was not a "serious" composer and to avoid his music in order to avoid being associated with him.
World War II
During the war, Heifetz commissioned a number of pieces, including the Violin Concerto by William Walton. He also arranged a number of pieces, such as Hora Staccato by Grigoraș Dinicu, a Romanian whom Heifetz is rumoured to have called the greatest violinist he had ever heard. Heifetz also played and composed for the piano. He performed mess hall jazz for soldiers at Allied camps across Europe during the Second World War, and under the alias Jim Hoyl he wrote a hit song, When You Make Love to Me (Don't Make Believe), which was sung by Bing Crosby.
Decca recordings
From 1944 to 1946, largely as a result of the American Federation of Musicians recording ban (which began in 1942), Heifetz recorded with American Decca because the company settled with the union in 1943, well before RCA Victor resolved their dispute with the musicians. He recorded primarily short pieces, including his own arrangements of music by George Gershwin and Stephen Foster; these were pieces he often played as encores in his recitals. He was accompanied on the piano by Emanuel Bay or Milton Kaye. Among the more uncommon discs featured one of Decca's popular artists, Bing Crosby, in the "Lullaby" from Benjamin Godard's opera Jocelyn and Where My Caravan Has Rested (arranged by Heifetz and Crosby) by Hermann Löhr (1871–1943); Decca's studio orchestra was conducted by Victor Young on July 27, 1946, session. Heifetz soon returned to RCA Victor, where he continued to make recordings until the early 1970s.
Later recordings
Returning to RCA Victor in 1946, Heifetz continued to record extensively for the company, including solo, chamber, and concerto recordings, primarily with the Boston Symphony Orchestra under Charles Munch and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under Fritz Reiner.
In 2000, RCA released a double CD compilation entitled Jascha Heifetz – The Supreme. This release provides a sampling of Heifetz's major recordings, including the 1955 recording of Brahms's Violin Concerto with Reiner and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; the 1957 recording of Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto (with the same forces); the 1959 recording of Sibelius's Violin Concerto with Walter Hendl and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; the 1961 recording of Max Bruch's Scottish Fantasy with Sir Malcolm Sargent and the New Symphony Orchestra of London; the 1963 recording of Glazunov's A minor Concerto with Walter Hendl and the RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra (drawn from New York musicians); the 1965 recording of George Gershwin's Three Preludes (transcribed by Heifetz) with pianist Brooks Smith; and the 1970 recording of Bach's unaccompanied Chaconne from the Partita No. 2 in D minor.
Third Israel tour
On his third tour to Israel in 1953, Heifetz included the Violin Sonata by Richard Strauss in his recitals. At the time, many considered Strauss and a number of other German intellectuals Nazis, or at least Nazi sympathizers, and Strauss works were unofficially banned in Israel along with those of Richard Wagner. Despite the fact that the Holocaust had occurred less than ten years earlier and a last-minute plea from the Israeli Minister of Education, the defiant Heifetz argued, "The music is above these factors … I will not change my program. I have the right to decide on my repertoire." Throughout his tour the performance of the Strauss sonata was followed by dead silence.
Heifetz was attacked after his recital in Jerusalem outside his hotel by a young man who struck Heifetz's violin case with a crowbar, prompting Heifetz to use his bow-controlling right hand to protect his priceless violins. The attacker escaped and was never found. The attack has since been attributed to the Kingdom of Israel terrorist group. The incident made headlines and Heifetz defiantly announced that he would not stop playing the Strauss. Threats continued to come, however, and he omitted the Strauss from his next recital without explanation. His last concert was cancelled after his swollen right hand began to hurt. He left Israel and did not return until 1970.
Immigration to the U.S.
The Soviet establishment considered Heifetz and his teacher Leopold Auer traitors to their home country for emigrating to the US. Meanwhile, musicians who remained, such as David Oistrakh, were seen as patriots. Heifetz greatly criticized the Soviet regime, and condemned the International Tchaikovsky Competition for bias against Western competitors. During the Carl Flesch Competition in London, Oistrakh tried to persuade Erick Friedman, Heifetz's star student, to enter the Tchaikovsky Competition, of which he was the principal juror. Hearing of this, Heifetz strongly advised against it, warning Friedman, "You will see what will happen there."
Consequently, the competition received international outrage after Friedman, already a seasoned performer and RCA Victor recording artist, who had performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra, among many others, was placed sixth behind players who had yet to establish themselves. Joseph Szigeti later informed Heifetz himself that he had given Friedman top scores.
Later life
After an only partially successful operation on his right shoulder in 1972, Heifetz ceased giving concerts and making records. His prowess as a performer remained, and he still played privately until the end—but his bow arm was affected, and he could never again hold the bow as high as before.
Heifetz taught the violin extensively, holding master classes first at UCLA, then at the University of Southern California, where the faculty included renowned cellist Gregor Piatigorsky and violist William Primrose. For a few years in the 1980s, he also held classes in his private studio at home in Beverly Hills. His teaching studio can be seen today in the main building of the Colburn School and serves as an inspiration to the students there. During his teaching career Heifetz taught, among others, Erick Friedman, Pierre Amoyal, Adam Han-Gorski, Rudolf Koelman, Endre Granat, Teiji Okubo, Eugene Fodor, Paul Rosenthal, Ilkka Talvi and Ayke Agus.
During the last ten years of his life, Heifetz visited Hans Benning at Benning Violins for maintenance on his 1740 Guarneri violin.
Death
Heifetz died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, on December 10, 1987, at the age of 86 following a fall in his home.
Legacy
Heifetz owned the 1714 Dolphin Stradivarius, the 1731 "Piel" Stradivarius, the 1736 Carlo Tononi, and the 1742 ex David Guarneri del Gesù, the last of which he preferred and kept until his death. The Dolphin Strad is currently owned by the Nippon Music Foundation. The Heifetz Tononi violin, used at his 1917 Carnegie Hall debut, was left in his will to Sherry Kloss, his Master-Teaching Assistant, with "one of my four good bows". Violinist Kloss wrote Jascha Heifetz Through My Eyes, and is a co-founder of the Jascha Heifetz Society.
The famed Guarneri is now in the San Francisco Legion of Honor Museum, as instructed by Heifetz in his will, and may only be taken out and played "on special occasions" by deserving players. The instrument has recently been on loan to San Francisco Symphony's concertmaster Alexander Barantschik, who featured it in 2006 with Andrei Gorbatenko and the San Francisco Academy Orchestra in 2006. In 1989, Heifetz received a posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Family
Heifetz's son Jay is a professional photographer. He was formerly head of marketing for the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Hollywood Bowl, and the chief financial officer of Paramount Pictures' Worldwide Video Division. He lives and works in Fremantle, Western Australia. Heifetz's daughter, Josefa Heifetz Byrne, is a lexicographer, the author of the Dictionary of Unusual, Obscure and Preposterous Words.
Heifetz's great-niece is famed clarinetist, formerly of the LA Philharmonic, Michele Zukovsky.
Filmography
Heifetz played a featured role in the movie They Shall Have Music (1939) directed by Archie Mayo and written by John Howard Lawson and Irmgard von Cube. He played himself, stepping in to save a music school for poor children from foreclosure. He later appeared in the film, Carnegie Hall (1947), performing an abridged version of the first movement of Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto, with the orchestra led by Fritz Reiner, and consoling the star of the picture, who had watched his performance. In 1951, he appeared in the film Of Men and Music. In 1962, he appeared in a televised series of his master classes, and, in 1971, Heifetz on Television aired, an hour-long color special that featured the violinist performing a series of short works, the Scottish Fantasy by Max Bruch, and the Chaconne from the Partita No. 2 by J.S.Bach. Heifetz conducted the orchestra, as the surviving video recording documents.
The most recent film featuring Heifetz, Jascha Heifetz: God's Fiddler, premiered on April 16, 2011, at the Colburn School of Music. It is described as: "The only film biography of the world's most renowned violinist, featuring family home movies in Los Angeles and all over the world. The documentary-like film talks about Heifetz's life and accomplishments and gives an inside view of his personal life."
Notable instruments
Dolphin 1714 Stradivarius
Heifetz-Piel 1731 Stradivarius
Antonio Stradivari 1734
Carlo Tononi 1736
Giovanni Battista Guadagnini, Piacenza 1741
ex-David 1742 Guarneri
Discography
Jascha Heifetz was a prolific recording artist. All of his recordings have been reissued on compact disc.
J.S. Bach Chaconne DVD
Mendelssohn Octet In E-flat Major
Mozart Concerto In D Major
Mozart Symphonie Concertante In E-flat Major
Stravinsky Suite Italienne
Toch "Divertimento, Op. 37, No. 2"
Turina "Trio, Op. 35, No. 1"
Vieuxtemps Concerto No. 5
Bach Concerto In A Minor
Bach "Sonata No. 1, Partita No. 2"
Bach "Sonata No. 2, Partita No. 3"
Bach "Sonata, No. 3, Partita No. 1"
Beethoven Concerto In D Major
Beethoven "Archduke Trio In B-flat Major, Op. 97, No. 7"
Beethoven "Sonata In A Minor, No. 4"
Beethoven Kreutzer Sonata
Beethoven "Sonata No. 8, Sonata No. 10"
Beethoven "Trios In G, Op. 9, No. 1"
Beethoven "Trio In E-flat Major, Op. 3"
Beethoven Violin Concerto In D
Beethoven "Trio In D, Op. 9, No. 2"
Beethoven "Piano Trio, Op. 1, No. 1 "
Bloch Poème Mystique
Bloch Sonata
Brahms Concerto For Violin And Cello
Brahms Piano Quartet In C Minor
Brahms "Quintette In G, Op. 111 "
Brahms Trio No. 1 In B Major
Brahms "Concerto In D, Op. 77"
Brahms Violin Concerto
Brahms 3 Hungarian Dances
Brahms Concerto, Chausson – Poème, Bruch – Scottish Fantasy
Bruch Scottish Fantasy
Bruch "Concerto In G Minor, Op. 26, No. 1"
Bruch Concerto No. 2
Castelnuovo -Tedesco ? Concerto No. 2
Chausson Poème Op. 25
Dohnányi Serenade In C
Dvořák "Piano Trio In F Minor, Op. 65"
Dvořák Piano Quintet In A
Dvořák Piano Quintet No. 2
Ferguson Sonata No. 1
Françaix String Trio
Franck Sonata In A
Franck Piano Quintet In F Minor
Gershwin Porgy And Bess; Music Of France
Glazounov Violin Concerto
Glière "Duo For Violin And Cello, Op. 39"
Handel Halvorsen Passacaglia For Violin And Cello
J.S. Bach Concerto In D Minor
Khachaturian "Sonata, Op. 1"
Korngold "Violin Concerto In D, Op. 35"
Mendelssohn "Trio In C Minor, No. 2"
Mendelssohn "Trio No. 1 In D Minor, Op. 49 "
Mendelssohn Concerto In E Minor
Mendelssohn Concerto In E Minor
Mendelssohn "String Octet in E-flat Major, Op. 20"
Mozart Quintet In C Minor
Mozart "Divertimento In E=flat Major, K. 563"
Mozart "Concerto In A, No. 5, K. 219 "
Mozart "Divertimento In E-flat, Duo In B-flat, No. 2"
Mozart "Sonata No. 10, K378, No. 15, K454"
Mozart "Symphonie In E-flat, K. 364"
Mozart "Violin Concerto, No. 5, K. 219"
Mozart "Quintet In C, K. 515"
Paganini 3 Caprices
Prokofieff "Concerto In G Minor, No. 2"
Respighi Sonata In D Minor
Rózsa Concerto
Saint-Saëns "Sonata In D, No. 1"
Schubert Fantaisie
Schubert "Trio No. 1, In B, Op. 49"
Schubert Quintet In C Major
Sibelius Violin Concerto
Spohr Double String Quartet
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto In D, Op. 35
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto, Sinding – Suite
Tschaikowsky Violin Concerto
Tschaikowsky Sérénade Mélancolique
Vivaldi Concerto For Violin And Cello In B-flat;
Walton Concerto For Violin
Arensky Trio In D Minor
Bach Concerto In E Major
Beethoven "Sonata In C Minor, No. 7"
Beethoven "Romances, No. 1 and 2"
Beethoven "Trios In C Minor, Op. 9, No. 3"
Beethoven "Spring Sonata In F, Op. 24, No. 5"
Beethoven "Piano Trio In E-flat, Op. 70, No. 2"
Brahms Concerto In A Minor
Bruch Concerto In G Minor
Castelnuovo-Tedesco "The Lark, Fauré – Sonata, Op. 13"
Grieg Sonata In G
Haydn Divertimento, Rózsa – Tema Con Variazioni
Lalo "Symphonie Espagnole, Op. 21"
Martin Duo For Violin And Cello
Schubert Sonatina in G minor
Schubert "Trio In B-flat, No. 2"
Strauss Sonata In E-flat
Tchaikovsky "Trio In A Minor, Op. 50"
Beethoven "Sonata No. 3, Sonata No. 6"
Bach Three Sinfonia;
Bach Concerto For Two Violins
Beethoven Sonata No. 7
Beethoven Sonata Nos. 1 &2
Benjamin Romantic Fantasy
Benjamin Romantic Fantasy
Boccherini Sonata In D
Brahms Sextet In G Major
Bruch Scottish Fantasy
Chausson Concerto For Violin
Conus Concerto In E Minor
Debussy "Sonata In G Minor, No. 3"
Dvořák "Piano Trio, Dumky"
Grieg "Sonata No. 3, Brahms – Sonata No. 1
Wieniawski, Tchaikovsky, Rameau, J.S.Bach, Padilla, Sarasate"
Handel Halvorsen – Passacaglia
Handel Sonata In E Major
Mozart "Sonata In C, No. 8, K. 296"
Mozart "Concerto In D, No. 1, K. 218"
Prokofieff Concerto In G Minor
Ravel Trio In A Minor
Ravel Tzigane
Saint-Saëns "Sonata In D Minor, Op. 75, No. 1"
Schubert Sonata In G Minor
Spohr Concerto No. 8
Strauss Sonata In E-flat
Toch Vivace molto
Vieuxtemps "Concerto In A Minor, Op. 37, No. 5"
Vitali Chaconne
Wieniawski Concerto No. 2
See also
Jascha Heifetz Competition
References
Sources
Auer, Leopold, 1923, My Long Life in Music, Stokes, New York
External links
Jascha Heifetz official website
Jascha Heifetz at Sony BMG Masterworks
NPR Classical Music: Heifetz at War: Behind the Scenes, Near the Front
Jascha Heifetz Collection (ARS.0046), Stanford Archive of Recorded Sound
Jascha Heifetz recordings at the Discography of American Historical Recordings.
20th-century American musicians
20th-century classical violinists
1901 births
1987 deaths
American classical violinists
Male classical violinists
American male violinists
Child classical musicians
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winners
Jewish American classical musicians
Jewish classical musicians
Jewish classical violinists
Musicians from Vilnius
Saint Petersburg Conservatory alumni
Thornton School of Music faculty
20th-century American male musicians
Russian Jews
Russian classical violinists
20th-century Russian male musicians
20th-century Russian musicians
20th-century American Jews
| false |
[
"Sings from the Heart is the 1962 country music studio album released by George Jones in June 1962. The album was his eleventh studio LP release, and was his last with Mercury, after switching to United Artists in late 1961. The album's theme was listing of songs about the heart, and contains his last #1 with Mercury Records from 1961, Tender Years.\n\nThe LP release was Jones' fourth studio release during the 1960s, and lists many of his last recordings with Mercury, after 5 years on the label.\n\nBackground\nSings from the Heart was compiled from recordings during one of his last Mercury Records sessions, and some other sessions. The LP would be Jones' last release during his contract years with Mercury. The album includes his last #1 hit with Mercury titled, \"Tender Years,\" and all other songs were titled with 'heart' somewhere. It contains 10 exceptional ballads, and the album was one of many LP's released by George in 1962.\n\nRecording and composition\n\nSide One tracks\nThe first track introduced on Sings from the Heart was \"Achin', Breakin' Heart,\" which was recorded on February 8, 1961, and released as a single on January 6, 1962, and written by Rick Hall. \"Hearts in My Dreams\" was written by Jones and Roger Miller (1 of many the two wrote together in the late 1950s), and recorded on April 23, 1957, and is the oldest track listed. \"Candy Hearts\" was a song written and recorded by Jones in April 1959, and later was released as the b-side to \"Window Up Above\" in June 1960. \"Talk to Me Lonesome Heart\" was written by James O'Gwynn, recorded in late August 1959, and was even included on his last LP release, Sings Country and Western Hits the previous year. The fifth track on the side was \"With Half a Heart,\" which was written by Leon Payne and recorded in early April 1960. The last track of the side was \"Heartaches by the Number,\" written by Harlan Howard, and recorded sometime in April 1960.\n\nSide Two tracks\nOne of Jones' best Mercury recordings, however, largely unappreciated, was the opening track to side 2, \"When My Heart Hurts No More,\" a more than exceptional ballad listing. The song was written by Jones' childhood friend and an often co-pen, Darrell Edwards, and famed cowboy ballad songwriter Helen Cross. It was recorded during the February 8, 1961 session, and was re-recorded with Musicor in 1967. \"Cold, Cold Heart\" was recorded for his 1960 album, Salute Hank Williams on April 21, 1960. \"I've Got a New Heartache\" was recorded sometime in 1957, written by Ray Price and Wayne Walker, and most recognizably, re-recorded as a duet with Gene Pitney. \"I Gotta Talk to Your Heart\" was another co-writing between Jones and Miller, and recorded on June 5, 1957. \"Frozen Heart\" was written by Jones and Jimmy Yancey, and recorded in October 1957. The last and most notable track listed was the \"Tender Years,\" which later became a #1 after being released as a single on June 5, 1961. The song became one of Jones' greatest ballads, and its greatest version was a 1967 re-recording with Musicor.\n\nReception\n\nThe album was received well by critics, and even sold well. Tender Years later became the most well known song on the album. In 1984, Jones biographer Bob Allen wrote that \"The manner in which he sang the words to 'Tender Years' (which, in mid-1961, became his second number one single) was, in fact, just about enough to make the short hairs stand up on the back of one's head.\" In 1994, country music historian Colin Escott agreed, writing that the song \"just about defined the territory he carved out as his own in the years ahead...the song, the production, and the performance came together in a statement of soon-to-be classic George Jones.\"\n\nTrack listing\n\nExternal links\n George Jones' Official Website\n Record Label\n\n1962 albums\nGeorge Jones albums\nAlbums produced by Shelby Singleton\nMercury Records albums",
"\"One Friend\" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Dan Seals for his 1984 album San Antone, and this version was the b-side to that album's single \"(You Bring Out) The Wild Side of Me\". In 1987, Seals re-recorded the song and, in September 1987, released it as the first and only single from his compilation album The Best. It peaked at number one, becoming his seventh straight number-one single.\n\nMusic video\nSeals re-recorded \"One Friend\" again for his 1995 acoustic album, In a Quiet Room, and a music video was filmed for that version the following year. It was directed by Tom Bevins, and it shows Seals singing and performing the song on his guitar while sitting by a bonfire. It was the last music video of Seals' career.\n\nCharts\n\nWeekly charts\n\nYear-end charts\n\nReferences\n\n1987 singles\n1984 songs\nDan Seals songs\nSongs written by Dan Seals\nSong recordings produced by Kyle Lehning\nCapitol Records Nashville singles\nCountry ballads"
] |
[
"Daddy Yankee",
"2007-09: El Cartel: The Big Boss and Talento De Barrio"
] |
C_c5c8ca973e4d47478cfa71a686c386f9_1
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What is El Cartel?
| 1 |
What is El Cartel?
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Daddy Yankee
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El Cartel: The Big Boss was released by Interscope on June 5, 2007. Ayala stated that the album marked a return to his hip-hop roots as opposed to being considered a strictly reggaeton album. The album was produced in 2006, and included the participation of will.i.am, Scott Storch, Tainy Tunes, Neli, and personnel from Ayala's label. Singles were produced with Hector Delgado, Fergie, Nicole Scherzinger and Akon. The first single from the album was titled "Impacto", and was released prior to the completion of the album. The album was promoted by a tour throughout the United States, which continued throughout Latin America. He performed in Mexico, first in Monterrey, where 10,000 attended the concert, and later at San Luis Potosi coliseum, where the concert sold out, leaving hundreds of fans outside the building. Ayala performed in Chile as well, and established a record for attendance in Ecuador. He also performed in Bolivia, setting another record when 50,000 fans attended his Santa Cruz de la Sierra concert. This show was later described as "the best show with the biggest attendance in history" and as "somehappy that his album had sold more than those of Juan Luis Guerra and Juanes, and that this was an "official proof that reggaeton's principal exponent defeated the rest of the genres". Between 2007 and 2008, Ayala made several guest appearances in famous reggaeton compilation albums including Caribbean Connection, Echo Presenta: Invasion, Mas Flow: Los Benjamins, and 20 Number 1's Now. He appeared on the 2008 Rockstar Games' video game Grand Theft Auto IV as the DJ of Radio San Juan Sounds, with spanglish lines. The radio includes reggaeton songs from Ayala's colleagues, like Wisin & Yandel, Hector "El Father", Tito El Bambino and Jowell & Randy. San Juan Sounds also featured Daddy Yankee's hit "Impacto". In July 2008, Ayala announced that as part of his work, he would produce a cover version of Thalia's song, "Ten Paciencia". On 17 August 2008 was released his soundtrack album Talento De Barrio for the eponymous film. Prior to the album's release, Ayala scheduled several activities, including an in-store contract signing. The album was awarded as Multi-Platinum by RIAA on 17 April 2009. On February 27, 2009, he performed at the Vina del Mar International Song Festival in Chile. In this event, the artists receive awards based on the public's reaction. After performing "Rompe", "Llamado de emergencia", "Ella Me Levanto", "Gasolina", "Limpia Parabrisas" and "Lo Que Paso, Paso" over the course of two hours, Ayala received the "Silver Torch", "Gold Torch" and "Silver Seagull" recognitions. On April 24, 2009, he received the Spirit of Hope Award as part of the Latin Billboard Music Awards ceremony. The recognition is given to the artists that participate in their community or social efforts throughout the year. CANNOTANSWER
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album
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Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez (born February 3, 1977), known professionally as Daddy Yankee, is a Puerto Rican rapper, singer and songwriter. He is known as the "King of Reggaetón" by music critics and fans alike. Daddy Yankee is the artist who coined the word reggaeton in 1994 to describe the new music genre that was emerging from Puerto Rico that synthesized American hip-hop, Latin Caribbean music, and Jamaican reggae rhythms with Spanish rapping and singing. He is often cited as an influence by other Latin urban performers.
Ayala was born in Río Piedras and was raised in the Villa Kennedy Housing Projects neighborhood. He aspired to be a professional baseball player and tried out for the Seattle Mariners of the Major League Baseball. Before he could be officially signed, he was hit by a stray round from an AK-47 rifle while taking a break from a studio recording session with reggaeton artist DJ Playero. Ayala spent roughly a year and a half recovering from the wound; the bullet was never removed from his hip, and he credits the shooting incident with allowing him to focus entirely on a music career. In 2004, Daddy Yankee released his international hit single "Gasolina", which is credited with introducing reggaeton to audiences worldwide, and making the music genre a global phenomenon. Since then, he has sold around 20 million records, making him one of the best-selling Latin music artists.
Daddy Yankee's album Barrio Fino made history when it became the top-selling Latin music album of the decade between 2000 and 2009. In 2017, Daddy Yankee, in collaboration with Latin pop singer Luis Fonsi, released the hit single "Despacito". It became the first Spanish-language song to hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 since "Macarena" in 1996. The single gained global success. The video for "Despacito" on YouTube received its billionth view on April 20, 2017, and became the most-watched video on the platform. Its success led Daddy Yankee to become the most-listened artist worldwide on the streaming service Spotify in June 2017, the first Latin artist to do so.
As of 2017, Daddy Yankee has won 82 awards from 270 nominations since his rise to international fame in 2004. He has won five Latin Grammy Awards, two Billboard Music Awards, 14 Billboard Latin Music Awards, two Latin American Music Awards, eight Lo Nuestro Awards, an MTV Video Music Award, and six ASCAP Awards. He also received a Puerto Rican Walk of Fame star, special awards by People en Español magazine, and the Presencia Latina at Harvard University. He was named by CNN as the "Most Influential Hispanic Artist" of 2009, and included in Time 100 in 2006.
Musical career
1994–1999: Career beginnings
Often considered to be one of the pioneers within the reggaeton genre, Ayala was originally going to become a professional baseball player but he was shot in his leg while taking a break from a studio recording session. The bullet was never removed and he credits this incident with allowing him to pursue a musical career. He first appeared on the 1994 DJ Playero's Mixtape, Playero 34, with the song "So' Persigueme, No Te Detengas". His first official studio project as a solo artist was No Mercy, which was released on April 2, 1995 through White Lion Records and BM Records in Puerto Rico. Early in his career he attempted to imitate the rap style of Vico C. He went on to emulate other artists in the genre, including DJ Playero, DJ Nelson, and Tempo taking elements from their styles in order to develop an original style with the Dembow rhythm. In doing so, he eventually abandoned the traditional model of rap and became one of the first artists to perform reggaeton. Throughout the 1990s, Daddy Yankee appeared in several of DJ Playero's underground mixtapes which were banned by the Puerto Rican government due to explicit lyrics; these songs would later be among the first reggaeton songs ever produced. DJ Playero and Daddy Yankee would later be credited for inventing the name "reggaeton" to describe their music on the album Playero 36 in 1994.
2000–2003: Early music and El Cangri.com
In 1997, Daddy Yankee collaborated with the rapper Nas, who was an inspiration for Ayala, in the song "The Profecy", for the album Boricua Guerrero. He released two compilation albums with original material: El Cartel (1997) and El Cartel II (2001). Both albums were successful in Puerto Rico, but not throughout Latin America. Between those years, Ayala released a total of nine music videos, including "Posición" featuring Alberto Stylee, "Tu Cuerpo En La Cama" featuring Nicky Jam, and "Muévete Y Perrea".
In 2000, Daddy Yankee formed an unofficial duo called "Los Cangris" with Nicky Jam and released several successful singles together. Yankee and Nicky Jam fell apart in 2004 due to personal issues and creative differences. In 2012, Daddy Yankee and Nicky Jam reconciled and performed in various concerts together.
In 2002, El Cangri.com became Ayala's first album with international success, receiving coverage in the markets of New York City and Miami with hits including "Latigazo", "Son Las Doce", "Guayando" and other songs like "Enciende", which talks about different social problems of the era, mentioning 9/11, corruption and religion.
In 2003, Daddy Yankee released a compilation album named Los Homerun-es, which contains his first charted single ("Segurosqui"), five new songs and 12 remakes of DJ Playero's albums songs. that was later charted, "Seguroski", being his first charted single after six of them.
In 2003, Ayala collaborated for the first time with the prestigious reggaeton producers Luny Tunes on the album Mas Flow, with his commercial success song "Cógela Que Va Sin Jockey" (a.k.a. "Métele Con Candela"), and Mas Flow 2.
2004–2006: Barrio Fino and "Gasolina"
Ayala's next album, Barrio Fino, was produced by Luny Tunes and DJ Nelson among others and released in July 2004 by El Cartel Records and VI Music. It was the most highly anticipated album in the reggaeton community. Ayala had enjoyed salsa music since he was young, and this led him to include music of genres besides reggaeton in the album. The most prominent of these cross-genre singles was "Melao", in which he performed with Andy Montañez. The album was described as his most complete, and with it he intended to introduce combinations of reggaeton and other genres to the English-speaking market. Barrio Fino was followed up by an international tour with performances in numerous countries including the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Honduras, Spain, Colombia, Argentina, Venezuela, and the United States. The album has sold over 1.1 millions of copies in the United States alone, making it the seventh best-selling Latin album in the country according to Nielsen SoundScan. Also, It had sold over 2 million copies throughout Latin America and worldwide.
During this same time, Daddy Yankee was featured in N.O.R.E.'s single "Oye Mi Canto" which hit number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart; a record for a reggaeton single at the time. Other successful featured singles included "Mayor Que Yo" and "Los 12 Discípulos".
In 2005, Ayala won several international awards, making him one of the most recognized reggaeton artists within the music industry. The first award of the year was Lo Nuestro Awards within the "Album of the Year" category, which he received for Barrio Fino. In this event he performed "Gasolina" in a performance that was described as "innovative". Barrio Fino also won the "Reggaeton Album of the Year" award in the Latin Billboard that took place on April 28, 2005, where he performed a mix of three of his songs in a duet with P. Diddy. The album was promoted throughout Latin America, the United States, and Europe, reaching certified gold in Japan. Due to the album's success, Ayala received promotional contracts with radio stations and soda companies, including Pepsi. His hit single, "Gasolina", received the majority of votes cast for the second edition of Premios Juventud, in which it received eight nominations and won seven awards. Ayala also made a live presentation during the award ceremony. "Gasolina" received nominations in the Latin Grammy and MTV Video Music Awards. The commercial success of "Gasolina" in the United States led to the creation of a new radio format and a Billboard chart: Latin Rhythm Airplay. According to Nestor Casonu, CEO of Casonu Strategic Management, "Daddy Yankee and 'Gasolina' triggered the explosion of urban Latin music worldwide".
The successful single, "Gasolina", was covered by artists from different music genres. This led to a controversy when "Los Lagos", a Mexican banda group, did a cover with the original beat but changed the song's lyrics. The group's label had solicited the copyright permission to perform the single and translate it to a different music style, but did not receive consent to change the lyrics; legal action followed. Speaking for the artist, Ayala's lawyer stated that having his song covered was an "honor, but it must be done the right way."
On December 13, 2005, he released Barrio Fino en Directo, a live record and the follow up of Barrio Fino. The album sold more than in 800,000 copies in the United States, becoming the 13th best-selling Latin album in the US according to Nielsen SoundScan and over 3 million of copies worldwide.
On April 30, 2006, Ayala was named one of the 100 most influential people by Time, which cited the 2 million copies of Barrio Fino sold, Ayala's $20 million contract with Interscope Records, and his Pepsi endorsement.
During this period, Ayala and William Omar Landrón (more commonly known by his artistic name Don Omar) were involved in a rivalry within the genre, dubbed "tiraera". The rivalry received significant press coverage despite being denied early on by both artists. It originated with a lyrical conflict between the artists begun by Ayala's comments in a remix single, where he criticized Landron's common usage of the nickname "King of Kings". Don Omar responded to this in a song titled "Ahora Son Mejor", in his album Los Rompediscotecas.
2007–2009: El Cartel: The Big Boss and Talento De Barrio
El Cartel: The Big Boss was released by Interscope on June 5, 2007. Ayala stated that the album marked a return to his hip-hop roots as opposed to being considered a strictly reggaeton album. The album was produced in 2006, and included the participation of will.i.am, Scott Storch, Tainy Tunes, Neli, and personnel from Ayala's label. Singles were produced with Héctor Delgado, Fergie, Nicole Scherzinger and Akon. The first single from the album was titled "Impacto", and was released prior to the completion of the album. The album was promoted by a tour throughout the United States, which continued throughout Latin America. He performed in Mexico, first in Monterrey, where 10,000 attended the concert, and later at San Luis Potosí coliseum, where the concert sold out, leaving hundreds of fans outside the building. Ayala performed in Chile as well, and established a record for attendance in Ecuador. He also performed in Bolivia, setting another record when 50,000 fans attended his Santa Cruz de la Sierra concert. This show was later described as "the best show with the biggest attendance in history" and as "somehappy that his album had sold more than those of Juan Luis Guerra and Juanes, and that this was an "official proof that reggaeton's principal exponent defeated the rest of the genres".
Between 2007 and 2008, Ayala made several guest appearances in famous reggaeton compilation albums including Caribbean Connection, Echo Presenta: Invasión, Mas Flow: Los Benjamins, and 20 Number 1's Now.
He appeared on the 2008 Rockstar Games' video game Grand Theft Auto IV as the DJ of Radio San Juan Sounds, with spanglish lines. The radio includes reggaeton songs from Ayala's colleagues, like Wisin & Yandel, Hector "El Father", Tito El Bambino and Jowell & Randy. San Juan Sounds also featured Daddy Yankee's hit "Impacto".
In July 2008, Ayala announced that as part of his work, he would produce a cover version of Thalía's song, "Ten Paciencia". On August 17, 2008 his soundtrack album Talento De Barrio for the eponymous film was released. Prior to the album's release, Ayala scheduled several activities, including an in-store contract signing. The album was awarded as Multi-Platinum by RIAA on April 17, 2009. On February 27, 2009, he performed at the Viña del Mar International Song Festival in Chile. In this event, the artists receive awards based on the public's reaction. After performing "Rompe", "Llamado de emergencia", "Ella Me Levantó", "Gasolina", "Limpia Parabrisas" and "Lo Que Pasó, Pasó" over the course of two hours, Ayala received the "Silver Torch", "Gold Torch" and "Silver Seagull" recognitions. On April 24, 2009, he received the Spirit of Hope Award as part of the Latin Billboard Music Awards ceremony. The recognition is given to the artists that participate in their community or social efforts throughout the year.
2009–2013: Mundial and Prestige
The single, "Grito Mundial", was released on October 8, 2009, in order to promote his ninth album, Mundial. The song was going to be the official theme for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, but Ayala rejected the FIFA offer, which gave them 100% of the rights. Despite releasing "El Ritmo No Perdona (Prende)" more than a month before, that single was not considered the first official promotional single. The second single, "Descontrol", was released on January 12, 2010, and topped the Billboard Latin Rhythm Airplay. The music video was filmed in New York City and was released on May 17, 2010. "La Despedida" was the third single, released on August 4, 2010. The song reached #4 in both Billboard Top Latin Songs and Latin Pop Songs. Other songs, like "Bailando Fue" (featuring Jowell & Randy) and "Échale Pique" (featuring Yomo) were not included in Mundial.
In 2010, Daddy Yankee participated in the song "Somos El Mundo 25 Por Haiti", by providing the rap vocals alongside rapper Pitbull.
Daddy Yankee's sixth studio album, Prestige was released on September 11, 2012. It was scheduled to be released on November or December 2011, but a hurricane damaged El Cartel Records and half of the album was lost. The lost tracks had to be reworked and was finally released nine months later. The first single, "Ven Conmigo", featuring bachata singer Prince Royce, was released on April 12, 2011 and peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Latin Charts. The second single, "Lovumba", was released on October 4, 2011 and was a number one hit on the Billboard Latin Charts and the Latin Songs chart. It was also nominated for Best Urban Song at the 2012 Latin Grammy Awards. The third single, "Pasarela", was released on June 20, 2012. The album peaked at number 39 on the Billboard 200, number one on both the Billboard Latin Albums and Latin Rhythm Albums charts. It also peaked at number five on the Billboard Rap Albums chart. The fourth and last single, Limbo, was released with the album. The song had a great success, reaching three #1 Billboard charts (Hot Latin Song, Latin Pop Song and Latin Rhythm Airplay) and having more than 790 million views on YouTube. The album was certified as Gold by the RIAA on March 8, 2013.
The year 2012 had one of the most important genre events of the year: the reconciliation between Daddy Yankee and Wisin & Yandel, after some years of rivalry. Six years after their last collaboration, Daddy Yankee appeared on the duo's remix song "Hipnotízame", with positive acclaim from fans. Two months later, on February 16, 2013, Wisin & Yandel collaborated in the remix of "Limbo". Later in 2013, the three artists performed songs like "Hipnotízame", "Mayor Que Yo" and "Noche De Entierro" in two concerts (one in Puerto Rico and another in Colombia).
On February 25, 2013, Daddy Yankee performed in the 2013 Viña del Mar International Song Festival, to a sold-out audience. He performed hits like "Limbo", "Gasolina", "Pose", "Ella Me Levantó" and "Descontrol". He won the Silver and Golden Torch and the Silver and Golden Seagull recognitions.
In 2013, Daddy Yankee performed on his Prestige World Tour, touring several countries in Europe including, Spain, Germany, France and Italy. He has also toured in Colombia, Peru, Chile to sold-out audiences. In 2013 he released music videos of "El Amante" featuring J Alvarez, "Summertime" and "Noche de los Dos" featuring Natalia Jimenez, with millions of views on YouTube.
2013–2015: King Daddy
On October 29, 2013, Daddy Yankee released a mixtape entitled "King Daddy", produced by Los De La Nazza (Musicologo & Menes), as part the Imperio Nazza Mixtapes series and was released as a digital-format only. The mixtape was made because of the high demand from the fans and is a return to his original reggaeton roots. It includes 11 tracks with collaborations from J Alvarez, Arcángel, Yandel, Farruko, and Divino. According to Ayala, "King Daddy" was recorded in two and a half weeks, because there was "a lot of inspiration". The song "La Rompe Carros" has garnered popularity among the public, but his hit single was "La Nueva y La Ex" which has been widely received all over South America, Europe, and North America. During a press conference earlier this year, Daddy Yankee announced the physical release of King Daddy scheduled for later this year with 3 or 4 bonus tracks for a total of 14 or 15 songs included.
From May 13 to June 22, 2014, Ayala performed on his King Daddy Tour, touring several cities in Europe. He has also toured in South and North American cities. In Spain, his concerts were on the 4º position in the box-office ranking, being the first Latin artist on the top 5 in this country, underneath Iron Maiden and The Rolling Stones, and over artists like Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus and Michael Bublé.
On June 17, 2014 the single "Ora Por Mí" (Spanish for "Pray For Me") was released as part of the King Daddy's bonus tracks and uses the Scorpions' "Send Me An Angel" instrumental, with a rap sampler. The official video for "Ora Por Mí" was released on June 24, 2014. It was filmed in many locations in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and talks about Ayala's life and the dark side of fame. According to Ayala, it is the most personal song of his career. On September 2, 2014, it was released another single called "Palabras Con Sentido" (Spanish for "Words With Sentiments"), which defends reggaeton and urban music of all the accusations of being a "society poison". Daddy Yankee expressed that all music has something good to give, even urban music. On his single, he also says that urban music saves lives, like his own, and the solution would be that churches have to remain, journalists have to tell the truth, artists have to have more inspiration, and the rich people have to help the poor ones. On September 9, 2014 he released his first totally English single called "This Is Not A Love Song" featuring new rapper Duncan.
2016–present: El Disco Duro
On April 28, 2016, Daddy Yankee was awarded the "Industry Leader Award" during the 2016 Latin Billboard Awards.
After a decade-long feud with longtime rival Don Omar for the "King of Reggaetón" title, in early 2016 Daddy Yankee and Don Omar announced in a Billboard press conference that they would perform together on stage in a concert series called The Kingdom Tour. The tour announcement left many fans in disbelief as it sold out in minutes in major cities like Las Vegas, Orlando, Los Angeles, New York. The concerts were structured like a boxing match, where the two artists got to trade off musical rounds, and fans voted for their winner in each city via an app designed for the event. "Two kings, one throne", said Pina Records founder Rafael Pina, who had a well-established relationship with both artists, and who also came up with the idea for the tour concept. Discussing the tour and his rivalry with Daddy Yankee, Don Omar said "Let me clarify: I am not his best friend, and he is not my best friend, but we respect each other. That desire to be the best is what has pushed us to be better."
In 2017, Daddy Yankee, in collaboration with Latin pop singer Luis Fonsi, released the hit single "Despacito". It became the first Spanish-language song to hit number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 since "Macarena" in 1996. The single gained global success. The official video for "Despacito" on YouTube received its billionth view on April 20, 2017 after 97 days, becoming the second-fastest video on the site to reach the milestone behind Adele's "Hello". Its success led Daddy Yankee to become the most listened artist worldwide on the streaming service Spotify in June 2017, being the first Latin artist to do so.
In early 2018, Daddy Yankee released his first latin trap singles with the song "Hielo", and on the single "Vuelve" on which he collaborated with Bad Bunny.
In August 2018, Daddy Yankee collaborated with Janet Jackson on her return to music on the song "Made for Now".
He released the 2019 single "Con Calma", a reimagination of Snow's 1992 hit single "Informer". Snow recorded new parts and the Spanish-language remake topped the charts of 20 countries and reached the top 10 of 10 others.
Film and other career projects
Ayala has negotiated promotional deals with several companies outside of the music industry, releasing merchandise under his name. In 2005, he became the first Latin artist to sign a deal with Reebok, in order to produce accessories, including the licensed clothing line "DY", which was released in 2006. He also teamed up with the company to have his own shoes and sporting goods made, which were first distributed on May 23, 2006. Reebok continued the partnership with the introduction of the Travel Trainer collection in July 2007. In August 2007, Pepsi began an advertising campaign titled "Puertas", in which Ayala is depicted returning to his youth by opening a series of doors.
Ayala has worked in the film industry as both an actor and producer. His acting debut was as an extra in the 2004 film Vampiros, directed by Eduardo Ortiz and filmed in Puerto Rico. The film premiered at the Festival of Latin American Cinema in New York, where it received a positive reaction. This led Image Entertainment to produce a DVD, internationally released in March 2005. Ayala played the main role, "Edgar Dinero", in Talento de Barrio, which was filmed in Puerto Rico and directed by José Iván Santiago. Ayala produced the film, which is based on his experience of growing up in a poor city neighborhood. While the film is not directly a biography, Ayala has stated that it mirrors his early life. Talento de Barrio's debut was scheduled for July 23, 2008, in New York's Latino Film Festival. After the premier, Ayala expressed satisfaction, saying that he had been invited to audition for other producers. On release, Talento de Barrio broke the record held by Maldeamores for the most tickets to a Puerto Rican movie sold in a single day in Caribbean Cinemas.
Ayala has been involved in the administration of three organizations, the first being El Cartel Records which he co-owns with Andres Hernandez. He also created the Fundación Corazón Guerrero, a charitable organization in Puerto Rico which works with young incarcerated people. On April 26, 2008, he was presented with a "Latino of the Year Award" by the student organization Presencia Latina of Harvard College, receiving it for his work with Puerto Rican youth and creating Corazón Guerrero. On February 6, 2008, Ayala announced in a Baloncesto Superior Nacional press conference that he had bought part of the Criollos de Caguas' ownership. He has also been active with Cruz Roja Puerto Rico in several media campaigns.
In March 2013, Daddy Yankee talked about a new movie production during an interview in Las Vegas. During an interview in a radio station in January 2014, Ayala announced the film, but he only mentioned that many reggaeton exponents would take part of it. In February 2014 it was confirmed that the movie will be about the boxer Macho Camacho's life. According to Ayala, he had the boxer's support to film the movie, but it remained in nothing after Camacho's death on November 24, 2012. The film was due for release in 2015.
The most recent of Daddy Yankee's non-music projects was the release of his game Trylogy, a 3D video game based in tower defense games. The game was presented at the New York Comic Con and was released on November 29, 2013. The game also features Ayala's songs like "Gasolina" and "Limbo".
Personal life
Family
Ayala has kept most of his personal life private, rarely speaking about it in interviews. He has said that he avoids doing so because such details are the only aspect of his life that are not public and that they are like a "little treasure". In 2006 he spoke about his relationship with his wife Mireddys González and children in an interview with María Celeste Arrarás in Al Rojo Vivo. He stated that his marriage is strong because he and his wife are "friends above anything", and that he has tried to ignore other temptations because "weakness is the reason for the downfall of several artists". He met his wife when they were little and at just 17 years old they decided to get married. As a result of the union their first daughter Yamilette Ayala González was born. His first daughter was born when he was seventeen years old, which he described as confusing at first, adding that raising a daughter at that age was a hard experience. He has another son, Jeremy, born in 1998, and another daughter, Jesaaelys, born in 1996.
Political views
In 2008, Ayala participated in a campaign to promote voting in the 2008 general elections in Puerto Rico. This initiative included a concert titled "Vota o quédate callado" (Vote or Remain Silent).
On August 25, 2008, Ayala endorsed Republican John McCain's candidacy for President of the United States in the 2008 election, stating that McCain was a "fighter for the Hispanic community". As part of this campaign, Ayala moderated a debate titled "Vota o quédate callado: los candidatos responden a los jóvenes", which was aired on October 9, 2008.
In November 2019, Ayala inaugurated a museum of reggaeton at Plaza Las Américas, the first of its kind.
Philanthropy
In 2007, Daddy Yankee became the spokesperson of the environmental organization "Yo Limpio a Puerto Rico" (I Clean Puerto Rico) founded by Ignacio Barsottelli. Yo Limpio a Puerto Rico, PepsiCo and Wal-Mart announced a joint effort to promote recycling in Puerto Rico among the general public and schools across the island with the campaign "Tómatelo en Serio, Recicla por Puerto Rico" (Take it seriously, recycle for Puerto Rico), in which Daddy Yankee became the main spokesperson. This campaign incorporated a recycling contest among public and private schools from around the island in the elementary, junior high, and high school categories. The program established 16 recycling centers located at Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores across the island, where consumers were able to deposit recyclable items.
In 2017, Daddy Yankee donated $100,000 to the Food Bank of Puerto Rico after the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria. The money provided food to roughly 9,000 families on the island.
Daddy Yankee presented the HR Derby Champ medallion to Pete Alonso upon his winning the MLB HR Derby on July 8, 2019.
Legacy
Daddy Yankee has been dubbed "King of Reggaetón" by media. Rachel Grace Almeida from Vice felt Daddy Yankee paved the way with his music to amplify and normalize the "marginalised" Latino identity. She also commented that Yankee played a vital part in "bringing glamour to the barrio and challenged the mainstream media's portrayal of Hispanic poverty in those neighbourhoods". He was highlighted by CNN and Time as one of the most influential Hispanics in the world. Roy Trakin from Pollstar considered his collaboration with Luis Fonsi in "Despacito" helped "turn his native Puerto Rico's music into a global phenomenon".
Daddy Yankee's third studio album Barrio Fino (2004) ushered reggaeton into the mainstream. Its single "Gasolina" "[altered] the business, sound and aesthetic of Latin music", stated Billboard, "the genre would revive sales of Latin music, usher in a new radio format in the U.S. (Latin Rhythm Airplay) and establish the urban base responsible for many Latin radio hits today." According to Nestor Casonú, president for Kobalt Music Latin America, "Daddy Yankee and 'Gasolina' triggered the explosion of urban Latin music worldwide."
In 2006, a The New York Times article deemed him "The King of Reggaetón" while commenting on 2004's music revenue, "one bright spot for the music industry was Latin music: sales grew by 12 percent, according to Nielsen SoundScan. At least some of that success is owed to reggaetón and by extension to Daddy Yankee, its top-selling act."
Multiple artists have cited him as an inspiration, including J Balvin, Ozuna, Bad Bunny, Lunay, Miguelito, and Natti Natasha.
Achievements
Daddy Yankee has received several awards and honors, including 10 Guinness World Records and seven Billboard Music Awards (the most for any Latin artist). He was honored with the Icon Award by Latin American Music Awards, the Industry Leader Award from the Latin Billboard Awards and inducted into its Hall of Fame, and received the Lifetime Achievement Award in Lo Nuestro Awards from Balvin. J Balvin stated: "Reggaeton would not be what it is without Daddy Yankee and without Yankee, there would be no Balvin".
Having sold 20 million records worldwide, Yankee is one of the best-selling Latin music artists. As of April 2020, Daddy Yankee is the most subscribed Latin artist on YouTube Music. He also is the first Latin act to be the most listened-to artist worldwide, and remains on Top 20 as of April 2020. In 2019, he set a new record in his country as the artist with the most shows at Coliseum of Puerto Rico, with 12 consecutive sold-out concerts.
Yankee has multiple charts records. He is the artist with the most number one and most entries on the Billboard Latin Rhythm Airplay. He also has the most entries on the Latin Pop Airplay and the second most entries on Hot Latin Songs. Additionally, he achieved three and six top 25 and top 50 Spanish-language singles on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively, the most by any artist. Barrio Fino and Barrio Fino en Directo are two of the best-selling Latin albums in the United States.
With "Despacito", both Yankee and Luis Fonsi achieved multiple worldwide records, including the most-viewed YouTube video (and it became the first video on the site to reach the milestones of three, four, five, six, and seven billion views) and the first Latin song to receive a diamond certification by Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Additionally, "Despacito" received thirteen-times platinum by RIAA for units of over 13 million sales plus track-equivalent streams, making it the highest-certified single of all-time in the United States. It also became the song with most weeks at number one in Switzerland and Germany, and the most weeks at number one on Hot Latin Songs.
Discography
Studio albums
No Mercy (1995)
El Cangri.com (2003)
Barrio Fino (2004)
El Cartel: The Big Boss (2007)
Mundial (2010)
Prestige (2012)
El Disco Duro (TBA)
Live albums
2005: Ahora Le Toca Al Cangri! Live
2005: Barrio Fino En Directo
2020: 2K20 Pt. 1
2020: 2K20 Pt. 2
2020: 2K20 Pt. 3
Other albums
1997: El Cartel De Yankee
2001: El Cartel II: Los Cangris
2003: Los Homerun-Es De Yankee
2008: Talento De Barrio
2013: King Daddy
Producer
1998: Tierra De Nadie (de Benny Blanco)
1999: Gritos De Guerra (de Rubio & Joel)
1999: Guatauba 2000 (de Manolo Guatauba)
2001: Haciendo Escante (de Nicky Jam)
2003: Salón De La Fama (de Nicky Jam)
2006: Más Grande Que Tú (de Miguelito)
2007: El Heredero (de Miguelito)
Concert tours
As a headliner
Barrio Fino World Tour (2004–06)
The Big Boss Tour (2007–09)
Mundial Tour (2010–11)
European Tour (2012)
Prestige World Tour (2012–13)
King Daddy Tour (2014–15)
TamoEnVivoTour (2017)
La Gira Dura (2018)
Con Calma Tour (2019)
As a co-headliner
The Kingdom Tour (2015–16) (with Don Omar)
Filmography
Film
Television
See also
Reggaeton
Latin American music
List of Caribbean music genres
List of Puerto Ricans
List of Puerto Rican songwriters
Urban contemporary
References
External links
1977 births
Living people
American hip hop musicians
American shooting survivors
Capitol Latin artists
Latin Grammy Award winners
Latin music songwriters
Pop rappers
21st-century Puerto Rican male singers
Puerto Rican rappers
Puerto Rican reggaeton musicians
Urbano musicians
Singers from San Juan, Puerto Rico
Sony Music Latin artists
Southern hip hop musicians
Spanish-language singers of the United States
Universal Music Latin Entertainment artists
20th-century Puerto Rican male singers
| true |
[
"Juan Pablo Ledezma (a.k.a. José Luis Fratello) is the alleged current leader of the Mexican gang called La Línea, which is the armed wing of the drug trafficking organization known as the Juárez Cartel and is said to be the current leader of the organization.\n\nArrest warrant\nThe Mexican government is currently offering a $2 million USD bounty for information leading to his capture. In 2019, imprisoned Sinaloa Cartel operative Jesús 'El Rey' Zambada revealed that notorious Sinaloa Cartel leader Joaquin \"El Chapo\" Guzman had issued a bounty for Ledezma's death after Ledezma ended the Juarez Cartel's alliance with the Sinaloa Cartel. Ledezma is also suspected of orchestrating El Chapo’s brother’s killing in prison. Zambada also claimed that Ledezma was the only person who earned \"an enormous hatred\" from El Chapo. At the time of his arrest in May 2020, it was reported that Luis Alberto “El Mocho” M. was at that point the leader of La Linea and that El Mocho's predecessor, who is also imprisoned, is named Ricardo Arturo “El Piporro” C.\n\nSee also\n List of Mexico's 37 most-wanted drug lords\n Mexican Drug War\n Mérida Initiative\n War on Drugs\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\n PHOTO of Juan Pablo Ledezma\n\n1987 births\nFugitives wanted by Mexico\nFugitives wanted by the United States\nFugitives wanted on organised crime charges\nJuárez Cartel traffickers\nLiving people\nMexican drug traffickers",
"The Federal Social Readaptation Center No. 1 \"Altiplano\" () is the maximum security federal prison (originally called the Penal de Máxima Seguridad No. 1 \"Almoloya de Juárez\", later renamed the Federal Social Readaptation Center No. 1 \"La Palma\" (Centro Federal de Readaptación Social No. 1 \"La Palma\"), before assuming its present name) of the Secretariat of Public Security in Mexico. This facility is located in the neighborhood of Almoloya de Juárez, in the State of Mexico, from Toluca.\n\nThe prison was built between 1988 and 1990 under President Carlos Salinas de Gortari and received its first inmates in November 1991. Of significant concern to Mexican authorities is the risk that the prison could be attacked from the outside as part of an organized prison break. Therefore, the walls have been reinforced to as much as 1 meter in thickness to discourage ramming. Furthermore, the air space near the facility is restricted, and the authorities claim that cell phone transmissions are limited within of the prison to stymie communications between the inmates and their colleagues outside. Additionally, armored personnel carriers are based near the facility to protect it during a potential assault. This prison was thought to be impenetrable until July 11, 2015, when Joaquín \"El Chapo\" Guzmán escaped through a tunnel.\n\nNotable inmates \n Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo (known as \"El Padrino\" and \"El Jefe De Jefes\"): The founder of the modern Mexican drug trade, former leader and founder of the Guadalajara Cartel, one of the first Mexican cartels which was formed as an alliance of the Sinaloa Cartel, the Tijuana Cartel, and the Juarez Cartel. The cartel had connections to the Medellin Cartel and the Cali Cartel, and transported cocaine to the United States for them\n Héctor Luis Palma Salazar (known as \"El Güero\"): former drug lord of the Sinaloa Cartel\n Joaquín \"El Chapo\" Guzmán: former drug lord of the Sinaloa Cartel, extradited to the United States on January 19, 2017\n Mario Aburto Martínez: accused assassin of presidential candidate Luis Donaldo Colosio\n Miguel Treviño Morales (known as \"Z-40\"): former leader of the Los Zetas Cartel, currently transferred to the Federal Center for Social Readaptation (Cefereso) No.17, located in Buenavista Tomatlán, in Tierra Caliente, Michoacán.\n Mario Ramírez Treviño (known as \"El Pelón\"): former deputy leader of the Gulf Cartel, extradited to the United States on December 18, 2017\n Eduardo Arellano Félix (known as \"El Doctor\"): former leader of the Tijuana Cartel\n Luis Fernando Sánchez Arellano (known as \"El Ingeniero\"): former deputy leader of the Tijuana Cartel\n Dionisio Loya Plancarte (known as \"El Tío\"): former leader of the Knights Templar Cartel\n Servando Gómez Martínez (known as \"La Tuta\"): former leader of the Knights Templar Cartel\n Omar Treviño Morales (known as \"Z-42\"): former deputy leader of the Los Zetas Cartel\n Abigael González Valencia (known as \"El Cuini\"): former deputy leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel\n José Maria Guizar Valencia (known as \"Z-43\"): former top lieutenant of the Los Zetas Cartel\n José Antonio Yépez Ortiz (known as \"El Marro\"): former leader of the Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel\n Daniel Arizmendi López (known as \"El Mochaorejas\"): leader of Kidnapping express, a kidnapping gang\nVarious alleged members of the Los Zetas Cartel: Jaime González Durán (known as \"El Hummer\"), Nabor Vargas García (known as \"El Débora\") and \"El Barbas\"\n Teodoro García Simental (known as \"El Teo\"): drug lord who broke off from the Arellano Félix organization\nVarious alleged Zapatistas\n Marco Antonio García Simental (known as \"El Cris\" & \"El 8-9\"): lieutenant in the Arellano Félix organization and older brother of \"El Teo\".\n\nIn popular culture\nThe 2017 Netflix-Univision series, El Chapo, depicts Joaquín \"El Chapo\" Guzmán's incarceration and experience in the prison, and his escape through a tunnel on July 11, 2015, which disproved the assumption that the prison was impenetrable.\n\nSee also\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\n \"CENTROS FEDERALES DE READAPTACIÓN SOCIAL.\" (Archive) Secretariat of Public Security.\n \"Centro Federal de Readaptación Social N°1 \"Altiplano\"\" COFEMER. \n\nBuildings and structures in the State of Mexico\nPrisons in Mexico"
] |
[
"Daddy Yankee",
"2007-09: El Cartel: The Big Boss and Talento De Barrio",
"What is El Cartel?",
"album"
] |
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When was this released?
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When was El Cartel released?
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Daddy Yankee
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El Cartel: The Big Boss was released by Interscope on June 5, 2007. Ayala stated that the album marked a return to his hip-hop roots as opposed to being considered a strictly reggaeton album. The album was produced in 2006, and included the participation of will.i.am, Scott Storch, Tainy Tunes, Neli, and personnel from Ayala's label. Singles were produced with Hector Delgado, Fergie, Nicole Scherzinger and Akon. The first single from the album was titled "Impacto", and was released prior to the completion of the album. The album was promoted by a tour throughout the United States, which continued throughout Latin America. He performed in Mexico, first in Monterrey, where 10,000 attended the concert, and later at San Luis Potosi coliseum, where the concert sold out, leaving hundreds of fans outside the building. Ayala performed in Chile as well, and established a record for attendance in Ecuador. He also performed in Bolivia, setting another record when 50,000 fans attended his Santa Cruz de la Sierra concert. This show was later described as "the best show with the biggest attendance in history" and as "somehappy that his album had sold more than those of Juan Luis Guerra and Juanes, and that this was an "official proof that reggaeton's principal exponent defeated the rest of the genres". Between 2007 and 2008, Ayala made several guest appearances in famous reggaeton compilation albums including Caribbean Connection, Echo Presenta: Invasion, Mas Flow: Los Benjamins, and 20 Number 1's Now. He appeared on the 2008 Rockstar Games' video game Grand Theft Auto IV as the DJ of Radio San Juan Sounds, with spanglish lines. The radio includes reggaeton songs from Ayala's colleagues, like Wisin & Yandel, Hector "El Father", Tito El Bambino and Jowell & Randy. San Juan Sounds also featured Daddy Yankee's hit "Impacto". In July 2008, Ayala announced that as part of his work, he would produce a cover version of Thalia's song, "Ten Paciencia". On 17 August 2008 was released his soundtrack album Talento De Barrio for the eponymous film. Prior to the album's release, Ayala scheduled several activities, including an in-store contract signing. The album was awarded as Multi-Platinum by RIAA on 17 April 2009. On February 27, 2009, he performed at the Vina del Mar International Song Festival in Chile. In this event, the artists receive awards based on the public's reaction. After performing "Rompe", "Llamado de emergencia", "Ella Me Levanto", "Gasolina", "Limpia Parabrisas" and "Lo Que Paso, Paso" over the course of two hours, Ayala received the "Silver Torch", "Gold Torch" and "Silver Seagull" recognitions. On April 24, 2009, he received the Spirit of Hope Award as part of the Latin Billboard Music Awards ceremony. The recognition is given to the artists that participate in their community or social efforts throughout the year. CANNOTANSWER
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June 5, 2007.
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Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez (born February 3, 1977), known professionally as Daddy Yankee, is a Puerto Rican rapper, singer and songwriter. He is known as the "King of Reggaetón" by music critics and fans alike. Daddy Yankee is the artist who coined the word reggaeton in 1994 to describe the new music genre that was emerging from Puerto Rico that synthesized American hip-hop, Latin Caribbean music, and Jamaican reggae rhythms with Spanish rapping and singing. He is often cited as an influence by other Latin urban performers.
Ayala was born in Río Piedras and was raised in the Villa Kennedy Housing Projects neighborhood. He aspired to be a professional baseball player and tried out for the Seattle Mariners of the Major League Baseball. Before he could be officially signed, he was hit by a stray round from an AK-47 rifle while taking a break from a studio recording session with reggaeton artist DJ Playero. Ayala spent roughly a year and a half recovering from the wound; the bullet was never removed from his hip, and he credits the shooting incident with allowing him to focus entirely on a music career. In 2004, Daddy Yankee released his international hit single "Gasolina", which is credited with introducing reggaeton to audiences worldwide, and making the music genre a global phenomenon. Since then, he has sold around 20 million records, making him one of the best-selling Latin music artists.
Daddy Yankee's album Barrio Fino made history when it became the top-selling Latin music album of the decade between 2000 and 2009. In 2017, Daddy Yankee, in collaboration with Latin pop singer Luis Fonsi, released the hit single "Despacito". It became the first Spanish-language song to hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 since "Macarena" in 1996. The single gained global success. The video for "Despacito" on YouTube received its billionth view on April 20, 2017, and became the most-watched video on the platform. Its success led Daddy Yankee to become the most-listened artist worldwide on the streaming service Spotify in June 2017, the first Latin artist to do so.
As of 2017, Daddy Yankee has won 82 awards from 270 nominations since his rise to international fame in 2004. He has won five Latin Grammy Awards, two Billboard Music Awards, 14 Billboard Latin Music Awards, two Latin American Music Awards, eight Lo Nuestro Awards, an MTV Video Music Award, and six ASCAP Awards. He also received a Puerto Rican Walk of Fame star, special awards by People en Español magazine, and the Presencia Latina at Harvard University. He was named by CNN as the "Most Influential Hispanic Artist" of 2009, and included in Time 100 in 2006.
Musical career
1994–1999: Career beginnings
Often considered to be one of the pioneers within the reggaeton genre, Ayala was originally going to become a professional baseball player but he was shot in his leg while taking a break from a studio recording session. The bullet was never removed and he credits this incident with allowing him to pursue a musical career. He first appeared on the 1994 DJ Playero's Mixtape, Playero 34, with the song "So' Persigueme, No Te Detengas". His first official studio project as a solo artist was No Mercy, which was released on April 2, 1995 through White Lion Records and BM Records in Puerto Rico. Early in his career he attempted to imitate the rap style of Vico C. He went on to emulate other artists in the genre, including DJ Playero, DJ Nelson, and Tempo taking elements from their styles in order to develop an original style with the Dembow rhythm. In doing so, he eventually abandoned the traditional model of rap and became one of the first artists to perform reggaeton. Throughout the 1990s, Daddy Yankee appeared in several of DJ Playero's underground mixtapes which were banned by the Puerto Rican government due to explicit lyrics; these songs would later be among the first reggaeton songs ever produced. DJ Playero and Daddy Yankee would later be credited for inventing the name "reggaeton" to describe their music on the album Playero 36 in 1994.
2000–2003: Early music and El Cangri.com
In 1997, Daddy Yankee collaborated with the rapper Nas, who was an inspiration for Ayala, in the song "The Profecy", for the album Boricua Guerrero. He released two compilation albums with original material: El Cartel (1997) and El Cartel II (2001). Both albums were successful in Puerto Rico, but not throughout Latin America. Between those years, Ayala released a total of nine music videos, including "Posición" featuring Alberto Stylee, "Tu Cuerpo En La Cama" featuring Nicky Jam, and "Muévete Y Perrea".
In 2000, Daddy Yankee formed an unofficial duo called "Los Cangris" with Nicky Jam and released several successful singles together. Yankee and Nicky Jam fell apart in 2004 due to personal issues and creative differences. In 2012, Daddy Yankee and Nicky Jam reconciled and performed in various concerts together.
In 2002, El Cangri.com became Ayala's first album with international success, receiving coverage in the markets of New York City and Miami with hits including "Latigazo", "Son Las Doce", "Guayando" and other songs like "Enciende", which talks about different social problems of the era, mentioning 9/11, corruption and religion.
In 2003, Daddy Yankee released a compilation album named Los Homerun-es, which contains his first charted single ("Segurosqui"), five new songs and 12 remakes of DJ Playero's albums songs. that was later charted, "Seguroski", being his first charted single after six of them.
In 2003, Ayala collaborated for the first time with the prestigious reggaeton producers Luny Tunes on the album Mas Flow, with his commercial success song "Cógela Que Va Sin Jockey" (a.k.a. "Métele Con Candela"), and Mas Flow 2.
2004–2006: Barrio Fino and "Gasolina"
Ayala's next album, Barrio Fino, was produced by Luny Tunes and DJ Nelson among others and released in July 2004 by El Cartel Records and VI Music. It was the most highly anticipated album in the reggaeton community. Ayala had enjoyed salsa music since he was young, and this led him to include music of genres besides reggaeton in the album. The most prominent of these cross-genre singles was "Melao", in which he performed with Andy Montañez. The album was described as his most complete, and with it he intended to introduce combinations of reggaeton and other genres to the English-speaking market. Barrio Fino was followed up by an international tour with performances in numerous countries including the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Honduras, Spain, Colombia, Argentina, Venezuela, and the United States. The album has sold over 1.1 millions of copies in the United States alone, making it the seventh best-selling Latin album in the country according to Nielsen SoundScan. Also, It had sold over 2 million copies throughout Latin America and worldwide.
During this same time, Daddy Yankee was featured in N.O.R.E.'s single "Oye Mi Canto" which hit number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart; a record for a reggaeton single at the time. Other successful featured singles included "Mayor Que Yo" and "Los 12 Discípulos".
In 2005, Ayala won several international awards, making him one of the most recognized reggaeton artists within the music industry. The first award of the year was Lo Nuestro Awards within the "Album of the Year" category, which he received for Barrio Fino. In this event he performed "Gasolina" in a performance that was described as "innovative". Barrio Fino also won the "Reggaeton Album of the Year" award in the Latin Billboard that took place on April 28, 2005, where he performed a mix of three of his songs in a duet with P. Diddy. The album was promoted throughout Latin America, the United States, and Europe, reaching certified gold in Japan. Due to the album's success, Ayala received promotional contracts with radio stations and soda companies, including Pepsi. His hit single, "Gasolina", received the majority of votes cast for the second edition of Premios Juventud, in which it received eight nominations and won seven awards. Ayala also made a live presentation during the award ceremony. "Gasolina" received nominations in the Latin Grammy and MTV Video Music Awards. The commercial success of "Gasolina" in the United States led to the creation of a new radio format and a Billboard chart: Latin Rhythm Airplay. According to Nestor Casonu, CEO of Casonu Strategic Management, "Daddy Yankee and 'Gasolina' triggered the explosion of urban Latin music worldwide".
The successful single, "Gasolina", was covered by artists from different music genres. This led to a controversy when "Los Lagos", a Mexican banda group, did a cover with the original beat but changed the song's lyrics. The group's label had solicited the copyright permission to perform the single and translate it to a different music style, but did not receive consent to change the lyrics; legal action followed. Speaking for the artist, Ayala's lawyer stated that having his song covered was an "honor, but it must be done the right way."
On December 13, 2005, he released Barrio Fino en Directo, a live record and the follow up of Barrio Fino. The album sold more than in 800,000 copies in the United States, becoming the 13th best-selling Latin album in the US according to Nielsen SoundScan and over 3 million of copies worldwide.
On April 30, 2006, Ayala was named one of the 100 most influential people by Time, which cited the 2 million copies of Barrio Fino sold, Ayala's $20 million contract with Interscope Records, and his Pepsi endorsement.
During this period, Ayala and William Omar Landrón (more commonly known by his artistic name Don Omar) were involved in a rivalry within the genre, dubbed "tiraera". The rivalry received significant press coverage despite being denied early on by both artists. It originated with a lyrical conflict between the artists begun by Ayala's comments in a remix single, where he criticized Landron's common usage of the nickname "King of Kings". Don Omar responded to this in a song titled "Ahora Son Mejor", in his album Los Rompediscotecas.
2007–2009: El Cartel: The Big Boss and Talento De Barrio
El Cartel: The Big Boss was released by Interscope on June 5, 2007. Ayala stated that the album marked a return to his hip-hop roots as opposed to being considered a strictly reggaeton album. The album was produced in 2006, and included the participation of will.i.am, Scott Storch, Tainy Tunes, Neli, and personnel from Ayala's label. Singles were produced with Héctor Delgado, Fergie, Nicole Scherzinger and Akon. The first single from the album was titled "Impacto", and was released prior to the completion of the album. The album was promoted by a tour throughout the United States, which continued throughout Latin America. He performed in Mexico, first in Monterrey, where 10,000 attended the concert, and later at San Luis Potosí coliseum, where the concert sold out, leaving hundreds of fans outside the building. Ayala performed in Chile as well, and established a record for attendance in Ecuador. He also performed in Bolivia, setting another record when 50,000 fans attended his Santa Cruz de la Sierra concert. This show was later described as "the best show with the biggest attendance in history" and as "somehappy that his album had sold more than those of Juan Luis Guerra and Juanes, and that this was an "official proof that reggaeton's principal exponent defeated the rest of the genres".
Between 2007 and 2008, Ayala made several guest appearances in famous reggaeton compilation albums including Caribbean Connection, Echo Presenta: Invasión, Mas Flow: Los Benjamins, and 20 Number 1's Now.
He appeared on the 2008 Rockstar Games' video game Grand Theft Auto IV as the DJ of Radio San Juan Sounds, with spanglish lines. The radio includes reggaeton songs from Ayala's colleagues, like Wisin & Yandel, Hector "El Father", Tito El Bambino and Jowell & Randy. San Juan Sounds also featured Daddy Yankee's hit "Impacto".
In July 2008, Ayala announced that as part of his work, he would produce a cover version of Thalía's song, "Ten Paciencia". On August 17, 2008 his soundtrack album Talento De Barrio for the eponymous film was released. Prior to the album's release, Ayala scheduled several activities, including an in-store contract signing. The album was awarded as Multi-Platinum by RIAA on April 17, 2009. On February 27, 2009, he performed at the Viña del Mar International Song Festival in Chile. In this event, the artists receive awards based on the public's reaction. After performing "Rompe", "Llamado de emergencia", "Ella Me Levantó", "Gasolina", "Limpia Parabrisas" and "Lo Que Pasó, Pasó" over the course of two hours, Ayala received the "Silver Torch", "Gold Torch" and "Silver Seagull" recognitions. On April 24, 2009, he received the Spirit of Hope Award as part of the Latin Billboard Music Awards ceremony. The recognition is given to the artists that participate in their community or social efforts throughout the year.
2009–2013: Mundial and Prestige
The single, "Grito Mundial", was released on October 8, 2009, in order to promote his ninth album, Mundial. The song was going to be the official theme for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, but Ayala rejected the FIFA offer, which gave them 100% of the rights. Despite releasing "El Ritmo No Perdona (Prende)" more than a month before, that single was not considered the first official promotional single. The second single, "Descontrol", was released on January 12, 2010, and topped the Billboard Latin Rhythm Airplay. The music video was filmed in New York City and was released on May 17, 2010. "La Despedida" was the third single, released on August 4, 2010. The song reached #4 in both Billboard Top Latin Songs and Latin Pop Songs. Other songs, like "Bailando Fue" (featuring Jowell & Randy) and "Échale Pique" (featuring Yomo) were not included in Mundial.
In 2010, Daddy Yankee participated in the song "Somos El Mundo 25 Por Haiti", by providing the rap vocals alongside rapper Pitbull.
Daddy Yankee's sixth studio album, Prestige was released on September 11, 2012. It was scheduled to be released on November or December 2011, but a hurricane damaged El Cartel Records and half of the album was lost. The lost tracks had to be reworked and was finally released nine months later. The first single, "Ven Conmigo", featuring bachata singer Prince Royce, was released on April 12, 2011 and peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Latin Charts. The second single, "Lovumba", was released on October 4, 2011 and was a number one hit on the Billboard Latin Charts and the Latin Songs chart. It was also nominated for Best Urban Song at the 2012 Latin Grammy Awards. The third single, "Pasarela", was released on June 20, 2012. The album peaked at number 39 on the Billboard 200, number one on both the Billboard Latin Albums and Latin Rhythm Albums charts. It also peaked at number five on the Billboard Rap Albums chart. The fourth and last single, Limbo, was released with the album. The song had a great success, reaching three #1 Billboard charts (Hot Latin Song, Latin Pop Song and Latin Rhythm Airplay) and having more than 790 million views on YouTube. The album was certified as Gold by the RIAA on March 8, 2013.
The year 2012 had one of the most important genre events of the year: the reconciliation between Daddy Yankee and Wisin & Yandel, after some years of rivalry. Six years after their last collaboration, Daddy Yankee appeared on the duo's remix song "Hipnotízame", with positive acclaim from fans. Two months later, on February 16, 2013, Wisin & Yandel collaborated in the remix of "Limbo". Later in 2013, the three artists performed songs like "Hipnotízame", "Mayor Que Yo" and "Noche De Entierro" in two concerts (one in Puerto Rico and another in Colombia).
On February 25, 2013, Daddy Yankee performed in the 2013 Viña del Mar International Song Festival, to a sold-out audience. He performed hits like "Limbo", "Gasolina", "Pose", "Ella Me Levantó" and "Descontrol". He won the Silver and Golden Torch and the Silver and Golden Seagull recognitions.
In 2013, Daddy Yankee performed on his Prestige World Tour, touring several countries in Europe including, Spain, Germany, France and Italy. He has also toured in Colombia, Peru, Chile to sold-out audiences. In 2013 he released music videos of "El Amante" featuring J Alvarez, "Summertime" and "Noche de los Dos" featuring Natalia Jimenez, with millions of views on YouTube.
2013–2015: King Daddy
On October 29, 2013, Daddy Yankee released a mixtape entitled "King Daddy", produced by Los De La Nazza (Musicologo & Menes), as part the Imperio Nazza Mixtapes series and was released as a digital-format only. The mixtape was made because of the high demand from the fans and is a return to his original reggaeton roots. It includes 11 tracks with collaborations from J Alvarez, Arcángel, Yandel, Farruko, and Divino. According to Ayala, "King Daddy" was recorded in two and a half weeks, because there was "a lot of inspiration". The song "La Rompe Carros" has garnered popularity among the public, but his hit single was "La Nueva y La Ex" which has been widely received all over South America, Europe, and North America. During a press conference earlier this year, Daddy Yankee announced the physical release of King Daddy scheduled for later this year with 3 or 4 bonus tracks for a total of 14 or 15 songs included.
From May 13 to June 22, 2014, Ayala performed on his King Daddy Tour, touring several cities in Europe. He has also toured in South and North American cities. In Spain, his concerts were on the 4º position in the box-office ranking, being the first Latin artist on the top 5 in this country, underneath Iron Maiden and The Rolling Stones, and over artists like Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus and Michael Bublé.
On June 17, 2014 the single "Ora Por Mí" (Spanish for "Pray For Me") was released as part of the King Daddy's bonus tracks and uses the Scorpions' "Send Me An Angel" instrumental, with a rap sampler. The official video for "Ora Por Mí" was released on June 24, 2014. It was filmed in many locations in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and talks about Ayala's life and the dark side of fame. According to Ayala, it is the most personal song of his career. On September 2, 2014, it was released another single called "Palabras Con Sentido" (Spanish for "Words With Sentiments"), which defends reggaeton and urban music of all the accusations of being a "society poison". Daddy Yankee expressed that all music has something good to give, even urban music. On his single, he also says that urban music saves lives, like his own, and the solution would be that churches have to remain, journalists have to tell the truth, artists have to have more inspiration, and the rich people have to help the poor ones. On September 9, 2014 he released his first totally English single called "This Is Not A Love Song" featuring new rapper Duncan.
2016–present: El Disco Duro
On April 28, 2016, Daddy Yankee was awarded the "Industry Leader Award" during the 2016 Latin Billboard Awards.
After a decade-long feud with longtime rival Don Omar for the "King of Reggaetón" title, in early 2016 Daddy Yankee and Don Omar announced in a Billboard press conference that they would perform together on stage in a concert series called The Kingdom Tour. The tour announcement left many fans in disbelief as it sold out in minutes in major cities like Las Vegas, Orlando, Los Angeles, New York. The concerts were structured like a boxing match, where the two artists got to trade off musical rounds, and fans voted for their winner in each city via an app designed for the event. "Two kings, one throne", said Pina Records founder Rafael Pina, who had a well-established relationship with both artists, and who also came up with the idea for the tour concept. Discussing the tour and his rivalry with Daddy Yankee, Don Omar said "Let me clarify: I am not his best friend, and he is not my best friend, but we respect each other. That desire to be the best is what has pushed us to be better."
In 2017, Daddy Yankee, in collaboration with Latin pop singer Luis Fonsi, released the hit single "Despacito". It became the first Spanish-language song to hit number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 since "Macarena" in 1996. The single gained global success. The official video for "Despacito" on YouTube received its billionth view on April 20, 2017 after 97 days, becoming the second-fastest video on the site to reach the milestone behind Adele's "Hello". Its success led Daddy Yankee to become the most listened artist worldwide on the streaming service Spotify in June 2017, being the first Latin artist to do so.
In early 2018, Daddy Yankee released his first latin trap singles with the song "Hielo", and on the single "Vuelve" on which he collaborated with Bad Bunny.
In August 2018, Daddy Yankee collaborated with Janet Jackson on her return to music on the song "Made for Now".
He released the 2019 single "Con Calma", a reimagination of Snow's 1992 hit single "Informer". Snow recorded new parts and the Spanish-language remake topped the charts of 20 countries and reached the top 10 of 10 others.
Film and other career projects
Ayala has negotiated promotional deals with several companies outside of the music industry, releasing merchandise under his name. In 2005, he became the first Latin artist to sign a deal with Reebok, in order to produce accessories, including the licensed clothing line "DY", which was released in 2006. He also teamed up with the company to have his own shoes and sporting goods made, which were first distributed on May 23, 2006. Reebok continued the partnership with the introduction of the Travel Trainer collection in July 2007. In August 2007, Pepsi began an advertising campaign titled "Puertas", in which Ayala is depicted returning to his youth by opening a series of doors.
Ayala has worked in the film industry as both an actor and producer. His acting debut was as an extra in the 2004 film Vampiros, directed by Eduardo Ortiz and filmed in Puerto Rico. The film premiered at the Festival of Latin American Cinema in New York, where it received a positive reaction. This led Image Entertainment to produce a DVD, internationally released in March 2005. Ayala played the main role, "Edgar Dinero", in Talento de Barrio, which was filmed in Puerto Rico and directed by José Iván Santiago. Ayala produced the film, which is based on his experience of growing up in a poor city neighborhood. While the film is not directly a biography, Ayala has stated that it mirrors his early life. Talento de Barrio's debut was scheduled for July 23, 2008, in New York's Latino Film Festival. After the premier, Ayala expressed satisfaction, saying that he had been invited to audition for other producers. On release, Talento de Barrio broke the record held by Maldeamores for the most tickets to a Puerto Rican movie sold in a single day in Caribbean Cinemas.
Ayala has been involved in the administration of three organizations, the first being El Cartel Records which he co-owns with Andres Hernandez. He also created the Fundación Corazón Guerrero, a charitable organization in Puerto Rico which works with young incarcerated people. On April 26, 2008, he was presented with a "Latino of the Year Award" by the student organization Presencia Latina of Harvard College, receiving it for his work with Puerto Rican youth and creating Corazón Guerrero. On February 6, 2008, Ayala announced in a Baloncesto Superior Nacional press conference that he had bought part of the Criollos de Caguas' ownership. He has also been active with Cruz Roja Puerto Rico in several media campaigns.
In March 2013, Daddy Yankee talked about a new movie production during an interview in Las Vegas. During an interview in a radio station in January 2014, Ayala announced the film, but he only mentioned that many reggaeton exponents would take part of it. In February 2014 it was confirmed that the movie will be about the boxer Macho Camacho's life. According to Ayala, he had the boxer's support to film the movie, but it remained in nothing after Camacho's death on November 24, 2012. The film was due for release in 2015.
The most recent of Daddy Yankee's non-music projects was the release of his game Trylogy, a 3D video game based in tower defense games. The game was presented at the New York Comic Con and was released on November 29, 2013. The game also features Ayala's songs like "Gasolina" and "Limbo".
Personal life
Family
Ayala has kept most of his personal life private, rarely speaking about it in interviews. He has said that he avoids doing so because such details are the only aspect of his life that are not public and that they are like a "little treasure". In 2006 he spoke about his relationship with his wife Mireddys González and children in an interview with María Celeste Arrarás in Al Rojo Vivo. He stated that his marriage is strong because he and his wife are "friends above anything", and that he has tried to ignore other temptations because "weakness is the reason for the downfall of several artists". He met his wife when they were little and at just 17 years old they decided to get married. As a result of the union their first daughter Yamilette Ayala González was born. His first daughter was born when he was seventeen years old, which he described as confusing at first, adding that raising a daughter at that age was a hard experience. He has another son, Jeremy, born in 1998, and another daughter, Jesaaelys, born in 1996.
Political views
In 2008, Ayala participated in a campaign to promote voting in the 2008 general elections in Puerto Rico. This initiative included a concert titled "Vota o quédate callado" (Vote or Remain Silent).
On August 25, 2008, Ayala endorsed Republican John McCain's candidacy for President of the United States in the 2008 election, stating that McCain was a "fighter for the Hispanic community". As part of this campaign, Ayala moderated a debate titled "Vota o quédate callado: los candidatos responden a los jóvenes", which was aired on October 9, 2008.
In November 2019, Ayala inaugurated a museum of reggaeton at Plaza Las Américas, the first of its kind.
Philanthropy
In 2007, Daddy Yankee became the spokesperson of the environmental organization "Yo Limpio a Puerto Rico" (I Clean Puerto Rico) founded by Ignacio Barsottelli. Yo Limpio a Puerto Rico, PepsiCo and Wal-Mart announced a joint effort to promote recycling in Puerto Rico among the general public and schools across the island with the campaign "Tómatelo en Serio, Recicla por Puerto Rico" (Take it seriously, recycle for Puerto Rico), in which Daddy Yankee became the main spokesperson. This campaign incorporated a recycling contest among public and private schools from around the island in the elementary, junior high, and high school categories. The program established 16 recycling centers located at Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores across the island, where consumers were able to deposit recyclable items.
In 2017, Daddy Yankee donated $100,000 to the Food Bank of Puerto Rico after the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria. The money provided food to roughly 9,000 families on the island.
Daddy Yankee presented the HR Derby Champ medallion to Pete Alonso upon his winning the MLB HR Derby on July 8, 2019.
Legacy
Daddy Yankee has been dubbed "King of Reggaetón" by media. Rachel Grace Almeida from Vice felt Daddy Yankee paved the way with his music to amplify and normalize the "marginalised" Latino identity. She also commented that Yankee played a vital part in "bringing glamour to the barrio and challenged the mainstream media's portrayal of Hispanic poverty in those neighbourhoods". He was highlighted by CNN and Time as one of the most influential Hispanics in the world. Roy Trakin from Pollstar considered his collaboration with Luis Fonsi in "Despacito" helped "turn his native Puerto Rico's music into a global phenomenon".
Daddy Yankee's third studio album Barrio Fino (2004) ushered reggaeton into the mainstream. Its single "Gasolina" "[altered] the business, sound and aesthetic of Latin music", stated Billboard, "the genre would revive sales of Latin music, usher in a new radio format in the U.S. (Latin Rhythm Airplay) and establish the urban base responsible for many Latin radio hits today." According to Nestor Casonú, president for Kobalt Music Latin America, "Daddy Yankee and 'Gasolina' triggered the explosion of urban Latin music worldwide."
In 2006, a The New York Times article deemed him "The King of Reggaetón" while commenting on 2004's music revenue, "one bright spot for the music industry was Latin music: sales grew by 12 percent, according to Nielsen SoundScan. At least some of that success is owed to reggaetón and by extension to Daddy Yankee, its top-selling act."
Multiple artists have cited him as an inspiration, including J Balvin, Ozuna, Bad Bunny, Lunay, Miguelito, and Natti Natasha.
Achievements
Daddy Yankee has received several awards and honors, including 10 Guinness World Records and seven Billboard Music Awards (the most for any Latin artist). He was honored with the Icon Award by Latin American Music Awards, the Industry Leader Award from the Latin Billboard Awards and inducted into its Hall of Fame, and received the Lifetime Achievement Award in Lo Nuestro Awards from Balvin. J Balvin stated: "Reggaeton would not be what it is without Daddy Yankee and without Yankee, there would be no Balvin".
Having sold 20 million records worldwide, Yankee is one of the best-selling Latin music artists. As of April 2020, Daddy Yankee is the most subscribed Latin artist on YouTube Music. He also is the first Latin act to be the most listened-to artist worldwide, and remains on Top 20 as of April 2020. In 2019, he set a new record in his country as the artist with the most shows at Coliseum of Puerto Rico, with 12 consecutive sold-out concerts.
Yankee has multiple charts records. He is the artist with the most number one and most entries on the Billboard Latin Rhythm Airplay. He also has the most entries on the Latin Pop Airplay and the second most entries on Hot Latin Songs. Additionally, he achieved three and six top 25 and top 50 Spanish-language singles on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively, the most by any artist. Barrio Fino and Barrio Fino en Directo are two of the best-selling Latin albums in the United States.
With "Despacito", both Yankee and Luis Fonsi achieved multiple worldwide records, including the most-viewed YouTube video (and it became the first video on the site to reach the milestones of three, four, five, six, and seven billion views) and the first Latin song to receive a diamond certification by Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Additionally, "Despacito" received thirteen-times platinum by RIAA for units of over 13 million sales plus track-equivalent streams, making it the highest-certified single of all-time in the United States. It also became the song with most weeks at number one in Switzerland and Germany, and the most weeks at number one on Hot Latin Songs.
Discography
Studio albums
No Mercy (1995)
El Cangri.com (2003)
Barrio Fino (2004)
El Cartel: The Big Boss (2007)
Mundial (2010)
Prestige (2012)
El Disco Duro (TBA)
Live albums
2005: Ahora Le Toca Al Cangri! Live
2005: Barrio Fino En Directo
2020: 2K20 Pt. 1
2020: 2K20 Pt. 2
2020: 2K20 Pt. 3
Other albums
1997: El Cartel De Yankee
2001: El Cartel II: Los Cangris
2003: Los Homerun-Es De Yankee
2008: Talento De Barrio
2013: King Daddy
Producer
1998: Tierra De Nadie (de Benny Blanco)
1999: Gritos De Guerra (de Rubio & Joel)
1999: Guatauba 2000 (de Manolo Guatauba)
2001: Haciendo Escante (de Nicky Jam)
2003: Salón De La Fama (de Nicky Jam)
2006: Más Grande Que Tú (de Miguelito)
2007: El Heredero (de Miguelito)
Concert tours
As a headliner
Barrio Fino World Tour (2004–06)
The Big Boss Tour (2007–09)
Mundial Tour (2010–11)
European Tour (2012)
Prestige World Tour (2012–13)
King Daddy Tour (2014–15)
TamoEnVivoTour (2017)
La Gira Dura (2018)
Con Calma Tour (2019)
As a co-headliner
The Kingdom Tour (2015–16) (with Don Omar)
Filmography
Film
Television
See also
Reggaeton
Latin American music
List of Caribbean music genres
List of Puerto Ricans
List of Puerto Rican songwriters
Urban contemporary
References
External links
1977 births
Living people
American hip hop musicians
American shooting survivors
Capitol Latin artists
Latin Grammy Award winners
Latin music songwriters
Pop rappers
21st-century Puerto Rican male singers
Puerto Rican rappers
Puerto Rican reggaeton musicians
Urbano musicians
Singers from San Juan, Puerto Rico
Sony Music Latin artists
Southern hip hop musicians
Spanish-language singers of the United States
Universal Music Latin Entertainment artists
20th-century Puerto Rican male singers
| true |
[
"When the Bough Breaks is the second solo album from Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward. It was originally released on April 27, 1997, on Cleopatra Records.\n\nTrack listing\n\"Hate\" – 5:00\n\"Children Killing Children\" – 3:51\n\"Growth\" – 5:45\n\"When I was a Child\" – 4:54\n\"Please Help Mommy (She's a Junkie)\" – 6:40\n\"Shine\" – 5:06\n\"Step Lightly (On the Grass)\" – 5:59\n\"Love & Innocence\" – 1:00\n\"Animals\" – 6:32\n\"Nighthawks Stars & Pines\" – 6:45\n\"Try Life\" – 5:35\n\"When the Bough Breaks\" – 9:45\n\nCD Cleopatra CL9981 (US 1997)\n\nMusicians\n\nBill Ward - vocals, lyrics, musical arrangements\nKeith Lynch - guitars\nPaul Ill - bass, double bass, synthesizer, tape loops\nRonnie Ciago - drums\n\nCover art and reprint issues\n\nAs originally released, this album featured cover art that had two roses on it. After it was released, Bill Ward (as with Ward One, his first solo album) stated on his website that the released cover art was not the correct one that was intended to be released. Additionally, the liner notes for the original printing had lyrics that were so small, most people needed a magnifying glass to read them. This was eventually corrected in 2000 when the version of the album with Bill on the cover from the 70's was released. The album was later on released in a special digipak style of case, but this was later said to be released prematurely, and was withdrawn.\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\nWhen the Bough Breaks at Bill Ward's site\nWhen the Bough Breaks at Black Sabbath Online\n\nBill Ward (musician) albums\nBlack Sabbath\n1997 albums\nCleopatra Records albums",
"\"When It Rains, It Really Pours\" is a song originally written and recorded by Billy \"The Kid\" Emerson. His version, titled \"When It Rains It Pours\", was released by Sun Records in 1954. The song was later recorded by Elvis Presley in 1957, but not released until 1965 on the album Elvis for Everyone.\n\nEmerson's version\nThe song was recorded on October 27, 1954 at Sun Recording Studio in Memphis, Tennessee. Sam Phillips was the producer. It was released on January 8, 1955 as Sun 214, as the B-side to the song \"Move Baby Move\" which did not chart.\n\nPersonnel at the season were Emerson, piano: Elven Parr, guitar: Robert Prindell, drums: Charles Smith, alto sax: Bennie Moore, tenor sax: and Luther Taylor, trumpet.\n\nPresley's recordings\nPresley had initially attempted to record the song while at Sun Records in November 1955, with Elvis and Scotty Moore on guitars, Bill Black on bass and Johnny Bernero on drums, but it was never completed as his contract with Sun was sold to RCA Records around the same time. The tapes of all Presley's Sun recordings were handed to RCA as part of the deal, with most of them being included on albums released shortly afterwards. Presley's 1955 recording of \"When It Rains, It Really Pours\", however, was not released. It was lost for several years until 1982 when it was found and finally released officially on the 1983 compilation album Elvis: A Legendary Performer Volume 4.\n\nPresley was recorded performing the song during the Million Dollar Quartet session on December 4, 1956.\n\nOn February 24, 1957 Presley again recorded the song, this time for RCA. This version also went unreleased until it appeared on the 1965 album Elvis for Everyone. The musicians on this session were Moore and Presley on guitars, Black on bass, Fontana on drums, Dudley Brooks on piano and the Jordanaires singing backup.\n\nIn 1968, during rehearsals for the television special Elvis, Presley was recorded singing it as a potential song for the show. Although the song was not chosen for the special, the rehearsal was released on The Complete '68 Comeback Special CD released in 2008.\n\nReferences\n\nElvis Presley songs\n1954 songs\nSongs written by Billy \"The Kid\" Emerson"
] |
[
"Daddy Yankee",
"2007-09: El Cartel: The Big Boss and Talento De Barrio",
"What is El Cartel?",
"album",
"When was this released?",
"June 5, 2007."
] |
C_c5c8ca973e4d47478cfa71a686c386f9_1
|
Did this album do well?
| 3 |
Did El Cartel album do well?
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Daddy Yankee
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El Cartel: The Big Boss was released by Interscope on June 5, 2007. Ayala stated that the album marked a return to his hip-hop roots as opposed to being considered a strictly reggaeton album. The album was produced in 2006, and included the participation of will.i.am, Scott Storch, Tainy Tunes, Neli, and personnel from Ayala's label. Singles were produced with Hector Delgado, Fergie, Nicole Scherzinger and Akon. The first single from the album was titled "Impacto", and was released prior to the completion of the album. The album was promoted by a tour throughout the United States, which continued throughout Latin America. He performed in Mexico, first in Monterrey, where 10,000 attended the concert, and later at San Luis Potosi coliseum, where the concert sold out, leaving hundreds of fans outside the building. Ayala performed in Chile as well, and established a record for attendance in Ecuador. He also performed in Bolivia, setting another record when 50,000 fans attended his Santa Cruz de la Sierra concert. This show was later described as "the best show with the biggest attendance in history" and as "somehappy that his album had sold more than those of Juan Luis Guerra and Juanes, and that this was an "official proof that reggaeton's principal exponent defeated the rest of the genres". Between 2007 and 2008, Ayala made several guest appearances in famous reggaeton compilation albums including Caribbean Connection, Echo Presenta: Invasion, Mas Flow: Los Benjamins, and 20 Number 1's Now. He appeared on the 2008 Rockstar Games' video game Grand Theft Auto IV as the DJ of Radio San Juan Sounds, with spanglish lines. The radio includes reggaeton songs from Ayala's colleagues, like Wisin & Yandel, Hector "El Father", Tito El Bambino and Jowell & Randy. San Juan Sounds also featured Daddy Yankee's hit "Impacto". In July 2008, Ayala announced that as part of his work, he would produce a cover version of Thalia's song, "Ten Paciencia". On 17 August 2008 was released his soundtrack album Talento De Barrio for the eponymous film. Prior to the album's release, Ayala scheduled several activities, including an in-store contract signing. The album was awarded as Multi-Platinum by RIAA on 17 April 2009. On February 27, 2009, he performed at the Vina del Mar International Song Festival in Chile. In this event, the artists receive awards based on the public's reaction. After performing "Rompe", "Llamado de emergencia", "Ella Me Levanto", "Gasolina", "Limpia Parabrisas" and "Lo Que Paso, Paso" over the course of two hours, Ayala received the "Silver Torch", "Gold Torch" and "Silver Seagull" recognitions. On April 24, 2009, he received the Spirit of Hope Award as part of the Latin Billboard Music Awards ceremony. The recognition is given to the artists that participate in their community or social efforts throughout the year. CANNOTANSWER
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The album was promoted by a tour throughout the United States, which continued throughout Latin America.
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Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez (born February 3, 1977), known professionally as Daddy Yankee, is a Puerto Rican rapper, singer and songwriter. He is known as the "King of Reggaetón" by music critics and fans alike. Daddy Yankee is the artist who coined the word reggaeton in 1994 to describe the new music genre that was emerging from Puerto Rico that synthesized American hip-hop, Latin Caribbean music, and Jamaican reggae rhythms with Spanish rapping and singing. He is often cited as an influence by other Latin urban performers.
Ayala was born in Río Piedras and was raised in the Villa Kennedy Housing Projects neighborhood. He aspired to be a professional baseball player and tried out for the Seattle Mariners of the Major League Baseball. Before he could be officially signed, he was hit by a stray round from an AK-47 rifle while taking a break from a studio recording session with reggaeton artist DJ Playero. Ayala spent roughly a year and a half recovering from the wound; the bullet was never removed from his hip, and he credits the shooting incident with allowing him to focus entirely on a music career. In 2004, Daddy Yankee released his international hit single "Gasolina", which is credited with introducing reggaeton to audiences worldwide, and making the music genre a global phenomenon. Since then, he has sold around 20 million records, making him one of the best-selling Latin music artists.
Daddy Yankee's album Barrio Fino made history when it became the top-selling Latin music album of the decade between 2000 and 2009. In 2017, Daddy Yankee, in collaboration with Latin pop singer Luis Fonsi, released the hit single "Despacito". It became the first Spanish-language song to hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 since "Macarena" in 1996. The single gained global success. The video for "Despacito" on YouTube received its billionth view on April 20, 2017, and became the most-watched video on the platform. Its success led Daddy Yankee to become the most-listened artist worldwide on the streaming service Spotify in June 2017, the first Latin artist to do so.
As of 2017, Daddy Yankee has won 82 awards from 270 nominations since his rise to international fame in 2004. He has won five Latin Grammy Awards, two Billboard Music Awards, 14 Billboard Latin Music Awards, two Latin American Music Awards, eight Lo Nuestro Awards, an MTV Video Music Award, and six ASCAP Awards. He also received a Puerto Rican Walk of Fame star, special awards by People en Español magazine, and the Presencia Latina at Harvard University. He was named by CNN as the "Most Influential Hispanic Artist" of 2009, and included in Time 100 in 2006.
Musical career
1994–1999: Career beginnings
Often considered to be one of the pioneers within the reggaeton genre, Ayala was originally going to become a professional baseball player but he was shot in his leg while taking a break from a studio recording session. The bullet was never removed and he credits this incident with allowing him to pursue a musical career. He first appeared on the 1994 DJ Playero's Mixtape, Playero 34, with the song "So' Persigueme, No Te Detengas". His first official studio project as a solo artist was No Mercy, which was released on April 2, 1995 through White Lion Records and BM Records in Puerto Rico. Early in his career he attempted to imitate the rap style of Vico C. He went on to emulate other artists in the genre, including DJ Playero, DJ Nelson, and Tempo taking elements from their styles in order to develop an original style with the Dembow rhythm. In doing so, he eventually abandoned the traditional model of rap and became one of the first artists to perform reggaeton. Throughout the 1990s, Daddy Yankee appeared in several of DJ Playero's underground mixtapes which were banned by the Puerto Rican government due to explicit lyrics; these songs would later be among the first reggaeton songs ever produced. DJ Playero and Daddy Yankee would later be credited for inventing the name "reggaeton" to describe their music on the album Playero 36 in 1994.
2000–2003: Early music and El Cangri.com
In 1997, Daddy Yankee collaborated with the rapper Nas, who was an inspiration for Ayala, in the song "The Profecy", for the album Boricua Guerrero. He released two compilation albums with original material: El Cartel (1997) and El Cartel II (2001). Both albums were successful in Puerto Rico, but not throughout Latin America. Between those years, Ayala released a total of nine music videos, including "Posición" featuring Alberto Stylee, "Tu Cuerpo En La Cama" featuring Nicky Jam, and "Muévete Y Perrea".
In 2000, Daddy Yankee formed an unofficial duo called "Los Cangris" with Nicky Jam and released several successful singles together. Yankee and Nicky Jam fell apart in 2004 due to personal issues and creative differences. In 2012, Daddy Yankee and Nicky Jam reconciled and performed in various concerts together.
In 2002, El Cangri.com became Ayala's first album with international success, receiving coverage in the markets of New York City and Miami with hits including "Latigazo", "Son Las Doce", "Guayando" and other songs like "Enciende", which talks about different social problems of the era, mentioning 9/11, corruption and religion.
In 2003, Daddy Yankee released a compilation album named Los Homerun-es, which contains his first charted single ("Segurosqui"), five new songs and 12 remakes of DJ Playero's albums songs. that was later charted, "Seguroski", being his first charted single after six of them.
In 2003, Ayala collaborated for the first time with the prestigious reggaeton producers Luny Tunes on the album Mas Flow, with his commercial success song "Cógela Que Va Sin Jockey" (a.k.a. "Métele Con Candela"), and Mas Flow 2.
2004–2006: Barrio Fino and "Gasolina"
Ayala's next album, Barrio Fino, was produced by Luny Tunes and DJ Nelson among others and released in July 2004 by El Cartel Records and VI Music. It was the most highly anticipated album in the reggaeton community. Ayala had enjoyed salsa music since he was young, and this led him to include music of genres besides reggaeton in the album. The most prominent of these cross-genre singles was "Melao", in which he performed with Andy Montañez. The album was described as his most complete, and with it he intended to introduce combinations of reggaeton and other genres to the English-speaking market. Barrio Fino was followed up by an international tour with performances in numerous countries including the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Honduras, Spain, Colombia, Argentina, Venezuela, and the United States. The album has sold over 1.1 millions of copies in the United States alone, making it the seventh best-selling Latin album in the country according to Nielsen SoundScan. Also, It had sold over 2 million copies throughout Latin America and worldwide.
During this same time, Daddy Yankee was featured in N.O.R.E.'s single "Oye Mi Canto" which hit number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart; a record for a reggaeton single at the time. Other successful featured singles included "Mayor Que Yo" and "Los 12 Discípulos".
In 2005, Ayala won several international awards, making him one of the most recognized reggaeton artists within the music industry. The first award of the year was Lo Nuestro Awards within the "Album of the Year" category, which he received for Barrio Fino. In this event he performed "Gasolina" in a performance that was described as "innovative". Barrio Fino also won the "Reggaeton Album of the Year" award in the Latin Billboard that took place on April 28, 2005, where he performed a mix of three of his songs in a duet with P. Diddy. The album was promoted throughout Latin America, the United States, and Europe, reaching certified gold in Japan. Due to the album's success, Ayala received promotional contracts with radio stations and soda companies, including Pepsi. His hit single, "Gasolina", received the majority of votes cast for the second edition of Premios Juventud, in which it received eight nominations and won seven awards. Ayala also made a live presentation during the award ceremony. "Gasolina" received nominations in the Latin Grammy and MTV Video Music Awards. The commercial success of "Gasolina" in the United States led to the creation of a new radio format and a Billboard chart: Latin Rhythm Airplay. According to Nestor Casonu, CEO of Casonu Strategic Management, "Daddy Yankee and 'Gasolina' triggered the explosion of urban Latin music worldwide".
The successful single, "Gasolina", was covered by artists from different music genres. This led to a controversy when "Los Lagos", a Mexican banda group, did a cover with the original beat but changed the song's lyrics. The group's label had solicited the copyright permission to perform the single and translate it to a different music style, but did not receive consent to change the lyrics; legal action followed. Speaking for the artist, Ayala's lawyer stated that having his song covered was an "honor, but it must be done the right way."
On December 13, 2005, he released Barrio Fino en Directo, a live record and the follow up of Barrio Fino. The album sold more than in 800,000 copies in the United States, becoming the 13th best-selling Latin album in the US according to Nielsen SoundScan and over 3 million of copies worldwide.
On April 30, 2006, Ayala was named one of the 100 most influential people by Time, which cited the 2 million copies of Barrio Fino sold, Ayala's $20 million contract with Interscope Records, and his Pepsi endorsement.
During this period, Ayala and William Omar Landrón (more commonly known by his artistic name Don Omar) were involved in a rivalry within the genre, dubbed "tiraera". The rivalry received significant press coverage despite being denied early on by both artists. It originated with a lyrical conflict between the artists begun by Ayala's comments in a remix single, where he criticized Landron's common usage of the nickname "King of Kings". Don Omar responded to this in a song titled "Ahora Son Mejor", in his album Los Rompediscotecas.
2007–2009: El Cartel: The Big Boss and Talento De Barrio
El Cartel: The Big Boss was released by Interscope on June 5, 2007. Ayala stated that the album marked a return to his hip-hop roots as opposed to being considered a strictly reggaeton album. The album was produced in 2006, and included the participation of will.i.am, Scott Storch, Tainy Tunes, Neli, and personnel from Ayala's label. Singles were produced with Héctor Delgado, Fergie, Nicole Scherzinger and Akon. The first single from the album was titled "Impacto", and was released prior to the completion of the album. The album was promoted by a tour throughout the United States, which continued throughout Latin America. He performed in Mexico, first in Monterrey, where 10,000 attended the concert, and later at San Luis Potosí coliseum, where the concert sold out, leaving hundreds of fans outside the building. Ayala performed in Chile as well, and established a record for attendance in Ecuador. He also performed in Bolivia, setting another record when 50,000 fans attended his Santa Cruz de la Sierra concert. This show was later described as "the best show with the biggest attendance in history" and as "somehappy that his album had sold more than those of Juan Luis Guerra and Juanes, and that this was an "official proof that reggaeton's principal exponent defeated the rest of the genres".
Between 2007 and 2008, Ayala made several guest appearances in famous reggaeton compilation albums including Caribbean Connection, Echo Presenta: Invasión, Mas Flow: Los Benjamins, and 20 Number 1's Now.
He appeared on the 2008 Rockstar Games' video game Grand Theft Auto IV as the DJ of Radio San Juan Sounds, with spanglish lines. The radio includes reggaeton songs from Ayala's colleagues, like Wisin & Yandel, Hector "El Father", Tito El Bambino and Jowell & Randy. San Juan Sounds also featured Daddy Yankee's hit "Impacto".
In July 2008, Ayala announced that as part of his work, he would produce a cover version of Thalía's song, "Ten Paciencia". On August 17, 2008 his soundtrack album Talento De Barrio for the eponymous film was released. Prior to the album's release, Ayala scheduled several activities, including an in-store contract signing. The album was awarded as Multi-Platinum by RIAA on April 17, 2009. On February 27, 2009, he performed at the Viña del Mar International Song Festival in Chile. In this event, the artists receive awards based on the public's reaction. After performing "Rompe", "Llamado de emergencia", "Ella Me Levantó", "Gasolina", "Limpia Parabrisas" and "Lo Que Pasó, Pasó" over the course of two hours, Ayala received the "Silver Torch", "Gold Torch" and "Silver Seagull" recognitions. On April 24, 2009, he received the Spirit of Hope Award as part of the Latin Billboard Music Awards ceremony. The recognition is given to the artists that participate in their community or social efforts throughout the year.
2009–2013: Mundial and Prestige
The single, "Grito Mundial", was released on October 8, 2009, in order to promote his ninth album, Mundial. The song was going to be the official theme for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, but Ayala rejected the FIFA offer, which gave them 100% of the rights. Despite releasing "El Ritmo No Perdona (Prende)" more than a month before, that single was not considered the first official promotional single. The second single, "Descontrol", was released on January 12, 2010, and topped the Billboard Latin Rhythm Airplay. The music video was filmed in New York City and was released on May 17, 2010. "La Despedida" was the third single, released on August 4, 2010. The song reached #4 in both Billboard Top Latin Songs and Latin Pop Songs. Other songs, like "Bailando Fue" (featuring Jowell & Randy) and "Échale Pique" (featuring Yomo) were not included in Mundial.
In 2010, Daddy Yankee participated in the song "Somos El Mundo 25 Por Haiti", by providing the rap vocals alongside rapper Pitbull.
Daddy Yankee's sixth studio album, Prestige was released on September 11, 2012. It was scheduled to be released on November or December 2011, but a hurricane damaged El Cartel Records and half of the album was lost. The lost tracks had to be reworked and was finally released nine months later. The first single, "Ven Conmigo", featuring bachata singer Prince Royce, was released on April 12, 2011 and peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Latin Charts. The second single, "Lovumba", was released on October 4, 2011 and was a number one hit on the Billboard Latin Charts and the Latin Songs chart. It was also nominated for Best Urban Song at the 2012 Latin Grammy Awards. The third single, "Pasarela", was released on June 20, 2012. The album peaked at number 39 on the Billboard 200, number one on both the Billboard Latin Albums and Latin Rhythm Albums charts. It also peaked at number five on the Billboard Rap Albums chart. The fourth and last single, Limbo, was released with the album. The song had a great success, reaching three #1 Billboard charts (Hot Latin Song, Latin Pop Song and Latin Rhythm Airplay) and having more than 790 million views on YouTube. The album was certified as Gold by the RIAA on March 8, 2013.
The year 2012 had one of the most important genre events of the year: the reconciliation between Daddy Yankee and Wisin & Yandel, after some years of rivalry. Six years after their last collaboration, Daddy Yankee appeared on the duo's remix song "Hipnotízame", with positive acclaim from fans. Two months later, on February 16, 2013, Wisin & Yandel collaborated in the remix of "Limbo". Later in 2013, the three artists performed songs like "Hipnotízame", "Mayor Que Yo" and "Noche De Entierro" in two concerts (one in Puerto Rico and another in Colombia).
On February 25, 2013, Daddy Yankee performed in the 2013 Viña del Mar International Song Festival, to a sold-out audience. He performed hits like "Limbo", "Gasolina", "Pose", "Ella Me Levantó" and "Descontrol". He won the Silver and Golden Torch and the Silver and Golden Seagull recognitions.
In 2013, Daddy Yankee performed on his Prestige World Tour, touring several countries in Europe including, Spain, Germany, France and Italy. He has also toured in Colombia, Peru, Chile to sold-out audiences. In 2013 he released music videos of "El Amante" featuring J Alvarez, "Summertime" and "Noche de los Dos" featuring Natalia Jimenez, with millions of views on YouTube.
2013–2015: King Daddy
On October 29, 2013, Daddy Yankee released a mixtape entitled "King Daddy", produced by Los De La Nazza (Musicologo & Menes), as part the Imperio Nazza Mixtapes series and was released as a digital-format only. The mixtape was made because of the high demand from the fans and is a return to his original reggaeton roots. It includes 11 tracks with collaborations from J Alvarez, Arcángel, Yandel, Farruko, and Divino. According to Ayala, "King Daddy" was recorded in two and a half weeks, because there was "a lot of inspiration". The song "La Rompe Carros" has garnered popularity among the public, but his hit single was "La Nueva y La Ex" which has been widely received all over South America, Europe, and North America. During a press conference earlier this year, Daddy Yankee announced the physical release of King Daddy scheduled for later this year with 3 or 4 bonus tracks for a total of 14 or 15 songs included.
From May 13 to June 22, 2014, Ayala performed on his King Daddy Tour, touring several cities in Europe. He has also toured in South and North American cities. In Spain, his concerts were on the 4º position in the box-office ranking, being the first Latin artist on the top 5 in this country, underneath Iron Maiden and The Rolling Stones, and over artists like Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus and Michael Bublé.
On June 17, 2014 the single "Ora Por Mí" (Spanish for "Pray For Me") was released as part of the King Daddy's bonus tracks and uses the Scorpions' "Send Me An Angel" instrumental, with a rap sampler. The official video for "Ora Por Mí" was released on June 24, 2014. It was filmed in many locations in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and talks about Ayala's life and the dark side of fame. According to Ayala, it is the most personal song of his career. On September 2, 2014, it was released another single called "Palabras Con Sentido" (Spanish for "Words With Sentiments"), which defends reggaeton and urban music of all the accusations of being a "society poison". Daddy Yankee expressed that all music has something good to give, even urban music. On his single, he also says that urban music saves lives, like his own, and the solution would be that churches have to remain, journalists have to tell the truth, artists have to have more inspiration, and the rich people have to help the poor ones. On September 9, 2014 he released his first totally English single called "This Is Not A Love Song" featuring new rapper Duncan.
2016–present: El Disco Duro
On April 28, 2016, Daddy Yankee was awarded the "Industry Leader Award" during the 2016 Latin Billboard Awards.
After a decade-long feud with longtime rival Don Omar for the "King of Reggaetón" title, in early 2016 Daddy Yankee and Don Omar announced in a Billboard press conference that they would perform together on stage in a concert series called The Kingdom Tour. The tour announcement left many fans in disbelief as it sold out in minutes in major cities like Las Vegas, Orlando, Los Angeles, New York. The concerts were structured like a boxing match, where the two artists got to trade off musical rounds, and fans voted for their winner in each city via an app designed for the event. "Two kings, one throne", said Pina Records founder Rafael Pina, who had a well-established relationship with both artists, and who also came up with the idea for the tour concept. Discussing the tour and his rivalry with Daddy Yankee, Don Omar said "Let me clarify: I am not his best friend, and he is not my best friend, but we respect each other. That desire to be the best is what has pushed us to be better."
In 2017, Daddy Yankee, in collaboration with Latin pop singer Luis Fonsi, released the hit single "Despacito". It became the first Spanish-language song to hit number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 since "Macarena" in 1996. The single gained global success. The official video for "Despacito" on YouTube received its billionth view on April 20, 2017 after 97 days, becoming the second-fastest video on the site to reach the milestone behind Adele's "Hello". Its success led Daddy Yankee to become the most listened artist worldwide on the streaming service Spotify in June 2017, being the first Latin artist to do so.
In early 2018, Daddy Yankee released his first latin trap singles with the song "Hielo", and on the single "Vuelve" on which he collaborated with Bad Bunny.
In August 2018, Daddy Yankee collaborated with Janet Jackson on her return to music on the song "Made for Now".
He released the 2019 single "Con Calma", a reimagination of Snow's 1992 hit single "Informer". Snow recorded new parts and the Spanish-language remake topped the charts of 20 countries and reached the top 10 of 10 others.
Film and other career projects
Ayala has negotiated promotional deals with several companies outside of the music industry, releasing merchandise under his name. In 2005, he became the first Latin artist to sign a deal with Reebok, in order to produce accessories, including the licensed clothing line "DY", which was released in 2006. He also teamed up with the company to have his own shoes and sporting goods made, which were first distributed on May 23, 2006. Reebok continued the partnership with the introduction of the Travel Trainer collection in July 2007. In August 2007, Pepsi began an advertising campaign titled "Puertas", in which Ayala is depicted returning to his youth by opening a series of doors.
Ayala has worked in the film industry as both an actor and producer. His acting debut was as an extra in the 2004 film Vampiros, directed by Eduardo Ortiz and filmed in Puerto Rico. The film premiered at the Festival of Latin American Cinema in New York, where it received a positive reaction. This led Image Entertainment to produce a DVD, internationally released in March 2005. Ayala played the main role, "Edgar Dinero", in Talento de Barrio, which was filmed in Puerto Rico and directed by José Iván Santiago. Ayala produced the film, which is based on his experience of growing up in a poor city neighborhood. While the film is not directly a biography, Ayala has stated that it mirrors his early life. Talento de Barrio's debut was scheduled for July 23, 2008, in New York's Latino Film Festival. After the premier, Ayala expressed satisfaction, saying that he had been invited to audition for other producers. On release, Talento de Barrio broke the record held by Maldeamores for the most tickets to a Puerto Rican movie sold in a single day in Caribbean Cinemas.
Ayala has been involved in the administration of three organizations, the first being El Cartel Records which he co-owns with Andres Hernandez. He also created the Fundación Corazón Guerrero, a charitable organization in Puerto Rico which works with young incarcerated people. On April 26, 2008, he was presented with a "Latino of the Year Award" by the student organization Presencia Latina of Harvard College, receiving it for his work with Puerto Rican youth and creating Corazón Guerrero. On February 6, 2008, Ayala announced in a Baloncesto Superior Nacional press conference that he had bought part of the Criollos de Caguas' ownership. He has also been active with Cruz Roja Puerto Rico in several media campaigns.
In March 2013, Daddy Yankee talked about a new movie production during an interview in Las Vegas. During an interview in a radio station in January 2014, Ayala announced the film, but he only mentioned that many reggaeton exponents would take part of it. In February 2014 it was confirmed that the movie will be about the boxer Macho Camacho's life. According to Ayala, he had the boxer's support to film the movie, but it remained in nothing after Camacho's death on November 24, 2012. The film was due for release in 2015.
The most recent of Daddy Yankee's non-music projects was the release of his game Trylogy, a 3D video game based in tower defense games. The game was presented at the New York Comic Con and was released on November 29, 2013. The game also features Ayala's songs like "Gasolina" and "Limbo".
Personal life
Family
Ayala has kept most of his personal life private, rarely speaking about it in interviews. He has said that he avoids doing so because such details are the only aspect of his life that are not public and that they are like a "little treasure". In 2006 he spoke about his relationship with his wife Mireddys González and children in an interview with María Celeste Arrarás in Al Rojo Vivo. He stated that his marriage is strong because he and his wife are "friends above anything", and that he has tried to ignore other temptations because "weakness is the reason for the downfall of several artists". He met his wife when they were little and at just 17 years old they decided to get married. As a result of the union their first daughter Yamilette Ayala González was born. His first daughter was born when he was seventeen years old, which he described as confusing at first, adding that raising a daughter at that age was a hard experience. He has another son, Jeremy, born in 1998, and another daughter, Jesaaelys, born in 1996.
Political views
In 2008, Ayala participated in a campaign to promote voting in the 2008 general elections in Puerto Rico. This initiative included a concert titled "Vota o quédate callado" (Vote or Remain Silent).
On August 25, 2008, Ayala endorsed Republican John McCain's candidacy for President of the United States in the 2008 election, stating that McCain was a "fighter for the Hispanic community". As part of this campaign, Ayala moderated a debate titled "Vota o quédate callado: los candidatos responden a los jóvenes", which was aired on October 9, 2008.
In November 2019, Ayala inaugurated a museum of reggaeton at Plaza Las Américas, the first of its kind.
Philanthropy
In 2007, Daddy Yankee became the spokesperson of the environmental organization "Yo Limpio a Puerto Rico" (I Clean Puerto Rico) founded by Ignacio Barsottelli. Yo Limpio a Puerto Rico, PepsiCo and Wal-Mart announced a joint effort to promote recycling in Puerto Rico among the general public and schools across the island with the campaign "Tómatelo en Serio, Recicla por Puerto Rico" (Take it seriously, recycle for Puerto Rico), in which Daddy Yankee became the main spokesperson. This campaign incorporated a recycling contest among public and private schools from around the island in the elementary, junior high, and high school categories. The program established 16 recycling centers located at Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores across the island, where consumers were able to deposit recyclable items.
In 2017, Daddy Yankee donated $100,000 to the Food Bank of Puerto Rico after the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria. The money provided food to roughly 9,000 families on the island.
Daddy Yankee presented the HR Derby Champ medallion to Pete Alonso upon his winning the MLB HR Derby on July 8, 2019.
Legacy
Daddy Yankee has been dubbed "King of Reggaetón" by media. Rachel Grace Almeida from Vice felt Daddy Yankee paved the way with his music to amplify and normalize the "marginalised" Latino identity. She also commented that Yankee played a vital part in "bringing glamour to the barrio and challenged the mainstream media's portrayal of Hispanic poverty in those neighbourhoods". He was highlighted by CNN and Time as one of the most influential Hispanics in the world. Roy Trakin from Pollstar considered his collaboration with Luis Fonsi in "Despacito" helped "turn his native Puerto Rico's music into a global phenomenon".
Daddy Yankee's third studio album Barrio Fino (2004) ushered reggaeton into the mainstream. Its single "Gasolina" "[altered] the business, sound and aesthetic of Latin music", stated Billboard, "the genre would revive sales of Latin music, usher in a new radio format in the U.S. (Latin Rhythm Airplay) and establish the urban base responsible for many Latin radio hits today." According to Nestor Casonú, president for Kobalt Music Latin America, "Daddy Yankee and 'Gasolina' triggered the explosion of urban Latin music worldwide."
In 2006, a The New York Times article deemed him "The King of Reggaetón" while commenting on 2004's music revenue, "one bright spot for the music industry was Latin music: sales grew by 12 percent, according to Nielsen SoundScan. At least some of that success is owed to reggaetón and by extension to Daddy Yankee, its top-selling act."
Multiple artists have cited him as an inspiration, including J Balvin, Ozuna, Bad Bunny, Lunay, Miguelito, and Natti Natasha.
Achievements
Daddy Yankee has received several awards and honors, including 10 Guinness World Records and seven Billboard Music Awards (the most for any Latin artist). He was honored with the Icon Award by Latin American Music Awards, the Industry Leader Award from the Latin Billboard Awards and inducted into its Hall of Fame, and received the Lifetime Achievement Award in Lo Nuestro Awards from Balvin. J Balvin stated: "Reggaeton would not be what it is without Daddy Yankee and without Yankee, there would be no Balvin".
Having sold 20 million records worldwide, Yankee is one of the best-selling Latin music artists. As of April 2020, Daddy Yankee is the most subscribed Latin artist on YouTube Music. He also is the first Latin act to be the most listened-to artist worldwide, and remains on Top 20 as of April 2020. In 2019, he set a new record in his country as the artist with the most shows at Coliseum of Puerto Rico, with 12 consecutive sold-out concerts.
Yankee has multiple charts records. He is the artist with the most number one and most entries on the Billboard Latin Rhythm Airplay. He also has the most entries on the Latin Pop Airplay and the second most entries on Hot Latin Songs. Additionally, he achieved three and six top 25 and top 50 Spanish-language singles on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively, the most by any artist. Barrio Fino and Barrio Fino en Directo are two of the best-selling Latin albums in the United States.
With "Despacito", both Yankee and Luis Fonsi achieved multiple worldwide records, including the most-viewed YouTube video (and it became the first video on the site to reach the milestones of three, four, five, six, and seven billion views) and the first Latin song to receive a diamond certification by Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Additionally, "Despacito" received thirteen-times platinum by RIAA for units of over 13 million sales plus track-equivalent streams, making it the highest-certified single of all-time in the United States. It also became the song with most weeks at number one in Switzerland and Germany, and the most weeks at number one on Hot Latin Songs.
Discography
Studio albums
No Mercy (1995)
El Cangri.com (2003)
Barrio Fino (2004)
El Cartel: The Big Boss (2007)
Mundial (2010)
Prestige (2012)
El Disco Duro (TBA)
Live albums
2005: Ahora Le Toca Al Cangri! Live
2005: Barrio Fino En Directo
2020: 2K20 Pt. 1
2020: 2K20 Pt. 2
2020: 2K20 Pt. 3
Other albums
1997: El Cartel De Yankee
2001: El Cartel II: Los Cangris
2003: Los Homerun-Es De Yankee
2008: Talento De Barrio
2013: King Daddy
Producer
1998: Tierra De Nadie (de Benny Blanco)
1999: Gritos De Guerra (de Rubio & Joel)
1999: Guatauba 2000 (de Manolo Guatauba)
2001: Haciendo Escante (de Nicky Jam)
2003: Salón De La Fama (de Nicky Jam)
2006: Más Grande Que Tú (de Miguelito)
2007: El Heredero (de Miguelito)
Concert tours
As a headliner
Barrio Fino World Tour (2004–06)
The Big Boss Tour (2007–09)
Mundial Tour (2010–11)
European Tour (2012)
Prestige World Tour (2012–13)
King Daddy Tour (2014–15)
TamoEnVivoTour (2017)
La Gira Dura (2018)
Con Calma Tour (2019)
As a co-headliner
The Kingdom Tour (2015–16) (with Don Omar)
Filmography
Film
Television
See also
Reggaeton
Latin American music
List of Caribbean music genres
List of Puerto Ricans
List of Puerto Rican songwriters
Urban contemporary
References
External links
1977 births
Living people
American hip hop musicians
American shooting survivors
Capitol Latin artists
Latin Grammy Award winners
Latin music songwriters
Pop rappers
21st-century Puerto Rican male singers
Puerto Rican rappers
Puerto Rican reggaeton musicians
Urbano musicians
Singers from San Juan, Puerto Rico
Sony Music Latin artists
Southern hip hop musicians
Spanish-language singers of the United States
Universal Music Latin Entertainment artists
20th-century Puerto Rican male singers
| true |
[
"This One's for You is the sixth album by R&B crooner Teddy Pendergrass. It was released just after a bad car accident Pendergrass was involved in, which left him paralyzed from the waist down due to a spinal cord injury. The album did not do as well as his previous albums did on the Billboard 200, peaking at only #59, but it did do well on the R&B album chart, reaching #6. Only one single was released, \"I Can't Win for Losing\", which peaked at only #32 on the R&B charts.\n\nTrack listing\n \"I Can't Win for Losing\" 4:16 (Victor Carstarphen, Gene McFadden, John Whitehead)\n \"This One's for You\" 6:18 (Barry Manilow, Marty Panzer)\n \"Loving You Was Good\" 3:35 (LeRoy Bell, Casey James)\n \"This Gift of Life\" 4:27 (Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff)\n \"Now Tell Me That You Love Me\" 5:15 (Gamble, Huff)\n \"It's Up to You (What You Do With Your Life)\" 5:37 (Gamble, Huff)\n \"Don't Leave Me out Along the Road\" 3:34 (Richard Roebuck)\n \"Only to You\" 3:53 (Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson)\n\nReferences\n\n1982 albums\nTeddy Pendergrass albums\nAlbums produced by Kenneth Gamble\nAlbums produced by Leon Huff\nAlbums produced by Thom Bell\nAlbums produced by Ashford & Simpson\nAlbums arranged by Bobby Martin\nAlbums recorded at Sigma Sound Studios\nPhiladelphia International Records albums",
"Follow Me is the second album of Dutch singer Do.\n\nIt did well in the Netherlands, debuting at #8 in the Mega Top 100 (album chart).\n\nAlbum information\nAfter her successful debut album Do she began working on her second album with her best friend and musical partner Glenn Corneille. They made a basis for the next album but Glenn Corneille died in a car disaster. However, Do needed to go on, so she started again where she left off.\n\nThe album contains 12 songs. Do co-wrote 3 songs; Love Me, Tune Into Me and When Everything is Gone. It features several different music genres, such as Pop, Jazz, Gospel and Country.\n\nTrack listing\n\nChart positions\n\nReferences\n.\n\n2006 albums\nDo (singer) albums\nSony BMG albums"
] |
[
"Daddy Yankee",
"2007-09: El Cartel: The Big Boss and Talento De Barrio",
"What is El Cartel?",
"album",
"When was this released?",
"June 5, 2007.",
"Did this album do well?",
"The album was promoted by a tour throughout the United States, which continued throughout Latin America."
] |
C_c5c8ca973e4d47478cfa71a686c386f9_1
|
Did he go on tour?
| 4 |
Did the artist of El Cartel go on tour?
|
Daddy Yankee
|
El Cartel: The Big Boss was released by Interscope on June 5, 2007. Ayala stated that the album marked a return to his hip-hop roots as opposed to being considered a strictly reggaeton album. The album was produced in 2006, and included the participation of will.i.am, Scott Storch, Tainy Tunes, Neli, and personnel from Ayala's label. Singles were produced with Hector Delgado, Fergie, Nicole Scherzinger and Akon. The first single from the album was titled "Impacto", and was released prior to the completion of the album. The album was promoted by a tour throughout the United States, which continued throughout Latin America. He performed in Mexico, first in Monterrey, where 10,000 attended the concert, and later at San Luis Potosi coliseum, where the concert sold out, leaving hundreds of fans outside the building. Ayala performed in Chile as well, and established a record for attendance in Ecuador. He also performed in Bolivia, setting another record when 50,000 fans attended his Santa Cruz de la Sierra concert. This show was later described as "the best show with the biggest attendance in history" and as "somehappy that his album had sold more than those of Juan Luis Guerra and Juanes, and that this was an "official proof that reggaeton's principal exponent defeated the rest of the genres". Between 2007 and 2008, Ayala made several guest appearances in famous reggaeton compilation albums including Caribbean Connection, Echo Presenta: Invasion, Mas Flow: Los Benjamins, and 20 Number 1's Now. He appeared on the 2008 Rockstar Games' video game Grand Theft Auto IV as the DJ of Radio San Juan Sounds, with spanglish lines. The radio includes reggaeton songs from Ayala's colleagues, like Wisin & Yandel, Hector "El Father", Tito El Bambino and Jowell & Randy. San Juan Sounds also featured Daddy Yankee's hit "Impacto". In July 2008, Ayala announced that as part of his work, he would produce a cover version of Thalia's song, "Ten Paciencia". On 17 August 2008 was released his soundtrack album Talento De Barrio for the eponymous film. Prior to the album's release, Ayala scheduled several activities, including an in-store contract signing. The album was awarded as Multi-Platinum by RIAA on 17 April 2009. On February 27, 2009, he performed at the Vina del Mar International Song Festival in Chile. In this event, the artists receive awards based on the public's reaction. After performing "Rompe", "Llamado de emergencia", "Ella Me Levanto", "Gasolina", "Limpia Parabrisas" and "Lo Que Paso, Paso" over the course of two hours, Ayala received the "Silver Torch", "Gold Torch" and "Silver Seagull" recognitions. On April 24, 2009, he received the Spirit of Hope Award as part of the Latin Billboard Music Awards ceremony. The recognition is given to the artists that participate in their community or social efforts throughout the year. CANNOTANSWER
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He performed in Mexico, first in Monterrey, where 10,000 attended the concert, and later at San Luis Potosi coliseum,
|
Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez (born February 3, 1977), known professionally as Daddy Yankee, is a Puerto Rican rapper, singer and songwriter. He is known as the "King of Reggaetón" by music critics and fans alike. Daddy Yankee is the artist who coined the word reggaeton in 1994 to describe the new music genre that was emerging from Puerto Rico that synthesized American hip-hop, Latin Caribbean music, and Jamaican reggae rhythms with Spanish rapping and singing. He is often cited as an influence by other Latin urban performers.
Ayala was born in Río Piedras and was raised in the Villa Kennedy Housing Projects neighborhood. He aspired to be a professional baseball player and tried out for the Seattle Mariners of the Major League Baseball. Before he could be officially signed, he was hit by a stray round from an AK-47 rifle while taking a break from a studio recording session with reggaeton artist DJ Playero. Ayala spent roughly a year and a half recovering from the wound; the bullet was never removed from his hip, and he credits the shooting incident with allowing him to focus entirely on a music career. In 2004, Daddy Yankee released his international hit single "Gasolina", which is credited with introducing reggaeton to audiences worldwide, and making the music genre a global phenomenon. Since then, he has sold around 20 million records, making him one of the best-selling Latin music artists.
Daddy Yankee's album Barrio Fino made history when it became the top-selling Latin music album of the decade between 2000 and 2009. In 2017, Daddy Yankee, in collaboration with Latin pop singer Luis Fonsi, released the hit single "Despacito". It became the first Spanish-language song to hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 since "Macarena" in 1996. The single gained global success. The video for "Despacito" on YouTube received its billionth view on April 20, 2017, and became the most-watched video on the platform. Its success led Daddy Yankee to become the most-listened artist worldwide on the streaming service Spotify in June 2017, the first Latin artist to do so.
As of 2017, Daddy Yankee has won 82 awards from 270 nominations since his rise to international fame in 2004. He has won five Latin Grammy Awards, two Billboard Music Awards, 14 Billboard Latin Music Awards, two Latin American Music Awards, eight Lo Nuestro Awards, an MTV Video Music Award, and six ASCAP Awards. He also received a Puerto Rican Walk of Fame star, special awards by People en Español magazine, and the Presencia Latina at Harvard University. He was named by CNN as the "Most Influential Hispanic Artist" of 2009, and included in Time 100 in 2006.
Musical career
1994–1999: Career beginnings
Often considered to be one of the pioneers within the reggaeton genre, Ayala was originally going to become a professional baseball player but he was shot in his leg while taking a break from a studio recording session. The bullet was never removed and he credits this incident with allowing him to pursue a musical career. He first appeared on the 1994 DJ Playero's Mixtape, Playero 34, with the song "So' Persigueme, No Te Detengas". His first official studio project as a solo artist was No Mercy, which was released on April 2, 1995 through White Lion Records and BM Records in Puerto Rico. Early in his career he attempted to imitate the rap style of Vico C. He went on to emulate other artists in the genre, including DJ Playero, DJ Nelson, and Tempo taking elements from their styles in order to develop an original style with the Dembow rhythm. In doing so, he eventually abandoned the traditional model of rap and became one of the first artists to perform reggaeton. Throughout the 1990s, Daddy Yankee appeared in several of DJ Playero's underground mixtapes which were banned by the Puerto Rican government due to explicit lyrics; these songs would later be among the first reggaeton songs ever produced. DJ Playero and Daddy Yankee would later be credited for inventing the name "reggaeton" to describe their music on the album Playero 36 in 1994.
2000–2003: Early music and El Cangri.com
In 1997, Daddy Yankee collaborated with the rapper Nas, who was an inspiration for Ayala, in the song "The Profecy", for the album Boricua Guerrero. He released two compilation albums with original material: El Cartel (1997) and El Cartel II (2001). Both albums were successful in Puerto Rico, but not throughout Latin America. Between those years, Ayala released a total of nine music videos, including "Posición" featuring Alberto Stylee, "Tu Cuerpo En La Cama" featuring Nicky Jam, and "Muévete Y Perrea".
In 2000, Daddy Yankee formed an unofficial duo called "Los Cangris" with Nicky Jam and released several successful singles together. Yankee and Nicky Jam fell apart in 2004 due to personal issues and creative differences. In 2012, Daddy Yankee and Nicky Jam reconciled and performed in various concerts together.
In 2002, El Cangri.com became Ayala's first album with international success, receiving coverage in the markets of New York City and Miami with hits including "Latigazo", "Son Las Doce", "Guayando" and other songs like "Enciende", which talks about different social problems of the era, mentioning 9/11, corruption and religion.
In 2003, Daddy Yankee released a compilation album named Los Homerun-es, which contains his first charted single ("Segurosqui"), five new songs and 12 remakes of DJ Playero's albums songs. that was later charted, "Seguroski", being his first charted single after six of them.
In 2003, Ayala collaborated for the first time with the prestigious reggaeton producers Luny Tunes on the album Mas Flow, with his commercial success song "Cógela Que Va Sin Jockey" (a.k.a. "Métele Con Candela"), and Mas Flow 2.
2004–2006: Barrio Fino and "Gasolina"
Ayala's next album, Barrio Fino, was produced by Luny Tunes and DJ Nelson among others and released in July 2004 by El Cartel Records and VI Music. It was the most highly anticipated album in the reggaeton community. Ayala had enjoyed salsa music since he was young, and this led him to include music of genres besides reggaeton in the album. The most prominent of these cross-genre singles was "Melao", in which he performed with Andy Montañez. The album was described as his most complete, and with it he intended to introduce combinations of reggaeton and other genres to the English-speaking market. Barrio Fino was followed up by an international tour with performances in numerous countries including the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Honduras, Spain, Colombia, Argentina, Venezuela, and the United States. The album has sold over 1.1 millions of copies in the United States alone, making it the seventh best-selling Latin album in the country according to Nielsen SoundScan. Also, It had sold over 2 million copies throughout Latin America and worldwide.
During this same time, Daddy Yankee was featured in N.O.R.E.'s single "Oye Mi Canto" which hit number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart; a record for a reggaeton single at the time. Other successful featured singles included "Mayor Que Yo" and "Los 12 Discípulos".
In 2005, Ayala won several international awards, making him one of the most recognized reggaeton artists within the music industry. The first award of the year was Lo Nuestro Awards within the "Album of the Year" category, which he received for Barrio Fino. In this event he performed "Gasolina" in a performance that was described as "innovative". Barrio Fino also won the "Reggaeton Album of the Year" award in the Latin Billboard that took place on April 28, 2005, where he performed a mix of three of his songs in a duet with P. Diddy. The album was promoted throughout Latin America, the United States, and Europe, reaching certified gold in Japan. Due to the album's success, Ayala received promotional contracts with radio stations and soda companies, including Pepsi. His hit single, "Gasolina", received the majority of votes cast for the second edition of Premios Juventud, in which it received eight nominations and won seven awards. Ayala also made a live presentation during the award ceremony. "Gasolina" received nominations in the Latin Grammy and MTV Video Music Awards. The commercial success of "Gasolina" in the United States led to the creation of a new radio format and a Billboard chart: Latin Rhythm Airplay. According to Nestor Casonu, CEO of Casonu Strategic Management, "Daddy Yankee and 'Gasolina' triggered the explosion of urban Latin music worldwide".
The successful single, "Gasolina", was covered by artists from different music genres. This led to a controversy when "Los Lagos", a Mexican banda group, did a cover with the original beat but changed the song's lyrics. The group's label had solicited the copyright permission to perform the single and translate it to a different music style, but did not receive consent to change the lyrics; legal action followed. Speaking for the artist, Ayala's lawyer stated that having his song covered was an "honor, but it must be done the right way."
On December 13, 2005, he released Barrio Fino en Directo, a live record and the follow up of Barrio Fino. The album sold more than in 800,000 copies in the United States, becoming the 13th best-selling Latin album in the US according to Nielsen SoundScan and over 3 million of copies worldwide.
On April 30, 2006, Ayala was named one of the 100 most influential people by Time, which cited the 2 million copies of Barrio Fino sold, Ayala's $20 million contract with Interscope Records, and his Pepsi endorsement.
During this period, Ayala and William Omar Landrón (more commonly known by his artistic name Don Omar) were involved in a rivalry within the genre, dubbed "tiraera". The rivalry received significant press coverage despite being denied early on by both artists. It originated with a lyrical conflict between the artists begun by Ayala's comments in a remix single, where he criticized Landron's common usage of the nickname "King of Kings". Don Omar responded to this in a song titled "Ahora Son Mejor", in his album Los Rompediscotecas.
2007–2009: El Cartel: The Big Boss and Talento De Barrio
El Cartel: The Big Boss was released by Interscope on June 5, 2007. Ayala stated that the album marked a return to his hip-hop roots as opposed to being considered a strictly reggaeton album. The album was produced in 2006, and included the participation of will.i.am, Scott Storch, Tainy Tunes, Neli, and personnel from Ayala's label. Singles were produced with Héctor Delgado, Fergie, Nicole Scherzinger and Akon. The first single from the album was titled "Impacto", and was released prior to the completion of the album. The album was promoted by a tour throughout the United States, which continued throughout Latin America. He performed in Mexico, first in Monterrey, where 10,000 attended the concert, and later at San Luis Potosí coliseum, where the concert sold out, leaving hundreds of fans outside the building. Ayala performed in Chile as well, and established a record for attendance in Ecuador. He also performed in Bolivia, setting another record when 50,000 fans attended his Santa Cruz de la Sierra concert. This show was later described as "the best show with the biggest attendance in history" and as "somehappy that his album had sold more than those of Juan Luis Guerra and Juanes, and that this was an "official proof that reggaeton's principal exponent defeated the rest of the genres".
Between 2007 and 2008, Ayala made several guest appearances in famous reggaeton compilation albums including Caribbean Connection, Echo Presenta: Invasión, Mas Flow: Los Benjamins, and 20 Number 1's Now.
He appeared on the 2008 Rockstar Games' video game Grand Theft Auto IV as the DJ of Radio San Juan Sounds, with spanglish lines. The radio includes reggaeton songs from Ayala's colleagues, like Wisin & Yandel, Hector "El Father", Tito El Bambino and Jowell & Randy. San Juan Sounds also featured Daddy Yankee's hit "Impacto".
In July 2008, Ayala announced that as part of his work, he would produce a cover version of Thalía's song, "Ten Paciencia". On August 17, 2008 his soundtrack album Talento De Barrio for the eponymous film was released. Prior to the album's release, Ayala scheduled several activities, including an in-store contract signing. The album was awarded as Multi-Platinum by RIAA on April 17, 2009. On February 27, 2009, he performed at the Viña del Mar International Song Festival in Chile. In this event, the artists receive awards based on the public's reaction. After performing "Rompe", "Llamado de emergencia", "Ella Me Levantó", "Gasolina", "Limpia Parabrisas" and "Lo Que Pasó, Pasó" over the course of two hours, Ayala received the "Silver Torch", "Gold Torch" and "Silver Seagull" recognitions. On April 24, 2009, he received the Spirit of Hope Award as part of the Latin Billboard Music Awards ceremony. The recognition is given to the artists that participate in their community or social efforts throughout the year.
2009–2013: Mundial and Prestige
The single, "Grito Mundial", was released on October 8, 2009, in order to promote his ninth album, Mundial. The song was going to be the official theme for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, but Ayala rejected the FIFA offer, which gave them 100% of the rights. Despite releasing "El Ritmo No Perdona (Prende)" more than a month before, that single was not considered the first official promotional single. The second single, "Descontrol", was released on January 12, 2010, and topped the Billboard Latin Rhythm Airplay. The music video was filmed in New York City and was released on May 17, 2010. "La Despedida" was the third single, released on August 4, 2010. The song reached #4 in both Billboard Top Latin Songs and Latin Pop Songs. Other songs, like "Bailando Fue" (featuring Jowell & Randy) and "Échale Pique" (featuring Yomo) were not included in Mundial.
In 2010, Daddy Yankee participated in the song "Somos El Mundo 25 Por Haiti", by providing the rap vocals alongside rapper Pitbull.
Daddy Yankee's sixth studio album, Prestige was released on September 11, 2012. It was scheduled to be released on November or December 2011, but a hurricane damaged El Cartel Records and half of the album was lost. The lost tracks had to be reworked and was finally released nine months later. The first single, "Ven Conmigo", featuring bachata singer Prince Royce, was released on April 12, 2011 and peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Latin Charts. The second single, "Lovumba", was released on October 4, 2011 and was a number one hit on the Billboard Latin Charts and the Latin Songs chart. It was also nominated for Best Urban Song at the 2012 Latin Grammy Awards. The third single, "Pasarela", was released on June 20, 2012. The album peaked at number 39 on the Billboard 200, number one on both the Billboard Latin Albums and Latin Rhythm Albums charts. It also peaked at number five on the Billboard Rap Albums chart. The fourth and last single, Limbo, was released with the album. The song had a great success, reaching three #1 Billboard charts (Hot Latin Song, Latin Pop Song and Latin Rhythm Airplay) and having more than 790 million views on YouTube. The album was certified as Gold by the RIAA on March 8, 2013.
The year 2012 had one of the most important genre events of the year: the reconciliation between Daddy Yankee and Wisin & Yandel, after some years of rivalry. Six years after their last collaboration, Daddy Yankee appeared on the duo's remix song "Hipnotízame", with positive acclaim from fans. Two months later, on February 16, 2013, Wisin & Yandel collaborated in the remix of "Limbo". Later in 2013, the three artists performed songs like "Hipnotízame", "Mayor Que Yo" and "Noche De Entierro" in two concerts (one in Puerto Rico and another in Colombia).
On February 25, 2013, Daddy Yankee performed in the 2013 Viña del Mar International Song Festival, to a sold-out audience. He performed hits like "Limbo", "Gasolina", "Pose", "Ella Me Levantó" and "Descontrol". He won the Silver and Golden Torch and the Silver and Golden Seagull recognitions.
In 2013, Daddy Yankee performed on his Prestige World Tour, touring several countries in Europe including, Spain, Germany, France and Italy. He has also toured in Colombia, Peru, Chile to sold-out audiences. In 2013 he released music videos of "El Amante" featuring J Alvarez, "Summertime" and "Noche de los Dos" featuring Natalia Jimenez, with millions of views on YouTube.
2013–2015: King Daddy
On October 29, 2013, Daddy Yankee released a mixtape entitled "King Daddy", produced by Los De La Nazza (Musicologo & Menes), as part the Imperio Nazza Mixtapes series and was released as a digital-format only. The mixtape was made because of the high demand from the fans and is a return to his original reggaeton roots. It includes 11 tracks with collaborations from J Alvarez, Arcángel, Yandel, Farruko, and Divino. According to Ayala, "King Daddy" was recorded in two and a half weeks, because there was "a lot of inspiration". The song "La Rompe Carros" has garnered popularity among the public, but his hit single was "La Nueva y La Ex" which has been widely received all over South America, Europe, and North America. During a press conference earlier this year, Daddy Yankee announced the physical release of King Daddy scheduled for later this year with 3 or 4 bonus tracks for a total of 14 or 15 songs included.
From May 13 to June 22, 2014, Ayala performed on his King Daddy Tour, touring several cities in Europe. He has also toured in South and North American cities. In Spain, his concerts were on the 4º position in the box-office ranking, being the first Latin artist on the top 5 in this country, underneath Iron Maiden and The Rolling Stones, and over artists like Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus and Michael Bublé.
On June 17, 2014 the single "Ora Por Mí" (Spanish for "Pray For Me") was released as part of the King Daddy's bonus tracks and uses the Scorpions' "Send Me An Angel" instrumental, with a rap sampler. The official video for "Ora Por Mí" was released on June 24, 2014. It was filmed in many locations in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and talks about Ayala's life and the dark side of fame. According to Ayala, it is the most personal song of his career. On September 2, 2014, it was released another single called "Palabras Con Sentido" (Spanish for "Words With Sentiments"), which defends reggaeton and urban music of all the accusations of being a "society poison". Daddy Yankee expressed that all music has something good to give, even urban music. On his single, he also says that urban music saves lives, like his own, and the solution would be that churches have to remain, journalists have to tell the truth, artists have to have more inspiration, and the rich people have to help the poor ones. On September 9, 2014 he released his first totally English single called "This Is Not A Love Song" featuring new rapper Duncan.
2016–present: El Disco Duro
On April 28, 2016, Daddy Yankee was awarded the "Industry Leader Award" during the 2016 Latin Billboard Awards.
After a decade-long feud with longtime rival Don Omar for the "King of Reggaetón" title, in early 2016 Daddy Yankee and Don Omar announced in a Billboard press conference that they would perform together on stage in a concert series called The Kingdom Tour. The tour announcement left many fans in disbelief as it sold out in minutes in major cities like Las Vegas, Orlando, Los Angeles, New York. The concerts were structured like a boxing match, where the two artists got to trade off musical rounds, and fans voted for their winner in each city via an app designed for the event. "Two kings, one throne", said Pina Records founder Rafael Pina, who had a well-established relationship with both artists, and who also came up with the idea for the tour concept. Discussing the tour and his rivalry with Daddy Yankee, Don Omar said "Let me clarify: I am not his best friend, and he is not my best friend, but we respect each other. That desire to be the best is what has pushed us to be better."
In 2017, Daddy Yankee, in collaboration with Latin pop singer Luis Fonsi, released the hit single "Despacito". It became the first Spanish-language song to hit number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 since "Macarena" in 1996. The single gained global success. The official video for "Despacito" on YouTube received its billionth view on April 20, 2017 after 97 days, becoming the second-fastest video on the site to reach the milestone behind Adele's "Hello". Its success led Daddy Yankee to become the most listened artist worldwide on the streaming service Spotify in June 2017, being the first Latin artist to do so.
In early 2018, Daddy Yankee released his first latin trap singles with the song "Hielo", and on the single "Vuelve" on which he collaborated with Bad Bunny.
In August 2018, Daddy Yankee collaborated with Janet Jackson on her return to music on the song "Made for Now".
He released the 2019 single "Con Calma", a reimagination of Snow's 1992 hit single "Informer". Snow recorded new parts and the Spanish-language remake topped the charts of 20 countries and reached the top 10 of 10 others.
Film and other career projects
Ayala has negotiated promotional deals with several companies outside of the music industry, releasing merchandise under his name. In 2005, he became the first Latin artist to sign a deal with Reebok, in order to produce accessories, including the licensed clothing line "DY", which was released in 2006. He also teamed up with the company to have his own shoes and sporting goods made, which were first distributed on May 23, 2006. Reebok continued the partnership with the introduction of the Travel Trainer collection in July 2007. In August 2007, Pepsi began an advertising campaign titled "Puertas", in which Ayala is depicted returning to his youth by opening a series of doors.
Ayala has worked in the film industry as both an actor and producer. His acting debut was as an extra in the 2004 film Vampiros, directed by Eduardo Ortiz and filmed in Puerto Rico. The film premiered at the Festival of Latin American Cinema in New York, where it received a positive reaction. This led Image Entertainment to produce a DVD, internationally released in March 2005. Ayala played the main role, "Edgar Dinero", in Talento de Barrio, which was filmed in Puerto Rico and directed by José Iván Santiago. Ayala produced the film, which is based on his experience of growing up in a poor city neighborhood. While the film is not directly a biography, Ayala has stated that it mirrors his early life. Talento de Barrio's debut was scheduled for July 23, 2008, in New York's Latino Film Festival. After the premier, Ayala expressed satisfaction, saying that he had been invited to audition for other producers. On release, Talento de Barrio broke the record held by Maldeamores for the most tickets to a Puerto Rican movie sold in a single day in Caribbean Cinemas.
Ayala has been involved in the administration of three organizations, the first being El Cartel Records which he co-owns with Andres Hernandez. He also created the Fundación Corazón Guerrero, a charitable organization in Puerto Rico which works with young incarcerated people. On April 26, 2008, he was presented with a "Latino of the Year Award" by the student organization Presencia Latina of Harvard College, receiving it for his work with Puerto Rican youth and creating Corazón Guerrero. On February 6, 2008, Ayala announced in a Baloncesto Superior Nacional press conference that he had bought part of the Criollos de Caguas' ownership. He has also been active with Cruz Roja Puerto Rico in several media campaigns.
In March 2013, Daddy Yankee talked about a new movie production during an interview in Las Vegas. During an interview in a radio station in January 2014, Ayala announced the film, but he only mentioned that many reggaeton exponents would take part of it. In February 2014 it was confirmed that the movie will be about the boxer Macho Camacho's life. According to Ayala, he had the boxer's support to film the movie, but it remained in nothing after Camacho's death on November 24, 2012. The film was due for release in 2015.
The most recent of Daddy Yankee's non-music projects was the release of his game Trylogy, a 3D video game based in tower defense games. The game was presented at the New York Comic Con and was released on November 29, 2013. The game also features Ayala's songs like "Gasolina" and "Limbo".
Personal life
Family
Ayala has kept most of his personal life private, rarely speaking about it in interviews. He has said that he avoids doing so because such details are the only aspect of his life that are not public and that they are like a "little treasure". In 2006 he spoke about his relationship with his wife Mireddys González and children in an interview with María Celeste Arrarás in Al Rojo Vivo. He stated that his marriage is strong because he and his wife are "friends above anything", and that he has tried to ignore other temptations because "weakness is the reason for the downfall of several artists". He met his wife when they were little and at just 17 years old they decided to get married. As a result of the union their first daughter Yamilette Ayala González was born. His first daughter was born when he was seventeen years old, which he described as confusing at first, adding that raising a daughter at that age was a hard experience. He has another son, Jeremy, born in 1998, and another daughter, Jesaaelys, born in 1996.
Political views
In 2008, Ayala participated in a campaign to promote voting in the 2008 general elections in Puerto Rico. This initiative included a concert titled "Vota o quédate callado" (Vote or Remain Silent).
On August 25, 2008, Ayala endorsed Republican John McCain's candidacy for President of the United States in the 2008 election, stating that McCain was a "fighter for the Hispanic community". As part of this campaign, Ayala moderated a debate titled "Vota o quédate callado: los candidatos responden a los jóvenes", which was aired on October 9, 2008.
In November 2019, Ayala inaugurated a museum of reggaeton at Plaza Las Américas, the first of its kind.
Philanthropy
In 2007, Daddy Yankee became the spokesperson of the environmental organization "Yo Limpio a Puerto Rico" (I Clean Puerto Rico) founded by Ignacio Barsottelli. Yo Limpio a Puerto Rico, PepsiCo and Wal-Mart announced a joint effort to promote recycling in Puerto Rico among the general public and schools across the island with the campaign "Tómatelo en Serio, Recicla por Puerto Rico" (Take it seriously, recycle for Puerto Rico), in which Daddy Yankee became the main spokesperson. This campaign incorporated a recycling contest among public and private schools from around the island in the elementary, junior high, and high school categories. The program established 16 recycling centers located at Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores across the island, where consumers were able to deposit recyclable items.
In 2017, Daddy Yankee donated $100,000 to the Food Bank of Puerto Rico after the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria. The money provided food to roughly 9,000 families on the island.
Daddy Yankee presented the HR Derby Champ medallion to Pete Alonso upon his winning the MLB HR Derby on July 8, 2019.
Legacy
Daddy Yankee has been dubbed "King of Reggaetón" by media. Rachel Grace Almeida from Vice felt Daddy Yankee paved the way with his music to amplify and normalize the "marginalised" Latino identity. She also commented that Yankee played a vital part in "bringing glamour to the barrio and challenged the mainstream media's portrayal of Hispanic poverty in those neighbourhoods". He was highlighted by CNN and Time as one of the most influential Hispanics in the world. Roy Trakin from Pollstar considered his collaboration with Luis Fonsi in "Despacito" helped "turn his native Puerto Rico's music into a global phenomenon".
Daddy Yankee's third studio album Barrio Fino (2004) ushered reggaeton into the mainstream. Its single "Gasolina" "[altered] the business, sound and aesthetic of Latin music", stated Billboard, "the genre would revive sales of Latin music, usher in a new radio format in the U.S. (Latin Rhythm Airplay) and establish the urban base responsible for many Latin radio hits today." According to Nestor Casonú, president for Kobalt Music Latin America, "Daddy Yankee and 'Gasolina' triggered the explosion of urban Latin music worldwide."
In 2006, a The New York Times article deemed him "The King of Reggaetón" while commenting on 2004's music revenue, "one bright spot for the music industry was Latin music: sales grew by 12 percent, according to Nielsen SoundScan. At least some of that success is owed to reggaetón and by extension to Daddy Yankee, its top-selling act."
Multiple artists have cited him as an inspiration, including J Balvin, Ozuna, Bad Bunny, Lunay, Miguelito, and Natti Natasha.
Achievements
Daddy Yankee has received several awards and honors, including 10 Guinness World Records and seven Billboard Music Awards (the most for any Latin artist). He was honored with the Icon Award by Latin American Music Awards, the Industry Leader Award from the Latin Billboard Awards and inducted into its Hall of Fame, and received the Lifetime Achievement Award in Lo Nuestro Awards from Balvin. J Balvin stated: "Reggaeton would not be what it is without Daddy Yankee and without Yankee, there would be no Balvin".
Having sold 20 million records worldwide, Yankee is one of the best-selling Latin music artists. As of April 2020, Daddy Yankee is the most subscribed Latin artist on YouTube Music. He also is the first Latin act to be the most listened-to artist worldwide, and remains on Top 20 as of April 2020. In 2019, he set a new record in his country as the artist with the most shows at Coliseum of Puerto Rico, with 12 consecutive sold-out concerts.
Yankee has multiple charts records. He is the artist with the most number one and most entries on the Billboard Latin Rhythm Airplay. He also has the most entries on the Latin Pop Airplay and the second most entries on Hot Latin Songs. Additionally, he achieved three and six top 25 and top 50 Spanish-language singles on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively, the most by any artist. Barrio Fino and Barrio Fino en Directo are two of the best-selling Latin albums in the United States.
With "Despacito", both Yankee and Luis Fonsi achieved multiple worldwide records, including the most-viewed YouTube video (and it became the first video on the site to reach the milestones of three, four, five, six, and seven billion views) and the first Latin song to receive a diamond certification by Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Additionally, "Despacito" received thirteen-times platinum by RIAA for units of over 13 million sales plus track-equivalent streams, making it the highest-certified single of all-time in the United States. It also became the song with most weeks at number one in Switzerland and Germany, and the most weeks at number one on Hot Latin Songs.
Discography
Studio albums
No Mercy (1995)
El Cangri.com (2003)
Barrio Fino (2004)
El Cartel: The Big Boss (2007)
Mundial (2010)
Prestige (2012)
El Disco Duro (TBA)
Live albums
2005: Ahora Le Toca Al Cangri! Live
2005: Barrio Fino En Directo
2020: 2K20 Pt. 1
2020: 2K20 Pt. 2
2020: 2K20 Pt. 3
Other albums
1997: El Cartel De Yankee
2001: El Cartel II: Los Cangris
2003: Los Homerun-Es De Yankee
2008: Talento De Barrio
2013: King Daddy
Producer
1998: Tierra De Nadie (de Benny Blanco)
1999: Gritos De Guerra (de Rubio & Joel)
1999: Guatauba 2000 (de Manolo Guatauba)
2001: Haciendo Escante (de Nicky Jam)
2003: Salón De La Fama (de Nicky Jam)
2006: Más Grande Que Tú (de Miguelito)
2007: El Heredero (de Miguelito)
Concert tours
As a headliner
Barrio Fino World Tour (2004–06)
The Big Boss Tour (2007–09)
Mundial Tour (2010–11)
European Tour (2012)
Prestige World Tour (2012–13)
King Daddy Tour (2014–15)
TamoEnVivoTour (2017)
La Gira Dura (2018)
Con Calma Tour (2019)
As a co-headliner
The Kingdom Tour (2015–16) (with Don Omar)
Filmography
Film
Television
See also
Reggaeton
Latin American music
List of Caribbean music genres
List of Puerto Ricans
List of Puerto Rican songwriters
Urban contemporary
References
External links
1977 births
Living people
American hip hop musicians
American shooting survivors
Capitol Latin artists
Latin Grammy Award winners
Latin music songwriters
Pop rappers
21st-century Puerto Rican male singers
Puerto Rican rappers
Puerto Rican reggaeton musicians
Urbano musicians
Singers from San Juan, Puerto Rico
Sony Music Latin artists
Southern hip hop musicians
Spanish-language singers of the United States
Universal Music Latin Entertainment artists
20th-century Puerto Rican male singers
| false |
[
"Andrew Butterfield (born 7 January 1972) is an English professional golfer who plays on the Challenge Tour.\n\nCareer\nButterfield was born in London, England. He turned professional in 1993 and joined the Challenge Tour in 1996. He played on the Challenge Tour until qualifying for the European Tour through Q-School in 1999. Butterfield did not perform well enough on tour in 2000 to retain his card and had to go back to the Challenge Tour in 2001. He got his European Tour card back through Q-School again in 2001 and played on the European Tour in 2002 but did not find any success on tour. He returned to the Challenge Tour and played there until 2005 when he finished 4th on the Challenge Tour's Order of Merit which earned him his European Tour card for 2006. He did not play well enough in 2006 to retain his tour card but was able to get temporary status on tour for 2007 by finishing 129th on the Order of Merit. He played on the European Tour and the Challenge Tour in 2007 and has played only on the Challenge Tour since 2008. He picked up his first win on the Challenge Tour in Sweden at The Princess in June 2009. He also won an event on the PGA EuroPro Tour in 2004.\n\nProfessional wins (2)\n\nChallenge Tour wins (1)\n\nChallenge Tour playoff record (0–1)\n\nPGA EuroPro Tour wins (1)\n2004 Matchroom Golf Management International at Owston Hall\n\nPlayoff record\nEuropean Tour playoff record (0–1)\n\nResults in major championships\n\nNote: Butterfield only played in The Open Championship.\nCUT = missed the half-way cut\n\nSee also\n2005 Challenge Tour graduates\n2009 Challenge Tour graduates\n\nExternal links\n\nEnglish male golfers\nEuropean Tour golfers\nSportspeople from London\nPeople from the London Borough of Bromley\n1972 births\nLiving people",
"Doug Dunakey (born July 7, 1963) is an American former professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour. He is known for shooting a 59 in the 1998 Nike Miami Valley Open, becoming only the fourth player to shoot a 59 on a major tour. After his professional career, Dunakey became the golf coach at Lemon Bay High School.\n\nProfessional career\nDunakey joined the Nationwide Tour (then known as the Nike Tour) in 1998. Dunakey shot a 59 in the second round of the Nike Miami Valley Open. Dunakey could have shot a 58 but he three putted the 18th hole. Despite shooting a 59, he did not win the tournament, finishing in a tie for second behind Craig Bowden. He won his first title on tour at the Nike Cleveland Open the following week. This win helped him finish 15th on the tour's money list with $128,052. His 15th-place finish earned him his PGA Tour card for 1999. In his rookie year on the PGA Tour, Dunakey made 12 of 32 cuts while earning $298,069, good enough for a finish of 133rd on the money list. His best finish of the year came at the Honda Classic where he finished tied for third. Dunakey did not finish high enough on the money list to earn his PGA Tour card for 2000 so he earned it through qualifying school. In his second year on tour, Dunakey recorded two top ten finishes and earned $393,059. He finished 124th on the money list and in doing so, retained his tour card for 2001. 2001 did not go well for Dunakey and it would be his last year on the PGA Tour. He played on the Nationwide Tour in 2002 and 2003 before retiring.\n\nProfessional wins (2)\n\nNike Tour wins (1)\n\nOther wins (1)\n1997 Colorado Open\n\nResults in major championships\n\nCUT = missed the half-way cut\nNote: Dunakey only played in the U.S. Open.\n\nSee also\n1998 Nike Tour graduates\n1999 PGA Tour Qualifying School graduates\nLowest rounds of golf\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\n\nAmerican male golfers\nPGA Tour golfers\nKorn Ferry Tour graduates\nGolfers from Iowa\nGolfers from Florida\nCalifornia State University, Stanislaus alumni\nSportspeople from Waterloo, Iowa\nPeople from Port Charlotte, Florida\n1963 births\nLiving people"
] |
[
"Daddy Yankee",
"2007-09: El Cartel: The Big Boss and Talento De Barrio",
"What is El Cartel?",
"album",
"When was this released?",
"June 5, 2007.",
"Did this album do well?",
"The album was promoted by a tour throughout the United States, which continued throughout Latin America.",
"Did he go on tour?",
"He performed in Mexico, first in Monterrey, where 10,000 attended the concert, and later at San Luis Potosi coliseum,"
] |
C_c5c8ca973e4d47478cfa71a686c386f9_1
|
Where else did he perform?
| 5 |
Where else did the El Cartel artist perform other than Monterrey, San Luis and Potosi coliseum??
|
Daddy Yankee
|
El Cartel: The Big Boss was released by Interscope on June 5, 2007. Ayala stated that the album marked a return to his hip-hop roots as opposed to being considered a strictly reggaeton album. The album was produced in 2006, and included the participation of will.i.am, Scott Storch, Tainy Tunes, Neli, and personnel from Ayala's label. Singles were produced with Hector Delgado, Fergie, Nicole Scherzinger and Akon. The first single from the album was titled "Impacto", and was released prior to the completion of the album. The album was promoted by a tour throughout the United States, which continued throughout Latin America. He performed in Mexico, first in Monterrey, where 10,000 attended the concert, and later at San Luis Potosi coliseum, where the concert sold out, leaving hundreds of fans outside the building. Ayala performed in Chile as well, and established a record for attendance in Ecuador. He also performed in Bolivia, setting another record when 50,000 fans attended his Santa Cruz de la Sierra concert. This show was later described as "the best show with the biggest attendance in history" and as "somehappy that his album had sold more than those of Juan Luis Guerra and Juanes, and that this was an "official proof that reggaeton's principal exponent defeated the rest of the genres". Between 2007 and 2008, Ayala made several guest appearances in famous reggaeton compilation albums including Caribbean Connection, Echo Presenta: Invasion, Mas Flow: Los Benjamins, and 20 Number 1's Now. He appeared on the 2008 Rockstar Games' video game Grand Theft Auto IV as the DJ of Radio San Juan Sounds, with spanglish lines. The radio includes reggaeton songs from Ayala's colleagues, like Wisin & Yandel, Hector "El Father", Tito El Bambino and Jowell & Randy. San Juan Sounds also featured Daddy Yankee's hit "Impacto". In July 2008, Ayala announced that as part of his work, he would produce a cover version of Thalia's song, "Ten Paciencia". On 17 August 2008 was released his soundtrack album Talento De Barrio for the eponymous film. Prior to the album's release, Ayala scheduled several activities, including an in-store contract signing. The album was awarded as Multi-Platinum by RIAA on 17 April 2009. On February 27, 2009, he performed at the Vina del Mar International Song Festival in Chile. In this event, the artists receive awards based on the public's reaction. After performing "Rompe", "Llamado de emergencia", "Ella Me Levanto", "Gasolina", "Limpia Parabrisas" and "Lo Que Paso, Paso" over the course of two hours, Ayala received the "Silver Torch", "Gold Torch" and "Silver Seagull" recognitions. On April 24, 2009, he received the Spirit of Hope Award as part of the Latin Billboard Music Awards ceremony. The recognition is given to the artists that participate in their community or social efforts throughout the year. CANNOTANSWER
|
Ayala performed in Chile as well, and established a record for attendance in Ecuador. He also performed in Bolivia,
|
Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez (born February 3, 1977), known professionally as Daddy Yankee, is a Puerto Rican rapper, singer and songwriter. He is known as the "King of Reggaetón" by music critics and fans alike. Daddy Yankee is the artist who coined the word reggaeton in 1994 to describe the new music genre that was emerging from Puerto Rico that synthesized American hip-hop, Latin Caribbean music, and Jamaican reggae rhythms with Spanish rapping and singing. He is often cited as an influence by other Latin urban performers.
Ayala was born in Río Piedras and was raised in the Villa Kennedy Housing Projects neighborhood. He aspired to be a professional baseball player and tried out for the Seattle Mariners of the Major League Baseball. Before he could be officially signed, he was hit by a stray round from an AK-47 rifle while taking a break from a studio recording session with reggaeton artist DJ Playero. Ayala spent roughly a year and a half recovering from the wound; the bullet was never removed from his hip, and he credits the shooting incident with allowing him to focus entirely on a music career. In 2004, Daddy Yankee released his international hit single "Gasolina", which is credited with introducing reggaeton to audiences worldwide, and making the music genre a global phenomenon. Since then, he has sold around 20 million records, making him one of the best-selling Latin music artists.
Daddy Yankee's album Barrio Fino made history when it became the top-selling Latin music album of the decade between 2000 and 2009. In 2017, Daddy Yankee, in collaboration with Latin pop singer Luis Fonsi, released the hit single "Despacito". It became the first Spanish-language song to hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 since "Macarena" in 1996. The single gained global success. The video for "Despacito" on YouTube received its billionth view on April 20, 2017, and became the most-watched video on the platform. Its success led Daddy Yankee to become the most-listened artist worldwide on the streaming service Spotify in June 2017, the first Latin artist to do so.
As of 2017, Daddy Yankee has won 82 awards from 270 nominations since his rise to international fame in 2004. He has won five Latin Grammy Awards, two Billboard Music Awards, 14 Billboard Latin Music Awards, two Latin American Music Awards, eight Lo Nuestro Awards, an MTV Video Music Award, and six ASCAP Awards. He also received a Puerto Rican Walk of Fame star, special awards by People en Español magazine, and the Presencia Latina at Harvard University. He was named by CNN as the "Most Influential Hispanic Artist" of 2009, and included in Time 100 in 2006.
Musical career
1994–1999: Career beginnings
Often considered to be one of the pioneers within the reggaeton genre, Ayala was originally going to become a professional baseball player but he was shot in his leg while taking a break from a studio recording session. The bullet was never removed and he credits this incident with allowing him to pursue a musical career. He first appeared on the 1994 DJ Playero's Mixtape, Playero 34, with the song "So' Persigueme, No Te Detengas". His first official studio project as a solo artist was No Mercy, which was released on April 2, 1995 through White Lion Records and BM Records in Puerto Rico. Early in his career he attempted to imitate the rap style of Vico C. He went on to emulate other artists in the genre, including DJ Playero, DJ Nelson, and Tempo taking elements from their styles in order to develop an original style with the Dembow rhythm. In doing so, he eventually abandoned the traditional model of rap and became one of the first artists to perform reggaeton. Throughout the 1990s, Daddy Yankee appeared in several of DJ Playero's underground mixtapes which were banned by the Puerto Rican government due to explicit lyrics; these songs would later be among the first reggaeton songs ever produced. DJ Playero and Daddy Yankee would later be credited for inventing the name "reggaeton" to describe their music on the album Playero 36 in 1994.
2000–2003: Early music and El Cangri.com
In 1997, Daddy Yankee collaborated with the rapper Nas, who was an inspiration for Ayala, in the song "The Profecy", for the album Boricua Guerrero. He released two compilation albums with original material: El Cartel (1997) and El Cartel II (2001). Both albums were successful in Puerto Rico, but not throughout Latin America. Between those years, Ayala released a total of nine music videos, including "Posición" featuring Alberto Stylee, "Tu Cuerpo En La Cama" featuring Nicky Jam, and "Muévete Y Perrea".
In 2000, Daddy Yankee formed an unofficial duo called "Los Cangris" with Nicky Jam and released several successful singles together. Yankee and Nicky Jam fell apart in 2004 due to personal issues and creative differences. In 2012, Daddy Yankee and Nicky Jam reconciled and performed in various concerts together.
In 2002, El Cangri.com became Ayala's first album with international success, receiving coverage in the markets of New York City and Miami with hits including "Latigazo", "Son Las Doce", "Guayando" and other songs like "Enciende", which talks about different social problems of the era, mentioning 9/11, corruption and religion.
In 2003, Daddy Yankee released a compilation album named Los Homerun-es, which contains his first charted single ("Segurosqui"), five new songs and 12 remakes of DJ Playero's albums songs. that was later charted, "Seguroski", being his first charted single after six of them.
In 2003, Ayala collaborated for the first time with the prestigious reggaeton producers Luny Tunes on the album Mas Flow, with his commercial success song "Cógela Que Va Sin Jockey" (a.k.a. "Métele Con Candela"), and Mas Flow 2.
2004–2006: Barrio Fino and "Gasolina"
Ayala's next album, Barrio Fino, was produced by Luny Tunes and DJ Nelson among others and released in July 2004 by El Cartel Records and VI Music. It was the most highly anticipated album in the reggaeton community. Ayala had enjoyed salsa music since he was young, and this led him to include music of genres besides reggaeton in the album. The most prominent of these cross-genre singles was "Melao", in which he performed with Andy Montañez. The album was described as his most complete, and with it he intended to introduce combinations of reggaeton and other genres to the English-speaking market. Barrio Fino was followed up by an international tour with performances in numerous countries including the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Honduras, Spain, Colombia, Argentina, Venezuela, and the United States. The album has sold over 1.1 millions of copies in the United States alone, making it the seventh best-selling Latin album in the country according to Nielsen SoundScan. Also, It had sold over 2 million copies throughout Latin America and worldwide.
During this same time, Daddy Yankee was featured in N.O.R.E.'s single "Oye Mi Canto" which hit number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart; a record for a reggaeton single at the time. Other successful featured singles included "Mayor Que Yo" and "Los 12 Discípulos".
In 2005, Ayala won several international awards, making him one of the most recognized reggaeton artists within the music industry. The first award of the year was Lo Nuestro Awards within the "Album of the Year" category, which he received for Barrio Fino. In this event he performed "Gasolina" in a performance that was described as "innovative". Barrio Fino also won the "Reggaeton Album of the Year" award in the Latin Billboard that took place on April 28, 2005, where he performed a mix of three of his songs in a duet with P. Diddy. The album was promoted throughout Latin America, the United States, and Europe, reaching certified gold in Japan. Due to the album's success, Ayala received promotional contracts with radio stations and soda companies, including Pepsi. His hit single, "Gasolina", received the majority of votes cast for the second edition of Premios Juventud, in which it received eight nominations and won seven awards. Ayala also made a live presentation during the award ceremony. "Gasolina" received nominations in the Latin Grammy and MTV Video Music Awards. The commercial success of "Gasolina" in the United States led to the creation of a new radio format and a Billboard chart: Latin Rhythm Airplay. According to Nestor Casonu, CEO of Casonu Strategic Management, "Daddy Yankee and 'Gasolina' triggered the explosion of urban Latin music worldwide".
The successful single, "Gasolina", was covered by artists from different music genres. This led to a controversy when "Los Lagos", a Mexican banda group, did a cover with the original beat but changed the song's lyrics. The group's label had solicited the copyright permission to perform the single and translate it to a different music style, but did not receive consent to change the lyrics; legal action followed. Speaking for the artist, Ayala's lawyer stated that having his song covered was an "honor, but it must be done the right way."
On December 13, 2005, he released Barrio Fino en Directo, a live record and the follow up of Barrio Fino. The album sold more than in 800,000 copies in the United States, becoming the 13th best-selling Latin album in the US according to Nielsen SoundScan and over 3 million of copies worldwide.
On April 30, 2006, Ayala was named one of the 100 most influential people by Time, which cited the 2 million copies of Barrio Fino sold, Ayala's $20 million contract with Interscope Records, and his Pepsi endorsement.
During this period, Ayala and William Omar Landrón (more commonly known by his artistic name Don Omar) were involved in a rivalry within the genre, dubbed "tiraera". The rivalry received significant press coverage despite being denied early on by both artists. It originated with a lyrical conflict between the artists begun by Ayala's comments in a remix single, where he criticized Landron's common usage of the nickname "King of Kings". Don Omar responded to this in a song titled "Ahora Son Mejor", in his album Los Rompediscotecas.
2007–2009: El Cartel: The Big Boss and Talento De Barrio
El Cartel: The Big Boss was released by Interscope on June 5, 2007. Ayala stated that the album marked a return to his hip-hop roots as opposed to being considered a strictly reggaeton album. The album was produced in 2006, and included the participation of will.i.am, Scott Storch, Tainy Tunes, Neli, and personnel from Ayala's label. Singles were produced with Héctor Delgado, Fergie, Nicole Scherzinger and Akon. The first single from the album was titled "Impacto", and was released prior to the completion of the album. The album was promoted by a tour throughout the United States, which continued throughout Latin America. He performed in Mexico, first in Monterrey, where 10,000 attended the concert, and later at San Luis Potosí coliseum, where the concert sold out, leaving hundreds of fans outside the building. Ayala performed in Chile as well, and established a record for attendance in Ecuador. He also performed in Bolivia, setting another record when 50,000 fans attended his Santa Cruz de la Sierra concert. This show was later described as "the best show with the biggest attendance in history" and as "somehappy that his album had sold more than those of Juan Luis Guerra and Juanes, and that this was an "official proof that reggaeton's principal exponent defeated the rest of the genres".
Between 2007 and 2008, Ayala made several guest appearances in famous reggaeton compilation albums including Caribbean Connection, Echo Presenta: Invasión, Mas Flow: Los Benjamins, and 20 Number 1's Now.
He appeared on the 2008 Rockstar Games' video game Grand Theft Auto IV as the DJ of Radio San Juan Sounds, with spanglish lines. The radio includes reggaeton songs from Ayala's colleagues, like Wisin & Yandel, Hector "El Father", Tito El Bambino and Jowell & Randy. San Juan Sounds also featured Daddy Yankee's hit "Impacto".
In July 2008, Ayala announced that as part of his work, he would produce a cover version of Thalía's song, "Ten Paciencia". On August 17, 2008 his soundtrack album Talento De Barrio for the eponymous film was released. Prior to the album's release, Ayala scheduled several activities, including an in-store contract signing. The album was awarded as Multi-Platinum by RIAA on April 17, 2009. On February 27, 2009, he performed at the Viña del Mar International Song Festival in Chile. In this event, the artists receive awards based on the public's reaction. After performing "Rompe", "Llamado de emergencia", "Ella Me Levantó", "Gasolina", "Limpia Parabrisas" and "Lo Que Pasó, Pasó" over the course of two hours, Ayala received the "Silver Torch", "Gold Torch" and "Silver Seagull" recognitions. On April 24, 2009, he received the Spirit of Hope Award as part of the Latin Billboard Music Awards ceremony. The recognition is given to the artists that participate in their community or social efforts throughout the year.
2009–2013: Mundial and Prestige
The single, "Grito Mundial", was released on October 8, 2009, in order to promote his ninth album, Mundial. The song was going to be the official theme for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, but Ayala rejected the FIFA offer, which gave them 100% of the rights. Despite releasing "El Ritmo No Perdona (Prende)" more than a month before, that single was not considered the first official promotional single. The second single, "Descontrol", was released on January 12, 2010, and topped the Billboard Latin Rhythm Airplay. The music video was filmed in New York City and was released on May 17, 2010. "La Despedida" was the third single, released on August 4, 2010. The song reached #4 in both Billboard Top Latin Songs and Latin Pop Songs. Other songs, like "Bailando Fue" (featuring Jowell & Randy) and "Échale Pique" (featuring Yomo) were not included in Mundial.
In 2010, Daddy Yankee participated in the song "Somos El Mundo 25 Por Haiti", by providing the rap vocals alongside rapper Pitbull.
Daddy Yankee's sixth studio album, Prestige was released on September 11, 2012. It was scheduled to be released on November or December 2011, but a hurricane damaged El Cartel Records and half of the album was lost. The lost tracks had to be reworked and was finally released nine months later. The first single, "Ven Conmigo", featuring bachata singer Prince Royce, was released on April 12, 2011 and peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Latin Charts. The second single, "Lovumba", was released on October 4, 2011 and was a number one hit on the Billboard Latin Charts and the Latin Songs chart. It was also nominated for Best Urban Song at the 2012 Latin Grammy Awards. The third single, "Pasarela", was released on June 20, 2012. The album peaked at number 39 on the Billboard 200, number one on both the Billboard Latin Albums and Latin Rhythm Albums charts. It also peaked at number five on the Billboard Rap Albums chart. The fourth and last single, Limbo, was released with the album. The song had a great success, reaching three #1 Billboard charts (Hot Latin Song, Latin Pop Song and Latin Rhythm Airplay) and having more than 790 million views on YouTube. The album was certified as Gold by the RIAA on March 8, 2013.
The year 2012 had one of the most important genre events of the year: the reconciliation between Daddy Yankee and Wisin & Yandel, after some years of rivalry. Six years after their last collaboration, Daddy Yankee appeared on the duo's remix song "Hipnotízame", with positive acclaim from fans. Two months later, on February 16, 2013, Wisin & Yandel collaborated in the remix of "Limbo". Later in 2013, the three artists performed songs like "Hipnotízame", "Mayor Que Yo" and "Noche De Entierro" in two concerts (one in Puerto Rico and another in Colombia).
On February 25, 2013, Daddy Yankee performed in the 2013 Viña del Mar International Song Festival, to a sold-out audience. He performed hits like "Limbo", "Gasolina", "Pose", "Ella Me Levantó" and "Descontrol". He won the Silver and Golden Torch and the Silver and Golden Seagull recognitions.
In 2013, Daddy Yankee performed on his Prestige World Tour, touring several countries in Europe including, Spain, Germany, France and Italy. He has also toured in Colombia, Peru, Chile to sold-out audiences. In 2013 he released music videos of "El Amante" featuring J Alvarez, "Summertime" and "Noche de los Dos" featuring Natalia Jimenez, with millions of views on YouTube.
2013–2015: King Daddy
On October 29, 2013, Daddy Yankee released a mixtape entitled "King Daddy", produced by Los De La Nazza (Musicologo & Menes), as part the Imperio Nazza Mixtapes series and was released as a digital-format only. The mixtape was made because of the high demand from the fans and is a return to his original reggaeton roots. It includes 11 tracks with collaborations from J Alvarez, Arcángel, Yandel, Farruko, and Divino. According to Ayala, "King Daddy" was recorded in two and a half weeks, because there was "a lot of inspiration". The song "La Rompe Carros" has garnered popularity among the public, but his hit single was "La Nueva y La Ex" which has been widely received all over South America, Europe, and North America. During a press conference earlier this year, Daddy Yankee announced the physical release of King Daddy scheduled for later this year with 3 or 4 bonus tracks for a total of 14 or 15 songs included.
From May 13 to June 22, 2014, Ayala performed on his King Daddy Tour, touring several cities in Europe. He has also toured in South and North American cities. In Spain, his concerts were on the 4º position in the box-office ranking, being the first Latin artist on the top 5 in this country, underneath Iron Maiden and The Rolling Stones, and over artists like Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus and Michael Bublé.
On June 17, 2014 the single "Ora Por Mí" (Spanish for "Pray For Me") was released as part of the King Daddy's bonus tracks and uses the Scorpions' "Send Me An Angel" instrumental, with a rap sampler. The official video for "Ora Por Mí" was released on June 24, 2014. It was filmed in many locations in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and talks about Ayala's life and the dark side of fame. According to Ayala, it is the most personal song of his career. On September 2, 2014, it was released another single called "Palabras Con Sentido" (Spanish for "Words With Sentiments"), which defends reggaeton and urban music of all the accusations of being a "society poison". Daddy Yankee expressed that all music has something good to give, even urban music. On his single, he also says that urban music saves lives, like his own, and the solution would be that churches have to remain, journalists have to tell the truth, artists have to have more inspiration, and the rich people have to help the poor ones. On September 9, 2014 he released his first totally English single called "This Is Not A Love Song" featuring new rapper Duncan.
2016–present: El Disco Duro
On April 28, 2016, Daddy Yankee was awarded the "Industry Leader Award" during the 2016 Latin Billboard Awards.
After a decade-long feud with longtime rival Don Omar for the "King of Reggaetón" title, in early 2016 Daddy Yankee and Don Omar announced in a Billboard press conference that they would perform together on stage in a concert series called The Kingdom Tour. The tour announcement left many fans in disbelief as it sold out in minutes in major cities like Las Vegas, Orlando, Los Angeles, New York. The concerts were structured like a boxing match, where the two artists got to trade off musical rounds, and fans voted for their winner in each city via an app designed for the event. "Two kings, one throne", said Pina Records founder Rafael Pina, who had a well-established relationship with both artists, and who also came up with the idea for the tour concept. Discussing the tour and his rivalry with Daddy Yankee, Don Omar said "Let me clarify: I am not his best friend, and he is not my best friend, but we respect each other. That desire to be the best is what has pushed us to be better."
In 2017, Daddy Yankee, in collaboration with Latin pop singer Luis Fonsi, released the hit single "Despacito". It became the first Spanish-language song to hit number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 since "Macarena" in 1996. The single gained global success. The official video for "Despacito" on YouTube received its billionth view on April 20, 2017 after 97 days, becoming the second-fastest video on the site to reach the milestone behind Adele's "Hello". Its success led Daddy Yankee to become the most listened artist worldwide on the streaming service Spotify in June 2017, being the first Latin artist to do so.
In early 2018, Daddy Yankee released his first latin trap singles with the song "Hielo", and on the single "Vuelve" on which he collaborated with Bad Bunny.
In August 2018, Daddy Yankee collaborated with Janet Jackson on her return to music on the song "Made for Now".
He released the 2019 single "Con Calma", a reimagination of Snow's 1992 hit single "Informer". Snow recorded new parts and the Spanish-language remake topped the charts of 20 countries and reached the top 10 of 10 others.
Film and other career projects
Ayala has negotiated promotional deals with several companies outside of the music industry, releasing merchandise under his name. In 2005, he became the first Latin artist to sign a deal with Reebok, in order to produce accessories, including the licensed clothing line "DY", which was released in 2006. He also teamed up with the company to have his own shoes and sporting goods made, which were first distributed on May 23, 2006. Reebok continued the partnership with the introduction of the Travel Trainer collection in July 2007. In August 2007, Pepsi began an advertising campaign titled "Puertas", in which Ayala is depicted returning to his youth by opening a series of doors.
Ayala has worked in the film industry as both an actor and producer. His acting debut was as an extra in the 2004 film Vampiros, directed by Eduardo Ortiz and filmed in Puerto Rico. The film premiered at the Festival of Latin American Cinema in New York, where it received a positive reaction. This led Image Entertainment to produce a DVD, internationally released in March 2005. Ayala played the main role, "Edgar Dinero", in Talento de Barrio, which was filmed in Puerto Rico and directed by José Iván Santiago. Ayala produced the film, which is based on his experience of growing up in a poor city neighborhood. While the film is not directly a biography, Ayala has stated that it mirrors his early life. Talento de Barrio's debut was scheduled for July 23, 2008, in New York's Latino Film Festival. After the premier, Ayala expressed satisfaction, saying that he had been invited to audition for other producers. On release, Talento de Barrio broke the record held by Maldeamores for the most tickets to a Puerto Rican movie sold in a single day in Caribbean Cinemas.
Ayala has been involved in the administration of three organizations, the first being El Cartel Records which he co-owns with Andres Hernandez. He also created the Fundación Corazón Guerrero, a charitable organization in Puerto Rico which works with young incarcerated people. On April 26, 2008, he was presented with a "Latino of the Year Award" by the student organization Presencia Latina of Harvard College, receiving it for his work with Puerto Rican youth and creating Corazón Guerrero. On February 6, 2008, Ayala announced in a Baloncesto Superior Nacional press conference that he had bought part of the Criollos de Caguas' ownership. He has also been active with Cruz Roja Puerto Rico in several media campaigns.
In March 2013, Daddy Yankee talked about a new movie production during an interview in Las Vegas. During an interview in a radio station in January 2014, Ayala announced the film, but he only mentioned that many reggaeton exponents would take part of it. In February 2014 it was confirmed that the movie will be about the boxer Macho Camacho's life. According to Ayala, he had the boxer's support to film the movie, but it remained in nothing after Camacho's death on November 24, 2012. The film was due for release in 2015.
The most recent of Daddy Yankee's non-music projects was the release of his game Trylogy, a 3D video game based in tower defense games. The game was presented at the New York Comic Con and was released on November 29, 2013. The game also features Ayala's songs like "Gasolina" and "Limbo".
Personal life
Family
Ayala has kept most of his personal life private, rarely speaking about it in interviews. He has said that he avoids doing so because such details are the only aspect of his life that are not public and that they are like a "little treasure". In 2006 he spoke about his relationship with his wife Mireddys González and children in an interview with María Celeste Arrarás in Al Rojo Vivo. He stated that his marriage is strong because he and his wife are "friends above anything", and that he has tried to ignore other temptations because "weakness is the reason for the downfall of several artists". He met his wife when they were little and at just 17 years old they decided to get married. As a result of the union their first daughter Yamilette Ayala González was born. His first daughter was born when he was seventeen years old, which he described as confusing at first, adding that raising a daughter at that age was a hard experience. He has another son, Jeremy, born in 1998, and another daughter, Jesaaelys, born in 1996.
Political views
In 2008, Ayala participated in a campaign to promote voting in the 2008 general elections in Puerto Rico. This initiative included a concert titled "Vota o quédate callado" (Vote or Remain Silent).
On August 25, 2008, Ayala endorsed Republican John McCain's candidacy for President of the United States in the 2008 election, stating that McCain was a "fighter for the Hispanic community". As part of this campaign, Ayala moderated a debate titled "Vota o quédate callado: los candidatos responden a los jóvenes", which was aired on October 9, 2008.
In November 2019, Ayala inaugurated a museum of reggaeton at Plaza Las Américas, the first of its kind.
Philanthropy
In 2007, Daddy Yankee became the spokesperson of the environmental organization "Yo Limpio a Puerto Rico" (I Clean Puerto Rico) founded by Ignacio Barsottelli. Yo Limpio a Puerto Rico, PepsiCo and Wal-Mart announced a joint effort to promote recycling in Puerto Rico among the general public and schools across the island with the campaign "Tómatelo en Serio, Recicla por Puerto Rico" (Take it seriously, recycle for Puerto Rico), in which Daddy Yankee became the main spokesperson. This campaign incorporated a recycling contest among public and private schools from around the island in the elementary, junior high, and high school categories. The program established 16 recycling centers located at Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores across the island, where consumers were able to deposit recyclable items.
In 2017, Daddy Yankee donated $100,000 to the Food Bank of Puerto Rico after the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria. The money provided food to roughly 9,000 families on the island.
Daddy Yankee presented the HR Derby Champ medallion to Pete Alonso upon his winning the MLB HR Derby on July 8, 2019.
Legacy
Daddy Yankee has been dubbed "King of Reggaetón" by media. Rachel Grace Almeida from Vice felt Daddy Yankee paved the way with his music to amplify and normalize the "marginalised" Latino identity. She also commented that Yankee played a vital part in "bringing glamour to the barrio and challenged the mainstream media's portrayal of Hispanic poverty in those neighbourhoods". He was highlighted by CNN and Time as one of the most influential Hispanics in the world. Roy Trakin from Pollstar considered his collaboration with Luis Fonsi in "Despacito" helped "turn his native Puerto Rico's music into a global phenomenon".
Daddy Yankee's third studio album Barrio Fino (2004) ushered reggaeton into the mainstream. Its single "Gasolina" "[altered] the business, sound and aesthetic of Latin music", stated Billboard, "the genre would revive sales of Latin music, usher in a new radio format in the U.S. (Latin Rhythm Airplay) and establish the urban base responsible for many Latin radio hits today." According to Nestor Casonú, president for Kobalt Music Latin America, "Daddy Yankee and 'Gasolina' triggered the explosion of urban Latin music worldwide."
In 2006, a The New York Times article deemed him "The King of Reggaetón" while commenting on 2004's music revenue, "one bright spot for the music industry was Latin music: sales grew by 12 percent, according to Nielsen SoundScan. At least some of that success is owed to reggaetón and by extension to Daddy Yankee, its top-selling act."
Multiple artists have cited him as an inspiration, including J Balvin, Ozuna, Bad Bunny, Lunay, Miguelito, and Natti Natasha.
Achievements
Daddy Yankee has received several awards and honors, including 10 Guinness World Records and seven Billboard Music Awards (the most for any Latin artist). He was honored with the Icon Award by Latin American Music Awards, the Industry Leader Award from the Latin Billboard Awards and inducted into its Hall of Fame, and received the Lifetime Achievement Award in Lo Nuestro Awards from Balvin. J Balvin stated: "Reggaeton would not be what it is without Daddy Yankee and without Yankee, there would be no Balvin".
Having sold 20 million records worldwide, Yankee is one of the best-selling Latin music artists. As of April 2020, Daddy Yankee is the most subscribed Latin artist on YouTube Music. He also is the first Latin act to be the most listened-to artist worldwide, and remains on Top 20 as of April 2020. In 2019, he set a new record in his country as the artist with the most shows at Coliseum of Puerto Rico, with 12 consecutive sold-out concerts.
Yankee has multiple charts records. He is the artist with the most number one and most entries on the Billboard Latin Rhythm Airplay. He also has the most entries on the Latin Pop Airplay and the second most entries on Hot Latin Songs. Additionally, he achieved three and six top 25 and top 50 Spanish-language singles on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively, the most by any artist. Barrio Fino and Barrio Fino en Directo are two of the best-selling Latin albums in the United States.
With "Despacito", both Yankee and Luis Fonsi achieved multiple worldwide records, including the most-viewed YouTube video (and it became the first video on the site to reach the milestones of three, four, five, six, and seven billion views) and the first Latin song to receive a diamond certification by Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Additionally, "Despacito" received thirteen-times platinum by RIAA for units of over 13 million sales plus track-equivalent streams, making it the highest-certified single of all-time in the United States. It also became the song with most weeks at number one in Switzerland and Germany, and the most weeks at number one on Hot Latin Songs.
Discography
Studio albums
No Mercy (1995)
El Cangri.com (2003)
Barrio Fino (2004)
El Cartel: The Big Boss (2007)
Mundial (2010)
Prestige (2012)
El Disco Duro (TBA)
Live albums
2005: Ahora Le Toca Al Cangri! Live
2005: Barrio Fino En Directo
2020: 2K20 Pt. 1
2020: 2K20 Pt. 2
2020: 2K20 Pt. 3
Other albums
1997: El Cartel De Yankee
2001: El Cartel II: Los Cangris
2003: Los Homerun-Es De Yankee
2008: Talento De Barrio
2013: King Daddy
Producer
1998: Tierra De Nadie (de Benny Blanco)
1999: Gritos De Guerra (de Rubio & Joel)
1999: Guatauba 2000 (de Manolo Guatauba)
2001: Haciendo Escante (de Nicky Jam)
2003: Salón De La Fama (de Nicky Jam)
2006: Más Grande Que Tú (de Miguelito)
2007: El Heredero (de Miguelito)
Concert tours
As a headliner
Barrio Fino World Tour (2004–06)
The Big Boss Tour (2007–09)
Mundial Tour (2010–11)
European Tour (2012)
Prestige World Tour (2012–13)
King Daddy Tour (2014–15)
TamoEnVivoTour (2017)
La Gira Dura (2018)
Con Calma Tour (2019)
As a co-headliner
The Kingdom Tour (2015–16) (with Don Omar)
Filmography
Film
Television
See also
Reggaeton
Latin American music
List of Caribbean music genres
List of Puerto Ricans
List of Puerto Rican songwriters
Urban contemporary
References
External links
1977 births
Living people
American hip hop musicians
American shooting survivors
Capitol Latin artists
Latin Grammy Award winners
Latin music songwriters
Pop rappers
21st-century Puerto Rican male singers
Puerto Rican rappers
Puerto Rican reggaeton musicians
Urbano musicians
Singers from San Juan, Puerto Rico
Sony Music Latin artists
Southern hip hop musicians
Spanish-language singers of the United States
Universal Music Latin Entertainment artists
20th-century Puerto Rican male singers
| true |
[
"Robert Else (17 November 1876 – 16 September 1955) was an English first-class cricketer who played for Derbyshire in 1901 and 1903.\n\nElse was born at Lea, Holloway, Derbyshire, the son of John Else and his wife Henrietta Lowe. His father was a bobbin maker and in 1881 they were all living with his grandparents at the Old Hat Factory in Wirksworth. Else made his debut for Derbyshire in May 1901 against Surrey, when his scores were 1 and 2. He played again that season against the South Africans when he opened the batting scoring a duck in the first innings and surviving the whole of the second innings for 6 not out. He did not play again until July 1903 when against London County he took a wicket and made his top score of 28. He played his last two matches in 1903 and made little impression in them.\n\nElse was a left-hand batsman and played ten innings in five first-class matches with an average of 7.3 and a top score of 28. He bowled fifteen overs and took 1 first-class wicket for 61 runs in total.\n\nElse died at Broomhill, Sheffield, Yorkshire at the age of 78.\n\nReferences\n\n1876 births\n1955 deaths\nDerbyshire cricketers\nEnglish cricketers\nPeople from Dethick, Lea and Holloway",
"Fredrick Else (31 March 193320 July 2015) was an English footballer, who played as a goalkeeper. Else gained over 600 professional appearances in his career playing for three clubs, Preston North End, Blackburn Rovers and Barrow.\n\nClub career\nElse was born in Golborne near Wigan on 31 March 1933. Whilst on national service in the north-east he played for amateur club Axwell Park Colliery Welfare in the Derwent Valley League. He attracted the attention of Football League teams and signed as a junior for Preston North End in 1951, and as a professional in 1953. He made his debut for Preston against Manchester City in 1954, but was restricted to 14 appearances over his first three seasons. He eventually became first choice, displacing George Thompson, and played 238 times for North End. During this time Preston's most successful season came in 1957–58, when the club finished as runners up in Division One.\n\nThe 1960–61 season ended in relegation for Preston and Else was sold to neighbours Blackburn Rovers for £20,000. Else became a first choice for Blackburn straight away and played 221 times for the club. A collarbone injury in 1964–65 resulted in a period out of the game, though Else returned to regain the goalkeeper's jersey at Blackburn. Nonetheless the team were relegated the following season and Else was released. During the summer of 1966 Else signed with Barrow of the Fourth Division. Else became part of Barrow's most successful team, with the side winning promotion to the Third Division in his first season there. Else was Barrow's first choice keeper for the entire period that they were in the third division, and played 148 league matches for the club. He retired from football after Barrow's relegation in 1970 following a leg infection. His final season included a brief stint as caretaker manager at Barrow.\n\nHonours\n Football League Division One Runner-up 1957–1958\n Football League Division Four Promotion 1966–1967\n\nInternational career\nElse has been described by fans of the clubs that he played for as one of the best English goalkeepers never to win a full international cap. He did, however, make one appearance for the England B team in 1957 against Scotland B, as well as participating in a Football Association touring side of 1961.\n\nPersonal life and death\nElse met his wife Marjorie in 1949 in Douglas on the Isle of Man. They married when Else was 22 and Marjorie 20, on 29 October 1955, a Saturday morning. The wedding was held in Marjorie's home town of Blackpool and the date was chosen so that the couple could marry in the morning and Else could then travel either to Deepdale, to play for Preston North End's reserve team, or to Bloomfield Road where Preston's first team was due to be playing Blackpool F.C. In the event Else was selected for the reserves and the couple had to travel by bus to Preston.\n\nAfter retiring from football, Else remained in Barrow-in-Furness, becoming a geography and maths teacher at a local secondary school. He retired from teaching in 1999 and moved to Cyprus, though still attended some Barrow matches. Else died in Barrow-in-Furness on 20 July 2015, aged 82.\n\nReferences\n\n2015 deaths\n1933 births\nBarrow A.F.C. managers\nBarrow A.F.C. players\nBlackburn Rovers F.C. players\nPreston North End F.C. players\nPeople from Golborne\nEnglish footballers\nAssociation football goalkeepers\nSchoolteachers from Cumbria\nEnglish Football League players\nEngland B international footballers\nEnglish football managers"
] |
[
"Daddy Yankee",
"2007-09: El Cartel: The Big Boss and Talento De Barrio",
"What is El Cartel?",
"album",
"When was this released?",
"June 5, 2007.",
"Did this album do well?",
"The album was promoted by a tour throughout the United States, which continued throughout Latin America.",
"Did he go on tour?",
"He performed in Mexico, first in Monterrey, where 10,000 attended the concert, and later at San Luis Potosi coliseum,",
"Where else did he perform?",
"Ayala performed in Chile as well, and established a record for attendance in Ecuador. He also performed in Bolivia,"
] |
C_c5c8ca973e4d47478cfa71a686c386f9_1
|
What other countries did he visit?
| 6 |
What other countries did the El Cartel artist visit in addition to Mexico and Chile?
|
Daddy Yankee
|
El Cartel: The Big Boss was released by Interscope on June 5, 2007. Ayala stated that the album marked a return to his hip-hop roots as opposed to being considered a strictly reggaeton album. The album was produced in 2006, and included the participation of will.i.am, Scott Storch, Tainy Tunes, Neli, and personnel from Ayala's label. Singles were produced with Hector Delgado, Fergie, Nicole Scherzinger and Akon. The first single from the album was titled "Impacto", and was released prior to the completion of the album. The album was promoted by a tour throughout the United States, which continued throughout Latin America. He performed in Mexico, first in Monterrey, where 10,000 attended the concert, and later at San Luis Potosi coliseum, where the concert sold out, leaving hundreds of fans outside the building. Ayala performed in Chile as well, and established a record for attendance in Ecuador. He also performed in Bolivia, setting another record when 50,000 fans attended his Santa Cruz de la Sierra concert. This show was later described as "the best show with the biggest attendance in history" and as "somehappy that his album had sold more than those of Juan Luis Guerra and Juanes, and that this was an "official proof that reggaeton's principal exponent defeated the rest of the genres". Between 2007 and 2008, Ayala made several guest appearances in famous reggaeton compilation albums including Caribbean Connection, Echo Presenta: Invasion, Mas Flow: Los Benjamins, and 20 Number 1's Now. He appeared on the 2008 Rockstar Games' video game Grand Theft Auto IV as the DJ of Radio San Juan Sounds, with spanglish lines. The radio includes reggaeton songs from Ayala's colleagues, like Wisin & Yandel, Hector "El Father", Tito El Bambino and Jowell & Randy. San Juan Sounds also featured Daddy Yankee's hit "Impacto". In July 2008, Ayala announced that as part of his work, he would produce a cover version of Thalia's song, "Ten Paciencia". On 17 August 2008 was released his soundtrack album Talento De Barrio for the eponymous film. Prior to the album's release, Ayala scheduled several activities, including an in-store contract signing. The album was awarded as Multi-Platinum by RIAA on 17 April 2009. On February 27, 2009, he performed at the Vina del Mar International Song Festival in Chile. In this event, the artists receive awards based on the public's reaction. After performing "Rompe", "Llamado de emergencia", "Ella Me Levanto", "Gasolina", "Limpia Parabrisas" and "Lo Que Paso, Paso" over the course of two hours, Ayala received the "Silver Torch", "Gold Torch" and "Silver Seagull" recognitions. On April 24, 2009, he received the Spirit of Hope Award as part of the Latin Billboard Music Awards ceremony. The recognition is given to the artists that participate in their community or social efforts throughout the year. CANNOTANSWER
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On February 27, 2009, he performed at the Vina del Mar International Song Festival in Chile.
|
Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez (born February 3, 1977), known professionally as Daddy Yankee, is a Puerto Rican rapper, singer and songwriter. He is known as the "King of Reggaetón" by music critics and fans alike. Daddy Yankee is the artist who coined the word reggaeton in 1994 to describe the new music genre that was emerging from Puerto Rico that synthesized American hip-hop, Latin Caribbean music, and Jamaican reggae rhythms with Spanish rapping and singing. He is often cited as an influence by other Latin urban performers.
Ayala was born in Río Piedras and was raised in the Villa Kennedy Housing Projects neighborhood. He aspired to be a professional baseball player and tried out for the Seattle Mariners of the Major League Baseball. Before he could be officially signed, he was hit by a stray round from an AK-47 rifle while taking a break from a studio recording session with reggaeton artist DJ Playero. Ayala spent roughly a year and a half recovering from the wound; the bullet was never removed from his hip, and he credits the shooting incident with allowing him to focus entirely on a music career. In 2004, Daddy Yankee released his international hit single "Gasolina", which is credited with introducing reggaeton to audiences worldwide, and making the music genre a global phenomenon. Since then, he has sold around 20 million records, making him one of the best-selling Latin music artists.
Daddy Yankee's album Barrio Fino made history when it became the top-selling Latin music album of the decade between 2000 and 2009. In 2017, Daddy Yankee, in collaboration with Latin pop singer Luis Fonsi, released the hit single "Despacito". It became the first Spanish-language song to hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 since "Macarena" in 1996. The single gained global success. The video for "Despacito" on YouTube received its billionth view on April 20, 2017, and became the most-watched video on the platform. Its success led Daddy Yankee to become the most-listened artist worldwide on the streaming service Spotify in June 2017, the first Latin artist to do so.
As of 2017, Daddy Yankee has won 82 awards from 270 nominations since his rise to international fame in 2004. He has won five Latin Grammy Awards, two Billboard Music Awards, 14 Billboard Latin Music Awards, two Latin American Music Awards, eight Lo Nuestro Awards, an MTV Video Music Award, and six ASCAP Awards. He also received a Puerto Rican Walk of Fame star, special awards by People en Español magazine, and the Presencia Latina at Harvard University. He was named by CNN as the "Most Influential Hispanic Artist" of 2009, and included in Time 100 in 2006.
Musical career
1994–1999: Career beginnings
Often considered to be one of the pioneers within the reggaeton genre, Ayala was originally going to become a professional baseball player but he was shot in his leg while taking a break from a studio recording session. The bullet was never removed and he credits this incident with allowing him to pursue a musical career. He first appeared on the 1994 DJ Playero's Mixtape, Playero 34, with the song "So' Persigueme, No Te Detengas". His first official studio project as a solo artist was No Mercy, which was released on April 2, 1995 through White Lion Records and BM Records in Puerto Rico. Early in his career he attempted to imitate the rap style of Vico C. He went on to emulate other artists in the genre, including DJ Playero, DJ Nelson, and Tempo taking elements from their styles in order to develop an original style with the Dembow rhythm. In doing so, he eventually abandoned the traditional model of rap and became one of the first artists to perform reggaeton. Throughout the 1990s, Daddy Yankee appeared in several of DJ Playero's underground mixtapes which were banned by the Puerto Rican government due to explicit lyrics; these songs would later be among the first reggaeton songs ever produced. DJ Playero and Daddy Yankee would later be credited for inventing the name "reggaeton" to describe their music on the album Playero 36 in 1994.
2000–2003: Early music and El Cangri.com
In 1997, Daddy Yankee collaborated with the rapper Nas, who was an inspiration for Ayala, in the song "The Profecy", for the album Boricua Guerrero. He released two compilation albums with original material: El Cartel (1997) and El Cartel II (2001). Both albums were successful in Puerto Rico, but not throughout Latin America. Between those years, Ayala released a total of nine music videos, including "Posición" featuring Alberto Stylee, "Tu Cuerpo En La Cama" featuring Nicky Jam, and "Muévete Y Perrea".
In 2000, Daddy Yankee formed an unofficial duo called "Los Cangris" with Nicky Jam and released several successful singles together. Yankee and Nicky Jam fell apart in 2004 due to personal issues and creative differences. In 2012, Daddy Yankee and Nicky Jam reconciled and performed in various concerts together.
In 2002, El Cangri.com became Ayala's first album with international success, receiving coverage in the markets of New York City and Miami with hits including "Latigazo", "Son Las Doce", "Guayando" and other songs like "Enciende", which talks about different social problems of the era, mentioning 9/11, corruption and religion.
In 2003, Daddy Yankee released a compilation album named Los Homerun-es, which contains his first charted single ("Segurosqui"), five new songs and 12 remakes of DJ Playero's albums songs. that was later charted, "Seguroski", being his first charted single after six of them.
In 2003, Ayala collaborated for the first time with the prestigious reggaeton producers Luny Tunes on the album Mas Flow, with his commercial success song "Cógela Que Va Sin Jockey" (a.k.a. "Métele Con Candela"), and Mas Flow 2.
2004–2006: Barrio Fino and "Gasolina"
Ayala's next album, Barrio Fino, was produced by Luny Tunes and DJ Nelson among others and released in July 2004 by El Cartel Records and VI Music. It was the most highly anticipated album in the reggaeton community. Ayala had enjoyed salsa music since he was young, and this led him to include music of genres besides reggaeton in the album. The most prominent of these cross-genre singles was "Melao", in which he performed with Andy Montañez. The album was described as his most complete, and with it he intended to introduce combinations of reggaeton and other genres to the English-speaking market. Barrio Fino was followed up by an international tour with performances in numerous countries including the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Honduras, Spain, Colombia, Argentina, Venezuela, and the United States. The album has sold over 1.1 millions of copies in the United States alone, making it the seventh best-selling Latin album in the country according to Nielsen SoundScan. Also, It had sold over 2 million copies throughout Latin America and worldwide.
During this same time, Daddy Yankee was featured in N.O.R.E.'s single "Oye Mi Canto" which hit number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart; a record for a reggaeton single at the time. Other successful featured singles included "Mayor Que Yo" and "Los 12 Discípulos".
In 2005, Ayala won several international awards, making him one of the most recognized reggaeton artists within the music industry. The first award of the year was Lo Nuestro Awards within the "Album of the Year" category, which he received for Barrio Fino. In this event he performed "Gasolina" in a performance that was described as "innovative". Barrio Fino also won the "Reggaeton Album of the Year" award in the Latin Billboard that took place on April 28, 2005, where he performed a mix of three of his songs in a duet with P. Diddy. The album was promoted throughout Latin America, the United States, and Europe, reaching certified gold in Japan. Due to the album's success, Ayala received promotional contracts with radio stations and soda companies, including Pepsi. His hit single, "Gasolina", received the majority of votes cast for the second edition of Premios Juventud, in which it received eight nominations and won seven awards. Ayala also made a live presentation during the award ceremony. "Gasolina" received nominations in the Latin Grammy and MTV Video Music Awards. The commercial success of "Gasolina" in the United States led to the creation of a new radio format and a Billboard chart: Latin Rhythm Airplay. According to Nestor Casonu, CEO of Casonu Strategic Management, "Daddy Yankee and 'Gasolina' triggered the explosion of urban Latin music worldwide".
The successful single, "Gasolina", was covered by artists from different music genres. This led to a controversy when "Los Lagos", a Mexican banda group, did a cover with the original beat but changed the song's lyrics. The group's label had solicited the copyright permission to perform the single and translate it to a different music style, but did not receive consent to change the lyrics; legal action followed. Speaking for the artist, Ayala's lawyer stated that having his song covered was an "honor, but it must be done the right way."
On December 13, 2005, he released Barrio Fino en Directo, a live record and the follow up of Barrio Fino. The album sold more than in 800,000 copies in the United States, becoming the 13th best-selling Latin album in the US according to Nielsen SoundScan and over 3 million of copies worldwide.
On April 30, 2006, Ayala was named one of the 100 most influential people by Time, which cited the 2 million copies of Barrio Fino sold, Ayala's $20 million contract with Interscope Records, and his Pepsi endorsement.
During this period, Ayala and William Omar Landrón (more commonly known by his artistic name Don Omar) were involved in a rivalry within the genre, dubbed "tiraera". The rivalry received significant press coverage despite being denied early on by both artists. It originated with a lyrical conflict between the artists begun by Ayala's comments in a remix single, where he criticized Landron's common usage of the nickname "King of Kings". Don Omar responded to this in a song titled "Ahora Son Mejor", in his album Los Rompediscotecas.
2007–2009: El Cartel: The Big Boss and Talento De Barrio
El Cartel: The Big Boss was released by Interscope on June 5, 2007. Ayala stated that the album marked a return to his hip-hop roots as opposed to being considered a strictly reggaeton album. The album was produced in 2006, and included the participation of will.i.am, Scott Storch, Tainy Tunes, Neli, and personnel from Ayala's label. Singles were produced with Héctor Delgado, Fergie, Nicole Scherzinger and Akon. The first single from the album was titled "Impacto", and was released prior to the completion of the album. The album was promoted by a tour throughout the United States, which continued throughout Latin America. He performed in Mexico, first in Monterrey, where 10,000 attended the concert, and later at San Luis Potosí coliseum, where the concert sold out, leaving hundreds of fans outside the building. Ayala performed in Chile as well, and established a record for attendance in Ecuador. He also performed in Bolivia, setting another record when 50,000 fans attended his Santa Cruz de la Sierra concert. This show was later described as "the best show with the biggest attendance in history" and as "somehappy that his album had sold more than those of Juan Luis Guerra and Juanes, and that this was an "official proof that reggaeton's principal exponent defeated the rest of the genres".
Between 2007 and 2008, Ayala made several guest appearances in famous reggaeton compilation albums including Caribbean Connection, Echo Presenta: Invasión, Mas Flow: Los Benjamins, and 20 Number 1's Now.
He appeared on the 2008 Rockstar Games' video game Grand Theft Auto IV as the DJ of Radio San Juan Sounds, with spanglish lines. The radio includes reggaeton songs from Ayala's colleagues, like Wisin & Yandel, Hector "El Father", Tito El Bambino and Jowell & Randy. San Juan Sounds also featured Daddy Yankee's hit "Impacto".
In July 2008, Ayala announced that as part of his work, he would produce a cover version of Thalía's song, "Ten Paciencia". On August 17, 2008 his soundtrack album Talento De Barrio for the eponymous film was released. Prior to the album's release, Ayala scheduled several activities, including an in-store contract signing. The album was awarded as Multi-Platinum by RIAA on April 17, 2009. On February 27, 2009, he performed at the Viña del Mar International Song Festival in Chile. In this event, the artists receive awards based on the public's reaction. After performing "Rompe", "Llamado de emergencia", "Ella Me Levantó", "Gasolina", "Limpia Parabrisas" and "Lo Que Pasó, Pasó" over the course of two hours, Ayala received the "Silver Torch", "Gold Torch" and "Silver Seagull" recognitions. On April 24, 2009, he received the Spirit of Hope Award as part of the Latin Billboard Music Awards ceremony. The recognition is given to the artists that participate in their community or social efforts throughout the year.
2009–2013: Mundial and Prestige
The single, "Grito Mundial", was released on October 8, 2009, in order to promote his ninth album, Mundial. The song was going to be the official theme for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, but Ayala rejected the FIFA offer, which gave them 100% of the rights. Despite releasing "El Ritmo No Perdona (Prende)" more than a month before, that single was not considered the first official promotional single. The second single, "Descontrol", was released on January 12, 2010, and topped the Billboard Latin Rhythm Airplay. The music video was filmed in New York City and was released on May 17, 2010. "La Despedida" was the third single, released on August 4, 2010. The song reached #4 in both Billboard Top Latin Songs and Latin Pop Songs. Other songs, like "Bailando Fue" (featuring Jowell & Randy) and "Échale Pique" (featuring Yomo) were not included in Mundial.
In 2010, Daddy Yankee participated in the song "Somos El Mundo 25 Por Haiti", by providing the rap vocals alongside rapper Pitbull.
Daddy Yankee's sixth studio album, Prestige was released on September 11, 2012. It was scheduled to be released on November or December 2011, but a hurricane damaged El Cartel Records and half of the album was lost. The lost tracks had to be reworked and was finally released nine months later. The first single, "Ven Conmigo", featuring bachata singer Prince Royce, was released on April 12, 2011 and peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Latin Charts. The second single, "Lovumba", was released on October 4, 2011 and was a number one hit on the Billboard Latin Charts and the Latin Songs chart. It was also nominated for Best Urban Song at the 2012 Latin Grammy Awards. The third single, "Pasarela", was released on June 20, 2012. The album peaked at number 39 on the Billboard 200, number one on both the Billboard Latin Albums and Latin Rhythm Albums charts. It also peaked at number five on the Billboard Rap Albums chart. The fourth and last single, Limbo, was released with the album. The song had a great success, reaching three #1 Billboard charts (Hot Latin Song, Latin Pop Song and Latin Rhythm Airplay) and having more than 790 million views on YouTube. The album was certified as Gold by the RIAA on March 8, 2013.
The year 2012 had one of the most important genre events of the year: the reconciliation between Daddy Yankee and Wisin & Yandel, after some years of rivalry. Six years after their last collaboration, Daddy Yankee appeared on the duo's remix song "Hipnotízame", with positive acclaim from fans. Two months later, on February 16, 2013, Wisin & Yandel collaborated in the remix of "Limbo". Later in 2013, the three artists performed songs like "Hipnotízame", "Mayor Que Yo" and "Noche De Entierro" in two concerts (one in Puerto Rico and another in Colombia).
On February 25, 2013, Daddy Yankee performed in the 2013 Viña del Mar International Song Festival, to a sold-out audience. He performed hits like "Limbo", "Gasolina", "Pose", "Ella Me Levantó" and "Descontrol". He won the Silver and Golden Torch and the Silver and Golden Seagull recognitions.
In 2013, Daddy Yankee performed on his Prestige World Tour, touring several countries in Europe including, Spain, Germany, France and Italy. He has also toured in Colombia, Peru, Chile to sold-out audiences. In 2013 he released music videos of "El Amante" featuring J Alvarez, "Summertime" and "Noche de los Dos" featuring Natalia Jimenez, with millions of views on YouTube.
2013–2015: King Daddy
On October 29, 2013, Daddy Yankee released a mixtape entitled "King Daddy", produced by Los De La Nazza (Musicologo & Menes), as part the Imperio Nazza Mixtapes series and was released as a digital-format only. The mixtape was made because of the high demand from the fans and is a return to his original reggaeton roots. It includes 11 tracks with collaborations from J Alvarez, Arcángel, Yandel, Farruko, and Divino. According to Ayala, "King Daddy" was recorded in two and a half weeks, because there was "a lot of inspiration". The song "La Rompe Carros" has garnered popularity among the public, but his hit single was "La Nueva y La Ex" which has been widely received all over South America, Europe, and North America. During a press conference earlier this year, Daddy Yankee announced the physical release of King Daddy scheduled for later this year with 3 or 4 bonus tracks for a total of 14 or 15 songs included.
From May 13 to June 22, 2014, Ayala performed on his King Daddy Tour, touring several cities in Europe. He has also toured in South and North American cities. In Spain, his concerts were on the 4º position in the box-office ranking, being the first Latin artist on the top 5 in this country, underneath Iron Maiden and The Rolling Stones, and over artists like Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus and Michael Bublé.
On June 17, 2014 the single "Ora Por Mí" (Spanish for "Pray For Me") was released as part of the King Daddy's bonus tracks and uses the Scorpions' "Send Me An Angel" instrumental, with a rap sampler. The official video for "Ora Por Mí" was released on June 24, 2014. It was filmed in many locations in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and talks about Ayala's life and the dark side of fame. According to Ayala, it is the most personal song of his career. On September 2, 2014, it was released another single called "Palabras Con Sentido" (Spanish for "Words With Sentiments"), which defends reggaeton and urban music of all the accusations of being a "society poison". Daddy Yankee expressed that all music has something good to give, even urban music. On his single, he also says that urban music saves lives, like his own, and the solution would be that churches have to remain, journalists have to tell the truth, artists have to have more inspiration, and the rich people have to help the poor ones. On September 9, 2014 he released his first totally English single called "This Is Not A Love Song" featuring new rapper Duncan.
2016–present: El Disco Duro
On April 28, 2016, Daddy Yankee was awarded the "Industry Leader Award" during the 2016 Latin Billboard Awards.
After a decade-long feud with longtime rival Don Omar for the "King of Reggaetón" title, in early 2016 Daddy Yankee and Don Omar announced in a Billboard press conference that they would perform together on stage in a concert series called The Kingdom Tour. The tour announcement left many fans in disbelief as it sold out in minutes in major cities like Las Vegas, Orlando, Los Angeles, New York. The concerts were structured like a boxing match, where the two artists got to trade off musical rounds, and fans voted for their winner in each city via an app designed for the event. "Two kings, one throne", said Pina Records founder Rafael Pina, who had a well-established relationship with both artists, and who also came up with the idea for the tour concept. Discussing the tour and his rivalry with Daddy Yankee, Don Omar said "Let me clarify: I am not his best friend, and he is not my best friend, but we respect each other. That desire to be the best is what has pushed us to be better."
In 2017, Daddy Yankee, in collaboration with Latin pop singer Luis Fonsi, released the hit single "Despacito". It became the first Spanish-language song to hit number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 since "Macarena" in 1996. The single gained global success. The official video for "Despacito" on YouTube received its billionth view on April 20, 2017 after 97 days, becoming the second-fastest video on the site to reach the milestone behind Adele's "Hello". Its success led Daddy Yankee to become the most listened artist worldwide on the streaming service Spotify in June 2017, being the first Latin artist to do so.
In early 2018, Daddy Yankee released his first latin trap singles with the song "Hielo", and on the single "Vuelve" on which he collaborated with Bad Bunny.
In August 2018, Daddy Yankee collaborated with Janet Jackson on her return to music on the song "Made for Now".
He released the 2019 single "Con Calma", a reimagination of Snow's 1992 hit single "Informer". Snow recorded new parts and the Spanish-language remake topped the charts of 20 countries and reached the top 10 of 10 others.
Film and other career projects
Ayala has negotiated promotional deals with several companies outside of the music industry, releasing merchandise under his name. In 2005, he became the first Latin artist to sign a deal with Reebok, in order to produce accessories, including the licensed clothing line "DY", which was released in 2006. He also teamed up with the company to have his own shoes and sporting goods made, which were first distributed on May 23, 2006. Reebok continued the partnership with the introduction of the Travel Trainer collection in July 2007. In August 2007, Pepsi began an advertising campaign titled "Puertas", in which Ayala is depicted returning to his youth by opening a series of doors.
Ayala has worked in the film industry as both an actor and producer. His acting debut was as an extra in the 2004 film Vampiros, directed by Eduardo Ortiz and filmed in Puerto Rico. The film premiered at the Festival of Latin American Cinema in New York, where it received a positive reaction. This led Image Entertainment to produce a DVD, internationally released in March 2005. Ayala played the main role, "Edgar Dinero", in Talento de Barrio, which was filmed in Puerto Rico and directed by José Iván Santiago. Ayala produced the film, which is based on his experience of growing up in a poor city neighborhood. While the film is not directly a biography, Ayala has stated that it mirrors his early life. Talento de Barrio's debut was scheduled for July 23, 2008, in New York's Latino Film Festival. After the premier, Ayala expressed satisfaction, saying that he had been invited to audition for other producers. On release, Talento de Barrio broke the record held by Maldeamores for the most tickets to a Puerto Rican movie sold in a single day in Caribbean Cinemas.
Ayala has been involved in the administration of three organizations, the first being El Cartel Records which he co-owns with Andres Hernandez. He also created the Fundación Corazón Guerrero, a charitable organization in Puerto Rico which works with young incarcerated people. On April 26, 2008, he was presented with a "Latino of the Year Award" by the student organization Presencia Latina of Harvard College, receiving it for his work with Puerto Rican youth and creating Corazón Guerrero. On February 6, 2008, Ayala announced in a Baloncesto Superior Nacional press conference that he had bought part of the Criollos de Caguas' ownership. He has also been active with Cruz Roja Puerto Rico in several media campaigns.
In March 2013, Daddy Yankee talked about a new movie production during an interview in Las Vegas. During an interview in a radio station in January 2014, Ayala announced the film, but he only mentioned that many reggaeton exponents would take part of it. In February 2014 it was confirmed that the movie will be about the boxer Macho Camacho's life. According to Ayala, he had the boxer's support to film the movie, but it remained in nothing after Camacho's death on November 24, 2012. The film was due for release in 2015.
The most recent of Daddy Yankee's non-music projects was the release of his game Trylogy, a 3D video game based in tower defense games. The game was presented at the New York Comic Con and was released on November 29, 2013. The game also features Ayala's songs like "Gasolina" and "Limbo".
Personal life
Family
Ayala has kept most of his personal life private, rarely speaking about it in interviews. He has said that he avoids doing so because such details are the only aspect of his life that are not public and that they are like a "little treasure". In 2006 he spoke about his relationship with his wife Mireddys González and children in an interview with María Celeste Arrarás in Al Rojo Vivo. He stated that his marriage is strong because he and his wife are "friends above anything", and that he has tried to ignore other temptations because "weakness is the reason for the downfall of several artists". He met his wife when they were little and at just 17 years old they decided to get married. As a result of the union their first daughter Yamilette Ayala González was born. His first daughter was born when he was seventeen years old, which he described as confusing at first, adding that raising a daughter at that age was a hard experience. He has another son, Jeremy, born in 1998, and another daughter, Jesaaelys, born in 1996.
Political views
In 2008, Ayala participated in a campaign to promote voting in the 2008 general elections in Puerto Rico. This initiative included a concert titled "Vota o quédate callado" (Vote or Remain Silent).
On August 25, 2008, Ayala endorsed Republican John McCain's candidacy for President of the United States in the 2008 election, stating that McCain was a "fighter for the Hispanic community". As part of this campaign, Ayala moderated a debate titled "Vota o quédate callado: los candidatos responden a los jóvenes", which was aired on October 9, 2008.
In November 2019, Ayala inaugurated a museum of reggaeton at Plaza Las Américas, the first of its kind.
Philanthropy
In 2007, Daddy Yankee became the spokesperson of the environmental organization "Yo Limpio a Puerto Rico" (I Clean Puerto Rico) founded by Ignacio Barsottelli. Yo Limpio a Puerto Rico, PepsiCo and Wal-Mart announced a joint effort to promote recycling in Puerto Rico among the general public and schools across the island with the campaign "Tómatelo en Serio, Recicla por Puerto Rico" (Take it seriously, recycle for Puerto Rico), in which Daddy Yankee became the main spokesperson. This campaign incorporated a recycling contest among public and private schools from around the island in the elementary, junior high, and high school categories. The program established 16 recycling centers located at Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores across the island, where consumers were able to deposit recyclable items.
In 2017, Daddy Yankee donated $100,000 to the Food Bank of Puerto Rico after the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria. The money provided food to roughly 9,000 families on the island.
Daddy Yankee presented the HR Derby Champ medallion to Pete Alonso upon his winning the MLB HR Derby on July 8, 2019.
Legacy
Daddy Yankee has been dubbed "King of Reggaetón" by media. Rachel Grace Almeida from Vice felt Daddy Yankee paved the way with his music to amplify and normalize the "marginalised" Latino identity. She also commented that Yankee played a vital part in "bringing glamour to the barrio and challenged the mainstream media's portrayal of Hispanic poverty in those neighbourhoods". He was highlighted by CNN and Time as one of the most influential Hispanics in the world. Roy Trakin from Pollstar considered his collaboration with Luis Fonsi in "Despacito" helped "turn his native Puerto Rico's music into a global phenomenon".
Daddy Yankee's third studio album Barrio Fino (2004) ushered reggaeton into the mainstream. Its single "Gasolina" "[altered] the business, sound and aesthetic of Latin music", stated Billboard, "the genre would revive sales of Latin music, usher in a new radio format in the U.S. (Latin Rhythm Airplay) and establish the urban base responsible for many Latin radio hits today." According to Nestor Casonú, president for Kobalt Music Latin America, "Daddy Yankee and 'Gasolina' triggered the explosion of urban Latin music worldwide."
In 2006, a The New York Times article deemed him "The King of Reggaetón" while commenting on 2004's music revenue, "one bright spot for the music industry was Latin music: sales grew by 12 percent, according to Nielsen SoundScan. At least some of that success is owed to reggaetón and by extension to Daddy Yankee, its top-selling act."
Multiple artists have cited him as an inspiration, including J Balvin, Ozuna, Bad Bunny, Lunay, Miguelito, and Natti Natasha.
Achievements
Daddy Yankee has received several awards and honors, including 10 Guinness World Records and seven Billboard Music Awards (the most for any Latin artist). He was honored with the Icon Award by Latin American Music Awards, the Industry Leader Award from the Latin Billboard Awards and inducted into its Hall of Fame, and received the Lifetime Achievement Award in Lo Nuestro Awards from Balvin. J Balvin stated: "Reggaeton would not be what it is without Daddy Yankee and without Yankee, there would be no Balvin".
Having sold 20 million records worldwide, Yankee is one of the best-selling Latin music artists. As of April 2020, Daddy Yankee is the most subscribed Latin artist on YouTube Music. He also is the first Latin act to be the most listened-to artist worldwide, and remains on Top 20 as of April 2020. In 2019, he set a new record in his country as the artist with the most shows at Coliseum of Puerto Rico, with 12 consecutive sold-out concerts.
Yankee has multiple charts records. He is the artist with the most number one and most entries on the Billboard Latin Rhythm Airplay. He also has the most entries on the Latin Pop Airplay and the second most entries on Hot Latin Songs. Additionally, he achieved three and six top 25 and top 50 Spanish-language singles on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively, the most by any artist. Barrio Fino and Barrio Fino en Directo are two of the best-selling Latin albums in the United States.
With "Despacito", both Yankee and Luis Fonsi achieved multiple worldwide records, including the most-viewed YouTube video (and it became the first video on the site to reach the milestones of three, four, five, six, and seven billion views) and the first Latin song to receive a diamond certification by Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Additionally, "Despacito" received thirteen-times platinum by RIAA for units of over 13 million sales plus track-equivalent streams, making it the highest-certified single of all-time in the United States. It also became the song with most weeks at number one in Switzerland and Germany, and the most weeks at number one on Hot Latin Songs.
Discography
Studio albums
No Mercy (1995)
El Cangri.com (2003)
Barrio Fino (2004)
El Cartel: The Big Boss (2007)
Mundial (2010)
Prestige (2012)
El Disco Duro (TBA)
Live albums
2005: Ahora Le Toca Al Cangri! Live
2005: Barrio Fino En Directo
2020: 2K20 Pt. 1
2020: 2K20 Pt. 2
2020: 2K20 Pt. 3
Other albums
1997: El Cartel De Yankee
2001: El Cartel II: Los Cangris
2003: Los Homerun-Es De Yankee
2008: Talento De Barrio
2013: King Daddy
Producer
1998: Tierra De Nadie (de Benny Blanco)
1999: Gritos De Guerra (de Rubio & Joel)
1999: Guatauba 2000 (de Manolo Guatauba)
2001: Haciendo Escante (de Nicky Jam)
2003: Salón De La Fama (de Nicky Jam)
2006: Más Grande Que Tú (de Miguelito)
2007: El Heredero (de Miguelito)
Concert tours
As a headliner
Barrio Fino World Tour (2004–06)
The Big Boss Tour (2007–09)
Mundial Tour (2010–11)
European Tour (2012)
Prestige World Tour (2012–13)
King Daddy Tour (2014–15)
TamoEnVivoTour (2017)
La Gira Dura (2018)
Con Calma Tour (2019)
As a co-headliner
The Kingdom Tour (2015–16) (with Don Omar)
Filmography
Film
Television
See also
Reggaeton
Latin American music
List of Caribbean music genres
List of Puerto Ricans
List of Puerto Rican songwriters
Urban contemporary
References
External links
1977 births
Living people
American hip hop musicians
American shooting survivors
Capitol Latin artists
Latin Grammy Award winners
Latin music songwriters
Pop rappers
21st-century Puerto Rican male singers
Puerto Rican rappers
Puerto Rican reggaeton musicians
Urbano musicians
Singers from San Juan, Puerto Rico
Sony Music Latin artists
Southern hip hop musicians
Spanish-language singers of the United States
Universal Music Latin Entertainment artists
20th-century Puerto Rican male singers
| false |
[
"Tajik–Turkish relations (; ) are friendly and cooperative and underlined with a legal basis of more than 30 treaties and protocols which have been signed between two countries since 1991.\n\nCountry comparison\n\nModern relations\nTurkey recognized the independence of Tajikistan on 16 December 1991 and established diplomatic relations on 29 January 1992. The Turkish Embassy in Dushanbe was opened on 4 August 1992 and the Tajik Embassy in Ankara was opened on 16 October 1995.\n\nTurkey's relations with Tajikistan are considered within the framework of relations with other Central Asian republics but developed more slowly due to Tajikistan's internal war between 1992 and 1997. During this period the Turkish embassy in Dushanbe was the only diplomatic mission which remained open and the visit of Turkish Prime Minister Suleyman Demirel was the only high level visit to Tajikistan.\n\nTajik President Emomali Rahmon made a 19–22 January 2006 official visit to Turkey.\n\nTurkish Presidential visit to Dushanbe\nTurkish President Abdullah Gül made a 29 June 2009 official visit to Dushanbe where he met with Tajik President Rahmon to discuss bilateral relations, with Gül reiterating the two countries common stance on “terrorism, extremist movements, illegal immigration, drug and arms smuggling, organised crime and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction,” before concentrating on Afghanistan (as he had done in his preceding visit to Kyrgyzstan) by stating, “Afghanistan’s stability and peace is very important for Central Asia and the rest of the world. Tajikistan, which shares a land border of 1,400 kilometres with Afghanistan, has always played a constructive role in this regard.”\n\nGroup 24\nThe founder of the Tajik Group 24 opposition movement, Umarali Quvatov, was assassinated in Turkey in March 2015. Turkey detained two members of Group 24, Suhrobi Zafar and Nasim Sharipov, but did not extradite them due to the Constitutional Court of Turkey ruling that they may face torture in Tajikistan.\n\nSee also\n Foreign relations of Tajikistan\n Foreign relations of Turkey\n\nReferences\n\n \nTurkey\nBilateral relations of Turkey",
"Visitors to the defacto republic of Abkhazia must obtain a visa unless they come from one of the visa exempt countries.\n\nVisa policy map\n\nVisa policy \n\nCitizens of the following countries and territories can visit Abkhazia without a visa:\n\nMeanwhile, citizens of 5 other post-Soviet disputed states can travel visa free to Abkhazia. All members of the Community for Democracy and Rights of Nations have agreed to abolish visa requirements for their citizens. This includes:\n\nTourism groups\n\nTourists from all countries (except Georgia) can visit Abkhazia for a period not exceeding 24 hours as part of an organized tourist group.\n\nHistory\n\nCitizens of all countries (except Georgia) could visit Abkhazia without a visa from 15 June to 1 August 2018.\n\nSee also\n\nVisa requirements for Abkhaz citizens\nVisa policy of Georgia\nVisa policy of Artsakh\nVisa policy of Russia\nVisa policy of South Ossetia\nVisa policy of Transnistria\n\nReferences\n\nAbkhazia\nForeign relations of Abkhazia"
] |
[
"Daddy Yankee",
"2007-09: El Cartel: The Big Boss and Talento De Barrio",
"What is El Cartel?",
"album",
"When was this released?",
"June 5, 2007.",
"Did this album do well?",
"The album was promoted by a tour throughout the United States, which continued throughout Latin America.",
"Did he go on tour?",
"He performed in Mexico, first in Monterrey, where 10,000 attended the concert, and later at San Luis Potosi coliseum,",
"Where else did he perform?",
"Ayala performed in Chile as well, and established a record for attendance in Ecuador. He also performed in Bolivia,",
"What other countries did he visit?",
"On February 27, 2009, he performed at the Vina del Mar International Song Festival in Chile."
] |
C_c5c8ca973e4d47478cfa71a686c386f9_1
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What is The Big Boss?
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What is The Big Boss?
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Daddy Yankee
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El Cartel: The Big Boss was released by Interscope on June 5, 2007. Ayala stated that the album marked a return to his hip-hop roots as opposed to being considered a strictly reggaeton album. The album was produced in 2006, and included the participation of will.i.am, Scott Storch, Tainy Tunes, Neli, and personnel from Ayala's label. Singles were produced with Hector Delgado, Fergie, Nicole Scherzinger and Akon. The first single from the album was titled "Impacto", and was released prior to the completion of the album. The album was promoted by a tour throughout the United States, which continued throughout Latin America. He performed in Mexico, first in Monterrey, where 10,000 attended the concert, and later at San Luis Potosi coliseum, where the concert sold out, leaving hundreds of fans outside the building. Ayala performed in Chile as well, and established a record for attendance in Ecuador. He also performed in Bolivia, setting another record when 50,000 fans attended his Santa Cruz de la Sierra concert. This show was later described as "the best show with the biggest attendance in history" and as "somehappy that his album had sold more than those of Juan Luis Guerra and Juanes, and that this was an "official proof that reggaeton's principal exponent defeated the rest of the genres". Between 2007 and 2008, Ayala made several guest appearances in famous reggaeton compilation albums including Caribbean Connection, Echo Presenta: Invasion, Mas Flow: Los Benjamins, and 20 Number 1's Now. He appeared on the 2008 Rockstar Games' video game Grand Theft Auto IV as the DJ of Radio San Juan Sounds, with spanglish lines. The radio includes reggaeton songs from Ayala's colleagues, like Wisin & Yandel, Hector "El Father", Tito El Bambino and Jowell & Randy. San Juan Sounds also featured Daddy Yankee's hit "Impacto". In July 2008, Ayala announced that as part of his work, he would produce a cover version of Thalia's song, "Ten Paciencia". On 17 August 2008 was released his soundtrack album Talento De Barrio for the eponymous film. Prior to the album's release, Ayala scheduled several activities, including an in-store contract signing. The album was awarded as Multi-Platinum by RIAA on 17 April 2009. On February 27, 2009, he performed at the Vina del Mar International Song Festival in Chile. In this event, the artists receive awards based on the public's reaction. After performing "Rompe", "Llamado de emergencia", "Ella Me Levanto", "Gasolina", "Limpia Parabrisas" and "Lo Que Paso, Paso" over the course of two hours, Ayala received the "Silver Torch", "Gold Torch" and "Silver Seagull" recognitions. On April 24, 2009, he received the Spirit of Hope Award as part of the Latin Billboard Music Awards ceremony. The recognition is given to the artists that participate in their community or social efforts throughout the year. CANNOTANSWER
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album
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Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez (born February 3, 1977), known professionally as Daddy Yankee, is a Puerto Rican rapper, singer and songwriter. He is known as the "King of Reggaetón" by music critics and fans alike. Daddy Yankee is the artist who coined the word reggaeton in 1994 to describe the new music genre that was emerging from Puerto Rico that synthesized American hip-hop, Latin Caribbean music, and Jamaican reggae rhythms with Spanish rapping and singing. He is often cited as an influence by other Latin urban performers.
Ayala was born in Río Piedras and was raised in the Villa Kennedy Housing Projects neighborhood. He aspired to be a professional baseball player and tried out for the Seattle Mariners of the Major League Baseball. Before he could be officially signed, he was hit by a stray round from an AK-47 rifle while taking a break from a studio recording session with reggaeton artist DJ Playero. Ayala spent roughly a year and a half recovering from the wound; the bullet was never removed from his hip, and he credits the shooting incident with allowing him to focus entirely on a music career. In 2004, Daddy Yankee released his international hit single "Gasolina", which is credited with introducing reggaeton to audiences worldwide, and making the music genre a global phenomenon. Since then, he has sold around 20 million records, making him one of the best-selling Latin music artists.
Daddy Yankee's album Barrio Fino made history when it became the top-selling Latin music album of the decade between 2000 and 2009. In 2017, Daddy Yankee, in collaboration with Latin pop singer Luis Fonsi, released the hit single "Despacito". It became the first Spanish-language song to hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 since "Macarena" in 1996. The single gained global success. The video for "Despacito" on YouTube received its billionth view on April 20, 2017, and became the most-watched video on the platform. Its success led Daddy Yankee to become the most-listened artist worldwide on the streaming service Spotify in June 2017, the first Latin artist to do so.
As of 2017, Daddy Yankee has won 82 awards from 270 nominations since his rise to international fame in 2004. He has won five Latin Grammy Awards, two Billboard Music Awards, 14 Billboard Latin Music Awards, two Latin American Music Awards, eight Lo Nuestro Awards, an MTV Video Music Award, and six ASCAP Awards. He also received a Puerto Rican Walk of Fame star, special awards by People en Español magazine, and the Presencia Latina at Harvard University. He was named by CNN as the "Most Influential Hispanic Artist" of 2009, and included in Time 100 in 2006.
Musical career
1994–1999: Career beginnings
Often considered to be one of the pioneers within the reggaeton genre, Ayala was originally going to become a professional baseball player but he was shot in his leg while taking a break from a studio recording session. The bullet was never removed and he credits this incident with allowing him to pursue a musical career. He first appeared on the 1994 DJ Playero's Mixtape, Playero 34, with the song "So' Persigueme, No Te Detengas". His first official studio project as a solo artist was No Mercy, which was released on April 2, 1995 through White Lion Records and BM Records in Puerto Rico. Early in his career he attempted to imitate the rap style of Vico C. He went on to emulate other artists in the genre, including DJ Playero, DJ Nelson, and Tempo taking elements from their styles in order to develop an original style with the Dembow rhythm. In doing so, he eventually abandoned the traditional model of rap and became one of the first artists to perform reggaeton. Throughout the 1990s, Daddy Yankee appeared in several of DJ Playero's underground mixtapes which were banned by the Puerto Rican government due to explicit lyrics; these songs would later be among the first reggaeton songs ever produced. DJ Playero and Daddy Yankee would later be credited for inventing the name "reggaeton" to describe their music on the album Playero 36 in 1994.
2000–2003: Early music and El Cangri.com
In 1997, Daddy Yankee collaborated with the rapper Nas, who was an inspiration for Ayala, in the song "The Profecy", for the album Boricua Guerrero. He released two compilation albums with original material: El Cartel (1997) and El Cartel II (2001). Both albums were successful in Puerto Rico, but not throughout Latin America. Between those years, Ayala released a total of nine music videos, including "Posición" featuring Alberto Stylee, "Tu Cuerpo En La Cama" featuring Nicky Jam, and "Muévete Y Perrea".
In 2000, Daddy Yankee formed an unofficial duo called "Los Cangris" with Nicky Jam and released several successful singles together. Yankee and Nicky Jam fell apart in 2004 due to personal issues and creative differences. In 2012, Daddy Yankee and Nicky Jam reconciled and performed in various concerts together.
In 2002, El Cangri.com became Ayala's first album with international success, receiving coverage in the markets of New York City and Miami with hits including "Latigazo", "Son Las Doce", "Guayando" and other songs like "Enciende", which talks about different social problems of the era, mentioning 9/11, corruption and religion.
In 2003, Daddy Yankee released a compilation album named Los Homerun-es, which contains his first charted single ("Segurosqui"), five new songs and 12 remakes of DJ Playero's albums songs. that was later charted, "Seguroski", being his first charted single after six of them.
In 2003, Ayala collaborated for the first time with the prestigious reggaeton producers Luny Tunes on the album Mas Flow, with his commercial success song "Cógela Que Va Sin Jockey" (a.k.a. "Métele Con Candela"), and Mas Flow 2.
2004–2006: Barrio Fino and "Gasolina"
Ayala's next album, Barrio Fino, was produced by Luny Tunes and DJ Nelson among others and released in July 2004 by El Cartel Records and VI Music. It was the most highly anticipated album in the reggaeton community. Ayala had enjoyed salsa music since he was young, and this led him to include music of genres besides reggaeton in the album. The most prominent of these cross-genre singles was "Melao", in which he performed with Andy Montañez. The album was described as his most complete, and with it he intended to introduce combinations of reggaeton and other genres to the English-speaking market. Barrio Fino was followed up by an international tour with performances in numerous countries including the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Honduras, Spain, Colombia, Argentina, Venezuela, and the United States. The album has sold over 1.1 millions of copies in the United States alone, making it the seventh best-selling Latin album in the country according to Nielsen SoundScan. Also, It had sold over 2 million copies throughout Latin America and worldwide.
During this same time, Daddy Yankee was featured in N.O.R.E.'s single "Oye Mi Canto" which hit number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart; a record for a reggaeton single at the time. Other successful featured singles included "Mayor Que Yo" and "Los 12 Discípulos".
In 2005, Ayala won several international awards, making him one of the most recognized reggaeton artists within the music industry. The first award of the year was Lo Nuestro Awards within the "Album of the Year" category, which he received for Barrio Fino. In this event he performed "Gasolina" in a performance that was described as "innovative". Barrio Fino also won the "Reggaeton Album of the Year" award in the Latin Billboard that took place on April 28, 2005, where he performed a mix of three of his songs in a duet with P. Diddy. The album was promoted throughout Latin America, the United States, and Europe, reaching certified gold in Japan. Due to the album's success, Ayala received promotional contracts with radio stations and soda companies, including Pepsi. His hit single, "Gasolina", received the majority of votes cast for the second edition of Premios Juventud, in which it received eight nominations and won seven awards. Ayala also made a live presentation during the award ceremony. "Gasolina" received nominations in the Latin Grammy and MTV Video Music Awards. The commercial success of "Gasolina" in the United States led to the creation of a new radio format and a Billboard chart: Latin Rhythm Airplay. According to Nestor Casonu, CEO of Casonu Strategic Management, "Daddy Yankee and 'Gasolina' triggered the explosion of urban Latin music worldwide".
The successful single, "Gasolina", was covered by artists from different music genres. This led to a controversy when "Los Lagos", a Mexican banda group, did a cover with the original beat but changed the song's lyrics. The group's label had solicited the copyright permission to perform the single and translate it to a different music style, but did not receive consent to change the lyrics; legal action followed. Speaking for the artist, Ayala's lawyer stated that having his song covered was an "honor, but it must be done the right way."
On December 13, 2005, he released Barrio Fino en Directo, a live record and the follow up of Barrio Fino. The album sold more than in 800,000 copies in the United States, becoming the 13th best-selling Latin album in the US according to Nielsen SoundScan and over 3 million of copies worldwide.
On April 30, 2006, Ayala was named one of the 100 most influential people by Time, which cited the 2 million copies of Barrio Fino sold, Ayala's $20 million contract with Interscope Records, and his Pepsi endorsement.
During this period, Ayala and William Omar Landrón (more commonly known by his artistic name Don Omar) were involved in a rivalry within the genre, dubbed "tiraera". The rivalry received significant press coverage despite being denied early on by both artists. It originated with a lyrical conflict between the artists begun by Ayala's comments in a remix single, where he criticized Landron's common usage of the nickname "King of Kings". Don Omar responded to this in a song titled "Ahora Son Mejor", in his album Los Rompediscotecas.
2007–2009: El Cartel: The Big Boss and Talento De Barrio
El Cartel: The Big Boss was released by Interscope on June 5, 2007. Ayala stated that the album marked a return to his hip-hop roots as opposed to being considered a strictly reggaeton album. The album was produced in 2006, and included the participation of will.i.am, Scott Storch, Tainy Tunes, Neli, and personnel from Ayala's label. Singles were produced with Héctor Delgado, Fergie, Nicole Scherzinger and Akon. The first single from the album was titled "Impacto", and was released prior to the completion of the album. The album was promoted by a tour throughout the United States, which continued throughout Latin America. He performed in Mexico, first in Monterrey, where 10,000 attended the concert, and later at San Luis Potosí coliseum, where the concert sold out, leaving hundreds of fans outside the building. Ayala performed in Chile as well, and established a record for attendance in Ecuador. He also performed in Bolivia, setting another record when 50,000 fans attended his Santa Cruz de la Sierra concert. This show was later described as "the best show with the biggest attendance in history" and as "somehappy that his album had sold more than those of Juan Luis Guerra and Juanes, and that this was an "official proof that reggaeton's principal exponent defeated the rest of the genres".
Between 2007 and 2008, Ayala made several guest appearances in famous reggaeton compilation albums including Caribbean Connection, Echo Presenta: Invasión, Mas Flow: Los Benjamins, and 20 Number 1's Now.
He appeared on the 2008 Rockstar Games' video game Grand Theft Auto IV as the DJ of Radio San Juan Sounds, with spanglish lines. The radio includes reggaeton songs from Ayala's colleagues, like Wisin & Yandel, Hector "El Father", Tito El Bambino and Jowell & Randy. San Juan Sounds also featured Daddy Yankee's hit "Impacto".
In July 2008, Ayala announced that as part of his work, he would produce a cover version of Thalía's song, "Ten Paciencia". On August 17, 2008 his soundtrack album Talento De Barrio for the eponymous film was released. Prior to the album's release, Ayala scheduled several activities, including an in-store contract signing. The album was awarded as Multi-Platinum by RIAA on April 17, 2009. On February 27, 2009, he performed at the Viña del Mar International Song Festival in Chile. In this event, the artists receive awards based on the public's reaction. After performing "Rompe", "Llamado de emergencia", "Ella Me Levantó", "Gasolina", "Limpia Parabrisas" and "Lo Que Pasó, Pasó" over the course of two hours, Ayala received the "Silver Torch", "Gold Torch" and "Silver Seagull" recognitions. On April 24, 2009, he received the Spirit of Hope Award as part of the Latin Billboard Music Awards ceremony. The recognition is given to the artists that participate in their community or social efforts throughout the year.
2009–2013: Mundial and Prestige
The single, "Grito Mundial", was released on October 8, 2009, in order to promote his ninth album, Mundial. The song was going to be the official theme for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, but Ayala rejected the FIFA offer, which gave them 100% of the rights. Despite releasing "El Ritmo No Perdona (Prende)" more than a month before, that single was not considered the first official promotional single. The second single, "Descontrol", was released on January 12, 2010, and topped the Billboard Latin Rhythm Airplay. The music video was filmed in New York City and was released on May 17, 2010. "La Despedida" was the third single, released on August 4, 2010. The song reached #4 in both Billboard Top Latin Songs and Latin Pop Songs. Other songs, like "Bailando Fue" (featuring Jowell & Randy) and "Échale Pique" (featuring Yomo) were not included in Mundial.
In 2010, Daddy Yankee participated in the song "Somos El Mundo 25 Por Haiti", by providing the rap vocals alongside rapper Pitbull.
Daddy Yankee's sixth studio album, Prestige was released on September 11, 2012. It was scheduled to be released on November or December 2011, but a hurricane damaged El Cartel Records and half of the album was lost. The lost tracks had to be reworked and was finally released nine months later. The first single, "Ven Conmigo", featuring bachata singer Prince Royce, was released on April 12, 2011 and peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Latin Charts. The second single, "Lovumba", was released on October 4, 2011 and was a number one hit on the Billboard Latin Charts and the Latin Songs chart. It was also nominated for Best Urban Song at the 2012 Latin Grammy Awards. The third single, "Pasarela", was released on June 20, 2012. The album peaked at number 39 on the Billboard 200, number one on both the Billboard Latin Albums and Latin Rhythm Albums charts. It also peaked at number five on the Billboard Rap Albums chart. The fourth and last single, Limbo, was released with the album. The song had a great success, reaching three #1 Billboard charts (Hot Latin Song, Latin Pop Song and Latin Rhythm Airplay) and having more than 790 million views on YouTube. The album was certified as Gold by the RIAA on March 8, 2013.
The year 2012 had one of the most important genre events of the year: the reconciliation between Daddy Yankee and Wisin & Yandel, after some years of rivalry. Six years after their last collaboration, Daddy Yankee appeared on the duo's remix song "Hipnotízame", with positive acclaim from fans. Two months later, on February 16, 2013, Wisin & Yandel collaborated in the remix of "Limbo". Later in 2013, the three artists performed songs like "Hipnotízame", "Mayor Que Yo" and "Noche De Entierro" in two concerts (one in Puerto Rico and another in Colombia).
On February 25, 2013, Daddy Yankee performed in the 2013 Viña del Mar International Song Festival, to a sold-out audience. He performed hits like "Limbo", "Gasolina", "Pose", "Ella Me Levantó" and "Descontrol". He won the Silver and Golden Torch and the Silver and Golden Seagull recognitions.
In 2013, Daddy Yankee performed on his Prestige World Tour, touring several countries in Europe including, Spain, Germany, France and Italy. He has also toured in Colombia, Peru, Chile to sold-out audiences. In 2013 he released music videos of "El Amante" featuring J Alvarez, "Summertime" and "Noche de los Dos" featuring Natalia Jimenez, with millions of views on YouTube.
2013–2015: King Daddy
On October 29, 2013, Daddy Yankee released a mixtape entitled "King Daddy", produced by Los De La Nazza (Musicologo & Menes), as part the Imperio Nazza Mixtapes series and was released as a digital-format only. The mixtape was made because of the high demand from the fans and is a return to his original reggaeton roots. It includes 11 tracks with collaborations from J Alvarez, Arcángel, Yandel, Farruko, and Divino. According to Ayala, "King Daddy" was recorded in two and a half weeks, because there was "a lot of inspiration". The song "La Rompe Carros" has garnered popularity among the public, but his hit single was "La Nueva y La Ex" which has been widely received all over South America, Europe, and North America. During a press conference earlier this year, Daddy Yankee announced the physical release of King Daddy scheduled for later this year with 3 or 4 bonus tracks for a total of 14 or 15 songs included.
From May 13 to June 22, 2014, Ayala performed on his King Daddy Tour, touring several cities in Europe. He has also toured in South and North American cities. In Spain, his concerts were on the 4º position in the box-office ranking, being the first Latin artist on the top 5 in this country, underneath Iron Maiden and The Rolling Stones, and over artists like Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus and Michael Bublé.
On June 17, 2014 the single "Ora Por Mí" (Spanish for "Pray For Me") was released as part of the King Daddy's bonus tracks and uses the Scorpions' "Send Me An Angel" instrumental, with a rap sampler. The official video for "Ora Por Mí" was released on June 24, 2014. It was filmed in many locations in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and talks about Ayala's life and the dark side of fame. According to Ayala, it is the most personal song of his career. On September 2, 2014, it was released another single called "Palabras Con Sentido" (Spanish for "Words With Sentiments"), which defends reggaeton and urban music of all the accusations of being a "society poison". Daddy Yankee expressed that all music has something good to give, even urban music. On his single, he also says that urban music saves lives, like his own, and the solution would be that churches have to remain, journalists have to tell the truth, artists have to have more inspiration, and the rich people have to help the poor ones. On September 9, 2014 he released his first totally English single called "This Is Not A Love Song" featuring new rapper Duncan.
2016–present: El Disco Duro
On April 28, 2016, Daddy Yankee was awarded the "Industry Leader Award" during the 2016 Latin Billboard Awards.
After a decade-long feud with longtime rival Don Omar for the "King of Reggaetón" title, in early 2016 Daddy Yankee and Don Omar announced in a Billboard press conference that they would perform together on stage in a concert series called The Kingdom Tour. The tour announcement left many fans in disbelief as it sold out in minutes in major cities like Las Vegas, Orlando, Los Angeles, New York. The concerts were structured like a boxing match, where the two artists got to trade off musical rounds, and fans voted for their winner in each city via an app designed for the event. "Two kings, one throne", said Pina Records founder Rafael Pina, who had a well-established relationship with both artists, and who also came up with the idea for the tour concept. Discussing the tour and his rivalry with Daddy Yankee, Don Omar said "Let me clarify: I am not his best friend, and he is not my best friend, but we respect each other. That desire to be the best is what has pushed us to be better."
In 2017, Daddy Yankee, in collaboration with Latin pop singer Luis Fonsi, released the hit single "Despacito". It became the first Spanish-language song to hit number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 since "Macarena" in 1996. The single gained global success. The official video for "Despacito" on YouTube received its billionth view on April 20, 2017 after 97 days, becoming the second-fastest video on the site to reach the milestone behind Adele's "Hello". Its success led Daddy Yankee to become the most listened artist worldwide on the streaming service Spotify in June 2017, being the first Latin artist to do so.
In early 2018, Daddy Yankee released his first latin trap singles with the song "Hielo", and on the single "Vuelve" on which he collaborated with Bad Bunny.
In August 2018, Daddy Yankee collaborated with Janet Jackson on her return to music on the song "Made for Now".
He released the 2019 single "Con Calma", a reimagination of Snow's 1992 hit single "Informer". Snow recorded new parts and the Spanish-language remake topped the charts of 20 countries and reached the top 10 of 10 others.
Film and other career projects
Ayala has negotiated promotional deals with several companies outside of the music industry, releasing merchandise under his name. In 2005, he became the first Latin artist to sign a deal with Reebok, in order to produce accessories, including the licensed clothing line "DY", which was released in 2006. He also teamed up with the company to have his own shoes and sporting goods made, which were first distributed on May 23, 2006. Reebok continued the partnership with the introduction of the Travel Trainer collection in July 2007. In August 2007, Pepsi began an advertising campaign titled "Puertas", in which Ayala is depicted returning to his youth by opening a series of doors.
Ayala has worked in the film industry as both an actor and producer. His acting debut was as an extra in the 2004 film Vampiros, directed by Eduardo Ortiz and filmed in Puerto Rico. The film premiered at the Festival of Latin American Cinema in New York, where it received a positive reaction. This led Image Entertainment to produce a DVD, internationally released in March 2005. Ayala played the main role, "Edgar Dinero", in Talento de Barrio, which was filmed in Puerto Rico and directed by José Iván Santiago. Ayala produced the film, which is based on his experience of growing up in a poor city neighborhood. While the film is not directly a biography, Ayala has stated that it mirrors his early life. Talento de Barrio's debut was scheduled for July 23, 2008, in New York's Latino Film Festival. After the premier, Ayala expressed satisfaction, saying that he had been invited to audition for other producers. On release, Talento de Barrio broke the record held by Maldeamores for the most tickets to a Puerto Rican movie sold in a single day in Caribbean Cinemas.
Ayala has been involved in the administration of three organizations, the first being El Cartel Records which he co-owns with Andres Hernandez. He also created the Fundación Corazón Guerrero, a charitable organization in Puerto Rico which works with young incarcerated people. On April 26, 2008, he was presented with a "Latino of the Year Award" by the student organization Presencia Latina of Harvard College, receiving it for his work with Puerto Rican youth and creating Corazón Guerrero. On February 6, 2008, Ayala announced in a Baloncesto Superior Nacional press conference that he had bought part of the Criollos de Caguas' ownership. He has also been active with Cruz Roja Puerto Rico in several media campaigns.
In March 2013, Daddy Yankee talked about a new movie production during an interview in Las Vegas. During an interview in a radio station in January 2014, Ayala announced the film, but he only mentioned that many reggaeton exponents would take part of it. In February 2014 it was confirmed that the movie will be about the boxer Macho Camacho's life. According to Ayala, he had the boxer's support to film the movie, but it remained in nothing after Camacho's death on November 24, 2012. The film was due for release in 2015.
The most recent of Daddy Yankee's non-music projects was the release of his game Trylogy, a 3D video game based in tower defense games. The game was presented at the New York Comic Con and was released on November 29, 2013. The game also features Ayala's songs like "Gasolina" and "Limbo".
Personal life
Family
Ayala has kept most of his personal life private, rarely speaking about it in interviews. He has said that he avoids doing so because such details are the only aspect of his life that are not public and that they are like a "little treasure". In 2006 he spoke about his relationship with his wife Mireddys González and children in an interview with María Celeste Arrarás in Al Rojo Vivo. He stated that his marriage is strong because he and his wife are "friends above anything", and that he has tried to ignore other temptations because "weakness is the reason for the downfall of several artists". He met his wife when they were little and at just 17 years old they decided to get married. As a result of the union their first daughter Yamilette Ayala González was born. His first daughter was born when he was seventeen years old, which he described as confusing at first, adding that raising a daughter at that age was a hard experience. He has another son, Jeremy, born in 1998, and another daughter, Jesaaelys, born in 1996.
Political views
In 2008, Ayala participated in a campaign to promote voting in the 2008 general elections in Puerto Rico. This initiative included a concert titled "Vota o quédate callado" (Vote or Remain Silent).
On August 25, 2008, Ayala endorsed Republican John McCain's candidacy for President of the United States in the 2008 election, stating that McCain was a "fighter for the Hispanic community". As part of this campaign, Ayala moderated a debate titled "Vota o quédate callado: los candidatos responden a los jóvenes", which was aired on October 9, 2008.
In November 2019, Ayala inaugurated a museum of reggaeton at Plaza Las Américas, the first of its kind.
Philanthropy
In 2007, Daddy Yankee became the spokesperson of the environmental organization "Yo Limpio a Puerto Rico" (I Clean Puerto Rico) founded by Ignacio Barsottelli. Yo Limpio a Puerto Rico, PepsiCo and Wal-Mart announced a joint effort to promote recycling in Puerto Rico among the general public and schools across the island with the campaign "Tómatelo en Serio, Recicla por Puerto Rico" (Take it seriously, recycle for Puerto Rico), in which Daddy Yankee became the main spokesperson. This campaign incorporated a recycling contest among public and private schools from around the island in the elementary, junior high, and high school categories. The program established 16 recycling centers located at Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores across the island, where consumers were able to deposit recyclable items.
In 2017, Daddy Yankee donated $100,000 to the Food Bank of Puerto Rico after the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria. The money provided food to roughly 9,000 families on the island.
Daddy Yankee presented the HR Derby Champ medallion to Pete Alonso upon his winning the MLB HR Derby on July 8, 2019.
Legacy
Daddy Yankee has been dubbed "King of Reggaetón" by media. Rachel Grace Almeida from Vice felt Daddy Yankee paved the way with his music to amplify and normalize the "marginalised" Latino identity. She also commented that Yankee played a vital part in "bringing glamour to the barrio and challenged the mainstream media's portrayal of Hispanic poverty in those neighbourhoods". He was highlighted by CNN and Time as one of the most influential Hispanics in the world. Roy Trakin from Pollstar considered his collaboration with Luis Fonsi in "Despacito" helped "turn his native Puerto Rico's music into a global phenomenon".
Daddy Yankee's third studio album Barrio Fino (2004) ushered reggaeton into the mainstream. Its single "Gasolina" "[altered] the business, sound and aesthetic of Latin music", stated Billboard, "the genre would revive sales of Latin music, usher in a new radio format in the U.S. (Latin Rhythm Airplay) and establish the urban base responsible for many Latin radio hits today." According to Nestor Casonú, president for Kobalt Music Latin America, "Daddy Yankee and 'Gasolina' triggered the explosion of urban Latin music worldwide."
In 2006, a The New York Times article deemed him "The King of Reggaetón" while commenting on 2004's music revenue, "one bright spot for the music industry was Latin music: sales grew by 12 percent, according to Nielsen SoundScan. At least some of that success is owed to reggaetón and by extension to Daddy Yankee, its top-selling act."
Multiple artists have cited him as an inspiration, including J Balvin, Ozuna, Bad Bunny, Lunay, Miguelito, and Natti Natasha.
Achievements
Daddy Yankee has received several awards and honors, including 10 Guinness World Records and seven Billboard Music Awards (the most for any Latin artist). He was honored with the Icon Award by Latin American Music Awards, the Industry Leader Award from the Latin Billboard Awards and inducted into its Hall of Fame, and received the Lifetime Achievement Award in Lo Nuestro Awards from Balvin. J Balvin stated: "Reggaeton would not be what it is without Daddy Yankee and without Yankee, there would be no Balvin".
Having sold 20 million records worldwide, Yankee is one of the best-selling Latin music artists. As of April 2020, Daddy Yankee is the most subscribed Latin artist on YouTube Music. He also is the first Latin act to be the most listened-to artist worldwide, and remains on Top 20 as of April 2020. In 2019, he set a new record in his country as the artist with the most shows at Coliseum of Puerto Rico, with 12 consecutive sold-out concerts.
Yankee has multiple charts records. He is the artist with the most number one and most entries on the Billboard Latin Rhythm Airplay. He also has the most entries on the Latin Pop Airplay and the second most entries on Hot Latin Songs. Additionally, he achieved three and six top 25 and top 50 Spanish-language singles on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively, the most by any artist. Barrio Fino and Barrio Fino en Directo are two of the best-selling Latin albums in the United States.
With "Despacito", both Yankee and Luis Fonsi achieved multiple worldwide records, including the most-viewed YouTube video (and it became the first video on the site to reach the milestones of three, four, five, six, and seven billion views) and the first Latin song to receive a diamond certification by Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Additionally, "Despacito" received thirteen-times platinum by RIAA for units of over 13 million sales plus track-equivalent streams, making it the highest-certified single of all-time in the United States. It also became the song with most weeks at number one in Switzerland and Germany, and the most weeks at number one on Hot Latin Songs.
Discography
Studio albums
No Mercy (1995)
El Cangri.com (2003)
Barrio Fino (2004)
El Cartel: The Big Boss (2007)
Mundial (2010)
Prestige (2012)
El Disco Duro (TBA)
Live albums
2005: Ahora Le Toca Al Cangri! Live
2005: Barrio Fino En Directo
2020: 2K20 Pt. 1
2020: 2K20 Pt. 2
2020: 2K20 Pt. 3
Other albums
1997: El Cartel De Yankee
2001: El Cartel II: Los Cangris
2003: Los Homerun-Es De Yankee
2008: Talento De Barrio
2013: King Daddy
Producer
1998: Tierra De Nadie (de Benny Blanco)
1999: Gritos De Guerra (de Rubio & Joel)
1999: Guatauba 2000 (de Manolo Guatauba)
2001: Haciendo Escante (de Nicky Jam)
2003: Salón De La Fama (de Nicky Jam)
2006: Más Grande Que Tú (de Miguelito)
2007: El Heredero (de Miguelito)
Concert tours
As a headliner
Barrio Fino World Tour (2004–06)
The Big Boss Tour (2007–09)
Mundial Tour (2010–11)
European Tour (2012)
Prestige World Tour (2012–13)
King Daddy Tour (2014–15)
TamoEnVivoTour (2017)
La Gira Dura (2018)
Con Calma Tour (2019)
As a co-headliner
The Kingdom Tour (2015–16) (with Don Omar)
Filmography
Film
Television
See also
Reggaeton
Latin American music
List of Caribbean music genres
List of Puerto Ricans
List of Puerto Rican songwriters
Urban contemporary
References
External links
1977 births
Living people
American hip hop musicians
American shooting survivors
Capitol Latin artists
Latin Grammy Award winners
Latin music songwriters
Pop rappers
21st-century Puerto Rican male singers
Puerto Rican rappers
Puerto Rican reggaeton musicians
Urbano musicians
Singers from San Juan, Puerto Rico
Sony Music Latin artists
Southern hip hop musicians
Spanish-language singers of the United States
Universal Music Latin Entertainment artists
20th-century Puerto Rican male singers
| true |
[
"Lady Is The Boss is a 1983 Shaw Brothers kung fu-comedy film directed by Lau Kar-leung and starring Kara Hui.\n\nPlot \nWang Hsieh Yun (Lau Kar Leung) is the current teacher of a kung fu school in Hong Kong. However it is the 80’s and people are not interested in \"old school\" kung fu anymore. He receives a letter telling him to pick up the schools boss from the airport which much to his surprise is Chan Mei Ling (Kara Hui). Mei Ling is the daughter of the schools' master, thus making her the \"de facto\" boss. She is very much Americanized and begins making changes at the school and taking in her father's students–Li Hon Man (Gordon Liu), Cheuk Jin Shing (Hsiao Ho), Wong Yuen Shuei (Robert Mak Tak Law), Ng Ming Fat (David Cheung Chin-pang) and Ah Wing (Wong Yue)–off the street, discos, and bars, which angers the traditionalist Wang. Eventually Mei Ling gets in trouble with a local gang headed up by Big Boss (Johnny Wang Lung Wei), and after provoking a fight at bar owned by Big Boss, Wang is forced to rescue her and teach Big Boss and his thugs a slight lesson. This forces Big Boss to retaliate until a fight breaks out in a local gym in which Big boss is defeated and Mei Ling eventually returns to the U.S. after realizing Wang should be in charge of the school.\n\nCast \n Lau Kar Leung - Wang Hsieh Yun\n Kara Hui - Mei Ling\n Gordon Liu - Lee Hon Man\n Hsiao Ho - Cheuk Jin Shing\nRobert Mak Tak-Law - Wong Yuen Shuei\nDavid Cheung Chin-pang - Ng Ming Fat\nWong Yue - Ah Wing\nJohnny Wang Lung Wei - Big boss\n\nReception \n\nLoveHKFilm gave the film a mildly positive review: \"An interesting premise is basically squandered due to slapdash plotting, but some likeable performances and solid action choreography, particularly in the finale, sweeten the experience considerably.\"\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links \n Lady Is the Boss at Hong Kong Cinemagic\n \n\n1983 films\nHong Kong films\nShaw Brothers Studio films\nKung fu films\nFilms directed by Lau Kar-leung\nHong Kong martial arts comedy films",
"A crime boss, also known as a crime lord, Don, gang lord, kingpin, godfather, or criminal mastermind, is a person in charge of a criminal organization. A crime boss typically has absolute or nearly absolute control over the other members of the organization, is greatly feared for their ruthlessness and willingness to take lives to exert their influence and profits from the criminal endeavours in which the organization engages.\n\nSome groups may only have as little as two ranks (a crime boss and their soldiers). Other groups have a more complex, structured organization with many ranks and structure may vary with cultural background. Organized crime enterprises originating in Sicily differ in structure from those in mainland Italy. American groups may be structured differently from their European counterparts and Latino and African American gangs often have structures that vary from European gangs. The size of the criminal organization is also important, as regional or national gangs have much more complex hierarchies.\n\nItalian Mafia\n\nThe boss in the Sicilian and Italian-American Mafia is the head of the crime family and the top decision maker. Only the boss, underboss or consigliere can initiate an associate into the family, allowing them to become a made man. The boss can promote or demote family members at will, and has the sole power to sanction murders inside and outside the family. If the boss is incarcerated or incapacitated he places an acting boss who is responsible for running the crime family. When a boss dies the crime family members choose a new boss from inside the organization.\n\nThe typical structure within the Mafia in Sicily and America is usually as follows:\n\n Boss of all bosses – also known as the capo dei capi or godfather (), has been given by the media to the most powerful boss, although the Mafia never recognized the position itself. The highest body to decide on inter-family issues is the Commission (see also Sicilian Mafia Commission).\n Boss – Also known as the capomandamento, capocrimine, rappresentante, don or godfather, is the highest level in a crime family.\n Underboss – Also known as the \"capo bastone\" in some criminal organizations, this individual is the second-in-command. He is responsible for ensuring that profits from criminal enterprises flow up to the boss, and generally oversees the selection of the caporegime(s) and soldier(s) to carry out murders. The underboss may take control of the crime family after the boss's death. He keeps this position until a new boss is chosen, which in some cases was the underboss.\n Consigliere – Also known as an advisor or \"right-hand man,\" a consigliere is a counselor to the boss of a crime family. The boss, underboss, and consigliere constitute the \"Administration.\" The consigliere is third ranked in the hierarchy but generally does not have capos or soldiers working directly for him. Like the boss, there is usually only one consigliere per criminal organization.\n Caporegime – Also known as a captain, skipper, capo, or \"crew chief,\" the caporegime was originally known as a \"capodecina\" (captain of ten) because he oversaw only 10 soldiers. In more recent times, the caporegime may oversee as many soldiers as he can efficiently control. A caporegime is appointed by the family boss to run his own borgata (regime, or crew) of soldati (soldiers). Each caporegime reports directly to the underboss, who gives him the permission to perform criminal activities. If the family decides to murder someone, the underboss normally asks a caporegime to carry out the order. The caporegime runs the day-to-day operations of his crew. The caporegime's soldiers give part of their earnings to him, and then he gives a share to the underboss. A caporegime can recommend to the underboss or boss that a recruit be allowed to join his crew as a mob associate.\n Soldato – Also known as a sgarrista, soldier, \"button man,\" \"made man\", \"wiseguy\" or \"goodfella\", is the lowest level of mobster or gangster. A \"soldier\" must have taken the omertà (oath of silence), and in some organizations must have killed a person to be considered \"made.\" A picciotto is a low-level soldier, usually someone who does the day-to-day work of threatening, beating, and intimidating others.\n Associate – Also known as a \"giovane d'onore\" (man of honor), an associate is a person who is not a soldier in a crime family, but works for them and shares in the execution of and profits from the criminal enterprise. In Italian criminal organizations, \"associates\" are usually members of the criminal organization who are not of Italian descent.\n\nA boss will typically put up layers of insulation between himself and his men so as to hinder police efforts to connect his orders to him. Whenever he issues orders, he does so either to his underboss, consigliere or capos. The orders are then passed down the line to the soldiers. This makes it difficult under most circumstances for the police to directly implicate a boss in a crime, since he almost never directly gives orders to the soldiers.\n\nMr. Big\nThe term Mr. Big is used within the underworld, and additionally during media reportings of persons associated with criminal activities, to refer to a leader of a body of persons functioning in the capacities of roles within organised crime. Sometimes bosses of the so-called gangland are referred to as being Mr Big, as for example when he could not be named for legal reasons. The term implicitly indicates a degree of a possession of a higher intelligence of an individual.\n\nThe term especially indicates the existence of involvement in what is known as big-time crime, which would include for example armed robbery, and the more organised aspects of careers within crime.\n\nA 1945 dictionary of criminal slang in the U.S. lists Big Brains as \"a gang-leader\", but not Mr Big.\n\nSee also\n Big man (anthropology)\n Boss (video games)\n Drug lord – bosses of drug cartels\n List of crime bosses\n List of criminal enterprises, gangs and syndicates\n List of fictional crime bosses and gang leaders\n Organized crime\n Russian mafia\n Triad (organized crime)\n Yakuza\n American Mafia\n\nReferences\n\n \nOrganized crime terminology"
] |
[
"Daddy Yankee",
"2007-09: El Cartel: The Big Boss and Talento De Barrio",
"What is El Cartel?",
"album",
"When was this released?",
"June 5, 2007.",
"Did this album do well?",
"The album was promoted by a tour throughout the United States, which continued throughout Latin America.",
"Did he go on tour?",
"He performed in Mexico, first in Monterrey, where 10,000 attended the concert, and later at San Luis Potosi coliseum,",
"Where else did he perform?",
"Ayala performed in Chile as well, and established a record for attendance in Ecuador. He also performed in Bolivia,",
"What other countries did he visit?",
"On February 27, 2009, he performed at the Vina del Mar International Song Festival in Chile.",
"What is The Big Boss?",
"album"
] |
C_c5c8ca973e4d47478cfa71a686c386f9_1
|
Is Talento De Barrio an album as well?
| 8 |
Is Talento De Barrio an album as well?
|
Daddy Yankee
|
El Cartel: The Big Boss was released by Interscope on June 5, 2007. Ayala stated that the album marked a return to his hip-hop roots as opposed to being considered a strictly reggaeton album. The album was produced in 2006, and included the participation of will.i.am, Scott Storch, Tainy Tunes, Neli, and personnel from Ayala's label. Singles were produced with Hector Delgado, Fergie, Nicole Scherzinger and Akon. The first single from the album was titled "Impacto", and was released prior to the completion of the album. The album was promoted by a tour throughout the United States, which continued throughout Latin America. He performed in Mexico, first in Monterrey, where 10,000 attended the concert, and later at San Luis Potosi coliseum, where the concert sold out, leaving hundreds of fans outside the building. Ayala performed in Chile as well, and established a record for attendance in Ecuador. He also performed in Bolivia, setting another record when 50,000 fans attended his Santa Cruz de la Sierra concert. This show was later described as "the best show with the biggest attendance in history" and as "somehappy that his album had sold more than those of Juan Luis Guerra and Juanes, and that this was an "official proof that reggaeton's principal exponent defeated the rest of the genres". Between 2007 and 2008, Ayala made several guest appearances in famous reggaeton compilation albums including Caribbean Connection, Echo Presenta: Invasion, Mas Flow: Los Benjamins, and 20 Number 1's Now. He appeared on the 2008 Rockstar Games' video game Grand Theft Auto IV as the DJ of Radio San Juan Sounds, with spanglish lines. The radio includes reggaeton songs from Ayala's colleagues, like Wisin & Yandel, Hector "El Father", Tito El Bambino and Jowell & Randy. San Juan Sounds also featured Daddy Yankee's hit "Impacto". In July 2008, Ayala announced that as part of his work, he would produce a cover version of Thalia's song, "Ten Paciencia". On 17 August 2008 was released his soundtrack album Talento De Barrio for the eponymous film. Prior to the album's release, Ayala scheduled several activities, including an in-store contract signing. The album was awarded as Multi-Platinum by RIAA on 17 April 2009. On February 27, 2009, he performed at the Vina del Mar International Song Festival in Chile. In this event, the artists receive awards based on the public's reaction. After performing "Rompe", "Llamado de emergencia", "Ella Me Levanto", "Gasolina", "Limpia Parabrisas" and "Lo Que Paso, Paso" over the course of two hours, Ayala received the "Silver Torch", "Gold Torch" and "Silver Seagull" recognitions. On April 24, 2009, he received the Spirit of Hope Award as part of the Latin Billboard Music Awards ceremony. The recognition is given to the artists that participate in their community or social efforts throughout the year. CANNOTANSWER
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". On 17 August 2008 was released his soundtrack album Talento De Barrio for the eponymous film.
|
Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez (born February 3, 1977), known professionally as Daddy Yankee, is a Puerto Rican rapper, singer and songwriter. He is known as the "King of Reggaetón" by music critics and fans alike. Daddy Yankee is the artist who coined the word reggaeton in 1994 to describe the new music genre that was emerging from Puerto Rico that synthesized American hip-hop, Latin Caribbean music, and Jamaican reggae rhythms with Spanish rapping and singing. He is often cited as an influence by other Latin urban performers.
Ayala was born in Río Piedras and was raised in the Villa Kennedy Housing Projects neighborhood. He aspired to be a professional baseball player and tried out for the Seattle Mariners of the Major League Baseball. Before he could be officially signed, he was hit by a stray round from an AK-47 rifle while taking a break from a studio recording session with reggaeton artist DJ Playero. Ayala spent roughly a year and a half recovering from the wound; the bullet was never removed from his hip, and he credits the shooting incident with allowing him to focus entirely on a music career. In 2004, Daddy Yankee released his international hit single "Gasolina", which is credited with introducing reggaeton to audiences worldwide, and making the music genre a global phenomenon. Since then, he has sold around 20 million records, making him one of the best-selling Latin music artists.
Daddy Yankee's album Barrio Fino made history when it became the top-selling Latin music album of the decade between 2000 and 2009. In 2017, Daddy Yankee, in collaboration with Latin pop singer Luis Fonsi, released the hit single "Despacito". It became the first Spanish-language song to hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 since "Macarena" in 1996. The single gained global success. The video for "Despacito" on YouTube received its billionth view on April 20, 2017, and became the most-watched video on the platform. Its success led Daddy Yankee to become the most-listened artist worldwide on the streaming service Spotify in June 2017, the first Latin artist to do so.
As of 2017, Daddy Yankee has won 82 awards from 270 nominations since his rise to international fame in 2004. He has won five Latin Grammy Awards, two Billboard Music Awards, 14 Billboard Latin Music Awards, two Latin American Music Awards, eight Lo Nuestro Awards, an MTV Video Music Award, and six ASCAP Awards. He also received a Puerto Rican Walk of Fame star, special awards by People en Español magazine, and the Presencia Latina at Harvard University. He was named by CNN as the "Most Influential Hispanic Artist" of 2009, and included in Time 100 in 2006.
Musical career
1994–1999: Career beginnings
Often considered to be one of the pioneers within the reggaeton genre, Ayala was originally going to become a professional baseball player but he was shot in his leg while taking a break from a studio recording session. The bullet was never removed and he credits this incident with allowing him to pursue a musical career. He first appeared on the 1994 DJ Playero's Mixtape, Playero 34, with the song "So' Persigueme, No Te Detengas". His first official studio project as a solo artist was No Mercy, which was released on April 2, 1995 through White Lion Records and BM Records in Puerto Rico. Early in his career he attempted to imitate the rap style of Vico C. He went on to emulate other artists in the genre, including DJ Playero, DJ Nelson, and Tempo taking elements from their styles in order to develop an original style with the Dembow rhythm. In doing so, he eventually abandoned the traditional model of rap and became one of the first artists to perform reggaeton. Throughout the 1990s, Daddy Yankee appeared in several of DJ Playero's underground mixtapes which were banned by the Puerto Rican government due to explicit lyrics; these songs would later be among the first reggaeton songs ever produced. DJ Playero and Daddy Yankee would later be credited for inventing the name "reggaeton" to describe their music on the album Playero 36 in 1994.
2000–2003: Early music and El Cangri.com
In 1997, Daddy Yankee collaborated with the rapper Nas, who was an inspiration for Ayala, in the song "The Profecy", for the album Boricua Guerrero. He released two compilation albums with original material: El Cartel (1997) and El Cartel II (2001). Both albums were successful in Puerto Rico, but not throughout Latin America. Between those years, Ayala released a total of nine music videos, including "Posición" featuring Alberto Stylee, "Tu Cuerpo En La Cama" featuring Nicky Jam, and "Muévete Y Perrea".
In 2000, Daddy Yankee formed an unofficial duo called "Los Cangris" with Nicky Jam and released several successful singles together. Yankee and Nicky Jam fell apart in 2004 due to personal issues and creative differences. In 2012, Daddy Yankee and Nicky Jam reconciled and performed in various concerts together.
In 2002, El Cangri.com became Ayala's first album with international success, receiving coverage in the markets of New York City and Miami with hits including "Latigazo", "Son Las Doce", "Guayando" and other songs like "Enciende", which talks about different social problems of the era, mentioning 9/11, corruption and religion.
In 2003, Daddy Yankee released a compilation album named Los Homerun-es, which contains his first charted single ("Segurosqui"), five new songs and 12 remakes of DJ Playero's albums songs. that was later charted, "Seguroski", being his first charted single after six of them.
In 2003, Ayala collaborated for the first time with the prestigious reggaeton producers Luny Tunes on the album Mas Flow, with his commercial success song "Cógela Que Va Sin Jockey" (a.k.a. "Métele Con Candela"), and Mas Flow 2.
2004–2006: Barrio Fino and "Gasolina"
Ayala's next album, Barrio Fino, was produced by Luny Tunes and DJ Nelson among others and released in July 2004 by El Cartel Records and VI Music. It was the most highly anticipated album in the reggaeton community. Ayala had enjoyed salsa music since he was young, and this led him to include music of genres besides reggaeton in the album. The most prominent of these cross-genre singles was "Melao", in which he performed with Andy Montañez. The album was described as his most complete, and with it he intended to introduce combinations of reggaeton and other genres to the English-speaking market. Barrio Fino was followed up by an international tour with performances in numerous countries including the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Honduras, Spain, Colombia, Argentina, Venezuela, and the United States. The album has sold over 1.1 millions of copies in the United States alone, making it the seventh best-selling Latin album in the country according to Nielsen SoundScan. Also, It had sold over 2 million copies throughout Latin America and worldwide.
During this same time, Daddy Yankee was featured in N.O.R.E.'s single "Oye Mi Canto" which hit number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart; a record for a reggaeton single at the time. Other successful featured singles included "Mayor Que Yo" and "Los 12 Discípulos".
In 2005, Ayala won several international awards, making him one of the most recognized reggaeton artists within the music industry. The first award of the year was Lo Nuestro Awards within the "Album of the Year" category, which he received for Barrio Fino. In this event he performed "Gasolina" in a performance that was described as "innovative". Barrio Fino also won the "Reggaeton Album of the Year" award in the Latin Billboard that took place on April 28, 2005, where he performed a mix of three of his songs in a duet with P. Diddy. The album was promoted throughout Latin America, the United States, and Europe, reaching certified gold in Japan. Due to the album's success, Ayala received promotional contracts with radio stations and soda companies, including Pepsi. His hit single, "Gasolina", received the majority of votes cast for the second edition of Premios Juventud, in which it received eight nominations and won seven awards. Ayala also made a live presentation during the award ceremony. "Gasolina" received nominations in the Latin Grammy and MTV Video Music Awards. The commercial success of "Gasolina" in the United States led to the creation of a new radio format and a Billboard chart: Latin Rhythm Airplay. According to Nestor Casonu, CEO of Casonu Strategic Management, "Daddy Yankee and 'Gasolina' triggered the explosion of urban Latin music worldwide".
The successful single, "Gasolina", was covered by artists from different music genres. This led to a controversy when "Los Lagos", a Mexican banda group, did a cover with the original beat but changed the song's lyrics. The group's label had solicited the copyright permission to perform the single and translate it to a different music style, but did not receive consent to change the lyrics; legal action followed. Speaking for the artist, Ayala's lawyer stated that having his song covered was an "honor, but it must be done the right way."
On December 13, 2005, he released Barrio Fino en Directo, a live record and the follow up of Barrio Fino. The album sold more than in 800,000 copies in the United States, becoming the 13th best-selling Latin album in the US according to Nielsen SoundScan and over 3 million of copies worldwide.
On April 30, 2006, Ayala was named one of the 100 most influential people by Time, which cited the 2 million copies of Barrio Fino sold, Ayala's $20 million contract with Interscope Records, and his Pepsi endorsement.
During this period, Ayala and William Omar Landrón (more commonly known by his artistic name Don Omar) were involved in a rivalry within the genre, dubbed "tiraera". The rivalry received significant press coverage despite being denied early on by both artists. It originated with a lyrical conflict between the artists begun by Ayala's comments in a remix single, where he criticized Landron's common usage of the nickname "King of Kings". Don Omar responded to this in a song titled "Ahora Son Mejor", in his album Los Rompediscotecas.
2007–2009: El Cartel: The Big Boss and Talento De Barrio
El Cartel: The Big Boss was released by Interscope on June 5, 2007. Ayala stated that the album marked a return to his hip-hop roots as opposed to being considered a strictly reggaeton album. The album was produced in 2006, and included the participation of will.i.am, Scott Storch, Tainy Tunes, Neli, and personnel from Ayala's label. Singles were produced with Héctor Delgado, Fergie, Nicole Scherzinger and Akon. The first single from the album was titled "Impacto", and was released prior to the completion of the album. The album was promoted by a tour throughout the United States, which continued throughout Latin America. He performed in Mexico, first in Monterrey, where 10,000 attended the concert, and later at San Luis Potosí coliseum, where the concert sold out, leaving hundreds of fans outside the building. Ayala performed in Chile as well, and established a record for attendance in Ecuador. He also performed in Bolivia, setting another record when 50,000 fans attended his Santa Cruz de la Sierra concert. This show was later described as "the best show with the biggest attendance in history" and as "somehappy that his album had sold more than those of Juan Luis Guerra and Juanes, and that this was an "official proof that reggaeton's principal exponent defeated the rest of the genres".
Between 2007 and 2008, Ayala made several guest appearances in famous reggaeton compilation albums including Caribbean Connection, Echo Presenta: Invasión, Mas Flow: Los Benjamins, and 20 Number 1's Now.
He appeared on the 2008 Rockstar Games' video game Grand Theft Auto IV as the DJ of Radio San Juan Sounds, with spanglish lines. The radio includes reggaeton songs from Ayala's colleagues, like Wisin & Yandel, Hector "El Father", Tito El Bambino and Jowell & Randy. San Juan Sounds also featured Daddy Yankee's hit "Impacto".
In July 2008, Ayala announced that as part of his work, he would produce a cover version of Thalía's song, "Ten Paciencia". On August 17, 2008 his soundtrack album Talento De Barrio for the eponymous film was released. Prior to the album's release, Ayala scheduled several activities, including an in-store contract signing. The album was awarded as Multi-Platinum by RIAA on April 17, 2009. On February 27, 2009, he performed at the Viña del Mar International Song Festival in Chile. In this event, the artists receive awards based on the public's reaction. After performing "Rompe", "Llamado de emergencia", "Ella Me Levantó", "Gasolina", "Limpia Parabrisas" and "Lo Que Pasó, Pasó" over the course of two hours, Ayala received the "Silver Torch", "Gold Torch" and "Silver Seagull" recognitions. On April 24, 2009, he received the Spirit of Hope Award as part of the Latin Billboard Music Awards ceremony. The recognition is given to the artists that participate in their community or social efforts throughout the year.
2009–2013: Mundial and Prestige
The single, "Grito Mundial", was released on October 8, 2009, in order to promote his ninth album, Mundial. The song was going to be the official theme for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, but Ayala rejected the FIFA offer, which gave them 100% of the rights. Despite releasing "El Ritmo No Perdona (Prende)" more than a month before, that single was not considered the first official promotional single. The second single, "Descontrol", was released on January 12, 2010, and topped the Billboard Latin Rhythm Airplay. The music video was filmed in New York City and was released on May 17, 2010. "La Despedida" was the third single, released on August 4, 2010. The song reached #4 in both Billboard Top Latin Songs and Latin Pop Songs. Other songs, like "Bailando Fue" (featuring Jowell & Randy) and "Échale Pique" (featuring Yomo) were not included in Mundial.
In 2010, Daddy Yankee participated in the song "Somos El Mundo 25 Por Haiti", by providing the rap vocals alongside rapper Pitbull.
Daddy Yankee's sixth studio album, Prestige was released on September 11, 2012. It was scheduled to be released on November or December 2011, but a hurricane damaged El Cartel Records and half of the album was lost. The lost tracks had to be reworked and was finally released nine months later. The first single, "Ven Conmigo", featuring bachata singer Prince Royce, was released on April 12, 2011 and peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Latin Charts. The second single, "Lovumba", was released on October 4, 2011 and was a number one hit on the Billboard Latin Charts and the Latin Songs chart. It was also nominated for Best Urban Song at the 2012 Latin Grammy Awards. The third single, "Pasarela", was released on June 20, 2012. The album peaked at number 39 on the Billboard 200, number one on both the Billboard Latin Albums and Latin Rhythm Albums charts. It also peaked at number five on the Billboard Rap Albums chart. The fourth and last single, Limbo, was released with the album. The song had a great success, reaching three #1 Billboard charts (Hot Latin Song, Latin Pop Song and Latin Rhythm Airplay) and having more than 790 million views on YouTube. The album was certified as Gold by the RIAA on March 8, 2013.
The year 2012 had one of the most important genre events of the year: the reconciliation between Daddy Yankee and Wisin & Yandel, after some years of rivalry. Six years after their last collaboration, Daddy Yankee appeared on the duo's remix song "Hipnotízame", with positive acclaim from fans. Two months later, on February 16, 2013, Wisin & Yandel collaborated in the remix of "Limbo". Later in 2013, the three artists performed songs like "Hipnotízame", "Mayor Que Yo" and "Noche De Entierro" in two concerts (one in Puerto Rico and another in Colombia).
On February 25, 2013, Daddy Yankee performed in the 2013 Viña del Mar International Song Festival, to a sold-out audience. He performed hits like "Limbo", "Gasolina", "Pose", "Ella Me Levantó" and "Descontrol". He won the Silver and Golden Torch and the Silver and Golden Seagull recognitions.
In 2013, Daddy Yankee performed on his Prestige World Tour, touring several countries in Europe including, Spain, Germany, France and Italy. He has also toured in Colombia, Peru, Chile to sold-out audiences. In 2013 he released music videos of "El Amante" featuring J Alvarez, "Summertime" and "Noche de los Dos" featuring Natalia Jimenez, with millions of views on YouTube.
2013–2015: King Daddy
On October 29, 2013, Daddy Yankee released a mixtape entitled "King Daddy", produced by Los De La Nazza (Musicologo & Menes), as part the Imperio Nazza Mixtapes series and was released as a digital-format only. The mixtape was made because of the high demand from the fans and is a return to his original reggaeton roots. It includes 11 tracks with collaborations from J Alvarez, Arcángel, Yandel, Farruko, and Divino. According to Ayala, "King Daddy" was recorded in two and a half weeks, because there was "a lot of inspiration". The song "La Rompe Carros" has garnered popularity among the public, but his hit single was "La Nueva y La Ex" which has been widely received all over South America, Europe, and North America. During a press conference earlier this year, Daddy Yankee announced the physical release of King Daddy scheduled for later this year with 3 or 4 bonus tracks for a total of 14 or 15 songs included.
From May 13 to June 22, 2014, Ayala performed on his King Daddy Tour, touring several cities in Europe. He has also toured in South and North American cities. In Spain, his concerts were on the 4º position in the box-office ranking, being the first Latin artist on the top 5 in this country, underneath Iron Maiden and The Rolling Stones, and over artists like Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus and Michael Bublé.
On June 17, 2014 the single "Ora Por Mí" (Spanish for "Pray For Me") was released as part of the King Daddy's bonus tracks and uses the Scorpions' "Send Me An Angel" instrumental, with a rap sampler. The official video for "Ora Por Mí" was released on June 24, 2014. It was filmed in many locations in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and talks about Ayala's life and the dark side of fame. According to Ayala, it is the most personal song of his career. On September 2, 2014, it was released another single called "Palabras Con Sentido" (Spanish for "Words With Sentiments"), which defends reggaeton and urban music of all the accusations of being a "society poison". Daddy Yankee expressed that all music has something good to give, even urban music. On his single, he also says that urban music saves lives, like his own, and the solution would be that churches have to remain, journalists have to tell the truth, artists have to have more inspiration, and the rich people have to help the poor ones. On September 9, 2014 he released his first totally English single called "This Is Not A Love Song" featuring new rapper Duncan.
2016–present: El Disco Duro
On April 28, 2016, Daddy Yankee was awarded the "Industry Leader Award" during the 2016 Latin Billboard Awards.
After a decade-long feud with longtime rival Don Omar for the "King of Reggaetón" title, in early 2016 Daddy Yankee and Don Omar announced in a Billboard press conference that they would perform together on stage in a concert series called The Kingdom Tour. The tour announcement left many fans in disbelief as it sold out in minutes in major cities like Las Vegas, Orlando, Los Angeles, New York. The concerts were structured like a boxing match, where the two artists got to trade off musical rounds, and fans voted for their winner in each city via an app designed for the event. "Two kings, one throne", said Pina Records founder Rafael Pina, who had a well-established relationship with both artists, and who also came up with the idea for the tour concept. Discussing the tour and his rivalry with Daddy Yankee, Don Omar said "Let me clarify: I am not his best friend, and he is not my best friend, but we respect each other. That desire to be the best is what has pushed us to be better."
In 2017, Daddy Yankee, in collaboration with Latin pop singer Luis Fonsi, released the hit single "Despacito". It became the first Spanish-language song to hit number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 since "Macarena" in 1996. The single gained global success. The official video for "Despacito" on YouTube received its billionth view on April 20, 2017 after 97 days, becoming the second-fastest video on the site to reach the milestone behind Adele's "Hello". Its success led Daddy Yankee to become the most listened artist worldwide on the streaming service Spotify in June 2017, being the first Latin artist to do so.
In early 2018, Daddy Yankee released his first latin trap singles with the song "Hielo", and on the single "Vuelve" on which he collaborated with Bad Bunny.
In August 2018, Daddy Yankee collaborated with Janet Jackson on her return to music on the song "Made for Now".
He released the 2019 single "Con Calma", a reimagination of Snow's 1992 hit single "Informer". Snow recorded new parts and the Spanish-language remake topped the charts of 20 countries and reached the top 10 of 10 others.
Film and other career projects
Ayala has negotiated promotional deals with several companies outside of the music industry, releasing merchandise under his name. In 2005, he became the first Latin artist to sign a deal with Reebok, in order to produce accessories, including the licensed clothing line "DY", which was released in 2006. He also teamed up with the company to have his own shoes and sporting goods made, which were first distributed on May 23, 2006. Reebok continued the partnership with the introduction of the Travel Trainer collection in July 2007. In August 2007, Pepsi began an advertising campaign titled "Puertas", in which Ayala is depicted returning to his youth by opening a series of doors.
Ayala has worked in the film industry as both an actor and producer. His acting debut was as an extra in the 2004 film Vampiros, directed by Eduardo Ortiz and filmed in Puerto Rico. The film premiered at the Festival of Latin American Cinema in New York, where it received a positive reaction. This led Image Entertainment to produce a DVD, internationally released in March 2005. Ayala played the main role, "Edgar Dinero", in Talento de Barrio, which was filmed in Puerto Rico and directed by José Iván Santiago. Ayala produced the film, which is based on his experience of growing up in a poor city neighborhood. While the film is not directly a biography, Ayala has stated that it mirrors his early life. Talento de Barrio's debut was scheduled for July 23, 2008, in New York's Latino Film Festival. After the premier, Ayala expressed satisfaction, saying that he had been invited to audition for other producers. On release, Talento de Barrio broke the record held by Maldeamores for the most tickets to a Puerto Rican movie sold in a single day in Caribbean Cinemas.
Ayala has been involved in the administration of three organizations, the first being El Cartel Records which he co-owns with Andres Hernandez. He also created the Fundación Corazón Guerrero, a charitable organization in Puerto Rico which works with young incarcerated people. On April 26, 2008, he was presented with a "Latino of the Year Award" by the student organization Presencia Latina of Harvard College, receiving it for his work with Puerto Rican youth and creating Corazón Guerrero. On February 6, 2008, Ayala announced in a Baloncesto Superior Nacional press conference that he had bought part of the Criollos de Caguas' ownership. He has also been active with Cruz Roja Puerto Rico in several media campaigns.
In March 2013, Daddy Yankee talked about a new movie production during an interview in Las Vegas. During an interview in a radio station in January 2014, Ayala announced the film, but he only mentioned that many reggaeton exponents would take part of it. In February 2014 it was confirmed that the movie will be about the boxer Macho Camacho's life. According to Ayala, he had the boxer's support to film the movie, but it remained in nothing after Camacho's death on November 24, 2012. The film was due for release in 2015.
The most recent of Daddy Yankee's non-music projects was the release of his game Trylogy, a 3D video game based in tower defense games. The game was presented at the New York Comic Con and was released on November 29, 2013. The game also features Ayala's songs like "Gasolina" and "Limbo".
Personal life
Family
Ayala has kept most of his personal life private, rarely speaking about it in interviews. He has said that he avoids doing so because such details are the only aspect of his life that are not public and that they are like a "little treasure". In 2006 he spoke about his relationship with his wife Mireddys González and children in an interview with María Celeste Arrarás in Al Rojo Vivo. He stated that his marriage is strong because he and his wife are "friends above anything", and that he has tried to ignore other temptations because "weakness is the reason for the downfall of several artists". He met his wife when they were little and at just 17 years old they decided to get married. As a result of the union their first daughter Yamilette Ayala González was born. His first daughter was born when he was seventeen years old, which he described as confusing at first, adding that raising a daughter at that age was a hard experience. He has another son, Jeremy, born in 1998, and another daughter, Jesaaelys, born in 1996.
Political views
In 2008, Ayala participated in a campaign to promote voting in the 2008 general elections in Puerto Rico. This initiative included a concert titled "Vota o quédate callado" (Vote or Remain Silent).
On August 25, 2008, Ayala endorsed Republican John McCain's candidacy for President of the United States in the 2008 election, stating that McCain was a "fighter for the Hispanic community". As part of this campaign, Ayala moderated a debate titled "Vota o quédate callado: los candidatos responden a los jóvenes", which was aired on October 9, 2008.
In November 2019, Ayala inaugurated a museum of reggaeton at Plaza Las Américas, the first of its kind.
Philanthropy
In 2007, Daddy Yankee became the spokesperson of the environmental organization "Yo Limpio a Puerto Rico" (I Clean Puerto Rico) founded by Ignacio Barsottelli. Yo Limpio a Puerto Rico, PepsiCo and Wal-Mart announced a joint effort to promote recycling in Puerto Rico among the general public and schools across the island with the campaign "Tómatelo en Serio, Recicla por Puerto Rico" (Take it seriously, recycle for Puerto Rico), in which Daddy Yankee became the main spokesperson. This campaign incorporated a recycling contest among public and private schools from around the island in the elementary, junior high, and high school categories. The program established 16 recycling centers located at Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores across the island, where consumers were able to deposit recyclable items.
In 2017, Daddy Yankee donated $100,000 to the Food Bank of Puerto Rico after the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria. The money provided food to roughly 9,000 families on the island.
Daddy Yankee presented the HR Derby Champ medallion to Pete Alonso upon his winning the MLB HR Derby on July 8, 2019.
Legacy
Daddy Yankee has been dubbed "King of Reggaetón" by media. Rachel Grace Almeida from Vice felt Daddy Yankee paved the way with his music to amplify and normalize the "marginalised" Latino identity. She also commented that Yankee played a vital part in "bringing glamour to the barrio and challenged the mainstream media's portrayal of Hispanic poverty in those neighbourhoods". He was highlighted by CNN and Time as one of the most influential Hispanics in the world. Roy Trakin from Pollstar considered his collaboration with Luis Fonsi in "Despacito" helped "turn his native Puerto Rico's music into a global phenomenon".
Daddy Yankee's third studio album Barrio Fino (2004) ushered reggaeton into the mainstream. Its single "Gasolina" "[altered] the business, sound and aesthetic of Latin music", stated Billboard, "the genre would revive sales of Latin music, usher in a new radio format in the U.S. (Latin Rhythm Airplay) and establish the urban base responsible for many Latin radio hits today." According to Nestor Casonú, president for Kobalt Music Latin America, "Daddy Yankee and 'Gasolina' triggered the explosion of urban Latin music worldwide."
In 2006, a The New York Times article deemed him "The King of Reggaetón" while commenting on 2004's music revenue, "one bright spot for the music industry was Latin music: sales grew by 12 percent, according to Nielsen SoundScan. At least some of that success is owed to reggaetón and by extension to Daddy Yankee, its top-selling act."
Multiple artists have cited him as an inspiration, including J Balvin, Ozuna, Bad Bunny, Lunay, Miguelito, and Natti Natasha.
Achievements
Daddy Yankee has received several awards and honors, including 10 Guinness World Records and seven Billboard Music Awards (the most for any Latin artist). He was honored with the Icon Award by Latin American Music Awards, the Industry Leader Award from the Latin Billboard Awards and inducted into its Hall of Fame, and received the Lifetime Achievement Award in Lo Nuestro Awards from Balvin. J Balvin stated: "Reggaeton would not be what it is without Daddy Yankee and without Yankee, there would be no Balvin".
Having sold 20 million records worldwide, Yankee is one of the best-selling Latin music artists. As of April 2020, Daddy Yankee is the most subscribed Latin artist on YouTube Music. He also is the first Latin act to be the most listened-to artist worldwide, and remains on Top 20 as of April 2020. In 2019, he set a new record in his country as the artist with the most shows at Coliseum of Puerto Rico, with 12 consecutive sold-out concerts.
Yankee has multiple charts records. He is the artist with the most number one and most entries on the Billboard Latin Rhythm Airplay. He also has the most entries on the Latin Pop Airplay and the second most entries on Hot Latin Songs. Additionally, he achieved three and six top 25 and top 50 Spanish-language singles on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively, the most by any artist. Barrio Fino and Barrio Fino en Directo are two of the best-selling Latin albums in the United States.
With "Despacito", both Yankee and Luis Fonsi achieved multiple worldwide records, including the most-viewed YouTube video (and it became the first video on the site to reach the milestones of three, four, five, six, and seven billion views) and the first Latin song to receive a diamond certification by Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Additionally, "Despacito" received thirteen-times platinum by RIAA for units of over 13 million sales plus track-equivalent streams, making it the highest-certified single of all-time in the United States. It also became the song with most weeks at number one in Switzerland and Germany, and the most weeks at number one on Hot Latin Songs.
Discography
Studio albums
No Mercy (1995)
El Cangri.com (2003)
Barrio Fino (2004)
El Cartel: The Big Boss (2007)
Mundial (2010)
Prestige (2012)
El Disco Duro (TBA)
Live albums
2005: Ahora Le Toca Al Cangri! Live
2005: Barrio Fino En Directo
2020: 2K20 Pt. 1
2020: 2K20 Pt. 2
2020: 2K20 Pt. 3
Other albums
1997: El Cartel De Yankee
2001: El Cartel II: Los Cangris
2003: Los Homerun-Es De Yankee
2008: Talento De Barrio
2013: King Daddy
Producer
1998: Tierra De Nadie (de Benny Blanco)
1999: Gritos De Guerra (de Rubio & Joel)
1999: Guatauba 2000 (de Manolo Guatauba)
2001: Haciendo Escante (de Nicky Jam)
2003: Salón De La Fama (de Nicky Jam)
2006: Más Grande Que Tú (de Miguelito)
2007: El Heredero (de Miguelito)
Concert tours
As a headliner
Barrio Fino World Tour (2004–06)
The Big Boss Tour (2007–09)
Mundial Tour (2010–11)
European Tour (2012)
Prestige World Tour (2012–13)
King Daddy Tour (2014–15)
TamoEnVivoTour (2017)
La Gira Dura (2018)
Con Calma Tour (2019)
As a co-headliner
The Kingdom Tour (2015–16) (with Don Omar)
Filmography
Film
Television
See also
Reggaeton
Latin American music
List of Caribbean music genres
List of Puerto Ricans
List of Puerto Rican songwriters
Urban contemporary
References
External links
1977 births
Living people
American hip hop musicians
American shooting survivors
Capitol Latin artists
Latin Grammy Award winners
Latin music songwriters
Pop rappers
21st-century Puerto Rican male singers
Puerto Rican rappers
Puerto Rican reggaeton musicians
Urbano musicians
Singers from San Juan, Puerto Rico
Sony Music Latin artists
Southern hip hop musicians
Spanish-language singers of the United States
Universal Music Latin Entertainment artists
20th-century Puerto Rican male singers
| false |
[
"Talento de Barrio () is the fifth studio album and a soundtrack album to the film of the same name starring Puerto Rican reggaeton singer-songwriter Daddy Yankee, who also performs the songs on the album. It was released on February 24, 2009 by Machete Music and El Cartel Records, to accompany the motion picture Talento de Barrio. The album was mainly produced by reggaeton producers Eli El Musicólogo and Menes. The album also received a Latin double platinum certification by the RIAA with an excess of 200,000 copies and sold more than 1,000,000 copies worldwide.\n\nHistory\n\nPromotion\nSeveral songs, including \"Sólido\" and \"Somos de Calle\", were uploaded to Daddy Yankee's MySpace profile several months before the release of the soundtrack. Released as free single downloads at the time, were not announced to be included on the soundtrack until mid-Summer 2008, when promotion of the film Talento de Barrio would be disclosed. The planned musical style of the soundtrack would not be recognized until May 2008 when Daddy Yankee released the soundtrack's first single \"Pose\". The purpose for the soundtrack is to promote the film, but details for a planned tour have not been disclosed, and no tour has been established since then. A planned re-release, entitled Daddy Yankee Mundial, is set for release sometime in 2009, as announced on Daddy Yankee's official site, which is currently under construction.\n\nMusical style\nThe album has an overall urban-R&B vibe, and also has many different musical styles like dance music, salsa, bachata and reggaeton. Although all the songs on Talento de Barrio are different in music style, they all revolve around the same subjects of the film. Talento de Barrio [the film] relates the struggles young people face when they try to improve their lives and break free from their troubled surroundings.\n\nCommercial reception \n\nThe album debut with 122,000 copies worldwide. The album was a commercial success across Latin American and was certified platinum in Argentina and Gold in Peru. In Argentina, the album debut and peaked at number 5.\n\nIn the United States, the album debut at the top of Billboard Latin Albums and Latin Rhythm Albums selling 26,000 copies in the first week. The soundtrack became a major debuting success on the Billboard 200, peaking at number 13. It dropped to number 23 the week after, and eventually to number 35. Its final charting position was at number 191, as of December 13, 2008. It also became entered in the Top 5 of the Billboard Top Soundtracks chart peaking at number 3, becoming Daddy Yankee's first Top 5 soundtrack on the Top Soundtracks chart. The soundtrack is also Yankee's fourth consecutive number-one album on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart.\n\nSingles\nThe lead single, \"Pose\", was released digitally via MySpace on May 14, 2008, and officially released to online music stores on the day of the album's release. It is the most successful charting single from the album, peaking at number 4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart in August 2008. \"Pose\" presents a mix of hip hop and dance, with Latin and African American rhythms.\n\nA promotional single, \"Somos de Calle\", was released as a radio promo in mid-Summer 2008. It was released online, along with its video. Though not as successful as the album's lead single, the song still gets video play on music video television networks, as well as minor airplay. The video, as well as the lyrics, is more like the film in subject matter.\nThe second single, \"Llamado de Emergencia\", was released on September 23, 2008. A vallenato-pop influenced track, the single made a modest debut at number 26 on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart, and has so far peaked at number 21.\nThe third single, \"¿Qué Tengo Que Hacer?\", was released on January 19, 2009. It has so far peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Latin Rhythm Airplay chart.\n\nTrack listing\n\nCredits and personnel \n\nCredits adapted from the CD information, where Daddy Yankee is credited as Raymond Ayala instead of Ramón Ayala, and Los De La Nazza are credited as Los De La Nasa.\n\nCharts\n\nAlbum charts\n\nYear-end charts\n\nSales and certifications\n\nReferences\n\nDaddy Yankee soundtracks\n2008 soundtrack albums\nDrama film soundtracks\nAlbums produced by Luny Tunes\nSpanish-language soundtracks",
"Talento de Barrio () is a film released on October 10, 2008 by Maya Entertainment, starring Daddy Yankee. The film was directed by José Iván Santiago, and written by George Rivera and Ángel M. Sanjurjo, with additional material by Edgar Soberón Torchia. It was also the first movie Daddy Yankee co-produced. In the United States it was a major success, although it was not launched in all the country. It was shown in the major cities like New York City, Los Angeles, and some parts of New Jersey.\n\nIn Latin America, it was shown in Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic. The DVD of the movie was released in all the countries of Latin America. Big sales went on in Central America, mostly in El Salvador.\n\nPlot\nRamón Ayala (better known as Daddy Yankee) stars as Edgar Dinero, a young man from the streets of Puerto Rico who gets tangled between the thug life of his neighborhood and the beat of his neighborhood. On that path Edgar encounters disruption among his crew men, while falling in love with an uptown girl from whom Dinero must conceal his strong ties with the violent neighborhood underworld.\n\nDinero's first studio recording in New York City doesn't go well reflecting he has no energy, and sounding like he hasn't eaten. The uptown girl shows up in NYC and then he begins making strong recordings.\n\nMultiple gunshot scenes happen throughout the movie, in Puerto Rico and in New York City.\n\nThe movie was mostly shot in the , a marginalized community, that reflects thug life in Caguas, Puerto Rico. Other places where filming took place were at Puerto Nuevo, in San Juan, and in New York City.\n\nCast\nDaddy Yankee - Edgar \"Dinero\"\nMaestro - Jeico\nKatiria Soto - Soribel\nCésar Farrait - Wichy\nAngélica Alcaide - Natasha\nNorma Colón - Edgar's mother\nNorman Santiago - Matías\nRafael Acevedo - Matías's partner\nWelmo E. Romero-Joseph - Leo\nRey Pirín - Javier\nPepe Fuentes - Don Joaquín\nMoncho Conde - Popó\nGringo - Angelo\nEric Rodríguez - Wito\nAlexandra Cheron - Carolina\nGlory - Tata\nZojaira Martínez - Ana\nJulio Voltio - Himself\nEddie Dee - Jay\nFriend Zone Guy - Gazoo Star \"El Jamón\"\nPedro Prez\nChristian Santiago - edger\nFederico Cardona (DjSolid) - Gatillero Oscar 2\n\nPromotion\n\nSoundtrack\n\nA soundtrack was released, featuring music by Daddy Yankee written only for the film. The soundtrack, however, does not include the film score, composed by Sam FISH Fisher. The soundtrack features four singles \"Pose\", \"Somos de Calle\", \"¿Qué Tengo Que Hacer?\", and \"Llamado de Emergencia\". The music derives from Daddy Yankee's typical reggaeton style.\n\nHome video\nTalento de Barrio was released in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico on November 25, 2008 on DVD and Blu-ray Disc formats. The film is featured in Spanish and is subtitled in English on both the DVD and Blu-ray Disc versions.\n\nReception\nThe film had positive reviews in Puerto Rico. On Rotten Tomatoes, Talento de Barrio has received negative reviews, garnering 0% approval. V.A. Musetto of New York Post said in his review for the film: \"Reggaeton star Daddy Yankee holds his own in his big-screen acting debut, Talento de Barrio. Too bad he's saddled with a generic script, based loosely on his own life\". Monika Fabian of Time Out New York said: \"Just as reggaetón is a fusion of hip-hop, reggae and traditional Puerto Rican rhythms, Talento de Barrio is also a mixture, albeit a woefully derivative one, of 8 Mile, Menace II Society and Carlito's Way.\"\n\nSee also\n\n 2008 in film\n Crime in Puerto Rico\n List of hood films\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\n \n \n Maya Entertainment - Talento de barrio - Press Kit - (English/Spanish) (PDF Format)\n Talento de barrio on CorrienteLatina\n\n2008 films\n2008 drama films\n2000s Spanish-language films\nPuerto Rican films\nHood films"
] |
[
"Daddy Yankee",
"2007-09: El Cartel: The Big Boss and Talento De Barrio",
"What is El Cartel?",
"album",
"When was this released?",
"June 5, 2007.",
"Did this album do well?",
"The album was promoted by a tour throughout the United States, which continued throughout Latin America.",
"Did he go on tour?",
"He performed in Mexico, first in Monterrey, where 10,000 attended the concert, and later at San Luis Potosi coliseum,",
"Where else did he perform?",
"Ayala performed in Chile as well, and established a record for attendance in Ecuador. He also performed in Bolivia,",
"What other countries did he visit?",
"On February 27, 2009, he performed at the Vina del Mar International Song Festival in Chile.",
"What is The Big Boss?",
"album",
"Is Talento De Barrio an album as well?",
"\". On 17 August 2008 was released his soundtrack album Talento De Barrio for the eponymous film."
] |
C_c5c8ca973e4d47478cfa71a686c386f9_1
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Did this album do well?
| 9 |
Did Talento De Barrio album do well?
|
Daddy Yankee
|
El Cartel: The Big Boss was released by Interscope on June 5, 2007. Ayala stated that the album marked a return to his hip-hop roots as opposed to being considered a strictly reggaeton album. The album was produced in 2006, and included the participation of will.i.am, Scott Storch, Tainy Tunes, Neli, and personnel from Ayala's label. Singles were produced with Hector Delgado, Fergie, Nicole Scherzinger and Akon. The first single from the album was titled "Impacto", and was released prior to the completion of the album. The album was promoted by a tour throughout the United States, which continued throughout Latin America. He performed in Mexico, first in Monterrey, where 10,000 attended the concert, and later at San Luis Potosi coliseum, where the concert sold out, leaving hundreds of fans outside the building. Ayala performed in Chile as well, and established a record for attendance in Ecuador. He also performed in Bolivia, setting another record when 50,000 fans attended his Santa Cruz de la Sierra concert. This show was later described as "the best show with the biggest attendance in history" and as "somehappy that his album had sold more than those of Juan Luis Guerra and Juanes, and that this was an "official proof that reggaeton's principal exponent defeated the rest of the genres". Between 2007 and 2008, Ayala made several guest appearances in famous reggaeton compilation albums including Caribbean Connection, Echo Presenta: Invasion, Mas Flow: Los Benjamins, and 20 Number 1's Now. He appeared on the 2008 Rockstar Games' video game Grand Theft Auto IV as the DJ of Radio San Juan Sounds, with spanglish lines. The radio includes reggaeton songs from Ayala's colleagues, like Wisin & Yandel, Hector "El Father", Tito El Bambino and Jowell & Randy. San Juan Sounds also featured Daddy Yankee's hit "Impacto". In July 2008, Ayala announced that as part of his work, he would produce a cover version of Thalia's song, "Ten Paciencia". On 17 August 2008 was released his soundtrack album Talento De Barrio for the eponymous film. Prior to the album's release, Ayala scheduled several activities, including an in-store contract signing. The album was awarded as Multi-Platinum by RIAA on 17 April 2009. On February 27, 2009, he performed at the Vina del Mar International Song Festival in Chile. In this event, the artists receive awards based on the public's reaction. After performing "Rompe", "Llamado de emergencia", "Ella Me Levanto", "Gasolina", "Limpia Parabrisas" and "Lo Que Paso, Paso" over the course of two hours, Ayala received the "Silver Torch", "Gold Torch" and "Silver Seagull" recognitions. On April 24, 2009, he received the Spirit of Hope Award as part of the Latin Billboard Music Awards ceremony. The recognition is given to the artists that participate in their community or social efforts throughout the year. CANNOTANSWER
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The album was promoted by a tour throughout the United States, which continued throughout Latin America.
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Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez (born February 3, 1977), known professionally as Daddy Yankee, is a Puerto Rican rapper, singer and songwriter. He is known as the "King of Reggaetón" by music critics and fans alike. Daddy Yankee is the artist who coined the word reggaeton in 1994 to describe the new music genre that was emerging from Puerto Rico that synthesized American hip-hop, Latin Caribbean music, and Jamaican reggae rhythms with Spanish rapping and singing. He is often cited as an influence by other Latin urban performers.
Ayala was born in Río Piedras and was raised in the Villa Kennedy Housing Projects neighborhood. He aspired to be a professional baseball player and tried out for the Seattle Mariners of the Major League Baseball. Before he could be officially signed, he was hit by a stray round from an AK-47 rifle while taking a break from a studio recording session with reggaeton artist DJ Playero. Ayala spent roughly a year and a half recovering from the wound; the bullet was never removed from his hip, and he credits the shooting incident with allowing him to focus entirely on a music career. In 2004, Daddy Yankee released his international hit single "Gasolina", which is credited with introducing reggaeton to audiences worldwide, and making the music genre a global phenomenon. Since then, he has sold around 20 million records, making him one of the best-selling Latin music artists.
Daddy Yankee's album Barrio Fino made history when it became the top-selling Latin music album of the decade between 2000 and 2009. In 2017, Daddy Yankee, in collaboration with Latin pop singer Luis Fonsi, released the hit single "Despacito". It became the first Spanish-language song to hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 since "Macarena" in 1996. The single gained global success. The video for "Despacito" on YouTube received its billionth view on April 20, 2017, and became the most-watched video on the platform. Its success led Daddy Yankee to become the most-listened artist worldwide on the streaming service Spotify in June 2017, the first Latin artist to do so.
As of 2017, Daddy Yankee has won 82 awards from 270 nominations since his rise to international fame in 2004. He has won five Latin Grammy Awards, two Billboard Music Awards, 14 Billboard Latin Music Awards, two Latin American Music Awards, eight Lo Nuestro Awards, an MTV Video Music Award, and six ASCAP Awards. He also received a Puerto Rican Walk of Fame star, special awards by People en Español magazine, and the Presencia Latina at Harvard University. He was named by CNN as the "Most Influential Hispanic Artist" of 2009, and included in Time 100 in 2006.
Musical career
1994–1999: Career beginnings
Often considered to be one of the pioneers within the reggaeton genre, Ayala was originally going to become a professional baseball player but he was shot in his leg while taking a break from a studio recording session. The bullet was never removed and he credits this incident with allowing him to pursue a musical career. He first appeared on the 1994 DJ Playero's Mixtape, Playero 34, with the song "So' Persigueme, No Te Detengas". His first official studio project as a solo artist was No Mercy, which was released on April 2, 1995 through White Lion Records and BM Records in Puerto Rico. Early in his career he attempted to imitate the rap style of Vico C. He went on to emulate other artists in the genre, including DJ Playero, DJ Nelson, and Tempo taking elements from their styles in order to develop an original style with the Dembow rhythm. In doing so, he eventually abandoned the traditional model of rap and became one of the first artists to perform reggaeton. Throughout the 1990s, Daddy Yankee appeared in several of DJ Playero's underground mixtapes which were banned by the Puerto Rican government due to explicit lyrics; these songs would later be among the first reggaeton songs ever produced. DJ Playero and Daddy Yankee would later be credited for inventing the name "reggaeton" to describe their music on the album Playero 36 in 1994.
2000–2003: Early music and El Cangri.com
In 1997, Daddy Yankee collaborated with the rapper Nas, who was an inspiration for Ayala, in the song "The Profecy", for the album Boricua Guerrero. He released two compilation albums with original material: El Cartel (1997) and El Cartel II (2001). Both albums were successful in Puerto Rico, but not throughout Latin America. Between those years, Ayala released a total of nine music videos, including "Posición" featuring Alberto Stylee, "Tu Cuerpo En La Cama" featuring Nicky Jam, and "Muévete Y Perrea".
In 2000, Daddy Yankee formed an unofficial duo called "Los Cangris" with Nicky Jam and released several successful singles together. Yankee and Nicky Jam fell apart in 2004 due to personal issues and creative differences. In 2012, Daddy Yankee and Nicky Jam reconciled and performed in various concerts together.
In 2002, El Cangri.com became Ayala's first album with international success, receiving coverage in the markets of New York City and Miami with hits including "Latigazo", "Son Las Doce", "Guayando" and other songs like "Enciende", which talks about different social problems of the era, mentioning 9/11, corruption and religion.
In 2003, Daddy Yankee released a compilation album named Los Homerun-es, which contains his first charted single ("Segurosqui"), five new songs and 12 remakes of DJ Playero's albums songs. that was later charted, "Seguroski", being his first charted single after six of them.
In 2003, Ayala collaborated for the first time with the prestigious reggaeton producers Luny Tunes on the album Mas Flow, with his commercial success song "Cógela Que Va Sin Jockey" (a.k.a. "Métele Con Candela"), and Mas Flow 2.
2004–2006: Barrio Fino and "Gasolina"
Ayala's next album, Barrio Fino, was produced by Luny Tunes and DJ Nelson among others and released in July 2004 by El Cartel Records and VI Music. It was the most highly anticipated album in the reggaeton community. Ayala had enjoyed salsa music since he was young, and this led him to include music of genres besides reggaeton in the album. The most prominent of these cross-genre singles was "Melao", in which he performed with Andy Montañez. The album was described as his most complete, and with it he intended to introduce combinations of reggaeton and other genres to the English-speaking market. Barrio Fino was followed up by an international tour with performances in numerous countries including the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Honduras, Spain, Colombia, Argentina, Venezuela, and the United States. The album has sold over 1.1 millions of copies in the United States alone, making it the seventh best-selling Latin album in the country according to Nielsen SoundScan. Also, It had sold over 2 million copies throughout Latin America and worldwide.
During this same time, Daddy Yankee was featured in N.O.R.E.'s single "Oye Mi Canto" which hit number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart; a record for a reggaeton single at the time. Other successful featured singles included "Mayor Que Yo" and "Los 12 Discípulos".
In 2005, Ayala won several international awards, making him one of the most recognized reggaeton artists within the music industry. The first award of the year was Lo Nuestro Awards within the "Album of the Year" category, which he received for Barrio Fino. In this event he performed "Gasolina" in a performance that was described as "innovative". Barrio Fino also won the "Reggaeton Album of the Year" award in the Latin Billboard that took place on April 28, 2005, where he performed a mix of three of his songs in a duet with P. Diddy. The album was promoted throughout Latin America, the United States, and Europe, reaching certified gold in Japan. Due to the album's success, Ayala received promotional contracts with radio stations and soda companies, including Pepsi. His hit single, "Gasolina", received the majority of votes cast for the second edition of Premios Juventud, in which it received eight nominations and won seven awards. Ayala also made a live presentation during the award ceremony. "Gasolina" received nominations in the Latin Grammy and MTV Video Music Awards. The commercial success of "Gasolina" in the United States led to the creation of a new radio format and a Billboard chart: Latin Rhythm Airplay. According to Nestor Casonu, CEO of Casonu Strategic Management, "Daddy Yankee and 'Gasolina' triggered the explosion of urban Latin music worldwide".
The successful single, "Gasolina", was covered by artists from different music genres. This led to a controversy when "Los Lagos", a Mexican banda group, did a cover with the original beat but changed the song's lyrics. The group's label had solicited the copyright permission to perform the single and translate it to a different music style, but did not receive consent to change the lyrics; legal action followed. Speaking for the artist, Ayala's lawyer stated that having his song covered was an "honor, but it must be done the right way."
On December 13, 2005, he released Barrio Fino en Directo, a live record and the follow up of Barrio Fino. The album sold more than in 800,000 copies in the United States, becoming the 13th best-selling Latin album in the US according to Nielsen SoundScan and over 3 million of copies worldwide.
On April 30, 2006, Ayala was named one of the 100 most influential people by Time, which cited the 2 million copies of Barrio Fino sold, Ayala's $20 million contract with Interscope Records, and his Pepsi endorsement.
During this period, Ayala and William Omar Landrón (more commonly known by his artistic name Don Omar) were involved in a rivalry within the genre, dubbed "tiraera". The rivalry received significant press coverage despite being denied early on by both artists. It originated with a lyrical conflict between the artists begun by Ayala's comments in a remix single, where he criticized Landron's common usage of the nickname "King of Kings". Don Omar responded to this in a song titled "Ahora Son Mejor", in his album Los Rompediscotecas.
2007–2009: El Cartel: The Big Boss and Talento De Barrio
El Cartel: The Big Boss was released by Interscope on June 5, 2007. Ayala stated that the album marked a return to his hip-hop roots as opposed to being considered a strictly reggaeton album. The album was produced in 2006, and included the participation of will.i.am, Scott Storch, Tainy Tunes, Neli, and personnel from Ayala's label. Singles were produced with Héctor Delgado, Fergie, Nicole Scherzinger and Akon. The first single from the album was titled "Impacto", and was released prior to the completion of the album. The album was promoted by a tour throughout the United States, which continued throughout Latin America. He performed in Mexico, first in Monterrey, where 10,000 attended the concert, and later at San Luis Potosí coliseum, where the concert sold out, leaving hundreds of fans outside the building. Ayala performed in Chile as well, and established a record for attendance in Ecuador. He also performed in Bolivia, setting another record when 50,000 fans attended his Santa Cruz de la Sierra concert. This show was later described as "the best show with the biggest attendance in history" and as "somehappy that his album had sold more than those of Juan Luis Guerra and Juanes, and that this was an "official proof that reggaeton's principal exponent defeated the rest of the genres".
Between 2007 and 2008, Ayala made several guest appearances in famous reggaeton compilation albums including Caribbean Connection, Echo Presenta: Invasión, Mas Flow: Los Benjamins, and 20 Number 1's Now.
He appeared on the 2008 Rockstar Games' video game Grand Theft Auto IV as the DJ of Radio San Juan Sounds, with spanglish lines. The radio includes reggaeton songs from Ayala's colleagues, like Wisin & Yandel, Hector "El Father", Tito El Bambino and Jowell & Randy. San Juan Sounds also featured Daddy Yankee's hit "Impacto".
In July 2008, Ayala announced that as part of his work, he would produce a cover version of Thalía's song, "Ten Paciencia". On August 17, 2008 his soundtrack album Talento De Barrio for the eponymous film was released. Prior to the album's release, Ayala scheduled several activities, including an in-store contract signing. The album was awarded as Multi-Platinum by RIAA on April 17, 2009. On February 27, 2009, he performed at the Viña del Mar International Song Festival in Chile. In this event, the artists receive awards based on the public's reaction. After performing "Rompe", "Llamado de emergencia", "Ella Me Levantó", "Gasolina", "Limpia Parabrisas" and "Lo Que Pasó, Pasó" over the course of two hours, Ayala received the "Silver Torch", "Gold Torch" and "Silver Seagull" recognitions. On April 24, 2009, he received the Spirit of Hope Award as part of the Latin Billboard Music Awards ceremony. The recognition is given to the artists that participate in their community or social efforts throughout the year.
2009–2013: Mundial and Prestige
The single, "Grito Mundial", was released on October 8, 2009, in order to promote his ninth album, Mundial. The song was going to be the official theme for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, but Ayala rejected the FIFA offer, which gave them 100% of the rights. Despite releasing "El Ritmo No Perdona (Prende)" more than a month before, that single was not considered the first official promotional single. The second single, "Descontrol", was released on January 12, 2010, and topped the Billboard Latin Rhythm Airplay. The music video was filmed in New York City and was released on May 17, 2010. "La Despedida" was the third single, released on August 4, 2010. The song reached #4 in both Billboard Top Latin Songs and Latin Pop Songs. Other songs, like "Bailando Fue" (featuring Jowell & Randy) and "Échale Pique" (featuring Yomo) were not included in Mundial.
In 2010, Daddy Yankee participated in the song "Somos El Mundo 25 Por Haiti", by providing the rap vocals alongside rapper Pitbull.
Daddy Yankee's sixth studio album, Prestige was released on September 11, 2012. It was scheduled to be released on November or December 2011, but a hurricane damaged El Cartel Records and half of the album was lost. The lost tracks had to be reworked and was finally released nine months later. The first single, "Ven Conmigo", featuring bachata singer Prince Royce, was released on April 12, 2011 and peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Latin Charts. The second single, "Lovumba", was released on October 4, 2011 and was a number one hit on the Billboard Latin Charts and the Latin Songs chart. It was also nominated for Best Urban Song at the 2012 Latin Grammy Awards. The third single, "Pasarela", was released on June 20, 2012. The album peaked at number 39 on the Billboard 200, number one on both the Billboard Latin Albums and Latin Rhythm Albums charts. It also peaked at number five on the Billboard Rap Albums chart. The fourth and last single, Limbo, was released with the album. The song had a great success, reaching three #1 Billboard charts (Hot Latin Song, Latin Pop Song and Latin Rhythm Airplay) and having more than 790 million views on YouTube. The album was certified as Gold by the RIAA on March 8, 2013.
The year 2012 had one of the most important genre events of the year: the reconciliation between Daddy Yankee and Wisin & Yandel, after some years of rivalry. Six years after their last collaboration, Daddy Yankee appeared on the duo's remix song "Hipnotízame", with positive acclaim from fans. Two months later, on February 16, 2013, Wisin & Yandel collaborated in the remix of "Limbo". Later in 2013, the three artists performed songs like "Hipnotízame", "Mayor Que Yo" and "Noche De Entierro" in two concerts (one in Puerto Rico and another in Colombia).
On February 25, 2013, Daddy Yankee performed in the 2013 Viña del Mar International Song Festival, to a sold-out audience. He performed hits like "Limbo", "Gasolina", "Pose", "Ella Me Levantó" and "Descontrol". He won the Silver and Golden Torch and the Silver and Golden Seagull recognitions.
In 2013, Daddy Yankee performed on his Prestige World Tour, touring several countries in Europe including, Spain, Germany, France and Italy. He has also toured in Colombia, Peru, Chile to sold-out audiences. In 2013 he released music videos of "El Amante" featuring J Alvarez, "Summertime" and "Noche de los Dos" featuring Natalia Jimenez, with millions of views on YouTube.
2013–2015: King Daddy
On October 29, 2013, Daddy Yankee released a mixtape entitled "King Daddy", produced by Los De La Nazza (Musicologo & Menes), as part the Imperio Nazza Mixtapes series and was released as a digital-format only. The mixtape was made because of the high demand from the fans and is a return to his original reggaeton roots. It includes 11 tracks with collaborations from J Alvarez, Arcángel, Yandel, Farruko, and Divino. According to Ayala, "King Daddy" was recorded in two and a half weeks, because there was "a lot of inspiration". The song "La Rompe Carros" has garnered popularity among the public, but his hit single was "La Nueva y La Ex" which has been widely received all over South America, Europe, and North America. During a press conference earlier this year, Daddy Yankee announced the physical release of King Daddy scheduled for later this year with 3 or 4 bonus tracks for a total of 14 or 15 songs included.
From May 13 to June 22, 2014, Ayala performed on his King Daddy Tour, touring several cities in Europe. He has also toured in South and North American cities. In Spain, his concerts were on the 4º position in the box-office ranking, being the first Latin artist on the top 5 in this country, underneath Iron Maiden and The Rolling Stones, and over artists like Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus and Michael Bublé.
On June 17, 2014 the single "Ora Por Mí" (Spanish for "Pray For Me") was released as part of the King Daddy's bonus tracks and uses the Scorpions' "Send Me An Angel" instrumental, with a rap sampler. The official video for "Ora Por Mí" was released on June 24, 2014. It was filmed in many locations in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and talks about Ayala's life and the dark side of fame. According to Ayala, it is the most personal song of his career. On September 2, 2014, it was released another single called "Palabras Con Sentido" (Spanish for "Words With Sentiments"), which defends reggaeton and urban music of all the accusations of being a "society poison". Daddy Yankee expressed that all music has something good to give, even urban music. On his single, he also says that urban music saves lives, like his own, and the solution would be that churches have to remain, journalists have to tell the truth, artists have to have more inspiration, and the rich people have to help the poor ones. On September 9, 2014 he released his first totally English single called "This Is Not A Love Song" featuring new rapper Duncan.
2016–present: El Disco Duro
On April 28, 2016, Daddy Yankee was awarded the "Industry Leader Award" during the 2016 Latin Billboard Awards.
After a decade-long feud with longtime rival Don Omar for the "King of Reggaetón" title, in early 2016 Daddy Yankee and Don Omar announced in a Billboard press conference that they would perform together on stage in a concert series called The Kingdom Tour. The tour announcement left many fans in disbelief as it sold out in minutes in major cities like Las Vegas, Orlando, Los Angeles, New York. The concerts were structured like a boxing match, where the two artists got to trade off musical rounds, and fans voted for their winner in each city via an app designed for the event. "Two kings, one throne", said Pina Records founder Rafael Pina, who had a well-established relationship with both artists, and who also came up with the idea for the tour concept. Discussing the tour and his rivalry with Daddy Yankee, Don Omar said "Let me clarify: I am not his best friend, and he is not my best friend, but we respect each other. That desire to be the best is what has pushed us to be better."
In 2017, Daddy Yankee, in collaboration with Latin pop singer Luis Fonsi, released the hit single "Despacito". It became the first Spanish-language song to hit number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 since "Macarena" in 1996. The single gained global success. The official video for "Despacito" on YouTube received its billionth view on April 20, 2017 after 97 days, becoming the second-fastest video on the site to reach the milestone behind Adele's "Hello". Its success led Daddy Yankee to become the most listened artist worldwide on the streaming service Spotify in June 2017, being the first Latin artist to do so.
In early 2018, Daddy Yankee released his first latin trap singles with the song "Hielo", and on the single "Vuelve" on which he collaborated with Bad Bunny.
In August 2018, Daddy Yankee collaborated with Janet Jackson on her return to music on the song "Made for Now".
He released the 2019 single "Con Calma", a reimagination of Snow's 1992 hit single "Informer". Snow recorded new parts and the Spanish-language remake topped the charts of 20 countries and reached the top 10 of 10 others.
Film and other career projects
Ayala has negotiated promotional deals with several companies outside of the music industry, releasing merchandise under his name. In 2005, he became the first Latin artist to sign a deal with Reebok, in order to produce accessories, including the licensed clothing line "DY", which was released in 2006. He also teamed up with the company to have his own shoes and sporting goods made, which were first distributed on May 23, 2006. Reebok continued the partnership with the introduction of the Travel Trainer collection in July 2007. In August 2007, Pepsi began an advertising campaign titled "Puertas", in which Ayala is depicted returning to his youth by opening a series of doors.
Ayala has worked in the film industry as both an actor and producer. His acting debut was as an extra in the 2004 film Vampiros, directed by Eduardo Ortiz and filmed in Puerto Rico. The film premiered at the Festival of Latin American Cinema in New York, where it received a positive reaction. This led Image Entertainment to produce a DVD, internationally released in March 2005. Ayala played the main role, "Edgar Dinero", in Talento de Barrio, which was filmed in Puerto Rico and directed by José Iván Santiago. Ayala produced the film, which is based on his experience of growing up in a poor city neighborhood. While the film is not directly a biography, Ayala has stated that it mirrors his early life. Talento de Barrio's debut was scheduled for July 23, 2008, in New York's Latino Film Festival. After the premier, Ayala expressed satisfaction, saying that he had been invited to audition for other producers. On release, Talento de Barrio broke the record held by Maldeamores for the most tickets to a Puerto Rican movie sold in a single day in Caribbean Cinemas.
Ayala has been involved in the administration of three organizations, the first being El Cartel Records which he co-owns with Andres Hernandez. He also created the Fundación Corazón Guerrero, a charitable organization in Puerto Rico which works with young incarcerated people. On April 26, 2008, he was presented with a "Latino of the Year Award" by the student organization Presencia Latina of Harvard College, receiving it for his work with Puerto Rican youth and creating Corazón Guerrero. On February 6, 2008, Ayala announced in a Baloncesto Superior Nacional press conference that he had bought part of the Criollos de Caguas' ownership. He has also been active with Cruz Roja Puerto Rico in several media campaigns.
In March 2013, Daddy Yankee talked about a new movie production during an interview in Las Vegas. During an interview in a radio station in January 2014, Ayala announced the film, but he only mentioned that many reggaeton exponents would take part of it. In February 2014 it was confirmed that the movie will be about the boxer Macho Camacho's life. According to Ayala, he had the boxer's support to film the movie, but it remained in nothing after Camacho's death on November 24, 2012. The film was due for release in 2015.
The most recent of Daddy Yankee's non-music projects was the release of his game Trylogy, a 3D video game based in tower defense games. The game was presented at the New York Comic Con and was released on November 29, 2013. The game also features Ayala's songs like "Gasolina" and "Limbo".
Personal life
Family
Ayala has kept most of his personal life private, rarely speaking about it in interviews. He has said that he avoids doing so because such details are the only aspect of his life that are not public and that they are like a "little treasure". In 2006 he spoke about his relationship with his wife Mireddys González and children in an interview with María Celeste Arrarás in Al Rojo Vivo. He stated that his marriage is strong because he and his wife are "friends above anything", and that he has tried to ignore other temptations because "weakness is the reason for the downfall of several artists". He met his wife when they were little and at just 17 years old they decided to get married. As a result of the union their first daughter Yamilette Ayala González was born. His first daughter was born when he was seventeen years old, which he described as confusing at first, adding that raising a daughter at that age was a hard experience. He has another son, Jeremy, born in 1998, and another daughter, Jesaaelys, born in 1996.
Political views
In 2008, Ayala participated in a campaign to promote voting in the 2008 general elections in Puerto Rico. This initiative included a concert titled "Vota o quédate callado" (Vote or Remain Silent).
On August 25, 2008, Ayala endorsed Republican John McCain's candidacy for President of the United States in the 2008 election, stating that McCain was a "fighter for the Hispanic community". As part of this campaign, Ayala moderated a debate titled "Vota o quédate callado: los candidatos responden a los jóvenes", which was aired on October 9, 2008.
In November 2019, Ayala inaugurated a museum of reggaeton at Plaza Las Américas, the first of its kind.
Philanthropy
In 2007, Daddy Yankee became the spokesperson of the environmental organization "Yo Limpio a Puerto Rico" (I Clean Puerto Rico) founded by Ignacio Barsottelli. Yo Limpio a Puerto Rico, PepsiCo and Wal-Mart announced a joint effort to promote recycling in Puerto Rico among the general public and schools across the island with the campaign "Tómatelo en Serio, Recicla por Puerto Rico" (Take it seriously, recycle for Puerto Rico), in which Daddy Yankee became the main spokesperson. This campaign incorporated a recycling contest among public and private schools from around the island in the elementary, junior high, and high school categories. The program established 16 recycling centers located at Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores across the island, where consumers were able to deposit recyclable items.
In 2017, Daddy Yankee donated $100,000 to the Food Bank of Puerto Rico after the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria. The money provided food to roughly 9,000 families on the island.
Daddy Yankee presented the HR Derby Champ medallion to Pete Alonso upon his winning the MLB HR Derby on July 8, 2019.
Legacy
Daddy Yankee has been dubbed "King of Reggaetón" by media. Rachel Grace Almeida from Vice felt Daddy Yankee paved the way with his music to amplify and normalize the "marginalised" Latino identity. She also commented that Yankee played a vital part in "bringing glamour to the barrio and challenged the mainstream media's portrayal of Hispanic poverty in those neighbourhoods". He was highlighted by CNN and Time as one of the most influential Hispanics in the world. Roy Trakin from Pollstar considered his collaboration with Luis Fonsi in "Despacito" helped "turn his native Puerto Rico's music into a global phenomenon".
Daddy Yankee's third studio album Barrio Fino (2004) ushered reggaeton into the mainstream. Its single "Gasolina" "[altered] the business, sound and aesthetic of Latin music", stated Billboard, "the genre would revive sales of Latin music, usher in a new radio format in the U.S. (Latin Rhythm Airplay) and establish the urban base responsible for many Latin radio hits today." According to Nestor Casonú, president for Kobalt Music Latin America, "Daddy Yankee and 'Gasolina' triggered the explosion of urban Latin music worldwide."
In 2006, a The New York Times article deemed him "The King of Reggaetón" while commenting on 2004's music revenue, "one bright spot for the music industry was Latin music: sales grew by 12 percent, according to Nielsen SoundScan. At least some of that success is owed to reggaetón and by extension to Daddy Yankee, its top-selling act."
Multiple artists have cited him as an inspiration, including J Balvin, Ozuna, Bad Bunny, Lunay, Miguelito, and Natti Natasha.
Achievements
Daddy Yankee has received several awards and honors, including 10 Guinness World Records and seven Billboard Music Awards (the most for any Latin artist). He was honored with the Icon Award by Latin American Music Awards, the Industry Leader Award from the Latin Billboard Awards and inducted into its Hall of Fame, and received the Lifetime Achievement Award in Lo Nuestro Awards from Balvin. J Balvin stated: "Reggaeton would not be what it is without Daddy Yankee and without Yankee, there would be no Balvin".
Having sold 20 million records worldwide, Yankee is one of the best-selling Latin music artists. As of April 2020, Daddy Yankee is the most subscribed Latin artist on YouTube Music. He also is the first Latin act to be the most listened-to artist worldwide, and remains on Top 20 as of April 2020. In 2019, he set a new record in his country as the artist with the most shows at Coliseum of Puerto Rico, with 12 consecutive sold-out concerts.
Yankee has multiple charts records. He is the artist with the most number one and most entries on the Billboard Latin Rhythm Airplay. He also has the most entries on the Latin Pop Airplay and the second most entries on Hot Latin Songs. Additionally, he achieved three and six top 25 and top 50 Spanish-language singles on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively, the most by any artist. Barrio Fino and Barrio Fino en Directo are two of the best-selling Latin albums in the United States.
With "Despacito", both Yankee and Luis Fonsi achieved multiple worldwide records, including the most-viewed YouTube video (and it became the first video on the site to reach the milestones of three, four, five, six, and seven billion views) and the first Latin song to receive a diamond certification by Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Additionally, "Despacito" received thirteen-times platinum by RIAA for units of over 13 million sales plus track-equivalent streams, making it the highest-certified single of all-time in the United States. It also became the song with most weeks at number one in Switzerland and Germany, and the most weeks at number one on Hot Latin Songs.
Discography
Studio albums
No Mercy (1995)
El Cangri.com (2003)
Barrio Fino (2004)
El Cartel: The Big Boss (2007)
Mundial (2010)
Prestige (2012)
El Disco Duro (TBA)
Live albums
2005: Ahora Le Toca Al Cangri! Live
2005: Barrio Fino En Directo
2020: 2K20 Pt. 1
2020: 2K20 Pt. 2
2020: 2K20 Pt. 3
Other albums
1997: El Cartel De Yankee
2001: El Cartel II: Los Cangris
2003: Los Homerun-Es De Yankee
2008: Talento De Barrio
2013: King Daddy
Producer
1998: Tierra De Nadie (de Benny Blanco)
1999: Gritos De Guerra (de Rubio & Joel)
1999: Guatauba 2000 (de Manolo Guatauba)
2001: Haciendo Escante (de Nicky Jam)
2003: Salón De La Fama (de Nicky Jam)
2006: Más Grande Que Tú (de Miguelito)
2007: El Heredero (de Miguelito)
Concert tours
As a headliner
Barrio Fino World Tour (2004–06)
The Big Boss Tour (2007–09)
Mundial Tour (2010–11)
European Tour (2012)
Prestige World Tour (2012–13)
King Daddy Tour (2014–15)
TamoEnVivoTour (2017)
La Gira Dura (2018)
Con Calma Tour (2019)
As a co-headliner
The Kingdom Tour (2015–16) (with Don Omar)
Filmography
Film
Television
See also
Reggaeton
Latin American music
List of Caribbean music genres
List of Puerto Ricans
List of Puerto Rican songwriters
Urban contemporary
References
External links
1977 births
Living people
American hip hop musicians
American shooting survivors
Capitol Latin artists
Latin Grammy Award winners
Latin music songwriters
Pop rappers
21st-century Puerto Rican male singers
Puerto Rican rappers
Puerto Rican reggaeton musicians
Urbano musicians
Singers from San Juan, Puerto Rico
Sony Music Latin artists
Southern hip hop musicians
Spanish-language singers of the United States
Universal Music Latin Entertainment artists
20th-century Puerto Rican male singers
| true |
[
"This One's for You is the sixth album by R&B crooner Teddy Pendergrass. It was released just after a bad car accident Pendergrass was involved in, which left him paralyzed from the waist down due to a spinal cord injury. The album did not do as well as his previous albums did on the Billboard 200, peaking at only #59, but it did do well on the R&B album chart, reaching #6. Only one single was released, \"I Can't Win for Losing\", which peaked at only #32 on the R&B charts.\n\nTrack listing\n \"I Can't Win for Losing\" 4:16 (Victor Carstarphen, Gene McFadden, John Whitehead)\n \"This One's for You\" 6:18 (Barry Manilow, Marty Panzer)\n \"Loving You Was Good\" 3:35 (LeRoy Bell, Casey James)\n \"This Gift of Life\" 4:27 (Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff)\n \"Now Tell Me That You Love Me\" 5:15 (Gamble, Huff)\n \"It's Up to You (What You Do With Your Life)\" 5:37 (Gamble, Huff)\n \"Don't Leave Me out Along the Road\" 3:34 (Richard Roebuck)\n \"Only to You\" 3:53 (Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson)\n\nReferences\n\n1982 albums\nTeddy Pendergrass albums\nAlbums produced by Kenneth Gamble\nAlbums produced by Leon Huff\nAlbums produced by Thom Bell\nAlbums produced by Ashford & Simpson\nAlbums arranged by Bobby Martin\nAlbums recorded at Sigma Sound Studios\nPhiladelphia International Records albums",
"Follow Me is the second album of Dutch singer Do.\n\nIt did well in the Netherlands, debuting at #8 in the Mega Top 100 (album chart).\n\nAlbum information\nAfter her successful debut album Do she began working on her second album with her best friend and musical partner Glenn Corneille. They made a basis for the next album but Glenn Corneille died in a car disaster. However, Do needed to go on, so she started again where she left off.\n\nThe album contains 12 songs. Do co-wrote 3 songs; Love Me, Tune Into Me and When Everything is Gone. It features several different music genres, such as Pop, Jazz, Gospel and Country.\n\nTrack listing\n\nChart positions\n\nReferences\n.\n\n2006 albums\nDo (singer) albums\nSony BMG albums"
] |
[
"Daddy Yankee",
"2007-09: El Cartel: The Big Boss and Talento De Barrio",
"What is El Cartel?",
"album",
"When was this released?",
"June 5, 2007.",
"Did this album do well?",
"The album was promoted by a tour throughout the United States, which continued throughout Latin America.",
"Did he go on tour?",
"He performed in Mexico, first in Monterrey, where 10,000 attended the concert, and later at San Luis Potosi coliseum,",
"Where else did he perform?",
"Ayala performed in Chile as well, and established a record for attendance in Ecuador. He also performed in Bolivia,",
"What other countries did he visit?",
"On February 27, 2009, he performed at the Vina del Mar International Song Festival in Chile.",
"What is The Big Boss?",
"album",
"Is Talento De Barrio an album as well?",
"\". On 17 August 2008 was released his soundtrack album Talento De Barrio for the eponymous film.",
"Did this album do well?",
"The album was awarded as Multi-Platinum by RIAA on 17 April 2009."
] |
C_c5c8ca973e4d47478cfa71a686c386f9_1
|
What other achievements or awards did he receive during this time?
| 10 |
What other achievements or awards did the El Cartel artist receive during 2009 in addition to multi-platinum?
|
Daddy Yankee
|
El Cartel: The Big Boss was released by Interscope on June 5, 2007. Ayala stated that the album marked a return to his hip-hop roots as opposed to being considered a strictly reggaeton album. The album was produced in 2006, and included the participation of will.i.am, Scott Storch, Tainy Tunes, Neli, and personnel from Ayala's label. Singles were produced with Hector Delgado, Fergie, Nicole Scherzinger and Akon. The first single from the album was titled "Impacto", and was released prior to the completion of the album. The album was promoted by a tour throughout the United States, which continued throughout Latin America. He performed in Mexico, first in Monterrey, where 10,000 attended the concert, and later at San Luis Potosi coliseum, where the concert sold out, leaving hundreds of fans outside the building. Ayala performed in Chile as well, and established a record for attendance in Ecuador. He also performed in Bolivia, setting another record when 50,000 fans attended his Santa Cruz de la Sierra concert. This show was later described as "the best show with the biggest attendance in history" and as "somehappy that his album had sold more than those of Juan Luis Guerra and Juanes, and that this was an "official proof that reggaeton's principal exponent defeated the rest of the genres". Between 2007 and 2008, Ayala made several guest appearances in famous reggaeton compilation albums including Caribbean Connection, Echo Presenta: Invasion, Mas Flow: Los Benjamins, and 20 Number 1's Now. He appeared on the 2008 Rockstar Games' video game Grand Theft Auto IV as the DJ of Radio San Juan Sounds, with spanglish lines. The radio includes reggaeton songs from Ayala's colleagues, like Wisin & Yandel, Hector "El Father", Tito El Bambino and Jowell & Randy. San Juan Sounds also featured Daddy Yankee's hit "Impacto". In July 2008, Ayala announced that as part of his work, he would produce a cover version of Thalia's song, "Ten Paciencia". On 17 August 2008 was released his soundtrack album Talento De Barrio for the eponymous film. Prior to the album's release, Ayala scheduled several activities, including an in-store contract signing. The album was awarded as Multi-Platinum by RIAA on 17 April 2009. On February 27, 2009, he performed at the Vina del Mar International Song Festival in Chile. In this event, the artists receive awards based on the public's reaction. After performing "Rompe", "Llamado de emergencia", "Ella Me Levanto", "Gasolina", "Limpia Parabrisas" and "Lo Que Paso, Paso" over the course of two hours, Ayala received the "Silver Torch", "Gold Torch" and "Silver Seagull" recognitions. On April 24, 2009, he received the Spirit of Hope Award as part of the Latin Billboard Music Awards ceremony. The recognition is given to the artists that participate in their community or social efforts throughout the year. CANNOTANSWER
|
On April 24, 2009, he received the Spirit of Hope Award as part of the Latin Billboard Music Awards ceremony.
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Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez (born February 3, 1977), known professionally as Daddy Yankee, is a Puerto Rican rapper, singer and songwriter. He is known as the "King of Reggaetón" by music critics and fans alike. Daddy Yankee is the artist who coined the word reggaeton in 1994 to describe the new music genre that was emerging from Puerto Rico that synthesized American hip-hop, Latin Caribbean music, and Jamaican reggae rhythms with Spanish rapping and singing. He is often cited as an influence by other Latin urban performers.
Ayala was born in Río Piedras and was raised in the Villa Kennedy Housing Projects neighborhood. He aspired to be a professional baseball player and tried out for the Seattle Mariners of the Major League Baseball. Before he could be officially signed, he was hit by a stray round from an AK-47 rifle while taking a break from a studio recording session with reggaeton artist DJ Playero. Ayala spent roughly a year and a half recovering from the wound; the bullet was never removed from his hip, and he credits the shooting incident with allowing him to focus entirely on a music career. In 2004, Daddy Yankee released his international hit single "Gasolina", which is credited with introducing reggaeton to audiences worldwide, and making the music genre a global phenomenon. Since then, he has sold around 20 million records, making him one of the best-selling Latin music artists.
Daddy Yankee's album Barrio Fino made history when it became the top-selling Latin music album of the decade between 2000 and 2009. In 2017, Daddy Yankee, in collaboration with Latin pop singer Luis Fonsi, released the hit single "Despacito". It became the first Spanish-language song to hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 since "Macarena" in 1996. The single gained global success. The video for "Despacito" on YouTube received its billionth view on April 20, 2017, and became the most-watched video on the platform. Its success led Daddy Yankee to become the most-listened artist worldwide on the streaming service Spotify in June 2017, the first Latin artist to do so.
As of 2017, Daddy Yankee has won 82 awards from 270 nominations since his rise to international fame in 2004. He has won five Latin Grammy Awards, two Billboard Music Awards, 14 Billboard Latin Music Awards, two Latin American Music Awards, eight Lo Nuestro Awards, an MTV Video Music Award, and six ASCAP Awards. He also received a Puerto Rican Walk of Fame star, special awards by People en Español magazine, and the Presencia Latina at Harvard University. He was named by CNN as the "Most Influential Hispanic Artist" of 2009, and included in Time 100 in 2006.
Musical career
1994–1999: Career beginnings
Often considered to be one of the pioneers within the reggaeton genre, Ayala was originally going to become a professional baseball player but he was shot in his leg while taking a break from a studio recording session. The bullet was never removed and he credits this incident with allowing him to pursue a musical career. He first appeared on the 1994 DJ Playero's Mixtape, Playero 34, with the song "So' Persigueme, No Te Detengas". His first official studio project as a solo artist was No Mercy, which was released on April 2, 1995 through White Lion Records and BM Records in Puerto Rico. Early in his career he attempted to imitate the rap style of Vico C. He went on to emulate other artists in the genre, including DJ Playero, DJ Nelson, and Tempo taking elements from their styles in order to develop an original style with the Dembow rhythm. In doing so, he eventually abandoned the traditional model of rap and became one of the first artists to perform reggaeton. Throughout the 1990s, Daddy Yankee appeared in several of DJ Playero's underground mixtapes which were banned by the Puerto Rican government due to explicit lyrics; these songs would later be among the first reggaeton songs ever produced. DJ Playero and Daddy Yankee would later be credited for inventing the name "reggaeton" to describe their music on the album Playero 36 in 1994.
2000–2003: Early music and El Cangri.com
In 1997, Daddy Yankee collaborated with the rapper Nas, who was an inspiration for Ayala, in the song "The Profecy", for the album Boricua Guerrero. He released two compilation albums with original material: El Cartel (1997) and El Cartel II (2001). Both albums were successful in Puerto Rico, but not throughout Latin America. Between those years, Ayala released a total of nine music videos, including "Posición" featuring Alberto Stylee, "Tu Cuerpo En La Cama" featuring Nicky Jam, and "Muévete Y Perrea".
In 2000, Daddy Yankee formed an unofficial duo called "Los Cangris" with Nicky Jam and released several successful singles together. Yankee and Nicky Jam fell apart in 2004 due to personal issues and creative differences. In 2012, Daddy Yankee and Nicky Jam reconciled and performed in various concerts together.
In 2002, El Cangri.com became Ayala's first album with international success, receiving coverage in the markets of New York City and Miami with hits including "Latigazo", "Son Las Doce", "Guayando" and other songs like "Enciende", which talks about different social problems of the era, mentioning 9/11, corruption and religion.
In 2003, Daddy Yankee released a compilation album named Los Homerun-es, which contains his first charted single ("Segurosqui"), five new songs and 12 remakes of DJ Playero's albums songs. that was later charted, "Seguroski", being his first charted single after six of them.
In 2003, Ayala collaborated for the first time with the prestigious reggaeton producers Luny Tunes on the album Mas Flow, with his commercial success song "Cógela Que Va Sin Jockey" (a.k.a. "Métele Con Candela"), and Mas Flow 2.
2004–2006: Barrio Fino and "Gasolina"
Ayala's next album, Barrio Fino, was produced by Luny Tunes and DJ Nelson among others and released in July 2004 by El Cartel Records and VI Music. It was the most highly anticipated album in the reggaeton community. Ayala had enjoyed salsa music since he was young, and this led him to include music of genres besides reggaeton in the album. The most prominent of these cross-genre singles was "Melao", in which he performed with Andy Montañez. The album was described as his most complete, and with it he intended to introduce combinations of reggaeton and other genres to the English-speaking market. Barrio Fino was followed up by an international tour with performances in numerous countries including the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Honduras, Spain, Colombia, Argentina, Venezuela, and the United States. The album has sold over 1.1 millions of copies in the United States alone, making it the seventh best-selling Latin album in the country according to Nielsen SoundScan. Also, It had sold over 2 million copies throughout Latin America and worldwide.
During this same time, Daddy Yankee was featured in N.O.R.E.'s single "Oye Mi Canto" which hit number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart; a record for a reggaeton single at the time. Other successful featured singles included "Mayor Que Yo" and "Los 12 Discípulos".
In 2005, Ayala won several international awards, making him one of the most recognized reggaeton artists within the music industry. The first award of the year was Lo Nuestro Awards within the "Album of the Year" category, which he received for Barrio Fino. In this event he performed "Gasolina" in a performance that was described as "innovative". Barrio Fino also won the "Reggaeton Album of the Year" award in the Latin Billboard that took place on April 28, 2005, where he performed a mix of three of his songs in a duet with P. Diddy. The album was promoted throughout Latin America, the United States, and Europe, reaching certified gold in Japan. Due to the album's success, Ayala received promotional contracts with radio stations and soda companies, including Pepsi. His hit single, "Gasolina", received the majority of votes cast for the second edition of Premios Juventud, in which it received eight nominations and won seven awards. Ayala also made a live presentation during the award ceremony. "Gasolina" received nominations in the Latin Grammy and MTV Video Music Awards. The commercial success of "Gasolina" in the United States led to the creation of a new radio format and a Billboard chart: Latin Rhythm Airplay. According to Nestor Casonu, CEO of Casonu Strategic Management, "Daddy Yankee and 'Gasolina' triggered the explosion of urban Latin music worldwide".
The successful single, "Gasolina", was covered by artists from different music genres. This led to a controversy when "Los Lagos", a Mexican banda group, did a cover with the original beat but changed the song's lyrics. The group's label had solicited the copyright permission to perform the single and translate it to a different music style, but did not receive consent to change the lyrics; legal action followed. Speaking for the artist, Ayala's lawyer stated that having his song covered was an "honor, but it must be done the right way."
On December 13, 2005, he released Barrio Fino en Directo, a live record and the follow up of Barrio Fino. The album sold more than in 800,000 copies in the United States, becoming the 13th best-selling Latin album in the US according to Nielsen SoundScan and over 3 million of copies worldwide.
On April 30, 2006, Ayala was named one of the 100 most influential people by Time, which cited the 2 million copies of Barrio Fino sold, Ayala's $20 million contract with Interscope Records, and his Pepsi endorsement.
During this period, Ayala and William Omar Landrón (more commonly known by his artistic name Don Omar) were involved in a rivalry within the genre, dubbed "tiraera". The rivalry received significant press coverage despite being denied early on by both artists. It originated with a lyrical conflict between the artists begun by Ayala's comments in a remix single, where he criticized Landron's common usage of the nickname "King of Kings". Don Omar responded to this in a song titled "Ahora Son Mejor", in his album Los Rompediscotecas.
2007–2009: El Cartel: The Big Boss and Talento De Barrio
El Cartel: The Big Boss was released by Interscope on June 5, 2007. Ayala stated that the album marked a return to his hip-hop roots as opposed to being considered a strictly reggaeton album. The album was produced in 2006, and included the participation of will.i.am, Scott Storch, Tainy Tunes, Neli, and personnel from Ayala's label. Singles were produced with Héctor Delgado, Fergie, Nicole Scherzinger and Akon. The first single from the album was titled "Impacto", and was released prior to the completion of the album. The album was promoted by a tour throughout the United States, which continued throughout Latin America. He performed in Mexico, first in Monterrey, where 10,000 attended the concert, and later at San Luis Potosí coliseum, where the concert sold out, leaving hundreds of fans outside the building. Ayala performed in Chile as well, and established a record for attendance in Ecuador. He also performed in Bolivia, setting another record when 50,000 fans attended his Santa Cruz de la Sierra concert. This show was later described as "the best show with the biggest attendance in history" and as "somehappy that his album had sold more than those of Juan Luis Guerra and Juanes, and that this was an "official proof that reggaeton's principal exponent defeated the rest of the genres".
Between 2007 and 2008, Ayala made several guest appearances in famous reggaeton compilation albums including Caribbean Connection, Echo Presenta: Invasión, Mas Flow: Los Benjamins, and 20 Number 1's Now.
He appeared on the 2008 Rockstar Games' video game Grand Theft Auto IV as the DJ of Radio San Juan Sounds, with spanglish lines. The radio includes reggaeton songs from Ayala's colleagues, like Wisin & Yandel, Hector "El Father", Tito El Bambino and Jowell & Randy. San Juan Sounds also featured Daddy Yankee's hit "Impacto".
In July 2008, Ayala announced that as part of his work, he would produce a cover version of Thalía's song, "Ten Paciencia". On August 17, 2008 his soundtrack album Talento De Barrio for the eponymous film was released. Prior to the album's release, Ayala scheduled several activities, including an in-store contract signing. The album was awarded as Multi-Platinum by RIAA on April 17, 2009. On February 27, 2009, he performed at the Viña del Mar International Song Festival in Chile. In this event, the artists receive awards based on the public's reaction. After performing "Rompe", "Llamado de emergencia", "Ella Me Levantó", "Gasolina", "Limpia Parabrisas" and "Lo Que Pasó, Pasó" over the course of two hours, Ayala received the "Silver Torch", "Gold Torch" and "Silver Seagull" recognitions. On April 24, 2009, he received the Spirit of Hope Award as part of the Latin Billboard Music Awards ceremony. The recognition is given to the artists that participate in their community or social efforts throughout the year.
2009–2013: Mundial and Prestige
The single, "Grito Mundial", was released on October 8, 2009, in order to promote his ninth album, Mundial. The song was going to be the official theme for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, but Ayala rejected the FIFA offer, which gave them 100% of the rights. Despite releasing "El Ritmo No Perdona (Prende)" more than a month before, that single was not considered the first official promotional single. The second single, "Descontrol", was released on January 12, 2010, and topped the Billboard Latin Rhythm Airplay. The music video was filmed in New York City and was released on May 17, 2010. "La Despedida" was the third single, released on August 4, 2010. The song reached #4 in both Billboard Top Latin Songs and Latin Pop Songs. Other songs, like "Bailando Fue" (featuring Jowell & Randy) and "Échale Pique" (featuring Yomo) were not included in Mundial.
In 2010, Daddy Yankee participated in the song "Somos El Mundo 25 Por Haiti", by providing the rap vocals alongside rapper Pitbull.
Daddy Yankee's sixth studio album, Prestige was released on September 11, 2012. It was scheduled to be released on November or December 2011, but a hurricane damaged El Cartel Records and half of the album was lost. The lost tracks had to be reworked and was finally released nine months later. The first single, "Ven Conmigo", featuring bachata singer Prince Royce, was released on April 12, 2011 and peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Latin Charts. The second single, "Lovumba", was released on October 4, 2011 and was a number one hit on the Billboard Latin Charts and the Latin Songs chart. It was also nominated for Best Urban Song at the 2012 Latin Grammy Awards. The third single, "Pasarela", was released on June 20, 2012. The album peaked at number 39 on the Billboard 200, number one on both the Billboard Latin Albums and Latin Rhythm Albums charts. It also peaked at number five on the Billboard Rap Albums chart. The fourth and last single, Limbo, was released with the album. The song had a great success, reaching three #1 Billboard charts (Hot Latin Song, Latin Pop Song and Latin Rhythm Airplay) and having more than 790 million views on YouTube. The album was certified as Gold by the RIAA on March 8, 2013.
The year 2012 had one of the most important genre events of the year: the reconciliation between Daddy Yankee and Wisin & Yandel, after some years of rivalry. Six years after their last collaboration, Daddy Yankee appeared on the duo's remix song "Hipnotízame", with positive acclaim from fans. Two months later, on February 16, 2013, Wisin & Yandel collaborated in the remix of "Limbo". Later in 2013, the three artists performed songs like "Hipnotízame", "Mayor Que Yo" and "Noche De Entierro" in two concerts (one in Puerto Rico and another in Colombia).
On February 25, 2013, Daddy Yankee performed in the 2013 Viña del Mar International Song Festival, to a sold-out audience. He performed hits like "Limbo", "Gasolina", "Pose", "Ella Me Levantó" and "Descontrol". He won the Silver and Golden Torch and the Silver and Golden Seagull recognitions.
In 2013, Daddy Yankee performed on his Prestige World Tour, touring several countries in Europe including, Spain, Germany, France and Italy. He has also toured in Colombia, Peru, Chile to sold-out audiences. In 2013 he released music videos of "El Amante" featuring J Alvarez, "Summertime" and "Noche de los Dos" featuring Natalia Jimenez, with millions of views on YouTube.
2013–2015: King Daddy
On October 29, 2013, Daddy Yankee released a mixtape entitled "King Daddy", produced by Los De La Nazza (Musicologo & Menes), as part the Imperio Nazza Mixtapes series and was released as a digital-format only. The mixtape was made because of the high demand from the fans and is a return to his original reggaeton roots. It includes 11 tracks with collaborations from J Alvarez, Arcángel, Yandel, Farruko, and Divino. According to Ayala, "King Daddy" was recorded in two and a half weeks, because there was "a lot of inspiration". The song "La Rompe Carros" has garnered popularity among the public, but his hit single was "La Nueva y La Ex" which has been widely received all over South America, Europe, and North America. During a press conference earlier this year, Daddy Yankee announced the physical release of King Daddy scheduled for later this year with 3 or 4 bonus tracks for a total of 14 or 15 songs included.
From May 13 to June 22, 2014, Ayala performed on his King Daddy Tour, touring several cities in Europe. He has also toured in South and North American cities. In Spain, his concerts were on the 4º position in the box-office ranking, being the first Latin artist on the top 5 in this country, underneath Iron Maiden and The Rolling Stones, and over artists like Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus and Michael Bublé.
On June 17, 2014 the single "Ora Por Mí" (Spanish for "Pray For Me") was released as part of the King Daddy's bonus tracks and uses the Scorpions' "Send Me An Angel" instrumental, with a rap sampler. The official video for "Ora Por Mí" was released on June 24, 2014. It was filmed in many locations in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and talks about Ayala's life and the dark side of fame. According to Ayala, it is the most personal song of his career. On September 2, 2014, it was released another single called "Palabras Con Sentido" (Spanish for "Words With Sentiments"), which defends reggaeton and urban music of all the accusations of being a "society poison". Daddy Yankee expressed that all music has something good to give, even urban music. On his single, he also says that urban music saves lives, like his own, and the solution would be that churches have to remain, journalists have to tell the truth, artists have to have more inspiration, and the rich people have to help the poor ones. On September 9, 2014 he released his first totally English single called "This Is Not A Love Song" featuring new rapper Duncan.
2016–present: El Disco Duro
On April 28, 2016, Daddy Yankee was awarded the "Industry Leader Award" during the 2016 Latin Billboard Awards.
After a decade-long feud with longtime rival Don Omar for the "King of Reggaetón" title, in early 2016 Daddy Yankee and Don Omar announced in a Billboard press conference that they would perform together on stage in a concert series called The Kingdom Tour. The tour announcement left many fans in disbelief as it sold out in minutes in major cities like Las Vegas, Orlando, Los Angeles, New York. The concerts were structured like a boxing match, where the two artists got to trade off musical rounds, and fans voted for their winner in each city via an app designed for the event. "Two kings, one throne", said Pina Records founder Rafael Pina, who had a well-established relationship with both artists, and who also came up with the idea for the tour concept. Discussing the tour and his rivalry with Daddy Yankee, Don Omar said "Let me clarify: I am not his best friend, and he is not my best friend, but we respect each other. That desire to be the best is what has pushed us to be better."
In 2017, Daddy Yankee, in collaboration with Latin pop singer Luis Fonsi, released the hit single "Despacito". It became the first Spanish-language song to hit number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 since "Macarena" in 1996. The single gained global success. The official video for "Despacito" on YouTube received its billionth view on April 20, 2017 after 97 days, becoming the second-fastest video on the site to reach the milestone behind Adele's "Hello". Its success led Daddy Yankee to become the most listened artist worldwide on the streaming service Spotify in June 2017, being the first Latin artist to do so.
In early 2018, Daddy Yankee released his first latin trap singles with the song "Hielo", and on the single "Vuelve" on which he collaborated with Bad Bunny.
In August 2018, Daddy Yankee collaborated with Janet Jackson on her return to music on the song "Made for Now".
He released the 2019 single "Con Calma", a reimagination of Snow's 1992 hit single "Informer". Snow recorded new parts and the Spanish-language remake topped the charts of 20 countries and reached the top 10 of 10 others.
Film and other career projects
Ayala has negotiated promotional deals with several companies outside of the music industry, releasing merchandise under his name. In 2005, he became the first Latin artist to sign a deal with Reebok, in order to produce accessories, including the licensed clothing line "DY", which was released in 2006. He also teamed up with the company to have his own shoes and sporting goods made, which were first distributed on May 23, 2006. Reebok continued the partnership with the introduction of the Travel Trainer collection in July 2007. In August 2007, Pepsi began an advertising campaign titled "Puertas", in which Ayala is depicted returning to his youth by opening a series of doors.
Ayala has worked in the film industry as both an actor and producer. His acting debut was as an extra in the 2004 film Vampiros, directed by Eduardo Ortiz and filmed in Puerto Rico. The film premiered at the Festival of Latin American Cinema in New York, where it received a positive reaction. This led Image Entertainment to produce a DVD, internationally released in March 2005. Ayala played the main role, "Edgar Dinero", in Talento de Barrio, which was filmed in Puerto Rico and directed by José Iván Santiago. Ayala produced the film, which is based on his experience of growing up in a poor city neighborhood. While the film is not directly a biography, Ayala has stated that it mirrors his early life. Talento de Barrio's debut was scheduled for July 23, 2008, in New York's Latino Film Festival. After the premier, Ayala expressed satisfaction, saying that he had been invited to audition for other producers. On release, Talento de Barrio broke the record held by Maldeamores for the most tickets to a Puerto Rican movie sold in a single day in Caribbean Cinemas.
Ayala has been involved in the administration of three organizations, the first being El Cartel Records which he co-owns with Andres Hernandez. He also created the Fundación Corazón Guerrero, a charitable organization in Puerto Rico which works with young incarcerated people. On April 26, 2008, he was presented with a "Latino of the Year Award" by the student organization Presencia Latina of Harvard College, receiving it for his work with Puerto Rican youth and creating Corazón Guerrero. On February 6, 2008, Ayala announced in a Baloncesto Superior Nacional press conference that he had bought part of the Criollos de Caguas' ownership. He has also been active with Cruz Roja Puerto Rico in several media campaigns.
In March 2013, Daddy Yankee talked about a new movie production during an interview in Las Vegas. During an interview in a radio station in January 2014, Ayala announced the film, but he only mentioned that many reggaeton exponents would take part of it. In February 2014 it was confirmed that the movie will be about the boxer Macho Camacho's life. According to Ayala, he had the boxer's support to film the movie, but it remained in nothing after Camacho's death on November 24, 2012. The film was due for release in 2015.
The most recent of Daddy Yankee's non-music projects was the release of his game Trylogy, a 3D video game based in tower defense games. The game was presented at the New York Comic Con and was released on November 29, 2013. The game also features Ayala's songs like "Gasolina" and "Limbo".
Personal life
Family
Ayala has kept most of his personal life private, rarely speaking about it in interviews. He has said that he avoids doing so because such details are the only aspect of his life that are not public and that they are like a "little treasure". In 2006 he spoke about his relationship with his wife Mireddys González and children in an interview with María Celeste Arrarás in Al Rojo Vivo. He stated that his marriage is strong because he and his wife are "friends above anything", and that he has tried to ignore other temptations because "weakness is the reason for the downfall of several artists". He met his wife when they were little and at just 17 years old they decided to get married. As a result of the union their first daughter Yamilette Ayala González was born. His first daughter was born when he was seventeen years old, which he described as confusing at first, adding that raising a daughter at that age was a hard experience. He has another son, Jeremy, born in 1998, and another daughter, Jesaaelys, born in 1996.
Political views
In 2008, Ayala participated in a campaign to promote voting in the 2008 general elections in Puerto Rico. This initiative included a concert titled "Vota o quédate callado" (Vote or Remain Silent).
On August 25, 2008, Ayala endorsed Republican John McCain's candidacy for President of the United States in the 2008 election, stating that McCain was a "fighter for the Hispanic community". As part of this campaign, Ayala moderated a debate titled "Vota o quédate callado: los candidatos responden a los jóvenes", which was aired on October 9, 2008.
In November 2019, Ayala inaugurated a museum of reggaeton at Plaza Las Américas, the first of its kind.
Philanthropy
In 2007, Daddy Yankee became the spokesperson of the environmental organization "Yo Limpio a Puerto Rico" (I Clean Puerto Rico) founded by Ignacio Barsottelli. Yo Limpio a Puerto Rico, PepsiCo and Wal-Mart announced a joint effort to promote recycling in Puerto Rico among the general public and schools across the island with the campaign "Tómatelo en Serio, Recicla por Puerto Rico" (Take it seriously, recycle for Puerto Rico), in which Daddy Yankee became the main spokesperson. This campaign incorporated a recycling contest among public and private schools from around the island in the elementary, junior high, and high school categories. The program established 16 recycling centers located at Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores across the island, where consumers were able to deposit recyclable items.
In 2017, Daddy Yankee donated $100,000 to the Food Bank of Puerto Rico after the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria. The money provided food to roughly 9,000 families on the island.
Daddy Yankee presented the HR Derby Champ medallion to Pete Alonso upon his winning the MLB HR Derby on July 8, 2019.
Legacy
Daddy Yankee has been dubbed "King of Reggaetón" by media. Rachel Grace Almeida from Vice felt Daddy Yankee paved the way with his music to amplify and normalize the "marginalised" Latino identity. She also commented that Yankee played a vital part in "bringing glamour to the barrio and challenged the mainstream media's portrayal of Hispanic poverty in those neighbourhoods". He was highlighted by CNN and Time as one of the most influential Hispanics in the world. Roy Trakin from Pollstar considered his collaboration with Luis Fonsi in "Despacito" helped "turn his native Puerto Rico's music into a global phenomenon".
Daddy Yankee's third studio album Barrio Fino (2004) ushered reggaeton into the mainstream. Its single "Gasolina" "[altered] the business, sound and aesthetic of Latin music", stated Billboard, "the genre would revive sales of Latin music, usher in a new radio format in the U.S. (Latin Rhythm Airplay) and establish the urban base responsible for many Latin radio hits today." According to Nestor Casonú, president for Kobalt Music Latin America, "Daddy Yankee and 'Gasolina' triggered the explosion of urban Latin music worldwide."
In 2006, a The New York Times article deemed him "The King of Reggaetón" while commenting on 2004's music revenue, "one bright spot for the music industry was Latin music: sales grew by 12 percent, according to Nielsen SoundScan. At least some of that success is owed to reggaetón and by extension to Daddy Yankee, its top-selling act."
Multiple artists have cited him as an inspiration, including J Balvin, Ozuna, Bad Bunny, Lunay, Miguelito, and Natti Natasha.
Achievements
Daddy Yankee has received several awards and honors, including 10 Guinness World Records and seven Billboard Music Awards (the most for any Latin artist). He was honored with the Icon Award by Latin American Music Awards, the Industry Leader Award from the Latin Billboard Awards and inducted into its Hall of Fame, and received the Lifetime Achievement Award in Lo Nuestro Awards from Balvin. J Balvin stated: "Reggaeton would not be what it is without Daddy Yankee and without Yankee, there would be no Balvin".
Having sold 20 million records worldwide, Yankee is one of the best-selling Latin music artists. As of April 2020, Daddy Yankee is the most subscribed Latin artist on YouTube Music. He also is the first Latin act to be the most listened-to artist worldwide, and remains on Top 20 as of April 2020. In 2019, he set a new record in his country as the artist with the most shows at Coliseum of Puerto Rico, with 12 consecutive sold-out concerts.
Yankee has multiple charts records. He is the artist with the most number one and most entries on the Billboard Latin Rhythm Airplay. He also has the most entries on the Latin Pop Airplay and the second most entries on Hot Latin Songs. Additionally, he achieved three and six top 25 and top 50 Spanish-language singles on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively, the most by any artist. Barrio Fino and Barrio Fino en Directo are two of the best-selling Latin albums in the United States.
With "Despacito", both Yankee and Luis Fonsi achieved multiple worldwide records, including the most-viewed YouTube video (and it became the first video on the site to reach the milestones of three, four, five, six, and seven billion views) and the first Latin song to receive a diamond certification by Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Additionally, "Despacito" received thirteen-times platinum by RIAA for units of over 13 million sales plus track-equivalent streams, making it the highest-certified single of all-time in the United States. It also became the song with most weeks at number one in Switzerland and Germany, and the most weeks at number one on Hot Latin Songs.
Discography
Studio albums
No Mercy (1995)
El Cangri.com (2003)
Barrio Fino (2004)
El Cartel: The Big Boss (2007)
Mundial (2010)
Prestige (2012)
El Disco Duro (TBA)
Live albums
2005: Ahora Le Toca Al Cangri! Live
2005: Barrio Fino En Directo
2020: 2K20 Pt. 1
2020: 2K20 Pt. 2
2020: 2K20 Pt. 3
Other albums
1997: El Cartel De Yankee
2001: El Cartel II: Los Cangris
2003: Los Homerun-Es De Yankee
2008: Talento De Barrio
2013: King Daddy
Producer
1998: Tierra De Nadie (de Benny Blanco)
1999: Gritos De Guerra (de Rubio & Joel)
1999: Guatauba 2000 (de Manolo Guatauba)
2001: Haciendo Escante (de Nicky Jam)
2003: Salón De La Fama (de Nicky Jam)
2006: Más Grande Que Tú (de Miguelito)
2007: El Heredero (de Miguelito)
Concert tours
As a headliner
Barrio Fino World Tour (2004–06)
The Big Boss Tour (2007–09)
Mundial Tour (2010–11)
European Tour (2012)
Prestige World Tour (2012–13)
King Daddy Tour (2014–15)
TamoEnVivoTour (2017)
La Gira Dura (2018)
Con Calma Tour (2019)
As a co-headliner
The Kingdom Tour (2015–16) (with Don Omar)
Filmography
Film
Television
See also
Reggaeton
Latin American music
List of Caribbean music genres
List of Puerto Ricans
List of Puerto Rican songwriters
Urban contemporary
References
External links
1977 births
Living people
American hip hop musicians
American shooting survivors
Capitol Latin artists
Latin Grammy Award winners
Latin music songwriters
Pop rappers
21st-century Puerto Rican male singers
Puerto Rican rappers
Puerto Rican reggaeton musicians
Urbano musicians
Singers from San Juan, Puerto Rico
Sony Music Latin artists
Southern hip hop musicians
Spanish-language singers of the United States
Universal Music Latin Entertainment artists
20th-century Puerto Rican male singers
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[
"Elliott Carter (1908–2012) was an American modernist composer. Over the course of his career, Carter received two Pulitzer Prizes, and he was the first composer to receive the National Medal of Arts, \"the highest award given to artists and arts patrons by the United States government.\" Carter was also the first American composer to receive the Ernst von Siemens Music Prize, which has been called the \"Nobel Prize of Music.\" Carter also had the rare honor of being inducted into the American Classical Music Hall of Fame during his lifetime.\n\nAwards for career and lifetime achievements\n\nAwards and nominations for specific compositions\n\nGrants and fellowships\n\nReferences\n\nCarter, Elliott",
"The 1990 Brit Awards were the 10th edition of the biggest annual pop music awards in the United Kingdom. They are run by the British Phonographic Industry and took place on 18 February 1990. The ceremony was held at the Dominion Theatre in London for the first time, having previously been held at the Royal Albert Hall, and was hosted by Cathy McGowan.\n\nPerformances\nLisa Stansfield – \"All Around the World\"\nNeneh Cherry – \"Manchild\"\nNigel Kennedy – Vivaldi's Four Seasons\nVarious Artists with appearance by The Cookie Crew – \"The Brits 1990 (Dance Medley)\"\nPhil Collins – \"Another Day in Paradise\"\nSoul II Soul – What Is Soul II Soul\n\nWinners and nominees\n\nMultiple nominations and awards\nThe following artists received multiple awards and/or nominations. don't counting Outstanding Contribution to Music.\n\nNotable moments\n\nFreddie Mercury\nThe 1990 Brit Awards saw the final public appearance of Queen frontman Freddie Mercury. Queen appeared at the ceremony to receive the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music. Mercury – who had been suffering from AIDS since 1987 but had not yet disclosed it to the public – did not make a speech, as Brian May did the talking on behalf of the other members, but his gaunt appearance was noticeable. He briefly thanked the public and wished them goodnight before Queen left the stage. Mercury died in November 1991 from complications resulting from AIDS.\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\n1990 Brit Awards at Brits.co.uk\n\nBrit Awards\n1990 in British music\nBrit Awards\nBrit Awards\nBrit"
] |
[
"Daddy Yankee",
"2007-09: El Cartel: The Big Boss and Talento De Barrio",
"What is El Cartel?",
"album",
"When was this released?",
"June 5, 2007.",
"Did this album do well?",
"The album was promoted by a tour throughout the United States, which continued throughout Latin America.",
"Did he go on tour?",
"He performed in Mexico, first in Monterrey, where 10,000 attended the concert, and later at San Luis Potosi coliseum,",
"Where else did he perform?",
"Ayala performed in Chile as well, and established a record for attendance in Ecuador. He also performed in Bolivia,",
"What other countries did he visit?",
"On February 27, 2009, he performed at the Vina del Mar International Song Festival in Chile.",
"What is The Big Boss?",
"album",
"Is Talento De Barrio an album as well?",
"\". On 17 August 2008 was released his soundtrack album Talento De Barrio for the eponymous film.",
"Did this album do well?",
"The album was awarded as Multi-Platinum by RIAA on 17 April 2009.",
"What other achievements or awards did he receive during this time?",
"On April 24, 2009, he received the Spirit of Hope Award as part of the Latin Billboard Music Awards ceremony."
] |
C_c5c8ca973e4d47478cfa71a686c386f9_1
|
Did he win anything else?
| 11 |
Did the El Cartel artist win anything else other than Multi platinum and spirit of home award?
|
Daddy Yankee
|
El Cartel: The Big Boss was released by Interscope on June 5, 2007. Ayala stated that the album marked a return to his hip-hop roots as opposed to being considered a strictly reggaeton album. The album was produced in 2006, and included the participation of will.i.am, Scott Storch, Tainy Tunes, Neli, and personnel from Ayala's label. Singles were produced with Hector Delgado, Fergie, Nicole Scherzinger and Akon. The first single from the album was titled "Impacto", and was released prior to the completion of the album. The album was promoted by a tour throughout the United States, which continued throughout Latin America. He performed in Mexico, first in Monterrey, where 10,000 attended the concert, and later at San Luis Potosi coliseum, where the concert sold out, leaving hundreds of fans outside the building. Ayala performed in Chile as well, and established a record for attendance in Ecuador. He also performed in Bolivia, setting another record when 50,000 fans attended his Santa Cruz de la Sierra concert. This show was later described as "the best show with the biggest attendance in history" and as "somehappy that his album had sold more than those of Juan Luis Guerra and Juanes, and that this was an "official proof that reggaeton's principal exponent defeated the rest of the genres". Between 2007 and 2008, Ayala made several guest appearances in famous reggaeton compilation albums including Caribbean Connection, Echo Presenta: Invasion, Mas Flow: Los Benjamins, and 20 Number 1's Now. He appeared on the 2008 Rockstar Games' video game Grand Theft Auto IV as the DJ of Radio San Juan Sounds, with spanglish lines. The radio includes reggaeton songs from Ayala's colleagues, like Wisin & Yandel, Hector "El Father", Tito El Bambino and Jowell & Randy. San Juan Sounds also featured Daddy Yankee's hit "Impacto". In July 2008, Ayala announced that as part of his work, he would produce a cover version of Thalia's song, "Ten Paciencia". On 17 August 2008 was released his soundtrack album Talento De Barrio for the eponymous film. Prior to the album's release, Ayala scheduled several activities, including an in-store contract signing. The album was awarded as Multi-Platinum by RIAA on 17 April 2009. On February 27, 2009, he performed at the Vina del Mar International Song Festival in Chile. In this event, the artists receive awards based on the public's reaction. After performing "Rompe", "Llamado de emergencia", "Ella Me Levanto", "Gasolina", "Limpia Parabrisas" and "Lo Que Paso, Paso" over the course of two hours, Ayala received the "Silver Torch", "Gold Torch" and "Silver Seagull" recognitions. On April 24, 2009, he received the Spirit of Hope Award as part of the Latin Billboard Music Awards ceremony. The recognition is given to the artists that participate in their community or social efforts throughout the year. CANNOTANSWER
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Ayala received the "Silver Torch", "Gold Torch" and "Silver Seagull" recognitions.
|
Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez (born February 3, 1977), known professionally as Daddy Yankee, is a Puerto Rican rapper, singer and songwriter. He is known as the "King of Reggaetón" by music critics and fans alike. Daddy Yankee is the artist who coined the word reggaeton in 1994 to describe the new music genre that was emerging from Puerto Rico that synthesized American hip-hop, Latin Caribbean music, and Jamaican reggae rhythms with Spanish rapping and singing. He is often cited as an influence by other Latin urban performers.
Ayala was born in Río Piedras and was raised in the Villa Kennedy Housing Projects neighborhood. He aspired to be a professional baseball player and tried out for the Seattle Mariners of the Major League Baseball. Before he could be officially signed, he was hit by a stray round from an AK-47 rifle while taking a break from a studio recording session with reggaeton artist DJ Playero. Ayala spent roughly a year and a half recovering from the wound; the bullet was never removed from his hip, and he credits the shooting incident with allowing him to focus entirely on a music career. In 2004, Daddy Yankee released his international hit single "Gasolina", which is credited with introducing reggaeton to audiences worldwide, and making the music genre a global phenomenon. Since then, he has sold around 20 million records, making him one of the best-selling Latin music artists.
Daddy Yankee's album Barrio Fino made history when it became the top-selling Latin music album of the decade between 2000 and 2009. In 2017, Daddy Yankee, in collaboration with Latin pop singer Luis Fonsi, released the hit single "Despacito". It became the first Spanish-language song to hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 since "Macarena" in 1996. The single gained global success. The video for "Despacito" on YouTube received its billionth view on April 20, 2017, and became the most-watched video on the platform. Its success led Daddy Yankee to become the most-listened artist worldwide on the streaming service Spotify in June 2017, the first Latin artist to do so.
As of 2017, Daddy Yankee has won 82 awards from 270 nominations since his rise to international fame in 2004. He has won five Latin Grammy Awards, two Billboard Music Awards, 14 Billboard Latin Music Awards, two Latin American Music Awards, eight Lo Nuestro Awards, an MTV Video Music Award, and six ASCAP Awards. He also received a Puerto Rican Walk of Fame star, special awards by People en Español magazine, and the Presencia Latina at Harvard University. He was named by CNN as the "Most Influential Hispanic Artist" of 2009, and included in Time 100 in 2006.
Musical career
1994–1999: Career beginnings
Often considered to be one of the pioneers within the reggaeton genre, Ayala was originally going to become a professional baseball player but he was shot in his leg while taking a break from a studio recording session. The bullet was never removed and he credits this incident with allowing him to pursue a musical career. He first appeared on the 1994 DJ Playero's Mixtape, Playero 34, with the song "So' Persigueme, No Te Detengas". His first official studio project as a solo artist was No Mercy, which was released on April 2, 1995 through White Lion Records and BM Records in Puerto Rico. Early in his career he attempted to imitate the rap style of Vico C. He went on to emulate other artists in the genre, including DJ Playero, DJ Nelson, and Tempo taking elements from their styles in order to develop an original style with the Dembow rhythm. In doing so, he eventually abandoned the traditional model of rap and became one of the first artists to perform reggaeton. Throughout the 1990s, Daddy Yankee appeared in several of DJ Playero's underground mixtapes which were banned by the Puerto Rican government due to explicit lyrics; these songs would later be among the first reggaeton songs ever produced. DJ Playero and Daddy Yankee would later be credited for inventing the name "reggaeton" to describe their music on the album Playero 36 in 1994.
2000–2003: Early music and El Cangri.com
In 1997, Daddy Yankee collaborated with the rapper Nas, who was an inspiration for Ayala, in the song "The Profecy", for the album Boricua Guerrero. He released two compilation albums with original material: El Cartel (1997) and El Cartel II (2001). Both albums were successful in Puerto Rico, but not throughout Latin America. Between those years, Ayala released a total of nine music videos, including "Posición" featuring Alberto Stylee, "Tu Cuerpo En La Cama" featuring Nicky Jam, and "Muévete Y Perrea".
In 2000, Daddy Yankee formed an unofficial duo called "Los Cangris" with Nicky Jam and released several successful singles together. Yankee and Nicky Jam fell apart in 2004 due to personal issues and creative differences. In 2012, Daddy Yankee and Nicky Jam reconciled and performed in various concerts together.
In 2002, El Cangri.com became Ayala's first album with international success, receiving coverage in the markets of New York City and Miami with hits including "Latigazo", "Son Las Doce", "Guayando" and other songs like "Enciende", which talks about different social problems of the era, mentioning 9/11, corruption and religion.
In 2003, Daddy Yankee released a compilation album named Los Homerun-es, which contains his first charted single ("Segurosqui"), five new songs and 12 remakes of DJ Playero's albums songs. that was later charted, "Seguroski", being his first charted single after six of them.
In 2003, Ayala collaborated for the first time with the prestigious reggaeton producers Luny Tunes on the album Mas Flow, with his commercial success song "Cógela Que Va Sin Jockey" (a.k.a. "Métele Con Candela"), and Mas Flow 2.
2004–2006: Barrio Fino and "Gasolina"
Ayala's next album, Barrio Fino, was produced by Luny Tunes and DJ Nelson among others and released in July 2004 by El Cartel Records and VI Music. It was the most highly anticipated album in the reggaeton community. Ayala had enjoyed salsa music since he was young, and this led him to include music of genres besides reggaeton in the album. The most prominent of these cross-genre singles was "Melao", in which he performed with Andy Montañez. The album was described as his most complete, and with it he intended to introduce combinations of reggaeton and other genres to the English-speaking market. Barrio Fino was followed up by an international tour with performances in numerous countries including the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Honduras, Spain, Colombia, Argentina, Venezuela, and the United States. The album has sold over 1.1 millions of copies in the United States alone, making it the seventh best-selling Latin album in the country according to Nielsen SoundScan. Also, It had sold over 2 million copies throughout Latin America and worldwide.
During this same time, Daddy Yankee was featured in N.O.R.E.'s single "Oye Mi Canto" which hit number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart; a record for a reggaeton single at the time. Other successful featured singles included "Mayor Que Yo" and "Los 12 Discípulos".
In 2005, Ayala won several international awards, making him one of the most recognized reggaeton artists within the music industry. The first award of the year was Lo Nuestro Awards within the "Album of the Year" category, which he received for Barrio Fino. In this event he performed "Gasolina" in a performance that was described as "innovative". Barrio Fino also won the "Reggaeton Album of the Year" award in the Latin Billboard that took place on April 28, 2005, where he performed a mix of three of his songs in a duet with P. Diddy. The album was promoted throughout Latin America, the United States, and Europe, reaching certified gold in Japan. Due to the album's success, Ayala received promotional contracts with radio stations and soda companies, including Pepsi. His hit single, "Gasolina", received the majority of votes cast for the second edition of Premios Juventud, in which it received eight nominations and won seven awards. Ayala also made a live presentation during the award ceremony. "Gasolina" received nominations in the Latin Grammy and MTV Video Music Awards. The commercial success of "Gasolina" in the United States led to the creation of a new radio format and a Billboard chart: Latin Rhythm Airplay. According to Nestor Casonu, CEO of Casonu Strategic Management, "Daddy Yankee and 'Gasolina' triggered the explosion of urban Latin music worldwide".
The successful single, "Gasolina", was covered by artists from different music genres. This led to a controversy when "Los Lagos", a Mexican banda group, did a cover with the original beat but changed the song's lyrics. The group's label had solicited the copyright permission to perform the single and translate it to a different music style, but did not receive consent to change the lyrics; legal action followed. Speaking for the artist, Ayala's lawyer stated that having his song covered was an "honor, but it must be done the right way."
On December 13, 2005, he released Barrio Fino en Directo, a live record and the follow up of Barrio Fino. The album sold more than in 800,000 copies in the United States, becoming the 13th best-selling Latin album in the US according to Nielsen SoundScan and over 3 million of copies worldwide.
On April 30, 2006, Ayala was named one of the 100 most influential people by Time, which cited the 2 million copies of Barrio Fino sold, Ayala's $20 million contract with Interscope Records, and his Pepsi endorsement.
During this period, Ayala and William Omar Landrón (more commonly known by his artistic name Don Omar) were involved in a rivalry within the genre, dubbed "tiraera". The rivalry received significant press coverage despite being denied early on by both artists. It originated with a lyrical conflict between the artists begun by Ayala's comments in a remix single, where he criticized Landron's common usage of the nickname "King of Kings". Don Omar responded to this in a song titled "Ahora Son Mejor", in his album Los Rompediscotecas.
2007–2009: El Cartel: The Big Boss and Talento De Barrio
El Cartel: The Big Boss was released by Interscope on June 5, 2007. Ayala stated that the album marked a return to his hip-hop roots as opposed to being considered a strictly reggaeton album. The album was produced in 2006, and included the participation of will.i.am, Scott Storch, Tainy Tunes, Neli, and personnel from Ayala's label. Singles were produced with Héctor Delgado, Fergie, Nicole Scherzinger and Akon. The first single from the album was titled "Impacto", and was released prior to the completion of the album. The album was promoted by a tour throughout the United States, which continued throughout Latin America. He performed in Mexico, first in Monterrey, where 10,000 attended the concert, and later at San Luis Potosí coliseum, where the concert sold out, leaving hundreds of fans outside the building. Ayala performed in Chile as well, and established a record for attendance in Ecuador. He also performed in Bolivia, setting another record when 50,000 fans attended his Santa Cruz de la Sierra concert. This show was later described as "the best show with the biggest attendance in history" and as "somehappy that his album had sold more than those of Juan Luis Guerra and Juanes, and that this was an "official proof that reggaeton's principal exponent defeated the rest of the genres".
Between 2007 and 2008, Ayala made several guest appearances in famous reggaeton compilation albums including Caribbean Connection, Echo Presenta: Invasión, Mas Flow: Los Benjamins, and 20 Number 1's Now.
He appeared on the 2008 Rockstar Games' video game Grand Theft Auto IV as the DJ of Radio San Juan Sounds, with spanglish lines. The radio includes reggaeton songs from Ayala's colleagues, like Wisin & Yandel, Hector "El Father", Tito El Bambino and Jowell & Randy. San Juan Sounds also featured Daddy Yankee's hit "Impacto".
In July 2008, Ayala announced that as part of his work, he would produce a cover version of Thalía's song, "Ten Paciencia". On August 17, 2008 his soundtrack album Talento De Barrio for the eponymous film was released. Prior to the album's release, Ayala scheduled several activities, including an in-store contract signing. The album was awarded as Multi-Platinum by RIAA on April 17, 2009. On February 27, 2009, he performed at the Viña del Mar International Song Festival in Chile. In this event, the artists receive awards based on the public's reaction. After performing "Rompe", "Llamado de emergencia", "Ella Me Levantó", "Gasolina", "Limpia Parabrisas" and "Lo Que Pasó, Pasó" over the course of two hours, Ayala received the "Silver Torch", "Gold Torch" and "Silver Seagull" recognitions. On April 24, 2009, he received the Spirit of Hope Award as part of the Latin Billboard Music Awards ceremony. The recognition is given to the artists that participate in their community or social efforts throughout the year.
2009–2013: Mundial and Prestige
The single, "Grito Mundial", was released on October 8, 2009, in order to promote his ninth album, Mundial. The song was going to be the official theme for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, but Ayala rejected the FIFA offer, which gave them 100% of the rights. Despite releasing "El Ritmo No Perdona (Prende)" more than a month before, that single was not considered the first official promotional single. The second single, "Descontrol", was released on January 12, 2010, and topped the Billboard Latin Rhythm Airplay. The music video was filmed in New York City and was released on May 17, 2010. "La Despedida" was the third single, released on August 4, 2010. The song reached #4 in both Billboard Top Latin Songs and Latin Pop Songs. Other songs, like "Bailando Fue" (featuring Jowell & Randy) and "Échale Pique" (featuring Yomo) were not included in Mundial.
In 2010, Daddy Yankee participated in the song "Somos El Mundo 25 Por Haiti", by providing the rap vocals alongside rapper Pitbull.
Daddy Yankee's sixth studio album, Prestige was released on September 11, 2012. It was scheduled to be released on November or December 2011, but a hurricane damaged El Cartel Records and half of the album was lost. The lost tracks had to be reworked and was finally released nine months later. The first single, "Ven Conmigo", featuring bachata singer Prince Royce, was released on April 12, 2011 and peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Latin Charts. The second single, "Lovumba", was released on October 4, 2011 and was a number one hit on the Billboard Latin Charts and the Latin Songs chart. It was also nominated for Best Urban Song at the 2012 Latin Grammy Awards. The third single, "Pasarela", was released on June 20, 2012. The album peaked at number 39 on the Billboard 200, number one on both the Billboard Latin Albums and Latin Rhythm Albums charts. It also peaked at number five on the Billboard Rap Albums chart. The fourth and last single, Limbo, was released with the album. The song had a great success, reaching three #1 Billboard charts (Hot Latin Song, Latin Pop Song and Latin Rhythm Airplay) and having more than 790 million views on YouTube. The album was certified as Gold by the RIAA on March 8, 2013.
The year 2012 had one of the most important genre events of the year: the reconciliation between Daddy Yankee and Wisin & Yandel, after some years of rivalry. Six years after their last collaboration, Daddy Yankee appeared on the duo's remix song "Hipnotízame", with positive acclaim from fans. Two months later, on February 16, 2013, Wisin & Yandel collaborated in the remix of "Limbo". Later in 2013, the three artists performed songs like "Hipnotízame", "Mayor Que Yo" and "Noche De Entierro" in two concerts (one in Puerto Rico and another in Colombia).
On February 25, 2013, Daddy Yankee performed in the 2013 Viña del Mar International Song Festival, to a sold-out audience. He performed hits like "Limbo", "Gasolina", "Pose", "Ella Me Levantó" and "Descontrol". He won the Silver and Golden Torch and the Silver and Golden Seagull recognitions.
In 2013, Daddy Yankee performed on his Prestige World Tour, touring several countries in Europe including, Spain, Germany, France and Italy. He has also toured in Colombia, Peru, Chile to sold-out audiences. In 2013 he released music videos of "El Amante" featuring J Alvarez, "Summertime" and "Noche de los Dos" featuring Natalia Jimenez, with millions of views on YouTube.
2013–2015: King Daddy
On October 29, 2013, Daddy Yankee released a mixtape entitled "King Daddy", produced by Los De La Nazza (Musicologo & Menes), as part the Imperio Nazza Mixtapes series and was released as a digital-format only. The mixtape was made because of the high demand from the fans and is a return to his original reggaeton roots. It includes 11 tracks with collaborations from J Alvarez, Arcángel, Yandel, Farruko, and Divino. According to Ayala, "King Daddy" was recorded in two and a half weeks, because there was "a lot of inspiration". The song "La Rompe Carros" has garnered popularity among the public, but his hit single was "La Nueva y La Ex" which has been widely received all over South America, Europe, and North America. During a press conference earlier this year, Daddy Yankee announced the physical release of King Daddy scheduled for later this year with 3 or 4 bonus tracks for a total of 14 or 15 songs included.
From May 13 to June 22, 2014, Ayala performed on his King Daddy Tour, touring several cities in Europe. He has also toured in South and North American cities. In Spain, his concerts were on the 4º position in the box-office ranking, being the first Latin artist on the top 5 in this country, underneath Iron Maiden and The Rolling Stones, and over artists like Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus and Michael Bublé.
On June 17, 2014 the single "Ora Por Mí" (Spanish for "Pray For Me") was released as part of the King Daddy's bonus tracks and uses the Scorpions' "Send Me An Angel" instrumental, with a rap sampler. The official video for "Ora Por Mí" was released on June 24, 2014. It was filmed in many locations in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and talks about Ayala's life and the dark side of fame. According to Ayala, it is the most personal song of his career. On September 2, 2014, it was released another single called "Palabras Con Sentido" (Spanish for "Words With Sentiments"), which defends reggaeton and urban music of all the accusations of being a "society poison". Daddy Yankee expressed that all music has something good to give, even urban music. On his single, he also says that urban music saves lives, like his own, and the solution would be that churches have to remain, journalists have to tell the truth, artists have to have more inspiration, and the rich people have to help the poor ones. On September 9, 2014 he released his first totally English single called "This Is Not A Love Song" featuring new rapper Duncan.
2016–present: El Disco Duro
On April 28, 2016, Daddy Yankee was awarded the "Industry Leader Award" during the 2016 Latin Billboard Awards.
After a decade-long feud with longtime rival Don Omar for the "King of Reggaetón" title, in early 2016 Daddy Yankee and Don Omar announced in a Billboard press conference that they would perform together on stage in a concert series called The Kingdom Tour. The tour announcement left many fans in disbelief as it sold out in minutes in major cities like Las Vegas, Orlando, Los Angeles, New York. The concerts were structured like a boxing match, where the two artists got to trade off musical rounds, and fans voted for their winner in each city via an app designed for the event. "Two kings, one throne", said Pina Records founder Rafael Pina, who had a well-established relationship with both artists, and who also came up with the idea for the tour concept. Discussing the tour and his rivalry with Daddy Yankee, Don Omar said "Let me clarify: I am not his best friend, and he is not my best friend, but we respect each other. That desire to be the best is what has pushed us to be better."
In 2017, Daddy Yankee, in collaboration with Latin pop singer Luis Fonsi, released the hit single "Despacito". It became the first Spanish-language song to hit number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 since "Macarena" in 1996. The single gained global success. The official video for "Despacito" on YouTube received its billionth view on April 20, 2017 after 97 days, becoming the second-fastest video on the site to reach the milestone behind Adele's "Hello". Its success led Daddy Yankee to become the most listened artist worldwide on the streaming service Spotify in June 2017, being the first Latin artist to do so.
In early 2018, Daddy Yankee released his first latin trap singles with the song "Hielo", and on the single "Vuelve" on which he collaborated with Bad Bunny.
In August 2018, Daddy Yankee collaborated with Janet Jackson on her return to music on the song "Made for Now".
He released the 2019 single "Con Calma", a reimagination of Snow's 1992 hit single "Informer". Snow recorded new parts and the Spanish-language remake topped the charts of 20 countries and reached the top 10 of 10 others.
Film and other career projects
Ayala has negotiated promotional deals with several companies outside of the music industry, releasing merchandise under his name. In 2005, he became the first Latin artist to sign a deal with Reebok, in order to produce accessories, including the licensed clothing line "DY", which was released in 2006. He also teamed up with the company to have his own shoes and sporting goods made, which were first distributed on May 23, 2006. Reebok continued the partnership with the introduction of the Travel Trainer collection in July 2007. In August 2007, Pepsi began an advertising campaign titled "Puertas", in which Ayala is depicted returning to his youth by opening a series of doors.
Ayala has worked in the film industry as both an actor and producer. His acting debut was as an extra in the 2004 film Vampiros, directed by Eduardo Ortiz and filmed in Puerto Rico. The film premiered at the Festival of Latin American Cinema in New York, where it received a positive reaction. This led Image Entertainment to produce a DVD, internationally released in March 2005. Ayala played the main role, "Edgar Dinero", in Talento de Barrio, which was filmed in Puerto Rico and directed by José Iván Santiago. Ayala produced the film, which is based on his experience of growing up in a poor city neighborhood. While the film is not directly a biography, Ayala has stated that it mirrors his early life. Talento de Barrio's debut was scheduled for July 23, 2008, in New York's Latino Film Festival. After the premier, Ayala expressed satisfaction, saying that he had been invited to audition for other producers. On release, Talento de Barrio broke the record held by Maldeamores for the most tickets to a Puerto Rican movie sold in a single day in Caribbean Cinemas.
Ayala has been involved in the administration of three organizations, the first being El Cartel Records which he co-owns with Andres Hernandez. He also created the Fundación Corazón Guerrero, a charitable organization in Puerto Rico which works with young incarcerated people. On April 26, 2008, he was presented with a "Latino of the Year Award" by the student organization Presencia Latina of Harvard College, receiving it for his work with Puerto Rican youth and creating Corazón Guerrero. On February 6, 2008, Ayala announced in a Baloncesto Superior Nacional press conference that he had bought part of the Criollos de Caguas' ownership. He has also been active with Cruz Roja Puerto Rico in several media campaigns.
In March 2013, Daddy Yankee talked about a new movie production during an interview in Las Vegas. During an interview in a radio station in January 2014, Ayala announced the film, but he only mentioned that many reggaeton exponents would take part of it. In February 2014 it was confirmed that the movie will be about the boxer Macho Camacho's life. According to Ayala, he had the boxer's support to film the movie, but it remained in nothing after Camacho's death on November 24, 2012. The film was due for release in 2015.
The most recent of Daddy Yankee's non-music projects was the release of his game Trylogy, a 3D video game based in tower defense games. The game was presented at the New York Comic Con and was released on November 29, 2013. The game also features Ayala's songs like "Gasolina" and "Limbo".
Personal life
Family
Ayala has kept most of his personal life private, rarely speaking about it in interviews. He has said that he avoids doing so because such details are the only aspect of his life that are not public and that they are like a "little treasure". In 2006 he spoke about his relationship with his wife Mireddys González and children in an interview with María Celeste Arrarás in Al Rojo Vivo. He stated that his marriage is strong because he and his wife are "friends above anything", and that he has tried to ignore other temptations because "weakness is the reason for the downfall of several artists". He met his wife when they were little and at just 17 years old they decided to get married. As a result of the union their first daughter Yamilette Ayala González was born. His first daughter was born when he was seventeen years old, which he described as confusing at first, adding that raising a daughter at that age was a hard experience. He has another son, Jeremy, born in 1998, and another daughter, Jesaaelys, born in 1996.
Political views
In 2008, Ayala participated in a campaign to promote voting in the 2008 general elections in Puerto Rico. This initiative included a concert titled "Vota o quédate callado" (Vote or Remain Silent).
On August 25, 2008, Ayala endorsed Republican John McCain's candidacy for President of the United States in the 2008 election, stating that McCain was a "fighter for the Hispanic community". As part of this campaign, Ayala moderated a debate titled "Vota o quédate callado: los candidatos responden a los jóvenes", which was aired on October 9, 2008.
In November 2019, Ayala inaugurated a museum of reggaeton at Plaza Las Américas, the first of its kind.
Philanthropy
In 2007, Daddy Yankee became the spokesperson of the environmental organization "Yo Limpio a Puerto Rico" (I Clean Puerto Rico) founded by Ignacio Barsottelli. Yo Limpio a Puerto Rico, PepsiCo and Wal-Mart announced a joint effort to promote recycling in Puerto Rico among the general public and schools across the island with the campaign "Tómatelo en Serio, Recicla por Puerto Rico" (Take it seriously, recycle for Puerto Rico), in which Daddy Yankee became the main spokesperson. This campaign incorporated a recycling contest among public and private schools from around the island in the elementary, junior high, and high school categories. The program established 16 recycling centers located at Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores across the island, where consumers were able to deposit recyclable items.
In 2017, Daddy Yankee donated $100,000 to the Food Bank of Puerto Rico after the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria. The money provided food to roughly 9,000 families on the island.
Daddy Yankee presented the HR Derby Champ medallion to Pete Alonso upon his winning the MLB HR Derby on July 8, 2019.
Legacy
Daddy Yankee has been dubbed "King of Reggaetón" by media. Rachel Grace Almeida from Vice felt Daddy Yankee paved the way with his music to amplify and normalize the "marginalised" Latino identity. She also commented that Yankee played a vital part in "bringing glamour to the barrio and challenged the mainstream media's portrayal of Hispanic poverty in those neighbourhoods". He was highlighted by CNN and Time as one of the most influential Hispanics in the world. Roy Trakin from Pollstar considered his collaboration with Luis Fonsi in "Despacito" helped "turn his native Puerto Rico's music into a global phenomenon".
Daddy Yankee's third studio album Barrio Fino (2004) ushered reggaeton into the mainstream. Its single "Gasolina" "[altered] the business, sound and aesthetic of Latin music", stated Billboard, "the genre would revive sales of Latin music, usher in a new radio format in the U.S. (Latin Rhythm Airplay) and establish the urban base responsible for many Latin radio hits today." According to Nestor Casonú, president for Kobalt Music Latin America, "Daddy Yankee and 'Gasolina' triggered the explosion of urban Latin music worldwide."
In 2006, a The New York Times article deemed him "The King of Reggaetón" while commenting on 2004's music revenue, "one bright spot for the music industry was Latin music: sales grew by 12 percent, according to Nielsen SoundScan. At least some of that success is owed to reggaetón and by extension to Daddy Yankee, its top-selling act."
Multiple artists have cited him as an inspiration, including J Balvin, Ozuna, Bad Bunny, Lunay, Miguelito, and Natti Natasha.
Achievements
Daddy Yankee has received several awards and honors, including 10 Guinness World Records and seven Billboard Music Awards (the most for any Latin artist). He was honored with the Icon Award by Latin American Music Awards, the Industry Leader Award from the Latin Billboard Awards and inducted into its Hall of Fame, and received the Lifetime Achievement Award in Lo Nuestro Awards from Balvin. J Balvin stated: "Reggaeton would not be what it is without Daddy Yankee and without Yankee, there would be no Balvin".
Having sold 20 million records worldwide, Yankee is one of the best-selling Latin music artists. As of April 2020, Daddy Yankee is the most subscribed Latin artist on YouTube Music. He also is the first Latin act to be the most listened-to artist worldwide, and remains on Top 20 as of April 2020. In 2019, he set a new record in his country as the artist with the most shows at Coliseum of Puerto Rico, with 12 consecutive sold-out concerts.
Yankee has multiple charts records. He is the artist with the most number one and most entries on the Billboard Latin Rhythm Airplay. He also has the most entries on the Latin Pop Airplay and the second most entries on Hot Latin Songs. Additionally, he achieved three and six top 25 and top 50 Spanish-language singles on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively, the most by any artist. Barrio Fino and Barrio Fino en Directo are two of the best-selling Latin albums in the United States.
With "Despacito", both Yankee and Luis Fonsi achieved multiple worldwide records, including the most-viewed YouTube video (and it became the first video on the site to reach the milestones of three, four, five, six, and seven billion views) and the first Latin song to receive a diamond certification by Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Additionally, "Despacito" received thirteen-times platinum by RIAA for units of over 13 million sales plus track-equivalent streams, making it the highest-certified single of all-time in the United States. It also became the song with most weeks at number one in Switzerland and Germany, and the most weeks at number one on Hot Latin Songs.
Discography
Studio albums
No Mercy (1995)
El Cangri.com (2003)
Barrio Fino (2004)
El Cartel: The Big Boss (2007)
Mundial (2010)
Prestige (2012)
El Disco Duro (TBA)
Live albums
2005: Ahora Le Toca Al Cangri! Live
2005: Barrio Fino En Directo
2020: 2K20 Pt. 1
2020: 2K20 Pt. 2
2020: 2K20 Pt. 3
Other albums
1997: El Cartel De Yankee
2001: El Cartel II: Los Cangris
2003: Los Homerun-Es De Yankee
2008: Talento De Barrio
2013: King Daddy
Producer
1998: Tierra De Nadie (de Benny Blanco)
1999: Gritos De Guerra (de Rubio & Joel)
1999: Guatauba 2000 (de Manolo Guatauba)
2001: Haciendo Escante (de Nicky Jam)
2003: Salón De La Fama (de Nicky Jam)
2006: Más Grande Que Tú (de Miguelito)
2007: El Heredero (de Miguelito)
Concert tours
As a headliner
Barrio Fino World Tour (2004–06)
The Big Boss Tour (2007–09)
Mundial Tour (2010–11)
European Tour (2012)
Prestige World Tour (2012–13)
King Daddy Tour (2014–15)
TamoEnVivoTour (2017)
La Gira Dura (2018)
Con Calma Tour (2019)
As a co-headliner
The Kingdom Tour (2015–16) (with Don Omar)
Filmography
Film
Television
See also
Reggaeton
Latin American music
List of Caribbean music genres
List of Puerto Ricans
List of Puerto Rican songwriters
Urban contemporary
References
External links
1977 births
Living people
American hip hop musicians
American shooting survivors
Capitol Latin artists
Latin Grammy Award winners
Latin music songwriters
Pop rappers
21st-century Puerto Rican male singers
Puerto Rican rappers
Puerto Rican reggaeton musicians
Urbano musicians
Singers from San Juan, Puerto Rico
Sony Music Latin artists
Southern hip hop musicians
Spanish-language singers of the United States
Universal Music Latin Entertainment artists
20th-century Puerto Rican male singers
| true |
[
"\"If You Can Do Anything Else\" is a song written by Billy Livsey and Don Schlitz, and recorded by American country music artist George Strait. It was released in February 2001 as the third and final single from his self-titled album. The song reached number 5 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in July 2001. It also peaked at number 51 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.\n\nContent\nThe song is about man who is giving his woman the option to leave him. He gives her many different options for all the things she can do. At the end he gives her the option to stay with him if she really can’t find anything else to do. He says he will be alright if she leaves, but really it seems he wants her to stay.\n\nChart performance\n\"If You Can Do Anything Else\" debuted at number 60 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks for the week of March 3, 2001.\n\nYear-end charts\n\nReferences\n\n2001 singles\n2000 songs\nGeorge Strait songs\nSongs written by Billy Livsey\nSongs written by Don Schlitz\nSong recordings produced by Tony Brown (record producer)\nMCA Nashville Records singles",
"Say Anything may refer to:\n\nFilm and television\n Say Anything..., a 1989 American film by Cameron Crowe\n \"Say Anything\" (BoJack Horseman), a television episode\n\nMusic\n Say Anything (band), an American rock band\n Say Anything (album), a 2009 album by the band\n \"Say Anything\", a 2012 song by Say Anything from Anarchy, My Dear\n \"Say Anything\" (Marianas Trench song), 2006\n \"Say Anything\" (X Japan song), 1991\n \"Say Anything\", a song by Aimee Mann from Whatever, 1993\n \"Say Anything\", a song by the Bouncing Souls from The Bouncing Souls, 1997\n \"Say Anything\", a song by Good Charlotte from The Young and the Hopeless, 2002\n \"Say Anything\", a song by Girl in Red, 2018\n \"Say Anything\", a song by Will Young from Lexicon, 2019\n \"Say Anything (Else)\", a song by Cartel from Chroma, 2005\n\nOther uses\n Say Anything (party game), a 2008 board game published by North Star Games\n \"Say Anything\", a column in YM magazine\n\nSee also\n Say Something (disambiguation)"
] |
[
"Daddy Yankee",
"2007-09: El Cartel: The Big Boss and Talento De Barrio",
"What is El Cartel?",
"album",
"When was this released?",
"June 5, 2007.",
"Did this album do well?",
"The album was promoted by a tour throughout the United States, which continued throughout Latin America.",
"Did he go on tour?",
"He performed in Mexico, first in Monterrey, where 10,000 attended the concert, and later at San Luis Potosi coliseum,",
"Where else did he perform?",
"Ayala performed in Chile as well, and established a record for attendance in Ecuador. He also performed in Bolivia,",
"What other countries did he visit?",
"On February 27, 2009, he performed at the Vina del Mar International Song Festival in Chile.",
"What is The Big Boss?",
"album",
"Is Talento De Barrio an album as well?",
"\". On 17 August 2008 was released his soundtrack album Talento De Barrio for the eponymous film.",
"Did this album do well?",
"The album was awarded as Multi-Platinum by RIAA on 17 April 2009.",
"What other achievements or awards did he receive during this time?",
"On April 24, 2009, he received the Spirit of Hope Award as part of the Latin Billboard Music Awards ceremony.",
"Did he win anything else?",
"Ayala received the \"Silver Torch\", \"Gold Torch\" and \"Silver Seagull\" recognitions."
] |
C_c5c8ca973e4d47478cfa71a686c386f9_1
|
What are those recognitions?
| 12 |
What are silver torch, gold torch and silver seagull recognitions?
|
Daddy Yankee
|
El Cartel: The Big Boss was released by Interscope on June 5, 2007. Ayala stated that the album marked a return to his hip-hop roots as opposed to being considered a strictly reggaeton album. The album was produced in 2006, and included the participation of will.i.am, Scott Storch, Tainy Tunes, Neli, and personnel from Ayala's label. Singles were produced with Hector Delgado, Fergie, Nicole Scherzinger and Akon. The first single from the album was titled "Impacto", and was released prior to the completion of the album. The album was promoted by a tour throughout the United States, which continued throughout Latin America. He performed in Mexico, first in Monterrey, where 10,000 attended the concert, and later at San Luis Potosi coliseum, where the concert sold out, leaving hundreds of fans outside the building. Ayala performed in Chile as well, and established a record for attendance in Ecuador. He also performed in Bolivia, setting another record when 50,000 fans attended his Santa Cruz de la Sierra concert. This show was later described as "the best show with the biggest attendance in history" and as "somehappy that his album had sold more than those of Juan Luis Guerra and Juanes, and that this was an "official proof that reggaeton's principal exponent defeated the rest of the genres". Between 2007 and 2008, Ayala made several guest appearances in famous reggaeton compilation albums including Caribbean Connection, Echo Presenta: Invasion, Mas Flow: Los Benjamins, and 20 Number 1's Now. He appeared on the 2008 Rockstar Games' video game Grand Theft Auto IV as the DJ of Radio San Juan Sounds, with spanglish lines. The radio includes reggaeton songs from Ayala's colleagues, like Wisin & Yandel, Hector "El Father", Tito El Bambino and Jowell & Randy. San Juan Sounds also featured Daddy Yankee's hit "Impacto". In July 2008, Ayala announced that as part of his work, he would produce a cover version of Thalia's song, "Ten Paciencia". On 17 August 2008 was released his soundtrack album Talento De Barrio for the eponymous film. Prior to the album's release, Ayala scheduled several activities, including an in-store contract signing. The album was awarded as Multi-Platinum by RIAA on 17 April 2009. On February 27, 2009, he performed at the Vina del Mar International Song Festival in Chile. In this event, the artists receive awards based on the public's reaction. After performing "Rompe", "Llamado de emergencia", "Ella Me Levanto", "Gasolina", "Limpia Parabrisas" and "Lo Que Paso, Paso" over the course of two hours, Ayala received the "Silver Torch", "Gold Torch" and "Silver Seagull" recognitions. On April 24, 2009, he received the Spirit of Hope Award as part of the Latin Billboard Music Awards ceremony. The recognition is given to the artists that participate in their community or social efforts throughout the year. CANNOTANSWER
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In this event, the artists receive awards based on the public's reaction.
|
Ramón Luis Ayala Rodríguez (born February 3, 1977), known professionally as Daddy Yankee, is a Puerto Rican rapper, singer and songwriter. He is known as the "King of Reggaetón" by music critics and fans alike. Daddy Yankee is the artist who coined the word reggaeton in 1994 to describe the new music genre that was emerging from Puerto Rico that synthesized American hip-hop, Latin Caribbean music, and Jamaican reggae rhythms with Spanish rapping and singing. He is often cited as an influence by other Latin urban performers.
Ayala was born in Río Piedras and was raised in the Villa Kennedy Housing Projects neighborhood. He aspired to be a professional baseball player and tried out for the Seattle Mariners of the Major League Baseball. Before he could be officially signed, he was hit by a stray round from an AK-47 rifle while taking a break from a studio recording session with reggaeton artist DJ Playero. Ayala spent roughly a year and a half recovering from the wound; the bullet was never removed from his hip, and he credits the shooting incident with allowing him to focus entirely on a music career. In 2004, Daddy Yankee released his international hit single "Gasolina", which is credited with introducing reggaeton to audiences worldwide, and making the music genre a global phenomenon. Since then, he has sold around 20 million records, making him one of the best-selling Latin music artists.
Daddy Yankee's album Barrio Fino made history when it became the top-selling Latin music album of the decade between 2000 and 2009. In 2017, Daddy Yankee, in collaboration with Latin pop singer Luis Fonsi, released the hit single "Despacito". It became the first Spanish-language song to hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 since "Macarena" in 1996. The single gained global success. The video for "Despacito" on YouTube received its billionth view on April 20, 2017, and became the most-watched video on the platform. Its success led Daddy Yankee to become the most-listened artist worldwide on the streaming service Spotify in June 2017, the first Latin artist to do so.
As of 2017, Daddy Yankee has won 82 awards from 270 nominations since his rise to international fame in 2004. He has won five Latin Grammy Awards, two Billboard Music Awards, 14 Billboard Latin Music Awards, two Latin American Music Awards, eight Lo Nuestro Awards, an MTV Video Music Award, and six ASCAP Awards. He also received a Puerto Rican Walk of Fame star, special awards by People en Español magazine, and the Presencia Latina at Harvard University. He was named by CNN as the "Most Influential Hispanic Artist" of 2009, and included in Time 100 in 2006.
Musical career
1994–1999: Career beginnings
Often considered to be one of the pioneers within the reggaeton genre, Ayala was originally going to become a professional baseball player but he was shot in his leg while taking a break from a studio recording session. The bullet was never removed and he credits this incident with allowing him to pursue a musical career. He first appeared on the 1994 DJ Playero's Mixtape, Playero 34, with the song "So' Persigueme, No Te Detengas". His first official studio project as a solo artist was No Mercy, which was released on April 2, 1995 through White Lion Records and BM Records in Puerto Rico. Early in his career he attempted to imitate the rap style of Vico C. He went on to emulate other artists in the genre, including DJ Playero, DJ Nelson, and Tempo taking elements from their styles in order to develop an original style with the Dembow rhythm. In doing so, he eventually abandoned the traditional model of rap and became one of the first artists to perform reggaeton. Throughout the 1990s, Daddy Yankee appeared in several of DJ Playero's underground mixtapes which were banned by the Puerto Rican government due to explicit lyrics; these songs would later be among the first reggaeton songs ever produced. DJ Playero and Daddy Yankee would later be credited for inventing the name "reggaeton" to describe their music on the album Playero 36 in 1994.
2000–2003: Early music and El Cangri.com
In 1997, Daddy Yankee collaborated with the rapper Nas, who was an inspiration for Ayala, in the song "The Profecy", for the album Boricua Guerrero. He released two compilation albums with original material: El Cartel (1997) and El Cartel II (2001). Both albums were successful in Puerto Rico, but not throughout Latin America. Between those years, Ayala released a total of nine music videos, including "Posición" featuring Alberto Stylee, "Tu Cuerpo En La Cama" featuring Nicky Jam, and "Muévete Y Perrea".
In 2000, Daddy Yankee formed an unofficial duo called "Los Cangris" with Nicky Jam and released several successful singles together. Yankee and Nicky Jam fell apart in 2004 due to personal issues and creative differences. In 2012, Daddy Yankee and Nicky Jam reconciled and performed in various concerts together.
In 2002, El Cangri.com became Ayala's first album with international success, receiving coverage in the markets of New York City and Miami with hits including "Latigazo", "Son Las Doce", "Guayando" and other songs like "Enciende", which talks about different social problems of the era, mentioning 9/11, corruption and religion.
In 2003, Daddy Yankee released a compilation album named Los Homerun-es, which contains his first charted single ("Segurosqui"), five new songs and 12 remakes of DJ Playero's albums songs. that was later charted, "Seguroski", being his first charted single after six of them.
In 2003, Ayala collaborated for the first time with the prestigious reggaeton producers Luny Tunes on the album Mas Flow, with his commercial success song "Cógela Que Va Sin Jockey" (a.k.a. "Métele Con Candela"), and Mas Flow 2.
2004–2006: Barrio Fino and "Gasolina"
Ayala's next album, Barrio Fino, was produced by Luny Tunes and DJ Nelson among others and released in July 2004 by El Cartel Records and VI Music. It was the most highly anticipated album in the reggaeton community. Ayala had enjoyed salsa music since he was young, and this led him to include music of genres besides reggaeton in the album. The most prominent of these cross-genre singles was "Melao", in which he performed with Andy Montañez. The album was described as his most complete, and with it he intended to introduce combinations of reggaeton and other genres to the English-speaking market. Barrio Fino was followed up by an international tour with performances in numerous countries including the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Honduras, Spain, Colombia, Argentina, Venezuela, and the United States. The album has sold over 1.1 millions of copies in the United States alone, making it the seventh best-selling Latin album in the country according to Nielsen SoundScan. Also, It had sold over 2 million copies throughout Latin America and worldwide.
During this same time, Daddy Yankee was featured in N.O.R.E.'s single "Oye Mi Canto" which hit number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart; a record for a reggaeton single at the time. Other successful featured singles included "Mayor Que Yo" and "Los 12 Discípulos".
In 2005, Ayala won several international awards, making him one of the most recognized reggaeton artists within the music industry. The first award of the year was Lo Nuestro Awards within the "Album of the Year" category, which he received for Barrio Fino. In this event he performed "Gasolina" in a performance that was described as "innovative". Barrio Fino also won the "Reggaeton Album of the Year" award in the Latin Billboard that took place on April 28, 2005, where he performed a mix of three of his songs in a duet with P. Diddy. The album was promoted throughout Latin America, the United States, and Europe, reaching certified gold in Japan. Due to the album's success, Ayala received promotional contracts with radio stations and soda companies, including Pepsi. His hit single, "Gasolina", received the majority of votes cast for the second edition of Premios Juventud, in which it received eight nominations and won seven awards. Ayala also made a live presentation during the award ceremony. "Gasolina" received nominations in the Latin Grammy and MTV Video Music Awards. The commercial success of "Gasolina" in the United States led to the creation of a new radio format and a Billboard chart: Latin Rhythm Airplay. According to Nestor Casonu, CEO of Casonu Strategic Management, "Daddy Yankee and 'Gasolina' triggered the explosion of urban Latin music worldwide".
The successful single, "Gasolina", was covered by artists from different music genres. This led to a controversy when "Los Lagos", a Mexican banda group, did a cover with the original beat but changed the song's lyrics. The group's label had solicited the copyright permission to perform the single and translate it to a different music style, but did not receive consent to change the lyrics; legal action followed. Speaking for the artist, Ayala's lawyer stated that having his song covered was an "honor, but it must be done the right way."
On December 13, 2005, he released Barrio Fino en Directo, a live record and the follow up of Barrio Fino. The album sold more than in 800,000 copies in the United States, becoming the 13th best-selling Latin album in the US according to Nielsen SoundScan and over 3 million of copies worldwide.
On April 30, 2006, Ayala was named one of the 100 most influential people by Time, which cited the 2 million copies of Barrio Fino sold, Ayala's $20 million contract with Interscope Records, and his Pepsi endorsement.
During this period, Ayala and William Omar Landrón (more commonly known by his artistic name Don Omar) were involved in a rivalry within the genre, dubbed "tiraera". The rivalry received significant press coverage despite being denied early on by both artists. It originated with a lyrical conflict between the artists begun by Ayala's comments in a remix single, where he criticized Landron's common usage of the nickname "King of Kings". Don Omar responded to this in a song titled "Ahora Son Mejor", in his album Los Rompediscotecas.
2007–2009: El Cartel: The Big Boss and Talento De Barrio
El Cartel: The Big Boss was released by Interscope on June 5, 2007. Ayala stated that the album marked a return to his hip-hop roots as opposed to being considered a strictly reggaeton album. The album was produced in 2006, and included the participation of will.i.am, Scott Storch, Tainy Tunes, Neli, and personnel from Ayala's label. Singles were produced with Héctor Delgado, Fergie, Nicole Scherzinger and Akon. The first single from the album was titled "Impacto", and was released prior to the completion of the album. The album was promoted by a tour throughout the United States, which continued throughout Latin America. He performed in Mexico, first in Monterrey, where 10,000 attended the concert, and later at San Luis Potosí coliseum, where the concert sold out, leaving hundreds of fans outside the building. Ayala performed in Chile as well, and established a record for attendance in Ecuador. He also performed in Bolivia, setting another record when 50,000 fans attended his Santa Cruz de la Sierra concert. This show was later described as "the best show with the biggest attendance in history" and as "somehappy that his album had sold more than those of Juan Luis Guerra and Juanes, and that this was an "official proof that reggaeton's principal exponent defeated the rest of the genres".
Between 2007 and 2008, Ayala made several guest appearances in famous reggaeton compilation albums including Caribbean Connection, Echo Presenta: Invasión, Mas Flow: Los Benjamins, and 20 Number 1's Now.
He appeared on the 2008 Rockstar Games' video game Grand Theft Auto IV as the DJ of Radio San Juan Sounds, with spanglish lines. The radio includes reggaeton songs from Ayala's colleagues, like Wisin & Yandel, Hector "El Father", Tito El Bambino and Jowell & Randy. San Juan Sounds also featured Daddy Yankee's hit "Impacto".
In July 2008, Ayala announced that as part of his work, he would produce a cover version of Thalía's song, "Ten Paciencia". On August 17, 2008 his soundtrack album Talento De Barrio for the eponymous film was released. Prior to the album's release, Ayala scheduled several activities, including an in-store contract signing. The album was awarded as Multi-Platinum by RIAA on April 17, 2009. On February 27, 2009, he performed at the Viña del Mar International Song Festival in Chile. In this event, the artists receive awards based on the public's reaction. After performing "Rompe", "Llamado de emergencia", "Ella Me Levantó", "Gasolina", "Limpia Parabrisas" and "Lo Que Pasó, Pasó" over the course of two hours, Ayala received the "Silver Torch", "Gold Torch" and "Silver Seagull" recognitions. On April 24, 2009, he received the Spirit of Hope Award as part of the Latin Billboard Music Awards ceremony. The recognition is given to the artists that participate in their community or social efforts throughout the year.
2009–2013: Mundial and Prestige
The single, "Grito Mundial", was released on October 8, 2009, in order to promote his ninth album, Mundial. The song was going to be the official theme for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, but Ayala rejected the FIFA offer, which gave them 100% of the rights. Despite releasing "El Ritmo No Perdona (Prende)" more than a month before, that single was not considered the first official promotional single. The second single, "Descontrol", was released on January 12, 2010, and topped the Billboard Latin Rhythm Airplay. The music video was filmed in New York City and was released on May 17, 2010. "La Despedida" was the third single, released on August 4, 2010. The song reached #4 in both Billboard Top Latin Songs and Latin Pop Songs. Other songs, like "Bailando Fue" (featuring Jowell & Randy) and "Échale Pique" (featuring Yomo) were not included in Mundial.
In 2010, Daddy Yankee participated in the song "Somos El Mundo 25 Por Haiti", by providing the rap vocals alongside rapper Pitbull.
Daddy Yankee's sixth studio album, Prestige was released on September 11, 2012. It was scheduled to be released on November or December 2011, but a hurricane damaged El Cartel Records and half of the album was lost. The lost tracks had to be reworked and was finally released nine months later. The first single, "Ven Conmigo", featuring bachata singer Prince Royce, was released on April 12, 2011 and peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Latin Charts. The second single, "Lovumba", was released on October 4, 2011 and was a number one hit on the Billboard Latin Charts and the Latin Songs chart. It was also nominated for Best Urban Song at the 2012 Latin Grammy Awards. The third single, "Pasarela", was released on June 20, 2012. The album peaked at number 39 on the Billboard 200, number one on both the Billboard Latin Albums and Latin Rhythm Albums charts. It also peaked at number five on the Billboard Rap Albums chart. The fourth and last single, Limbo, was released with the album. The song had a great success, reaching three #1 Billboard charts (Hot Latin Song, Latin Pop Song and Latin Rhythm Airplay) and having more than 790 million views on YouTube. The album was certified as Gold by the RIAA on March 8, 2013.
The year 2012 had one of the most important genre events of the year: the reconciliation between Daddy Yankee and Wisin & Yandel, after some years of rivalry. Six years after their last collaboration, Daddy Yankee appeared on the duo's remix song "Hipnotízame", with positive acclaim from fans. Two months later, on February 16, 2013, Wisin & Yandel collaborated in the remix of "Limbo". Later in 2013, the three artists performed songs like "Hipnotízame", "Mayor Que Yo" and "Noche De Entierro" in two concerts (one in Puerto Rico and another in Colombia).
On February 25, 2013, Daddy Yankee performed in the 2013 Viña del Mar International Song Festival, to a sold-out audience. He performed hits like "Limbo", "Gasolina", "Pose", "Ella Me Levantó" and "Descontrol". He won the Silver and Golden Torch and the Silver and Golden Seagull recognitions.
In 2013, Daddy Yankee performed on his Prestige World Tour, touring several countries in Europe including, Spain, Germany, France and Italy. He has also toured in Colombia, Peru, Chile to sold-out audiences. In 2013 he released music videos of "El Amante" featuring J Alvarez, "Summertime" and "Noche de los Dos" featuring Natalia Jimenez, with millions of views on YouTube.
2013–2015: King Daddy
On October 29, 2013, Daddy Yankee released a mixtape entitled "King Daddy", produced by Los De La Nazza (Musicologo & Menes), as part the Imperio Nazza Mixtapes series and was released as a digital-format only. The mixtape was made because of the high demand from the fans and is a return to his original reggaeton roots. It includes 11 tracks with collaborations from J Alvarez, Arcángel, Yandel, Farruko, and Divino. According to Ayala, "King Daddy" was recorded in two and a half weeks, because there was "a lot of inspiration". The song "La Rompe Carros" has garnered popularity among the public, but his hit single was "La Nueva y La Ex" which has been widely received all over South America, Europe, and North America. During a press conference earlier this year, Daddy Yankee announced the physical release of King Daddy scheduled for later this year with 3 or 4 bonus tracks for a total of 14 or 15 songs included.
From May 13 to June 22, 2014, Ayala performed on his King Daddy Tour, touring several cities in Europe. He has also toured in South and North American cities. In Spain, his concerts were on the 4º position in the box-office ranking, being the first Latin artist on the top 5 in this country, underneath Iron Maiden and The Rolling Stones, and over artists like Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus and Michael Bublé.
On June 17, 2014 the single "Ora Por Mí" (Spanish for "Pray For Me") was released as part of the King Daddy's bonus tracks and uses the Scorpions' "Send Me An Angel" instrumental, with a rap sampler. The official video for "Ora Por Mí" was released on June 24, 2014. It was filmed in many locations in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and talks about Ayala's life and the dark side of fame. According to Ayala, it is the most personal song of his career. On September 2, 2014, it was released another single called "Palabras Con Sentido" (Spanish for "Words With Sentiments"), which defends reggaeton and urban music of all the accusations of being a "society poison". Daddy Yankee expressed that all music has something good to give, even urban music. On his single, he also says that urban music saves lives, like his own, and the solution would be that churches have to remain, journalists have to tell the truth, artists have to have more inspiration, and the rich people have to help the poor ones. On September 9, 2014 he released his first totally English single called "This Is Not A Love Song" featuring new rapper Duncan.
2016–present: El Disco Duro
On April 28, 2016, Daddy Yankee was awarded the "Industry Leader Award" during the 2016 Latin Billboard Awards.
After a decade-long feud with longtime rival Don Omar for the "King of Reggaetón" title, in early 2016 Daddy Yankee and Don Omar announced in a Billboard press conference that they would perform together on stage in a concert series called The Kingdom Tour. The tour announcement left many fans in disbelief as it sold out in minutes in major cities like Las Vegas, Orlando, Los Angeles, New York. The concerts were structured like a boxing match, where the two artists got to trade off musical rounds, and fans voted for their winner in each city via an app designed for the event. "Two kings, one throne", said Pina Records founder Rafael Pina, who had a well-established relationship with both artists, and who also came up with the idea for the tour concept. Discussing the tour and his rivalry with Daddy Yankee, Don Omar said "Let me clarify: I am not his best friend, and he is not my best friend, but we respect each other. That desire to be the best is what has pushed us to be better."
In 2017, Daddy Yankee, in collaboration with Latin pop singer Luis Fonsi, released the hit single "Despacito". It became the first Spanish-language song to hit number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 since "Macarena" in 1996. The single gained global success. The official video for "Despacito" on YouTube received its billionth view on April 20, 2017 after 97 days, becoming the second-fastest video on the site to reach the milestone behind Adele's "Hello". Its success led Daddy Yankee to become the most listened artist worldwide on the streaming service Spotify in June 2017, being the first Latin artist to do so.
In early 2018, Daddy Yankee released his first latin trap singles with the song "Hielo", and on the single "Vuelve" on which he collaborated with Bad Bunny.
In August 2018, Daddy Yankee collaborated with Janet Jackson on her return to music on the song "Made for Now".
He released the 2019 single "Con Calma", a reimagination of Snow's 1992 hit single "Informer". Snow recorded new parts and the Spanish-language remake topped the charts of 20 countries and reached the top 10 of 10 others.
Film and other career projects
Ayala has negotiated promotional deals with several companies outside of the music industry, releasing merchandise under his name. In 2005, he became the first Latin artist to sign a deal with Reebok, in order to produce accessories, including the licensed clothing line "DY", which was released in 2006. He also teamed up with the company to have his own shoes and sporting goods made, which were first distributed on May 23, 2006. Reebok continued the partnership with the introduction of the Travel Trainer collection in July 2007. In August 2007, Pepsi began an advertising campaign titled "Puertas", in which Ayala is depicted returning to his youth by opening a series of doors.
Ayala has worked in the film industry as both an actor and producer. His acting debut was as an extra in the 2004 film Vampiros, directed by Eduardo Ortiz and filmed in Puerto Rico. The film premiered at the Festival of Latin American Cinema in New York, where it received a positive reaction. This led Image Entertainment to produce a DVD, internationally released in March 2005. Ayala played the main role, "Edgar Dinero", in Talento de Barrio, which was filmed in Puerto Rico and directed by José Iván Santiago. Ayala produced the film, which is based on his experience of growing up in a poor city neighborhood. While the film is not directly a biography, Ayala has stated that it mirrors his early life. Talento de Barrio's debut was scheduled for July 23, 2008, in New York's Latino Film Festival. After the premier, Ayala expressed satisfaction, saying that he had been invited to audition for other producers. On release, Talento de Barrio broke the record held by Maldeamores for the most tickets to a Puerto Rican movie sold in a single day in Caribbean Cinemas.
Ayala has been involved in the administration of three organizations, the first being El Cartel Records which he co-owns with Andres Hernandez. He also created the Fundación Corazón Guerrero, a charitable organization in Puerto Rico which works with young incarcerated people. On April 26, 2008, he was presented with a "Latino of the Year Award" by the student organization Presencia Latina of Harvard College, receiving it for his work with Puerto Rican youth and creating Corazón Guerrero. On February 6, 2008, Ayala announced in a Baloncesto Superior Nacional press conference that he had bought part of the Criollos de Caguas' ownership. He has also been active with Cruz Roja Puerto Rico in several media campaigns.
In March 2013, Daddy Yankee talked about a new movie production during an interview in Las Vegas. During an interview in a radio station in January 2014, Ayala announced the film, but he only mentioned that many reggaeton exponents would take part of it. In February 2014 it was confirmed that the movie will be about the boxer Macho Camacho's life. According to Ayala, he had the boxer's support to film the movie, but it remained in nothing after Camacho's death on November 24, 2012. The film was due for release in 2015.
The most recent of Daddy Yankee's non-music projects was the release of his game Trylogy, a 3D video game based in tower defense games. The game was presented at the New York Comic Con and was released on November 29, 2013. The game also features Ayala's songs like "Gasolina" and "Limbo".
Personal life
Family
Ayala has kept most of his personal life private, rarely speaking about it in interviews. He has said that he avoids doing so because such details are the only aspect of his life that are not public and that they are like a "little treasure". In 2006 he spoke about his relationship with his wife Mireddys González and children in an interview with María Celeste Arrarás in Al Rojo Vivo. He stated that his marriage is strong because he and his wife are "friends above anything", and that he has tried to ignore other temptations because "weakness is the reason for the downfall of several artists". He met his wife when they were little and at just 17 years old they decided to get married. As a result of the union their first daughter Yamilette Ayala González was born. His first daughter was born when he was seventeen years old, which he described as confusing at first, adding that raising a daughter at that age was a hard experience. He has another son, Jeremy, born in 1998, and another daughter, Jesaaelys, born in 1996.
Political views
In 2008, Ayala participated in a campaign to promote voting in the 2008 general elections in Puerto Rico. This initiative included a concert titled "Vota o quédate callado" (Vote or Remain Silent).
On August 25, 2008, Ayala endorsed Republican John McCain's candidacy for President of the United States in the 2008 election, stating that McCain was a "fighter for the Hispanic community". As part of this campaign, Ayala moderated a debate titled "Vota o quédate callado: los candidatos responden a los jóvenes", which was aired on October 9, 2008.
In November 2019, Ayala inaugurated a museum of reggaeton at Plaza Las Américas, the first of its kind.
Philanthropy
In 2007, Daddy Yankee became the spokesperson of the environmental organization "Yo Limpio a Puerto Rico" (I Clean Puerto Rico) founded by Ignacio Barsottelli. Yo Limpio a Puerto Rico, PepsiCo and Wal-Mart announced a joint effort to promote recycling in Puerto Rico among the general public and schools across the island with the campaign "Tómatelo en Serio, Recicla por Puerto Rico" (Take it seriously, recycle for Puerto Rico), in which Daddy Yankee became the main spokesperson. This campaign incorporated a recycling contest among public and private schools from around the island in the elementary, junior high, and high school categories. The program established 16 recycling centers located at Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores across the island, where consumers were able to deposit recyclable items.
In 2017, Daddy Yankee donated $100,000 to the Food Bank of Puerto Rico after the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria. The money provided food to roughly 9,000 families on the island.
Daddy Yankee presented the HR Derby Champ medallion to Pete Alonso upon his winning the MLB HR Derby on July 8, 2019.
Legacy
Daddy Yankee has been dubbed "King of Reggaetón" by media. Rachel Grace Almeida from Vice felt Daddy Yankee paved the way with his music to amplify and normalize the "marginalised" Latino identity. She also commented that Yankee played a vital part in "bringing glamour to the barrio and challenged the mainstream media's portrayal of Hispanic poverty in those neighbourhoods". He was highlighted by CNN and Time as one of the most influential Hispanics in the world. Roy Trakin from Pollstar considered his collaboration with Luis Fonsi in "Despacito" helped "turn his native Puerto Rico's music into a global phenomenon".
Daddy Yankee's third studio album Barrio Fino (2004) ushered reggaeton into the mainstream. Its single "Gasolina" "[altered] the business, sound and aesthetic of Latin music", stated Billboard, "the genre would revive sales of Latin music, usher in a new radio format in the U.S. (Latin Rhythm Airplay) and establish the urban base responsible for many Latin radio hits today." According to Nestor Casonú, president for Kobalt Music Latin America, "Daddy Yankee and 'Gasolina' triggered the explosion of urban Latin music worldwide."
In 2006, a The New York Times article deemed him "The King of Reggaetón" while commenting on 2004's music revenue, "one bright spot for the music industry was Latin music: sales grew by 12 percent, according to Nielsen SoundScan. At least some of that success is owed to reggaetón and by extension to Daddy Yankee, its top-selling act."
Multiple artists have cited him as an inspiration, including J Balvin, Ozuna, Bad Bunny, Lunay, Miguelito, and Natti Natasha.
Achievements
Daddy Yankee has received several awards and honors, including 10 Guinness World Records and seven Billboard Music Awards (the most for any Latin artist). He was honored with the Icon Award by Latin American Music Awards, the Industry Leader Award from the Latin Billboard Awards and inducted into its Hall of Fame, and received the Lifetime Achievement Award in Lo Nuestro Awards from Balvin. J Balvin stated: "Reggaeton would not be what it is without Daddy Yankee and without Yankee, there would be no Balvin".
Having sold 20 million records worldwide, Yankee is one of the best-selling Latin music artists. As of April 2020, Daddy Yankee is the most subscribed Latin artist on YouTube Music. He also is the first Latin act to be the most listened-to artist worldwide, and remains on Top 20 as of April 2020. In 2019, he set a new record in his country as the artist with the most shows at Coliseum of Puerto Rico, with 12 consecutive sold-out concerts.
Yankee has multiple charts records. He is the artist with the most number one and most entries on the Billboard Latin Rhythm Airplay. He also has the most entries on the Latin Pop Airplay and the second most entries on Hot Latin Songs. Additionally, he achieved three and six top 25 and top 50 Spanish-language singles on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively, the most by any artist. Barrio Fino and Barrio Fino en Directo are two of the best-selling Latin albums in the United States.
With "Despacito", both Yankee and Luis Fonsi achieved multiple worldwide records, including the most-viewed YouTube video (and it became the first video on the site to reach the milestones of three, four, five, six, and seven billion views) and the first Latin song to receive a diamond certification by Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Additionally, "Despacito" received thirteen-times platinum by RIAA for units of over 13 million sales plus track-equivalent streams, making it the highest-certified single of all-time in the United States. It also became the song with most weeks at number one in Switzerland and Germany, and the most weeks at number one on Hot Latin Songs.
Discography
Studio albums
No Mercy (1995)
El Cangri.com (2003)
Barrio Fino (2004)
El Cartel: The Big Boss (2007)
Mundial (2010)
Prestige (2012)
El Disco Duro (TBA)
Live albums
2005: Ahora Le Toca Al Cangri! Live
2005: Barrio Fino En Directo
2020: 2K20 Pt. 1
2020: 2K20 Pt. 2
2020: 2K20 Pt. 3
Other albums
1997: El Cartel De Yankee
2001: El Cartel II: Los Cangris
2003: Los Homerun-Es De Yankee
2008: Talento De Barrio
2013: King Daddy
Producer
1998: Tierra De Nadie (de Benny Blanco)
1999: Gritos De Guerra (de Rubio & Joel)
1999: Guatauba 2000 (de Manolo Guatauba)
2001: Haciendo Escante (de Nicky Jam)
2003: Salón De La Fama (de Nicky Jam)
2006: Más Grande Que Tú (de Miguelito)
2007: El Heredero (de Miguelito)
Concert tours
As a headliner
Barrio Fino World Tour (2004–06)
The Big Boss Tour (2007–09)
Mundial Tour (2010–11)
European Tour (2012)
Prestige World Tour (2012–13)
King Daddy Tour (2014–15)
TamoEnVivoTour (2017)
La Gira Dura (2018)
Con Calma Tour (2019)
As a co-headliner
The Kingdom Tour (2015–16) (with Don Omar)
Filmography
Film
Television
See also
Reggaeton
Latin American music
List of Caribbean music genres
List of Puerto Ricans
List of Puerto Rican songwriters
Urban contemporary
References
External links
1977 births
Living people
American hip hop musicians
American shooting survivors
Capitol Latin artists
Latin Grammy Award winners
Latin music songwriters
Pop rappers
21st-century Puerto Rican male singers
Puerto Rican rappers
Puerto Rican reggaeton musicians
Urbano musicians
Singers from San Juan, Puerto Rico
Sony Music Latin artists
Southern hip hop musicians
Spanish-language singers of the United States
Universal Music Latin Entertainment artists
20th-century Puerto Rican male singers
| true |
[
"This article partially lists the awards, nominations, and recognitions received by Jolina Magdangal.\n\nMusic and Entertainment Awards\n\nRecord\n\nIndustry Awards\n\nPopular awards\n\nTelevision Awards\n\nIndustry Awards\n\nPopular Awards\n\nFilm Awards\n\nIndustry Awards\n\nPopular Awards\n\nOther awards and recognitions\n\nIndustry Awards\n\nPopular Awards\n\nGovernment Recognitions\n\nMagazines and internet media\n\nOthers\n\nReferences\n\nMagdangal, Jolina",
"The Lost Scrapbook (1995) is a novel by the American writer Evan Dara. It won the 12th Annual FC2 Illinois State University National Fiction Competition judged by William T. Vollmann.\n\nThe novel is a prime example of ecofiction, and culminates in a battle between a fictional Missouri town named Isaura and the Ozark chemical company, which has been the economic linchpin for the community for many decades. The company is accused of releasing toxic waste which has poisoned the groundwater.\n\nWriting in the Washington Post, Tom LeClair compares the book favorably to The Recognitions by William Gaddis, saying:\n\n\"This first novel resembles the ambitious debuts of McElroy (A Smuggler's Bible) and Pynchon (V), but author Evan Dara pushes the bar back upward toward Recognitions-height. With The Lost Scrapbook Dara asks readers to vault into an insistently bookish book, a dangerous and courageous request in an age of Web browsers and Net servers....I'd hate to see The Lost Scrapbook lost for 30 years, as The Recognitions went unrecognized, because Dara is a consummate ventriloquist of our time's voices and a remarkable ringmaster of our culture's circus acts....At the end of The Recognitions a composer finally plays his own music in a cathedral, hits a very difficult note, and brings the cathedral down on his head. Dara has taken a similar risk with his Beethoven-influenced novel of variations.\"\n\nReferences\n\n1995 American novels\nNovels set in Missouri\nMetafictional novels\nPostmodern novels\nEnvironmental fiction books"
] |
[
"Cimmerians",
"Greek tradition"
] |
C_b2441069fa124f36b11397696ba067de_0
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Who were the Cimmerians?
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Who were the Cimmerians?
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Cimmerians
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A people named Kimmerioi is described in Homer's Odyssey 11.14 (c. late 8th century BC), as living beyond the Oceanus, in a land of fog and darkness, at the edge of the world and the entrance of Hades. According to Herodotus (c. 440 BC), the Cimmerians had been expelled from their homeland between the Tyras (Dniester) and Tanais (Don) rivers by the Scythians. Unreconciled to Scythian advances, to ensure burial in their ancestral homeland, the men of the Cimmerian royal family divided into groups and fought each other to the death. The Cimmerian commoners buried the bodies along the river Tyras and fled across the Caucasus and into Anatolia. Herodotus also names a number of Cimmerian kings, including Tugdamme (Lygdamis in Greek; mid-7th century BC), and Sandakhshatra (late-7th century). In 654 BC or 652 BC - the exact date is unclear - the Cimmerians attacked the kingdom of Lydia, killing the Lydian king Gyges and causing great destruction to the Lydian capital of Sardis. They returned ten years later during the reign of Gyges' son Ardys II; this time they captured the city, with the exception of the citadel. The fall of Sardis was a major shock to the powers of the region; the Greek poets Callinus and Archilochus recorded the fear that it inspired in the Greek colonies of Ionia, some of which were attacked by Cimmerian and Treres raiders. The Cimmerian occupation of Lydia was brief, however, possibly due to an outbreak of plague. They were beaten back by Alyattes II of Lydia. This defeat marked the effective end of Cimmerian power. The term Gimirri was used about a century later in the Behistun inscription (c. 515 BC) as an Assyro-Babylonian equivalent of Persian Saka (Scythians). Otherwise, Cimmerians disappeared from the historical record. CANNOTANSWER
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According to Herodotus (c. 440 BC), the Cimmerians had been expelled from their homeland between the Tyras (Dniester) and Tanais (Don) rivers by the Scythians.
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The Cimmerians ( ; ) were a nomadic Indo-European people, who appeared about 1000 BC. Originating in the Pontic-Caspian steppe, the Cimmerians subsequently migrated into Southwest Asia and into Central and Southeast Europe. While the Cimmerians were often described by contemporaries as culturally Scythian, they evidently differed ethnically from the Scythians proper, who also displaced and replaced the Cimmerians.
The Cimmerians themselves left no written records, and most information about them is largely derived from Assyrian records of the 8th to 7th centuries BCE and from Graeco-Roman authors from the 5th century BCE and later.
Name
The source and meaning of the Cimmerians' name remain uncertain, and there have been various proposals for its origin. According to the linguist János Harmatta, it was derived from Old Iranian , meaning "union of clans", while and Igor Diakonoff derive it from an Old Iranian term or , meaning "mobile unit," Askold Ivantchik derives the name of the Cimmerians from an original form or , of uncertain meaning.
History
Origins
The Cimmerians were most likely a nomadic Iranian people of the Eurasian Steppe. Other suggestions for the ethnicity for the Cimmerians include the possibility of them being Thracian, or Thracians with an Iranian ruling class, or a separate group closely related to Thracian peoples, as well as a Maeotian origin. However, the proposal of a Thracian origin of the Cimmerians has been criticised as arising from a confusion by Strabo between the Cimmerians and their allies, the Thracian tribe of the Treres.
The Cimmerians are first mentioned in the 8th century BCE in Homer's Odyssey as a people living beyond the Oceanus, in a land permanently deprived of sunlight at the edge of the world and the entrance of Hades, and, in the 6th century BCE, Aristeas of Proconnesus recorded that the Cimmerians had once lived in the Pontic Steppe. According to Herodotus, the Cimmerians inhabited the region north of the Caucasus and the Black Sea during the 8th and 7th centuries BC (i.e. what is now Ukraine and Russia).
The social structure of the Cimmerians, according to Herodotus, comprised two groups of roughly equal numbers: the Cimmerians proper, or "commoners", and the "kings" or "royal race" – implying that the ruling classes and lower classes originally constituted two different peoples (or castes), who retained distinct identities as late as the end of the 2nd millennium BCE. Hence the "kings" may have originated as an element of an Iranian-speaking people (such as the Scythians), who had imposed their rule on a section of the people of the Catacomb culture, i.e. the "commoners". Hence the subsequent Cimmerian culture has been more strongly associated with the Srubnaya (19th-15th centuries BCE) and/or Belozerskaya (12th-10th centuries BCE) cultures.
In Southwest Asia
In the 8th and 7th centuries BCE, the Cimmerians were expelled from their home in the Pontic Steppe and forced to migrate into Southwest Asia due to a significant movement of the nomads of the Eurasian Steppe. According to Herodotus, this movement started when the Massagetae migrated westwards, forcing the Scythians to the west across the Araxes river (likely the Volga), after which the Scythians moved into the Pontic Steppe and conquered the territory of the Cimmerians.
Under Scythian pressure, the Cimmerian aristocrats, who were unwilling to leave their lands, killed each other and were buried in a kurgan near the Tyras river; then the common people migrated to Southwest Asia. The Cimmerians fled to the south along the Black Sea coast and reached Anatolia. However, owing to the impracticability of the eastern Black Sea shore for horsemen, modern scholars instead suggest that the Cimmerians passed through the , Alagir and Darial passes in the Greater Caucasus, that is through the western Caucasus and Georgia into Colchis, where the Cimmerians initially settled; the Scythians in turn pursued the Cimmerians, but followed the coast of the Caspian Sea and arrived in the region of present-day Azerbaijan.
Austen Henry Layard's discoveries in the royal archives at Nineveh and Calah included Assyrian primary records of the Cimmerian invasion.
These records appear to place the Cimmerian homeland, Gamir, south (rather than north) of the Black Sea.
In Transcaucasia
During the early phase of the Cimmerians' presence in Southwest Asia, their centre of operations was located in Transcaucasia until the early 660s BCE.
The first mention of the Cimmerians in the records of the Neo-Assyrian Empire was from between 720 and 714 BCE, when Assyrian intelligence reported to the king Sargon II that the king Rusa I of Urartu had been defeated after attempting to attack the Cimmerians, either in what is now Georgia, or near Gurania in eastern Cappadocia. According to another Assyrian intelligence report dated to those same years, the Cimmerians had attacked Urartu through the territory of the kingdom of Mannae.
In 705 BCE, the Cimmerians tried to cross the border of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, but they were defeated by Sargon II, who died in this battle.
During the period coinciding with the rule of the Assyrian king Esarhaddon (reigned 681–669 BCE), the bulk of the Cimmerians migrated from Transcaucasia into Anatolia, while a smaller group remained in the area near the kingdom of Mannae where they had been settled since the time of Sargon II, respectively forming a "western" and an "eastern" division of Cimmerians.
The "eastern" Cimmerians
By 677 BCE, the eastern group of Cimmerians were present on the territory of Mannae, and in 676 BCE they were the allies of Mannae against an Assyrian attack, after which the eastern Cimmerians remained allied to Mannae against Assyria.
Around 675 BCE, the eastern Cimmerians were recorded by the Assyrians as a possible threat against the collection of tribute from Media. And around the same time, in alliance with the Scythians, the eastern Cimmerians were menacing the Assyrian provinces of Parsumaš and Bīt Ḫamban, and the eastern Cimmerians and the Scythians together were threatening communication between the Assyrian Empire and its vassal of Ḫubuškia.
By the late 670s BCE, the eastern Cimmerians were allied to Ellipi and the Medes, and when Ellipi and the Medes successfully rebelled against Assyria under Kashtariti from 671 to 669 BCE, the eastern Cimmerians were allied to them.
In the western Iranian Plateau, the eastern Cimmerians might have introduced Bronze articles from the Koban culture into the Luristan bronze culture.
In Anatolia
By the later 7th century BCE, the centre of operations of the larger, western, division of the Cimmerians was located in Anatolia.
In 679 BCE the Cimmerian king Teušpa was defeated and killed by Esarhaddon near Ḫubušna in Cappadocia. Despite this victory, the military operations of the Assyrians were not fully successful and they were not able to firmly occupy the areas around Ḫubušna, nor were they able to secure their borders, and the Assyrian province of Quwê was left vulnerable to invasions from Tabal, Kuzzurak and Ḫilakku. An Assyrian contract dating to the same as Esarhaddon's victory over Teušpa records of the existence of a "Cimmerian detachment" in Nineveh, although it is uncertain whether this refers to Cimmerian mercenaries in Assyrian service, or simply of Assyrian soldiers armed in the "Cimmerian-style", that is using Cimmerian bows and horse harnesses.
Around 675 BCE, the Cimmerians in alliance with the Urartian king Rusa II invaded and destroyed the kingdom of Phrygia, whose king Midas committed suicide. The Cimmerians appear to have partially subdued the Phrygians, and an Assyrian oracular text from the later 670s BCE mentioned the Cimmerians and the possibly subdued Phrygians as allies against the Assyrians' newly conquered province of Melid.
A document from 673 BCE records Rusa II as having recruited a large number of Cimmerian mercenaries, and Cimmerian allies of Rusa II probably participated in a military expedition of his in 672 BCE. From 671 to 669 BCE, Cimmerians in service of Rusa II attacked the Assyrian province of Šubria near the Urartian border.
Between 671 and 670 BCE, some Cimmerian divisions were recorded as serving in the Assyrian army, although these divisions might have instead simply referred to the "Cimmerian style" armed Assyrian soldiers.
At yet unknown dates, the Cimmerians imposed their rule on Cappadocia, invaded Bithynia, Paphlagonia and the Troad, and took Sinope. In the beginning of that decade, the Cimmerians attacked the kingdom of Lydia, whose king Gyges contacted the Neo-Assyrian Empire beginning in 667 BCE. Gyges soon defeated the Cimmerians in 665 BCE without Assyrian help, and he sent Cimmerian soldiers captured while attacking the Lydian countryside as gifts to Ashurbanipal. According to the Assyrian records describing these events, the Cimmerians already had formed sedentary settlements in Anatolia.
According to Anthony Spalinger, the Cimmerians attacked Lydia again in 657 BCE, as recorded by contemporary Assyrian records, which referred to this attack as a "bad omen" for the "Westland", that is Lydia. However, this sequence of events is disputed by Askold Ivantchik, who instead identifies the "Westland" with western possessions of the Neo-Assyrian Empire (possibly Quwê or somewhere in Syria) that the Cimmerians had conquered after their defeat by Gyges. These Cimmerian aggressions worried Ashurbanipal about the security of the northwest border of the Neo-Assyrian Empire enough that he sought answers concerning this situation through divination, and as a result of these Cimmerian conquests, by 657 BCE the Assyrian divinatory records were calling the Cimmerian king by the title of ("King of the Universe"), a title which in the Mesopotamian worldview could belong to only a single ruler in the world at any given time and was normally held by the King of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. These divinatory texts also assured to Assurbanipal that he would eventually regain the , that is the world hegemony, captured by the Cimmerians: the , which was considered to rightfully belong to the Assyrian king, had been usurped by the Cimmerians and had to be won back by Assyria. Thus, the Cimmerian king's successes against Assyria meant that he had become recognised in the ancient Near East as equally powerful as Ashurbanipal. This situation remained unchanged throughout the rest of the 650s BCE and the early 640s BCE.
As the result of these Assyrian setbacks, Gyges could not rely on Assyrian support against the Cimmerians and he ended diplomacy with the Neo-Assyrian Empire.
The Cimmerians attacked Lydia for a third time in 644 BCE, under their leader Lygdamis (, ), the of the Assyrian records. This time, the Cimmerians defeated the Lydians and captured their capital, Sardis, and Gyges died during this attack. After sacking Sardis, Lygdamis led the Cimmerians into invading the Greek city-states of Ionia and Aeolis on the western coast of Anatolia, which caused the inhabitants of the Batinetis region to flee to the islands of the Aegean Sea, and later Greek writings by Callimachus and Hesychius of Alexandria preserve the record that Lygdamis had destroyed the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus during these invasions.
After this third invasion of Lydia and the attack on the Asiatic Greek cities, around 640 BCE the Cimmerians moved to Cilicia on the north-west border of the Assyrian empire, where Tugdammi allied with Mugallu, the king of Tabal, against Assyria. However, after facing a revolt against him, Tugdamme allied with Assyria and acknowledged Assyrian overlordship, and sent tribute to Ashurbanipal, to whom he swore an oath. Tugdammi soon broke this oath and attacked the Assyrian Empire again, but he fell ill and died in 640 BCE, and was succeeded by his son Sandakšatru.
In 637 BCE, the Cimmerians participated in another attack on Lydia, this time led by the Thracian Treres tribe who had migrated across the Thracian Bosporus and invaded Anatolia, under their king Kobos, and in alliance with the Lycians. During this invasion, in the seventh year of the reign of Gyges's son Ardys, the Lydians were defeated again and for a second time Sardis was captured, except for its citadel, and Ardys might have been killed in this attack. Ardys's son and successor, Sadyattes, might possibly also have been killed in another Cimmerian attack on Lydia. Soon after that, with Assyrian approval and in alliance with the Lydians, the Scythians under their king Madyes entered Anatolia, expelled the Treres from Asia Minor, and defeated the Cimmerians so that they no longer constituted a threat again, following which the Scythians extended their domination to Central Anatolia until they were themselves expelled by the Medes from Southwest Asia in the 590s BCE. This final defeat of the Cimmerians was carried out by the joint forces of Madyes, who Strabo credits with expelling the Cimmerians from Asia Minor, and of Gyges's great-grandson, the king Alyattes of Lydia, whom Herodotus and Polyaenus claim finally defeated the Cimmerians.
The Cimmerians completely disappeared from history following this final defeat, after which they likely remained in Cappadocia, whose name in Armenian, , may have been derived from the name of the Cimmerians. A group of Cimmerians might also have subsisted for some time in the Troad, around Adramyttium.
Archaeology
The origin of the culture is associated with the Belozerskaya culture (12th to 10th centuries BCE) and the later and more certain Novocerkassk culture (10th to 7th centuries BCE) between the Danube and the Volga.
The use of the name "Cimmerian" in this context is due to Paul Reinecke, who in 1925 postulated a "North-Thracian-Cimmerian cultural sphere" (nordthrakisch-kimmerischer Kulturkreis) overlapping with the younger Hallstatt culture of the Eastern Alps. The term Thraco-Cimmerian (thrako-kimmerisch) was first introduced by I. Nestor in the 1930s. Nestor intended to suggest that there was a historical migration of Cimmerians into Eastern Europe from the area of the former Srubnaya culture, perhaps triggered by the Scythian expansion, at the beginning of the European Iron Age. In the 1980s and 1990s, more systematic studies of the artifacts revealed a more gradual development over the 9th to 7th centuries BCE, so that the term "Thraco-Cimmerian" is now merely used by convention and does not necessarily imply a direct connection with either the Thracians or the Cimmerians.
Legacy
The term was used about a century after the Cimmerians disappeared from history in the Behistun inscription (c. 515 BC) as an Assyro-Babylonian equivalent of Iranian Saka (Scythians). Otherwise, Cimmerians disappeared from the historical record.
In sources beginning with the Royal Frankish Annals, the Merovingian kings of the Franks traditionally traced their lineage through a pre-Frankish tribe called the Sicambri (or Sugambri), mythologized as a group of "Cimmerians" from the mouth of the Danube river, but who instead came from Gelderland in modern Netherlands and are named for the Sieg river.
Early modern historians asserted Cimmerian descent for the Celts or the Germans, arguing from the similarity of Cimmerii to Cimbri or Cymry, noted by 17th-century Celticists. But the word Cymro "Welshman" (plural: Cymry) is now accepted by Celtic linguists as being derived from a Brythonic word *kom-brogos, meaning "compatriot".
The Biblical name "Gomer" has been linked by some to the Cimmerians.
According to Georgian national historiography, the Cimmerians, in Georgian known as Gimirri, played an influential role in the development of the Colchian and Iberian cultures. The modern Georgian word for "hero", gmiri, is said to derive from their name.
It has been speculated that the Cimmerians finally settled in Cappadocia, the name Cappadocia, or in Armenian as , , might have been derived from the name of the Cimmerians.
It has also been speculated that the modern Armenian city of Gyumri (Arm.: Գյումրի ), founded as Kumayri (Arm.: Կումայրի), derived its name from the Cimmerians who conquered the region and founded a settlement there.
Language
According to the historian Muhammad Dandamayev and the linguist János Harmatta, the Cimmerians spoke a dialect belonging to the Scythian group of Iranian languages, and were able to communicate with Scythians proper without needing interpreters.
Only a few personal names in the Cimmerian language have survived in Assyrian inscriptions:
: according to the linguist János Harmatta, it goes back to Old Iranian , meaning "swelling with strength". However, based on linguistic analysis, Askold Ivantchik posits three alternative suggestions for an Old Iranian origin of : "abductor of horses"; "abductor dog", or; "divine dog".
, also spelled and , and pronounced by Greek authors: according to János Harmatta, it goes back to Old Iranian "giving happiness". Edwin M. Yamauchi also interprets the name as Iranian, citing Ossetic "ruling with strength". Based on linguistic analysis, Askold Ivantchik suggests that the name / was a loanword from an Anatolian language, more specifically Luwian, while also accepting the alternative possibility of a derivation from a variant of the name of the Hurrian deity Teyśəba/Tešub.
: this is an Iranian reading of the name, and Manfred Mayrhofer (1981) points out that the name may also be read as . According to János Harmatta, it goes back to Old Iranian "splendid son". Askold Ivantchik derives the name from a compound term consisting of the name of the Anatolian deity Sanda, and of the Iranian term .
Asimov (1991) attempted to trace various place names to Cimmerian origins. He suggested that Cimmerium gave rise to the Turkic toponym Qırım (which in turn gave rise to the name "Crimea").
Based on ancient Greek historical sources, a Thracian or a Celtic association is sometimes assumed.
Genetics
A genetic study published in Science Advances in October 2018 examined the remains of three Cimmerians buried between around 1000 and 800 BCE. The two samples of Y-DNA extracted belonged to haplogroups R1b1a and Q1a1, while the three samples of mtDNA extracted belonged to haplogroups H9a, C5c and R.
Another genetic study published in Current Biology in July 2019 examined the remains of three Cimmerians. The two samples of Y-DNA extracted belonged to haplogroups R1a-Z645 and R1a2c-B111, while the three samples of mtDNA extracted belonged to haplogroups H35, U5a1b1 and U2e2.
In popular culture
Conan the Barbarian, created by Robert E. Howard in a series of fantasy stories published in Weird Tales in 1932, was described as a native Cimmerian, though in Howard's fictional world, his Cimmerians dwelt in a mythological Hyborian Age. The Cimmerians of Hyboria are a pre-Celtic people said by Howard to be the ancestors of the Irish and Scots (Gaels).
If on a winter's night a traveler: The novel by Italo Calvino is a framed presentation of a series of incomplete novels, one of them purported to be translated from the Cimmerian. However, in Calvino's novel, Cimmeria is a fictional country.
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay: A novel by Michael Chabon has a chapter that talks about the oldest book in the world "The Book of Lo" created by ancient Cimmerians.
See also
List of kings of the Cimmerian Bosporus, including early kings of Cimmeria
References
Citations
Sources
Ivanchik A.I. "Cimmerians and Scythians", 2001
Terenozhkin A.I., Cimmerians, Kiev, 1983
Collection of Slavonic and Foreign Language Manuscripts – St.St Cyril and Methodius – Bulgarian National Library: http://www.nationallibrary.bg/slavezryk_en.html
External links
Cimmerians by Jona Lendering
Wiki Classical Dictionary: Cimmerians
Cimmerians on Regnal Chronologies
Peoples of the Caucasus
History of the North Caucasus
Tribes described primarily by Herodotus
Indo-European peoples
Unclassified languages of Asia
Unclassified Indo-European languages
| false |
[
"The Cimmerians ( ; ) were a nomadic Indo-European people, who appeared about 1000 BC. Originating in the Pontic-Caspian steppe, the Cimmerians subsequently migrated into Southwest Asia and into Central and Southeast Europe. While the Cimmerians were often described by contemporaries as culturally Scythian, they evidently differed ethnically from the Scythians proper, who also displaced and replaced the Cimmerians.\n\nThe Cimmerians themselves left no written records, and most information about them is largely derived from Assyrian records of the 8th to 7th centuries BCE and from Graeco-Roman authors from the 5th century BCE and later.\n\nName \nThe source and meaning of the Cimmerians' name remain uncertain, and there have been various proposals for its origin. According to the linguist János Harmatta, it was derived from Old Iranian , meaning \"union of clans\", while and Igor Diakonoff derive it from an Old Iranian term or , meaning \"mobile unit,\" Askold Ivantchik derives the name of the Cimmerians from an original form or , of uncertain meaning.\n\nHistory\n\nOrigins \nThe Cimmerians were most likely a nomadic Iranian people of the Eurasian Steppe. Other suggestions for the ethnicity for the Cimmerians include the possibility of them being Thracian, or Thracians with an Iranian ruling class, or a separate group closely related to Thracian peoples, as well as a Maeotian origin. However, the proposal of a Thracian origin of the Cimmerians has been criticised as arising from a confusion by Strabo between the Cimmerians and their allies, the Thracian tribe of the Treres.\n\nThe Cimmerians are first mentioned in the 8th century BCE in Homer's Odyssey as a people living beyond the Oceanus, in a land permanently deprived of sunlight at the edge of the world and the entrance of Hades, and, in the 6th century BCE, Aristeas of Proconnesus recorded that the Cimmerians had once lived in the Pontic Steppe. According to Herodotus, the Cimmerians inhabited the region north of the Caucasus and the Black Sea during the 8th and 7th centuries BC (i.e. what is now Ukraine and Russia).\n\nThe social structure of the Cimmerians, according to Herodotus, comprised two groups of roughly equal numbers: the Cimmerians proper, or \"commoners\", and the \"kings\" or \"royal race\" – implying that the ruling classes and lower classes originally constituted two different peoples (or castes), who retained distinct identities as late as the end of the 2nd millennium BCE. Hence the \"kings\" may have originated as an element of an Iranian-speaking people (such as the Scythians), who had imposed their rule on a section of the people of the Catacomb culture, i.e. the \"commoners\". Hence the subsequent Cimmerian culture has been more strongly associated with the Srubnaya (19th-15th centuries BCE) and/or Belozerskaya (12th-10th centuries BCE) cultures.\n\nIn Southwest Asia \nIn the 8th and 7th centuries BCE, the Cimmerians were expelled from their home in the Pontic Steppe and forced to migrate into Southwest Asia due to a significant movement of the nomads of the Eurasian Steppe. According to Herodotus, this movement started when the Massagetae migrated westwards, forcing the Scythians to the west across the Araxes river (likely the Volga), after which the Scythians moved into the Pontic Steppe and conquered the territory of the Cimmerians.\n\nUnder Scythian pressure, the Cimmerian aristocrats, who were unwilling to leave their lands, killed each other and were buried in a kurgan near the Tyras river; then the common people migrated to Southwest Asia. The Cimmerians fled to the south along the Black Sea coast and reached Anatolia. However, owing to the impracticability of the eastern Black Sea shore for horsemen, modern scholars instead suggest that the Cimmerians passed through the , Alagir and Darial passes in the Greater Caucasus, that is through the western Caucasus and Georgia into Colchis, where the Cimmerians initially settled; the Scythians in turn pursued the Cimmerians, but followed the coast of the Caspian Sea and arrived in the region of present-day Azerbaijan.\n\nAusten Henry Layard's discoveries in the royal archives at Nineveh and Calah included Assyrian primary records of the Cimmerian invasion.\nThese records appear to place the Cimmerian homeland, Gamir, south (rather than north) of the Black Sea.\n\nIn Transcaucasia \nDuring the early phase of the Cimmerians' presence in Southwest Asia, their centre of operations was located in Transcaucasia until the early 660s BCE.\n\nThe first mention of the Cimmerians in the records of the Neo-Assyrian Empire was from between 720 and 714 BCE, when Assyrian intelligence reported to the king Sargon II that the king Rusa I of Urartu had been defeated after attempting to attack the Cimmerians, either in what is now Georgia, or near Gurania in eastern Cappadocia. According to another Assyrian intelligence report dated to those same years, the Cimmerians had attacked Urartu through the territory of the kingdom of Mannae.\n\nIn 705 BCE, the Cimmerians tried to cross the border of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, but they were defeated by Sargon II, who died in this battle.\n\nDuring the period coinciding with the rule of the Assyrian king Esarhaddon (reigned 681–669 BCE), the bulk of the Cimmerians migrated from Transcaucasia into Anatolia, while a smaller group remained in the area near the kingdom of Mannae where they had been settled since the time of Sargon II, respectively forming a \"western\" and an \"eastern\" division of Cimmerians.\n\nThe \"eastern\" Cimmerians \nBy 677 BCE, the eastern group of Cimmerians were present on the territory of Mannae, and in 676 BCE they were the allies of Mannae against an Assyrian attack, after which the eastern Cimmerians remained allied to Mannae against Assyria.\n\nAround 675 BCE, the eastern Cimmerians were recorded by the Assyrians as a possible threat against the collection of tribute from Media. And around the same time, in alliance with the Scythians, the eastern Cimmerians were menacing the Assyrian provinces of Parsumaš and Bīt Ḫamban, and the eastern Cimmerians and the Scythians together were threatening communication between the Assyrian Empire and its vassal of Ḫubuškia.\n\nBy the late 670s BCE, the eastern Cimmerians were allied to Ellipi and the Medes, and when Ellipi and the Medes successfully rebelled against Assyria under Kashtariti from 671 to 669 BCE, the eastern Cimmerians were allied to them.\n\nIn the western Iranian Plateau, the eastern Cimmerians might have introduced Bronze articles from the Koban culture into the Luristan bronze culture.\n\nIn Anatolia \nBy the later 7th century BCE, the centre of operations of the larger, western, division of the Cimmerians was located in Anatolia.\n\nIn 679 BCE the Cimmerian king Teušpa was defeated and killed by Esarhaddon near Ḫubušna in Cappadocia. Despite this victory, the military operations of the Assyrians were not fully successful and they were not able to firmly occupy the areas around Ḫubušna, nor were they able to secure their borders, and the Assyrian province of Quwê was left vulnerable to invasions from Tabal, Kuzzurak and Ḫilakku. An Assyrian contract dating to the same as Esarhaddon's victory over Teušpa records of the existence of a \"Cimmerian detachment\" in Nineveh, although it is uncertain whether this refers to Cimmerian mercenaries in Assyrian service, or simply of Assyrian soldiers armed in the \"Cimmerian-style\", that is using Cimmerian bows and horse harnesses.\n\nAround 675 BCE, the Cimmerians in alliance with the Urartian king Rusa II invaded and destroyed the kingdom of Phrygia, whose king Midas committed suicide. The Cimmerians appear to have partially subdued the Phrygians, and an Assyrian oracular text from the later 670s BCE mentioned the Cimmerians and the possibly subdued Phrygians as allies against the Assyrians' newly conquered province of Melid.\n\nA document from 673 BCE records Rusa II as having recruited a large number of Cimmerian mercenaries, and Cimmerian allies of Rusa II probably participated in a military expedition of his in 672 BCE. From 671 to 669 BCE, Cimmerians in service of Rusa II attacked the Assyrian province of Šubria near the Urartian border.\n\nBetween 671 and 670 BCE, some Cimmerian divisions were recorded as serving in the Assyrian army, although these divisions might have instead simply referred to the \"Cimmerian style\" armed Assyrian soldiers. \n\nAt yet unknown dates, the Cimmerians imposed their rule on Cappadocia, invaded Bithynia, Paphlagonia and the Troad, and took Sinope. In the beginning of that decade, the Cimmerians attacked the kingdom of Lydia, whose king Gyges contacted the Neo-Assyrian Empire beginning in 667 BCE. Gyges soon defeated the Cimmerians in 665 BCE without Assyrian help, and he sent Cimmerian soldiers captured while attacking the Lydian countryside as gifts to Ashurbanipal. According to the Assyrian records describing these events, the Cimmerians already had formed sedentary settlements in Anatolia.\n\nAccording to Anthony Spalinger, the Cimmerians attacked Lydia again in 657 BCE, as recorded by contemporary Assyrian records, which referred to this attack as a \"bad omen\" for the \"Westland\", that is Lydia. However, this sequence of events is disputed by Askold Ivantchik, who instead identifies the \"Westland\" with western possessions of the Neo-Assyrian Empire (possibly Quwê or somewhere in Syria) that the Cimmerians had conquered after their defeat by Gyges. These Cimmerian aggressions worried Ashurbanipal about the security of the northwest border of the Neo-Assyrian Empire enough that he sought answers concerning this situation through divination, and as a result of these Cimmerian conquests, by 657 BCE the Assyrian divinatory records were calling the Cimmerian king by the title of (\"King of the Universe\"), a title which in the Mesopotamian worldview could belong to only a single ruler in the world at any given time and was normally held by the King of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. These divinatory texts also assured to Assurbanipal that he would eventually regain the , that is the world hegemony, captured by the Cimmerians: the , which was considered to rightfully belong to the Assyrian king, had been usurped by the Cimmerians and had to be won back by Assyria. Thus, the Cimmerian king's successes against Assyria meant that he had become recognised in the ancient Near East as equally powerful as Ashurbanipal. This situation remained unchanged throughout the rest of the 650s BCE and the early 640s BCE.\n\nAs the result of these Assyrian setbacks, Gyges could not rely on Assyrian support against the Cimmerians and he ended diplomacy with the Neo-Assyrian Empire.\n\nThe Cimmerians attacked Lydia for a third time in 644 BCE, under their leader Lygdamis (, ), the of the Assyrian records. This time, the Cimmerians defeated the Lydians and captured their capital, Sardis, and Gyges died during this attack. After sacking Sardis, Lygdamis led the Cimmerians into invading the Greek city-states of Ionia and Aeolis on the western coast of Anatolia, which caused the inhabitants of the Batinetis region to flee to the islands of the Aegean Sea, and later Greek writings by Callimachus and Hesychius of Alexandria preserve the record that Lygdamis had destroyed the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus during these invasions.\n\nAfter this third invasion of Lydia and the attack on the Asiatic Greek cities, around 640 BCE the Cimmerians moved to Cilicia on the north-west border of the Assyrian empire, where Tugdammi allied with Mugallu, the king of Tabal, against Assyria. However, after facing a revolt against him, Tugdamme allied with Assyria and acknowledged Assyrian overlordship, and sent tribute to Ashurbanipal, to whom he swore an oath. Tugdammi soon broke this oath and attacked the Assyrian Empire again, but he fell ill and died in 640 BCE, and was succeeded by his son Sandakšatru.\n\nIn 637 BCE, the Cimmerians participated in another attack on Lydia, this time led by the Thracian Treres tribe who had migrated across the Thracian Bosporus and invaded Anatolia, under their king Kobos, and in alliance with the Lycians. During this invasion, in the seventh year of the reign of Gyges's son Ardys, the Lydians were defeated again and for a second time Sardis was captured, except for its citadel, and Ardys might have been killed in this attack. Ardys's son and successor, Sadyattes, might possibly also have been killed in another Cimmerian attack on Lydia. Soon after that, with Assyrian approval and in alliance with the Lydians, the Scythians under their king Madyes entered Anatolia, expelled the Treres from Asia Minor, and defeated the Cimmerians so that they no longer constituted a threat again, following which the Scythians extended their domination to Central Anatolia until they were themselves expelled by the Medes from Southwest Asia in the 590s BCE. This final defeat of the Cimmerians was carried out by the joint forces of Madyes, who Strabo credits with expelling the Cimmerians from Asia Minor, and of Gyges's great-grandson, the king Alyattes of Lydia, whom Herodotus and Polyaenus claim finally defeated the Cimmerians.\n\nThe Cimmerians completely disappeared from history following this final defeat, after which they likely remained in Cappadocia, whose name in Armenian, , may have been derived from the name of the Cimmerians. A group of Cimmerians might also have subsisted for some time in the Troad, around Adramyttium.\n\nArchaeology \n\nThe origin of the culture is associated with the Belozerskaya culture (12th to 10th centuries BCE) and the later and more certain Novocerkassk culture (10th to 7th centuries BCE) between the Danube and the Volga.\n\nThe use of the name \"Cimmerian\" in this context is due to Paul Reinecke, who in 1925 postulated a \"North-Thracian-Cimmerian cultural sphere\" (nordthrakisch-kimmerischer Kulturkreis) overlapping with the younger Hallstatt culture of the Eastern Alps. The term Thraco-Cimmerian (thrako-kimmerisch) was first introduced by I. Nestor in the 1930s. Nestor intended to suggest that there was a historical migration of Cimmerians into Eastern Europe from the area of the former Srubnaya culture, perhaps triggered by the Scythian expansion, at the beginning of the European Iron Age. In the 1980s and 1990s, more systematic studies of the artifacts revealed a more gradual development over the 9th to 7th centuries BCE, so that the term \"Thraco-Cimmerian\" is now merely used by convention and does not necessarily imply a direct connection with either the Thracians or the Cimmerians.\n\nLegacy\nThe term was used about a century after the Cimmerians disappeared from history in the Behistun inscription (c. 515 BC) as an Assyro-Babylonian equivalent of Iranian Saka (Scythians). Otherwise, Cimmerians disappeared from the historical record.\n\nIn sources beginning with the Royal Frankish Annals, the Merovingian kings of the Franks traditionally traced their lineage through a pre-Frankish tribe called the Sicambri (or Sugambri), mythologized as a group of \"Cimmerians\" from the mouth of the Danube river, but who instead came from Gelderland in modern Netherlands and are named for the Sieg river.\n\nEarly modern historians asserted Cimmerian descent for the Celts or the Germans, arguing from the similarity of Cimmerii to Cimbri or Cymry, noted by 17th-century Celticists. But the word Cymro \"Welshman\" (plural: Cymry) is now accepted by Celtic linguists as being derived from a Brythonic word *kom-brogos, meaning \"compatriot\".\n\nThe Biblical name \"Gomer\" has been linked by some to the Cimmerians.\n\nAccording to Georgian national historiography, the Cimmerians, in Georgian known as Gimirri, played an influential role in the development of the Colchian and Iberian cultures. The modern Georgian word for \"hero\", gmiri, is said to derive from their name.\n\nIt has been speculated that the Cimmerians finally settled in Cappadocia, the name Cappadocia, or in Armenian as , , might have been derived from the name of the Cimmerians.\n\nIt has also been speculated that the modern Armenian city of Gyumri (Arm.: Գյումրի ), founded as Kumayri (Arm.: Կումայրի), derived its name from the Cimmerians who conquered the region and founded a settlement there.\n\nLanguage\n\nAccording to the historian Muhammad Dandamayev and the linguist János Harmatta, the Cimmerians spoke a dialect belonging to the Scythian group of Iranian languages, and were able to communicate with Scythians proper without needing interpreters.\n\nOnly a few personal names in the Cimmerian language have survived in Assyrian inscriptions:\n: according to the linguist János Harmatta, it goes back to Old Iranian , meaning \"swelling with strength\". However, based on linguistic analysis, Askold Ivantchik posits three alternative suggestions for an Old Iranian origin of : \"abductor of horses\"; \"abductor dog\", or; \"divine dog\".\n\n, also spelled and , and pronounced by Greek authors: according to János Harmatta, it goes back to Old Iranian \"giving happiness\". Edwin M. Yamauchi also interprets the name as Iranian, citing Ossetic \"ruling with strength\". Based on linguistic analysis, Askold Ivantchik suggests that the name / was a loanword from an Anatolian language, more specifically Luwian, while also accepting the alternative possibility of a derivation from a variant of the name of the Hurrian deity Teyśəba/Tešub.\n\n: this is an Iranian reading of the name, and Manfred Mayrhofer (1981) points out that the name may also be read as . According to János Harmatta, it goes back to Old Iranian \"splendid son\". Askold Ivantchik derives the name from a compound term consisting of the name of the Anatolian deity Sanda, and of the Iranian term .\n\nAsimov (1991) attempted to trace various place names to Cimmerian origins. He suggested that Cimmerium gave rise to the Turkic toponym Qırım (which in turn gave rise to the name \"Crimea\").\n\nBased on ancient Greek historical sources, a Thracian or a Celtic association is sometimes assumed.\n\nGenetics\nA genetic study published in Science Advances in October 2018 examined the remains of three Cimmerians buried between around 1000 and 800 BCE. The two samples of Y-DNA extracted belonged to haplogroups R1b1a and Q1a1, while the three samples of mtDNA extracted belonged to haplogroups H9a, C5c and R. \n\nAnother genetic study published in Current Biology in July 2019 examined the remains of three Cimmerians. The two samples of Y-DNA extracted belonged to haplogroups R1a-Z645 and R1a2c-B111, while the three samples of mtDNA extracted belonged to haplogroups H35, U5a1b1 and U2e2.\n\nIn popular culture\nConan the Barbarian, created by Robert E. Howard in a series of fantasy stories published in Weird Tales in 1932, was described as a native Cimmerian, though in Howard's fictional world, his Cimmerians dwelt in a mythological Hyborian Age. The Cimmerians of Hyboria are a pre-Celtic people said by Howard to be the ancestors of the Irish and Scots (Gaels).\n\nIf on a winter's night a traveler: The novel by Italo Calvino is a framed presentation of a series of incomplete novels, one of them purported to be translated from the Cimmerian. However, in Calvino's novel, Cimmeria is a fictional country.\n\nThe Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay: A novel by Michael Chabon has a chapter that talks about the oldest book in the world \"The Book of Lo\" created by ancient Cimmerians.\n\nSee also \n List of kings of the Cimmerian Bosporus, including early kings of Cimmeria\n\nReferences\n\nCitations\n\nSources \n\n Ivanchik A.I. \"Cimmerians and Scythians\", 2001\n\n \n \n\nTerenozhkin A.I., Cimmerians, Kiev, 1983\nCollection of Slavonic and Foreign Language Manuscripts – St.St Cyril and Methodius – Bulgarian National Library: http://www.nationallibrary.bg/slavezryk_en.html\n\nExternal links\n\nCimmerians by Jona Lendering\nWiki Classical Dictionary: Cimmerians\nCimmerians on Regnal Chronologies\n\n \nPeoples of the Caucasus\nHistory of the North Caucasus\nTribes described primarily by Herodotus\nIndo-European peoples\nUnclassified languages of Asia\nUnclassified Indo-European languages",
"Qımır (also, Kymyr) is a village in the Zaqatala Rayon of Azerbaijan. The village forms part of the municipality of Çobankol.\n\nOrigins\nQımır is one of the villages in the Caucasus where the Cimmerians (Gmry) are believed to have settled during the I millineum BC. Cimmerians were nomads who were successful in attacking Urartu and conquering Lydia in Anatolia.\nAccording to Herodotus, Cimmerians (Qımıroi) have fled through Caucasus to Anatolia.\nPossible that a small group of nomadic Cimmerians, has settled in the Caucasus and the Village name of Qımır is an ethnotoponym.\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\n\nPopulated places in Zaqatala District"
] |
[
"Cimmerians",
"Greek tradition",
"Who were the Cimmerians?",
"According to Herodotus (c. 440 BC), the Cimmerians had been expelled from their homeland between the Tyras (Dniester) and Tanais (Don) rivers by the Scythians."
] |
C_b2441069fa124f36b11397696ba067de_0
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What can you tell me about Greek tradition and the Cimmerians?
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What can you tell me about Greek tradition and the Cimmerians?
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Cimmerians
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A people named Kimmerioi is described in Homer's Odyssey 11.14 (c. late 8th century BC), as living beyond the Oceanus, in a land of fog and darkness, at the edge of the world and the entrance of Hades. According to Herodotus (c. 440 BC), the Cimmerians had been expelled from their homeland between the Tyras (Dniester) and Tanais (Don) rivers by the Scythians. Unreconciled to Scythian advances, to ensure burial in their ancestral homeland, the men of the Cimmerian royal family divided into groups and fought each other to the death. The Cimmerian commoners buried the bodies along the river Tyras and fled across the Caucasus and into Anatolia. Herodotus also names a number of Cimmerian kings, including Tugdamme (Lygdamis in Greek; mid-7th century BC), and Sandakhshatra (late-7th century). In 654 BC or 652 BC - the exact date is unclear - the Cimmerians attacked the kingdom of Lydia, killing the Lydian king Gyges and causing great destruction to the Lydian capital of Sardis. They returned ten years later during the reign of Gyges' son Ardys II; this time they captured the city, with the exception of the citadel. The fall of Sardis was a major shock to the powers of the region; the Greek poets Callinus and Archilochus recorded the fear that it inspired in the Greek colonies of Ionia, some of which were attacked by Cimmerian and Treres raiders. The Cimmerian occupation of Lydia was brief, however, possibly due to an outbreak of plague. They were beaten back by Alyattes II of Lydia. This defeat marked the effective end of Cimmerian power. The term Gimirri was used about a century later in the Behistun inscription (c. 515 BC) as an Assyro-Babylonian equivalent of Persian Saka (Scythians). Otherwise, Cimmerians disappeared from the historical record. CANNOTANSWER
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Unreconciled to Scythian advances, to ensure burial in their ancestral homeland, the men of the Cimmerian royal family divided into groups and fought each other to the death.
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The Cimmerians ( ; ) were a nomadic Indo-European people, who appeared about 1000 BC. Originating in the Pontic-Caspian steppe, the Cimmerians subsequently migrated into Southwest Asia and into Central and Southeast Europe. While the Cimmerians were often described by contemporaries as culturally Scythian, they evidently differed ethnically from the Scythians proper, who also displaced and replaced the Cimmerians.
The Cimmerians themselves left no written records, and most information about them is largely derived from Assyrian records of the 8th to 7th centuries BCE and from Graeco-Roman authors from the 5th century BCE and later.
Name
The source and meaning of the Cimmerians' name remain uncertain, and there have been various proposals for its origin. According to the linguist János Harmatta, it was derived from Old Iranian , meaning "union of clans", while and Igor Diakonoff derive it from an Old Iranian term or , meaning "mobile unit," Askold Ivantchik derives the name of the Cimmerians from an original form or , of uncertain meaning.
History
Origins
The Cimmerians were most likely a nomadic Iranian people of the Eurasian Steppe. Other suggestions for the ethnicity for the Cimmerians include the possibility of them being Thracian, or Thracians with an Iranian ruling class, or a separate group closely related to Thracian peoples, as well as a Maeotian origin. However, the proposal of a Thracian origin of the Cimmerians has been criticised as arising from a confusion by Strabo between the Cimmerians and their allies, the Thracian tribe of the Treres.
The Cimmerians are first mentioned in the 8th century BCE in Homer's Odyssey as a people living beyond the Oceanus, in a land permanently deprived of sunlight at the edge of the world and the entrance of Hades, and, in the 6th century BCE, Aristeas of Proconnesus recorded that the Cimmerians had once lived in the Pontic Steppe. According to Herodotus, the Cimmerians inhabited the region north of the Caucasus and the Black Sea during the 8th and 7th centuries BC (i.e. what is now Ukraine and Russia).
The social structure of the Cimmerians, according to Herodotus, comprised two groups of roughly equal numbers: the Cimmerians proper, or "commoners", and the "kings" or "royal race" – implying that the ruling classes and lower classes originally constituted two different peoples (or castes), who retained distinct identities as late as the end of the 2nd millennium BCE. Hence the "kings" may have originated as an element of an Iranian-speaking people (such as the Scythians), who had imposed their rule on a section of the people of the Catacomb culture, i.e. the "commoners". Hence the subsequent Cimmerian culture has been more strongly associated with the Srubnaya (19th-15th centuries BCE) and/or Belozerskaya (12th-10th centuries BCE) cultures.
In Southwest Asia
In the 8th and 7th centuries BCE, the Cimmerians were expelled from their home in the Pontic Steppe and forced to migrate into Southwest Asia due to a significant movement of the nomads of the Eurasian Steppe. According to Herodotus, this movement started when the Massagetae migrated westwards, forcing the Scythians to the west across the Araxes river (likely the Volga), after which the Scythians moved into the Pontic Steppe and conquered the territory of the Cimmerians.
Under Scythian pressure, the Cimmerian aristocrats, who were unwilling to leave their lands, killed each other and were buried in a kurgan near the Tyras river; then the common people migrated to Southwest Asia. The Cimmerians fled to the south along the Black Sea coast and reached Anatolia. However, owing to the impracticability of the eastern Black Sea shore for horsemen, modern scholars instead suggest that the Cimmerians passed through the , Alagir and Darial passes in the Greater Caucasus, that is through the western Caucasus and Georgia into Colchis, where the Cimmerians initially settled; the Scythians in turn pursued the Cimmerians, but followed the coast of the Caspian Sea and arrived in the region of present-day Azerbaijan.
Austen Henry Layard's discoveries in the royal archives at Nineveh and Calah included Assyrian primary records of the Cimmerian invasion.
These records appear to place the Cimmerian homeland, Gamir, south (rather than north) of the Black Sea.
In Transcaucasia
During the early phase of the Cimmerians' presence in Southwest Asia, their centre of operations was located in Transcaucasia until the early 660s BCE.
The first mention of the Cimmerians in the records of the Neo-Assyrian Empire was from between 720 and 714 BCE, when Assyrian intelligence reported to the king Sargon II that the king Rusa I of Urartu had been defeated after attempting to attack the Cimmerians, either in what is now Georgia, or near Gurania in eastern Cappadocia. According to another Assyrian intelligence report dated to those same years, the Cimmerians had attacked Urartu through the territory of the kingdom of Mannae.
In 705 BCE, the Cimmerians tried to cross the border of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, but they were defeated by Sargon II, who died in this battle.
During the period coinciding with the rule of the Assyrian king Esarhaddon (reigned 681–669 BCE), the bulk of the Cimmerians migrated from Transcaucasia into Anatolia, while a smaller group remained in the area near the kingdom of Mannae where they had been settled since the time of Sargon II, respectively forming a "western" and an "eastern" division of Cimmerians.
The "eastern" Cimmerians
By 677 BCE, the eastern group of Cimmerians were present on the territory of Mannae, and in 676 BCE they were the allies of Mannae against an Assyrian attack, after which the eastern Cimmerians remained allied to Mannae against Assyria.
Around 675 BCE, the eastern Cimmerians were recorded by the Assyrians as a possible threat against the collection of tribute from Media. And around the same time, in alliance with the Scythians, the eastern Cimmerians were menacing the Assyrian provinces of Parsumaš and Bīt Ḫamban, and the eastern Cimmerians and the Scythians together were threatening communication between the Assyrian Empire and its vassal of Ḫubuškia.
By the late 670s BCE, the eastern Cimmerians were allied to Ellipi and the Medes, and when Ellipi and the Medes successfully rebelled against Assyria under Kashtariti from 671 to 669 BCE, the eastern Cimmerians were allied to them.
In the western Iranian Plateau, the eastern Cimmerians might have introduced Bronze articles from the Koban culture into the Luristan bronze culture.
In Anatolia
By the later 7th century BCE, the centre of operations of the larger, western, division of the Cimmerians was located in Anatolia.
In 679 BCE the Cimmerian king Teušpa was defeated and killed by Esarhaddon near Ḫubušna in Cappadocia. Despite this victory, the military operations of the Assyrians were not fully successful and they were not able to firmly occupy the areas around Ḫubušna, nor were they able to secure their borders, and the Assyrian province of Quwê was left vulnerable to invasions from Tabal, Kuzzurak and Ḫilakku. An Assyrian contract dating to the same as Esarhaddon's victory over Teušpa records of the existence of a "Cimmerian detachment" in Nineveh, although it is uncertain whether this refers to Cimmerian mercenaries in Assyrian service, or simply of Assyrian soldiers armed in the "Cimmerian-style", that is using Cimmerian bows and horse harnesses.
Around 675 BCE, the Cimmerians in alliance with the Urartian king Rusa II invaded and destroyed the kingdom of Phrygia, whose king Midas committed suicide. The Cimmerians appear to have partially subdued the Phrygians, and an Assyrian oracular text from the later 670s BCE mentioned the Cimmerians and the possibly subdued Phrygians as allies against the Assyrians' newly conquered province of Melid.
A document from 673 BCE records Rusa II as having recruited a large number of Cimmerian mercenaries, and Cimmerian allies of Rusa II probably participated in a military expedition of his in 672 BCE. From 671 to 669 BCE, Cimmerians in service of Rusa II attacked the Assyrian province of Šubria near the Urartian border.
Between 671 and 670 BCE, some Cimmerian divisions were recorded as serving in the Assyrian army, although these divisions might have instead simply referred to the "Cimmerian style" armed Assyrian soldiers.
At yet unknown dates, the Cimmerians imposed their rule on Cappadocia, invaded Bithynia, Paphlagonia and the Troad, and took Sinope. In the beginning of that decade, the Cimmerians attacked the kingdom of Lydia, whose king Gyges contacted the Neo-Assyrian Empire beginning in 667 BCE. Gyges soon defeated the Cimmerians in 665 BCE without Assyrian help, and he sent Cimmerian soldiers captured while attacking the Lydian countryside as gifts to Ashurbanipal. According to the Assyrian records describing these events, the Cimmerians already had formed sedentary settlements in Anatolia.
According to Anthony Spalinger, the Cimmerians attacked Lydia again in 657 BCE, as recorded by contemporary Assyrian records, which referred to this attack as a "bad omen" for the "Westland", that is Lydia. However, this sequence of events is disputed by Askold Ivantchik, who instead identifies the "Westland" with western possessions of the Neo-Assyrian Empire (possibly Quwê or somewhere in Syria) that the Cimmerians had conquered after their defeat by Gyges. These Cimmerian aggressions worried Ashurbanipal about the security of the northwest border of the Neo-Assyrian Empire enough that he sought answers concerning this situation through divination, and as a result of these Cimmerian conquests, by 657 BCE the Assyrian divinatory records were calling the Cimmerian king by the title of ("King of the Universe"), a title which in the Mesopotamian worldview could belong to only a single ruler in the world at any given time and was normally held by the King of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. These divinatory texts also assured to Assurbanipal that he would eventually regain the , that is the world hegemony, captured by the Cimmerians: the , which was considered to rightfully belong to the Assyrian king, had been usurped by the Cimmerians and had to be won back by Assyria. Thus, the Cimmerian king's successes against Assyria meant that he had become recognised in the ancient Near East as equally powerful as Ashurbanipal. This situation remained unchanged throughout the rest of the 650s BCE and the early 640s BCE.
As the result of these Assyrian setbacks, Gyges could not rely on Assyrian support against the Cimmerians and he ended diplomacy with the Neo-Assyrian Empire.
The Cimmerians attacked Lydia for a third time in 644 BCE, under their leader Lygdamis (, ), the of the Assyrian records. This time, the Cimmerians defeated the Lydians and captured their capital, Sardis, and Gyges died during this attack. After sacking Sardis, Lygdamis led the Cimmerians into invading the Greek city-states of Ionia and Aeolis on the western coast of Anatolia, which caused the inhabitants of the Batinetis region to flee to the islands of the Aegean Sea, and later Greek writings by Callimachus and Hesychius of Alexandria preserve the record that Lygdamis had destroyed the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus during these invasions.
After this third invasion of Lydia and the attack on the Asiatic Greek cities, around 640 BCE the Cimmerians moved to Cilicia on the north-west border of the Assyrian empire, where Tugdammi allied with Mugallu, the king of Tabal, against Assyria. However, after facing a revolt against him, Tugdamme allied with Assyria and acknowledged Assyrian overlordship, and sent tribute to Ashurbanipal, to whom he swore an oath. Tugdammi soon broke this oath and attacked the Assyrian Empire again, but he fell ill and died in 640 BCE, and was succeeded by his son Sandakšatru.
In 637 BCE, the Cimmerians participated in another attack on Lydia, this time led by the Thracian Treres tribe who had migrated across the Thracian Bosporus and invaded Anatolia, under their king Kobos, and in alliance with the Lycians. During this invasion, in the seventh year of the reign of Gyges's son Ardys, the Lydians were defeated again and for a second time Sardis was captured, except for its citadel, and Ardys might have been killed in this attack. Ardys's son and successor, Sadyattes, might possibly also have been killed in another Cimmerian attack on Lydia. Soon after that, with Assyrian approval and in alliance with the Lydians, the Scythians under their king Madyes entered Anatolia, expelled the Treres from Asia Minor, and defeated the Cimmerians so that they no longer constituted a threat again, following which the Scythians extended their domination to Central Anatolia until they were themselves expelled by the Medes from Southwest Asia in the 590s BCE. This final defeat of the Cimmerians was carried out by the joint forces of Madyes, who Strabo credits with expelling the Cimmerians from Asia Minor, and of Gyges's great-grandson, the king Alyattes of Lydia, whom Herodotus and Polyaenus claim finally defeated the Cimmerians.
The Cimmerians completely disappeared from history following this final defeat, after which they likely remained in Cappadocia, whose name in Armenian, , may have been derived from the name of the Cimmerians. A group of Cimmerians might also have subsisted for some time in the Troad, around Adramyttium.
Archaeology
The origin of the culture is associated with the Belozerskaya culture (12th to 10th centuries BCE) and the later and more certain Novocerkassk culture (10th to 7th centuries BCE) between the Danube and the Volga.
The use of the name "Cimmerian" in this context is due to Paul Reinecke, who in 1925 postulated a "North-Thracian-Cimmerian cultural sphere" (nordthrakisch-kimmerischer Kulturkreis) overlapping with the younger Hallstatt culture of the Eastern Alps. The term Thraco-Cimmerian (thrako-kimmerisch) was first introduced by I. Nestor in the 1930s. Nestor intended to suggest that there was a historical migration of Cimmerians into Eastern Europe from the area of the former Srubnaya culture, perhaps triggered by the Scythian expansion, at the beginning of the European Iron Age. In the 1980s and 1990s, more systematic studies of the artifacts revealed a more gradual development over the 9th to 7th centuries BCE, so that the term "Thraco-Cimmerian" is now merely used by convention and does not necessarily imply a direct connection with either the Thracians or the Cimmerians.
Legacy
The term was used about a century after the Cimmerians disappeared from history in the Behistun inscription (c. 515 BC) as an Assyro-Babylonian equivalent of Iranian Saka (Scythians). Otherwise, Cimmerians disappeared from the historical record.
In sources beginning with the Royal Frankish Annals, the Merovingian kings of the Franks traditionally traced their lineage through a pre-Frankish tribe called the Sicambri (or Sugambri), mythologized as a group of "Cimmerians" from the mouth of the Danube river, but who instead came from Gelderland in modern Netherlands and are named for the Sieg river.
Early modern historians asserted Cimmerian descent for the Celts or the Germans, arguing from the similarity of Cimmerii to Cimbri or Cymry, noted by 17th-century Celticists. But the word Cymro "Welshman" (plural: Cymry) is now accepted by Celtic linguists as being derived from a Brythonic word *kom-brogos, meaning "compatriot".
The Biblical name "Gomer" has been linked by some to the Cimmerians.
According to Georgian national historiography, the Cimmerians, in Georgian known as Gimirri, played an influential role in the development of the Colchian and Iberian cultures. The modern Georgian word for "hero", gmiri, is said to derive from their name.
It has been speculated that the Cimmerians finally settled in Cappadocia, the name Cappadocia, or in Armenian as , , might have been derived from the name of the Cimmerians.
It has also been speculated that the modern Armenian city of Gyumri (Arm.: Գյումրի ), founded as Kumayri (Arm.: Կումայրի), derived its name from the Cimmerians who conquered the region and founded a settlement there.
Language
According to the historian Muhammad Dandamayev and the linguist János Harmatta, the Cimmerians spoke a dialect belonging to the Scythian group of Iranian languages, and were able to communicate with Scythians proper without needing interpreters.
Only a few personal names in the Cimmerian language have survived in Assyrian inscriptions:
: according to the linguist János Harmatta, it goes back to Old Iranian , meaning "swelling with strength". However, based on linguistic analysis, Askold Ivantchik posits three alternative suggestions for an Old Iranian origin of : "abductor of horses"; "abductor dog", or; "divine dog".
, also spelled and , and pronounced by Greek authors: according to János Harmatta, it goes back to Old Iranian "giving happiness". Edwin M. Yamauchi also interprets the name as Iranian, citing Ossetic "ruling with strength". Based on linguistic analysis, Askold Ivantchik suggests that the name / was a loanword from an Anatolian language, more specifically Luwian, while also accepting the alternative possibility of a derivation from a variant of the name of the Hurrian deity Teyśəba/Tešub.
: this is an Iranian reading of the name, and Manfred Mayrhofer (1981) points out that the name may also be read as . According to János Harmatta, it goes back to Old Iranian "splendid son". Askold Ivantchik derives the name from a compound term consisting of the name of the Anatolian deity Sanda, and of the Iranian term .
Asimov (1991) attempted to trace various place names to Cimmerian origins. He suggested that Cimmerium gave rise to the Turkic toponym Qırım (which in turn gave rise to the name "Crimea").
Based on ancient Greek historical sources, a Thracian or a Celtic association is sometimes assumed.
Genetics
A genetic study published in Science Advances in October 2018 examined the remains of three Cimmerians buried between around 1000 and 800 BCE. The two samples of Y-DNA extracted belonged to haplogroups R1b1a and Q1a1, while the three samples of mtDNA extracted belonged to haplogroups H9a, C5c and R.
Another genetic study published in Current Biology in July 2019 examined the remains of three Cimmerians. The two samples of Y-DNA extracted belonged to haplogroups R1a-Z645 and R1a2c-B111, while the three samples of mtDNA extracted belonged to haplogroups H35, U5a1b1 and U2e2.
In popular culture
Conan the Barbarian, created by Robert E. Howard in a series of fantasy stories published in Weird Tales in 1932, was described as a native Cimmerian, though in Howard's fictional world, his Cimmerians dwelt in a mythological Hyborian Age. The Cimmerians of Hyboria are a pre-Celtic people said by Howard to be the ancestors of the Irish and Scots (Gaels).
If on a winter's night a traveler: The novel by Italo Calvino is a framed presentation of a series of incomplete novels, one of them purported to be translated from the Cimmerian. However, in Calvino's novel, Cimmeria is a fictional country.
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay: A novel by Michael Chabon has a chapter that talks about the oldest book in the world "The Book of Lo" created by ancient Cimmerians.
See also
List of kings of the Cimmerian Bosporus, including early kings of Cimmeria
References
Citations
Sources
Ivanchik A.I. "Cimmerians and Scythians", 2001
Terenozhkin A.I., Cimmerians, Kiev, 1983
Collection of Slavonic and Foreign Language Manuscripts – St.St Cyril and Methodius – Bulgarian National Library: http://www.nationallibrary.bg/slavezryk_en.html
External links
Cimmerians by Jona Lendering
Wiki Classical Dictionary: Cimmerians
Cimmerians on Regnal Chronologies
Peoples of the Caucasus
History of the North Caucasus
Tribes described primarily by Herodotus
Indo-European peoples
Unclassified languages of Asia
Unclassified Indo-European languages
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"Video Hits Volume I is a collection of various Van Halen video hits. The DVD version - released in November 1999 - has the same videos as the VHS but also includes the video for \"Without You\" (Van Halen III). Some songs (\"Don't Tell Me (What Love Can Do)\", \"Humans Being\" and \"Without You\") are the edited/single versions and not the unedited/album versions. Quite a few of the group's earliest videos are absent as well, such as \"Runnin' with the Devil\" and \"You Really Got Me\".\n\nTrack listing\n\"Jump\"\n\"Panama\"\n\"Hot for Teacher\"\n\"When It's Love\"\n\"Finish What Ya Started\"\n\"Poundcake\"\n\"Runaround\"\n\"Right Now\"\n\"Dreams\"\n\"Don't Tell Me (What Love Can Do)\"\n\"Can't Stop Lovin' You\"\n\"Not Enough\"\n\"Humans Being\"\n\"Without You\"\n\nExcluded music videos\n\"Runnin' with the Devil\"\n\"You Really Got Me\"\n\"Jamie's Cryin'\"\n\"Dance the Night Away\"\n\"Loss of Control\"\n\"Hear About It Later\"\n\"Unchained\"\n\"So This Is Love?\"\n\"(Oh) Pretty Woman\"\n\"Dreams\" (Blue Angels version)\n\"Feels So Good\"\n\"Top of the World\"\n\"Amsterdam\"\n\"Fire in the Hole\"\n\nCertifications\n\nReferences\n\n1996 video albums\nVan Halen video albums\nMusic video compilation albums\n1996 compilation albums\nVan Halen compilation albums",
"\"Tell Me What You Want Me to Do\" is the title of a number-one R&B single by singer Tevin Campbell. To date, the single is Campbell's biggest hit peaking at number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spending one week at number-one on the US R&B chart. The hit song is also Tevin's one and only Adult Contemporary hit, where it peaked at number 43. The song showcases Campbell's four-octave vocal range from a low note of E2 to a D#6 during the bridge of the song.\n\nTrack listings\nUS 7\" vinyl\nA \"Tell Me What You Want Me to Do\" (edit) – 4:16\t\nB \"Tell Me What You Want Me to Do\" (instrumental) – 5:00\n\n12\" vinyl\nA \"Tell Me What You Want Me to Do\" (edit) – 4:16\t\nB \"Tell Me What You Want Me to Do\" (album version) – 5:02\n\nUK CD\n \"Tell Me What You Want Me to Do\" – 4:16\n \"Goodbye\" (7\" Remix Edit) – 3:48\n \"Goodbye\" (Sidub and Listen) – 4:58\n \"Goodbye\" (Tevin's Dub Pt 1 & 2) – 6:53\n\nJapan CD\n \"Tell Me What You Want Me to Do\" – 4:10\n \"Tell Me What You Want Me to Do\" (instrumental version) – 4:10\n\nGermany CD\n \"Tell Me What You Want Me to Do\" (edit) – 4:10\n \"Just Ask Me\" (featuring Chubb Rock) – 4:07\n \"Tomorrow\" (A Better You, Better Me) – 4:46\n\nCharts\n\nWeekly charts\n\nYear-end charts\n\nSee also\nList of number-one R&B singles of 1992 (U.S.)\n\nReferences\n\nTevin Campbell songs\n1991 singles\n1991 songs\nSongs written by Tevin Campbell\nSongs written by Narada Michael Walden\nSong recordings produced by Narada Michael Walden\nWarner Records singles\nContemporary R&B ballads\nPop ballads\nSoul ballads\n1990s ballads"
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"Cimmerians",
"Greek tradition",
"Who were the Cimmerians?",
"According to Herodotus (c. 440 BC), the Cimmerians had been expelled from their homeland between the Tyras (Dniester) and Tanais (Don) rivers by the Scythians.",
"What can you tell me about Greek tradition and the Cimmerians?",
"Unreconciled to Scythian advances, to ensure burial in their ancestral homeland, the men of the Cimmerian royal family divided into groups and fought each other to the death."
] |
C_b2441069fa124f36b11397696ba067de_0
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What happened to the royal family after that?
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What happened to the Cimmerian royal family after they divided?
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Cimmerians
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A people named Kimmerioi is described in Homer's Odyssey 11.14 (c. late 8th century BC), as living beyond the Oceanus, in a land of fog and darkness, at the edge of the world and the entrance of Hades. According to Herodotus (c. 440 BC), the Cimmerians had been expelled from their homeland between the Tyras (Dniester) and Tanais (Don) rivers by the Scythians. Unreconciled to Scythian advances, to ensure burial in their ancestral homeland, the men of the Cimmerian royal family divided into groups and fought each other to the death. The Cimmerian commoners buried the bodies along the river Tyras and fled across the Caucasus and into Anatolia. Herodotus also names a number of Cimmerian kings, including Tugdamme (Lygdamis in Greek; mid-7th century BC), and Sandakhshatra (late-7th century). In 654 BC or 652 BC - the exact date is unclear - the Cimmerians attacked the kingdom of Lydia, killing the Lydian king Gyges and causing great destruction to the Lydian capital of Sardis. They returned ten years later during the reign of Gyges' son Ardys II; this time they captured the city, with the exception of the citadel. The fall of Sardis was a major shock to the powers of the region; the Greek poets Callinus and Archilochus recorded the fear that it inspired in the Greek colonies of Ionia, some of which were attacked by Cimmerian and Treres raiders. The Cimmerian occupation of Lydia was brief, however, possibly due to an outbreak of plague. They were beaten back by Alyattes II of Lydia. This defeat marked the effective end of Cimmerian power. The term Gimirri was used about a century later in the Behistun inscription (c. 515 BC) as an Assyro-Babylonian equivalent of Persian Saka (Scythians). Otherwise, Cimmerians disappeared from the historical record. CANNOTANSWER
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The Cimmerian commoners buried the bodies along the river Tyras and fled across the Caucasus and into Anatolia.
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The Cimmerians ( ; ) were a nomadic Indo-European people, who appeared about 1000 BC. Originating in the Pontic-Caspian steppe, the Cimmerians subsequently migrated into Southwest Asia and into Central and Southeast Europe. While the Cimmerians were often described by contemporaries as culturally Scythian, they evidently differed ethnically from the Scythians proper, who also displaced and replaced the Cimmerians.
The Cimmerians themselves left no written records, and most information about them is largely derived from Assyrian records of the 8th to 7th centuries BCE and from Graeco-Roman authors from the 5th century BCE and later.
Name
The source and meaning of the Cimmerians' name remain uncertain, and there have been various proposals for its origin. According to the linguist János Harmatta, it was derived from Old Iranian , meaning "union of clans", while and Igor Diakonoff derive it from an Old Iranian term or , meaning "mobile unit," Askold Ivantchik derives the name of the Cimmerians from an original form or , of uncertain meaning.
History
Origins
The Cimmerians were most likely a nomadic Iranian people of the Eurasian Steppe. Other suggestions for the ethnicity for the Cimmerians include the possibility of them being Thracian, or Thracians with an Iranian ruling class, or a separate group closely related to Thracian peoples, as well as a Maeotian origin. However, the proposal of a Thracian origin of the Cimmerians has been criticised as arising from a confusion by Strabo between the Cimmerians and their allies, the Thracian tribe of the Treres.
The Cimmerians are first mentioned in the 8th century BCE in Homer's Odyssey as a people living beyond the Oceanus, in a land permanently deprived of sunlight at the edge of the world and the entrance of Hades, and, in the 6th century BCE, Aristeas of Proconnesus recorded that the Cimmerians had once lived in the Pontic Steppe. According to Herodotus, the Cimmerians inhabited the region north of the Caucasus and the Black Sea during the 8th and 7th centuries BC (i.e. what is now Ukraine and Russia).
The social structure of the Cimmerians, according to Herodotus, comprised two groups of roughly equal numbers: the Cimmerians proper, or "commoners", and the "kings" or "royal race" – implying that the ruling classes and lower classes originally constituted two different peoples (or castes), who retained distinct identities as late as the end of the 2nd millennium BCE. Hence the "kings" may have originated as an element of an Iranian-speaking people (such as the Scythians), who had imposed their rule on a section of the people of the Catacomb culture, i.e. the "commoners". Hence the subsequent Cimmerian culture has been more strongly associated with the Srubnaya (19th-15th centuries BCE) and/or Belozerskaya (12th-10th centuries BCE) cultures.
In Southwest Asia
In the 8th and 7th centuries BCE, the Cimmerians were expelled from their home in the Pontic Steppe and forced to migrate into Southwest Asia due to a significant movement of the nomads of the Eurasian Steppe. According to Herodotus, this movement started when the Massagetae migrated westwards, forcing the Scythians to the west across the Araxes river (likely the Volga), after which the Scythians moved into the Pontic Steppe and conquered the territory of the Cimmerians.
Under Scythian pressure, the Cimmerian aristocrats, who were unwilling to leave their lands, killed each other and were buried in a kurgan near the Tyras river; then the common people migrated to Southwest Asia. The Cimmerians fled to the south along the Black Sea coast and reached Anatolia. However, owing to the impracticability of the eastern Black Sea shore for horsemen, modern scholars instead suggest that the Cimmerians passed through the , Alagir and Darial passes in the Greater Caucasus, that is through the western Caucasus and Georgia into Colchis, where the Cimmerians initially settled; the Scythians in turn pursued the Cimmerians, but followed the coast of the Caspian Sea and arrived in the region of present-day Azerbaijan.
Austen Henry Layard's discoveries in the royal archives at Nineveh and Calah included Assyrian primary records of the Cimmerian invasion.
These records appear to place the Cimmerian homeland, Gamir, south (rather than north) of the Black Sea.
In Transcaucasia
During the early phase of the Cimmerians' presence in Southwest Asia, their centre of operations was located in Transcaucasia until the early 660s BCE.
The first mention of the Cimmerians in the records of the Neo-Assyrian Empire was from between 720 and 714 BCE, when Assyrian intelligence reported to the king Sargon II that the king Rusa I of Urartu had been defeated after attempting to attack the Cimmerians, either in what is now Georgia, or near Gurania in eastern Cappadocia. According to another Assyrian intelligence report dated to those same years, the Cimmerians had attacked Urartu through the territory of the kingdom of Mannae.
In 705 BCE, the Cimmerians tried to cross the border of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, but they were defeated by Sargon II, who died in this battle.
During the period coinciding with the rule of the Assyrian king Esarhaddon (reigned 681–669 BCE), the bulk of the Cimmerians migrated from Transcaucasia into Anatolia, while a smaller group remained in the area near the kingdom of Mannae where they had been settled since the time of Sargon II, respectively forming a "western" and an "eastern" division of Cimmerians.
The "eastern" Cimmerians
By 677 BCE, the eastern group of Cimmerians were present on the territory of Mannae, and in 676 BCE they were the allies of Mannae against an Assyrian attack, after which the eastern Cimmerians remained allied to Mannae against Assyria.
Around 675 BCE, the eastern Cimmerians were recorded by the Assyrians as a possible threat against the collection of tribute from Media. And around the same time, in alliance with the Scythians, the eastern Cimmerians were menacing the Assyrian provinces of Parsumaš and Bīt Ḫamban, and the eastern Cimmerians and the Scythians together were threatening communication between the Assyrian Empire and its vassal of Ḫubuškia.
By the late 670s BCE, the eastern Cimmerians were allied to Ellipi and the Medes, and when Ellipi and the Medes successfully rebelled against Assyria under Kashtariti from 671 to 669 BCE, the eastern Cimmerians were allied to them.
In the western Iranian Plateau, the eastern Cimmerians might have introduced Bronze articles from the Koban culture into the Luristan bronze culture.
In Anatolia
By the later 7th century BCE, the centre of operations of the larger, western, division of the Cimmerians was located in Anatolia.
In 679 BCE the Cimmerian king Teušpa was defeated and killed by Esarhaddon near Ḫubušna in Cappadocia. Despite this victory, the military operations of the Assyrians were not fully successful and they were not able to firmly occupy the areas around Ḫubušna, nor were they able to secure their borders, and the Assyrian province of Quwê was left vulnerable to invasions from Tabal, Kuzzurak and Ḫilakku. An Assyrian contract dating to the same as Esarhaddon's victory over Teušpa records of the existence of a "Cimmerian detachment" in Nineveh, although it is uncertain whether this refers to Cimmerian mercenaries in Assyrian service, or simply of Assyrian soldiers armed in the "Cimmerian-style", that is using Cimmerian bows and horse harnesses.
Around 675 BCE, the Cimmerians in alliance with the Urartian king Rusa II invaded and destroyed the kingdom of Phrygia, whose king Midas committed suicide. The Cimmerians appear to have partially subdued the Phrygians, and an Assyrian oracular text from the later 670s BCE mentioned the Cimmerians and the possibly subdued Phrygians as allies against the Assyrians' newly conquered province of Melid.
A document from 673 BCE records Rusa II as having recruited a large number of Cimmerian mercenaries, and Cimmerian allies of Rusa II probably participated in a military expedition of his in 672 BCE. From 671 to 669 BCE, Cimmerians in service of Rusa II attacked the Assyrian province of Šubria near the Urartian border.
Between 671 and 670 BCE, some Cimmerian divisions were recorded as serving in the Assyrian army, although these divisions might have instead simply referred to the "Cimmerian style" armed Assyrian soldiers.
At yet unknown dates, the Cimmerians imposed their rule on Cappadocia, invaded Bithynia, Paphlagonia and the Troad, and took Sinope. In the beginning of that decade, the Cimmerians attacked the kingdom of Lydia, whose king Gyges contacted the Neo-Assyrian Empire beginning in 667 BCE. Gyges soon defeated the Cimmerians in 665 BCE without Assyrian help, and he sent Cimmerian soldiers captured while attacking the Lydian countryside as gifts to Ashurbanipal. According to the Assyrian records describing these events, the Cimmerians already had formed sedentary settlements in Anatolia.
According to Anthony Spalinger, the Cimmerians attacked Lydia again in 657 BCE, as recorded by contemporary Assyrian records, which referred to this attack as a "bad omen" for the "Westland", that is Lydia. However, this sequence of events is disputed by Askold Ivantchik, who instead identifies the "Westland" with western possessions of the Neo-Assyrian Empire (possibly Quwê or somewhere in Syria) that the Cimmerians had conquered after their defeat by Gyges. These Cimmerian aggressions worried Ashurbanipal about the security of the northwest border of the Neo-Assyrian Empire enough that he sought answers concerning this situation through divination, and as a result of these Cimmerian conquests, by 657 BCE the Assyrian divinatory records were calling the Cimmerian king by the title of ("King of the Universe"), a title which in the Mesopotamian worldview could belong to only a single ruler in the world at any given time and was normally held by the King of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. These divinatory texts also assured to Assurbanipal that he would eventually regain the , that is the world hegemony, captured by the Cimmerians: the , which was considered to rightfully belong to the Assyrian king, had been usurped by the Cimmerians and had to be won back by Assyria. Thus, the Cimmerian king's successes against Assyria meant that he had become recognised in the ancient Near East as equally powerful as Ashurbanipal. This situation remained unchanged throughout the rest of the 650s BCE and the early 640s BCE.
As the result of these Assyrian setbacks, Gyges could not rely on Assyrian support against the Cimmerians and he ended diplomacy with the Neo-Assyrian Empire.
The Cimmerians attacked Lydia for a third time in 644 BCE, under their leader Lygdamis (, ), the of the Assyrian records. This time, the Cimmerians defeated the Lydians and captured their capital, Sardis, and Gyges died during this attack. After sacking Sardis, Lygdamis led the Cimmerians into invading the Greek city-states of Ionia and Aeolis on the western coast of Anatolia, which caused the inhabitants of the Batinetis region to flee to the islands of the Aegean Sea, and later Greek writings by Callimachus and Hesychius of Alexandria preserve the record that Lygdamis had destroyed the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus during these invasions.
After this third invasion of Lydia and the attack on the Asiatic Greek cities, around 640 BCE the Cimmerians moved to Cilicia on the north-west border of the Assyrian empire, where Tugdammi allied with Mugallu, the king of Tabal, against Assyria. However, after facing a revolt against him, Tugdamme allied with Assyria and acknowledged Assyrian overlordship, and sent tribute to Ashurbanipal, to whom he swore an oath. Tugdammi soon broke this oath and attacked the Assyrian Empire again, but he fell ill and died in 640 BCE, and was succeeded by his son Sandakšatru.
In 637 BCE, the Cimmerians participated in another attack on Lydia, this time led by the Thracian Treres tribe who had migrated across the Thracian Bosporus and invaded Anatolia, under their king Kobos, and in alliance with the Lycians. During this invasion, in the seventh year of the reign of Gyges's son Ardys, the Lydians were defeated again and for a second time Sardis was captured, except for its citadel, and Ardys might have been killed in this attack. Ardys's son and successor, Sadyattes, might possibly also have been killed in another Cimmerian attack on Lydia. Soon after that, with Assyrian approval and in alliance with the Lydians, the Scythians under their king Madyes entered Anatolia, expelled the Treres from Asia Minor, and defeated the Cimmerians so that they no longer constituted a threat again, following which the Scythians extended their domination to Central Anatolia until they were themselves expelled by the Medes from Southwest Asia in the 590s BCE. This final defeat of the Cimmerians was carried out by the joint forces of Madyes, who Strabo credits with expelling the Cimmerians from Asia Minor, and of Gyges's great-grandson, the king Alyattes of Lydia, whom Herodotus and Polyaenus claim finally defeated the Cimmerians.
The Cimmerians completely disappeared from history following this final defeat, after which they likely remained in Cappadocia, whose name in Armenian, , may have been derived from the name of the Cimmerians. A group of Cimmerians might also have subsisted for some time in the Troad, around Adramyttium.
Archaeology
The origin of the culture is associated with the Belozerskaya culture (12th to 10th centuries BCE) and the later and more certain Novocerkassk culture (10th to 7th centuries BCE) between the Danube and the Volga.
The use of the name "Cimmerian" in this context is due to Paul Reinecke, who in 1925 postulated a "North-Thracian-Cimmerian cultural sphere" (nordthrakisch-kimmerischer Kulturkreis) overlapping with the younger Hallstatt culture of the Eastern Alps. The term Thraco-Cimmerian (thrako-kimmerisch) was first introduced by I. Nestor in the 1930s. Nestor intended to suggest that there was a historical migration of Cimmerians into Eastern Europe from the area of the former Srubnaya culture, perhaps triggered by the Scythian expansion, at the beginning of the European Iron Age. In the 1980s and 1990s, more systematic studies of the artifacts revealed a more gradual development over the 9th to 7th centuries BCE, so that the term "Thraco-Cimmerian" is now merely used by convention and does not necessarily imply a direct connection with either the Thracians or the Cimmerians.
Legacy
The term was used about a century after the Cimmerians disappeared from history in the Behistun inscription (c. 515 BC) as an Assyro-Babylonian equivalent of Iranian Saka (Scythians). Otherwise, Cimmerians disappeared from the historical record.
In sources beginning with the Royal Frankish Annals, the Merovingian kings of the Franks traditionally traced their lineage through a pre-Frankish tribe called the Sicambri (or Sugambri), mythologized as a group of "Cimmerians" from the mouth of the Danube river, but who instead came from Gelderland in modern Netherlands and are named for the Sieg river.
Early modern historians asserted Cimmerian descent for the Celts or the Germans, arguing from the similarity of Cimmerii to Cimbri or Cymry, noted by 17th-century Celticists. But the word Cymro "Welshman" (plural: Cymry) is now accepted by Celtic linguists as being derived from a Brythonic word *kom-brogos, meaning "compatriot".
The Biblical name "Gomer" has been linked by some to the Cimmerians.
According to Georgian national historiography, the Cimmerians, in Georgian known as Gimirri, played an influential role in the development of the Colchian and Iberian cultures. The modern Georgian word for "hero", gmiri, is said to derive from their name.
It has been speculated that the Cimmerians finally settled in Cappadocia, the name Cappadocia, or in Armenian as , , might have been derived from the name of the Cimmerians.
It has also been speculated that the modern Armenian city of Gyumri (Arm.: Գյումրի ), founded as Kumayri (Arm.: Կումայրի), derived its name from the Cimmerians who conquered the region and founded a settlement there.
Language
According to the historian Muhammad Dandamayev and the linguist János Harmatta, the Cimmerians spoke a dialect belonging to the Scythian group of Iranian languages, and were able to communicate with Scythians proper without needing interpreters.
Only a few personal names in the Cimmerian language have survived in Assyrian inscriptions:
: according to the linguist János Harmatta, it goes back to Old Iranian , meaning "swelling with strength". However, based on linguistic analysis, Askold Ivantchik posits three alternative suggestions for an Old Iranian origin of : "abductor of horses"; "abductor dog", or; "divine dog".
, also spelled and , and pronounced by Greek authors: according to János Harmatta, it goes back to Old Iranian "giving happiness". Edwin M. Yamauchi also interprets the name as Iranian, citing Ossetic "ruling with strength". Based on linguistic analysis, Askold Ivantchik suggests that the name / was a loanword from an Anatolian language, more specifically Luwian, while also accepting the alternative possibility of a derivation from a variant of the name of the Hurrian deity Teyśəba/Tešub.
: this is an Iranian reading of the name, and Manfred Mayrhofer (1981) points out that the name may also be read as . According to János Harmatta, it goes back to Old Iranian "splendid son". Askold Ivantchik derives the name from a compound term consisting of the name of the Anatolian deity Sanda, and of the Iranian term .
Asimov (1991) attempted to trace various place names to Cimmerian origins. He suggested that Cimmerium gave rise to the Turkic toponym Qırım (which in turn gave rise to the name "Crimea").
Based on ancient Greek historical sources, a Thracian or a Celtic association is sometimes assumed.
Genetics
A genetic study published in Science Advances in October 2018 examined the remains of three Cimmerians buried between around 1000 and 800 BCE. The two samples of Y-DNA extracted belonged to haplogroups R1b1a and Q1a1, while the three samples of mtDNA extracted belonged to haplogroups H9a, C5c and R.
Another genetic study published in Current Biology in July 2019 examined the remains of three Cimmerians. The two samples of Y-DNA extracted belonged to haplogroups R1a-Z645 and R1a2c-B111, while the three samples of mtDNA extracted belonged to haplogroups H35, U5a1b1 and U2e2.
In popular culture
Conan the Barbarian, created by Robert E. Howard in a series of fantasy stories published in Weird Tales in 1932, was described as a native Cimmerian, though in Howard's fictional world, his Cimmerians dwelt in a mythological Hyborian Age. The Cimmerians of Hyboria are a pre-Celtic people said by Howard to be the ancestors of the Irish and Scots (Gaels).
If on a winter's night a traveler: The novel by Italo Calvino is a framed presentation of a series of incomplete novels, one of them purported to be translated from the Cimmerian. However, in Calvino's novel, Cimmeria is a fictional country.
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay: A novel by Michael Chabon has a chapter that talks about the oldest book in the world "The Book of Lo" created by ancient Cimmerians.
See also
List of kings of the Cimmerian Bosporus, including early kings of Cimmeria
References
Citations
Sources
Ivanchik A.I. "Cimmerians and Scythians", 2001
Terenozhkin A.I., Cimmerians, Kiev, 1983
Collection of Slavonic and Foreign Language Manuscripts – St.St Cyril and Methodius – Bulgarian National Library: http://www.nationallibrary.bg/slavezryk_en.html
External links
Cimmerians by Jona Lendering
Wiki Classical Dictionary: Cimmerians
Cimmerians on Regnal Chronologies
Peoples of the Caucasus
History of the North Caucasus
Tribes described primarily by Herodotus
Indo-European peoples
Unclassified languages of Asia
Unclassified Indo-European languages
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[
"Don Juan Manuel's Tales of Count Lucanor, in Spanish Libro de los ejemplos del conde Lucanor y de Patronio (Book of the Examples of Count Lucanor and of Patronio), also commonly known as El Conde Lucanor, Libro de Patronio, or Libro de los ejemplos (original Old Castilian: Libro de los enxiemplos del Conde Lucanor et de Patronio), is one of the earliest works of prose in Castilian Spanish. It was first written in 1335.\n\nThe book is divided into four parts. The first and most well-known part is a series of 51 short stories (some no more than a page or two) drawn from various sources, such as Aesop and other classical writers, and Arabic folktales.\n\nTales of Count Lucanor was first printed in 1575 when it was published at Seville under the auspices of Argote de Molina. It was again printed at Madrid in 1642, after which it lay forgotten for nearly two centuries.\n\nPurpose and structure\n\nA didactic, moralistic purpose, which would color so much of the Spanish literature to follow (see Novela picaresca), is the mark of this book. Count Lucanor engages in conversation with his advisor Patronio, putting to him a problem (\"Some man has made me a proposition...\" or \"I fear that such and such person intends to...\") and asking for advice. Patronio responds always with the greatest humility, claiming not to wish to offer advice to so illustrious a person as the Count, but offering to tell him a story of which the Count's problem reminds him. (Thus, the stories are \"examples\" [ejemplos] of wise action.) At the end he advises the Count to do as the protagonist of his story did.\n\nEach chapter ends in more or less the same way, with slight variations on: \"And this pleased the Count greatly and he did just so, and found it well. And Don Johán (Juan) saw that this example was very good, and had it written in this book, and composed the following verses.\" A rhymed couplet closes, giving the moral of the story.\n\nOrigin of stories and influence on later literature\nMany of the stories written in the book are the first examples written in a modern European language of various stories, which many other writers would use in the proceeding centuries. Many of the stories he included were themselves derived from other stories, coming from western and Arab sources.\n\nShakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew has the basic elements of Tale 35, \"What Happened to a Young Man Who Married a Strong and Ill-tempered Woman\".\n\nTale 32, \"What Happened to the King and the Tricksters Who Made Cloth\" tells the story that Hans Christian Andersen made popular as The Emperor's New Clothes.\n\nStory 7, \"What Happened to a Woman Named Truhana\", a version of Aesop's The Milkmaid and Her Pail, was claimed by Max Müller to originate in the Hindu cycle Panchatantra.\n\nTale 2, \"What happened to a good Man and his Son, leading a beast to market,\" is the familiar fable The miller, his son and the donkey.\n\nIn 2016, Baroque Decay released a game under the name \"The Count Lucanor\". As well as some protagonists' names, certain events from the books inspired past events in the game.\n\nThe stories\n\nThe book opens with a prologue which introduces the characters of the Count and Patronio. The titles in the following list are those given in Keller and Keating's 1977 translation into English. James York's 1868 translation into English gives a significantly different ordering of the stories and omits the fifty-first.\n\n What Happened to a King and His Favorite \n What Happened to a Good Man and His Son \n How King Richard of England Leapt into the Sea against the Moors\n What a Genoese Said to His Soul When He Was about to Die \n What Happened to a Fox and a Crow Who Had a Piece of Cheese in His Beak\n How the Swallow Warned the Other Birds When She Saw Flax Being Sown \n What Happened to a Woman Named Truhana \n What Happened to a Man Whose Liver Had to Be Washed \n What Happened to Two Horses Which Were Thrown to the Lion \n What Happened to a Man Who on Account of Poverty and Lack of Other Food Was Eating Bitter Lentils \n What Happened to a Dean of Santiago de Compostela and Don Yllán, the Grand Master of Toledo\n What Happened to the Fox and the Rooster \n What Happened to a Man Who Was Hunting Partridges \n The Miracle of Saint Dominick When He Preached against the Usurer \n What Happened to Lorenzo Suárez at the Siege of Seville \n The Reply that count Fernán González Gave to His Relative Núño Laynes \n What Happened to a Very Hungry Man Who Was Half-heartedly Invited to Dinner \n What Happened to Pero Meléndez de Valdés When He Broke His Leg \n What Happened to the Crows and the Owls \n What Happened to a King for Whom a Man Promised to Perform Alchemy \n What Happened to a Young King and a Philosopher to Whom his Father Commended Him \n What Happened to the Lion and the Bull \n How the Ants Provide for Themselves \n What Happened to the King Who Wanted to Test His Three Sons \n What Happened to the Count of Provence and How He Was Freed from Prison by the Advice of Saladin\n What Happened to the Tree of Lies \n What Happened to an Emperor and to Don Alvarfáñez Minaya and Their Wives \n What Happened in Granada to Don Lorenzo Suárez Gallinato When He Beheaded the Renegade Chaplain \n What Happened to a Fox Who Lay down in the Street to Play Dead \n What Happened to King Abenabet of Seville and Ramayquía His Wife \n How a Cardinal Judged between the Canons of Paris and the Friars Minor \n What Happened to the King and the Tricksters Who Made Cloth \n What Happened to Don Juan Manuel's Saker Falcon and an Eagle and a Heron \n What Happened to a Blind Man Who Was Leading Another \n What Happened to a Young Man Who Married a Strong and Ill-tempered Woman\n What Happened to a Merchant When He Found His Son and His Wife Sleeping Together \n What Happened to Count Fernán González with His Men after He Had Won the Battle of Hacinas \n What Happened to a Man Who Was Loaded down with Precious Stones and Drowned in the River \n What Happened to a Man and a Swallow and a Sparrow \n Why the Seneschal of Carcassonne Lost His Soul \n What Happened to a King of Córdova Named Al-Haquem \n What Happened to a Woman of Sham Piety \n What Happened to Good and Evil and the Wise Man and the Madman \n What Happened to Don Pero Núñez the Loyal, to Don Ruy González de Zavallos, and to Don Gutier Roiz de Blaguiello with Don Rodrigo the Generous \n What Happened to a Man Who Became the Devil's Friend and Vassal \n What Happened to a Philosopher who by Accident Went down a Street Where Prostitutes Lived \n What Befell a Moor and His Sister Who Pretended That She Was Timid \n What Happened to a Man Who Tested His Friends \n What Happened to the Man Whom They Cast out Naked on an Island When They Took away from Him the Kingdom He Ruled \n What Happened to Saladin and a Lady, the Wife of a Knight Who Was His Vassal \n What Happened to a Christian King Who Was Very Powerful and Haughty\n\nReferences\n\nNotes\n\nBibliography\n\n Sturm, Harlan\n\n Wacks, David\n\nExternal links\n\nThe Internet Archive provides free access to the 1868 translation by James York.\nJSTOR has the to the 1977 translation by Keller and Keating.\nSelections in English and Spanish (pedagogical edition) with introduction, notes, and bibliography in Open Iberia/América (open access teaching anthology)\n\n14th-century books\nSpanish literature\n1335 books",
"\"What Happened to Us\" is a song by Australian recording artist Jessica Mauboy, featuring English recording artist Jay Sean. It was written by Sean, Josh Alexander, Billy Steinberg, Jeremy Skaller, Rob Larow, Khaled Rohaim and Israel Cruz. \"What Happened to Us\" was leaked online in October 2010, and was released on 10 March 2011, as the third single from Mauboy's second studio album, Get 'Em Girls (2010). The song received positive reviews from critics.\n\nA remix of \"What Happened to Us\" made by production team OFM, was released on 11 April 2011. A different version of the song which features Stan Walker, was released on 29 May 2011. \"What Happened to Us\" charted on the ARIA Singles Chart at number 14 and was certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). An accompanying music video was directed by Mark Alston, and reminisces on a former relationship between Mauboy and Sean.\n\nProduction and release\n\n\"What Happened to Us\" was written by Josh Alexander, Billy Steinberg, Jeremy Skaller, Rob Larow, Khaled Rohaim, Israel Cruz and Jay Sean. It was produced by Skaller, Cruz, Rohaim and Bobby Bass. The song uses C, D, and B minor chords in the chorus. \"What Happened to Us\" was sent to contemporary hit radio in Australia on 14 February 2011. The cover art for the song was revealed on 22 February on Mauboy's official Facebook page. A CD release was available for purchase via her official website on 10 March, for one week only. It was released digitally the following day.\n\nReception\nMajhid Heath from ABC Online Indigenous called the song a \"Jordin Sparks-esque duet\", and wrote that it \"has a nice innocence to it that rings true to the experience of losing a first love.\" Chris Urankar from Nine to Five wrote that it as a \"mid-tempo duet ballad\" which signifies Mauboy's strength as a global player. On 21 March 2011, \"What Happened to Us\" debuted at number 30 on the ARIA Singles Chart, and peaked at number 14 the following week. The song was certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), for selling 70,000 copies. \"What Happened to Us\" spent a total of ten weeks in the ARIA top fifty.\n\nMusic video\n\nBackground\nThe music video for the song was shot in the Elizabeth Bay House in Sydney on 26 November 2010. The video was shot during Sean's visit to Australia for the Summerbeatz tour. During an interview with The Daily Telegraph while on the set of the video, Sean said \"the song is sick! ... Jessica's voice is amazing and we're shooting [the video] in this ridiculously beautiful mansion overlooking the harbour.\" The video was directed by Mark Alston, who had previously directed the video for Mauboy's single \"Let Me Be Me\" (2009). It premiered on YouTube on 10 February 2011.\n\nSynopsis and reception\nThe video begins showing Mauboy who appears to be sitting on a yellow antique couch in a mansion, wearing a purple dress. As the video progresses, scenes of memories are displayed of Mauboy and her love interest, played by Sean, spending time there previously. It then cuts to the scenes where Sean appears in the main entrance room of the mansion. The final scene shows Mauboy outdoors in a gold dress, surrounded by green grass and trees. She is later joined by Sean who appears in a black suit and a white shirt, and together they sing the chorus of the song to each other. David Lim of Feed Limmy wrote that the video is \"easily the best thing our R&B princess has committed to film – ever\" and praised the \"mansion and wondrous interior décor\". He also commended Mauboy for choosing Australian talent to direct the video instead of American directors, which she had used for her previous two music videos. Since its release, the video has received over two million views on Vevo.\n\nLive performances\nMauboy performed \"What Happened to Us\" live for the first time during her YouTube Live Sessions program on 4 December 2010. She also appeared on Adam Hills in Gordon Street Tonight on 23 February 2011 for an interview and later performed the song. On 15 March 2011, Mauboy performed \"What Happened to Us\" on Sunrise. She also performed the song with Stan Walker during the Australian leg of Chris Brown's F.A.M.E. Tour in April 2011. Mauboy and Walker later performed \"What Happened to Us\" on Dancing with the Stars Australia on 29 May 2011. From November 2013 to February 2014, \"What Happened to Us\" was part of the set list of the To the End of the Earth Tour, Mauboy's second headlining tour of Australia, with Nathaniel Willemse singing Sean's part.\n\nTrack listing\n\nDigital download\n \"What Happened to Us\" featuring Jay Sean – 3:19\n \"What Happened to Us\" featuring Jay Sean (Sgt Slick Remix) – 6:33\n \"What Happened to Us\" featuring Jay Sean (Just Witness Remix) – 3:45\n\nCD single\n \"What Happened to Us\" featuring Jay Sean (Album Version) – 3:19\n \"What Happened to Us\" featuring Jay Sean (Sgt Slick Remix) – 6:33\n \"What Happened to Us\" featuring Jay Sean (OFM Remix) – 3:39\n\nDigital download – Remix\n \"What Happened to Us\" featuring Jay Sean (OFM Remix) – 3:38\n\nDigital download\n \"What Happened to Us\" featuring Stan Walker – 3:20\n\nPersonnel\nSongwriting – Josh Alexander, Billy Steinberg, Jeremy Skaller, Rob Larow, Khaled Rohaim, Israel Cruz, Jay Sean\nProduction – Jeremy Skaller, Bobby Bass\nAdditional production – Israel Cruz, Khaled Rohaim\nLead vocals – Jessica Mauboy, Jay Sean\nMixing – Phil Tan\nAdditional mixing – Damien Lewis\nMastering – Tom Coyne \nSource:\n\nCharts\n\nWeekly chart\n\nYear-end chart\n\nCertification\n\nRadio dates and release history\n\nReferences\n\n2010 songs\n2011 singles\nJessica Mauboy songs\nJay Sean songs\nSongs written by Billy Steinberg\nSongs written by Jay Sean\nSongs written by Josh Alexander\nSongs written by Israel Cruz\nVocal duets\nSony Music Australia singles\nSongs written by Khaled Rohaim"
] |
[
"Cimmerians",
"Greek tradition",
"Who were the Cimmerians?",
"According to Herodotus (c. 440 BC), the Cimmerians had been expelled from their homeland between the Tyras (Dniester) and Tanais (Don) rivers by the Scythians.",
"What can you tell me about Greek tradition and the Cimmerians?",
"Unreconciled to Scythian advances, to ensure burial in their ancestral homeland, the men of the Cimmerian royal family divided into groups and fought each other to the death.",
"What happened to the royal family after that?",
"The Cimmerian commoners buried the bodies along the river Tyras and fled across the Caucasus and into Anatolia."
] |
C_b2441069fa124f36b11397696ba067de_0
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How did Cimmerians preserve Greek tradition?
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How did Cimmerians preserve Greek tradition?
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Cimmerians
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A people named Kimmerioi is described in Homer's Odyssey 11.14 (c. late 8th century BC), as living beyond the Oceanus, in a land of fog and darkness, at the edge of the world and the entrance of Hades. According to Herodotus (c. 440 BC), the Cimmerians had been expelled from their homeland between the Tyras (Dniester) and Tanais (Don) rivers by the Scythians. Unreconciled to Scythian advances, to ensure burial in their ancestral homeland, the men of the Cimmerian royal family divided into groups and fought each other to the death. The Cimmerian commoners buried the bodies along the river Tyras and fled across the Caucasus and into Anatolia. Herodotus also names a number of Cimmerian kings, including Tugdamme (Lygdamis in Greek; mid-7th century BC), and Sandakhshatra (late-7th century). In 654 BC or 652 BC - the exact date is unclear - the Cimmerians attacked the kingdom of Lydia, killing the Lydian king Gyges and causing great destruction to the Lydian capital of Sardis. They returned ten years later during the reign of Gyges' son Ardys II; this time they captured the city, with the exception of the citadel. The fall of Sardis was a major shock to the powers of the region; the Greek poets Callinus and Archilochus recorded the fear that it inspired in the Greek colonies of Ionia, some of which were attacked by Cimmerian and Treres raiders. The Cimmerian occupation of Lydia was brief, however, possibly due to an outbreak of plague. They were beaten back by Alyattes II of Lydia. This defeat marked the effective end of Cimmerian power. The term Gimirri was used about a century later in the Behistun inscription (c. 515 BC) as an Assyro-Babylonian equivalent of Persian Saka (Scythians). Otherwise, Cimmerians disappeared from the historical record. CANNOTANSWER
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In 654 BC or 652 BC - the exact date is unclear - the Cimmerians attacked the kingdom of Lydia, killing the Lydian king Gyges
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The Cimmerians ( ; ) were a nomadic Indo-European people, who appeared about 1000 BC. Originating in the Pontic-Caspian steppe, the Cimmerians subsequently migrated into Southwest Asia and into Central and Southeast Europe. While the Cimmerians were often described by contemporaries as culturally Scythian, they evidently differed ethnically from the Scythians proper, who also displaced and replaced the Cimmerians.
The Cimmerians themselves left no written records, and most information about them is largely derived from Assyrian records of the 8th to 7th centuries BCE and from Graeco-Roman authors from the 5th century BCE and later.
Name
The source and meaning of the Cimmerians' name remain uncertain, and there have been various proposals for its origin. According to the linguist János Harmatta, it was derived from Old Iranian , meaning "union of clans", while and Igor Diakonoff derive it from an Old Iranian term or , meaning "mobile unit," Askold Ivantchik derives the name of the Cimmerians from an original form or , of uncertain meaning.
History
Origins
The Cimmerians were most likely a nomadic Iranian people of the Eurasian Steppe. Other suggestions for the ethnicity for the Cimmerians include the possibility of them being Thracian, or Thracians with an Iranian ruling class, or a separate group closely related to Thracian peoples, as well as a Maeotian origin. However, the proposal of a Thracian origin of the Cimmerians has been criticised as arising from a confusion by Strabo between the Cimmerians and their allies, the Thracian tribe of the Treres.
The Cimmerians are first mentioned in the 8th century BCE in Homer's Odyssey as a people living beyond the Oceanus, in a land permanently deprived of sunlight at the edge of the world and the entrance of Hades, and, in the 6th century BCE, Aristeas of Proconnesus recorded that the Cimmerians had once lived in the Pontic Steppe. According to Herodotus, the Cimmerians inhabited the region north of the Caucasus and the Black Sea during the 8th and 7th centuries BC (i.e. what is now Ukraine and Russia).
The social structure of the Cimmerians, according to Herodotus, comprised two groups of roughly equal numbers: the Cimmerians proper, or "commoners", and the "kings" or "royal race" – implying that the ruling classes and lower classes originally constituted two different peoples (or castes), who retained distinct identities as late as the end of the 2nd millennium BCE. Hence the "kings" may have originated as an element of an Iranian-speaking people (such as the Scythians), who had imposed their rule on a section of the people of the Catacomb culture, i.e. the "commoners". Hence the subsequent Cimmerian culture has been more strongly associated with the Srubnaya (19th-15th centuries BCE) and/or Belozerskaya (12th-10th centuries BCE) cultures.
In Southwest Asia
In the 8th and 7th centuries BCE, the Cimmerians were expelled from their home in the Pontic Steppe and forced to migrate into Southwest Asia due to a significant movement of the nomads of the Eurasian Steppe. According to Herodotus, this movement started when the Massagetae migrated westwards, forcing the Scythians to the west across the Araxes river (likely the Volga), after which the Scythians moved into the Pontic Steppe and conquered the territory of the Cimmerians.
Under Scythian pressure, the Cimmerian aristocrats, who were unwilling to leave their lands, killed each other and were buried in a kurgan near the Tyras river; then the common people migrated to Southwest Asia. The Cimmerians fled to the south along the Black Sea coast and reached Anatolia. However, owing to the impracticability of the eastern Black Sea shore for horsemen, modern scholars instead suggest that the Cimmerians passed through the , Alagir and Darial passes in the Greater Caucasus, that is through the western Caucasus and Georgia into Colchis, where the Cimmerians initially settled; the Scythians in turn pursued the Cimmerians, but followed the coast of the Caspian Sea and arrived in the region of present-day Azerbaijan.
Austen Henry Layard's discoveries in the royal archives at Nineveh and Calah included Assyrian primary records of the Cimmerian invasion.
These records appear to place the Cimmerian homeland, Gamir, south (rather than north) of the Black Sea.
In Transcaucasia
During the early phase of the Cimmerians' presence in Southwest Asia, their centre of operations was located in Transcaucasia until the early 660s BCE.
The first mention of the Cimmerians in the records of the Neo-Assyrian Empire was from between 720 and 714 BCE, when Assyrian intelligence reported to the king Sargon II that the king Rusa I of Urartu had been defeated after attempting to attack the Cimmerians, either in what is now Georgia, or near Gurania in eastern Cappadocia. According to another Assyrian intelligence report dated to those same years, the Cimmerians had attacked Urartu through the territory of the kingdom of Mannae.
In 705 BCE, the Cimmerians tried to cross the border of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, but they were defeated by Sargon II, who died in this battle.
During the period coinciding with the rule of the Assyrian king Esarhaddon (reigned 681–669 BCE), the bulk of the Cimmerians migrated from Transcaucasia into Anatolia, while a smaller group remained in the area near the kingdom of Mannae where they had been settled since the time of Sargon II, respectively forming a "western" and an "eastern" division of Cimmerians.
The "eastern" Cimmerians
By 677 BCE, the eastern group of Cimmerians were present on the territory of Mannae, and in 676 BCE they were the allies of Mannae against an Assyrian attack, after which the eastern Cimmerians remained allied to Mannae against Assyria.
Around 675 BCE, the eastern Cimmerians were recorded by the Assyrians as a possible threat against the collection of tribute from Media. And around the same time, in alliance with the Scythians, the eastern Cimmerians were menacing the Assyrian provinces of Parsumaš and Bīt Ḫamban, and the eastern Cimmerians and the Scythians together were threatening communication between the Assyrian Empire and its vassal of Ḫubuškia.
By the late 670s BCE, the eastern Cimmerians were allied to Ellipi and the Medes, and when Ellipi and the Medes successfully rebelled against Assyria under Kashtariti from 671 to 669 BCE, the eastern Cimmerians were allied to them.
In the western Iranian Plateau, the eastern Cimmerians might have introduced Bronze articles from the Koban culture into the Luristan bronze culture.
In Anatolia
By the later 7th century BCE, the centre of operations of the larger, western, division of the Cimmerians was located in Anatolia.
In 679 BCE the Cimmerian king Teušpa was defeated and killed by Esarhaddon near Ḫubušna in Cappadocia. Despite this victory, the military operations of the Assyrians were not fully successful and they were not able to firmly occupy the areas around Ḫubušna, nor were they able to secure their borders, and the Assyrian province of Quwê was left vulnerable to invasions from Tabal, Kuzzurak and Ḫilakku. An Assyrian contract dating to the same as Esarhaddon's victory over Teušpa records of the existence of a "Cimmerian detachment" in Nineveh, although it is uncertain whether this refers to Cimmerian mercenaries in Assyrian service, or simply of Assyrian soldiers armed in the "Cimmerian-style", that is using Cimmerian bows and horse harnesses.
Around 675 BCE, the Cimmerians in alliance with the Urartian king Rusa II invaded and destroyed the kingdom of Phrygia, whose king Midas committed suicide. The Cimmerians appear to have partially subdued the Phrygians, and an Assyrian oracular text from the later 670s BCE mentioned the Cimmerians and the possibly subdued Phrygians as allies against the Assyrians' newly conquered province of Melid.
A document from 673 BCE records Rusa II as having recruited a large number of Cimmerian mercenaries, and Cimmerian allies of Rusa II probably participated in a military expedition of his in 672 BCE. From 671 to 669 BCE, Cimmerians in service of Rusa II attacked the Assyrian province of Šubria near the Urartian border.
Between 671 and 670 BCE, some Cimmerian divisions were recorded as serving in the Assyrian army, although these divisions might have instead simply referred to the "Cimmerian style" armed Assyrian soldiers.
At yet unknown dates, the Cimmerians imposed their rule on Cappadocia, invaded Bithynia, Paphlagonia and the Troad, and took Sinope. In the beginning of that decade, the Cimmerians attacked the kingdom of Lydia, whose king Gyges contacted the Neo-Assyrian Empire beginning in 667 BCE. Gyges soon defeated the Cimmerians in 665 BCE without Assyrian help, and he sent Cimmerian soldiers captured while attacking the Lydian countryside as gifts to Ashurbanipal. According to the Assyrian records describing these events, the Cimmerians already had formed sedentary settlements in Anatolia.
According to Anthony Spalinger, the Cimmerians attacked Lydia again in 657 BCE, as recorded by contemporary Assyrian records, which referred to this attack as a "bad omen" for the "Westland", that is Lydia. However, this sequence of events is disputed by Askold Ivantchik, who instead identifies the "Westland" with western possessions of the Neo-Assyrian Empire (possibly Quwê or somewhere in Syria) that the Cimmerians had conquered after their defeat by Gyges. These Cimmerian aggressions worried Ashurbanipal about the security of the northwest border of the Neo-Assyrian Empire enough that he sought answers concerning this situation through divination, and as a result of these Cimmerian conquests, by 657 BCE the Assyrian divinatory records were calling the Cimmerian king by the title of ("King of the Universe"), a title which in the Mesopotamian worldview could belong to only a single ruler in the world at any given time and was normally held by the King of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. These divinatory texts also assured to Assurbanipal that he would eventually regain the , that is the world hegemony, captured by the Cimmerians: the , which was considered to rightfully belong to the Assyrian king, had been usurped by the Cimmerians and had to be won back by Assyria. Thus, the Cimmerian king's successes against Assyria meant that he had become recognised in the ancient Near East as equally powerful as Ashurbanipal. This situation remained unchanged throughout the rest of the 650s BCE and the early 640s BCE.
As the result of these Assyrian setbacks, Gyges could not rely on Assyrian support against the Cimmerians and he ended diplomacy with the Neo-Assyrian Empire.
The Cimmerians attacked Lydia for a third time in 644 BCE, under their leader Lygdamis (, ), the of the Assyrian records. This time, the Cimmerians defeated the Lydians and captured their capital, Sardis, and Gyges died during this attack. After sacking Sardis, Lygdamis led the Cimmerians into invading the Greek city-states of Ionia and Aeolis on the western coast of Anatolia, which caused the inhabitants of the Batinetis region to flee to the islands of the Aegean Sea, and later Greek writings by Callimachus and Hesychius of Alexandria preserve the record that Lygdamis had destroyed the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus during these invasions.
After this third invasion of Lydia and the attack on the Asiatic Greek cities, around 640 BCE the Cimmerians moved to Cilicia on the north-west border of the Assyrian empire, where Tugdammi allied with Mugallu, the king of Tabal, against Assyria. However, after facing a revolt against him, Tugdamme allied with Assyria and acknowledged Assyrian overlordship, and sent tribute to Ashurbanipal, to whom he swore an oath. Tugdammi soon broke this oath and attacked the Assyrian Empire again, but he fell ill and died in 640 BCE, and was succeeded by his son Sandakšatru.
In 637 BCE, the Cimmerians participated in another attack on Lydia, this time led by the Thracian Treres tribe who had migrated across the Thracian Bosporus and invaded Anatolia, under their king Kobos, and in alliance with the Lycians. During this invasion, in the seventh year of the reign of Gyges's son Ardys, the Lydians were defeated again and for a second time Sardis was captured, except for its citadel, and Ardys might have been killed in this attack. Ardys's son and successor, Sadyattes, might possibly also have been killed in another Cimmerian attack on Lydia. Soon after that, with Assyrian approval and in alliance with the Lydians, the Scythians under their king Madyes entered Anatolia, expelled the Treres from Asia Minor, and defeated the Cimmerians so that they no longer constituted a threat again, following which the Scythians extended their domination to Central Anatolia until they were themselves expelled by the Medes from Southwest Asia in the 590s BCE. This final defeat of the Cimmerians was carried out by the joint forces of Madyes, who Strabo credits with expelling the Cimmerians from Asia Minor, and of Gyges's great-grandson, the king Alyattes of Lydia, whom Herodotus and Polyaenus claim finally defeated the Cimmerians.
The Cimmerians completely disappeared from history following this final defeat, after which they likely remained in Cappadocia, whose name in Armenian, , may have been derived from the name of the Cimmerians. A group of Cimmerians might also have subsisted for some time in the Troad, around Adramyttium.
Archaeology
The origin of the culture is associated with the Belozerskaya culture (12th to 10th centuries BCE) and the later and more certain Novocerkassk culture (10th to 7th centuries BCE) between the Danube and the Volga.
The use of the name "Cimmerian" in this context is due to Paul Reinecke, who in 1925 postulated a "North-Thracian-Cimmerian cultural sphere" (nordthrakisch-kimmerischer Kulturkreis) overlapping with the younger Hallstatt culture of the Eastern Alps. The term Thraco-Cimmerian (thrako-kimmerisch) was first introduced by I. Nestor in the 1930s. Nestor intended to suggest that there was a historical migration of Cimmerians into Eastern Europe from the area of the former Srubnaya culture, perhaps triggered by the Scythian expansion, at the beginning of the European Iron Age. In the 1980s and 1990s, more systematic studies of the artifacts revealed a more gradual development over the 9th to 7th centuries BCE, so that the term "Thraco-Cimmerian" is now merely used by convention and does not necessarily imply a direct connection with either the Thracians or the Cimmerians.
Legacy
The term was used about a century after the Cimmerians disappeared from history in the Behistun inscription (c. 515 BC) as an Assyro-Babylonian equivalent of Iranian Saka (Scythians). Otherwise, Cimmerians disappeared from the historical record.
In sources beginning with the Royal Frankish Annals, the Merovingian kings of the Franks traditionally traced their lineage through a pre-Frankish tribe called the Sicambri (or Sugambri), mythologized as a group of "Cimmerians" from the mouth of the Danube river, but who instead came from Gelderland in modern Netherlands and are named for the Sieg river.
Early modern historians asserted Cimmerian descent for the Celts or the Germans, arguing from the similarity of Cimmerii to Cimbri or Cymry, noted by 17th-century Celticists. But the word Cymro "Welshman" (plural: Cymry) is now accepted by Celtic linguists as being derived from a Brythonic word *kom-brogos, meaning "compatriot".
The Biblical name "Gomer" has been linked by some to the Cimmerians.
According to Georgian national historiography, the Cimmerians, in Georgian known as Gimirri, played an influential role in the development of the Colchian and Iberian cultures. The modern Georgian word for "hero", gmiri, is said to derive from their name.
It has been speculated that the Cimmerians finally settled in Cappadocia, the name Cappadocia, or in Armenian as , , might have been derived from the name of the Cimmerians.
It has also been speculated that the modern Armenian city of Gyumri (Arm.: Գյումրի ), founded as Kumayri (Arm.: Կումայրի), derived its name from the Cimmerians who conquered the region and founded a settlement there.
Language
According to the historian Muhammad Dandamayev and the linguist János Harmatta, the Cimmerians spoke a dialect belonging to the Scythian group of Iranian languages, and were able to communicate with Scythians proper without needing interpreters.
Only a few personal names in the Cimmerian language have survived in Assyrian inscriptions:
: according to the linguist János Harmatta, it goes back to Old Iranian , meaning "swelling with strength". However, based on linguistic analysis, Askold Ivantchik posits three alternative suggestions for an Old Iranian origin of : "abductor of horses"; "abductor dog", or; "divine dog".
, also spelled and , and pronounced by Greek authors: according to János Harmatta, it goes back to Old Iranian "giving happiness". Edwin M. Yamauchi also interprets the name as Iranian, citing Ossetic "ruling with strength". Based on linguistic analysis, Askold Ivantchik suggests that the name / was a loanword from an Anatolian language, more specifically Luwian, while also accepting the alternative possibility of a derivation from a variant of the name of the Hurrian deity Teyśəba/Tešub.
: this is an Iranian reading of the name, and Manfred Mayrhofer (1981) points out that the name may also be read as . According to János Harmatta, it goes back to Old Iranian "splendid son". Askold Ivantchik derives the name from a compound term consisting of the name of the Anatolian deity Sanda, and of the Iranian term .
Asimov (1991) attempted to trace various place names to Cimmerian origins. He suggested that Cimmerium gave rise to the Turkic toponym Qırım (which in turn gave rise to the name "Crimea").
Based on ancient Greek historical sources, a Thracian or a Celtic association is sometimes assumed.
Genetics
A genetic study published in Science Advances in October 2018 examined the remains of three Cimmerians buried between around 1000 and 800 BCE. The two samples of Y-DNA extracted belonged to haplogroups R1b1a and Q1a1, while the three samples of mtDNA extracted belonged to haplogroups H9a, C5c and R.
Another genetic study published in Current Biology in July 2019 examined the remains of three Cimmerians. The two samples of Y-DNA extracted belonged to haplogroups R1a-Z645 and R1a2c-B111, while the three samples of mtDNA extracted belonged to haplogroups H35, U5a1b1 and U2e2.
In popular culture
Conan the Barbarian, created by Robert E. Howard in a series of fantasy stories published in Weird Tales in 1932, was described as a native Cimmerian, though in Howard's fictional world, his Cimmerians dwelt in a mythological Hyborian Age. The Cimmerians of Hyboria are a pre-Celtic people said by Howard to be the ancestors of the Irish and Scots (Gaels).
If on a winter's night a traveler: The novel by Italo Calvino is a framed presentation of a series of incomplete novels, one of them purported to be translated from the Cimmerian. However, in Calvino's novel, Cimmeria is a fictional country.
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay: A novel by Michael Chabon has a chapter that talks about the oldest book in the world "The Book of Lo" created by ancient Cimmerians.
See also
List of kings of the Cimmerian Bosporus, including early kings of Cimmeria
References
Citations
Sources
Ivanchik A.I. "Cimmerians and Scythians", 2001
Terenozhkin A.I., Cimmerians, Kiev, 1983
Collection of Slavonic and Foreign Language Manuscripts – St.St Cyril and Methodius – Bulgarian National Library: http://www.nationallibrary.bg/slavezryk_en.html
External links
Cimmerians by Jona Lendering
Wiki Classical Dictionary: Cimmerians
Cimmerians on Regnal Chronologies
Peoples of the Caucasus
History of the North Caucasus
Tribes described primarily by Herodotus
Indo-European peoples
Unclassified languages of Asia
Unclassified Indo-European languages
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"The Cimmerians ( ; ) were a nomadic Indo-European people, who appeared about 1000 BC. Originating in the Pontic-Caspian steppe, the Cimmerians subsequently migrated into Southwest Asia and into Central and Southeast Europe. While the Cimmerians were often described by contemporaries as culturally Scythian, they evidently differed ethnically from the Scythians proper, who also displaced and replaced the Cimmerians.\n\nThe Cimmerians themselves left no written records, and most information about them is largely derived from Assyrian records of the 8th to 7th centuries BCE and from Graeco-Roman authors from the 5th century BCE and later.\n\nName \nThe source and meaning of the Cimmerians' name remain uncertain, and there have been various proposals for its origin. According to the linguist János Harmatta, it was derived from Old Iranian , meaning \"union of clans\", while and Igor Diakonoff derive it from an Old Iranian term or , meaning \"mobile unit,\" Askold Ivantchik derives the name of the Cimmerians from an original form or , of uncertain meaning.\n\nHistory\n\nOrigins \nThe Cimmerians were most likely a nomadic Iranian people of the Eurasian Steppe. Other suggestions for the ethnicity for the Cimmerians include the possibility of them being Thracian, or Thracians with an Iranian ruling class, or a separate group closely related to Thracian peoples, as well as a Maeotian origin. However, the proposal of a Thracian origin of the Cimmerians has been criticised as arising from a confusion by Strabo between the Cimmerians and their allies, the Thracian tribe of the Treres.\n\nThe Cimmerians are first mentioned in the 8th century BCE in Homer's Odyssey as a people living beyond the Oceanus, in a land permanently deprived of sunlight at the edge of the world and the entrance of Hades, and, in the 6th century BCE, Aristeas of Proconnesus recorded that the Cimmerians had once lived in the Pontic Steppe. According to Herodotus, the Cimmerians inhabited the region north of the Caucasus and the Black Sea during the 8th and 7th centuries BC (i.e. what is now Ukraine and Russia).\n\nThe social structure of the Cimmerians, according to Herodotus, comprised two groups of roughly equal numbers: the Cimmerians proper, or \"commoners\", and the \"kings\" or \"royal race\" – implying that the ruling classes and lower classes originally constituted two different peoples (or castes), who retained distinct identities as late as the end of the 2nd millennium BCE. Hence the \"kings\" may have originated as an element of an Iranian-speaking people (such as the Scythians), who had imposed their rule on a section of the people of the Catacomb culture, i.e. the \"commoners\". Hence the subsequent Cimmerian culture has been more strongly associated with the Srubnaya (19th-15th centuries BCE) and/or Belozerskaya (12th-10th centuries BCE) cultures.\n\nIn Southwest Asia \nIn the 8th and 7th centuries BCE, the Cimmerians were expelled from their home in the Pontic Steppe and forced to migrate into Southwest Asia due to a significant movement of the nomads of the Eurasian Steppe. According to Herodotus, this movement started when the Massagetae migrated westwards, forcing the Scythians to the west across the Araxes river (likely the Volga), after which the Scythians moved into the Pontic Steppe and conquered the territory of the Cimmerians.\n\nUnder Scythian pressure, the Cimmerian aristocrats, who were unwilling to leave their lands, killed each other and were buried in a kurgan near the Tyras river; then the common people migrated to Southwest Asia. The Cimmerians fled to the south along the Black Sea coast and reached Anatolia. However, owing to the impracticability of the eastern Black Sea shore for horsemen, modern scholars instead suggest that the Cimmerians passed through the , Alagir and Darial passes in the Greater Caucasus, that is through the western Caucasus and Georgia into Colchis, where the Cimmerians initially settled; the Scythians in turn pursued the Cimmerians, but followed the coast of the Caspian Sea and arrived in the region of present-day Azerbaijan.\n\nAusten Henry Layard's discoveries in the royal archives at Nineveh and Calah included Assyrian primary records of the Cimmerian invasion.\nThese records appear to place the Cimmerian homeland, Gamir, south (rather than north) of the Black Sea.\n\nIn Transcaucasia \nDuring the early phase of the Cimmerians' presence in Southwest Asia, their centre of operations was located in Transcaucasia until the early 660s BCE.\n\nThe first mention of the Cimmerians in the records of the Neo-Assyrian Empire was from between 720 and 714 BCE, when Assyrian intelligence reported to the king Sargon II that the king Rusa I of Urartu had been defeated after attempting to attack the Cimmerians, either in what is now Georgia, or near Gurania in eastern Cappadocia. According to another Assyrian intelligence report dated to those same years, the Cimmerians had attacked Urartu through the territory of the kingdom of Mannae.\n\nIn 705 BCE, the Cimmerians tried to cross the border of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, but they were defeated by Sargon II, who died in this battle.\n\nDuring the period coinciding with the rule of the Assyrian king Esarhaddon (reigned 681–669 BCE), the bulk of the Cimmerians migrated from Transcaucasia into Anatolia, while a smaller group remained in the area near the kingdom of Mannae where they had been settled since the time of Sargon II, respectively forming a \"western\" and an \"eastern\" division of Cimmerians.\n\nThe \"eastern\" Cimmerians \nBy 677 BCE, the eastern group of Cimmerians were present on the territory of Mannae, and in 676 BCE they were the allies of Mannae against an Assyrian attack, after which the eastern Cimmerians remained allied to Mannae against Assyria.\n\nAround 675 BCE, the eastern Cimmerians were recorded by the Assyrians as a possible threat against the collection of tribute from Media. And around the same time, in alliance with the Scythians, the eastern Cimmerians were menacing the Assyrian provinces of Parsumaš and Bīt Ḫamban, and the eastern Cimmerians and the Scythians together were threatening communication between the Assyrian Empire and its vassal of Ḫubuškia.\n\nBy the late 670s BCE, the eastern Cimmerians were allied to Ellipi and the Medes, and when Ellipi and the Medes successfully rebelled against Assyria under Kashtariti from 671 to 669 BCE, the eastern Cimmerians were allied to them.\n\nIn the western Iranian Plateau, the eastern Cimmerians might have introduced Bronze articles from the Koban culture into the Luristan bronze culture.\n\nIn Anatolia \nBy the later 7th century BCE, the centre of operations of the larger, western, division of the Cimmerians was located in Anatolia.\n\nIn 679 BCE the Cimmerian king Teušpa was defeated and killed by Esarhaddon near Ḫubušna in Cappadocia. Despite this victory, the military operations of the Assyrians were not fully successful and they were not able to firmly occupy the areas around Ḫubušna, nor were they able to secure their borders, and the Assyrian province of Quwê was left vulnerable to invasions from Tabal, Kuzzurak and Ḫilakku. An Assyrian contract dating to the same as Esarhaddon's victory over Teušpa records of the existence of a \"Cimmerian detachment\" in Nineveh, although it is uncertain whether this refers to Cimmerian mercenaries in Assyrian service, or simply of Assyrian soldiers armed in the \"Cimmerian-style\", that is using Cimmerian bows and horse harnesses.\n\nAround 675 BCE, the Cimmerians in alliance with the Urartian king Rusa II invaded and destroyed the kingdom of Phrygia, whose king Midas committed suicide. The Cimmerians appear to have partially subdued the Phrygians, and an Assyrian oracular text from the later 670s BCE mentioned the Cimmerians and the possibly subdued Phrygians as allies against the Assyrians' newly conquered province of Melid.\n\nA document from 673 BCE records Rusa II as having recruited a large number of Cimmerian mercenaries, and Cimmerian allies of Rusa II probably participated in a military expedition of his in 672 BCE. From 671 to 669 BCE, Cimmerians in service of Rusa II attacked the Assyrian province of Šubria near the Urartian border.\n\nBetween 671 and 670 BCE, some Cimmerian divisions were recorded as serving in the Assyrian army, although these divisions might have instead simply referred to the \"Cimmerian style\" armed Assyrian soldiers. \n\nAt yet unknown dates, the Cimmerians imposed their rule on Cappadocia, invaded Bithynia, Paphlagonia and the Troad, and took Sinope. In the beginning of that decade, the Cimmerians attacked the kingdom of Lydia, whose king Gyges contacted the Neo-Assyrian Empire beginning in 667 BCE. Gyges soon defeated the Cimmerians in 665 BCE without Assyrian help, and he sent Cimmerian soldiers captured while attacking the Lydian countryside as gifts to Ashurbanipal. According to the Assyrian records describing these events, the Cimmerians already had formed sedentary settlements in Anatolia.\n\nAccording to Anthony Spalinger, the Cimmerians attacked Lydia again in 657 BCE, as recorded by contemporary Assyrian records, which referred to this attack as a \"bad omen\" for the \"Westland\", that is Lydia. However, this sequence of events is disputed by Askold Ivantchik, who instead identifies the \"Westland\" with western possessions of the Neo-Assyrian Empire (possibly Quwê or somewhere in Syria) that the Cimmerians had conquered after their defeat by Gyges. These Cimmerian aggressions worried Ashurbanipal about the security of the northwest border of the Neo-Assyrian Empire enough that he sought answers concerning this situation through divination, and as a result of these Cimmerian conquests, by 657 BCE the Assyrian divinatory records were calling the Cimmerian king by the title of (\"King of the Universe\"), a title which in the Mesopotamian worldview could belong to only a single ruler in the world at any given time and was normally held by the King of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. These divinatory texts also assured to Assurbanipal that he would eventually regain the , that is the world hegemony, captured by the Cimmerians: the , which was considered to rightfully belong to the Assyrian king, had been usurped by the Cimmerians and had to be won back by Assyria. Thus, the Cimmerian king's successes against Assyria meant that he had become recognised in the ancient Near East as equally powerful as Ashurbanipal. This situation remained unchanged throughout the rest of the 650s BCE and the early 640s BCE.\n\nAs the result of these Assyrian setbacks, Gyges could not rely on Assyrian support against the Cimmerians and he ended diplomacy with the Neo-Assyrian Empire.\n\nThe Cimmerians attacked Lydia for a third time in 644 BCE, under their leader Lygdamis (, ), the of the Assyrian records. This time, the Cimmerians defeated the Lydians and captured their capital, Sardis, and Gyges died during this attack. After sacking Sardis, Lygdamis led the Cimmerians into invading the Greek city-states of Ionia and Aeolis on the western coast of Anatolia, which caused the inhabitants of the Batinetis region to flee to the islands of the Aegean Sea, and later Greek writings by Callimachus and Hesychius of Alexandria preserve the record that Lygdamis had destroyed the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus during these invasions.\n\nAfter this third invasion of Lydia and the attack on the Asiatic Greek cities, around 640 BCE the Cimmerians moved to Cilicia on the north-west border of the Assyrian empire, where Tugdammi allied with Mugallu, the king of Tabal, against Assyria. However, after facing a revolt against him, Tugdamme allied with Assyria and acknowledged Assyrian overlordship, and sent tribute to Ashurbanipal, to whom he swore an oath. Tugdammi soon broke this oath and attacked the Assyrian Empire again, but he fell ill and died in 640 BCE, and was succeeded by his son Sandakšatru.\n\nIn 637 BCE, the Cimmerians participated in another attack on Lydia, this time led by the Thracian Treres tribe who had migrated across the Thracian Bosporus and invaded Anatolia, under their king Kobos, and in alliance with the Lycians. During this invasion, in the seventh year of the reign of Gyges's son Ardys, the Lydians were defeated again and for a second time Sardis was captured, except for its citadel, and Ardys might have been killed in this attack. Ardys's son and successor, Sadyattes, might possibly also have been killed in another Cimmerian attack on Lydia. Soon after that, with Assyrian approval and in alliance with the Lydians, the Scythians under their king Madyes entered Anatolia, expelled the Treres from Asia Minor, and defeated the Cimmerians so that they no longer constituted a threat again, following which the Scythians extended their domination to Central Anatolia until they were themselves expelled by the Medes from Southwest Asia in the 590s BCE. This final defeat of the Cimmerians was carried out by the joint forces of Madyes, who Strabo credits with expelling the Cimmerians from Asia Minor, and of Gyges's great-grandson, the king Alyattes of Lydia, whom Herodotus and Polyaenus claim finally defeated the Cimmerians.\n\nThe Cimmerians completely disappeared from history following this final defeat, after which they likely remained in Cappadocia, whose name in Armenian, , may have been derived from the name of the Cimmerians. A group of Cimmerians might also have subsisted for some time in the Troad, around Adramyttium.\n\nArchaeology \n\nThe origin of the culture is associated with the Belozerskaya culture (12th to 10th centuries BCE) and the later and more certain Novocerkassk culture (10th to 7th centuries BCE) between the Danube and the Volga.\n\nThe use of the name \"Cimmerian\" in this context is due to Paul Reinecke, who in 1925 postulated a \"North-Thracian-Cimmerian cultural sphere\" (nordthrakisch-kimmerischer Kulturkreis) overlapping with the younger Hallstatt culture of the Eastern Alps. The term Thraco-Cimmerian (thrako-kimmerisch) was first introduced by I. Nestor in the 1930s. Nestor intended to suggest that there was a historical migration of Cimmerians into Eastern Europe from the area of the former Srubnaya culture, perhaps triggered by the Scythian expansion, at the beginning of the European Iron Age. In the 1980s and 1990s, more systematic studies of the artifacts revealed a more gradual development over the 9th to 7th centuries BCE, so that the term \"Thraco-Cimmerian\" is now merely used by convention and does not necessarily imply a direct connection with either the Thracians or the Cimmerians.\n\nLegacy\nThe term was used about a century after the Cimmerians disappeared from history in the Behistun inscription (c. 515 BC) as an Assyro-Babylonian equivalent of Iranian Saka (Scythians). Otherwise, Cimmerians disappeared from the historical record.\n\nIn sources beginning with the Royal Frankish Annals, the Merovingian kings of the Franks traditionally traced their lineage through a pre-Frankish tribe called the Sicambri (or Sugambri), mythologized as a group of \"Cimmerians\" from the mouth of the Danube river, but who instead came from Gelderland in modern Netherlands and are named for the Sieg river.\n\nEarly modern historians asserted Cimmerian descent for the Celts or the Germans, arguing from the similarity of Cimmerii to Cimbri or Cymry, noted by 17th-century Celticists. But the word Cymro \"Welshman\" (plural: Cymry) is now accepted by Celtic linguists as being derived from a Brythonic word *kom-brogos, meaning \"compatriot\".\n\nThe Biblical name \"Gomer\" has been linked by some to the Cimmerians.\n\nAccording to Georgian national historiography, the Cimmerians, in Georgian known as Gimirri, played an influential role in the development of the Colchian and Iberian cultures. The modern Georgian word for \"hero\", gmiri, is said to derive from their name.\n\nIt has been speculated that the Cimmerians finally settled in Cappadocia, the name Cappadocia, or in Armenian as , , might have been derived from the name of the Cimmerians.\n\nIt has also been speculated that the modern Armenian city of Gyumri (Arm.: Գյումրի ), founded as Kumayri (Arm.: Կումայրի), derived its name from the Cimmerians who conquered the region and founded a settlement there.\n\nLanguage\n\nAccording to the historian Muhammad Dandamayev and the linguist János Harmatta, the Cimmerians spoke a dialect belonging to the Scythian group of Iranian languages, and were able to communicate with Scythians proper without needing interpreters.\n\nOnly a few personal names in the Cimmerian language have survived in Assyrian inscriptions:\n: according to the linguist János Harmatta, it goes back to Old Iranian , meaning \"swelling with strength\". However, based on linguistic analysis, Askold Ivantchik posits three alternative suggestions for an Old Iranian origin of : \"abductor of horses\"; \"abductor dog\", or; \"divine dog\".\n\n, also spelled and , and pronounced by Greek authors: according to János Harmatta, it goes back to Old Iranian \"giving happiness\". Edwin M. Yamauchi also interprets the name as Iranian, citing Ossetic \"ruling with strength\". Based on linguistic analysis, Askold Ivantchik suggests that the name / was a loanword from an Anatolian language, more specifically Luwian, while also accepting the alternative possibility of a derivation from a variant of the name of the Hurrian deity Teyśəba/Tešub.\n\n: this is an Iranian reading of the name, and Manfred Mayrhofer (1981) points out that the name may also be read as . According to János Harmatta, it goes back to Old Iranian \"splendid son\". Askold Ivantchik derives the name from a compound term consisting of the name of the Anatolian deity Sanda, and of the Iranian term .\n\nAsimov (1991) attempted to trace various place names to Cimmerian origins. He suggested that Cimmerium gave rise to the Turkic toponym Qırım (which in turn gave rise to the name \"Crimea\").\n\nBased on ancient Greek historical sources, a Thracian or a Celtic association is sometimes assumed.\n\nGenetics\nA genetic study published in Science Advances in October 2018 examined the remains of three Cimmerians buried between around 1000 and 800 BCE. The two samples of Y-DNA extracted belonged to haplogroups R1b1a and Q1a1, while the three samples of mtDNA extracted belonged to haplogroups H9a, C5c and R. \n\nAnother genetic study published in Current Biology in July 2019 examined the remains of three Cimmerians. The two samples of Y-DNA extracted belonged to haplogroups R1a-Z645 and R1a2c-B111, while the three samples of mtDNA extracted belonged to haplogroups H35, U5a1b1 and U2e2.\n\nIn popular culture\nConan the Barbarian, created by Robert E. Howard in a series of fantasy stories published in Weird Tales in 1932, was described as a native Cimmerian, though in Howard's fictional world, his Cimmerians dwelt in a mythological Hyborian Age. The Cimmerians of Hyboria are a pre-Celtic people said by Howard to be the ancestors of the Irish and Scots (Gaels).\n\nIf on a winter's night a traveler: The novel by Italo Calvino is a framed presentation of a series of incomplete novels, one of them purported to be translated from the Cimmerian. However, in Calvino's novel, Cimmeria is a fictional country.\n\nThe Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay: A novel by Michael Chabon has a chapter that talks about the oldest book in the world \"The Book of Lo\" created by ancient Cimmerians.\n\nSee also \n List of kings of the Cimmerian Bosporus, including early kings of Cimmeria\n\nReferences\n\nCitations\n\nSources \n\n Ivanchik A.I. \"Cimmerians and Scythians\", 2001\n\n \n \n\nTerenozhkin A.I., Cimmerians, Kiev, 1983\nCollection of Slavonic and Foreign Language Manuscripts – St.St Cyril and Methodius – Bulgarian National Library: http://www.nationallibrary.bg/slavezryk_en.html\n\nExternal links\n\nCimmerians by Jona Lendering\nWiki Classical Dictionary: Cimmerians\nCimmerians on Regnal Chronologies\n\n \nPeoples of the Caucasus\nHistory of the North Caucasus\nTribes described primarily by Herodotus\nIndo-European peoples\nUnclassified languages of Asia\nUnclassified Indo-European languages",
"Sadyattes ( ; reigned c. 637 – c. 635 BC) was the third king of the Mermnad dynasty in Lydia, the son of Ardys and the grandson of Gyges of Lydia.\n\nReign\nSadyattes came to power during period of severe crisis that Lydia was facing because of several waves of invasions by the Cimmerians, a nomadic people from the Pontic steppe who had invaded the Levant. The Cimmerians attacked Lydia several times but had been repelled by Sadyattes's grandfather, Gyges, but in 644 BCE, the Cimmerians attacked Lydia for the third time, led by their king Lygdamis. The Lydians were defeated, Sardis was sacked, and Gyges was killed, following which he was succeeded by his son, Ardys, who was the father of Sadyattes.\n\nIn 637 BCE, that is in Ardys's seventh regnal year, the Thracian Treres tribe who had migrated across the Thracian Bosporus and invaded Anatolia, under their king Kobos, and in alliance with the Cimmerians and the Lycians, attacked Lydia. They defeated the Lydians again and for a second time sacked the Lydian capital of Sardis, except for its citadel. It is probable that Ardys was killed during this Cimmerian attack.\n\nSadyattes's reign was even more short-lived than that of his father Ardys: although Herodotus claimed that Ardys had reigned for twelve years, modern estimates give him a much shorter reign of only two years. Little is know about the reign of Sadyattes except that he began a war with the Ionian Greek maritime city of Miletus.\n\nSadyattes died in 635 BCE and was succeeded by his son Alyattes, who would transform Lydia into a powerful empire. It is possible that, like his grandfather Gyges and maybe his father Ardys as well, he died fighting the Cimmerians. He was succeeded by his son Alyattes, who continued his war against Miletus.\n\nAftermath\nSoon after 635 BCE, with Assyrian approval and in alliance with the Lydians, the Scythians under their king Madyes entered Anatolia, expelled the Treres from Asia Minor, and defeated the Cimmerians so that they no longer constituted a threat again, following which the Scythians extended their domination to Central Anatolia until they were themselves expelled by the Medes from Western Asia in the 590s BCE. This final defeat of the Cimmerians was carried out by the joint forces of Madyes, who Strabo credits with expelling the Cimmerians from Asia Minor, and of Sadyattes's son, the king Alyattes of Lydia, whom Herodotus and Polyaenus claim finally defeated the Cimmerians.\n\nReferences\n\nSources\n \n\n \n\nKings of Lydia\nYear of birth unknown\n6th-century BC rulers\n7th-century BC rulers in Asia\n591 BC deaths\nMermnad dynasty"
] |
[
"Cimmerians",
"Greek tradition",
"Who were the Cimmerians?",
"According to Herodotus (c. 440 BC), the Cimmerians had been expelled from their homeland between the Tyras (Dniester) and Tanais (Don) rivers by the Scythians.",
"What can you tell me about Greek tradition and the Cimmerians?",
"Unreconciled to Scythian advances, to ensure burial in their ancestral homeland, the men of the Cimmerian royal family divided into groups and fought each other to the death.",
"What happened to the royal family after that?",
"The Cimmerian commoners buried the bodies along the river Tyras and fled across the Caucasus and into Anatolia.",
"How did Cimmerians preserve Greek tradition?",
"In 654 BC or 652 BC - the exact date is unclear - the Cimmerians attacked the kingdom of Lydia, killing the Lydian king Gyges"
] |
C_b2441069fa124f36b11397696ba067de_0
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Did the Cimmerians rule Lydia?
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Did the Cimmerians rule Lydia?
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Cimmerians
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A people named Kimmerioi is described in Homer's Odyssey 11.14 (c. late 8th century BC), as living beyond the Oceanus, in a land of fog and darkness, at the edge of the world and the entrance of Hades. According to Herodotus (c. 440 BC), the Cimmerians had been expelled from their homeland between the Tyras (Dniester) and Tanais (Don) rivers by the Scythians. Unreconciled to Scythian advances, to ensure burial in their ancestral homeland, the men of the Cimmerian royal family divided into groups and fought each other to the death. The Cimmerian commoners buried the bodies along the river Tyras and fled across the Caucasus and into Anatolia. Herodotus also names a number of Cimmerian kings, including Tugdamme (Lygdamis in Greek; mid-7th century BC), and Sandakhshatra (late-7th century). In 654 BC or 652 BC - the exact date is unclear - the Cimmerians attacked the kingdom of Lydia, killing the Lydian king Gyges and causing great destruction to the Lydian capital of Sardis. They returned ten years later during the reign of Gyges' son Ardys II; this time they captured the city, with the exception of the citadel. The fall of Sardis was a major shock to the powers of the region; the Greek poets Callinus and Archilochus recorded the fear that it inspired in the Greek colonies of Ionia, some of which were attacked by Cimmerian and Treres raiders. The Cimmerian occupation of Lydia was brief, however, possibly due to an outbreak of plague. They were beaten back by Alyattes II of Lydia. This defeat marked the effective end of Cimmerian power. The term Gimirri was used about a century later in the Behistun inscription (c. 515 BC) as an Assyro-Babylonian equivalent of Persian Saka (Scythians). Otherwise, Cimmerians disappeared from the historical record. CANNOTANSWER
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They returned ten years later during the reign of Gyges' son Ardys II; this time they captured the city, with the exception of the citadel.
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The Cimmerians ( ; ) were a nomadic Indo-European people, who appeared about 1000 BC. Originating in the Pontic-Caspian steppe, the Cimmerians subsequently migrated into Southwest Asia and into Central and Southeast Europe. While the Cimmerians were often described by contemporaries as culturally Scythian, they evidently differed ethnically from the Scythians proper, who also displaced and replaced the Cimmerians.
The Cimmerians themselves left no written records, and most information about them is largely derived from Assyrian records of the 8th to 7th centuries BCE and from Graeco-Roman authors from the 5th century BCE and later.
Name
The source and meaning of the Cimmerians' name remain uncertain, and there have been various proposals for its origin. According to the linguist János Harmatta, it was derived from Old Iranian , meaning "union of clans", while and Igor Diakonoff derive it from an Old Iranian term or , meaning "mobile unit," Askold Ivantchik derives the name of the Cimmerians from an original form or , of uncertain meaning.
History
Origins
The Cimmerians were most likely a nomadic Iranian people of the Eurasian Steppe. Other suggestions for the ethnicity for the Cimmerians include the possibility of them being Thracian, or Thracians with an Iranian ruling class, or a separate group closely related to Thracian peoples, as well as a Maeotian origin. However, the proposal of a Thracian origin of the Cimmerians has been criticised as arising from a confusion by Strabo between the Cimmerians and their allies, the Thracian tribe of the Treres.
The Cimmerians are first mentioned in the 8th century BCE in Homer's Odyssey as a people living beyond the Oceanus, in a land permanently deprived of sunlight at the edge of the world and the entrance of Hades, and, in the 6th century BCE, Aristeas of Proconnesus recorded that the Cimmerians had once lived in the Pontic Steppe. According to Herodotus, the Cimmerians inhabited the region north of the Caucasus and the Black Sea during the 8th and 7th centuries BC (i.e. what is now Ukraine and Russia).
The social structure of the Cimmerians, according to Herodotus, comprised two groups of roughly equal numbers: the Cimmerians proper, or "commoners", and the "kings" or "royal race" – implying that the ruling classes and lower classes originally constituted two different peoples (or castes), who retained distinct identities as late as the end of the 2nd millennium BCE. Hence the "kings" may have originated as an element of an Iranian-speaking people (such as the Scythians), who had imposed their rule on a section of the people of the Catacomb culture, i.e. the "commoners". Hence the subsequent Cimmerian culture has been more strongly associated with the Srubnaya (19th-15th centuries BCE) and/or Belozerskaya (12th-10th centuries BCE) cultures.
In Southwest Asia
In the 8th and 7th centuries BCE, the Cimmerians were expelled from their home in the Pontic Steppe and forced to migrate into Southwest Asia due to a significant movement of the nomads of the Eurasian Steppe. According to Herodotus, this movement started when the Massagetae migrated westwards, forcing the Scythians to the west across the Araxes river (likely the Volga), after which the Scythians moved into the Pontic Steppe and conquered the territory of the Cimmerians.
Under Scythian pressure, the Cimmerian aristocrats, who were unwilling to leave their lands, killed each other and were buried in a kurgan near the Tyras river; then the common people migrated to Southwest Asia. The Cimmerians fled to the south along the Black Sea coast and reached Anatolia. However, owing to the impracticability of the eastern Black Sea shore for horsemen, modern scholars instead suggest that the Cimmerians passed through the , Alagir and Darial passes in the Greater Caucasus, that is through the western Caucasus and Georgia into Colchis, where the Cimmerians initially settled; the Scythians in turn pursued the Cimmerians, but followed the coast of the Caspian Sea and arrived in the region of present-day Azerbaijan.
Austen Henry Layard's discoveries in the royal archives at Nineveh and Calah included Assyrian primary records of the Cimmerian invasion.
These records appear to place the Cimmerian homeland, Gamir, south (rather than north) of the Black Sea.
In Transcaucasia
During the early phase of the Cimmerians' presence in Southwest Asia, their centre of operations was located in Transcaucasia until the early 660s BCE.
The first mention of the Cimmerians in the records of the Neo-Assyrian Empire was from between 720 and 714 BCE, when Assyrian intelligence reported to the king Sargon II that the king Rusa I of Urartu had been defeated after attempting to attack the Cimmerians, either in what is now Georgia, or near Gurania in eastern Cappadocia. According to another Assyrian intelligence report dated to those same years, the Cimmerians had attacked Urartu through the territory of the kingdom of Mannae.
In 705 BCE, the Cimmerians tried to cross the border of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, but they were defeated by Sargon II, who died in this battle.
During the period coinciding with the rule of the Assyrian king Esarhaddon (reigned 681–669 BCE), the bulk of the Cimmerians migrated from Transcaucasia into Anatolia, while a smaller group remained in the area near the kingdom of Mannae where they had been settled since the time of Sargon II, respectively forming a "western" and an "eastern" division of Cimmerians.
The "eastern" Cimmerians
By 677 BCE, the eastern group of Cimmerians were present on the territory of Mannae, and in 676 BCE they were the allies of Mannae against an Assyrian attack, after which the eastern Cimmerians remained allied to Mannae against Assyria.
Around 675 BCE, the eastern Cimmerians were recorded by the Assyrians as a possible threat against the collection of tribute from Media. And around the same time, in alliance with the Scythians, the eastern Cimmerians were menacing the Assyrian provinces of Parsumaš and Bīt Ḫamban, and the eastern Cimmerians and the Scythians together were threatening communication between the Assyrian Empire and its vassal of Ḫubuškia.
By the late 670s BCE, the eastern Cimmerians were allied to Ellipi and the Medes, and when Ellipi and the Medes successfully rebelled against Assyria under Kashtariti from 671 to 669 BCE, the eastern Cimmerians were allied to them.
In the western Iranian Plateau, the eastern Cimmerians might have introduced Bronze articles from the Koban culture into the Luristan bronze culture.
In Anatolia
By the later 7th century BCE, the centre of operations of the larger, western, division of the Cimmerians was located in Anatolia.
In 679 BCE the Cimmerian king Teušpa was defeated and killed by Esarhaddon near Ḫubušna in Cappadocia. Despite this victory, the military operations of the Assyrians were not fully successful and they were not able to firmly occupy the areas around Ḫubušna, nor were they able to secure their borders, and the Assyrian province of Quwê was left vulnerable to invasions from Tabal, Kuzzurak and Ḫilakku. An Assyrian contract dating to the same as Esarhaddon's victory over Teušpa records of the existence of a "Cimmerian detachment" in Nineveh, although it is uncertain whether this refers to Cimmerian mercenaries in Assyrian service, or simply of Assyrian soldiers armed in the "Cimmerian-style", that is using Cimmerian bows and horse harnesses.
Around 675 BCE, the Cimmerians in alliance with the Urartian king Rusa II invaded and destroyed the kingdom of Phrygia, whose king Midas committed suicide. The Cimmerians appear to have partially subdued the Phrygians, and an Assyrian oracular text from the later 670s BCE mentioned the Cimmerians and the possibly subdued Phrygians as allies against the Assyrians' newly conquered province of Melid.
A document from 673 BCE records Rusa II as having recruited a large number of Cimmerian mercenaries, and Cimmerian allies of Rusa II probably participated in a military expedition of his in 672 BCE. From 671 to 669 BCE, Cimmerians in service of Rusa II attacked the Assyrian province of Šubria near the Urartian border.
Between 671 and 670 BCE, some Cimmerian divisions were recorded as serving in the Assyrian army, although these divisions might have instead simply referred to the "Cimmerian style" armed Assyrian soldiers.
At yet unknown dates, the Cimmerians imposed their rule on Cappadocia, invaded Bithynia, Paphlagonia and the Troad, and took Sinope. In the beginning of that decade, the Cimmerians attacked the kingdom of Lydia, whose king Gyges contacted the Neo-Assyrian Empire beginning in 667 BCE. Gyges soon defeated the Cimmerians in 665 BCE without Assyrian help, and he sent Cimmerian soldiers captured while attacking the Lydian countryside as gifts to Ashurbanipal. According to the Assyrian records describing these events, the Cimmerians already had formed sedentary settlements in Anatolia.
According to Anthony Spalinger, the Cimmerians attacked Lydia again in 657 BCE, as recorded by contemporary Assyrian records, which referred to this attack as a "bad omen" for the "Westland", that is Lydia. However, this sequence of events is disputed by Askold Ivantchik, who instead identifies the "Westland" with western possessions of the Neo-Assyrian Empire (possibly Quwê or somewhere in Syria) that the Cimmerians had conquered after their defeat by Gyges. These Cimmerian aggressions worried Ashurbanipal about the security of the northwest border of the Neo-Assyrian Empire enough that he sought answers concerning this situation through divination, and as a result of these Cimmerian conquests, by 657 BCE the Assyrian divinatory records were calling the Cimmerian king by the title of ("King of the Universe"), a title which in the Mesopotamian worldview could belong to only a single ruler in the world at any given time and was normally held by the King of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. These divinatory texts also assured to Assurbanipal that he would eventually regain the , that is the world hegemony, captured by the Cimmerians: the , which was considered to rightfully belong to the Assyrian king, had been usurped by the Cimmerians and had to be won back by Assyria. Thus, the Cimmerian king's successes against Assyria meant that he had become recognised in the ancient Near East as equally powerful as Ashurbanipal. This situation remained unchanged throughout the rest of the 650s BCE and the early 640s BCE.
As the result of these Assyrian setbacks, Gyges could not rely on Assyrian support against the Cimmerians and he ended diplomacy with the Neo-Assyrian Empire.
The Cimmerians attacked Lydia for a third time in 644 BCE, under their leader Lygdamis (, ), the of the Assyrian records. This time, the Cimmerians defeated the Lydians and captured their capital, Sardis, and Gyges died during this attack. After sacking Sardis, Lygdamis led the Cimmerians into invading the Greek city-states of Ionia and Aeolis on the western coast of Anatolia, which caused the inhabitants of the Batinetis region to flee to the islands of the Aegean Sea, and later Greek writings by Callimachus and Hesychius of Alexandria preserve the record that Lygdamis had destroyed the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus during these invasions.
After this third invasion of Lydia and the attack on the Asiatic Greek cities, around 640 BCE the Cimmerians moved to Cilicia on the north-west border of the Assyrian empire, where Tugdammi allied with Mugallu, the king of Tabal, against Assyria. However, after facing a revolt against him, Tugdamme allied with Assyria and acknowledged Assyrian overlordship, and sent tribute to Ashurbanipal, to whom he swore an oath. Tugdammi soon broke this oath and attacked the Assyrian Empire again, but he fell ill and died in 640 BCE, and was succeeded by his son Sandakšatru.
In 637 BCE, the Cimmerians participated in another attack on Lydia, this time led by the Thracian Treres tribe who had migrated across the Thracian Bosporus and invaded Anatolia, under their king Kobos, and in alliance with the Lycians. During this invasion, in the seventh year of the reign of Gyges's son Ardys, the Lydians were defeated again and for a second time Sardis was captured, except for its citadel, and Ardys might have been killed in this attack. Ardys's son and successor, Sadyattes, might possibly also have been killed in another Cimmerian attack on Lydia. Soon after that, with Assyrian approval and in alliance with the Lydians, the Scythians under their king Madyes entered Anatolia, expelled the Treres from Asia Minor, and defeated the Cimmerians so that they no longer constituted a threat again, following which the Scythians extended their domination to Central Anatolia until they were themselves expelled by the Medes from Southwest Asia in the 590s BCE. This final defeat of the Cimmerians was carried out by the joint forces of Madyes, who Strabo credits with expelling the Cimmerians from Asia Minor, and of Gyges's great-grandson, the king Alyattes of Lydia, whom Herodotus and Polyaenus claim finally defeated the Cimmerians.
The Cimmerians completely disappeared from history following this final defeat, after which they likely remained in Cappadocia, whose name in Armenian, , may have been derived from the name of the Cimmerians. A group of Cimmerians might also have subsisted for some time in the Troad, around Adramyttium.
Archaeology
The origin of the culture is associated with the Belozerskaya culture (12th to 10th centuries BCE) and the later and more certain Novocerkassk culture (10th to 7th centuries BCE) between the Danube and the Volga.
The use of the name "Cimmerian" in this context is due to Paul Reinecke, who in 1925 postulated a "North-Thracian-Cimmerian cultural sphere" (nordthrakisch-kimmerischer Kulturkreis) overlapping with the younger Hallstatt culture of the Eastern Alps. The term Thraco-Cimmerian (thrako-kimmerisch) was first introduced by I. Nestor in the 1930s. Nestor intended to suggest that there was a historical migration of Cimmerians into Eastern Europe from the area of the former Srubnaya culture, perhaps triggered by the Scythian expansion, at the beginning of the European Iron Age. In the 1980s and 1990s, more systematic studies of the artifacts revealed a more gradual development over the 9th to 7th centuries BCE, so that the term "Thraco-Cimmerian" is now merely used by convention and does not necessarily imply a direct connection with either the Thracians or the Cimmerians.
Legacy
The term was used about a century after the Cimmerians disappeared from history in the Behistun inscription (c. 515 BC) as an Assyro-Babylonian equivalent of Iranian Saka (Scythians). Otherwise, Cimmerians disappeared from the historical record.
In sources beginning with the Royal Frankish Annals, the Merovingian kings of the Franks traditionally traced their lineage through a pre-Frankish tribe called the Sicambri (or Sugambri), mythologized as a group of "Cimmerians" from the mouth of the Danube river, but who instead came from Gelderland in modern Netherlands and are named for the Sieg river.
Early modern historians asserted Cimmerian descent for the Celts or the Germans, arguing from the similarity of Cimmerii to Cimbri or Cymry, noted by 17th-century Celticists. But the word Cymro "Welshman" (plural: Cymry) is now accepted by Celtic linguists as being derived from a Brythonic word *kom-brogos, meaning "compatriot".
The Biblical name "Gomer" has been linked by some to the Cimmerians.
According to Georgian national historiography, the Cimmerians, in Georgian known as Gimirri, played an influential role in the development of the Colchian and Iberian cultures. The modern Georgian word for "hero", gmiri, is said to derive from their name.
It has been speculated that the Cimmerians finally settled in Cappadocia, the name Cappadocia, or in Armenian as , , might have been derived from the name of the Cimmerians.
It has also been speculated that the modern Armenian city of Gyumri (Arm.: Գյումրի ), founded as Kumayri (Arm.: Կումայրի), derived its name from the Cimmerians who conquered the region and founded a settlement there.
Language
According to the historian Muhammad Dandamayev and the linguist János Harmatta, the Cimmerians spoke a dialect belonging to the Scythian group of Iranian languages, and were able to communicate with Scythians proper without needing interpreters.
Only a few personal names in the Cimmerian language have survived in Assyrian inscriptions:
: according to the linguist János Harmatta, it goes back to Old Iranian , meaning "swelling with strength". However, based on linguistic analysis, Askold Ivantchik posits three alternative suggestions for an Old Iranian origin of : "abductor of horses"; "abductor dog", or; "divine dog".
, also spelled and , and pronounced by Greek authors: according to János Harmatta, it goes back to Old Iranian "giving happiness". Edwin M. Yamauchi also interprets the name as Iranian, citing Ossetic "ruling with strength". Based on linguistic analysis, Askold Ivantchik suggests that the name / was a loanword from an Anatolian language, more specifically Luwian, while also accepting the alternative possibility of a derivation from a variant of the name of the Hurrian deity Teyśəba/Tešub.
: this is an Iranian reading of the name, and Manfred Mayrhofer (1981) points out that the name may also be read as . According to János Harmatta, it goes back to Old Iranian "splendid son". Askold Ivantchik derives the name from a compound term consisting of the name of the Anatolian deity Sanda, and of the Iranian term .
Asimov (1991) attempted to trace various place names to Cimmerian origins. He suggested that Cimmerium gave rise to the Turkic toponym Qırım (which in turn gave rise to the name "Crimea").
Based on ancient Greek historical sources, a Thracian or a Celtic association is sometimes assumed.
Genetics
A genetic study published in Science Advances in October 2018 examined the remains of three Cimmerians buried between around 1000 and 800 BCE. The two samples of Y-DNA extracted belonged to haplogroups R1b1a and Q1a1, while the three samples of mtDNA extracted belonged to haplogroups H9a, C5c and R.
Another genetic study published in Current Biology in July 2019 examined the remains of three Cimmerians. The two samples of Y-DNA extracted belonged to haplogroups R1a-Z645 and R1a2c-B111, while the three samples of mtDNA extracted belonged to haplogroups H35, U5a1b1 and U2e2.
In popular culture
Conan the Barbarian, created by Robert E. Howard in a series of fantasy stories published in Weird Tales in 1932, was described as a native Cimmerian, though in Howard's fictional world, his Cimmerians dwelt in a mythological Hyborian Age. The Cimmerians of Hyboria are a pre-Celtic people said by Howard to be the ancestors of the Irish and Scots (Gaels).
If on a winter's night a traveler: The novel by Italo Calvino is a framed presentation of a series of incomplete novels, one of them purported to be translated from the Cimmerian. However, in Calvino's novel, Cimmeria is a fictional country.
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay: A novel by Michael Chabon has a chapter that talks about the oldest book in the world "The Book of Lo" created by ancient Cimmerians.
See also
List of kings of the Cimmerian Bosporus, including early kings of Cimmeria
References
Citations
Sources
Ivanchik A.I. "Cimmerians and Scythians", 2001
Terenozhkin A.I., Cimmerians, Kiev, 1983
Collection of Slavonic and Foreign Language Manuscripts – St.St Cyril and Methodius – Bulgarian National Library: http://www.nationallibrary.bg/slavezryk_en.html
External links
Cimmerians by Jona Lendering
Wiki Classical Dictionary: Cimmerians
Cimmerians on Regnal Chronologies
Peoples of the Caucasus
History of the North Caucasus
Tribes described primarily by Herodotus
Indo-European peoples
Unclassified languages of Asia
Unclassified Indo-European languages
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"Ardys ( ; also ; reigned c.644–c.637 BCE) was the son of Gyges of Lydia, whom he succeeded as the second king of the Mermnad dynasty.\n\nReign\nDuring the 7th century BCE, the Cimmerians, a nomadic people from the Pontic steppe who had invaded the Levant, attacked Lydia several times but had been repelled by Ardys's father, Gyges. In 644 BCE, the Cimmerians attacked Lydia for the third time, led by their king Lygdamis. The Lydians were defeated, Sardis was sacked, and Gyges was killed, following which Ardys succeeded his father.\n\nOn assuming kingship, Ardys resumed the diplomatic activity with the Neo-Assyrian Empire which Gyges had ended. Ardys attacked the Ionian Greek city of Miletus and succeeded in capturing the city of Priene.\n\nArdys's reign was short-lived, likely due to the period of severe crisis Lydia was facing because of the Cimmerian invasions. In 637 BCE, that is in Ardys's seventh regnal year, the Thracian Treres tribe who had migrated across the Thracian Bosporus and invaded Anatolia, under their king Kobos, and in alliance with the Cimmerians and the Lycians, attacked Lydia. They defeated the Lydians again and for a second time sacked the Lydian capital of Sardis, except for its citadel. It is probable that Ardys was killed during this Cimmerian attack.\n\nAftermath\nArdys's son and successor Sadyattes might have also been killed during another Cimmerian attack in 635 BCE.\n\nSoon after 635 BCE, with Assyrian approval and in alliance with the Lydians, the Scythians under their king Madyes entered Anatolia, expelled the Treres from Asia Minor, and defeated the Cimmerians so that they no longer constituted a threat again, following which the Scythians extended their domination to Central Anatolia until they were themselves expelled by the Medes from Western Asia in the 590s BCE. This final defeat of the Cimmerians was carried out by the joint forces of Madyes, who Strabo credits with expelling the Cimmerians from Asia Minor, and of Ardys's grandson, the king Alyattes of Lydia, whom Herodotus and Polyaenus claim finally defeated the Cimmerians.\n\nSee also\n List of kings of Lydia\n\nNotes\n\nSources\n\nExternal links \n Livius.org: Ardys of Lydia\n\nKings of Lydia\n7th-century BC rulers in Asia\nMermnad dynasty\nGyges of Lydia\n603 BC deaths",
"Sadyattes ( ; reigned c. 637 – c. 635 BC) was the third king of the Mermnad dynasty in Lydia, the son of Ardys and the grandson of Gyges of Lydia.\n\nReign\nSadyattes came to power during period of severe crisis that Lydia was facing because of several waves of invasions by the Cimmerians, a nomadic people from the Pontic steppe who had invaded the Levant. The Cimmerians attacked Lydia several times but had been repelled by Sadyattes's grandfather, Gyges, but in 644 BCE, the Cimmerians attacked Lydia for the third time, led by their king Lygdamis. The Lydians were defeated, Sardis was sacked, and Gyges was killed, following which he was succeeded by his son, Ardys, who was the father of Sadyattes.\n\nIn 637 BCE, that is in Ardys's seventh regnal year, the Thracian Treres tribe who had migrated across the Thracian Bosporus and invaded Anatolia, under their king Kobos, and in alliance with the Cimmerians and the Lycians, attacked Lydia. They defeated the Lydians again and for a second time sacked the Lydian capital of Sardis, except for its citadel. It is probable that Ardys was killed during this Cimmerian attack.\n\nSadyattes's reign was even more short-lived than that of his father Ardys: although Herodotus claimed that Ardys had reigned for twelve years, modern estimates give him a much shorter reign of only two years. Little is know about the reign of Sadyattes except that he began a war with the Ionian Greek maritime city of Miletus.\n\nSadyattes died in 635 BCE and was succeeded by his son Alyattes, who would transform Lydia into a powerful empire. It is possible that, like his grandfather Gyges and maybe his father Ardys as well, he died fighting the Cimmerians. He was succeeded by his son Alyattes, who continued his war against Miletus.\n\nAftermath\nSoon after 635 BCE, with Assyrian approval and in alliance with the Lydians, the Scythians under their king Madyes entered Anatolia, expelled the Treres from Asia Minor, and defeated the Cimmerians so that they no longer constituted a threat again, following which the Scythians extended their domination to Central Anatolia until they were themselves expelled by the Medes from Western Asia in the 590s BCE. This final defeat of the Cimmerians was carried out by the joint forces of Madyes, who Strabo credits with expelling the Cimmerians from Asia Minor, and of Sadyattes's son, the king Alyattes of Lydia, whom Herodotus and Polyaenus claim finally defeated the Cimmerians.\n\nReferences\n\nSources\n \n\n \n\nKings of Lydia\nYear of birth unknown\n6th-century BC rulers\n7th-century BC rulers in Asia\n591 BC deaths\nMermnad dynasty"
] |
[
"Julian Assange",
"Swedish sexual assault allegations"
] |
C_64d98f3da46040bd8ec1317d5f9caf0a_0
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What was he alleged of doing?
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What was Julian Assange alleged of doing?
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Julian Assange
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Assange visited Sweden in August 2010. During his visit, he became the subject of sexual assault allegations from two women with whom he had sex. He was questioned, the case was initially closed, and he was told he could leave the country. In November 2010, however, the case was re-opened by a special prosecutor who said that she wanted to question Assange over two counts of sexual molestation, one count of unlawful coercion and one count of "lesser-degree rape" (mindre grov valdtakt). Assange denied the allegations and said he was happy to face questions in Britain. In 2010, the prosecutor said Swedish law prevented her from questioning anyone by video link or in the London embassy. In March 2015, after public criticism from other Swedish law practitioners, she changed her mind and agreed to interrogate Assange in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, with interviews finally beginning on 14 November 2016. These interviews involved police, Swedish prosecutors and Ecuadorian officials and were eventually published online. By this time, the statute of limitations had expired on all three of the less serious allegations. Since the Swedish prosecutor had not interviewed Assange by 18 August 2015, the questioning pertained only to the open investigation of "lesser degree rape", whose statute of limitations is due to expire in 2020. On 19 May 2017, the Swedish authorities dropped their investigation against Assange, claiming they could not expect the Ecuadorian Embassy to communicate reliably with Assange with respect to the case. Chief prosecutor Marianne Ny officially revoked his arrest warrant, but said the investigation could still be resumed if Assange visited Sweden before August 2020. "We are not making any pronouncement about guilt", she said. CANNOTANSWER
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he became the subject of sexual assault allegations from two women with whom he had sex.
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Julian Paul Assange (; né Hawkins; born 3 July 1971) is an Australian editor, publisher and activist who founded WikiLeaks in 2006. WikiLeaks came to international attention in 2010 when it published a series of leaks provided by U.S. Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning. These leaks included the Baghdad airstrike Collateral Murder video (April 2010), the Afghanistan war logs (July 2010), the Iraq war logs (October 2010), and Cablegate (November 2010). After the 2010 leaks, the United States government launched a criminal investigation into WikiLeaks.
In November 2010, Sweden issued an international arrest warrant for Assange over allegations of sexual misconduct. Assange said the allegations were a pretext for his extradition from Sweden to the United States over his role in the publication of secret American documents. After losing his battle against extradition to Sweden, he breached bail and took refuge in the Embassy of Ecuador in London in June 2012. He was granted asylum by Ecuador in August 2012 on the grounds of political persecution, with the presumption that if he were extradited to Sweden, he would be eventually extradited to the US. Swedish prosecutors dropped their investigation in 2019, saying their evidence had "weakened considerably due to the long period of time that has elapsed since the events in question."
During the 2016 U.S. election campaign, WikiLeaks published confidential Democratic Party emails, showing that the party's national committee favoured Hillary Clinton over her rival Bernie Sanders in the primaries.
On 11 April 2019, Assange's asylum was withdrawn following a series of disputes with the Ecuadorian authorities. The police were invited into the embassy and he was arrested. He was found guilty of breaching the Bail Act and sentenced to 50 weeks in prison. The United States government unsealed an indictment against Assange related to the leaks provided by Manning. On 23 May 2019, the United States government further charged Assange with violating the Espionage Act of 1917. Editors from newspapers, including The Washington Post and The New York Times, as well as press freedom organisations, criticised the government's decision to charge Assange under the Espionage Act, characterising it as an attack on the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, which guarantees freedom of the press. On 4 January 2021, UK District Judge Vanessa Baraitser ruled against the United States' request to extradite Assange and stated that doing so would be "oppressive" given concerns over Assange's mental health and risk of suicide. On 6 January 2021, Assange was denied bail, pending an appeal by the United States. On 10 December 2021, the High Court in London ruled that Assange can be extradited to the US to face the charges.
Assange has been confined in Belmarsh maximum-security prison in London since April 2019.
Early life
Assange was born Julian Paul Hawkins on 3 July 1971 in Townsville, Queensland, to Christine Ann Hawkins (b. 1951), a visual artist, and John Shipton, an anti-war activist and builder. The couple separated before their son was born. When Julian was a year old, his mother married Brett Assange, an actor with whom she ran a small theatre company and whom Julian regards as his father (choosing Assange as his surname). Christine and Brett Assange divorced around 1979. Christine then became involved with Leif Meynell, also known as Leif Hamilton, whom Julian Assange later described as "a member of an Australian cult" called The Family. They separated in 1982.
Julian had a nomadic childhood, living in more than 30 Australian towns and cities by the time he reached his mid-teens, when he settled with his mother and half-brother in Melbourne. Assange attended many schools, including Goolmangar Primary School in New South Wales (1979–1983) and Townsville State High School in Queensland as well as being schooled at home.
In 1987, aged 16, Assange began hacking under the name Mendax, supposedly taken from Horace's splendide mendax (nobly lying). He and two others, known as "Trax" and "Prime Suspect", formed a hacking group they called "the International Subversives". According to David Leigh and Luke Harding, Assange may have been involved in the WANK (Worms Against Nuclear Killers) hack at NASA in 1989, but this has never been proven.
In September 1991, Assange was discovered hacking into the Melbourne master terminal of Nortel, a Canadian multinational telecommunications corporation. The Australian Federal Police tapped Assange's phone line (he was using a modem), raided his home at the end of October and eventually charged him in 1994 with 31 counts of hacking and related crimes. In December 1996, he pleaded guilty to 24 charges (the others were dropped) and was ordered to pay reparations of A$2,100 and released on a good behaviour bond. He received a lenient penalty due to the absence of malicious or mercenary intent and his disrupted childhood.
Assange studied programming, mathematics and physics at Central Queensland University (1994) and the University of Melbourne (2003–2006), but did not complete a degree.
In 1993, Assange used his computing skills to help the Victoria Police Child Exploitation Unit to prosecute individuals responsible for publishing and distributing child pornography. In the same year, he was involved in starting one of the first public Internet service providers in Australia, Suburbia Public Access Network. He began programming in 1994, authoring or co-authoring the TCP port scanner Strobe (1995), patches to the open-source database PostgreSQL (1996), the Usenet caching software NNTPCache (1996), the Rubberhose deniable encryption system (1997) (which reflected his growing interest in cryptography), and Surfraw, a command-line interface for web-based search engines (2000). During this period, he also moderated the AUCRYPTO forum, ran Best of Security, a website "giving advice on computer security" that had 5,000 subscribers in 1996, and contributed research to Suelette Dreyfus's Underground (1997), a book about Australian hackers, including the International Subversives. In 1998, he co-founded the company Earthmen Technology.
Assange stated that he registered the domain leaks.org in 1999, but "didn't do anything with it". He did publicise a patent granted to the National Security Agency in August 1999, for voice-data harvesting technology: "This patent should worry people. Everyone's overseas phone calls are or may soon be tapped, transcribed and archived in the bowels of an unaccountable foreign spy agency."
Founding WikiLeaks
Early publications
Assange and others established WikiLeaks in 2006. Assange became a member of the organisation's advisory board and described himself as the editor-in-chief. From 2007 to 2010, Assange travelled continuously on WikiLeaks business, visiting Africa, Asia, Europe and North America. During this time, the organisation published internet censorship lists, leaks, and classified media from anonymous sources. These publications including revelations about drone strikes in Yemen, corruption across the Arab world, extrajudicial executions by Kenyan police, 2008 Tibetan unrest in China, and the "Petrogate" oil scandal in Peru.
WikiLeaks' international profile increased in 2008 when a Swiss bank, Julius Baer, failed to block the site's publication of bank records. Assange commented that financial institutions ordinarily "operate outside the rule of law", and received extensive legal support from free-speech and civil rights groups.
In September 2008, during the 2008 United States presidential election campaign, the contents of a Yahoo! account belonging to Sarah Palin (the running mate of Republican presidential nominee John McCain) were posted on WikiLeaks after being hacked into by members of Anonymous. After briefly appearing on a blog, the membership list of the far-right British National Party was posted to WikiLeaks on 18 November 2008.
WikiLeaks released a report disclosing a "serious nuclear accident" at the Iranian Natanz nuclear facility in 2009. According to media reports, the accident may have been the direct result of a cyber-attack at Iran's nuclear program, carried out with the Stuxnet computer worm, a cyber-weapon built jointly by the United States and Israel.
Iraq and Afghan War logs and US diplomatic cables
The material WikiLeaks published between 2006 and 2009 attracted various degrees of international attention, but after it began publishing documents supplied by U.S. Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning, WikiLeaks became a household name.
In April 2010, WikiLeaks released the Collateral Murder video, which showed United States soldiers fatally shooting 18 civilians from a helicopter in Iraq, including Reuters journalists Namir Noor-Eldeen and his assistant Saeed Chmagh. Reuters had previously made a request to the US government for the Collateral Murder video under Freedom of Information but had been denied. Assange and others worked for a week to break the U.S. military's encryption of the video.
In October 2010, WikiLeaks published the Iraq War logs, a collection of 391,832 United States Army field reports from the Iraq War covering the period from 2004 to 2009. Assange said that he hoped the publication would "correct some of that attack on the truth that occurred before the war, during the war, and which has continued after the war".
Regarding his own role within WikiLeaks, he said, "We always expect tremendous criticism. It is my role to be the lightning rod... to attract the attacks against the organization for our work, and that is a difficult role. On the other hand, I get undue credit".
Other Manning material published by WikiLeaks included the Afghanistan War logs in July 2010, and the Guantánamo Bay files in April 2011.
WikiLeaks published a quarter of a million U.S. diplomatic cables, known as the "Cablegate" files, in November 2010. WikiLeaks initially worked with established Western media organisations, and later with smaller regional media organisations, while also publishing the cables upon which their reporting was based. The files showed United States espionage against the United Nations and other world leaders, revealed tensions between the U.S. and its allies, and exposed corruption in countries throughout the world as documented by U.S. diplomats, helping to spark the Arab Spring. The Cablegate and Iraq and Afghan War releases impacted diplomacy and public opinion globally, with responses varying by region.
Legal issues
US criminal investigation
After WikiLeaks released the Manning material, United States authorities began investigating WikiLeaks and Assange personally to prosecute them under the Espionage Act of 1917. In November 2010, US Attorney-General Eric Holder said there was "an active, ongoing criminal investigation" into WikiLeaks. It emerged from legal documents leaked over the ensuing months that Assange and others were being investigated by a federal grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia.
In August 2011, WikiLeaks volunteer Sigurdur Thordarson, working in his home country Iceland, contacted the FBI and, after presenting a copy of Assange's passport at the American embassy, became the first informant to work for the FBI from inside WikiLeaks. In November 2011, WikiLeaks dismissed Thordarson due to what the organization said was his embezzlement of $50,000, to which charge (along with several other offences) he later pleaded guilty in an Icelandic court. According to Thordarson, a few months after his dismissal by WikiLeaks the FBI agreed to pay him $5,000 as compensation for work missed while meeting with agents.
In December 2011, prosecutors in the Chelsea Manning case revealed the existence of chat logs between Manning and an interlocutor they claimed was Assange. Assange said that WikiLeaks has no way of knowing the identity of its sources and that chats with sources, including user-names, were anonymous. In January 2011, Assange described the allegation that WikiLeaks had conspired with Manning as "absolute nonsense". The logs were presented as evidence during Manning's court-martial in June–July 2013. The prosecution argued that they showed WikiLeaks helping Manning reverse-engineer a password. During her trial, Manning said she acted on her own to send documents to WikiLeaks and no one associated with WikiLeaks pressured her into giving more information.
In 2013, US officials said that it was unlikely that the Justice Department would indict Assange for publishing classified documents because it would also have to prosecute the news organisations and writers who published classified material.
In June 2013, The New York Times said that court and other documents suggested that Assange was being examined by a grand jury and "several government agencies", including by the FBI. Court documents published in May 2014 suggest that Assange was under "active and ongoing" investigation at that time.
Some Snowden documents published in 2014 showed that the U.S. government had put Assange on its 2010 "Manhunting Timeline", an annual account of efforts to capture or kill alleged terrorists and others, and in the same period urged allies to open criminal investigations into Assange. In the same documents, there was a proposal by the National Security Agency (NSA) to designate WikiLeaks a "malicious foreign actor", thus increasing the surveillance against it.
In January 2015, WikiLeaks issued a statement saying that three members of the organisation had received notice from Google that Google had complied with a federal warrant by a US District Court to turn over their emails and metadata on 5 April 2012. In July 2015, Assange called himself a "wanted journalist" in an open letter to the French president published in Le Monde. In a December 2015 court submission, the US government confirmed its "sensitive, ongoing law enforcement proceeding into the Wikileaks matter".
Under the Obama Administration, the Department of Justice did not indict Assange because it was unable to find any evidence that his actions differed from those of a journalist. However, after President Donald Trump took office, CIA director Mike Pompeo and Attorney General Jeff Sessions stepped up pursuit of Assange.
In April 2017, US officials were preparing to file formal charges against Assange. Legal scholar Steve Vladeck said prosecutors accelerated the case in 2019 due to the impending statute of limitations on Assange's largest leaks.
Swedish sexual assault allegations
Assange visited Sweden in August 2010. During his visit, he became the subject of sexual assault allegations from two women. Assange denied the allegations and said he was happy to face questions in Britain.
On 20 November 2010, the Swedish police issued an international arrest warrant. Later that day, Assange told journalist Raffi Khatchadourian that Sweden has a "very, very poor judicial system" and a culture of "crazed radical feminist ideology". He commented that, more importantly, his case involved international politics, and that "Sweden is a U.S. satrapy." In a later interview he described Sweden as "the Saudi Arabia of feminism." On 8 December 2010, Assange gave himself up to British police and attended his first extradition hearing, where he was remanded in custody. On 16 December 2010, at the second hearing, he was granted bail by the High Court of Justice and released after his supporters paid £240,000 in cash and sureties. A further hearing on 24 February 2011 ruled that Assange should be extradited to Sweden. This decision was upheld by the High Court on 2 November and by the Supreme Court on 30 May the next year.
After previously stating that she could not question a suspect by video link or in the Swedish embassy, prosecutor Marianne Ny wrote to the English Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in 2013. Her letter advised that she intended to lift the detention order and withdraw the European arrest warrant as the actions were not proportionate to the costs and seriousness of the crime. In response, the CPS tried to dissuade Ny from doing so.
In March 2015, after public criticism from other Swedish law practitioners, Ny changed her mind about interrogating Assange, who had taken refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in London. These interviews, which began on 14 November 2016, involved the British police, Swedish prosecutors and Ecuadorian officials, and were eventually published online. By that time, the statute of limitations had expired on all three of the less serious allegations. Since the Swedish prosecutor had not interviewed Assange by 18 August 2015, the questioning pertained only to the open investigation of "lesser degree rape".
On 19 May 2017, the Swedish authorities suspended their investigation, saying they could not expect the Ecuadorian Embassy to communicate reliably with Assange with respect to the case. Chief prosecutor Marianne Ny officially revoked his arrest warrant, but said the investigation could still be resumed if Assange visited Sweden before August 2020.
Following Assange's arrest on 11 April 2019, the case was reopened, in May 2019, under prosecutor Eva-Marie Persson. On 19 November, she announced that she had discontinued her investigation, saying that the evidence was not strong enough. She added that although she was confident in the complainant, "the evidence has weakened considerably due to the long period of time that has elapsed".
Ecuadorian embassy period
Entering the embassy
On 19 June 2012, the Ecuadorian foreign minister, Ricardo Patiño, announced that Assange had applied for political asylum, that the Ecuadorian government was considering his request, and that Assange was at the Ecuadorian embassy in London.
Assange and his supporters said he was not concerned about any proceedings in Sweden as such, but said that the Swedish allegations were designed to discredit him and were a pretext for his extradition from Sweden to the United States.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague gave a news conference in response. He said "We will not allow Mr Assange safe passage out of the United Kingdom, nor is there any legal basis for us to do so," whilst adding, "The United Kingdom does not recognise the principle of diplomatic asylum."
Assange breached his bail conditions by taking up residence in the embassy rather than appearing in court, and faced arrest if he left. Assange's supporters, including journalist Jemima Goldsmith, journalist John Pilger, and filmmaker Ken Loach, forfeited £200,000 in bail. Goldsmith said she was surprised at his asylum bid and had expected him to face the Swedish allegations.
The UK government wrote Patiño that the police were entitled to enter the embassy and arrest Assange under UK law. Patiño said it was an implied threat, stating that "such actions would be a blatant disregard of the Vienna Convention". Officers of the Metropolitan Police Service were stationed outside the embassy from June 2012 to October 2015 to arrest Assange if he left the embassy, and compel him to attend the extradition appeal hearing. The police officers were withdrawn on grounds of cost in October 2015, but the police said they would still deploy "several overt and covert tactics to arrest him". The Metropolitan Police Service said the cost of the policing for the period was £12.6million.
WikiLeaks insiders stated that Assange decided to seek asylum because he felt abandoned by the Australian government. The Australian attorney-general, Nicola Roxon, had written to Assange's lawyer, Jennifer Robinson, saying that Australia would not seek to involve itself in any international exchanges about Assange's future. She suggested that if Assange was imprisoned in the US, he could apply for an international prisoner transfer to Australia. Assange's lawyers described the letter as a "declaration of abandonment".
On 16 August 2012, Patiño announced that Ecuador was granting Assange political asylum because of the threat represented by the United States secret investigation against him. In its formal statement, Ecuador said that "as a consequence of Assange's determined defense to freedom of expression and freedom of press... in any given moment, a situation may come where his life, safety or personal integrity will be in danger". Latin American states expressed support for Ecuador. Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa confirmed on 18 August that Assange could stay at the embassy indefinitely, and the following day Assange gave his first speech from the balcony. An office converted into a studio apartment, equipped with a bed, telephone, sun lamp, computer, shower, treadmill, and kitchenette, became his home until 11 April 2019.
WikiLeaks publishing
On 24 April 2011, WikiLeaks began publishing the Guantanamo Bay files leak, 779 classified reports on prisoners, past and present, held by the U.S. at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp in Cuba. The documents, dated from 2002 to 2008, revealed prisoners, some of whom were coerced to confess, included children, the elderly and mentally disabled.
In July 2012, WikiLeaks began publishing the Syria Files, a collection of more than two million emails from Syrian political figures, government ministries and companies. Assange said the "Syria Files" collection
In 2013, Assange analysed the Kissinger cables held at the US National Archives and released them in searchable form.
By 2015, WikiLeaks had published more than ten million documents and associated analyses, and was described by Assange as "a giant library of the world's most persecuted documents".
In June 2015, WikiLeaks began publishing confidential and secret Saudi Arabian government documents.
On 25 November 2016, WikiLeaks released emails and internal documents that provided details on U.S. military operations in Yemen from 2009 to March 2015. In a statement accompanying the release of the "Yemen Files", Assange said about the U.S. involvement in the Yemen war: "The war in Yemen has produced 3.15million internally displaced persons. Although the United States government has provided most of the bombs and is deeply involved in the conduct of the war itself, reportage on the war in English is conspicuously rare."
In December 2016, WikiLeaks published emails from the Turkish government in response to Erdoğan's post-coup purges in Turkey. The emails covered the period from 2010 to July 2016. In response, Turkey blocked access to the WikiLeaks site.
Public positions
WikiLeaks Party
Assange stood for the Australian Senate in the 2013 Australian federal election for the newly formed WikiLeaks Party but failed to win a seat. The party experienced internal dissent over its governance and electoral tactics and was deregistered due to low membership numbers in 2015.
Edward Snowden
In 2013, Assange and others in WikiLeaks helped whistleblower Edward Snowden flee from US law enforcement. After the United States cancelled Snowden's passport, stranding him in Russia, they considered transporting him to Latin America on the presidential jet of a sympathetic Latin American leader. In order to throw the US off the scent, they spoke about the jet of the Bolivian president Evo Morales, instead of the jet they were considering. In July 2013, Morales's jet was forced to land in Austria after the US pressured Italy, France, and Spain to deny the jet access to their airspace over false rumours Snowden was on board. Assange said the grounding "reveals the true nature of the relationship between Western Europe and the United States" as "a phone call from U.S. intelligence was enough to close the airspace to a booked presidential flight, which has immunity". Assange advised Snowden that he would be safest in Russia which was better able to protect its borders than Venezuela, Brazil or Ecuador. In 2015, Maria Luisa Ramos, the Bolivian ambassador to Russia, accused Assange of putting Morales' life at risk. Assange stated that he regretted what happened but that "[w]e can't predict that other countries engage in some... unprecedented criminal operation".
Operation Speargun
Documents provided by Edward Snowden showed that in 2012 and 2013 the NZ government worked to establish a secret mass surveillance programme which it called "Operation Speargun". On 15 September 2014, Assange appeared via remote video link on Kim Dotcom's Moment of Truth town hall meeting held in Auckland, which discussed the programme. Assange said the Snowden documents showed that he had been a target of the programme and that "Operation Speargun" represented "an extreme, bizarre, Orwellian future that is being constructed secretly in New Zealand".
On 3 July 2015, Paris newspaper Le Monde published an open letter from Assange to French President François Hollande in which Assange urged the French government to grant him refugee status. In response to this letter, Hollande said: "France cannot act on his request. The situation of Mr Assange does not present an immediate danger."
Other developments
In 2015, La Repubblica stated that it had evidence of the UK's role via the English Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in creating the "legal and diplomatic quagmire" which prevented Assange from leaving the Ecuadorian embassy. La Repubblica sued the CPS in 2017 to obtain further information but its case was rejected with the judge saying "the need for the British authorities to protect the confidentiality of the extradition process outweighs the public interest of the press to know". A further appeal was rejected in September 2019.
On 5 February 2016, the UN's Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concluded that Assange had been subject to arbitrary detention by the UK and Swedish Governments since 7 December 2010, including his time in prison, on conditional bail and in the Ecuadorian embassy. The Working Group said Assange should be allowed to walk free and be given compensation. The UK and Swedish governments denied the charge of detaining Assange arbitrarily. The UK Foreign Secretary, Philip Hammond, said the charge was "ridiculous" and that the group was "made up of lay people", and called Assange a "fugitive from justice" who "can come out any time he chooses", and called the panel's ruling "flawed in law". Swedish prosecutors called the group's charge irrelevant. The UK said it would arrest Assange should he leave the embassy. Mark Ellis, executive director of the International Bar Association, stated that the finding is "not binding on British law". US legal scholar Noah Feldman described the Working Group's conclusion as astonishing, summarising it as "Assange might be charged with a crime in the US. Ecuador thinks charging him with violating national security law would amount to 'political persecution' or worse. Therefore, Sweden must give up on its claims to try him for rape, and Britain must ignore the Swedes' arrest warrant and let him leave the country."
In September 2016 and again on 12 January 2017, WikiLeaks tweeted that Assange would agree to US prison in exchange for President Obama granting Chelsea Manning clemency. After commuting Manning's sentence on 17 January 2017, Obama stated that Assange's offer had not been a consideration.
On 19 May 2017, Assange emerged on the embassy's balcony and told a crowd that, despite no longer facing a Swedish sex investigation, he would remain inside the embassy to avoid extradition to the United States.
2016 U.S. presidential election
During the 2016 US Democratic Party presidential primaries, WikiLeaks hosted a searchable database of emails sent or received by presidential candidate Hillary Clinton while she was Secretary of State. The emails had been released by the US State Department under a Freedom of information request in February 2016. The emails were a major point of discussion during the presidential election and prompted an FBI investigation of Clinton for using a private email server for classified documents while she was US Secretary of State.
In February 2016, Assange wrote: "I have had years of experience in dealing with Hillary Clinton and have read thousands of her cables. Hillary lacks judgment and will push the United States into endless, stupid wars which spread terrorism. ...she certainly should not become president of the United States." On 25 July, following the Republican National Convention, Assange said that choosing between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump is like choosing between cholera or gonorrhoea. "Personally, I would prefer neither." In an Election Day statement, Assange criticised both Clinton and Trump, saying that "The Democratic and Republican candidates have both expressed hostility towards whistleblowers."
On 22 July 2016, WikiLeaks released emails and documents from the Democratic National Committee (DNC) in which the DNC seemingly presented ways of undercutting Clinton's competitor Bernie Sanders and showed apparent favouritism towards Clinton. The release led to the resignation of DNC chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz and an apology to Sanders from the DNC. The New York Times wrote that Assange had timed the release to coincide with the 2016 Democratic National Convention because he believed Clinton had pushed for his indictment and he regarded her as a "liberal war hawk".
On 7 October Assange posted a press release on WikiLeaks exposing a second batch of emails with over 2,000 mails from Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta.
In mid-October, the Ecuadorian government severed Assange's Internet connection because of the leaks. In December, Assange said the connection had been restored.
Cybersecurity experts attributed the attack to the Russian government. The Central Intelligence Agency, together with several other agencies, concluded that Russian intelligence agencies hacked the DNC servers, as well as Podesta's email account, and provided the information to WikiLeaks to bolster Trump's election campaign. As a result of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections, 12 Russian GRU military intelligence agents were indicted on 13 July 2018 for the attack on the DNC mail-server. According to the Mueller report, this group shared these mails using the pseudonym Guccifer 2.0 with WikiLeaks and other entities. The investigation also unearthed communications between Guccifer 2.0, WikiLeaks and the Trump campaign, in which they coordinated the release of the material. The Senate Intelligence Committee reported that "WikiLeaks actively sought, and played, a key role in the Russian intelligence campaign and very likely knew it was assisting a Russian intelligence influence effort."
In interviews, Assange repeatedly said that the Russian government was not the source of the DNC and Podesta emails, and accused the Clinton campaign of "a kind of neo-McCarthy hysteria" about Russian involvement. On the eve of the election, Assange addressed the criticism he had received for publishing Clinton material, saying that WikiLeaks publishes "material given to us if it is of political, diplomatic, historical or ethical importance and which has not been published elsewhere," that it had never received any information on Trump, Jill Stein, or Gary Johnson's campaign.
A 2017 article in Foreign Policy said that WikiLeaks turned down leaks on the Russian government, focusing instead on hacks relating to the US presidential election. WikiLeaks said that, as far as it could recall, the material was already public.
In April 2018, the DNC sued WikiLeaks for the theft of the DNC's information under various Virginia and US federal statutes. It accused WikiLeaks and Russia of a "brazen attack on American democracy". The Committee to Protect Journalists said that the lawsuit raised several important press freedom questions. The suit was dismissed with prejudice in July 2019. Judge John Koeltl said that WikiLeaks "did not participate in any wrongdoing in obtaining the materials in the first place" and were therefore within the law in publishing the information.
Seth Rich
In a July 2016 interview on Dutch television, Assange hinted that DNC staffer Seth Rich was the source of the DNC emails and that Rich had been killed as a result. Seeking clarification, the interviewer asked Assange whether Rich's killing was "simply a murder," to which Assange answered, "No. There's no finding. So, I'm suggesting that our sources take risks, and they become concerned to see things occurring like that." WikiLeaks offered a $20,000 reward for information about his murder and wrote: "We treat threats toward any suspected source of WikiLeaks with extreme gravity. This should not be taken to imply that Seth Rich was a source to WikiLeaks or to imply that his murder is connected to our publications."
Assange's comments were highlighted by Fox News, The Washington Times and conspiracy website InfoWars and set off a spike in attention to the murder. Assange's statements lent credibility and visibility to what had at that point been a conspiracy theory in the fringe parts of the Internet. According to the Mueller investigation, Assange "implied falsely" that Rich was the source to obscure the fact that Russia was the source. Assange received the emails when Rich was already dead and continued to confer with the Russian hackers to coordinate the release of the material.
Later years in the embassy
In March 2017, WikiLeaks began releasing the largest leak of CIA documents in history, codenamed Vault 7. The documents included details of the CIA's hacking capabilities and software tools used to break into smartphones, computers and other Internet-connected devices. In April, CIA director Mike Pompeo called WikiLeaks "a non-state hostile intelligence service often abetted by state actors like Russia". Assange accused the CIA of trying to "subvert" his right to freedom of speech. According to former intelligence officials, in the wake of the Vault7 leaks, the CIA plotted to kidnap Assange from Ecuador's London embassy, and some senior officials discussed his potential assassination. Yahoo! News found "no indication that the most extreme measures targeting Assange were ever approved." Some of its sources stated that they had alerted House and Senate intelligence committees to the plans that Pompeo was suggesting. In October 2021, Assange's lawyers introduced the alleged plot during a hearing of the High Court of Justice in London as it considered the U.S. appeal of a lower court's ruling that Assange could not be extradited to face charges in the U.S.
On 6 June 2017, Assange tweeted his support for NSA leaker Reality Winner, who had been arrested three days earlier. Winner had been identified in part because a reporter from The Intercept showed a leaked document to the government without removing possibly incriminating evidence about its leaker. WikiLeaks later offered a $10,000 reward for information about the reporter responsible.
On 16 August 2017, US Republican congressman Dana Rohrabacher visited Assange and told him that Trump would pardon him on condition that he said Russia was not involved in the 2016 Democratic National Committee email leaks. At his extradition hearings in 2020, Assange's lawyers told the court that Rohrabacher had said the offer was made "on instructions from the president". Trump and Rohrabacher said they had never spoken about the offer and Rohrabacher said he had made the offer on his own initiative.
In August 2017, in the midst of the Qatar diplomatic crisis, Dubai-based Al Arabiya said Assange had refrained from publishing two cables about Qatar after negotiations between WikiLeaks and Qatar. Assange said Al Arabiya had been publishing "increasingly absurd fabrications" during the dispute. In September 2017, Assange released "Spy Files Russia," revealing "how a St. Petersburg-based technology company called Peter-Service helped Russian state entities gather detailed data on Russian cellphone users, part of a national system of online surveillance called System for Operative Investigative Activities (SORM)." According to Moscow-based journalist Fred Weir, "experts say it casts a timely spotlight on the vast surveillance operations mounted by Russian security services."
Assange was granted Ecuadorian citizenship in December 2017.
In February 2018, after Sweden had suspended its investigation, Assange brought two legal actions, arguing that Britain should drop its arrest warrant for him as it was "no longer right or proportionate to pursue him" and the arrest warrant for breaching bail had lost its "purpose and its function". In both cases, Senior District Judge Emma Arbuthnot ruled that the arrest warrant should remain in place.
In March 2018, Assange used social media to criticise Germany's arrest of Catalonian separatist leader Carles Puigdemont. On 28 March 2018, Ecuador responded by cutting Assange's internet connection because his social media posts put at risk Ecuador's relations with European nations. In May 2018, The Guardian reported that over five years Ecuador had spent at least $5million (£3.7m) to protect Assange, employing a security company and undercover agents to monitor his visitors, embassy staff and the British police. Ecuador reportedly also devised plans to help Assange escape should British police forcibly enter the embassy to seize him. The Guardian reported that by 2014 Assange had compromised the embassy's communications system. WikiLeaks described the allegation as "an anonymous libel aligned with the current UK-US government onslaught against Mr Assange". In July 2018, President Moreno said that he wanted Assange out of the embassy provided that Assange's life was not in danger. By October 2018, Assange's communications were partially restored.
On 16 October 2018, congressmen from the United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs wrote an open letter to President Moreno which described Assange as a dangerous criminal and stated that progress between the US and Ecuador in the areas of economic cooperation, counter-narcotics assistance and the return of a USAID mission to Ecuador depended on Assange being handed over to the authorities.
In October 2018, Assange sued the government of Ecuador for violating his "fundamental rights and freedoms" by threatening to remove his protection and cut off his access to the outside world, refusing him visits from journalists and human rights organisations and installing signal jammers to prevent phone calls and internet access. An Ecuadorian judge ruled against him, saying that requiring Assange to pay for his Internet use and clean up after his cat did not violate his right to asylum.
In November 2018, Pamela Anderson, a close friend and regular visitor of Assange, gave an interview in which she asked the Australian prime minister, Scott Morrison, to defend Assange. Morrison rejected the request with a response Anderson considered "smutty". Anderson responded that "[r]ather than making lewd suggestions about me, perhaps you should instead think about what you are going to say to millions of Australians when one of their own is marched in an orange jumpsuit to Guantanamo Bay – for publishing the truth. You can prevent this."
On 21 December 2018, the UN's Working Group on Arbitrary Detention urged the UK to let Assange leave the embassy freely. In a statement, the organisation said that the "Swedish investigations have been closed for over 18 months now, and the only ground remaining for Mr Assange's continued deprivation of liberty is a bail violation in the UK, which is, objectively, a minor offence that cannot post-facto justify the more than six years' confinement that he has been subjected to".
In February 2019, the parliament of Geneva passed a motion demanding that the Swiss government extend asylum to Assange. In January 2020, the Catalan Dignity Commission awarded Assange its 2019 Dignity Prize for supporting the Catalan people during the 2017 Catalan independence referendum.
In March 2019, Assange submitted a complaint to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights asking the Ecuadorian government to "ease the conditions that it had imposed on his residence" at the embassy and to protect him from extradition to the US. It also requested US prosecutors unseal criminal charges that had been filed against him. Assange said the Ecuadorian embassy was trying to end his asylum by spying on him and restricting his visitors. The commission rejected his complaint.
Surveillance of Assange in the embassy
On 10 April 2019, WikiLeaks said it had uncovered an extensive surveillance operation against Assange from within the embassy. WikiLeaks said that "material including video, audio, copies of private legal documents and a medical report" had surfaced in Spain and that unnamed individuals in Madrid had made an extortion attempt.
On 26 September 2019, the Spanish newspaper El País reported that the Spanish defence and security company Undercover Global S.L. (UC Global) had spied on Assange for the CIA during his time in the embassy. UC Global had been contracted to protect the embassy during this time. According to the report UC Global's owner David Morales had provided the CIA with audio and video of meetings Assange held with his lawyers and colleagues. Morales also arranged for the US to have direct access to the stream from video cameras installed in the embassy at the beginning of December 2017. The evidence was part of a secret investigation by Spain's High Court, the Audiencia Nacional, into Morales and his relationship with US intelligence. The investigation was precipitated by a complaint by Assange that accused UC Global of violating his privacy and client-attorney privileges as well as committing misappropriation, bribery and money laundering.
Morales was arrested in September on charges involving violations of privacy and client-attorney privileges, as well as misappropriation, bribery, money laundering and criminal possession of weapons. He was released on bail. On 25 September, Spanish Judge José de la Mata sent British authorities a European Investigation Order (EIO) asking for permission to question Assange by videoconference as a witness in the case against Morales. The United Kingdom Central Authority (UKCA), which is in charge of processing and responding to EIOs in the UK, provisionally denied De la Mata's request to question Assange, raised a number of objections to the request, and asked for more details. De la Mata responded to UKCA's objections on 14 October by stating that Assange was the victim who had filed the complaint and that unlawful disclosure of secrets and bribery are also crimes in the UK. He said that the crimes were partially committed on Spanish territory because the microphones used to spy on Assange were bought in Spain, and the information obtained was sent and uploaded to servers at UC Global S. L.'s headquarters in Spain.
Spanish judicial bodies were upset at having their EIO request denied by UKCA and believed the British justice system is concerned by the effect the Spanish case may have on the process to extradite Assange to the US.
In a November 2019 article, Stefania Maurizi said she had access to some of the videos, audios and photos showing a medical examination of Assange, a meeting between Ecuadorian ambassador Carlos Abad Ortiz and his staff, a meeting between Assange, Glenn Greenwald and David Miranda and lunch between Assange and British rapper M.I.A. Microphones had been placed in the women's toilets to capture meetings between Assange and his lawyers. Phones belonging to some of the embassy's visitors were compromised. Spanish lawyer Aitor Martinez, who is part of Assange's legal team, said videos were taken of meetings between Assange and his legal defence team. Maurizi concluded that, based on statements from former employees of UC Global, internal UC Global emails and the type of information collected, it was clear that the surveillance was conducted on behalf of the US government and the information gathered would be used by the US to assist in its case for extraditing Assange.
Britain agreed to allow Judge De la Mata to interview Assange via video link on 20 December. According to his lawyer, Assange testified that he was unaware that cameras installed by Undercover Global were also capturing audio and suggested the surveillance likely targeted his legal team.
Imprisonment and extradition proceedings
Arrest in the embassy
On 2 April 2019, Ecuador's president Moreno said that Assange had violated the terms of his asylum, after photos surfaced on the internet linking Moreno to a corruption scandal. WikiLeaks said it had acquired none of the published material, and that it merely reported on a corruption investigation against Moreno by Ecuador's legislature. WikiLeaks reported a source within the Ecuadorian government saying that, due to the controversy, an agreement had been reached to expel Assange from the embassy and place him in the custody of UK police. According to Assange's father, the revoking of Assange's asylum was connected to an upcoming decision by the International Monetary Fund to grant Ecuador a loan, an assertion also made by critics of Moreno, such as former Ecuadorian foreign minister Guillaume Long.
On 11 April 2019 the Ecuadorian government invited the Metropolitan Police into the embassy, and they arrested Assange on the basis of a US extradition warrant. Moreno stated that Ecuador withdrew Assange's asylum after he interfered in Ecuador's domestic affairs, calling Assange a "miserable hacker". British foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt and prime minister Theresa May applauded Moreno's actions, while Australian prime minister, Scott Morrison, said the arrest "has got nothing to do with [Australia], it is a matter for the US". United Nations Special Rapporteur Agnès Callamard said that British authorities had arbitrarily detained Assange and further endangered his life by their actions.
Conviction for breach of bail
On the day of his arrest, Assange was charged with breaching the Bail Act 1976 and was found guilty after a short hearing. Assange's defence said chief magistrate Emma Arbuthnot, who had dealt with his case, was biased against him as her husband was directly affected by WikiLeaks' allegations. Judge Michael Snow said it was "unacceptable" to air the claim in front of a "packed press gallery" and that Assange was "a narcissist who cannot get beyond his own selfish interest" and he had "not come close to establishing reasonable excuse".
Assange was remanded to Belmarsh Prison, and on 1 May 2019 was sentenced to 50 weeks imprisonment. The judge said he would be released after serving half of his sentence, subject to other proceedings and conditional upon committing no further offences. The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention said that the verdict contravened "principles of necessity and proportionality" for what it considered a "minor violation". Assange appealed his sentence, but dropped his appeal in July.
Espionage indictment in the United States
In 2012 and 2013, US officials indicated that Assange was not named in a sealed indictment. On 6 March 2018, a federal grand jury for the Eastern District of Virginia issued a sealed indictment against Assange. In November 2018, US prosecutors accidentally revealed the indictment.
In February 2019, Chelsea Manning was subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury in Virginia in the case. When Manning condemned the secrecy of the hearings and refused to testify, she was jailed for contempt of court on 8 March 2019. On 16 May 2019, Manning refused to testify before a new grand jury investigating Assange, stating that she "believe[d] this grand jury seeks to undermine the integrity of public discourse with the aim of punishing those who expose any serious, ongoing, and systemic abuses of power by this government". She was returned to jail for the 18-month term of the grand jury with financial penalties. In June 2021, Chelsea Manning said her grand jury resistance was not contingent on Julian Assange being the target, and that she was not even sure he was. "I treated this no differently than if it was for a protest or for some other grand jury—if it was a grand jury in general, I would respond the same way. But it did appear that this one was about, specifically, the 2010 disclosures; the media was speculating, but our legal team and ourselves, we never got full confirmation as to whether that was the case."
On 11 April 2019, the day of Assange's arrest in London, the indictment against him was unsealed. He was charged with conspiracy to commit computer intrusion (i.e., hacking into a government computer), which carries a maximum five-year sentence. The charges stem from the allegation that Assange attempted and failed to crack a password hash so that Chelsea Manning could use a different username to download classified documents and avoid detection. This allegation had been known since 2011 and was a factor in Manning's trial; the indictment did not reveal any new information about Assange.
On 23 May 2019, Assange was indicted on 17 new charges relating to the Espionage Act of 1917 in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. These charges carried a maximum sentence of 170 years in prison. The Obama administration had debated charging Assange under the Espionage Act, but decided against it out of fear that it would have a negative effect on investigative journalism and could be unconstitutional. The New York Times commented that it and other news organisations obtained the same documents as WikiLeaks also without government authorisation. It said it was not clear how WikiLeaks' publications were legally different from other publications of classified information.
Most cases brought under the Espionage Act have been against government employees who accessed sensitive information and leaked it to journalists and others. Prosecuting people for acts related to receiving and publishing information has not previously been tested in court. In 1975, the Justice Department decided after consideration not to charge journalist Seymour Hersh for reporting on US surveillance of the Soviet Union. Two lobbyists for a pro-Israel group were charged in 2005 with receiving and sharing classified information about American policy toward Iran. The charges, however, did not relate to the publication of the documents and the case was dropped in 2009.
The Associated Press reported that the indictment raised concerns about media freedom, as Assange's solicitation and publication of classified information is a routine job journalists perform. Steve Vladeck, a professor at the University of Texas School of Law, stated that what Assange is accused of doing is factually different from but legally similar to what professional journalists do. Suzanne Nossel of PEN America said it was immaterial if Assange was a journalist or publisher and pointed instead to First Amendment concerns.
While some American politicians supported the arrest and indictment of Julian Assange, several non-government organisations for press freedom condemned it. Mark Warner, vice chairman of the United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said that Assange was "a dedicated accomplice in efforts to undermine American security". Several jurists, politicians, associations, academics and campaigners viewed the arrest of Assange as an attack on freedom of the press and international law. Reporters Without Borders said Assange's arrest would "set a dangerous precedent for journalists, whistle-blowers, and other journalistic sources that the US may wish to pursue in the future". Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch, wrote that Assange's prosecution for publishing leaked documents is "a major threat to global media freedom". United Nations human rights expert Agnes Callamard said the indictment exposed him to the risk of serious human rights violations. Ben Wizner from the American Civil Liberties Union said that prosecuting Assange "for violating US secrecy laws would set an especially dangerous precedent for US journalists, who routinely violate foreign secrecy laws to deliver information vital to the public's interest".
Imprisonment in the UK
Since his arrest on 11 April 2019, Assange has been incarcerated in Belmarsh Prison in London.
After examining Assange on 9 May 2019, Nils Melzer, the United Nations special rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, concluded that "in addition to physical ailments, Mr Assange showed all symptoms typical for prolonged exposure to psychological torture, including extreme stress, chronic anxiety and intense psychological trauma." The British government said it disagreed with some of his observations. In a later interview, Melzer criticised the "secretive grand jury indictment in the United States", the "abusive manner in which Swedish prosecutors disseminated, re-cycled and perpetuated their 'preliminary investigation' into alleged sexual offences", the "termination by Ecuador of Mr Assange's asylum status and citizenship without any form of due process", and the "overt bias against Mr Assange being shown by British judges since his arrest". He said the United States, UK, Sweden and Ecuador were trying to make an example of Assange. He also accused journalists of "spreading abusive and deliberately distorted narratives". Shortly after Melzer's visit, Assange was transferred to the prison's health care unit.
On 13 September 2019, District Judge Vanessa Baraitser ruled that Assange would not be released on 22 September when his prison term ended because he was a and his lawyer had not applied for bail. She said when his sentence came to an end, his status would change from a serving prisoner to a person facing extradition.
On 1 November 2019, Melzer said that Assange's health had continued to deteriorate and his life was now at risk. He said that the UK government had not acted on the issue.
On 22 November, an open letter to the UK Home Secretary and Shadow Home Secretary signed by a group of medical practitioners named Doctors for Assange said Assange's health was declining to such an extent that he could die in prison. Subsequent attempts by the group, made to the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice Robert Buckland, and to Marise Payne, the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, also yielded no result.
On 30 December 2019, Melzer accused the UK government of torturing Julian Assange. He said Assange's "continued exposure to severe mental and emotional suffering... clearly amounts to psychological torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment."
On 17 February 2020, the medical journal The Lancet published an open letter from Doctors for Assange in which they said Assange was in a "dire state of health due to the effects of prolonged psychological torture in both the Ecuadorian embassy and Belmarsh prison" which could lead to his death and that his "politically motivated medical neglect... sets a dangerous precedent". On the same day, Reporters Without Borders posted a separate petition which accused the Trump administration of acting in "retaliation for (Assange's) facilitating major revelations in the international media about the way the United States conducted its wars". The petition said, Assange's publications "were clearly in the public interest and not espionage". Australian MPs Andrew Wilkie and George Christensen visited Assange and pressed the UK and Australian governments to intervene to stop his being extradited.
On 25 March 2020, Assange was denied bail after Judge Baraitser rejected his lawyers' argument that his imprisonment would put him at high risk of contracting COVID-19. She said Assange's past conduct showed how far he was willing to go to avoid extradition. In November 2021, his father told a French interview program that Assange had received a non-mandatory COVID-19 vaccination in Belmarsh Prison.
On 25 June 2020, Doctors for Assange published another letter in The Lancet, "reiterating their demand to end the torture and medical neglect of Julian Assange", in which they state their "professional and ethical duty to speak out against, report, and stop torture".
In September 2020, an open letter in support of Assange was sent to Boris Johnson with the signatures of two current heads of state and approximately 160 other politicians. The following month, U.S. Representatives Tulsi Gabbard, a Democrat, and Thomas Massie, a Republican, introduced a resolution opposing the extradition of Assange. In December 2020, German human rights commissioner Bärbel Kofler cautioned the UK about the need to consider Assange's physical and mental health before deciding whether to extradite him.
Hearings on extradition to the U.S.
On 2 May 2019, the first hearing was held in London into the U.S. request for Assange's extradition. When asked by Judge Snow whether he consented to extradition, Assange replied, "I do not wish to surrender myself for extradition for doing journalism that has won many, many awards and protected many people". On 13 June, British Home Secretary Sajid Javid said he had signed the extradition order.
Towards the end of 2019, Judge Emma Arbuthnot, who had presided at several of the extradition hearings, stepped aside because of a "perception of bias". Vanessa Baraitser was appointed as the presiding judge.
On 21 October 2019, Assange appeared at the court for a case management hearing. When Judge Baraitser asked about his understanding of the proceedings, Assange replied:
In February 2020, the court heard legal arguments. Assange's lawyers contended that he had been charged with political offences and therefore could not be extradited. The hearings were delayed for months due to requests for extra time from the prosecution and the defence and due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In March, the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute, IBAHRI, condemned the mistreatment of Julian Assange in the extradition trial.
Assange appeared in court on 7 September 2020, facing a new indictment with 18 counts:
Conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information;
Conspiracy to commit computer intrusions;
Obtaining national defence information (seven counts); and
Disclosure of national defence information (nine counts).
The US Department of Justice stated that the new indictment "broaden[s] the scope of... alleged computer intrusions", alleging that Assange "communicated directly with a leader of the hacking group LulzSec[,]... provided a list of targets for LulzSec to hack" and "[conspired] with Army Intelligence Analyst Chelsea Manning to crack a password hash". Judge Baraitser denied motions by Assange's barristers to dismiss the new charges or to adjourn in order to better respond.
Some witnesses who testified in September, such as Daniel Ellsberg, did so remotely via video link due to COVID-19 restrictions. Technical problems caused extensive delays. Amnesty International, PEN Norway, and eight members of the European Parliament had their access to the livestream revoked. Baraitser responded that the initial invitations had been sent in error. Torture victim Khaled el-Masri, who was originally requested as a defence witness, had his testimony reduced to a written statement. Other witnesses testified that the conditions of imprisonment, which would be likely to worsen upon extradition to the U.S., placed Assange at a high risk of depression and suicide which was exacerbated by his Asperger syndrome. During the court proceedings the defence drew attention to a prison service report stating that a hidden razor blade had been found by a prison officer during a search of Assange's cell. During the proceedings it was also revealed that Assange had contacted the Samaritans phone service on numerous occasions.
Patrick Eller, a former forensics examiner with the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command, testified that Assange did not crack and could not have cracked the password mentioned in the U.S. indictment, as Chelsea Manning had intentionally sent only a portion of the password's hash. Moreover, Eller stated that password cracking was a common topic of discussion among other soldiers stationed at Forward Operating Base Hammer, suggesting that Manning's message was unrelated to the classified documents which were already in her possession. Testimony on 30 September revealed new allegations surrounding the surveillance of the Ecuadorian embassy by UC Global. A former UC Global employee, who spoke anonymously fearing reprisals, stated that the firm undertook "an increasingly sophisticated operation" after it was put into contact with the Trump administration by Sheldon Adelson. According to the employee, intelligence agents discussed plans to break into the embassy to kidnap or poison Assange and attempted to obtain the DNA of a baby who was believed to be Assange's child.
To coincide with the end of the hearing, Progressive International convened a virtual event called the Belmarsh Tribunal, modelled after the Russell Tribunal, to scrutinise what it calls "the crimes that have been revealed by Assange, and the crimes that have been committed against him, in turn".
Hearings, including a statement in support of the defence by Noam Chomsky, concluded on 1 October 2020.
On 4 January 2021, Judge Baraitser ruled that Assange could not be extradited to the United States, citing concerns about his mental health and the risk of suicide in a US prison. She sided with the US on every other point, including whether the charges constituted political offences and whether he was entitled to freedom of speech protections.
Appeal and other developments
On 6 January 2021, Assange was denied bail on the grounds that he was a flight risk, pending an appeal by the United States. The US prosecutors lodged an appeal of the denial of extradition on 15 January.
Following the decision by Judge Baraitser that it would be "oppressive to extradite [Assange] to the United States," in July 2021 the Biden administration assured the Crown Prosecution Services that "Mr Assange will not be subject to SAMs or imprisoned at ADX (unless he were to do something subsequent to the offering of these assurances that meets the tests for the imposition of SAMs or designation to ADX)". The United States also assured that it "will consent to Mr Assange being transferred to Australia to serve any custodial sentence imposed on him." An Amnesty International expert on national security and human rights in Europe said, "Those are not assurances at all. It's not that difficult to look at those assurances and say: these are inherently unreliable, it promises to do something and then reserves the right to break the promise".
In June 2021 Icelandic newspaper Stundin published details of an interview with Sigurdur Ingi Thordarson, the witness identified as "Teenager" in the U.S. Justice Department's case against Assange. In the interview Thordarson, who had received a promise of immunity from prosecution in return for co-operating with the FBI, stated he had fabricated allegations used in the U.S. indictment.
In June 2021, Julian Assange's half brother Gabriel Shipton and father John Shipton left Australia to conduct a month-long 17 city tour of the United States to generate awareness and support for Assange and press freedom. In a Saint Paul, Minnesota event, sponsored by Women Against Military Madness, the Shiptons asked supporters to appeal to members of Congress to weigh in with the Justice Department to reconsider its prosecution. Ecuador revoked Assange's citizenship in July 2021.
In August 2021 in the High Court, Lord Justice Holroyde decided that Judge Baraitser may have given too much weight to what Holroyde called "a misleading report" by an expert witness for the defence, psychiatrist Prof Michael Kopelman, and granted permission for the contested risk of suicide to be raised on the appeal.
In October 2021, the High Court held a two-day appeal hearing presided over by Ian Burnett, Baron Burnett of Maldon, Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, and Lord Justice Holroyde. In opening the U.S. as appellant argued that Assange's health issues were less severe than claimed during the initial extradition hearing and that his depression was moderate rather than severe. They also drew attention to binding assurances given by the U.S. concerning his proposed treatment in custody. In answer Assange's defence drew attention to a Yahoo! News report that the CIA had plotted to poison, abduct or assassinate Assange. Edward Fitzgerald QC argued: "Given the revelations of surveillance in the embassy and plots to kill [Assange]," "there are great grounds for fearing what will be done to him" if extradited to the U.S. He urged the court "not to trust [the] assurances" of the "same government" alleged to have plotted Assange's killing. According to his partner Stella Moris, Assange suffered a mini-stroke on 27 October while sitting through the court hearing and was subsequently given anti-stroke medication.
On 10 December 2021, the High Court ruled in favour of the United States. The Lord Chief Justice and Lord Justice Holroyde ruled that, in line with previous judgements, when the US administration gives a promise of fair and humane treatment its word should not be doubted. The case has been remitted to Westminster Magistrates' Court with the direction that it be sent to the Home Secretary Priti Patel for the final decision on whether to extradite Assange. On 24 January 2022 Assange was granted permission to petition the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom for an appeal hearing.
Writings and opinions
Assange has written a few short pieces, including "State and terrorist conspiracies" (2006), "Conspiracy as governance" (2006), "The hidden curse of Thomas Paine" (2008), "What's new about WikiLeaks?" (2011), and the foreword to Cypherpunks (2012). Cypherpunks is primarily a transcript of World Tomorrow episode eight, a two-part interview between Assange, Jacob Appelbaum, Andy Müller-Maguhn, and Jérémie Zimmermann. In the foreword, Assange said, "the Internet, our greatest tool for emancipation, has been transformed into the most dangerous facilitator of totalitarianism we have ever seen". He also contributed research to Suelette Dreyfus's Underground (1997), and received a co-writer credit for the Calle 13 song "Multi Viral" (2013). In 2010, Assange said he was a libertarian and that "WikiLeaks is designed to make capitalism more free and ethical".
In 2010, Assange received a deal for his autobiography worth at least US$1.3million. In 2011, Canongate Books published Julian Assange, The Unauthorised Autobiography. Assange immediately disavowed it, stating, "I am not 'the writer' of this book. I own the copyright of the manuscript, which was written by Andrew O'Hagan." Assange accused Canongate of breaching their contract by publishing, against his wishes, a draft that Assange considered "a work in progress" and "entirely uncorrected or fact-checked by me." In 2014, O'Hagan wrote about his experience as Assange's ghostwriter. "The story of his life mortified him and sent him scurrying for excuses," O'Hagan recalled. "He didn't want to do the book. He hadn't from the beginning." Colin Robinson, co-publisher of Assange's 2012 book Cypherpunks, criticised O'Hagan for largely ignoring the bigger issues about which Assange had been warning, and noted that O'Hagan's piece "is no part of an organised dirty tricks campaign. But by focusing as it does on Assange's character defects, it ends up serving much the same purpose."
Assange's book When Google Met WikiLeaks was published by OR Books in 2014. It recounts when Google CEO Eric Schmidt requested a meeting with Assange, while he was on bail in rural Norfolk, UK. Schmidt was accompanied by Jared Cohen, director of Google Ideas; Lisa Shields, vice president of the Council on Foreign Relations; and Scott Malcomson, the communications director for the International Crisis Group. Excerpts were published on the Newsweek website, while Assange participated in a Q&A event that was facilitated by the Reddit website and agreed to an interview with Vogue magazine.
In 2011, an article in Private Eye by its editor, Ian Hislop, recounted a rambling phone call he had received from Assange, who was especially angry about Private Eye′s report that Israel Shamir, an Assange associate in Russia, was a Holocaust denier. Assange suggested, Hislop wrote, "that British journalists, including the editor of The Guardian, were engaged in a Jewish-led conspiracy to smear his organization." Assange subsequently responded that Hislop had "distorted, invented or misremembered almost every significant claim and phrase." He added, "We treasure our strong Jewish support and staff, just as we treasure the support from pan-Arab democracy activists and others who share our hope for a just world."
Personal life
While in his teens, Assange married a girl named Teresa, and in 1989 they had a son named Daniel. The couple separated and disputed custody of Daniel until 1999. According to Assange's mother, during the time of the custody dispute, his brown hair turned white. In 2015, in an open letter to French President Hollande, Assange said that his youngest child was French, as was the child's mother. He also said his family had faced death threats and harassment because of his work, forcing them to change identities and reduce contact with him.
In 2015, Assange began a relationship with Stella Moris ( Stella Moris-Smith Robertson), his South African-born lawyer. They became engaged in 2017 and had two children. Moris revealed their relationship in 2020 because she feared for Assange's life. On 7 November 2021, the couple said they were preparing legal action against Deputy UK Prime Minister Dominic Raab and Jenny Louis, governor of Belmarsh prison. Assange and Moris accused Raab and Louis of denying their and their two children's human rights by blocking and delaying Moris and Assange from getting married. On 11 November, the prison service said it had granted permission for the couple to marry in Belmarsh prison. The service said the application had been "considered in the usual way by the prison governor".
Assessments
Views on Assange have been given by a number of public figures, including journalists, well-known whistleblowers, activists and world leaders. In July 2010, Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg said that "Assange has shown much better judgment with respect to what he has revealed than the people who kept those items secret inside the government." In October 2010, Ellsberg flew to London to give Assange his support. In November 2010, an individual from the office of Dmitry Medvedev, the President of Russia, suggested that Assange should be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. In December 2010, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, then President of Brazil, said "They have arrested him and I don't hear so much as a single protest for freedom of expression". Vladimir Putin, the prime minister of Russia, asked at a press conference "Why is Mr Assange in prison? Is this democracy?" In the same month, Julia Gillard, Prime Minister of Australia, described his activities as "illegal", but the Australian Federal Police said he had not broken Australian law. Joe Biden, the vice president of the United States, was asked whether he saw Assange as closer to a high-tech terrorist than to whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg. Biden responded that he "would argue it is closer to being a high-tech terrorist than the Pentagon Papers". In November 2011, Vaughan Smith, founder of the Frontline Club, supported Assange and in July 2012 offered his residence in Norfolk for Assange to continue WikiLeaks' operations whilst in the UK. In April 2012, interviewed on Assange's television show World Tomorrow, Ecuadorian president Rafael Correa praised WikiLeaks and told his host "Cheer up! Cheer up! Welcome to the club of the persecuted!" In August 2012, historian and journalist Tariq Ali and former ambassador and author Craig Murray spoke in support of Assange outside the Ecuadorian embassy. In April 2013, filmmaker Oliver Stone stated that "Julian Assange did much for free speech and is now being victimised by the abusers of that concept." In November 2014, Spanish Podemos party leader Pablo Iglesias also gave his support to Assange. In July 2015, British Member of Parliament Jeremy Corbyn opposed Assange's extradition to the US, and as Labour Party leader in April 2019 said the British government should oppose Assange's extradition to the US "for exposing evidence of atrocities in Iraq and Afghanistan".
In July 2016, artist and activist Ai Weiwei, musicians Patti Smith, Brian Eno and PJ Harvey, scholars Noam Chomsky and Yanis Varoufakis, fashion designer Vivienne Westwood and filmmaker Ken Loach were amongst those attending an event in support of Assange at the embassy. That same month, the documentary filmmaker and long-time supporter Michael Moore also visited Assange in the embassy. In December 2019, Australian journalist Mary Kostakidis said, "I became fascinated at this young, idealistic Australian, very tech-savvy, who developed a way for whistleblowers to upload data anonymously" and that she would be giving "100 per cent of my attention and resources" to his defence. In January 2021, Australian journalist John Pilger stated that, were Assange to be extradited, "no journalist who challenges power will be safe".
American politicians Mitch McConnell, Newt Gingrich and Sarah Palin each either referred to Assange as "a high-tech terrorist" or suggested that through publishing US diplomatic traffic he was engaged in terrorism. Other American and Canadian politicians and media personalities, including Tom Flanagan, Bob Beckel, Mike Huckabee and Michael Grunwald, called for his assassination or execution, though Grunwald later apologised for this, saying, "It was a dumb tweet. I'm sorry. I deserve the backlash."
Honours and awards
Works
Bibliography
Underground: Tales of Hacking, Madness and Obsession on the Electronic Frontier (1997)
Cypherpunks: Freedom and the Future of the Internet. OR Books, 2012. .
When Google Met WikiLeaks. OR Books, 2014. .
The WikiLeaks Files: The World According to The US Empire. By WikiLeaks. Verso Books, 2015. (with an Introduction by Julian Assange).
Filmography
As himself
The War You Don't See (2010)
The Simpsons (2012) (cameo; episode "At Long Last Leave")
Citizenfour (2014)
The Yes Men Are Revolting (2014)
Terminal F/Chasing Edward Snowden (2015)
Asylum (2016)
Risk (2016)
Architects of Denial (2017)
The New Radical (2017)
See also
List of people who took refuge in a diplomatic mission
List of peace activists
Lauri Love, who in 2018 won an appeal in the High Court of England against extradition to the United States
Gary McKinnon, whose extradition to the United States was blocked in 2012 by then-Home Secretary Theresa May
Ross Ulbricht
Thomas A. Drake
Jeremy Hammond, who was summoned to appear before a Virginia federal grand jury which was investigating Julian Assange. He was held in civil contempt of court after refusing to testify.
Ola Bini, who was arrested in April 2019 in Ecuador apparently due to his association with Julian Assange and WikiLeaks.
Notes
References
Further reading
Books
Nick Cohen, You Can't Read this Book: Censorship in an Age of Freedom (2012).
Films
Underground: The Julian Assange Story (2012), Australian TV drama that premiered at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival.
Julian (2012), Australian short film about nine-year-old Julian Assange. The film won several awards and prizes.
The Fifth Estate (2013), American thriller that Assange said was a 'serious propaganda attack' on WikiLeaks and its staff.
Mediastan (2013), Swedish documentary produced by Assange to challenge The Fifth Estate.
We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks (2013), American documentary.
Risk (2016), American documentary.
Hacking Justice (2017), German documentary.
Ithaka (2021), Australian documentary produced by Assange's brother Gabriel Shipton, which deals with his father's worldwide campaign for Julian's release from prison.
External links
1971 births
21st-century Australian male writers
Activists from Melbourne
Articles containing video clips
Australian computer programmers
Australian editors
Australian expatriates in the United Kingdom
Australian founders
Australian libertarians
Australian publishers (people)
Australian whistleblowers
Australia–United States relations
Central Queensland University alumni
Cypherpunks
Inmates of HM Prison Belmarsh
Internet activists
Living people
Media critics
Open content activists
People associated with Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections
People associated with the 2016 United States presidential election
People from Townsville
People with Asperger syndrome
Political party founders
Prisoners and detainees of England and Wales
RT (TV network) people
United Kingdom–United States relations
University of Melbourne alumni
WikiLeaks
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"Arief Hidayat (born 3 February 1956) was the fifth Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court of Indonesia. Previously, he was a professor of law at his alma mater, Diponegoro University.\n\nIn January 2017, Hidayat led an investigation of his colleagues relating to a graft scandal on the court. Hidayat cleared the names of two of his fellow justices, I Dewa Gede Palguna and Manahan Sitompul, but discovered evidence that led to the dismissal of (former) fellow justice Patrialis Akbar.\n\nIn December 2017, he denied committing an ethics violation by lobbying the House of Representatives for an extension of his term in office. He admitted to meeting legislators at a Jakarta hotel but denied doing any lobbying. He came under criticism over alleged backroom deals regarding the House’s inquiry into the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) under the 2014 Legislative Institutions Law (MD3), which was under review by the Constitutional Court. Academicians in February 2018 demanded he step down for alleged ethical violations. He was re-elected to serve a second and final term until 2023 but he was replaced in April 2018.\n\nReferences\n\n1956 births\nIndonesian judges\nJustices of the Constitutional Court of Indonesia\nPeople from Semarang\nDiponegoro University alumni\nLiving people"
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"he became the subject of sexual assault allegations from two women with whom he had sex."
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Who was one of the woman that got sexually assaulted by Julian Assange?
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Julian Assange
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Assange visited Sweden in August 2010. During his visit, he became the subject of sexual assault allegations from two women with whom he had sex. He was questioned, the case was initially closed, and he was told he could leave the country. In November 2010, however, the case was re-opened by a special prosecutor who said that she wanted to question Assange over two counts of sexual molestation, one count of unlawful coercion and one count of "lesser-degree rape" (mindre grov valdtakt). Assange denied the allegations and said he was happy to face questions in Britain. In 2010, the prosecutor said Swedish law prevented her from questioning anyone by video link or in the London embassy. In March 2015, after public criticism from other Swedish law practitioners, she changed her mind and agreed to interrogate Assange in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, with interviews finally beginning on 14 November 2016. These interviews involved police, Swedish prosecutors and Ecuadorian officials and were eventually published online. By this time, the statute of limitations had expired on all three of the less serious allegations. Since the Swedish prosecutor had not interviewed Assange by 18 August 2015, the questioning pertained only to the open investigation of "lesser degree rape", whose statute of limitations is due to expire in 2020. On 19 May 2017, the Swedish authorities dropped their investigation against Assange, claiming they could not expect the Ecuadorian Embassy to communicate reliably with Assange with respect to the case. Chief prosecutor Marianne Ny officially revoked his arrest warrant, but said the investigation could still be resumed if Assange visited Sweden before August 2020. "We are not making any pronouncement about guilt", she said. CANNOTANSWER
|
CANNOTANSWER
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Julian Paul Assange (; né Hawkins; born 3 July 1971) is an Australian editor, publisher and activist who founded WikiLeaks in 2006. WikiLeaks came to international attention in 2010 when it published a series of leaks provided by U.S. Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning. These leaks included the Baghdad airstrike Collateral Murder video (April 2010), the Afghanistan war logs (July 2010), the Iraq war logs (October 2010), and Cablegate (November 2010). After the 2010 leaks, the United States government launched a criminal investigation into WikiLeaks.
In November 2010, Sweden issued an international arrest warrant for Assange over allegations of sexual misconduct. Assange said the allegations were a pretext for his extradition from Sweden to the United States over his role in the publication of secret American documents. After losing his battle against extradition to Sweden, he breached bail and took refuge in the Embassy of Ecuador in London in June 2012. He was granted asylum by Ecuador in August 2012 on the grounds of political persecution, with the presumption that if he were extradited to Sweden, he would be eventually extradited to the US. Swedish prosecutors dropped their investigation in 2019, saying their evidence had "weakened considerably due to the long period of time that has elapsed since the events in question."
During the 2016 U.S. election campaign, WikiLeaks published confidential Democratic Party emails, showing that the party's national committee favoured Hillary Clinton over her rival Bernie Sanders in the primaries.
On 11 April 2019, Assange's asylum was withdrawn following a series of disputes with the Ecuadorian authorities. The police were invited into the embassy and he was arrested. He was found guilty of breaching the Bail Act and sentenced to 50 weeks in prison. The United States government unsealed an indictment against Assange related to the leaks provided by Manning. On 23 May 2019, the United States government further charged Assange with violating the Espionage Act of 1917. Editors from newspapers, including The Washington Post and The New York Times, as well as press freedom organisations, criticised the government's decision to charge Assange under the Espionage Act, characterising it as an attack on the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, which guarantees freedom of the press. On 4 January 2021, UK District Judge Vanessa Baraitser ruled against the United States' request to extradite Assange and stated that doing so would be "oppressive" given concerns over Assange's mental health and risk of suicide. On 6 January 2021, Assange was denied bail, pending an appeal by the United States. On 10 December 2021, the High Court in London ruled that Assange can be extradited to the US to face the charges.
Assange has been confined in Belmarsh maximum-security prison in London since April 2019.
Early life
Assange was born Julian Paul Hawkins on 3 July 1971 in Townsville, Queensland, to Christine Ann Hawkins (b. 1951), a visual artist, and John Shipton, an anti-war activist and builder. The couple separated before their son was born. When Julian was a year old, his mother married Brett Assange, an actor with whom she ran a small theatre company and whom Julian regards as his father (choosing Assange as his surname). Christine and Brett Assange divorced around 1979. Christine then became involved with Leif Meynell, also known as Leif Hamilton, whom Julian Assange later described as "a member of an Australian cult" called The Family. They separated in 1982.
Julian had a nomadic childhood, living in more than 30 Australian towns and cities by the time he reached his mid-teens, when he settled with his mother and half-brother in Melbourne. Assange attended many schools, including Goolmangar Primary School in New South Wales (1979–1983) and Townsville State High School in Queensland as well as being schooled at home.
In 1987, aged 16, Assange began hacking under the name Mendax, supposedly taken from Horace's splendide mendax (nobly lying). He and two others, known as "Trax" and "Prime Suspect", formed a hacking group they called "the International Subversives". According to David Leigh and Luke Harding, Assange may have been involved in the WANK (Worms Against Nuclear Killers) hack at NASA in 1989, but this has never been proven.
In September 1991, Assange was discovered hacking into the Melbourne master terminal of Nortel, a Canadian multinational telecommunications corporation. The Australian Federal Police tapped Assange's phone line (he was using a modem), raided his home at the end of October and eventually charged him in 1994 with 31 counts of hacking and related crimes. In December 1996, he pleaded guilty to 24 charges (the others were dropped) and was ordered to pay reparations of A$2,100 and released on a good behaviour bond. He received a lenient penalty due to the absence of malicious or mercenary intent and his disrupted childhood.
Assange studied programming, mathematics and physics at Central Queensland University (1994) and the University of Melbourne (2003–2006), but did not complete a degree.
In 1993, Assange used his computing skills to help the Victoria Police Child Exploitation Unit to prosecute individuals responsible for publishing and distributing child pornography. In the same year, he was involved in starting one of the first public Internet service providers in Australia, Suburbia Public Access Network. He began programming in 1994, authoring or co-authoring the TCP port scanner Strobe (1995), patches to the open-source database PostgreSQL (1996), the Usenet caching software NNTPCache (1996), the Rubberhose deniable encryption system (1997) (which reflected his growing interest in cryptography), and Surfraw, a command-line interface for web-based search engines (2000). During this period, he also moderated the AUCRYPTO forum, ran Best of Security, a website "giving advice on computer security" that had 5,000 subscribers in 1996, and contributed research to Suelette Dreyfus's Underground (1997), a book about Australian hackers, including the International Subversives. In 1998, he co-founded the company Earthmen Technology.
Assange stated that he registered the domain leaks.org in 1999, but "didn't do anything with it". He did publicise a patent granted to the National Security Agency in August 1999, for voice-data harvesting technology: "This patent should worry people. Everyone's overseas phone calls are or may soon be tapped, transcribed and archived in the bowels of an unaccountable foreign spy agency."
Founding WikiLeaks
Early publications
Assange and others established WikiLeaks in 2006. Assange became a member of the organisation's advisory board and described himself as the editor-in-chief. From 2007 to 2010, Assange travelled continuously on WikiLeaks business, visiting Africa, Asia, Europe and North America. During this time, the organisation published internet censorship lists, leaks, and classified media from anonymous sources. These publications including revelations about drone strikes in Yemen, corruption across the Arab world, extrajudicial executions by Kenyan police, 2008 Tibetan unrest in China, and the "Petrogate" oil scandal in Peru.
WikiLeaks' international profile increased in 2008 when a Swiss bank, Julius Baer, failed to block the site's publication of bank records. Assange commented that financial institutions ordinarily "operate outside the rule of law", and received extensive legal support from free-speech and civil rights groups.
In September 2008, during the 2008 United States presidential election campaign, the contents of a Yahoo! account belonging to Sarah Palin (the running mate of Republican presidential nominee John McCain) were posted on WikiLeaks after being hacked into by members of Anonymous. After briefly appearing on a blog, the membership list of the far-right British National Party was posted to WikiLeaks on 18 November 2008.
WikiLeaks released a report disclosing a "serious nuclear accident" at the Iranian Natanz nuclear facility in 2009. According to media reports, the accident may have been the direct result of a cyber-attack at Iran's nuclear program, carried out with the Stuxnet computer worm, a cyber-weapon built jointly by the United States and Israel.
Iraq and Afghan War logs and US diplomatic cables
The material WikiLeaks published between 2006 and 2009 attracted various degrees of international attention, but after it began publishing documents supplied by U.S. Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning, WikiLeaks became a household name.
In April 2010, WikiLeaks released the Collateral Murder video, which showed United States soldiers fatally shooting 18 civilians from a helicopter in Iraq, including Reuters journalists Namir Noor-Eldeen and his assistant Saeed Chmagh. Reuters had previously made a request to the US government for the Collateral Murder video under Freedom of Information but had been denied. Assange and others worked for a week to break the U.S. military's encryption of the video.
In October 2010, WikiLeaks published the Iraq War logs, a collection of 391,832 United States Army field reports from the Iraq War covering the period from 2004 to 2009. Assange said that he hoped the publication would "correct some of that attack on the truth that occurred before the war, during the war, and which has continued after the war".
Regarding his own role within WikiLeaks, he said, "We always expect tremendous criticism. It is my role to be the lightning rod... to attract the attacks against the organization for our work, and that is a difficult role. On the other hand, I get undue credit".
Other Manning material published by WikiLeaks included the Afghanistan War logs in July 2010, and the Guantánamo Bay files in April 2011.
WikiLeaks published a quarter of a million U.S. diplomatic cables, known as the "Cablegate" files, in November 2010. WikiLeaks initially worked with established Western media organisations, and later with smaller regional media organisations, while also publishing the cables upon which their reporting was based. The files showed United States espionage against the United Nations and other world leaders, revealed tensions between the U.S. and its allies, and exposed corruption in countries throughout the world as documented by U.S. diplomats, helping to spark the Arab Spring. The Cablegate and Iraq and Afghan War releases impacted diplomacy and public opinion globally, with responses varying by region.
Legal issues
US criminal investigation
After WikiLeaks released the Manning material, United States authorities began investigating WikiLeaks and Assange personally to prosecute them under the Espionage Act of 1917. In November 2010, US Attorney-General Eric Holder said there was "an active, ongoing criminal investigation" into WikiLeaks. It emerged from legal documents leaked over the ensuing months that Assange and others were being investigated by a federal grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia.
In August 2011, WikiLeaks volunteer Sigurdur Thordarson, working in his home country Iceland, contacted the FBI and, after presenting a copy of Assange's passport at the American embassy, became the first informant to work for the FBI from inside WikiLeaks. In November 2011, WikiLeaks dismissed Thordarson due to what the organization said was his embezzlement of $50,000, to which charge (along with several other offences) he later pleaded guilty in an Icelandic court. According to Thordarson, a few months after his dismissal by WikiLeaks the FBI agreed to pay him $5,000 as compensation for work missed while meeting with agents.
In December 2011, prosecutors in the Chelsea Manning case revealed the existence of chat logs between Manning and an interlocutor they claimed was Assange. Assange said that WikiLeaks has no way of knowing the identity of its sources and that chats with sources, including user-names, were anonymous. In January 2011, Assange described the allegation that WikiLeaks had conspired with Manning as "absolute nonsense". The logs were presented as evidence during Manning's court-martial in June–July 2013. The prosecution argued that they showed WikiLeaks helping Manning reverse-engineer a password. During her trial, Manning said she acted on her own to send documents to WikiLeaks and no one associated with WikiLeaks pressured her into giving more information.
In 2013, US officials said that it was unlikely that the Justice Department would indict Assange for publishing classified documents because it would also have to prosecute the news organisations and writers who published classified material.
In June 2013, The New York Times said that court and other documents suggested that Assange was being examined by a grand jury and "several government agencies", including by the FBI. Court documents published in May 2014 suggest that Assange was under "active and ongoing" investigation at that time.
Some Snowden documents published in 2014 showed that the U.S. government had put Assange on its 2010 "Manhunting Timeline", an annual account of efforts to capture or kill alleged terrorists and others, and in the same period urged allies to open criminal investigations into Assange. In the same documents, there was a proposal by the National Security Agency (NSA) to designate WikiLeaks a "malicious foreign actor", thus increasing the surveillance against it.
In January 2015, WikiLeaks issued a statement saying that three members of the organisation had received notice from Google that Google had complied with a federal warrant by a US District Court to turn over their emails and metadata on 5 April 2012. In July 2015, Assange called himself a "wanted journalist" in an open letter to the French president published in Le Monde. In a December 2015 court submission, the US government confirmed its "sensitive, ongoing law enforcement proceeding into the Wikileaks matter".
Under the Obama Administration, the Department of Justice did not indict Assange because it was unable to find any evidence that his actions differed from those of a journalist. However, after President Donald Trump took office, CIA director Mike Pompeo and Attorney General Jeff Sessions stepped up pursuit of Assange.
In April 2017, US officials were preparing to file formal charges against Assange. Legal scholar Steve Vladeck said prosecutors accelerated the case in 2019 due to the impending statute of limitations on Assange's largest leaks.
Swedish sexual assault allegations
Assange visited Sweden in August 2010. During his visit, he became the subject of sexual assault allegations from two women. Assange denied the allegations and said he was happy to face questions in Britain.
On 20 November 2010, the Swedish police issued an international arrest warrant. Later that day, Assange told journalist Raffi Khatchadourian that Sweden has a "very, very poor judicial system" and a culture of "crazed radical feminist ideology". He commented that, more importantly, his case involved international politics, and that "Sweden is a U.S. satrapy." In a later interview he described Sweden as "the Saudi Arabia of feminism." On 8 December 2010, Assange gave himself up to British police and attended his first extradition hearing, where he was remanded in custody. On 16 December 2010, at the second hearing, he was granted bail by the High Court of Justice and released after his supporters paid £240,000 in cash and sureties. A further hearing on 24 February 2011 ruled that Assange should be extradited to Sweden. This decision was upheld by the High Court on 2 November and by the Supreme Court on 30 May the next year.
After previously stating that she could not question a suspect by video link or in the Swedish embassy, prosecutor Marianne Ny wrote to the English Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in 2013. Her letter advised that she intended to lift the detention order and withdraw the European arrest warrant as the actions were not proportionate to the costs and seriousness of the crime. In response, the CPS tried to dissuade Ny from doing so.
In March 2015, after public criticism from other Swedish law practitioners, Ny changed her mind about interrogating Assange, who had taken refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in London. These interviews, which began on 14 November 2016, involved the British police, Swedish prosecutors and Ecuadorian officials, and were eventually published online. By that time, the statute of limitations had expired on all three of the less serious allegations. Since the Swedish prosecutor had not interviewed Assange by 18 August 2015, the questioning pertained only to the open investigation of "lesser degree rape".
On 19 May 2017, the Swedish authorities suspended their investigation, saying they could not expect the Ecuadorian Embassy to communicate reliably with Assange with respect to the case. Chief prosecutor Marianne Ny officially revoked his arrest warrant, but said the investigation could still be resumed if Assange visited Sweden before August 2020.
Following Assange's arrest on 11 April 2019, the case was reopened, in May 2019, under prosecutor Eva-Marie Persson. On 19 November, she announced that she had discontinued her investigation, saying that the evidence was not strong enough. She added that although she was confident in the complainant, "the evidence has weakened considerably due to the long period of time that has elapsed".
Ecuadorian embassy period
Entering the embassy
On 19 June 2012, the Ecuadorian foreign minister, Ricardo Patiño, announced that Assange had applied for political asylum, that the Ecuadorian government was considering his request, and that Assange was at the Ecuadorian embassy in London.
Assange and his supporters said he was not concerned about any proceedings in Sweden as such, but said that the Swedish allegations were designed to discredit him and were a pretext for his extradition from Sweden to the United States.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague gave a news conference in response. He said "We will not allow Mr Assange safe passage out of the United Kingdom, nor is there any legal basis for us to do so," whilst adding, "The United Kingdom does not recognise the principle of diplomatic asylum."
Assange breached his bail conditions by taking up residence in the embassy rather than appearing in court, and faced arrest if he left. Assange's supporters, including journalist Jemima Goldsmith, journalist John Pilger, and filmmaker Ken Loach, forfeited £200,000 in bail. Goldsmith said she was surprised at his asylum bid and had expected him to face the Swedish allegations.
The UK government wrote Patiño that the police were entitled to enter the embassy and arrest Assange under UK law. Patiño said it was an implied threat, stating that "such actions would be a blatant disregard of the Vienna Convention". Officers of the Metropolitan Police Service were stationed outside the embassy from June 2012 to October 2015 to arrest Assange if he left the embassy, and compel him to attend the extradition appeal hearing. The police officers were withdrawn on grounds of cost in October 2015, but the police said they would still deploy "several overt and covert tactics to arrest him". The Metropolitan Police Service said the cost of the policing for the period was £12.6million.
WikiLeaks insiders stated that Assange decided to seek asylum because he felt abandoned by the Australian government. The Australian attorney-general, Nicola Roxon, had written to Assange's lawyer, Jennifer Robinson, saying that Australia would not seek to involve itself in any international exchanges about Assange's future. She suggested that if Assange was imprisoned in the US, he could apply for an international prisoner transfer to Australia. Assange's lawyers described the letter as a "declaration of abandonment".
On 16 August 2012, Patiño announced that Ecuador was granting Assange political asylum because of the threat represented by the United States secret investigation against him. In its formal statement, Ecuador said that "as a consequence of Assange's determined defense to freedom of expression and freedom of press... in any given moment, a situation may come where his life, safety or personal integrity will be in danger". Latin American states expressed support for Ecuador. Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa confirmed on 18 August that Assange could stay at the embassy indefinitely, and the following day Assange gave his first speech from the balcony. An office converted into a studio apartment, equipped with a bed, telephone, sun lamp, computer, shower, treadmill, and kitchenette, became his home until 11 April 2019.
WikiLeaks publishing
On 24 April 2011, WikiLeaks began publishing the Guantanamo Bay files leak, 779 classified reports on prisoners, past and present, held by the U.S. at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp in Cuba. The documents, dated from 2002 to 2008, revealed prisoners, some of whom were coerced to confess, included children, the elderly and mentally disabled.
In July 2012, WikiLeaks began publishing the Syria Files, a collection of more than two million emails from Syrian political figures, government ministries and companies. Assange said the "Syria Files" collection
In 2013, Assange analysed the Kissinger cables held at the US National Archives and released them in searchable form.
By 2015, WikiLeaks had published more than ten million documents and associated analyses, and was described by Assange as "a giant library of the world's most persecuted documents".
In June 2015, WikiLeaks began publishing confidential and secret Saudi Arabian government documents.
On 25 November 2016, WikiLeaks released emails and internal documents that provided details on U.S. military operations in Yemen from 2009 to March 2015. In a statement accompanying the release of the "Yemen Files", Assange said about the U.S. involvement in the Yemen war: "The war in Yemen has produced 3.15million internally displaced persons. Although the United States government has provided most of the bombs and is deeply involved in the conduct of the war itself, reportage on the war in English is conspicuously rare."
In December 2016, WikiLeaks published emails from the Turkish government in response to Erdoğan's post-coup purges in Turkey. The emails covered the period from 2010 to July 2016. In response, Turkey blocked access to the WikiLeaks site.
Public positions
WikiLeaks Party
Assange stood for the Australian Senate in the 2013 Australian federal election for the newly formed WikiLeaks Party but failed to win a seat. The party experienced internal dissent over its governance and electoral tactics and was deregistered due to low membership numbers in 2015.
Edward Snowden
In 2013, Assange and others in WikiLeaks helped whistleblower Edward Snowden flee from US law enforcement. After the United States cancelled Snowden's passport, stranding him in Russia, they considered transporting him to Latin America on the presidential jet of a sympathetic Latin American leader. In order to throw the US off the scent, they spoke about the jet of the Bolivian president Evo Morales, instead of the jet they were considering. In July 2013, Morales's jet was forced to land in Austria after the US pressured Italy, France, and Spain to deny the jet access to their airspace over false rumours Snowden was on board. Assange said the grounding "reveals the true nature of the relationship between Western Europe and the United States" as "a phone call from U.S. intelligence was enough to close the airspace to a booked presidential flight, which has immunity". Assange advised Snowden that he would be safest in Russia which was better able to protect its borders than Venezuela, Brazil or Ecuador. In 2015, Maria Luisa Ramos, the Bolivian ambassador to Russia, accused Assange of putting Morales' life at risk. Assange stated that he regretted what happened but that "[w]e can't predict that other countries engage in some... unprecedented criminal operation".
Operation Speargun
Documents provided by Edward Snowden showed that in 2012 and 2013 the NZ government worked to establish a secret mass surveillance programme which it called "Operation Speargun". On 15 September 2014, Assange appeared via remote video link on Kim Dotcom's Moment of Truth town hall meeting held in Auckland, which discussed the programme. Assange said the Snowden documents showed that he had been a target of the programme and that "Operation Speargun" represented "an extreme, bizarre, Orwellian future that is being constructed secretly in New Zealand".
On 3 July 2015, Paris newspaper Le Monde published an open letter from Assange to French President François Hollande in which Assange urged the French government to grant him refugee status. In response to this letter, Hollande said: "France cannot act on his request. The situation of Mr Assange does not present an immediate danger."
Other developments
In 2015, La Repubblica stated that it had evidence of the UK's role via the English Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in creating the "legal and diplomatic quagmire" which prevented Assange from leaving the Ecuadorian embassy. La Repubblica sued the CPS in 2017 to obtain further information but its case was rejected with the judge saying "the need for the British authorities to protect the confidentiality of the extradition process outweighs the public interest of the press to know". A further appeal was rejected in September 2019.
On 5 February 2016, the UN's Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concluded that Assange had been subject to arbitrary detention by the UK and Swedish Governments since 7 December 2010, including his time in prison, on conditional bail and in the Ecuadorian embassy. The Working Group said Assange should be allowed to walk free and be given compensation. The UK and Swedish governments denied the charge of detaining Assange arbitrarily. The UK Foreign Secretary, Philip Hammond, said the charge was "ridiculous" and that the group was "made up of lay people", and called Assange a "fugitive from justice" who "can come out any time he chooses", and called the panel's ruling "flawed in law". Swedish prosecutors called the group's charge irrelevant. The UK said it would arrest Assange should he leave the embassy. Mark Ellis, executive director of the International Bar Association, stated that the finding is "not binding on British law". US legal scholar Noah Feldman described the Working Group's conclusion as astonishing, summarising it as "Assange might be charged with a crime in the US. Ecuador thinks charging him with violating national security law would amount to 'political persecution' or worse. Therefore, Sweden must give up on its claims to try him for rape, and Britain must ignore the Swedes' arrest warrant and let him leave the country."
In September 2016 and again on 12 January 2017, WikiLeaks tweeted that Assange would agree to US prison in exchange for President Obama granting Chelsea Manning clemency. After commuting Manning's sentence on 17 January 2017, Obama stated that Assange's offer had not been a consideration.
On 19 May 2017, Assange emerged on the embassy's balcony and told a crowd that, despite no longer facing a Swedish sex investigation, he would remain inside the embassy to avoid extradition to the United States.
2016 U.S. presidential election
During the 2016 US Democratic Party presidential primaries, WikiLeaks hosted a searchable database of emails sent or received by presidential candidate Hillary Clinton while she was Secretary of State. The emails had been released by the US State Department under a Freedom of information request in February 2016. The emails were a major point of discussion during the presidential election and prompted an FBI investigation of Clinton for using a private email server for classified documents while she was US Secretary of State.
In February 2016, Assange wrote: "I have had years of experience in dealing with Hillary Clinton and have read thousands of her cables. Hillary lacks judgment and will push the United States into endless, stupid wars which spread terrorism. ...she certainly should not become president of the United States." On 25 July, following the Republican National Convention, Assange said that choosing between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump is like choosing between cholera or gonorrhoea. "Personally, I would prefer neither." In an Election Day statement, Assange criticised both Clinton and Trump, saying that "The Democratic and Republican candidates have both expressed hostility towards whistleblowers."
On 22 July 2016, WikiLeaks released emails and documents from the Democratic National Committee (DNC) in which the DNC seemingly presented ways of undercutting Clinton's competitor Bernie Sanders and showed apparent favouritism towards Clinton. The release led to the resignation of DNC chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz and an apology to Sanders from the DNC. The New York Times wrote that Assange had timed the release to coincide with the 2016 Democratic National Convention because he believed Clinton had pushed for his indictment and he regarded her as a "liberal war hawk".
On 7 October Assange posted a press release on WikiLeaks exposing a second batch of emails with over 2,000 mails from Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta.
In mid-October, the Ecuadorian government severed Assange's Internet connection because of the leaks. In December, Assange said the connection had been restored.
Cybersecurity experts attributed the attack to the Russian government. The Central Intelligence Agency, together with several other agencies, concluded that Russian intelligence agencies hacked the DNC servers, as well as Podesta's email account, and provided the information to WikiLeaks to bolster Trump's election campaign. As a result of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections, 12 Russian GRU military intelligence agents were indicted on 13 July 2018 for the attack on the DNC mail-server. According to the Mueller report, this group shared these mails using the pseudonym Guccifer 2.0 with WikiLeaks and other entities. The investigation also unearthed communications between Guccifer 2.0, WikiLeaks and the Trump campaign, in which they coordinated the release of the material. The Senate Intelligence Committee reported that "WikiLeaks actively sought, and played, a key role in the Russian intelligence campaign and very likely knew it was assisting a Russian intelligence influence effort."
In interviews, Assange repeatedly said that the Russian government was not the source of the DNC and Podesta emails, and accused the Clinton campaign of "a kind of neo-McCarthy hysteria" about Russian involvement. On the eve of the election, Assange addressed the criticism he had received for publishing Clinton material, saying that WikiLeaks publishes "material given to us if it is of political, diplomatic, historical or ethical importance and which has not been published elsewhere," that it had never received any information on Trump, Jill Stein, or Gary Johnson's campaign.
A 2017 article in Foreign Policy said that WikiLeaks turned down leaks on the Russian government, focusing instead on hacks relating to the US presidential election. WikiLeaks said that, as far as it could recall, the material was already public.
In April 2018, the DNC sued WikiLeaks for the theft of the DNC's information under various Virginia and US federal statutes. It accused WikiLeaks and Russia of a "brazen attack on American democracy". The Committee to Protect Journalists said that the lawsuit raised several important press freedom questions. The suit was dismissed with prejudice in July 2019. Judge John Koeltl said that WikiLeaks "did not participate in any wrongdoing in obtaining the materials in the first place" and were therefore within the law in publishing the information.
Seth Rich
In a July 2016 interview on Dutch television, Assange hinted that DNC staffer Seth Rich was the source of the DNC emails and that Rich had been killed as a result. Seeking clarification, the interviewer asked Assange whether Rich's killing was "simply a murder," to which Assange answered, "No. There's no finding. So, I'm suggesting that our sources take risks, and they become concerned to see things occurring like that." WikiLeaks offered a $20,000 reward for information about his murder and wrote: "We treat threats toward any suspected source of WikiLeaks with extreme gravity. This should not be taken to imply that Seth Rich was a source to WikiLeaks or to imply that his murder is connected to our publications."
Assange's comments were highlighted by Fox News, The Washington Times and conspiracy website InfoWars and set off a spike in attention to the murder. Assange's statements lent credibility and visibility to what had at that point been a conspiracy theory in the fringe parts of the Internet. According to the Mueller investigation, Assange "implied falsely" that Rich was the source to obscure the fact that Russia was the source. Assange received the emails when Rich was already dead and continued to confer with the Russian hackers to coordinate the release of the material.
Later years in the embassy
In March 2017, WikiLeaks began releasing the largest leak of CIA documents in history, codenamed Vault 7. The documents included details of the CIA's hacking capabilities and software tools used to break into smartphones, computers and other Internet-connected devices. In April, CIA director Mike Pompeo called WikiLeaks "a non-state hostile intelligence service often abetted by state actors like Russia". Assange accused the CIA of trying to "subvert" his right to freedom of speech. According to former intelligence officials, in the wake of the Vault7 leaks, the CIA plotted to kidnap Assange from Ecuador's London embassy, and some senior officials discussed his potential assassination. Yahoo! News found "no indication that the most extreme measures targeting Assange were ever approved." Some of its sources stated that they had alerted House and Senate intelligence committees to the plans that Pompeo was suggesting. In October 2021, Assange's lawyers introduced the alleged plot during a hearing of the High Court of Justice in London as it considered the U.S. appeal of a lower court's ruling that Assange could not be extradited to face charges in the U.S.
On 6 June 2017, Assange tweeted his support for NSA leaker Reality Winner, who had been arrested three days earlier. Winner had been identified in part because a reporter from The Intercept showed a leaked document to the government without removing possibly incriminating evidence about its leaker. WikiLeaks later offered a $10,000 reward for information about the reporter responsible.
On 16 August 2017, US Republican congressman Dana Rohrabacher visited Assange and told him that Trump would pardon him on condition that he said Russia was not involved in the 2016 Democratic National Committee email leaks. At his extradition hearings in 2020, Assange's lawyers told the court that Rohrabacher had said the offer was made "on instructions from the president". Trump and Rohrabacher said they had never spoken about the offer and Rohrabacher said he had made the offer on his own initiative.
In August 2017, in the midst of the Qatar diplomatic crisis, Dubai-based Al Arabiya said Assange had refrained from publishing two cables about Qatar after negotiations between WikiLeaks and Qatar. Assange said Al Arabiya had been publishing "increasingly absurd fabrications" during the dispute. In September 2017, Assange released "Spy Files Russia," revealing "how a St. Petersburg-based technology company called Peter-Service helped Russian state entities gather detailed data on Russian cellphone users, part of a national system of online surveillance called System for Operative Investigative Activities (SORM)." According to Moscow-based journalist Fred Weir, "experts say it casts a timely spotlight on the vast surveillance operations mounted by Russian security services."
Assange was granted Ecuadorian citizenship in December 2017.
In February 2018, after Sweden had suspended its investigation, Assange brought two legal actions, arguing that Britain should drop its arrest warrant for him as it was "no longer right or proportionate to pursue him" and the arrest warrant for breaching bail had lost its "purpose and its function". In both cases, Senior District Judge Emma Arbuthnot ruled that the arrest warrant should remain in place.
In March 2018, Assange used social media to criticise Germany's arrest of Catalonian separatist leader Carles Puigdemont. On 28 March 2018, Ecuador responded by cutting Assange's internet connection because his social media posts put at risk Ecuador's relations with European nations. In May 2018, The Guardian reported that over five years Ecuador had spent at least $5million (£3.7m) to protect Assange, employing a security company and undercover agents to monitor his visitors, embassy staff and the British police. Ecuador reportedly also devised plans to help Assange escape should British police forcibly enter the embassy to seize him. The Guardian reported that by 2014 Assange had compromised the embassy's communications system. WikiLeaks described the allegation as "an anonymous libel aligned with the current UK-US government onslaught against Mr Assange". In July 2018, President Moreno said that he wanted Assange out of the embassy provided that Assange's life was not in danger. By October 2018, Assange's communications were partially restored.
On 16 October 2018, congressmen from the United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs wrote an open letter to President Moreno which described Assange as a dangerous criminal and stated that progress between the US and Ecuador in the areas of economic cooperation, counter-narcotics assistance and the return of a USAID mission to Ecuador depended on Assange being handed over to the authorities.
In October 2018, Assange sued the government of Ecuador for violating his "fundamental rights and freedoms" by threatening to remove his protection and cut off his access to the outside world, refusing him visits from journalists and human rights organisations and installing signal jammers to prevent phone calls and internet access. An Ecuadorian judge ruled against him, saying that requiring Assange to pay for his Internet use and clean up after his cat did not violate his right to asylum.
In November 2018, Pamela Anderson, a close friend and regular visitor of Assange, gave an interview in which she asked the Australian prime minister, Scott Morrison, to defend Assange. Morrison rejected the request with a response Anderson considered "smutty". Anderson responded that "[r]ather than making lewd suggestions about me, perhaps you should instead think about what you are going to say to millions of Australians when one of their own is marched in an orange jumpsuit to Guantanamo Bay – for publishing the truth. You can prevent this."
On 21 December 2018, the UN's Working Group on Arbitrary Detention urged the UK to let Assange leave the embassy freely. In a statement, the organisation said that the "Swedish investigations have been closed for over 18 months now, and the only ground remaining for Mr Assange's continued deprivation of liberty is a bail violation in the UK, which is, objectively, a minor offence that cannot post-facto justify the more than six years' confinement that he has been subjected to".
In February 2019, the parliament of Geneva passed a motion demanding that the Swiss government extend asylum to Assange. In January 2020, the Catalan Dignity Commission awarded Assange its 2019 Dignity Prize for supporting the Catalan people during the 2017 Catalan independence referendum.
In March 2019, Assange submitted a complaint to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights asking the Ecuadorian government to "ease the conditions that it had imposed on his residence" at the embassy and to protect him from extradition to the US. It also requested US prosecutors unseal criminal charges that had been filed against him. Assange said the Ecuadorian embassy was trying to end his asylum by spying on him and restricting his visitors. The commission rejected his complaint.
Surveillance of Assange in the embassy
On 10 April 2019, WikiLeaks said it had uncovered an extensive surveillance operation against Assange from within the embassy. WikiLeaks said that "material including video, audio, copies of private legal documents and a medical report" had surfaced in Spain and that unnamed individuals in Madrid had made an extortion attempt.
On 26 September 2019, the Spanish newspaper El País reported that the Spanish defence and security company Undercover Global S.L. (UC Global) had spied on Assange for the CIA during his time in the embassy. UC Global had been contracted to protect the embassy during this time. According to the report UC Global's owner David Morales had provided the CIA with audio and video of meetings Assange held with his lawyers and colleagues. Morales also arranged for the US to have direct access to the stream from video cameras installed in the embassy at the beginning of December 2017. The evidence was part of a secret investigation by Spain's High Court, the Audiencia Nacional, into Morales and his relationship with US intelligence. The investigation was precipitated by a complaint by Assange that accused UC Global of violating his privacy and client-attorney privileges as well as committing misappropriation, bribery and money laundering.
Morales was arrested in September on charges involving violations of privacy and client-attorney privileges, as well as misappropriation, bribery, money laundering and criminal possession of weapons. He was released on bail. On 25 September, Spanish Judge José de la Mata sent British authorities a European Investigation Order (EIO) asking for permission to question Assange by videoconference as a witness in the case against Morales. The United Kingdom Central Authority (UKCA), which is in charge of processing and responding to EIOs in the UK, provisionally denied De la Mata's request to question Assange, raised a number of objections to the request, and asked for more details. De la Mata responded to UKCA's objections on 14 October by stating that Assange was the victim who had filed the complaint and that unlawful disclosure of secrets and bribery are also crimes in the UK. He said that the crimes were partially committed on Spanish territory because the microphones used to spy on Assange were bought in Spain, and the information obtained was sent and uploaded to servers at UC Global S. L.'s headquarters in Spain.
Spanish judicial bodies were upset at having their EIO request denied by UKCA and believed the British justice system is concerned by the effect the Spanish case may have on the process to extradite Assange to the US.
In a November 2019 article, Stefania Maurizi said she had access to some of the videos, audios and photos showing a medical examination of Assange, a meeting between Ecuadorian ambassador Carlos Abad Ortiz and his staff, a meeting between Assange, Glenn Greenwald and David Miranda and lunch between Assange and British rapper M.I.A. Microphones had been placed in the women's toilets to capture meetings between Assange and his lawyers. Phones belonging to some of the embassy's visitors were compromised. Spanish lawyer Aitor Martinez, who is part of Assange's legal team, said videos were taken of meetings between Assange and his legal defence team. Maurizi concluded that, based on statements from former employees of UC Global, internal UC Global emails and the type of information collected, it was clear that the surveillance was conducted on behalf of the US government and the information gathered would be used by the US to assist in its case for extraditing Assange.
Britain agreed to allow Judge De la Mata to interview Assange via video link on 20 December. According to his lawyer, Assange testified that he was unaware that cameras installed by Undercover Global were also capturing audio and suggested the surveillance likely targeted his legal team.
Imprisonment and extradition proceedings
Arrest in the embassy
On 2 April 2019, Ecuador's president Moreno said that Assange had violated the terms of his asylum, after photos surfaced on the internet linking Moreno to a corruption scandal. WikiLeaks said it had acquired none of the published material, and that it merely reported on a corruption investigation against Moreno by Ecuador's legislature. WikiLeaks reported a source within the Ecuadorian government saying that, due to the controversy, an agreement had been reached to expel Assange from the embassy and place him in the custody of UK police. According to Assange's father, the revoking of Assange's asylum was connected to an upcoming decision by the International Monetary Fund to grant Ecuador a loan, an assertion also made by critics of Moreno, such as former Ecuadorian foreign minister Guillaume Long.
On 11 April 2019 the Ecuadorian government invited the Metropolitan Police into the embassy, and they arrested Assange on the basis of a US extradition warrant. Moreno stated that Ecuador withdrew Assange's asylum after he interfered in Ecuador's domestic affairs, calling Assange a "miserable hacker". British foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt and prime minister Theresa May applauded Moreno's actions, while Australian prime minister, Scott Morrison, said the arrest "has got nothing to do with [Australia], it is a matter for the US". United Nations Special Rapporteur Agnès Callamard said that British authorities had arbitrarily detained Assange and further endangered his life by their actions.
Conviction for breach of bail
On the day of his arrest, Assange was charged with breaching the Bail Act 1976 and was found guilty after a short hearing. Assange's defence said chief magistrate Emma Arbuthnot, who had dealt with his case, was biased against him as her husband was directly affected by WikiLeaks' allegations. Judge Michael Snow said it was "unacceptable" to air the claim in front of a "packed press gallery" and that Assange was "a narcissist who cannot get beyond his own selfish interest" and he had "not come close to establishing reasonable excuse".
Assange was remanded to Belmarsh Prison, and on 1 May 2019 was sentenced to 50 weeks imprisonment. The judge said he would be released after serving half of his sentence, subject to other proceedings and conditional upon committing no further offences. The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention said that the verdict contravened "principles of necessity and proportionality" for what it considered a "minor violation". Assange appealed his sentence, but dropped his appeal in July.
Espionage indictment in the United States
In 2012 and 2013, US officials indicated that Assange was not named in a sealed indictment. On 6 March 2018, a federal grand jury for the Eastern District of Virginia issued a sealed indictment against Assange. In November 2018, US prosecutors accidentally revealed the indictment.
In February 2019, Chelsea Manning was subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury in Virginia in the case. When Manning condemned the secrecy of the hearings and refused to testify, she was jailed for contempt of court on 8 March 2019. On 16 May 2019, Manning refused to testify before a new grand jury investigating Assange, stating that she "believe[d] this grand jury seeks to undermine the integrity of public discourse with the aim of punishing those who expose any serious, ongoing, and systemic abuses of power by this government". She was returned to jail for the 18-month term of the grand jury with financial penalties. In June 2021, Chelsea Manning said her grand jury resistance was not contingent on Julian Assange being the target, and that she was not even sure he was. "I treated this no differently than if it was for a protest or for some other grand jury—if it was a grand jury in general, I would respond the same way. But it did appear that this one was about, specifically, the 2010 disclosures; the media was speculating, but our legal team and ourselves, we never got full confirmation as to whether that was the case."
On 11 April 2019, the day of Assange's arrest in London, the indictment against him was unsealed. He was charged with conspiracy to commit computer intrusion (i.e., hacking into a government computer), which carries a maximum five-year sentence. The charges stem from the allegation that Assange attempted and failed to crack a password hash so that Chelsea Manning could use a different username to download classified documents and avoid detection. This allegation had been known since 2011 and was a factor in Manning's trial; the indictment did not reveal any new information about Assange.
On 23 May 2019, Assange was indicted on 17 new charges relating to the Espionage Act of 1917 in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. These charges carried a maximum sentence of 170 years in prison. The Obama administration had debated charging Assange under the Espionage Act, but decided against it out of fear that it would have a negative effect on investigative journalism and could be unconstitutional. The New York Times commented that it and other news organisations obtained the same documents as WikiLeaks also without government authorisation. It said it was not clear how WikiLeaks' publications were legally different from other publications of classified information.
Most cases brought under the Espionage Act have been against government employees who accessed sensitive information and leaked it to journalists and others. Prosecuting people for acts related to receiving and publishing information has not previously been tested in court. In 1975, the Justice Department decided after consideration not to charge journalist Seymour Hersh for reporting on US surveillance of the Soviet Union. Two lobbyists for a pro-Israel group were charged in 2005 with receiving and sharing classified information about American policy toward Iran. The charges, however, did not relate to the publication of the documents and the case was dropped in 2009.
The Associated Press reported that the indictment raised concerns about media freedom, as Assange's solicitation and publication of classified information is a routine job journalists perform. Steve Vladeck, a professor at the University of Texas School of Law, stated that what Assange is accused of doing is factually different from but legally similar to what professional journalists do. Suzanne Nossel of PEN America said it was immaterial if Assange was a journalist or publisher and pointed instead to First Amendment concerns.
While some American politicians supported the arrest and indictment of Julian Assange, several non-government organisations for press freedom condemned it. Mark Warner, vice chairman of the United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said that Assange was "a dedicated accomplice in efforts to undermine American security". Several jurists, politicians, associations, academics and campaigners viewed the arrest of Assange as an attack on freedom of the press and international law. Reporters Without Borders said Assange's arrest would "set a dangerous precedent for journalists, whistle-blowers, and other journalistic sources that the US may wish to pursue in the future". Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch, wrote that Assange's prosecution for publishing leaked documents is "a major threat to global media freedom". United Nations human rights expert Agnes Callamard said the indictment exposed him to the risk of serious human rights violations. Ben Wizner from the American Civil Liberties Union said that prosecuting Assange "for violating US secrecy laws would set an especially dangerous precedent for US journalists, who routinely violate foreign secrecy laws to deliver information vital to the public's interest".
Imprisonment in the UK
Since his arrest on 11 April 2019, Assange has been incarcerated in Belmarsh Prison in London.
After examining Assange on 9 May 2019, Nils Melzer, the United Nations special rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, concluded that "in addition to physical ailments, Mr Assange showed all symptoms typical for prolonged exposure to psychological torture, including extreme stress, chronic anxiety and intense psychological trauma." The British government said it disagreed with some of his observations. In a later interview, Melzer criticised the "secretive grand jury indictment in the United States", the "abusive manner in which Swedish prosecutors disseminated, re-cycled and perpetuated their 'preliminary investigation' into alleged sexual offences", the "termination by Ecuador of Mr Assange's asylum status and citizenship without any form of due process", and the "overt bias against Mr Assange being shown by British judges since his arrest". He said the United States, UK, Sweden and Ecuador were trying to make an example of Assange. He also accused journalists of "spreading abusive and deliberately distorted narratives". Shortly after Melzer's visit, Assange was transferred to the prison's health care unit.
On 13 September 2019, District Judge Vanessa Baraitser ruled that Assange would not be released on 22 September when his prison term ended because he was a and his lawyer had not applied for bail. She said when his sentence came to an end, his status would change from a serving prisoner to a person facing extradition.
On 1 November 2019, Melzer said that Assange's health had continued to deteriorate and his life was now at risk. He said that the UK government had not acted on the issue.
On 22 November, an open letter to the UK Home Secretary and Shadow Home Secretary signed by a group of medical practitioners named Doctors for Assange said Assange's health was declining to such an extent that he could die in prison. Subsequent attempts by the group, made to the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice Robert Buckland, and to Marise Payne, the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, also yielded no result.
On 30 December 2019, Melzer accused the UK government of torturing Julian Assange. He said Assange's "continued exposure to severe mental and emotional suffering... clearly amounts to psychological torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment."
On 17 February 2020, the medical journal The Lancet published an open letter from Doctors for Assange in which they said Assange was in a "dire state of health due to the effects of prolonged psychological torture in both the Ecuadorian embassy and Belmarsh prison" which could lead to his death and that his "politically motivated medical neglect... sets a dangerous precedent". On the same day, Reporters Without Borders posted a separate petition which accused the Trump administration of acting in "retaliation for (Assange's) facilitating major revelations in the international media about the way the United States conducted its wars". The petition said, Assange's publications "were clearly in the public interest and not espionage". Australian MPs Andrew Wilkie and George Christensen visited Assange and pressed the UK and Australian governments to intervene to stop his being extradited.
On 25 March 2020, Assange was denied bail after Judge Baraitser rejected his lawyers' argument that his imprisonment would put him at high risk of contracting COVID-19. She said Assange's past conduct showed how far he was willing to go to avoid extradition. In November 2021, his father told a French interview program that Assange had received a non-mandatory COVID-19 vaccination in Belmarsh Prison.
On 25 June 2020, Doctors for Assange published another letter in The Lancet, "reiterating their demand to end the torture and medical neglect of Julian Assange", in which they state their "professional and ethical duty to speak out against, report, and stop torture".
In September 2020, an open letter in support of Assange was sent to Boris Johnson with the signatures of two current heads of state and approximately 160 other politicians. The following month, U.S. Representatives Tulsi Gabbard, a Democrat, and Thomas Massie, a Republican, introduced a resolution opposing the extradition of Assange. In December 2020, German human rights commissioner Bärbel Kofler cautioned the UK about the need to consider Assange's physical and mental health before deciding whether to extradite him.
Hearings on extradition to the U.S.
On 2 May 2019, the first hearing was held in London into the U.S. request for Assange's extradition. When asked by Judge Snow whether he consented to extradition, Assange replied, "I do not wish to surrender myself for extradition for doing journalism that has won many, many awards and protected many people". On 13 June, British Home Secretary Sajid Javid said he had signed the extradition order.
Towards the end of 2019, Judge Emma Arbuthnot, who had presided at several of the extradition hearings, stepped aside because of a "perception of bias". Vanessa Baraitser was appointed as the presiding judge.
On 21 October 2019, Assange appeared at the court for a case management hearing. When Judge Baraitser asked about his understanding of the proceedings, Assange replied:
In February 2020, the court heard legal arguments. Assange's lawyers contended that he had been charged with political offences and therefore could not be extradited. The hearings were delayed for months due to requests for extra time from the prosecution and the defence and due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In March, the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute, IBAHRI, condemned the mistreatment of Julian Assange in the extradition trial.
Assange appeared in court on 7 September 2020, facing a new indictment with 18 counts:
Conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information;
Conspiracy to commit computer intrusions;
Obtaining national defence information (seven counts); and
Disclosure of national defence information (nine counts).
The US Department of Justice stated that the new indictment "broaden[s] the scope of... alleged computer intrusions", alleging that Assange "communicated directly with a leader of the hacking group LulzSec[,]... provided a list of targets for LulzSec to hack" and "[conspired] with Army Intelligence Analyst Chelsea Manning to crack a password hash". Judge Baraitser denied motions by Assange's barristers to dismiss the new charges or to adjourn in order to better respond.
Some witnesses who testified in September, such as Daniel Ellsberg, did so remotely via video link due to COVID-19 restrictions. Technical problems caused extensive delays. Amnesty International, PEN Norway, and eight members of the European Parliament had their access to the livestream revoked. Baraitser responded that the initial invitations had been sent in error. Torture victim Khaled el-Masri, who was originally requested as a defence witness, had his testimony reduced to a written statement. Other witnesses testified that the conditions of imprisonment, which would be likely to worsen upon extradition to the U.S., placed Assange at a high risk of depression and suicide which was exacerbated by his Asperger syndrome. During the court proceedings the defence drew attention to a prison service report stating that a hidden razor blade had been found by a prison officer during a search of Assange's cell. During the proceedings it was also revealed that Assange had contacted the Samaritans phone service on numerous occasions.
Patrick Eller, a former forensics examiner with the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command, testified that Assange did not crack and could not have cracked the password mentioned in the U.S. indictment, as Chelsea Manning had intentionally sent only a portion of the password's hash. Moreover, Eller stated that password cracking was a common topic of discussion among other soldiers stationed at Forward Operating Base Hammer, suggesting that Manning's message was unrelated to the classified documents which were already in her possession. Testimony on 30 September revealed new allegations surrounding the surveillance of the Ecuadorian embassy by UC Global. A former UC Global employee, who spoke anonymously fearing reprisals, stated that the firm undertook "an increasingly sophisticated operation" after it was put into contact with the Trump administration by Sheldon Adelson. According to the employee, intelligence agents discussed plans to break into the embassy to kidnap or poison Assange and attempted to obtain the DNA of a baby who was believed to be Assange's child.
To coincide with the end of the hearing, Progressive International convened a virtual event called the Belmarsh Tribunal, modelled after the Russell Tribunal, to scrutinise what it calls "the crimes that have been revealed by Assange, and the crimes that have been committed against him, in turn".
Hearings, including a statement in support of the defence by Noam Chomsky, concluded on 1 October 2020.
On 4 January 2021, Judge Baraitser ruled that Assange could not be extradited to the United States, citing concerns about his mental health and the risk of suicide in a US prison. She sided with the US on every other point, including whether the charges constituted political offences and whether he was entitled to freedom of speech protections.
Appeal and other developments
On 6 January 2021, Assange was denied bail on the grounds that he was a flight risk, pending an appeal by the United States. The US prosecutors lodged an appeal of the denial of extradition on 15 January.
Following the decision by Judge Baraitser that it would be "oppressive to extradite [Assange] to the United States," in July 2021 the Biden administration assured the Crown Prosecution Services that "Mr Assange will not be subject to SAMs or imprisoned at ADX (unless he were to do something subsequent to the offering of these assurances that meets the tests for the imposition of SAMs or designation to ADX)". The United States also assured that it "will consent to Mr Assange being transferred to Australia to serve any custodial sentence imposed on him." An Amnesty International expert on national security and human rights in Europe said, "Those are not assurances at all. It's not that difficult to look at those assurances and say: these are inherently unreliable, it promises to do something and then reserves the right to break the promise".
In June 2021 Icelandic newspaper Stundin published details of an interview with Sigurdur Ingi Thordarson, the witness identified as "Teenager" in the U.S. Justice Department's case against Assange. In the interview Thordarson, who had received a promise of immunity from prosecution in return for co-operating with the FBI, stated he had fabricated allegations used in the U.S. indictment.
In June 2021, Julian Assange's half brother Gabriel Shipton and father John Shipton left Australia to conduct a month-long 17 city tour of the United States to generate awareness and support for Assange and press freedom. In a Saint Paul, Minnesota event, sponsored by Women Against Military Madness, the Shiptons asked supporters to appeal to members of Congress to weigh in with the Justice Department to reconsider its prosecution. Ecuador revoked Assange's citizenship in July 2021.
In August 2021 in the High Court, Lord Justice Holroyde decided that Judge Baraitser may have given too much weight to what Holroyde called "a misleading report" by an expert witness for the defence, psychiatrist Prof Michael Kopelman, and granted permission for the contested risk of suicide to be raised on the appeal.
In October 2021, the High Court held a two-day appeal hearing presided over by Ian Burnett, Baron Burnett of Maldon, Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, and Lord Justice Holroyde. In opening the U.S. as appellant argued that Assange's health issues were less severe than claimed during the initial extradition hearing and that his depression was moderate rather than severe. They also drew attention to binding assurances given by the U.S. concerning his proposed treatment in custody. In answer Assange's defence drew attention to a Yahoo! News report that the CIA had plotted to poison, abduct or assassinate Assange. Edward Fitzgerald QC argued: "Given the revelations of surveillance in the embassy and plots to kill [Assange]," "there are great grounds for fearing what will be done to him" if extradited to the U.S. He urged the court "not to trust [the] assurances" of the "same government" alleged to have plotted Assange's killing. According to his partner Stella Moris, Assange suffered a mini-stroke on 27 October while sitting through the court hearing and was subsequently given anti-stroke medication.
On 10 December 2021, the High Court ruled in favour of the United States. The Lord Chief Justice and Lord Justice Holroyde ruled that, in line with previous judgements, when the US administration gives a promise of fair and humane treatment its word should not be doubted. The case has been remitted to Westminster Magistrates' Court with the direction that it be sent to the Home Secretary Priti Patel for the final decision on whether to extradite Assange. On 24 January 2022 Assange was granted permission to petition the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom for an appeal hearing.
Writings and opinions
Assange has written a few short pieces, including "State and terrorist conspiracies" (2006), "Conspiracy as governance" (2006), "The hidden curse of Thomas Paine" (2008), "What's new about WikiLeaks?" (2011), and the foreword to Cypherpunks (2012). Cypherpunks is primarily a transcript of World Tomorrow episode eight, a two-part interview between Assange, Jacob Appelbaum, Andy Müller-Maguhn, and Jérémie Zimmermann. In the foreword, Assange said, "the Internet, our greatest tool for emancipation, has been transformed into the most dangerous facilitator of totalitarianism we have ever seen". He also contributed research to Suelette Dreyfus's Underground (1997), and received a co-writer credit for the Calle 13 song "Multi Viral" (2013). In 2010, Assange said he was a libertarian and that "WikiLeaks is designed to make capitalism more free and ethical".
In 2010, Assange received a deal for his autobiography worth at least US$1.3million. In 2011, Canongate Books published Julian Assange, The Unauthorised Autobiography. Assange immediately disavowed it, stating, "I am not 'the writer' of this book. I own the copyright of the manuscript, which was written by Andrew O'Hagan." Assange accused Canongate of breaching their contract by publishing, against his wishes, a draft that Assange considered "a work in progress" and "entirely uncorrected or fact-checked by me." In 2014, O'Hagan wrote about his experience as Assange's ghostwriter. "The story of his life mortified him and sent him scurrying for excuses," O'Hagan recalled. "He didn't want to do the book. He hadn't from the beginning." Colin Robinson, co-publisher of Assange's 2012 book Cypherpunks, criticised O'Hagan for largely ignoring the bigger issues about which Assange had been warning, and noted that O'Hagan's piece "is no part of an organised dirty tricks campaign. But by focusing as it does on Assange's character defects, it ends up serving much the same purpose."
Assange's book When Google Met WikiLeaks was published by OR Books in 2014. It recounts when Google CEO Eric Schmidt requested a meeting with Assange, while he was on bail in rural Norfolk, UK. Schmidt was accompanied by Jared Cohen, director of Google Ideas; Lisa Shields, vice president of the Council on Foreign Relations; and Scott Malcomson, the communications director for the International Crisis Group. Excerpts were published on the Newsweek website, while Assange participated in a Q&A event that was facilitated by the Reddit website and agreed to an interview with Vogue magazine.
In 2011, an article in Private Eye by its editor, Ian Hislop, recounted a rambling phone call he had received from Assange, who was especially angry about Private Eye′s report that Israel Shamir, an Assange associate in Russia, was a Holocaust denier. Assange suggested, Hislop wrote, "that British journalists, including the editor of The Guardian, were engaged in a Jewish-led conspiracy to smear his organization." Assange subsequently responded that Hislop had "distorted, invented or misremembered almost every significant claim and phrase." He added, "We treasure our strong Jewish support and staff, just as we treasure the support from pan-Arab democracy activists and others who share our hope for a just world."
Personal life
While in his teens, Assange married a girl named Teresa, and in 1989 they had a son named Daniel. The couple separated and disputed custody of Daniel until 1999. According to Assange's mother, during the time of the custody dispute, his brown hair turned white. In 2015, in an open letter to French President Hollande, Assange said that his youngest child was French, as was the child's mother. He also said his family had faced death threats and harassment because of his work, forcing them to change identities and reduce contact with him.
In 2015, Assange began a relationship with Stella Moris ( Stella Moris-Smith Robertson), his South African-born lawyer. They became engaged in 2017 and had two children. Moris revealed their relationship in 2020 because she feared for Assange's life. On 7 November 2021, the couple said they were preparing legal action against Deputy UK Prime Minister Dominic Raab and Jenny Louis, governor of Belmarsh prison. Assange and Moris accused Raab and Louis of denying their and their two children's human rights by blocking and delaying Moris and Assange from getting married. On 11 November, the prison service said it had granted permission for the couple to marry in Belmarsh prison. The service said the application had been "considered in the usual way by the prison governor".
Assessments
Views on Assange have been given by a number of public figures, including journalists, well-known whistleblowers, activists and world leaders. In July 2010, Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg said that "Assange has shown much better judgment with respect to what he has revealed than the people who kept those items secret inside the government." In October 2010, Ellsberg flew to London to give Assange his support. In November 2010, an individual from the office of Dmitry Medvedev, the President of Russia, suggested that Assange should be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. In December 2010, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, then President of Brazil, said "They have arrested him and I don't hear so much as a single protest for freedom of expression". Vladimir Putin, the prime minister of Russia, asked at a press conference "Why is Mr Assange in prison? Is this democracy?" In the same month, Julia Gillard, Prime Minister of Australia, described his activities as "illegal", but the Australian Federal Police said he had not broken Australian law. Joe Biden, the vice president of the United States, was asked whether he saw Assange as closer to a high-tech terrorist than to whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg. Biden responded that he "would argue it is closer to being a high-tech terrorist than the Pentagon Papers". In November 2011, Vaughan Smith, founder of the Frontline Club, supported Assange and in July 2012 offered his residence in Norfolk for Assange to continue WikiLeaks' operations whilst in the UK. In April 2012, interviewed on Assange's television show World Tomorrow, Ecuadorian president Rafael Correa praised WikiLeaks and told his host "Cheer up! Cheer up! Welcome to the club of the persecuted!" In August 2012, historian and journalist Tariq Ali and former ambassador and author Craig Murray spoke in support of Assange outside the Ecuadorian embassy. In April 2013, filmmaker Oliver Stone stated that "Julian Assange did much for free speech and is now being victimised by the abusers of that concept." In November 2014, Spanish Podemos party leader Pablo Iglesias also gave his support to Assange. In July 2015, British Member of Parliament Jeremy Corbyn opposed Assange's extradition to the US, and as Labour Party leader in April 2019 said the British government should oppose Assange's extradition to the US "for exposing evidence of atrocities in Iraq and Afghanistan".
In July 2016, artist and activist Ai Weiwei, musicians Patti Smith, Brian Eno and PJ Harvey, scholars Noam Chomsky and Yanis Varoufakis, fashion designer Vivienne Westwood and filmmaker Ken Loach were amongst those attending an event in support of Assange at the embassy. That same month, the documentary filmmaker and long-time supporter Michael Moore also visited Assange in the embassy. In December 2019, Australian journalist Mary Kostakidis said, "I became fascinated at this young, idealistic Australian, very tech-savvy, who developed a way for whistleblowers to upload data anonymously" and that she would be giving "100 per cent of my attention and resources" to his defence. In January 2021, Australian journalist John Pilger stated that, were Assange to be extradited, "no journalist who challenges power will be safe".
American politicians Mitch McConnell, Newt Gingrich and Sarah Palin each either referred to Assange as "a high-tech terrorist" or suggested that through publishing US diplomatic traffic he was engaged in terrorism. Other American and Canadian politicians and media personalities, including Tom Flanagan, Bob Beckel, Mike Huckabee and Michael Grunwald, called for his assassination or execution, though Grunwald later apologised for this, saying, "It was a dumb tweet. I'm sorry. I deserve the backlash."
Honours and awards
Works
Bibliography
Underground: Tales of Hacking, Madness and Obsession on the Electronic Frontier (1997)
Cypherpunks: Freedom and the Future of the Internet. OR Books, 2012. .
When Google Met WikiLeaks. OR Books, 2014. .
The WikiLeaks Files: The World According to The US Empire. By WikiLeaks. Verso Books, 2015. (with an Introduction by Julian Assange).
Filmography
As himself
The War You Don't See (2010)
The Simpsons (2012) (cameo; episode "At Long Last Leave")
Citizenfour (2014)
The Yes Men Are Revolting (2014)
Terminal F/Chasing Edward Snowden (2015)
Asylum (2016)
Risk (2016)
Architects of Denial (2017)
The New Radical (2017)
See also
List of people who took refuge in a diplomatic mission
List of peace activists
Lauri Love, who in 2018 won an appeal in the High Court of England against extradition to the United States
Gary McKinnon, whose extradition to the United States was blocked in 2012 by then-Home Secretary Theresa May
Ross Ulbricht
Thomas A. Drake
Jeremy Hammond, who was summoned to appear before a Virginia federal grand jury which was investigating Julian Assange. He was held in civil contempt of court after refusing to testify.
Ola Bini, who was arrested in April 2019 in Ecuador apparently due to his association with Julian Assange and WikiLeaks.
Notes
References
Further reading
Books
Nick Cohen, You Can't Read this Book: Censorship in an Age of Freedom (2012).
Films
Underground: The Julian Assange Story (2012), Australian TV drama that premiered at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival.
Julian (2012), Australian short film about nine-year-old Julian Assange. The film won several awards and prizes.
The Fifth Estate (2013), American thriller that Assange said was a 'serious propaganda attack' on WikiLeaks and its staff.
Mediastan (2013), Swedish documentary produced by Assange to challenge The Fifth Estate.
We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks (2013), American documentary.
Risk (2016), American documentary.
Hacking Justice (2017), German documentary.
Ithaka (2021), Australian documentary produced by Assange's brother Gabriel Shipton, which deals with his father's worldwide campaign for Julian's release from prison.
External links
1971 births
21st-century Australian male writers
Activists from Melbourne
Articles containing video clips
Australian computer programmers
Australian editors
Australian expatriates in the United Kingdom
Australian founders
Australian libertarians
Australian publishers (people)
Australian whistleblowers
Australia–United States relations
Central Queensland University alumni
Cypherpunks
Inmates of HM Prison Belmarsh
Internet activists
Living people
Media critics
Open content activists
People associated with Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections
People associated with the 2016 United States presidential election
People from Townsville
People with Asperger syndrome
Political party founders
Prisoners and detainees of England and Wales
RT (TV network) people
United Kingdom–United States relations
University of Melbourne alumni
WikiLeaks
| false |
[
"Onihitokuchi (鬼一口) are oni from Japanese setsuwa that have one eye and eat and kill humans.\n\nSummary\nAs an example of a representative story, in the beginning of the Heian Era, in the uta monogatari \"The Tales of Ise,\" there is the sixth part, \".\" A certain man visited a woman for several years, but due to their difference in social status, they were not able to get together. One time, the man finally stole that woman, but while he was fleeing, as the night grew late, a thunderstorm came, so he found a cellar that did not fasten its doors and made the woman go in, and with a bow and arrow in his own possession, stood guard in front of the cellar, and waited for dawn. Before long, dawn came and when he peeped into the cellar, there was no figure of any woman. The woman was killed and eaten in one mouthful by an oni that lived in the cellar, and the shriek that she made when she died was erased by the sound of lightning.\n\nThis story was depicted in the collection of yōkai depictions, the Konjaku Hyakki Shūi by Sekien Toriyama under the title \"onihitokuchi,\" and in the explanatory text, the man was Ariwara no Narihira, and the woman was Fujiwara no Takaiko, but in actuality their names were not specified in \"The Tales of Ise,\" and the view that it was a tale of Ariwara no Narihira was an explanation in common language.\n\nOther than that, in the collection of setsuwa, the Nihon Ryōiki from the beginning of the Heian era, there was a story where a man and woman made their vows to each other one night, but in reality the man was an oni who ate the woman, and in the collection of setsuwa, the Konjaku Monogatarishū from the end of the Heian era, there was a story where women who walked outside at night would be suddenly taken away by a man, and as the man was actually an oni, the women would be eaten in one mouthful.\n\nThere is the theory that the reason why stories of \"onihitokuchi\" were common is that wars, disasters, and famines where people lose their lives or go missing were interpreted as oni from another world appearing in the present world who take away humans.\n\nReferences\n\nOni\nJapanese folklore",
"Emma B. Alrich (, Eldridge; April 4, 1845 – December 15, 1925) was an American journalist, author, and educator. Though she hailed from New Jersey, she removed to Kansas after marriage. Alrich served as Filing Clerk of the Kansas Legislature, and was the only woman in her day who served as superintendent of the city schools of Mitchell County, Kansas. She was a charter member of the National Woman's Relief Corps, as well as its national senior vice-president. She was the department president of Kansas, and charter member of the organization in 1883 at Denver, Colorado. Eldridge died in 1925.\n\nEarly years and education\nEmma B. Eldridge was born in Cape May County, New Jersey, April 4, 1845. She was a first child. At the age of three, a New Testament was given to her as a prize because she could read it. Two years later, she was selling blackberries to buy an arithmetic book. At age twelve, she joined the Baptist Church and she began to write for the county paper.\n\nWhen she was sixteen, Alrich taught the summer school at her home. In 1862, she entered the State Normal School (now The College of New Jersey) in Trenton, New Jersey, going out for six months in the middle of the course to earn the money to finish it. She was graduated in June, 1864, as valedictorian of her class.\n\nCareer\n\nAlrich began to teach in a summer school immediately following her graduation. On February 13, 1886, she married Levi L. Alrich, who had won laurels as one of Baker's Cavalry, of 71st Pennsylvania Infantry. Her first two years of married life were spent in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1876, the Centennial opened up new possibilities and the couple settled in Cawker City, Kansas. There, she again taught school, was the first woman in Mitchell County to take the highest grade certificate, and the only woman at the time who served as superintendent of the city schools. She was a supporter of teachers' meetings, church social gatherings, a public library and a woman's club.\n\nIn 1883, her husband's failing health compelled a change in business. He bought the Free Press, and changed its name to the Public Record. All the work of the office was done by their family. Besides her journalistic work, she served two years on the board of teachers' examiners. She was one of the forty who organized the National Woman's Relief Corps, one of the three who founded the Woman's Hesperian Library Club, and was the founder of the Kansas Woman's Press Association. Alrich had little time for purely literary work. \n\nShe died December 15, 1925, in Cawker City, and was buried in the Prairie Grove Cemetery.\n\nReferences\n\nAttribution\n\nBibliography\n\nExternal links\n \n Emma B. Alrich at womansreliefcorps.org\n\n1845 births\n1925 deaths\n19th-century American women writers\n19th-century American journalists\n19th-century American educators\n19th-century American women educators\nThe College of New Jersey alumni\nPeople from Cape May County, New Jersey\nAmerican women journalists\nWriters from New Jersey\nSchoolteachers from Kansas\nAmerican school superintendents\nWoman's Relief Corps people\nWikipedia articles incorporating text from A Woman of the Century"
] |
[
"Julian Assange",
"Swedish sexual assault allegations",
"What was he alleged of doing?",
"he became the subject of sexual assault allegations from two women with whom he had sex.",
"Who was one of the woman?",
"I don't know."
] |
C_64d98f3da46040bd8ec1317d5f9caf0a_0
|
Was there formal charges made?
| 3 |
Was there formal charges made by the ones who were sexually assaulted by Julian Assange?
|
Julian Assange
|
Assange visited Sweden in August 2010. During his visit, he became the subject of sexual assault allegations from two women with whom he had sex. He was questioned, the case was initially closed, and he was told he could leave the country. In November 2010, however, the case was re-opened by a special prosecutor who said that she wanted to question Assange over two counts of sexual molestation, one count of unlawful coercion and one count of "lesser-degree rape" (mindre grov valdtakt). Assange denied the allegations and said he was happy to face questions in Britain. In 2010, the prosecutor said Swedish law prevented her from questioning anyone by video link or in the London embassy. In March 2015, after public criticism from other Swedish law practitioners, she changed her mind and agreed to interrogate Assange in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, with interviews finally beginning on 14 November 2016. These interviews involved police, Swedish prosecutors and Ecuadorian officials and were eventually published online. By this time, the statute of limitations had expired on all three of the less serious allegations. Since the Swedish prosecutor had not interviewed Assange by 18 August 2015, the questioning pertained only to the open investigation of "lesser degree rape", whose statute of limitations is due to expire in 2020. On 19 May 2017, the Swedish authorities dropped their investigation against Assange, claiming they could not expect the Ecuadorian Embassy to communicate reliably with Assange with respect to the case. Chief prosecutor Marianne Ny officially revoked his arrest warrant, but said the investigation could still be resumed if Assange visited Sweden before August 2020. "We are not making any pronouncement about guilt", she said. CANNOTANSWER
|
He was questioned, the case was initially closed, and he was told he could leave the country.
|
Julian Paul Assange (; né Hawkins; born 3 July 1971) is an Australian editor, publisher and activist who founded WikiLeaks in 2006. WikiLeaks came to international attention in 2010 when it published a series of leaks provided by U.S. Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning. These leaks included the Baghdad airstrike Collateral Murder video (April 2010), the Afghanistan war logs (July 2010), the Iraq war logs (October 2010), and Cablegate (November 2010). After the 2010 leaks, the United States government launched a criminal investigation into WikiLeaks.
In November 2010, Sweden issued an international arrest warrant for Assange over allegations of sexual misconduct. Assange said the allegations were a pretext for his extradition from Sweden to the United States over his role in the publication of secret American documents. After losing his battle against extradition to Sweden, he breached bail and took refuge in the Embassy of Ecuador in London in June 2012. He was granted asylum by Ecuador in August 2012 on the grounds of political persecution, with the presumption that if he were extradited to Sweden, he would be eventually extradited to the US. Swedish prosecutors dropped their investigation in 2019, saying their evidence had "weakened considerably due to the long period of time that has elapsed since the events in question."
During the 2016 U.S. election campaign, WikiLeaks published confidential Democratic Party emails, showing that the party's national committee favoured Hillary Clinton over her rival Bernie Sanders in the primaries.
On 11 April 2019, Assange's asylum was withdrawn following a series of disputes with the Ecuadorian authorities. The police were invited into the embassy and he was arrested. He was found guilty of breaching the Bail Act and sentenced to 50 weeks in prison. The United States government unsealed an indictment against Assange related to the leaks provided by Manning. On 23 May 2019, the United States government further charged Assange with violating the Espionage Act of 1917. Editors from newspapers, including The Washington Post and The New York Times, as well as press freedom organisations, criticised the government's decision to charge Assange under the Espionage Act, characterising it as an attack on the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, which guarantees freedom of the press. On 4 January 2021, UK District Judge Vanessa Baraitser ruled against the United States' request to extradite Assange and stated that doing so would be "oppressive" given concerns over Assange's mental health and risk of suicide. On 6 January 2021, Assange was denied bail, pending an appeal by the United States. On 10 December 2021, the High Court in London ruled that Assange can be extradited to the US to face the charges.
Assange has been confined in Belmarsh maximum-security prison in London since April 2019.
Early life
Assange was born Julian Paul Hawkins on 3 July 1971 in Townsville, Queensland, to Christine Ann Hawkins (b. 1951), a visual artist, and John Shipton, an anti-war activist and builder. The couple separated before their son was born. When Julian was a year old, his mother married Brett Assange, an actor with whom she ran a small theatre company and whom Julian regards as his father (choosing Assange as his surname). Christine and Brett Assange divorced around 1979. Christine then became involved with Leif Meynell, also known as Leif Hamilton, whom Julian Assange later described as "a member of an Australian cult" called The Family. They separated in 1982.
Julian had a nomadic childhood, living in more than 30 Australian towns and cities by the time he reached his mid-teens, when he settled with his mother and half-brother in Melbourne. Assange attended many schools, including Goolmangar Primary School in New South Wales (1979–1983) and Townsville State High School in Queensland as well as being schooled at home.
In 1987, aged 16, Assange began hacking under the name Mendax, supposedly taken from Horace's splendide mendax (nobly lying). He and two others, known as "Trax" and "Prime Suspect", formed a hacking group they called "the International Subversives". According to David Leigh and Luke Harding, Assange may have been involved in the WANK (Worms Against Nuclear Killers) hack at NASA in 1989, but this has never been proven.
In September 1991, Assange was discovered hacking into the Melbourne master terminal of Nortel, a Canadian multinational telecommunications corporation. The Australian Federal Police tapped Assange's phone line (he was using a modem), raided his home at the end of October and eventually charged him in 1994 with 31 counts of hacking and related crimes. In December 1996, he pleaded guilty to 24 charges (the others were dropped) and was ordered to pay reparations of A$2,100 and released on a good behaviour bond. He received a lenient penalty due to the absence of malicious or mercenary intent and his disrupted childhood.
Assange studied programming, mathematics and physics at Central Queensland University (1994) and the University of Melbourne (2003–2006), but did not complete a degree.
In 1993, Assange used his computing skills to help the Victoria Police Child Exploitation Unit to prosecute individuals responsible for publishing and distributing child pornography. In the same year, he was involved in starting one of the first public Internet service providers in Australia, Suburbia Public Access Network. He began programming in 1994, authoring or co-authoring the TCP port scanner Strobe (1995), patches to the open-source database PostgreSQL (1996), the Usenet caching software NNTPCache (1996), the Rubberhose deniable encryption system (1997) (which reflected his growing interest in cryptography), and Surfraw, a command-line interface for web-based search engines (2000). During this period, he also moderated the AUCRYPTO forum, ran Best of Security, a website "giving advice on computer security" that had 5,000 subscribers in 1996, and contributed research to Suelette Dreyfus's Underground (1997), a book about Australian hackers, including the International Subversives. In 1998, he co-founded the company Earthmen Technology.
Assange stated that he registered the domain leaks.org in 1999, but "didn't do anything with it". He did publicise a patent granted to the National Security Agency in August 1999, for voice-data harvesting technology: "This patent should worry people. Everyone's overseas phone calls are or may soon be tapped, transcribed and archived in the bowels of an unaccountable foreign spy agency."
Founding WikiLeaks
Early publications
Assange and others established WikiLeaks in 2006. Assange became a member of the organisation's advisory board and described himself as the editor-in-chief. From 2007 to 2010, Assange travelled continuously on WikiLeaks business, visiting Africa, Asia, Europe and North America. During this time, the organisation published internet censorship lists, leaks, and classified media from anonymous sources. These publications including revelations about drone strikes in Yemen, corruption across the Arab world, extrajudicial executions by Kenyan police, 2008 Tibetan unrest in China, and the "Petrogate" oil scandal in Peru.
WikiLeaks' international profile increased in 2008 when a Swiss bank, Julius Baer, failed to block the site's publication of bank records. Assange commented that financial institutions ordinarily "operate outside the rule of law", and received extensive legal support from free-speech and civil rights groups.
In September 2008, during the 2008 United States presidential election campaign, the contents of a Yahoo! account belonging to Sarah Palin (the running mate of Republican presidential nominee John McCain) were posted on WikiLeaks after being hacked into by members of Anonymous. After briefly appearing on a blog, the membership list of the far-right British National Party was posted to WikiLeaks on 18 November 2008.
WikiLeaks released a report disclosing a "serious nuclear accident" at the Iranian Natanz nuclear facility in 2009. According to media reports, the accident may have been the direct result of a cyber-attack at Iran's nuclear program, carried out with the Stuxnet computer worm, a cyber-weapon built jointly by the United States and Israel.
Iraq and Afghan War logs and US diplomatic cables
The material WikiLeaks published between 2006 and 2009 attracted various degrees of international attention, but after it began publishing documents supplied by U.S. Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning, WikiLeaks became a household name.
In April 2010, WikiLeaks released the Collateral Murder video, which showed United States soldiers fatally shooting 18 civilians from a helicopter in Iraq, including Reuters journalists Namir Noor-Eldeen and his assistant Saeed Chmagh. Reuters had previously made a request to the US government for the Collateral Murder video under Freedom of Information but had been denied. Assange and others worked for a week to break the U.S. military's encryption of the video.
In October 2010, WikiLeaks published the Iraq War logs, a collection of 391,832 United States Army field reports from the Iraq War covering the period from 2004 to 2009. Assange said that he hoped the publication would "correct some of that attack on the truth that occurred before the war, during the war, and which has continued after the war".
Regarding his own role within WikiLeaks, he said, "We always expect tremendous criticism. It is my role to be the lightning rod... to attract the attacks against the organization for our work, and that is a difficult role. On the other hand, I get undue credit".
Other Manning material published by WikiLeaks included the Afghanistan War logs in July 2010, and the Guantánamo Bay files in April 2011.
WikiLeaks published a quarter of a million U.S. diplomatic cables, known as the "Cablegate" files, in November 2010. WikiLeaks initially worked with established Western media organisations, and later with smaller regional media organisations, while also publishing the cables upon which their reporting was based. The files showed United States espionage against the United Nations and other world leaders, revealed tensions between the U.S. and its allies, and exposed corruption in countries throughout the world as documented by U.S. diplomats, helping to spark the Arab Spring. The Cablegate and Iraq and Afghan War releases impacted diplomacy and public opinion globally, with responses varying by region.
Legal issues
US criminal investigation
After WikiLeaks released the Manning material, United States authorities began investigating WikiLeaks and Assange personally to prosecute them under the Espionage Act of 1917. In November 2010, US Attorney-General Eric Holder said there was "an active, ongoing criminal investigation" into WikiLeaks. It emerged from legal documents leaked over the ensuing months that Assange and others were being investigated by a federal grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia.
In August 2011, WikiLeaks volunteer Sigurdur Thordarson, working in his home country Iceland, contacted the FBI and, after presenting a copy of Assange's passport at the American embassy, became the first informant to work for the FBI from inside WikiLeaks. In November 2011, WikiLeaks dismissed Thordarson due to what the organization said was his embezzlement of $50,000, to which charge (along with several other offences) he later pleaded guilty in an Icelandic court. According to Thordarson, a few months after his dismissal by WikiLeaks the FBI agreed to pay him $5,000 as compensation for work missed while meeting with agents.
In December 2011, prosecutors in the Chelsea Manning case revealed the existence of chat logs between Manning and an interlocutor they claimed was Assange. Assange said that WikiLeaks has no way of knowing the identity of its sources and that chats with sources, including user-names, were anonymous. In January 2011, Assange described the allegation that WikiLeaks had conspired with Manning as "absolute nonsense". The logs were presented as evidence during Manning's court-martial in June–July 2013. The prosecution argued that they showed WikiLeaks helping Manning reverse-engineer a password. During her trial, Manning said she acted on her own to send documents to WikiLeaks and no one associated with WikiLeaks pressured her into giving more information.
In 2013, US officials said that it was unlikely that the Justice Department would indict Assange for publishing classified documents because it would also have to prosecute the news organisations and writers who published classified material.
In June 2013, The New York Times said that court and other documents suggested that Assange was being examined by a grand jury and "several government agencies", including by the FBI. Court documents published in May 2014 suggest that Assange was under "active and ongoing" investigation at that time.
Some Snowden documents published in 2014 showed that the U.S. government had put Assange on its 2010 "Manhunting Timeline", an annual account of efforts to capture or kill alleged terrorists and others, and in the same period urged allies to open criminal investigations into Assange. In the same documents, there was a proposal by the National Security Agency (NSA) to designate WikiLeaks a "malicious foreign actor", thus increasing the surveillance against it.
In January 2015, WikiLeaks issued a statement saying that three members of the organisation had received notice from Google that Google had complied with a federal warrant by a US District Court to turn over their emails and metadata on 5 April 2012. In July 2015, Assange called himself a "wanted journalist" in an open letter to the French president published in Le Monde. In a December 2015 court submission, the US government confirmed its "sensitive, ongoing law enforcement proceeding into the Wikileaks matter".
Under the Obama Administration, the Department of Justice did not indict Assange because it was unable to find any evidence that his actions differed from those of a journalist. However, after President Donald Trump took office, CIA director Mike Pompeo and Attorney General Jeff Sessions stepped up pursuit of Assange.
In April 2017, US officials were preparing to file formal charges against Assange. Legal scholar Steve Vladeck said prosecutors accelerated the case in 2019 due to the impending statute of limitations on Assange's largest leaks.
Swedish sexual assault allegations
Assange visited Sweden in August 2010. During his visit, he became the subject of sexual assault allegations from two women. Assange denied the allegations and said he was happy to face questions in Britain.
On 20 November 2010, the Swedish police issued an international arrest warrant. Later that day, Assange told journalist Raffi Khatchadourian that Sweden has a "very, very poor judicial system" and a culture of "crazed radical feminist ideology". He commented that, more importantly, his case involved international politics, and that "Sweden is a U.S. satrapy." In a later interview he described Sweden as "the Saudi Arabia of feminism." On 8 December 2010, Assange gave himself up to British police and attended his first extradition hearing, where he was remanded in custody. On 16 December 2010, at the second hearing, he was granted bail by the High Court of Justice and released after his supporters paid £240,000 in cash and sureties. A further hearing on 24 February 2011 ruled that Assange should be extradited to Sweden. This decision was upheld by the High Court on 2 November and by the Supreme Court on 30 May the next year.
After previously stating that she could not question a suspect by video link or in the Swedish embassy, prosecutor Marianne Ny wrote to the English Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in 2013. Her letter advised that she intended to lift the detention order and withdraw the European arrest warrant as the actions were not proportionate to the costs and seriousness of the crime. In response, the CPS tried to dissuade Ny from doing so.
In March 2015, after public criticism from other Swedish law practitioners, Ny changed her mind about interrogating Assange, who had taken refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in London. These interviews, which began on 14 November 2016, involved the British police, Swedish prosecutors and Ecuadorian officials, and were eventually published online. By that time, the statute of limitations had expired on all three of the less serious allegations. Since the Swedish prosecutor had not interviewed Assange by 18 August 2015, the questioning pertained only to the open investigation of "lesser degree rape".
On 19 May 2017, the Swedish authorities suspended their investigation, saying they could not expect the Ecuadorian Embassy to communicate reliably with Assange with respect to the case. Chief prosecutor Marianne Ny officially revoked his arrest warrant, but said the investigation could still be resumed if Assange visited Sweden before August 2020.
Following Assange's arrest on 11 April 2019, the case was reopened, in May 2019, under prosecutor Eva-Marie Persson. On 19 November, she announced that she had discontinued her investigation, saying that the evidence was not strong enough. She added that although she was confident in the complainant, "the evidence has weakened considerably due to the long period of time that has elapsed".
Ecuadorian embassy period
Entering the embassy
On 19 June 2012, the Ecuadorian foreign minister, Ricardo Patiño, announced that Assange had applied for political asylum, that the Ecuadorian government was considering his request, and that Assange was at the Ecuadorian embassy in London.
Assange and his supporters said he was not concerned about any proceedings in Sweden as such, but said that the Swedish allegations were designed to discredit him and were a pretext for his extradition from Sweden to the United States.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague gave a news conference in response. He said "We will not allow Mr Assange safe passage out of the United Kingdom, nor is there any legal basis for us to do so," whilst adding, "The United Kingdom does not recognise the principle of diplomatic asylum."
Assange breached his bail conditions by taking up residence in the embassy rather than appearing in court, and faced arrest if he left. Assange's supporters, including journalist Jemima Goldsmith, journalist John Pilger, and filmmaker Ken Loach, forfeited £200,000 in bail. Goldsmith said she was surprised at his asylum bid and had expected him to face the Swedish allegations.
The UK government wrote Patiño that the police were entitled to enter the embassy and arrest Assange under UK law. Patiño said it was an implied threat, stating that "such actions would be a blatant disregard of the Vienna Convention". Officers of the Metropolitan Police Service were stationed outside the embassy from June 2012 to October 2015 to arrest Assange if he left the embassy, and compel him to attend the extradition appeal hearing. The police officers were withdrawn on grounds of cost in October 2015, but the police said they would still deploy "several overt and covert tactics to arrest him". The Metropolitan Police Service said the cost of the policing for the period was £12.6million.
WikiLeaks insiders stated that Assange decided to seek asylum because he felt abandoned by the Australian government. The Australian attorney-general, Nicola Roxon, had written to Assange's lawyer, Jennifer Robinson, saying that Australia would not seek to involve itself in any international exchanges about Assange's future. She suggested that if Assange was imprisoned in the US, he could apply for an international prisoner transfer to Australia. Assange's lawyers described the letter as a "declaration of abandonment".
On 16 August 2012, Patiño announced that Ecuador was granting Assange political asylum because of the threat represented by the United States secret investigation against him. In its formal statement, Ecuador said that "as a consequence of Assange's determined defense to freedom of expression and freedom of press... in any given moment, a situation may come where his life, safety or personal integrity will be in danger". Latin American states expressed support for Ecuador. Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa confirmed on 18 August that Assange could stay at the embassy indefinitely, and the following day Assange gave his first speech from the balcony. An office converted into a studio apartment, equipped with a bed, telephone, sun lamp, computer, shower, treadmill, and kitchenette, became his home until 11 April 2019.
WikiLeaks publishing
On 24 April 2011, WikiLeaks began publishing the Guantanamo Bay files leak, 779 classified reports on prisoners, past and present, held by the U.S. at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp in Cuba. The documents, dated from 2002 to 2008, revealed prisoners, some of whom were coerced to confess, included children, the elderly and mentally disabled.
In July 2012, WikiLeaks began publishing the Syria Files, a collection of more than two million emails from Syrian political figures, government ministries and companies. Assange said the "Syria Files" collection
In 2013, Assange analysed the Kissinger cables held at the US National Archives and released them in searchable form.
By 2015, WikiLeaks had published more than ten million documents and associated analyses, and was described by Assange as "a giant library of the world's most persecuted documents".
In June 2015, WikiLeaks began publishing confidential and secret Saudi Arabian government documents.
On 25 November 2016, WikiLeaks released emails and internal documents that provided details on U.S. military operations in Yemen from 2009 to March 2015. In a statement accompanying the release of the "Yemen Files", Assange said about the U.S. involvement in the Yemen war: "The war in Yemen has produced 3.15million internally displaced persons. Although the United States government has provided most of the bombs and is deeply involved in the conduct of the war itself, reportage on the war in English is conspicuously rare."
In December 2016, WikiLeaks published emails from the Turkish government in response to Erdoğan's post-coup purges in Turkey. The emails covered the period from 2010 to July 2016. In response, Turkey blocked access to the WikiLeaks site.
Public positions
WikiLeaks Party
Assange stood for the Australian Senate in the 2013 Australian federal election for the newly formed WikiLeaks Party but failed to win a seat. The party experienced internal dissent over its governance and electoral tactics and was deregistered due to low membership numbers in 2015.
Edward Snowden
In 2013, Assange and others in WikiLeaks helped whistleblower Edward Snowden flee from US law enforcement. After the United States cancelled Snowden's passport, stranding him in Russia, they considered transporting him to Latin America on the presidential jet of a sympathetic Latin American leader. In order to throw the US off the scent, they spoke about the jet of the Bolivian president Evo Morales, instead of the jet they were considering. In July 2013, Morales's jet was forced to land in Austria after the US pressured Italy, France, and Spain to deny the jet access to their airspace over false rumours Snowden was on board. Assange said the grounding "reveals the true nature of the relationship between Western Europe and the United States" as "a phone call from U.S. intelligence was enough to close the airspace to a booked presidential flight, which has immunity". Assange advised Snowden that he would be safest in Russia which was better able to protect its borders than Venezuela, Brazil or Ecuador. In 2015, Maria Luisa Ramos, the Bolivian ambassador to Russia, accused Assange of putting Morales' life at risk. Assange stated that he regretted what happened but that "[w]e can't predict that other countries engage in some... unprecedented criminal operation".
Operation Speargun
Documents provided by Edward Snowden showed that in 2012 and 2013 the NZ government worked to establish a secret mass surveillance programme which it called "Operation Speargun". On 15 September 2014, Assange appeared via remote video link on Kim Dotcom's Moment of Truth town hall meeting held in Auckland, which discussed the programme. Assange said the Snowden documents showed that he had been a target of the programme and that "Operation Speargun" represented "an extreme, bizarre, Orwellian future that is being constructed secretly in New Zealand".
On 3 July 2015, Paris newspaper Le Monde published an open letter from Assange to French President François Hollande in which Assange urged the French government to grant him refugee status. In response to this letter, Hollande said: "France cannot act on his request. The situation of Mr Assange does not present an immediate danger."
Other developments
In 2015, La Repubblica stated that it had evidence of the UK's role via the English Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in creating the "legal and diplomatic quagmire" which prevented Assange from leaving the Ecuadorian embassy. La Repubblica sued the CPS in 2017 to obtain further information but its case was rejected with the judge saying "the need for the British authorities to protect the confidentiality of the extradition process outweighs the public interest of the press to know". A further appeal was rejected in September 2019.
On 5 February 2016, the UN's Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concluded that Assange had been subject to arbitrary detention by the UK and Swedish Governments since 7 December 2010, including his time in prison, on conditional bail and in the Ecuadorian embassy. The Working Group said Assange should be allowed to walk free and be given compensation. The UK and Swedish governments denied the charge of detaining Assange arbitrarily. The UK Foreign Secretary, Philip Hammond, said the charge was "ridiculous" and that the group was "made up of lay people", and called Assange a "fugitive from justice" who "can come out any time he chooses", and called the panel's ruling "flawed in law". Swedish prosecutors called the group's charge irrelevant. The UK said it would arrest Assange should he leave the embassy. Mark Ellis, executive director of the International Bar Association, stated that the finding is "not binding on British law". US legal scholar Noah Feldman described the Working Group's conclusion as astonishing, summarising it as "Assange might be charged with a crime in the US. Ecuador thinks charging him with violating national security law would amount to 'political persecution' or worse. Therefore, Sweden must give up on its claims to try him for rape, and Britain must ignore the Swedes' arrest warrant and let him leave the country."
In September 2016 and again on 12 January 2017, WikiLeaks tweeted that Assange would agree to US prison in exchange for President Obama granting Chelsea Manning clemency. After commuting Manning's sentence on 17 January 2017, Obama stated that Assange's offer had not been a consideration.
On 19 May 2017, Assange emerged on the embassy's balcony and told a crowd that, despite no longer facing a Swedish sex investigation, he would remain inside the embassy to avoid extradition to the United States.
2016 U.S. presidential election
During the 2016 US Democratic Party presidential primaries, WikiLeaks hosted a searchable database of emails sent or received by presidential candidate Hillary Clinton while she was Secretary of State. The emails had been released by the US State Department under a Freedom of information request in February 2016. The emails were a major point of discussion during the presidential election and prompted an FBI investigation of Clinton for using a private email server for classified documents while she was US Secretary of State.
In February 2016, Assange wrote: "I have had years of experience in dealing with Hillary Clinton and have read thousands of her cables. Hillary lacks judgment and will push the United States into endless, stupid wars which spread terrorism. ...she certainly should not become president of the United States." On 25 July, following the Republican National Convention, Assange said that choosing between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump is like choosing between cholera or gonorrhoea. "Personally, I would prefer neither." In an Election Day statement, Assange criticised both Clinton and Trump, saying that "The Democratic and Republican candidates have both expressed hostility towards whistleblowers."
On 22 July 2016, WikiLeaks released emails and documents from the Democratic National Committee (DNC) in which the DNC seemingly presented ways of undercutting Clinton's competitor Bernie Sanders and showed apparent favouritism towards Clinton. The release led to the resignation of DNC chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz and an apology to Sanders from the DNC. The New York Times wrote that Assange had timed the release to coincide with the 2016 Democratic National Convention because he believed Clinton had pushed for his indictment and he regarded her as a "liberal war hawk".
On 7 October Assange posted a press release on WikiLeaks exposing a second batch of emails with over 2,000 mails from Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta.
In mid-October, the Ecuadorian government severed Assange's Internet connection because of the leaks. In December, Assange said the connection had been restored.
Cybersecurity experts attributed the attack to the Russian government. The Central Intelligence Agency, together with several other agencies, concluded that Russian intelligence agencies hacked the DNC servers, as well as Podesta's email account, and provided the information to WikiLeaks to bolster Trump's election campaign. As a result of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections, 12 Russian GRU military intelligence agents were indicted on 13 July 2018 for the attack on the DNC mail-server. According to the Mueller report, this group shared these mails using the pseudonym Guccifer 2.0 with WikiLeaks and other entities. The investigation also unearthed communications between Guccifer 2.0, WikiLeaks and the Trump campaign, in which they coordinated the release of the material. The Senate Intelligence Committee reported that "WikiLeaks actively sought, and played, a key role in the Russian intelligence campaign and very likely knew it was assisting a Russian intelligence influence effort."
In interviews, Assange repeatedly said that the Russian government was not the source of the DNC and Podesta emails, and accused the Clinton campaign of "a kind of neo-McCarthy hysteria" about Russian involvement. On the eve of the election, Assange addressed the criticism he had received for publishing Clinton material, saying that WikiLeaks publishes "material given to us if it is of political, diplomatic, historical or ethical importance and which has not been published elsewhere," that it had never received any information on Trump, Jill Stein, or Gary Johnson's campaign.
A 2017 article in Foreign Policy said that WikiLeaks turned down leaks on the Russian government, focusing instead on hacks relating to the US presidential election. WikiLeaks said that, as far as it could recall, the material was already public.
In April 2018, the DNC sued WikiLeaks for the theft of the DNC's information under various Virginia and US federal statutes. It accused WikiLeaks and Russia of a "brazen attack on American democracy". The Committee to Protect Journalists said that the lawsuit raised several important press freedom questions. The suit was dismissed with prejudice in July 2019. Judge John Koeltl said that WikiLeaks "did not participate in any wrongdoing in obtaining the materials in the first place" and were therefore within the law in publishing the information.
Seth Rich
In a July 2016 interview on Dutch television, Assange hinted that DNC staffer Seth Rich was the source of the DNC emails and that Rich had been killed as a result. Seeking clarification, the interviewer asked Assange whether Rich's killing was "simply a murder," to which Assange answered, "No. There's no finding. So, I'm suggesting that our sources take risks, and they become concerned to see things occurring like that." WikiLeaks offered a $20,000 reward for information about his murder and wrote: "We treat threats toward any suspected source of WikiLeaks with extreme gravity. This should not be taken to imply that Seth Rich was a source to WikiLeaks or to imply that his murder is connected to our publications."
Assange's comments were highlighted by Fox News, The Washington Times and conspiracy website InfoWars and set off a spike in attention to the murder. Assange's statements lent credibility and visibility to what had at that point been a conspiracy theory in the fringe parts of the Internet. According to the Mueller investigation, Assange "implied falsely" that Rich was the source to obscure the fact that Russia was the source. Assange received the emails when Rich was already dead and continued to confer with the Russian hackers to coordinate the release of the material.
Later years in the embassy
In March 2017, WikiLeaks began releasing the largest leak of CIA documents in history, codenamed Vault 7. The documents included details of the CIA's hacking capabilities and software tools used to break into smartphones, computers and other Internet-connected devices. In April, CIA director Mike Pompeo called WikiLeaks "a non-state hostile intelligence service often abetted by state actors like Russia". Assange accused the CIA of trying to "subvert" his right to freedom of speech. According to former intelligence officials, in the wake of the Vault7 leaks, the CIA plotted to kidnap Assange from Ecuador's London embassy, and some senior officials discussed his potential assassination. Yahoo! News found "no indication that the most extreme measures targeting Assange were ever approved." Some of its sources stated that they had alerted House and Senate intelligence committees to the plans that Pompeo was suggesting. In October 2021, Assange's lawyers introduced the alleged plot during a hearing of the High Court of Justice in London as it considered the U.S. appeal of a lower court's ruling that Assange could not be extradited to face charges in the U.S.
On 6 June 2017, Assange tweeted his support for NSA leaker Reality Winner, who had been arrested three days earlier. Winner had been identified in part because a reporter from The Intercept showed a leaked document to the government without removing possibly incriminating evidence about its leaker. WikiLeaks later offered a $10,000 reward for information about the reporter responsible.
On 16 August 2017, US Republican congressman Dana Rohrabacher visited Assange and told him that Trump would pardon him on condition that he said Russia was not involved in the 2016 Democratic National Committee email leaks. At his extradition hearings in 2020, Assange's lawyers told the court that Rohrabacher had said the offer was made "on instructions from the president". Trump and Rohrabacher said they had never spoken about the offer and Rohrabacher said he had made the offer on his own initiative.
In August 2017, in the midst of the Qatar diplomatic crisis, Dubai-based Al Arabiya said Assange had refrained from publishing two cables about Qatar after negotiations between WikiLeaks and Qatar. Assange said Al Arabiya had been publishing "increasingly absurd fabrications" during the dispute. In September 2017, Assange released "Spy Files Russia," revealing "how a St. Petersburg-based technology company called Peter-Service helped Russian state entities gather detailed data on Russian cellphone users, part of a national system of online surveillance called System for Operative Investigative Activities (SORM)." According to Moscow-based journalist Fred Weir, "experts say it casts a timely spotlight on the vast surveillance operations mounted by Russian security services."
Assange was granted Ecuadorian citizenship in December 2017.
In February 2018, after Sweden had suspended its investigation, Assange brought two legal actions, arguing that Britain should drop its arrest warrant for him as it was "no longer right or proportionate to pursue him" and the arrest warrant for breaching bail had lost its "purpose and its function". In both cases, Senior District Judge Emma Arbuthnot ruled that the arrest warrant should remain in place.
In March 2018, Assange used social media to criticise Germany's arrest of Catalonian separatist leader Carles Puigdemont. On 28 March 2018, Ecuador responded by cutting Assange's internet connection because his social media posts put at risk Ecuador's relations with European nations. In May 2018, The Guardian reported that over five years Ecuador had spent at least $5million (£3.7m) to protect Assange, employing a security company and undercover agents to monitor his visitors, embassy staff and the British police. Ecuador reportedly also devised plans to help Assange escape should British police forcibly enter the embassy to seize him. The Guardian reported that by 2014 Assange had compromised the embassy's communications system. WikiLeaks described the allegation as "an anonymous libel aligned with the current UK-US government onslaught against Mr Assange". In July 2018, President Moreno said that he wanted Assange out of the embassy provided that Assange's life was not in danger. By October 2018, Assange's communications were partially restored.
On 16 October 2018, congressmen from the United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs wrote an open letter to President Moreno which described Assange as a dangerous criminal and stated that progress between the US and Ecuador in the areas of economic cooperation, counter-narcotics assistance and the return of a USAID mission to Ecuador depended on Assange being handed over to the authorities.
In October 2018, Assange sued the government of Ecuador for violating his "fundamental rights and freedoms" by threatening to remove his protection and cut off his access to the outside world, refusing him visits from journalists and human rights organisations and installing signal jammers to prevent phone calls and internet access. An Ecuadorian judge ruled against him, saying that requiring Assange to pay for his Internet use and clean up after his cat did not violate his right to asylum.
In November 2018, Pamela Anderson, a close friend and regular visitor of Assange, gave an interview in which she asked the Australian prime minister, Scott Morrison, to defend Assange. Morrison rejected the request with a response Anderson considered "smutty". Anderson responded that "[r]ather than making lewd suggestions about me, perhaps you should instead think about what you are going to say to millions of Australians when one of their own is marched in an orange jumpsuit to Guantanamo Bay – for publishing the truth. You can prevent this."
On 21 December 2018, the UN's Working Group on Arbitrary Detention urged the UK to let Assange leave the embassy freely. In a statement, the organisation said that the "Swedish investigations have been closed for over 18 months now, and the only ground remaining for Mr Assange's continued deprivation of liberty is a bail violation in the UK, which is, objectively, a minor offence that cannot post-facto justify the more than six years' confinement that he has been subjected to".
In February 2019, the parliament of Geneva passed a motion demanding that the Swiss government extend asylum to Assange. In January 2020, the Catalan Dignity Commission awarded Assange its 2019 Dignity Prize for supporting the Catalan people during the 2017 Catalan independence referendum.
In March 2019, Assange submitted a complaint to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights asking the Ecuadorian government to "ease the conditions that it had imposed on his residence" at the embassy and to protect him from extradition to the US. It also requested US prosecutors unseal criminal charges that had been filed against him. Assange said the Ecuadorian embassy was trying to end his asylum by spying on him and restricting his visitors. The commission rejected his complaint.
Surveillance of Assange in the embassy
On 10 April 2019, WikiLeaks said it had uncovered an extensive surveillance operation against Assange from within the embassy. WikiLeaks said that "material including video, audio, copies of private legal documents and a medical report" had surfaced in Spain and that unnamed individuals in Madrid had made an extortion attempt.
On 26 September 2019, the Spanish newspaper El País reported that the Spanish defence and security company Undercover Global S.L. (UC Global) had spied on Assange for the CIA during his time in the embassy. UC Global had been contracted to protect the embassy during this time. According to the report UC Global's owner David Morales had provided the CIA with audio and video of meetings Assange held with his lawyers and colleagues. Morales also arranged for the US to have direct access to the stream from video cameras installed in the embassy at the beginning of December 2017. The evidence was part of a secret investigation by Spain's High Court, the Audiencia Nacional, into Morales and his relationship with US intelligence. The investigation was precipitated by a complaint by Assange that accused UC Global of violating his privacy and client-attorney privileges as well as committing misappropriation, bribery and money laundering.
Morales was arrested in September on charges involving violations of privacy and client-attorney privileges, as well as misappropriation, bribery, money laundering and criminal possession of weapons. He was released on bail. On 25 September, Spanish Judge José de la Mata sent British authorities a European Investigation Order (EIO) asking for permission to question Assange by videoconference as a witness in the case against Morales. The United Kingdom Central Authority (UKCA), which is in charge of processing and responding to EIOs in the UK, provisionally denied De la Mata's request to question Assange, raised a number of objections to the request, and asked for more details. De la Mata responded to UKCA's objections on 14 October by stating that Assange was the victim who had filed the complaint and that unlawful disclosure of secrets and bribery are also crimes in the UK. He said that the crimes were partially committed on Spanish territory because the microphones used to spy on Assange were bought in Spain, and the information obtained was sent and uploaded to servers at UC Global S. L.'s headquarters in Spain.
Spanish judicial bodies were upset at having their EIO request denied by UKCA and believed the British justice system is concerned by the effect the Spanish case may have on the process to extradite Assange to the US.
In a November 2019 article, Stefania Maurizi said she had access to some of the videos, audios and photos showing a medical examination of Assange, a meeting between Ecuadorian ambassador Carlos Abad Ortiz and his staff, a meeting between Assange, Glenn Greenwald and David Miranda and lunch between Assange and British rapper M.I.A. Microphones had been placed in the women's toilets to capture meetings between Assange and his lawyers. Phones belonging to some of the embassy's visitors were compromised. Spanish lawyer Aitor Martinez, who is part of Assange's legal team, said videos were taken of meetings between Assange and his legal defence team. Maurizi concluded that, based on statements from former employees of UC Global, internal UC Global emails and the type of information collected, it was clear that the surveillance was conducted on behalf of the US government and the information gathered would be used by the US to assist in its case for extraditing Assange.
Britain agreed to allow Judge De la Mata to interview Assange via video link on 20 December. According to his lawyer, Assange testified that he was unaware that cameras installed by Undercover Global were also capturing audio and suggested the surveillance likely targeted his legal team.
Imprisonment and extradition proceedings
Arrest in the embassy
On 2 April 2019, Ecuador's president Moreno said that Assange had violated the terms of his asylum, after photos surfaced on the internet linking Moreno to a corruption scandal. WikiLeaks said it had acquired none of the published material, and that it merely reported on a corruption investigation against Moreno by Ecuador's legislature. WikiLeaks reported a source within the Ecuadorian government saying that, due to the controversy, an agreement had been reached to expel Assange from the embassy and place him in the custody of UK police. According to Assange's father, the revoking of Assange's asylum was connected to an upcoming decision by the International Monetary Fund to grant Ecuador a loan, an assertion also made by critics of Moreno, such as former Ecuadorian foreign minister Guillaume Long.
On 11 April 2019 the Ecuadorian government invited the Metropolitan Police into the embassy, and they arrested Assange on the basis of a US extradition warrant. Moreno stated that Ecuador withdrew Assange's asylum after he interfered in Ecuador's domestic affairs, calling Assange a "miserable hacker". British foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt and prime minister Theresa May applauded Moreno's actions, while Australian prime minister, Scott Morrison, said the arrest "has got nothing to do with [Australia], it is a matter for the US". United Nations Special Rapporteur Agnès Callamard said that British authorities had arbitrarily detained Assange and further endangered his life by their actions.
Conviction for breach of bail
On the day of his arrest, Assange was charged with breaching the Bail Act 1976 and was found guilty after a short hearing. Assange's defence said chief magistrate Emma Arbuthnot, who had dealt with his case, was biased against him as her husband was directly affected by WikiLeaks' allegations. Judge Michael Snow said it was "unacceptable" to air the claim in front of a "packed press gallery" and that Assange was "a narcissist who cannot get beyond his own selfish interest" and he had "not come close to establishing reasonable excuse".
Assange was remanded to Belmarsh Prison, and on 1 May 2019 was sentenced to 50 weeks imprisonment. The judge said he would be released after serving half of his sentence, subject to other proceedings and conditional upon committing no further offences. The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention said that the verdict contravened "principles of necessity and proportionality" for what it considered a "minor violation". Assange appealed his sentence, but dropped his appeal in July.
Espionage indictment in the United States
In 2012 and 2013, US officials indicated that Assange was not named in a sealed indictment. On 6 March 2018, a federal grand jury for the Eastern District of Virginia issued a sealed indictment against Assange. In November 2018, US prosecutors accidentally revealed the indictment.
In February 2019, Chelsea Manning was subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury in Virginia in the case. When Manning condemned the secrecy of the hearings and refused to testify, she was jailed for contempt of court on 8 March 2019. On 16 May 2019, Manning refused to testify before a new grand jury investigating Assange, stating that she "believe[d] this grand jury seeks to undermine the integrity of public discourse with the aim of punishing those who expose any serious, ongoing, and systemic abuses of power by this government". She was returned to jail for the 18-month term of the grand jury with financial penalties. In June 2021, Chelsea Manning said her grand jury resistance was not contingent on Julian Assange being the target, and that she was not even sure he was. "I treated this no differently than if it was for a protest or for some other grand jury—if it was a grand jury in general, I would respond the same way. But it did appear that this one was about, specifically, the 2010 disclosures; the media was speculating, but our legal team and ourselves, we never got full confirmation as to whether that was the case."
On 11 April 2019, the day of Assange's arrest in London, the indictment against him was unsealed. He was charged with conspiracy to commit computer intrusion (i.e., hacking into a government computer), which carries a maximum five-year sentence. The charges stem from the allegation that Assange attempted and failed to crack a password hash so that Chelsea Manning could use a different username to download classified documents and avoid detection. This allegation had been known since 2011 and was a factor in Manning's trial; the indictment did not reveal any new information about Assange.
On 23 May 2019, Assange was indicted on 17 new charges relating to the Espionage Act of 1917 in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. These charges carried a maximum sentence of 170 years in prison. The Obama administration had debated charging Assange under the Espionage Act, but decided against it out of fear that it would have a negative effect on investigative journalism and could be unconstitutional. The New York Times commented that it and other news organisations obtained the same documents as WikiLeaks also without government authorisation. It said it was not clear how WikiLeaks' publications were legally different from other publications of classified information.
Most cases brought under the Espionage Act have been against government employees who accessed sensitive information and leaked it to journalists and others. Prosecuting people for acts related to receiving and publishing information has not previously been tested in court. In 1975, the Justice Department decided after consideration not to charge journalist Seymour Hersh for reporting on US surveillance of the Soviet Union. Two lobbyists for a pro-Israel group were charged in 2005 with receiving and sharing classified information about American policy toward Iran. The charges, however, did not relate to the publication of the documents and the case was dropped in 2009.
The Associated Press reported that the indictment raised concerns about media freedom, as Assange's solicitation and publication of classified information is a routine job journalists perform. Steve Vladeck, a professor at the University of Texas School of Law, stated that what Assange is accused of doing is factually different from but legally similar to what professional journalists do. Suzanne Nossel of PEN America said it was immaterial if Assange was a journalist or publisher and pointed instead to First Amendment concerns.
While some American politicians supported the arrest and indictment of Julian Assange, several non-government organisations for press freedom condemned it. Mark Warner, vice chairman of the United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said that Assange was "a dedicated accomplice in efforts to undermine American security". Several jurists, politicians, associations, academics and campaigners viewed the arrest of Assange as an attack on freedom of the press and international law. Reporters Without Borders said Assange's arrest would "set a dangerous precedent for journalists, whistle-blowers, and other journalistic sources that the US may wish to pursue in the future". Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch, wrote that Assange's prosecution for publishing leaked documents is "a major threat to global media freedom". United Nations human rights expert Agnes Callamard said the indictment exposed him to the risk of serious human rights violations. Ben Wizner from the American Civil Liberties Union said that prosecuting Assange "for violating US secrecy laws would set an especially dangerous precedent for US journalists, who routinely violate foreign secrecy laws to deliver information vital to the public's interest".
Imprisonment in the UK
Since his arrest on 11 April 2019, Assange has been incarcerated in Belmarsh Prison in London.
After examining Assange on 9 May 2019, Nils Melzer, the United Nations special rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, concluded that "in addition to physical ailments, Mr Assange showed all symptoms typical for prolonged exposure to psychological torture, including extreme stress, chronic anxiety and intense psychological trauma." The British government said it disagreed with some of his observations. In a later interview, Melzer criticised the "secretive grand jury indictment in the United States", the "abusive manner in which Swedish prosecutors disseminated, re-cycled and perpetuated their 'preliminary investigation' into alleged sexual offences", the "termination by Ecuador of Mr Assange's asylum status and citizenship without any form of due process", and the "overt bias against Mr Assange being shown by British judges since his arrest". He said the United States, UK, Sweden and Ecuador were trying to make an example of Assange. He also accused journalists of "spreading abusive and deliberately distorted narratives". Shortly after Melzer's visit, Assange was transferred to the prison's health care unit.
On 13 September 2019, District Judge Vanessa Baraitser ruled that Assange would not be released on 22 September when his prison term ended because he was a and his lawyer had not applied for bail. She said when his sentence came to an end, his status would change from a serving prisoner to a person facing extradition.
On 1 November 2019, Melzer said that Assange's health had continued to deteriorate and his life was now at risk. He said that the UK government had not acted on the issue.
On 22 November, an open letter to the UK Home Secretary and Shadow Home Secretary signed by a group of medical practitioners named Doctors for Assange said Assange's health was declining to such an extent that he could die in prison. Subsequent attempts by the group, made to the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice Robert Buckland, and to Marise Payne, the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, also yielded no result.
On 30 December 2019, Melzer accused the UK government of torturing Julian Assange. He said Assange's "continued exposure to severe mental and emotional suffering... clearly amounts to psychological torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment."
On 17 February 2020, the medical journal The Lancet published an open letter from Doctors for Assange in which they said Assange was in a "dire state of health due to the effects of prolonged psychological torture in both the Ecuadorian embassy and Belmarsh prison" which could lead to his death and that his "politically motivated medical neglect... sets a dangerous precedent". On the same day, Reporters Without Borders posted a separate petition which accused the Trump administration of acting in "retaliation for (Assange's) facilitating major revelations in the international media about the way the United States conducted its wars". The petition said, Assange's publications "were clearly in the public interest and not espionage". Australian MPs Andrew Wilkie and George Christensen visited Assange and pressed the UK and Australian governments to intervene to stop his being extradited.
On 25 March 2020, Assange was denied bail after Judge Baraitser rejected his lawyers' argument that his imprisonment would put him at high risk of contracting COVID-19. She said Assange's past conduct showed how far he was willing to go to avoid extradition. In November 2021, his father told a French interview program that Assange had received a non-mandatory COVID-19 vaccination in Belmarsh Prison.
On 25 June 2020, Doctors for Assange published another letter in The Lancet, "reiterating their demand to end the torture and medical neglect of Julian Assange", in which they state their "professional and ethical duty to speak out against, report, and stop torture".
In September 2020, an open letter in support of Assange was sent to Boris Johnson with the signatures of two current heads of state and approximately 160 other politicians. The following month, U.S. Representatives Tulsi Gabbard, a Democrat, and Thomas Massie, a Republican, introduced a resolution opposing the extradition of Assange. In December 2020, German human rights commissioner Bärbel Kofler cautioned the UK about the need to consider Assange's physical and mental health before deciding whether to extradite him.
Hearings on extradition to the U.S.
On 2 May 2019, the first hearing was held in London into the U.S. request for Assange's extradition. When asked by Judge Snow whether he consented to extradition, Assange replied, "I do not wish to surrender myself for extradition for doing journalism that has won many, many awards and protected many people". On 13 June, British Home Secretary Sajid Javid said he had signed the extradition order.
Towards the end of 2019, Judge Emma Arbuthnot, who had presided at several of the extradition hearings, stepped aside because of a "perception of bias". Vanessa Baraitser was appointed as the presiding judge.
On 21 October 2019, Assange appeared at the court for a case management hearing. When Judge Baraitser asked about his understanding of the proceedings, Assange replied:
In February 2020, the court heard legal arguments. Assange's lawyers contended that he had been charged with political offences and therefore could not be extradited. The hearings were delayed for months due to requests for extra time from the prosecution and the defence and due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In March, the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute, IBAHRI, condemned the mistreatment of Julian Assange in the extradition trial.
Assange appeared in court on 7 September 2020, facing a new indictment with 18 counts:
Conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information;
Conspiracy to commit computer intrusions;
Obtaining national defence information (seven counts); and
Disclosure of national defence information (nine counts).
The US Department of Justice stated that the new indictment "broaden[s] the scope of... alleged computer intrusions", alleging that Assange "communicated directly with a leader of the hacking group LulzSec[,]... provided a list of targets for LulzSec to hack" and "[conspired] with Army Intelligence Analyst Chelsea Manning to crack a password hash". Judge Baraitser denied motions by Assange's barristers to dismiss the new charges or to adjourn in order to better respond.
Some witnesses who testified in September, such as Daniel Ellsberg, did so remotely via video link due to COVID-19 restrictions. Technical problems caused extensive delays. Amnesty International, PEN Norway, and eight members of the European Parliament had their access to the livestream revoked. Baraitser responded that the initial invitations had been sent in error. Torture victim Khaled el-Masri, who was originally requested as a defence witness, had his testimony reduced to a written statement. Other witnesses testified that the conditions of imprisonment, which would be likely to worsen upon extradition to the U.S., placed Assange at a high risk of depression and suicide which was exacerbated by his Asperger syndrome. During the court proceedings the defence drew attention to a prison service report stating that a hidden razor blade had been found by a prison officer during a search of Assange's cell. During the proceedings it was also revealed that Assange had contacted the Samaritans phone service on numerous occasions.
Patrick Eller, a former forensics examiner with the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command, testified that Assange did not crack and could not have cracked the password mentioned in the U.S. indictment, as Chelsea Manning had intentionally sent only a portion of the password's hash. Moreover, Eller stated that password cracking was a common topic of discussion among other soldiers stationed at Forward Operating Base Hammer, suggesting that Manning's message was unrelated to the classified documents which were already in her possession. Testimony on 30 September revealed new allegations surrounding the surveillance of the Ecuadorian embassy by UC Global. A former UC Global employee, who spoke anonymously fearing reprisals, stated that the firm undertook "an increasingly sophisticated operation" after it was put into contact with the Trump administration by Sheldon Adelson. According to the employee, intelligence agents discussed plans to break into the embassy to kidnap or poison Assange and attempted to obtain the DNA of a baby who was believed to be Assange's child.
To coincide with the end of the hearing, Progressive International convened a virtual event called the Belmarsh Tribunal, modelled after the Russell Tribunal, to scrutinise what it calls "the crimes that have been revealed by Assange, and the crimes that have been committed against him, in turn".
Hearings, including a statement in support of the defence by Noam Chomsky, concluded on 1 October 2020.
On 4 January 2021, Judge Baraitser ruled that Assange could not be extradited to the United States, citing concerns about his mental health and the risk of suicide in a US prison. She sided with the US on every other point, including whether the charges constituted political offences and whether he was entitled to freedom of speech protections.
Appeal and other developments
On 6 January 2021, Assange was denied bail on the grounds that he was a flight risk, pending an appeal by the United States. The US prosecutors lodged an appeal of the denial of extradition on 15 January.
Following the decision by Judge Baraitser that it would be "oppressive to extradite [Assange] to the United States," in July 2021 the Biden administration assured the Crown Prosecution Services that "Mr Assange will not be subject to SAMs or imprisoned at ADX (unless he were to do something subsequent to the offering of these assurances that meets the tests for the imposition of SAMs or designation to ADX)". The United States also assured that it "will consent to Mr Assange being transferred to Australia to serve any custodial sentence imposed on him." An Amnesty International expert on national security and human rights in Europe said, "Those are not assurances at all. It's not that difficult to look at those assurances and say: these are inherently unreliable, it promises to do something and then reserves the right to break the promise".
In June 2021 Icelandic newspaper Stundin published details of an interview with Sigurdur Ingi Thordarson, the witness identified as "Teenager" in the U.S. Justice Department's case against Assange. In the interview Thordarson, who had received a promise of immunity from prosecution in return for co-operating with the FBI, stated he had fabricated allegations used in the U.S. indictment.
In June 2021, Julian Assange's half brother Gabriel Shipton and father John Shipton left Australia to conduct a month-long 17 city tour of the United States to generate awareness and support for Assange and press freedom. In a Saint Paul, Minnesota event, sponsored by Women Against Military Madness, the Shiptons asked supporters to appeal to members of Congress to weigh in with the Justice Department to reconsider its prosecution. Ecuador revoked Assange's citizenship in July 2021.
In August 2021 in the High Court, Lord Justice Holroyde decided that Judge Baraitser may have given too much weight to what Holroyde called "a misleading report" by an expert witness for the defence, psychiatrist Prof Michael Kopelman, and granted permission for the contested risk of suicide to be raised on the appeal.
In October 2021, the High Court held a two-day appeal hearing presided over by Ian Burnett, Baron Burnett of Maldon, Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, and Lord Justice Holroyde. In opening the U.S. as appellant argued that Assange's health issues were less severe than claimed during the initial extradition hearing and that his depression was moderate rather than severe. They also drew attention to binding assurances given by the U.S. concerning his proposed treatment in custody. In answer Assange's defence drew attention to a Yahoo! News report that the CIA had plotted to poison, abduct or assassinate Assange. Edward Fitzgerald QC argued: "Given the revelations of surveillance in the embassy and plots to kill [Assange]," "there are great grounds for fearing what will be done to him" if extradited to the U.S. He urged the court "not to trust [the] assurances" of the "same government" alleged to have plotted Assange's killing. According to his partner Stella Moris, Assange suffered a mini-stroke on 27 October while sitting through the court hearing and was subsequently given anti-stroke medication.
On 10 December 2021, the High Court ruled in favour of the United States. The Lord Chief Justice and Lord Justice Holroyde ruled that, in line with previous judgements, when the US administration gives a promise of fair and humane treatment its word should not be doubted. The case has been remitted to Westminster Magistrates' Court with the direction that it be sent to the Home Secretary Priti Patel for the final decision on whether to extradite Assange. On 24 January 2022 Assange was granted permission to petition the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom for an appeal hearing.
Writings and opinions
Assange has written a few short pieces, including "State and terrorist conspiracies" (2006), "Conspiracy as governance" (2006), "The hidden curse of Thomas Paine" (2008), "What's new about WikiLeaks?" (2011), and the foreword to Cypherpunks (2012). Cypherpunks is primarily a transcript of World Tomorrow episode eight, a two-part interview between Assange, Jacob Appelbaum, Andy Müller-Maguhn, and Jérémie Zimmermann. In the foreword, Assange said, "the Internet, our greatest tool for emancipation, has been transformed into the most dangerous facilitator of totalitarianism we have ever seen". He also contributed research to Suelette Dreyfus's Underground (1997), and received a co-writer credit for the Calle 13 song "Multi Viral" (2013). In 2010, Assange said he was a libertarian and that "WikiLeaks is designed to make capitalism more free and ethical".
In 2010, Assange received a deal for his autobiography worth at least US$1.3million. In 2011, Canongate Books published Julian Assange, The Unauthorised Autobiography. Assange immediately disavowed it, stating, "I am not 'the writer' of this book. I own the copyright of the manuscript, which was written by Andrew O'Hagan." Assange accused Canongate of breaching their contract by publishing, against his wishes, a draft that Assange considered "a work in progress" and "entirely uncorrected or fact-checked by me." In 2014, O'Hagan wrote about his experience as Assange's ghostwriter. "The story of his life mortified him and sent him scurrying for excuses," O'Hagan recalled. "He didn't want to do the book. He hadn't from the beginning." Colin Robinson, co-publisher of Assange's 2012 book Cypherpunks, criticised O'Hagan for largely ignoring the bigger issues about which Assange had been warning, and noted that O'Hagan's piece "is no part of an organised dirty tricks campaign. But by focusing as it does on Assange's character defects, it ends up serving much the same purpose."
Assange's book When Google Met WikiLeaks was published by OR Books in 2014. It recounts when Google CEO Eric Schmidt requested a meeting with Assange, while he was on bail in rural Norfolk, UK. Schmidt was accompanied by Jared Cohen, director of Google Ideas; Lisa Shields, vice president of the Council on Foreign Relations; and Scott Malcomson, the communications director for the International Crisis Group. Excerpts were published on the Newsweek website, while Assange participated in a Q&A event that was facilitated by the Reddit website and agreed to an interview with Vogue magazine.
In 2011, an article in Private Eye by its editor, Ian Hislop, recounted a rambling phone call he had received from Assange, who was especially angry about Private Eye′s report that Israel Shamir, an Assange associate in Russia, was a Holocaust denier. Assange suggested, Hislop wrote, "that British journalists, including the editor of The Guardian, were engaged in a Jewish-led conspiracy to smear his organization." Assange subsequently responded that Hislop had "distorted, invented or misremembered almost every significant claim and phrase." He added, "We treasure our strong Jewish support and staff, just as we treasure the support from pan-Arab democracy activists and others who share our hope for a just world."
Personal life
While in his teens, Assange married a girl named Teresa, and in 1989 they had a son named Daniel. The couple separated and disputed custody of Daniel until 1999. According to Assange's mother, during the time of the custody dispute, his brown hair turned white. In 2015, in an open letter to French President Hollande, Assange said that his youngest child was French, as was the child's mother. He also said his family had faced death threats and harassment because of his work, forcing them to change identities and reduce contact with him.
In 2015, Assange began a relationship with Stella Moris ( Stella Moris-Smith Robertson), his South African-born lawyer. They became engaged in 2017 and had two children. Moris revealed their relationship in 2020 because she feared for Assange's life. On 7 November 2021, the couple said they were preparing legal action against Deputy UK Prime Minister Dominic Raab and Jenny Louis, governor of Belmarsh prison. Assange and Moris accused Raab and Louis of denying their and their two children's human rights by blocking and delaying Moris and Assange from getting married. On 11 November, the prison service said it had granted permission for the couple to marry in Belmarsh prison. The service said the application had been "considered in the usual way by the prison governor".
Assessments
Views on Assange have been given by a number of public figures, including journalists, well-known whistleblowers, activists and world leaders. In July 2010, Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg said that "Assange has shown much better judgment with respect to what he has revealed than the people who kept those items secret inside the government." In October 2010, Ellsberg flew to London to give Assange his support. In November 2010, an individual from the office of Dmitry Medvedev, the President of Russia, suggested that Assange should be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. In December 2010, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, then President of Brazil, said "They have arrested him and I don't hear so much as a single protest for freedom of expression". Vladimir Putin, the prime minister of Russia, asked at a press conference "Why is Mr Assange in prison? Is this democracy?" In the same month, Julia Gillard, Prime Minister of Australia, described his activities as "illegal", but the Australian Federal Police said he had not broken Australian law. Joe Biden, the vice president of the United States, was asked whether he saw Assange as closer to a high-tech terrorist than to whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg. Biden responded that he "would argue it is closer to being a high-tech terrorist than the Pentagon Papers". In November 2011, Vaughan Smith, founder of the Frontline Club, supported Assange and in July 2012 offered his residence in Norfolk for Assange to continue WikiLeaks' operations whilst in the UK. In April 2012, interviewed on Assange's television show World Tomorrow, Ecuadorian president Rafael Correa praised WikiLeaks and told his host "Cheer up! Cheer up! Welcome to the club of the persecuted!" In August 2012, historian and journalist Tariq Ali and former ambassador and author Craig Murray spoke in support of Assange outside the Ecuadorian embassy. In April 2013, filmmaker Oliver Stone stated that "Julian Assange did much for free speech and is now being victimised by the abusers of that concept." In November 2014, Spanish Podemos party leader Pablo Iglesias also gave his support to Assange. In July 2015, British Member of Parliament Jeremy Corbyn opposed Assange's extradition to the US, and as Labour Party leader in April 2019 said the British government should oppose Assange's extradition to the US "for exposing evidence of atrocities in Iraq and Afghanistan".
In July 2016, artist and activist Ai Weiwei, musicians Patti Smith, Brian Eno and PJ Harvey, scholars Noam Chomsky and Yanis Varoufakis, fashion designer Vivienne Westwood and filmmaker Ken Loach were amongst those attending an event in support of Assange at the embassy. That same month, the documentary filmmaker and long-time supporter Michael Moore also visited Assange in the embassy. In December 2019, Australian journalist Mary Kostakidis said, "I became fascinated at this young, idealistic Australian, very tech-savvy, who developed a way for whistleblowers to upload data anonymously" and that she would be giving "100 per cent of my attention and resources" to his defence. In January 2021, Australian journalist John Pilger stated that, were Assange to be extradited, "no journalist who challenges power will be safe".
American politicians Mitch McConnell, Newt Gingrich and Sarah Palin each either referred to Assange as "a high-tech terrorist" or suggested that through publishing US diplomatic traffic he was engaged in terrorism. Other American and Canadian politicians and media personalities, including Tom Flanagan, Bob Beckel, Mike Huckabee and Michael Grunwald, called for his assassination or execution, though Grunwald later apologised for this, saying, "It was a dumb tweet. I'm sorry. I deserve the backlash."
Honours and awards
Works
Bibliography
Underground: Tales of Hacking, Madness and Obsession on the Electronic Frontier (1997)
Cypherpunks: Freedom and the Future of the Internet. OR Books, 2012. .
When Google Met WikiLeaks. OR Books, 2014. .
The WikiLeaks Files: The World According to The US Empire. By WikiLeaks. Verso Books, 2015. (with an Introduction by Julian Assange).
Filmography
As himself
The War You Don't See (2010)
The Simpsons (2012) (cameo; episode "At Long Last Leave")
Citizenfour (2014)
The Yes Men Are Revolting (2014)
Terminal F/Chasing Edward Snowden (2015)
Asylum (2016)
Risk (2016)
Architects of Denial (2017)
The New Radical (2017)
See also
List of people who took refuge in a diplomatic mission
List of peace activists
Lauri Love, who in 2018 won an appeal in the High Court of England against extradition to the United States
Gary McKinnon, whose extradition to the United States was blocked in 2012 by then-Home Secretary Theresa May
Ross Ulbricht
Thomas A. Drake
Jeremy Hammond, who was summoned to appear before a Virginia federal grand jury which was investigating Julian Assange. He was held in civil contempt of court after refusing to testify.
Ola Bini, who was arrested in April 2019 in Ecuador apparently due to his association with Julian Assange and WikiLeaks.
Notes
References
Further reading
Books
Nick Cohen, You Can't Read this Book: Censorship in an Age of Freedom (2012).
Films
Underground: The Julian Assange Story (2012), Australian TV drama that premiered at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival.
Julian (2012), Australian short film about nine-year-old Julian Assange. The film won several awards and prizes.
The Fifth Estate (2013), American thriller that Assange said was a 'serious propaganda attack' on WikiLeaks and its staff.
Mediastan (2013), Swedish documentary produced by Assange to challenge The Fifth Estate.
We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks (2013), American documentary.
Risk (2016), American documentary.
Hacking Justice (2017), German documentary.
Ithaka (2021), Australian documentary produced by Assange's brother Gabriel Shipton, which deals with his father's worldwide campaign for Julian's release from prison.
External links
1971 births
21st-century Australian male writers
Activists from Melbourne
Articles containing video clips
Australian computer programmers
Australian editors
Australian expatriates in the United Kingdom
Australian founders
Australian libertarians
Australian publishers (people)
Australian whistleblowers
Australia–United States relations
Central Queensland University alumni
Cypherpunks
Inmates of HM Prison Belmarsh
Internet activists
Living people
Media critics
Open content activists
People associated with Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections
People associated with the 2016 United States presidential election
People from Townsville
People with Asperger syndrome
Political party founders
Prisoners and detainees of England and Wales
RT (TV network) people
United Kingdom–United States relations
University of Melbourne alumni
WikiLeaks
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[
"The Westminster motorcycle parking charge is a charge that Westminster Council makes for parking motorcycles in designated on-street and off-street motorcycle parking bays in the City of Westminster. It was introduced in August 2008 as an Experimental Order made under the authority of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. Experimental Orders may not, under the Act, last for more than 18 months, but do not require the formal advertisement and objection procedures of permanent Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) made under the Act. In June 2009, Westminster Council gave notice that it was to turn this into a permanent Traffic Regulation Order.\n\nRationale\nThe Council stated that its reason for introducing the charge was that, as a consequence of the introduction of the London congestion charge in 2003, many more people had taken to riding motorcycles into the City of Westminster. 2008 figures stated that 16,000 motorcyclists rode into London every day, a rise of 40% in 10 years. Before introducing the Experimental Order, the council increased the number of motorcycle parking bays from 4,500 to 6,400 (6,150 on-street and 400 off-street). Initially, the charge was £1.50 per day per motorcycle, with discounted rates for longer periods (£5 per week; £20 per month; £50 per quarter; and £150 per annum).\n\nThe permanent TRO differed from the Experimental Order in three major respects. Residents were allowed to park in designated motorcycle parking bays free of charge as long as they displayed a valid residents permit; parking in all of the off-street motorcycle parking bays was made free of charge; and the scale of charges was reduced. The new scale of charges was £1 per day per motorcycle, with discounted rates for longer periods (£3.50 per week; £13.50 per month; £33.50 per quarter; and £100 per annum).\n\nConsultation\nPrior to the Experimental Order in 2007, the Council had consulted with several interest groups, including the British Motorcyclists Federation (BMF). The BMF had campaigned against the charge, but in 2008 at the time of the issuance of the Experimental Order a spokesman reported that the Federation's members \"on balance\" thought that the deal of paying for parking spaces was \"not a bad one\", since motorcyclists didn't have to pay the London congestion charge and had lower running costs, even though the BMF members didn't like charges.\n\nOpposition\nSubsequent to the Experimental Order, the formal protest group No To Bike Parking Tax was formed to oppose the measures. It presented formal objections to the Council's Built Environmental Policy and Scrutiny Committee on 2009-03-31. It also organised several public protests, including \"go-slows\" where motorcyclists rode slowly through central London during peak \"rush hour\" traffic times causing road closures and traffic problems, in December 2008 and March 2009.\n\nOn 16 April 2010, a local councillor Daniel Hamilton from Runnymede, having had his journey to work delayed by half an hour by a No To Bike Parking Tax rush-hour \"go slow\", called the demonstrators \"tossers\" on his Twitter account. In response, he received 200 emails, numerous text messages and telephone calls, including 15 death threats. In June 2010, Boris Johnson was caught up in the protests and was heard to make what were alleged to be \"threats\" against demonstrators. In March 2009, Westminster councillors responded to what they perceived to be a \"hate campaign\" organised by protesters, where councillors' names, addresses, and telephone numbers had been posted on the Internet, alongside threatening statements that people who supported the parking charge \"must accept the consequences of their actions\" and statements calling for \"total war\" against staff at the Council. Throughout, the Council maintained its position that the parking charges were necessary in order to meet the increased demand for motorcycle parking and would not be abolished. The campaigners maintained their opposition to the scheme, describing the councillors as \"arrogant\" and dismissing the charges that there was a \"hate campaign\" as an attempt to distract from the issue of the charge itself. The Council held that it was right that motorcyclists contributed towards road maintenance through the payment of a parking charge, while protesters countered that many motorcyclists could not afford the charge imposed.\n\nHigh Court challenge\nThe No To Bike Parking Tax campaigners took the issue to the High Court, arguing that the parking charge was simply a device to raise revenue, and that the Council had not undertaken proper consultation in line with the Road Traffic Regulation Act. By 2009, revenue that Westminster Council was obtaining from parking charges in general, some £81.5 million per annum from parking meters and parking fines, had already exceeded the £80 million per annum revenue that it was obtaining from council tax. Councillor Danny Chalkley, the Council's cabinet member for city management, had stated then that no profit was made from parking charges, and that all surpluses (£35 million in 2008) were invested in the Council's transport projects. Many of the protesters had already asserted, via electronic mail to councillors, letters, and petitions with more than 3,000 signatures, that the Council was using the charge simply to raise revenue. By February 2009, the cost to the Council of creating the extra motorcycle parking bays and the additional security measures, some £300,000, had been exceeded by the £2.2 million that the Council had obtained from parking charges and fines. The High Court ruled against the campaigners on both counts in July 2010. Lord Justice Pitchford, who heard the case alongside Mr Justice Maddison, stated that the scheme had not been invalidated by Westminster Council budgeting for a modest surplus, nor did that mean that there was an ulterior motive in charging motorcyclists. The Council stated, after the ruling, that it was seeking reimbursement of its £50,000 legal fees from Warren Djanogly, chairman of the NTBPT campaign, whose own legal fees were already estimated to be £70,000.\n\nReferences\n\nFurther reading\n — the notice of the TROs.\n\nExternal links\n Westminster City Council Motorcycle Parking\n\nFare collection systems in London\nRoad transport in London\nTransport in the City of Westminster\n2008 in London\n2009 in London\n2010 in London\nTown and country planning in London\nTransport policy in the United Kingdom\nParking by city\nWestminster City Council\n2000s in the City of Westminster",
"Robert Hermansen (born 1939 in Botne) is a Norwegian businessperson.\n\nHe is a former chief executive of Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani. He has been chairman of Troms Kraft since 2008. He has also chaired the board of the Regional Development Fund.\n\nIn 2011, B. Thorsen of Økokrim reported that Hermansen had confessed to formal charges of corruption. At his trial, he confessed to formal charges of corruption on 23 September 2011. He was sentenced to 2 years in prison, by Nord-Troms District Court on 3 October 2011.\n\nHis brother is Tormod Hermansen.\n\nReferences\n\n1939 births\nLiving people\nPeople from Vestfold\nNorwegian chief executives\nPrisoners and detainees of Norway\nNorwegian prisoners and detainees\nNorwegian white-collar criminals"
] |
[
"Julian Assange",
"Swedish sexual assault allegations",
"What was he alleged of doing?",
"he became the subject of sexual assault allegations from two women with whom he had sex.",
"Who was one of the woman?",
"I don't know.",
"Was there formal charges made?",
"He was questioned, the case was initially closed, and he was told he could leave the country."
] |
C_64d98f3da46040bd8ec1317d5f9caf0a_0
|
What country was this in?
| 4 |
What country did Julian Assange have sexual assault allegations?
|
Julian Assange
|
Assange visited Sweden in August 2010. During his visit, he became the subject of sexual assault allegations from two women with whom he had sex. He was questioned, the case was initially closed, and he was told he could leave the country. In November 2010, however, the case was re-opened by a special prosecutor who said that she wanted to question Assange over two counts of sexual molestation, one count of unlawful coercion and one count of "lesser-degree rape" (mindre grov valdtakt). Assange denied the allegations and said he was happy to face questions in Britain. In 2010, the prosecutor said Swedish law prevented her from questioning anyone by video link or in the London embassy. In March 2015, after public criticism from other Swedish law practitioners, she changed her mind and agreed to interrogate Assange in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, with interviews finally beginning on 14 November 2016. These interviews involved police, Swedish prosecutors and Ecuadorian officials and were eventually published online. By this time, the statute of limitations had expired on all three of the less serious allegations. Since the Swedish prosecutor had not interviewed Assange by 18 August 2015, the questioning pertained only to the open investigation of "lesser degree rape", whose statute of limitations is due to expire in 2020. On 19 May 2017, the Swedish authorities dropped their investigation against Assange, claiming they could not expect the Ecuadorian Embassy to communicate reliably with Assange with respect to the case. Chief prosecutor Marianne Ny officially revoked his arrest warrant, but said the investigation could still be resumed if Assange visited Sweden before August 2020. "We are not making any pronouncement about guilt", she said. CANNOTANSWER
|
Assange visited Sweden in August 2010.
|
Julian Paul Assange (; né Hawkins; born 3 July 1971) is an Australian editor, publisher and activist who founded WikiLeaks in 2006. WikiLeaks came to international attention in 2010 when it published a series of leaks provided by U.S. Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning. These leaks included the Baghdad airstrike Collateral Murder video (April 2010), the Afghanistan war logs (July 2010), the Iraq war logs (October 2010), and Cablegate (November 2010). After the 2010 leaks, the United States government launched a criminal investigation into WikiLeaks.
In November 2010, Sweden issued an international arrest warrant for Assange over allegations of sexual misconduct. Assange said the allegations were a pretext for his extradition from Sweden to the United States over his role in the publication of secret American documents. After losing his battle against extradition to Sweden, he breached bail and took refuge in the Embassy of Ecuador in London in June 2012. He was granted asylum by Ecuador in August 2012 on the grounds of political persecution, with the presumption that if he were extradited to Sweden, he would be eventually extradited to the US. Swedish prosecutors dropped their investigation in 2019, saying their evidence had "weakened considerably due to the long period of time that has elapsed since the events in question."
During the 2016 U.S. election campaign, WikiLeaks published confidential Democratic Party emails, showing that the party's national committee favoured Hillary Clinton over her rival Bernie Sanders in the primaries.
On 11 April 2019, Assange's asylum was withdrawn following a series of disputes with the Ecuadorian authorities. The police were invited into the embassy and he was arrested. He was found guilty of breaching the Bail Act and sentenced to 50 weeks in prison. The United States government unsealed an indictment against Assange related to the leaks provided by Manning. On 23 May 2019, the United States government further charged Assange with violating the Espionage Act of 1917. Editors from newspapers, including The Washington Post and The New York Times, as well as press freedom organisations, criticised the government's decision to charge Assange under the Espionage Act, characterising it as an attack on the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, which guarantees freedom of the press. On 4 January 2021, UK District Judge Vanessa Baraitser ruled against the United States' request to extradite Assange and stated that doing so would be "oppressive" given concerns over Assange's mental health and risk of suicide. On 6 January 2021, Assange was denied bail, pending an appeal by the United States. On 10 December 2021, the High Court in London ruled that Assange can be extradited to the US to face the charges.
Assange has been confined in Belmarsh maximum-security prison in London since April 2019.
Early life
Assange was born Julian Paul Hawkins on 3 July 1971 in Townsville, Queensland, to Christine Ann Hawkins (b. 1951), a visual artist, and John Shipton, an anti-war activist and builder. The couple separated before their son was born. When Julian was a year old, his mother married Brett Assange, an actor with whom she ran a small theatre company and whom Julian regards as his father (choosing Assange as his surname). Christine and Brett Assange divorced around 1979. Christine then became involved with Leif Meynell, also known as Leif Hamilton, whom Julian Assange later described as "a member of an Australian cult" called The Family. They separated in 1982.
Julian had a nomadic childhood, living in more than 30 Australian towns and cities by the time he reached his mid-teens, when he settled with his mother and half-brother in Melbourne. Assange attended many schools, including Goolmangar Primary School in New South Wales (1979–1983) and Townsville State High School in Queensland as well as being schooled at home.
In 1987, aged 16, Assange began hacking under the name Mendax, supposedly taken from Horace's splendide mendax (nobly lying). He and two others, known as "Trax" and "Prime Suspect", formed a hacking group they called "the International Subversives". According to David Leigh and Luke Harding, Assange may have been involved in the WANK (Worms Against Nuclear Killers) hack at NASA in 1989, but this has never been proven.
In September 1991, Assange was discovered hacking into the Melbourne master terminal of Nortel, a Canadian multinational telecommunications corporation. The Australian Federal Police tapped Assange's phone line (he was using a modem), raided his home at the end of October and eventually charged him in 1994 with 31 counts of hacking and related crimes. In December 1996, he pleaded guilty to 24 charges (the others were dropped) and was ordered to pay reparations of A$2,100 and released on a good behaviour bond. He received a lenient penalty due to the absence of malicious or mercenary intent and his disrupted childhood.
Assange studied programming, mathematics and physics at Central Queensland University (1994) and the University of Melbourne (2003–2006), but did not complete a degree.
In 1993, Assange used his computing skills to help the Victoria Police Child Exploitation Unit to prosecute individuals responsible for publishing and distributing child pornography. In the same year, he was involved in starting one of the first public Internet service providers in Australia, Suburbia Public Access Network. He began programming in 1994, authoring or co-authoring the TCP port scanner Strobe (1995), patches to the open-source database PostgreSQL (1996), the Usenet caching software NNTPCache (1996), the Rubberhose deniable encryption system (1997) (which reflected his growing interest in cryptography), and Surfraw, a command-line interface for web-based search engines (2000). During this period, he also moderated the AUCRYPTO forum, ran Best of Security, a website "giving advice on computer security" that had 5,000 subscribers in 1996, and contributed research to Suelette Dreyfus's Underground (1997), a book about Australian hackers, including the International Subversives. In 1998, he co-founded the company Earthmen Technology.
Assange stated that he registered the domain leaks.org in 1999, but "didn't do anything with it". He did publicise a patent granted to the National Security Agency in August 1999, for voice-data harvesting technology: "This patent should worry people. Everyone's overseas phone calls are or may soon be tapped, transcribed and archived in the bowels of an unaccountable foreign spy agency."
Founding WikiLeaks
Early publications
Assange and others established WikiLeaks in 2006. Assange became a member of the organisation's advisory board and described himself as the editor-in-chief. From 2007 to 2010, Assange travelled continuously on WikiLeaks business, visiting Africa, Asia, Europe and North America. During this time, the organisation published internet censorship lists, leaks, and classified media from anonymous sources. These publications including revelations about drone strikes in Yemen, corruption across the Arab world, extrajudicial executions by Kenyan police, 2008 Tibetan unrest in China, and the "Petrogate" oil scandal in Peru.
WikiLeaks' international profile increased in 2008 when a Swiss bank, Julius Baer, failed to block the site's publication of bank records. Assange commented that financial institutions ordinarily "operate outside the rule of law", and received extensive legal support from free-speech and civil rights groups.
In September 2008, during the 2008 United States presidential election campaign, the contents of a Yahoo! account belonging to Sarah Palin (the running mate of Republican presidential nominee John McCain) were posted on WikiLeaks after being hacked into by members of Anonymous. After briefly appearing on a blog, the membership list of the far-right British National Party was posted to WikiLeaks on 18 November 2008.
WikiLeaks released a report disclosing a "serious nuclear accident" at the Iranian Natanz nuclear facility in 2009. According to media reports, the accident may have been the direct result of a cyber-attack at Iran's nuclear program, carried out with the Stuxnet computer worm, a cyber-weapon built jointly by the United States and Israel.
Iraq and Afghan War logs and US diplomatic cables
The material WikiLeaks published between 2006 and 2009 attracted various degrees of international attention, but after it began publishing documents supplied by U.S. Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning, WikiLeaks became a household name.
In April 2010, WikiLeaks released the Collateral Murder video, which showed United States soldiers fatally shooting 18 civilians from a helicopter in Iraq, including Reuters journalists Namir Noor-Eldeen and his assistant Saeed Chmagh. Reuters had previously made a request to the US government for the Collateral Murder video under Freedom of Information but had been denied. Assange and others worked for a week to break the U.S. military's encryption of the video.
In October 2010, WikiLeaks published the Iraq War logs, a collection of 391,832 United States Army field reports from the Iraq War covering the period from 2004 to 2009. Assange said that he hoped the publication would "correct some of that attack on the truth that occurred before the war, during the war, and which has continued after the war".
Regarding his own role within WikiLeaks, he said, "We always expect tremendous criticism. It is my role to be the lightning rod... to attract the attacks against the organization for our work, and that is a difficult role. On the other hand, I get undue credit".
Other Manning material published by WikiLeaks included the Afghanistan War logs in July 2010, and the Guantánamo Bay files in April 2011.
WikiLeaks published a quarter of a million U.S. diplomatic cables, known as the "Cablegate" files, in November 2010. WikiLeaks initially worked with established Western media organisations, and later with smaller regional media organisations, while also publishing the cables upon which their reporting was based. The files showed United States espionage against the United Nations and other world leaders, revealed tensions between the U.S. and its allies, and exposed corruption in countries throughout the world as documented by U.S. diplomats, helping to spark the Arab Spring. The Cablegate and Iraq and Afghan War releases impacted diplomacy and public opinion globally, with responses varying by region.
Legal issues
US criminal investigation
After WikiLeaks released the Manning material, United States authorities began investigating WikiLeaks and Assange personally to prosecute them under the Espionage Act of 1917. In November 2010, US Attorney-General Eric Holder said there was "an active, ongoing criminal investigation" into WikiLeaks. It emerged from legal documents leaked over the ensuing months that Assange and others were being investigated by a federal grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia.
In August 2011, WikiLeaks volunteer Sigurdur Thordarson, working in his home country Iceland, contacted the FBI and, after presenting a copy of Assange's passport at the American embassy, became the first informant to work for the FBI from inside WikiLeaks. In November 2011, WikiLeaks dismissed Thordarson due to what the organization said was his embezzlement of $50,000, to which charge (along with several other offences) he later pleaded guilty in an Icelandic court. According to Thordarson, a few months after his dismissal by WikiLeaks the FBI agreed to pay him $5,000 as compensation for work missed while meeting with agents.
In December 2011, prosecutors in the Chelsea Manning case revealed the existence of chat logs between Manning and an interlocutor they claimed was Assange. Assange said that WikiLeaks has no way of knowing the identity of its sources and that chats with sources, including user-names, were anonymous. In January 2011, Assange described the allegation that WikiLeaks had conspired with Manning as "absolute nonsense". The logs were presented as evidence during Manning's court-martial in June–July 2013. The prosecution argued that they showed WikiLeaks helping Manning reverse-engineer a password. During her trial, Manning said she acted on her own to send documents to WikiLeaks and no one associated with WikiLeaks pressured her into giving more information.
In 2013, US officials said that it was unlikely that the Justice Department would indict Assange for publishing classified documents because it would also have to prosecute the news organisations and writers who published classified material.
In June 2013, The New York Times said that court and other documents suggested that Assange was being examined by a grand jury and "several government agencies", including by the FBI. Court documents published in May 2014 suggest that Assange was under "active and ongoing" investigation at that time.
Some Snowden documents published in 2014 showed that the U.S. government had put Assange on its 2010 "Manhunting Timeline", an annual account of efforts to capture or kill alleged terrorists and others, and in the same period urged allies to open criminal investigations into Assange. In the same documents, there was a proposal by the National Security Agency (NSA) to designate WikiLeaks a "malicious foreign actor", thus increasing the surveillance against it.
In January 2015, WikiLeaks issued a statement saying that three members of the organisation had received notice from Google that Google had complied with a federal warrant by a US District Court to turn over their emails and metadata on 5 April 2012. In July 2015, Assange called himself a "wanted journalist" in an open letter to the French president published in Le Monde. In a December 2015 court submission, the US government confirmed its "sensitive, ongoing law enforcement proceeding into the Wikileaks matter".
Under the Obama Administration, the Department of Justice did not indict Assange because it was unable to find any evidence that his actions differed from those of a journalist. However, after President Donald Trump took office, CIA director Mike Pompeo and Attorney General Jeff Sessions stepped up pursuit of Assange.
In April 2017, US officials were preparing to file formal charges against Assange. Legal scholar Steve Vladeck said prosecutors accelerated the case in 2019 due to the impending statute of limitations on Assange's largest leaks.
Swedish sexual assault allegations
Assange visited Sweden in August 2010. During his visit, he became the subject of sexual assault allegations from two women. Assange denied the allegations and said he was happy to face questions in Britain.
On 20 November 2010, the Swedish police issued an international arrest warrant. Later that day, Assange told journalist Raffi Khatchadourian that Sweden has a "very, very poor judicial system" and a culture of "crazed radical feminist ideology". He commented that, more importantly, his case involved international politics, and that "Sweden is a U.S. satrapy." In a later interview he described Sweden as "the Saudi Arabia of feminism." On 8 December 2010, Assange gave himself up to British police and attended his first extradition hearing, where he was remanded in custody. On 16 December 2010, at the second hearing, he was granted bail by the High Court of Justice and released after his supporters paid £240,000 in cash and sureties. A further hearing on 24 February 2011 ruled that Assange should be extradited to Sweden. This decision was upheld by the High Court on 2 November and by the Supreme Court on 30 May the next year.
After previously stating that she could not question a suspect by video link or in the Swedish embassy, prosecutor Marianne Ny wrote to the English Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in 2013. Her letter advised that she intended to lift the detention order and withdraw the European arrest warrant as the actions were not proportionate to the costs and seriousness of the crime. In response, the CPS tried to dissuade Ny from doing so.
In March 2015, after public criticism from other Swedish law practitioners, Ny changed her mind about interrogating Assange, who had taken refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in London. These interviews, which began on 14 November 2016, involved the British police, Swedish prosecutors and Ecuadorian officials, and were eventually published online. By that time, the statute of limitations had expired on all three of the less serious allegations. Since the Swedish prosecutor had not interviewed Assange by 18 August 2015, the questioning pertained only to the open investigation of "lesser degree rape".
On 19 May 2017, the Swedish authorities suspended their investigation, saying they could not expect the Ecuadorian Embassy to communicate reliably with Assange with respect to the case. Chief prosecutor Marianne Ny officially revoked his arrest warrant, but said the investigation could still be resumed if Assange visited Sweden before August 2020.
Following Assange's arrest on 11 April 2019, the case was reopened, in May 2019, under prosecutor Eva-Marie Persson. On 19 November, she announced that she had discontinued her investigation, saying that the evidence was not strong enough. She added that although she was confident in the complainant, "the evidence has weakened considerably due to the long period of time that has elapsed".
Ecuadorian embassy period
Entering the embassy
On 19 June 2012, the Ecuadorian foreign minister, Ricardo Patiño, announced that Assange had applied for political asylum, that the Ecuadorian government was considering his request, and that Assange was at the Ecuadorian embassy in London.
Assange and his supporters said he was not concerned about any proceedings in Sweden as such, but said that the Swedish allegations were designed to discredit him and were a pretext for his extradition from Sweden to the United States.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague gave a news conference in response. He said "We will not allow Mr Assange safe passage out of the United Kingdom, nor is there any legal basis for us to do so," whilst adding, "The United Kingdom does not recognise the principle of diplomatic asylum."
Assange breached his bail conditions by taking up residence in the embassy rather than appearing in court, and faced arrest if he left. Assange's supporters, including journalist Jemima Goldsmith, journalist John Pilger, and filmmaker Ken Loach, forfeited £200,000 in bail. Goldsmith said she was surprised at his asylum bid and had expected him to face the Swedish allegations.
The UK government wrote Patiño that the police were entitled to enter the embassy and arrest Assange under UK law. Patiño said it was an implied threat, stating that "such actions would be a blatant disregard of the Vienna Convention". Officers of the Metropolitan Police Service were stationed outside the embassy from June 2012 to October 2015 to arrest Assange if he left the embassy, and compel him to attend the extradition appeal hearing. The police officers were withdrawn on grounds of cost in October 2015, but the police said they would still deploy "several overt and covert tactics to arrest him". The Metropolitan Police Service said the cost of the policing for the period was £12.6million.
WikiLeaks insiders stated that Assange decided to seek asylum because he felt abandoned by the Australian government. The Australian attorney-general, Nicola Roxon, had written to Assange's lawyer, Jennifer Robinson, saying that Australia would not seek to involve itself in any international exchanges about Assange's future. She suggested that if Assange was imprisoned in the US, he could apply for an international prisoner transfer to Australia. Assange's lawyers described the letter as a "declaration of abandonment".
On 16 August 2012, Patiño announced that Ecuador was granting Assange political asylum because of the threat represented by the United States secret investigation against him. In its formal statement, Ecuador said that "as a consequence of Assange's determined defense to freedom of expression and freedom of press... in any given moment, a situation may come where his life, safety or personal integrity will be in danger". Latin American states expressed support for Ecuador. Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa confirmed on 18 August that Assange could stay at the embassy indefinitely, and the following day Assange gave his first speech from the balcony. An office converted into a studio apartment, equipped with a bed, telephone, sun lamp, computer, shower, treadmill, and kitchenette, became his home until 11 April 2019.
WikiLeaks publishing
On 24 April 2011, WikiLeaks began publishing the Guantanamo Bay files leak, 779 classified reports on prisoners, past and present, held by the U.S. at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp in Cuba. The documents, dated from 2002 to 2008, revealed prisoners, some of whom were coerced to confess, included children, the elderly and mentally disabled.
In July 2012, WikiLeaks began publishing the Syria Files, a collection of more than two million emails from Syrian political figures, government ministries and companies. Assange said the "Syria Files" collection
In 2013, Assange analysed the Kissinger cables held at the US National Archives and released them in searchable form.
By 2015, WikiLeaks had published more than ten million documents and associated analyses, and was described by Assange as "a giant library of the world's most persecuted documents".
In June 2015, WikiLeaks began publishing confidential and secret Saudi Arabian government documents.
On 25 November 2016, WikiLeaks released emails and internal documents that provided details on U.S. military operations in Yemen from 2009 to March 2015. In a statement accompanying the release of the "Yemen Files", Assange said about the U.S. involvement in the Yemen war: "The war in Yemen has produced 3.15million internally displaced persons. Although the United States government has provided most of the bombs and is deeply involved in the conduct of the war itself, reportage on the war in English is conspicuously rare."
In December 2016, WikiLeaks published emails from the Turkish government in response to Erdoğan's post-coup purges in Turkey. The emails covered the period from 2010 to July 2016. In response, Turkey blocked access to the WikiLeaks site.
Public positions
WikiLeaks Party
Assange stood for the Australian Senate in the 2013 Australian federal election for the newly formed WikiLeaks Party but failed to win a seat. The party experienced internal dissent over its governance and electoral tactics and was deregistered due to low membership numbers in 2015.
Edward Snowden
In 2013, Assange and others in WikiLeaks helped whistleblower Edward Snowden flee from US law enforcement. After the United States cancelled Snowden's passport, stranding him in Russia, they considered transporting him to Latin America on the presidential jet of a sympathetic Latin American leader. In order to throw the US off the scent, they spoke about the jet of the Bolivian president Evo Morales, instead of the jet they were considering. In July 2013, Morales's jet was forced to land in Austria after the US pressured Italy, France, and Spain to deny the jet access to their airspace over false rumours Snowden was on board. Assange said the grounding "reveals the true nature of the relationship between Western Europe and the United States" as "a phone call from U.S. intelligence was enough to close the airspace to a booked presidential flight, which has immunity". Assange advised Snowden that he would be safest in Russia which was better able to protect its borders than Venezuela, Brazil or Ecuador. In 2015, Maria Luisa Ramos, the Bolivian ambassador to Russia, accused Assange of putting Morales' life at risk. Assange stated that he regretted what happened but that "[w]e can't predict that other countries engage in some... unprecedented criminal operation".
Operation Speargun
Documents provided by Edward Snowden showed that in 2012 and 2013 the NZ government worked to establish a secret mass surveillance programme which it called "Operation Speargun". On 15 September 2014, Assange appeared via remote video link on Kim Dotcom's Moment of Truth town hall meeting held in Auckland, which discussed the programme. Assange said the Snowden documents showed that he had been a target of the programme and that "Operation Speargun" represented "an extreme, bizarre, Orwellian future that is being constructed secretly in New Zealand".
On 3 July 2015, Paris newspaper Le Monde published an open letter from Assange to French President François Hollande in which Assange urged the French government to grant him refugee status. In response to this letter, Hollande said: "France cannot act on his request. The situation of Mr Assange does not present an immediate danger."
Other developments
In 2015, La Repubblica stated that it had evidence of the UK's role via the English Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in creating the "legal and diplomatic quagmire" which prevented Assange from leaving the Ecuadorian embassy. La Repubblica sued the CPS in 2017 to obtain further information but its case was rejected with the judge saying "the need for the British authorities to protect the confidentiality of the extradition process outweighs the public interest of the press to know". A further appeal was rejected in September 2019.
On 5 February 2016, the UN's Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concluded that Assange had been subject to arbitrary detention by the UK and Swedish Governments since 7 December 2010, including his time in prison, on conditional bail and in the Ecuadorian embassy. The Working Group said Assange should be allowed to walk free and be given compensation. The UK and Swedish governments denied the charge of detaining Assange arbitrarily. The UK Foreign Secretary, Philip Hammond, said the charge was "ridiculous" and that the group was "made up of lay people", and called Assange a "fugitive from justice" who "can come out any time he chooses", and called the panel's ruling "flawed in law". Swedish prosecutors called the group's charge irrelevant. The UK said it would arrest Assange should he leave the embassy. Mark Ellis, executive director of the International Bar Association, stated that the finding is "not binding on British law". US legal scholar Noah Feldman described the Working Group's conclusion as astonishing, summarising it as "Assange might be charged with a crime in the US. Ecuador thinks charging him with violating national security law would amount to 'political persecution' or worse. Therefore, Sweden must give up on its claims to try him for rape, and Britain must ignore the Swedes' arrest warrant and let him leave the country."
In September 2016 and again on 12 January 2017, WikiLeaks tweeted that Assange would agree to US prison in exchange for President Obama granting Chelsea Manning clemency. After commuting Manning's sentence on 17 January 2017, Obama stated that Assange's offer had not been a consideration.
On 19 May 2017, Assange emerged on the embassy's balcony and told a crowd that, despite no longer facing a Swedish sex investigation, he would remain inside the embassy to avoid extradition to the United States.
2016 U.S. presidential election
During the 2016 US Democratic Party presidential primaries, WikiLeaks hosted a searchable database of emails sent or received by presidential candidate Hillary Clinton while she was Secretary of State. The emails had been released by the US State Department under a Freedom of information request in February 2016. The emails were a major point of discussion during the presidential election and prompted an FBI investigation of Clinton for using a private email server for classified documents while she was US Secretary of State.
In February 2016, Assange wrote: "I have had years of experience in dealing with Hillary Clinton and have read thousands of her cables. Hillary lacks judgment and will push the United States into endless, stupid wars which spread terrorism. ...she certainly should not become president of the United States." On 25 July, following the Republican National Convention, Assange said that choosing between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump is like choosing between cholera or gonorrhoea. "Personally, I would prefer neither." In an Election Day statement, Assange criticised both Clinton and Trump, saying that "The Democratic and Republican candidates have both expressed hostility towards whistleblowers."
On 22 July 2016, WikiLeaks released emails and documents from the Democratic National Committee (DNC) in which the DNC seemingly presented ways of undercutting Clinton's competitor Bernie Sanders and showed apparent favouritism towards Clinton. The release led to the resignation of DNC chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz and an apology to Sanders from the DNC. The New York Times wrote that Assange had timed the release to coincide with the 2016 Democratic National Convention because he believed Clinton had pushed for his indictment and he regarded her as a "liberal war hawk".
On 7 October Assange posted a press release on WikiLeaks exposing a second batch of emails with over 2,000 mails from Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta.
In mid-October, the Ecuadorian government severed Assange's Internet connection because of the leaks. In December, Assange said the connection had been restored.
Cybersecurity experts attributed the attack to the Russian government. The Central Intelligence Agency, together with several other agencies, concluded that Russian intelligence agencies hacked the DNC servers, as well as Podesta's email account, and provided the information to WikiLeaks to bolster Trump's election campaign. As a result of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections, 12 Russian GRU military intelligence agents were indicted on 13 July 2018 for the attack on the DNC mail-server. According to the Mueller report, this group shared these mails using the pseudonym Guccifer 2.0 with WikiLeaks and other entities. The investigation also unearthed communications between Guccifer 2.0, WikiLeaks and the Trump campaign, in which they coordinated the release of the material. The Senate Intelligence Committee reported that "WikiLeaks actively sought, and played, a key role in the Russian intelligence campaign and very likely knew it was assisting a Russian intelligence influence effort."
In interviews, Assange repeatedly said that the Russian government was not the source of the DNC and Podesta emails, and accused the Clinton campaign of "a kind of neo-McCarthy hysteria" about Russian involvement. On the eve of the election, Assange addressed the criticism he had received for publishing Clinton material, saying that WikiLeaks publishes "material given to us if it is of political, diplomatic, historical or ethical importance and which has not been published elsewhere," that it had never received any information on Trump, Jill Stein, or Gary Johnson's campaign.
A 2017 article in Foreign Policy said that WikiLeaks turned down leaks on the Russian government, focusing instead on hacks relating to the US presidential election. WikiLeaks said that, as far as it could recall, the material was already public.
In April 2018, the DNC sued WikiLeaks for the theft of the DNC's information under various Virginia and US federal statutes. It accused WikiLeaks and Russia of a "brazen attack on American democracy". The Committee to Protect Journalists said that the lawsuit raised several important press freedom questions. The suit was dismissed with prejudice in July 2019. Judge John Koeltl said that WikiLeaks "did not participate in any wrongdoing in obtaining the materials in the first place" and were therefore within the law in publishing the information.
Seth Rich
In a July 2016 interview on Dutch television, Assange hinted that DNC staffer Seth Rich was the source of the DNC emails and that Rich had been killed as a result. Seeking clarification, the interviewer asked Assange whether Rich's killing was "simply a murder," to which Assange answered, "No. There's no finding. So, I'm suggesting that our sources take risks, and they become concerned to see things occurring like that." WikiLeaks offered a $20,000 reward for information about his murder and wrote: "We treat threats toward any suspected source of WikiLeaks with extreme gravity. This should not be taken to imply that Seth Rich was a source to WikiLeaks or to imply that his murder is connected to our publications."
Assange's comments were highlighted by Fox News, The Washington Times and conspiracy website InfoWars and set off a spike in attention to the murder. Assange's statements lent credibility and visibility to what had at that point been a conspiracy theory in the fringe parts of the Internet. According to the Mueller investigation, Assange "implied falsely" that Rich was the source to obscure the fact that Russia was the source. Assange received the emails when Rich was already dead and continued to confer with the Russian hackers to coordinate the release of the material.
Later years in the embassy
In March 2017, WikiLeaks began releasing the largest leak of CIA documents in history, codenamed Vault 7. The documents included details of the CIA's hacking capabilities and software tools used to break into smartphones, computers and other Internet-connected devices. In April, CIA director Mike Pompeo called WikiLeaks "a non-state hostile intelligence service often abetted by state actors like Russia". Assange accused the CIA of trying to "subvert" his right to freedom of speech. According to former intelligence officials, in the wake of the Vault7 leaks, the CIA plotted to kidnap Assange from Ecuador's London embassy, and some senior officials discussed his potential assassination. Yahoo! News found "no indication that the most extreme measures targeting Assange were ever approved." Some of its sources stated that they had alerted House and Senate intelligence committees to the plans that Pompeo was suggesting. In October 2021, Assange's lawyers introduced the alleged plot during a hearing of the High Court of Justice in London as it considered the U.S. appeal of a lower court's ruling that Assange could not be extradited to face charges in the U.S.
On 6 June 2017, Assange tweeted his support for NSA leaker Reality Winner, who had been arrested three days earlier. Winner had been identified in part because a reporter from The Intercept showed a leaked document to the government without removing possibly incriminating evidence about its leaker. WikiLeaks later offered a $10,000 reward for information about the reporter responsible.
On 16 August 2017, US Republican congressman Dana Rohrabacher visited Assange and told him that Trump would pardon him on condition that he said Russia was not involved in the 2016 Democratic National Committee email leaks. At his extradition hearings in 2020, Assange's lawyers told the court that Rohrabacher had said the offer was made "on instructions from the president". Trump and Rohrabacher said they had never spoken about the offer and Rohrabacher said he had made the offer on his own initiative.
In August 2017, in the midst of the Qatar diplomatic crisis, Dubai-based Al Arabiya said Assange had refrained from publishing two cables about Qatar after negotiations between WikiLeaks and Qatar. Assange said Al Arabiya had been publishing "increasingly absurd fabrications" during the dispute. In September 2017, Assange released "Spy Files Russia," revealing "how a St. Petersburg-based technology company called Peter-Service helped Russian state entities gather detailed data on Russian cellphone users, part of a national system of online surveillance called System for Operative Investigative Activities (SORM)." According to Moscow-based journalist Fred Weir, "experts say it casts a timely spotlight on the vast surveillance operations mounted by Russian security services."
Assange was granted Ecuadorian citizenship in December 2017.
In February 2018, after Sweden had suspended its investigation, Assange brought two legal actions, arguing that Britain should drop its arrest warrant for him as it was "no longer right or proportionate to pursue him" and the arrest warrant for breaching bail had lost its "purpose and its function". In both cases, Senior District Judge Emma Arbuthnot ruled that the arrest warrant should remain in place.
In March 2018, Assange used social media to criticise Germany's arrest of Catalonian separatist leader Carles Puigdemont. On 28 March 2018, Ecuador responded by cutting Assange's internet connection because his social media posts put at risk Ecuador's relations with European nations. In May 2018, The Guardian reported that over five years Ecuador had spent at least $5million (£3.7m) to protect Assange, employing a security company and undercover agents to monitor his visitors, embassy staff and the British police. Ecuador reportedly also devised plans to help Assange escape should British police forcibly enter the embassy to seize him. The Guardian reported that by 2014 Assange had compromised the embassy's communications system. WikiLeaks described the allegation as "an anonymous libel aligned with the current UK-US government onslaught against Mr Assange". In July 2018, President Moreno said that he wanted Assange out of the embassy provided that Assange's life was not in danger. By October 2018, Assange's communications were partially restored.
On 16 October 2018, congressmen from the United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs wrote an open letter to President Moreno which described Assange as a dangerous criminal and stated that progress between the US and Ecuador in the areas of economic cooperation, counter-narcotics assistance and the return of a USAID mission to Ecuador depended on Assange being handed over to the authorities.
In October 2018, Assange sued the government of Ecuador for violating his "fundamental rights and freedoms" by threatening to remove his protection and cut off his access to the outside world, refusing him visits from journalists and human rights organisations and installing signal jammers to prevent phone calls and internet access. An Ecuadorian judge ruled against him, saying that requiring Assange to pay for his Internet use and clean up after his cat did not violate his right to asylum.
In November 2018, Pamela Anderson, a close friend and regular visitor of Assange, gave an interview in which she asked the Australian prime minister, Scott Morrison, to defend Assange. Morrison rejected the request with a response Anderson considered "smutty". Anderson responded that "[r]ather than making lewd suggestions about me, perhaps you should instead think about what you are going to say to millions of Australians when one of their own is marched in an orange jumpsuit to Guantanamo Bay – for publishing the truth. You can prevent this."
On 21 December 2018, the UN's Working Group on Arbitrary Detention urged the UK to let Assange leave the embassy freely. In a statement, the organisation said that the "Swedish investigations have been closed for over 18 months now, and the only ground remaining for Mr Assange's continued deprivation of liberty is a bail violation in the UK, which is, objectively, a minor offence that cannot post-facto justify the more than six years' confinement that he has been subjected to".
In February 2019, the parliament of Geneva passed a motion demanding that the Swiss government extend asylum to Assange. In January 2020, the Catalan Dignity Commission awarded Assange its 2019 Dignity Prize for supporting the Catalan people during the 2017 Catalan independence referendum.
In March 2019, Assange submitted a complaint to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights asking the Ecuadorian government to "ease the conditions that it had imposed on his residence" at the embassy and to protect him from extradition to the US. It also requested US prosecutors unseal criminal charges that had been filed against him. Assange said the Ecuadorian embassy was trying to end his asylum by spying on him and restricting his visitors. The commission rejected his complaint.
Surveillance of Assange in the embassy
On 10 April 2019, WikiLeaks said it had uncovered an extensive surveillance operation against Assange from within the embassy. WikiLeaks said that "material including video, audio, copies of private legal documents and a medical report" had surfaced in Spain and that unnamed individuals in Madrid had made an extortion attempt.
On 26 September 2019, the Spanish newspaper El País reported that the Spanish defence and security company Undercover Global S.L. (UC Global) had spied on Assange for the CIA during his time in the embassy. UC Global had been contracted to protect the embassy during this time. According to the report UC Global's owner David Morales had provided the CIA with audio and video of meetings Assange held with his lawyers and colleagues. Morales also arranged for the US to have direct access to the stream from video cameras installed in the embassy at the beginning of December 2017. The evidence was part of a secret investigation by Spain's High Court, the Audiencia Nacional, into Morales and his relationship with US intelligence. The investigation was precipitated by a complaint by Assange that accused UC Global of violating his privacy and client-attorney privileges as well as committing misappropriation, bribery and money laundering.
Morales was arrested in September on charges involving violations of privacy and client-attorney privileges, as well as misappropriation, bribery, money laundering and criminal possession of weapons. He was released on bail. On 25 September, Spanish Judge José de la Mata sent British authorities a European Investigation Order (EIO) asking for permission to question Assange by videoconference as a witness in the case against Morales. The United Kingdom Central Authority (UKCA), which is in charge of processing and responding to EIOs in the UK, provisionally denied De la Mata's request to question Assange, raised a number of objections to the request, and asked for more details. De la Mata responded to UKCA's objections on 14 October by stating that Assange was the victim who had filed the complaint and that unlawful disclosure of secrets and bribery are also crimes in the UK. He said that the crimes were partially committed on Spanish territory because the microphones used to spy on Assange were bought in Spain, and the information obtained was sent and uploaded to servers at UC Global S. L.'s headquarters in Spain.
Spanish judicial bodies were upset at having their EIO request denied by UKCA and believed the British justice system is concerned by the effect the Spanish case may have on the process to extradite Assange to the US.
In a November 2019 article, Stefania Maurizi said she had access to some of the videos, audios and photos showing a medical examination of Assange, a meeting between Ecuadorian ambassador Carlos Abad Ortiz and his staff, a meeting between Assange, Glenn Greenwald and David Miranda and lunch between Assange and British rapper M.I.A. Microphones had been placed in the women's toilets to capture meetings between Assange and his lawyers. Phones belonging to some of the embassy's visitors were compromised. Spanish lawyer Aitor Martinez, who is part of Assange's legal team, said videos were taken of meetings between Assange and his legal defence team. Maurizi concluded that, based on statements from former employees of UC Global, internal UC Global emails and the type of information collected, it was clear that the surveillance was conducted on behalf of the US government and the information gathered would be used by the US to assist in its case for extraditing Assange.
Britain agreed to allow Judge De la Mata to interview Assange via video link on 20 December. According to his lawyer, Assange testified that he was unaware that cameras installed by Undercover Global were also capturing audio and suggested the surveillance likely targeted his legal team.
Imprisonment and extradition proceedings
Arrest in the embassy
On 2 April 2019, Ecuador's president Moreno said that Assange had violated the terms of his asylum, after photos surfaced on the internet linking Moreno to a corruption scandal. WikiLeaks said it had acquired none of the published material, and that it merely reported on a corruption investigation against Moreno by Ecuador's legislature. WikiLeaks reported a source within the Ecuadorian government saying that, due to the controversy, an agreement had been reached to expel Assange from the embassy and place him in the custody of UK police. According to Assange's father, the revoking of Assange's asylum was connected to an upcoming decision by the International Monetary Fund to grant Ecuador a loan, an assertion also made by critics of Moreno, such as former Ecuadorian foreign minister Guillaume Long.
On 11 April 2019 the Ecuadorian government invited the Metropolitan Police into the embassy, and they arrested Assange on the basis of a US extradition warrant. Moreno stated that Ecuador withdrew Assange's asylum after he interfered in Ecuador's domestic affairs, calling Assange a "miserable hacker". British foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt and prime minister Theresa May applauded Moreno's actions, while Australian prime minister, Scott Morrison, said the arrest "has got nothing to do with [Australia], it is a matter for the US". United Nations Special Rapporteur Agnès Callamard said that British authorities had arbitrarily detained Assange and further endangered his life by their actions.
Conviction for breach of bail
On the day of his arrest, Assange was charged with breaching the Bail Act 1976 and was found guilty after a short hearing. Assange's defence said chief magistrate Emma Arbuthnot, who had dealt with his case, was biased against him as her husband was directly affected by WikiLeaks' allegations. Judge Michael Snow said it was "unacceptable" to air the claim in front of a "packed press gallery" and that Assange was "a narcissist who cannot get beyond his own selfish interest" and he had "not come close to establishing reasonable excuse".
Assange was remanded to Belmarsh Prison, and on 1 May 2019 was sentenced to 50 weeks imprisonment. The judge said he would be released after serving half of his sentence, subject to other proceedings and conditional upon committing no further offences. The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention said that the verdict contravened "principles of necessity and proportionality" for what it considered a "minor violation". Assange appealed his sentence, but dropped his appeal in July.
Espionage indictment in the United States
In 2012 and 2013, US officials indicated that Assange was not named in a sealed indictment. On 6 March 2018, a federal grand jury for the Eastern District of Virginia issued a sealed indictment against Assange. In November 2018, US prosecutors accidentally revealed the indictment.
In February 2019, Chelsea Manning was subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury in Virginia in the case. When Manning condemned the secrecy of the hearings and refused to testify, she was jailed for contempt of court on 8 March 2019. On 16 May 2019, Manning refused to testify before a new grand jury investigating Assange, stating that she "believe[d] this grand jury seeks to undermine the integrity of public discourse with the aim of punishing those who expose any serious, ongoing, and systemic abuses of power by this government". She was returned to jail for the 18-month term of the grand jury with financial penalties. In June 2021, Chelsea Manning said her grand jury resistance was not contingent on Julian Assange being the target, and that she was not even sure he was. "I treated this no differently than if it was for a protest or for some other grand jury—if it was a grand jury in general, I would respond the same way. But it did appear that this one was about, specifically, the 2010 disclosures; the media was speculating, but our legal team and ourselves, we never got full confirmation as to whether that was the case."
On 11 April 2019, the day of Assange's arrest in London, the indictment against him was unsealed. He was charged with conspiracy to commit computer intrusion (i.e., hacking into a government computer), which carries a maximum five-year sentence. The charges stem from the allegation that Assange attempted and failed to crack a password hash so that Chelsea Manning could use a different username to download classified documents and avoid detection. This allegation had been known since 2011 and was a factor in Manning's trial; the indictment did not reveal any new information about Assange.
On 23 May 2019, Assange was indicted on 17 new charges relating to the Espionage Act of 1917 in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. These charges carried a maximum sentence of 170 years in prison. The Obama administration had debated charging Assange under the Espionage Act, but decided against it out of fear that it would have a negative effect on investigative journalism and could be unconstitutional. The New York Times commented that it and other news organisations obtained the same documents as WikiLeaks also without government authorisation. It said it was not clear how WikiLeaks' publications were legally different from other publications of classified information.
Most cases brought under the Espionage Act have been against government employees who accessed sensitive information and leaked it to journalists and others. Prosecuting people for acts related to receiving and publishing information has not previously been tested in court. In 1975, the Justice Department decided after consideration not to charge journalist Seymour Hersh for reporting on US surveillance of the Soviet Union. Two lobbyists for a pro-Israel group were charged in 2005 with receiving and sharing classified information about American policy toward Iran. The charges, however, did not relate to the publication of the documents and the case was dropped in 2009.
The Associated Press reported that the indictment raised concerns about media freedom, as Assange's solicitation and publication of classified information is a routine job journalists perform. Steve Vladeck, a professor at the University of Texas School of Law, stated that what Assange is accused of doing is factually different from but legally similar to what professional journalists do. Suzanne Nossel of PEN America said it was immaterial if Assange was a journalist or publisher and pointed instead to First Amendment concerns.
While some American politicians supported the arrest and indictment of Julian Assange, several non-government organisations for press freedom condemned it. Mark Warner, vice chairman of the United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said that Assange was "a dedicated accomplice in efforts to undermine American security". Several jurists, politicians, associations, academics and campaigners viewed the arrest of Assange as an attack on freedom of the press and international law. Reporters Without Borders said Assange's arrest would "set a dangerous precedent for journalists, whistle-blowers, and other journalistic sources that the US may wish to pursue in the future". Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch, wrote that Assange's prosecution for publishing leaked documents is "a major threat to global media freedom". United Nations human rights expert Agnes Callamard said the indictment exposed him to the risk of serious human rights violations. Ben Wizner from the American Civil Liberties Union said that prosecuting Assange "for violating US secrecy laws would set an especially dangerous precedent for US journalists, who routinely violate foreign secrecy laws to deliver information vital to the public's interest".
Imprisonment in the UK
Since his arrest on 11 April 2019, Assange has been incarcerated in Belmarsh Prison in London.
After examining Assange on 9 May 2019, Nils Melzer, the United Nations special rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, concluded that "in addition to physical ailments, Mr Assange showed all symptoms typical for prolonged exposure to psychological torture, including extreme stress, chronic anxiety and intense psychological trauma." The British government said it disagreed with some of his observations. In a later interview, Melzer criticised the "secretive grand jury indictment in the United States", the "abusive manner in which Swedish prosecutors disseminated, re-cycled and perpetuated their 'preliminary investigation' into alleged sexual offences", the "termination by Ecuador of Mr Assange's asylum status and citizenship without any form of due process", and the "overt bias against Mr Assange being shown by British judges since his arrest". He said the United States, UK, Sweden and Ecuador were trying to make an example of Assange. He also accused journalists of "spreading abusive and deliberately distorted narratives". Shortly after Melzer's visit, Assange was transferred to the prison's health care unit.
On 13 September 2019, District Judge Vanessa Baraitser ruled that Assange would not be released on 22 September when his prison term ended because he was a and his lawyer had not applied for bail. She said when his sentence came to an end, his status would change from a serving prisoner to a person facing extradition.
On 1 November 2019, Melzer said that Assange's health had continued to deteriorate and his life was now at risk. He said that the UK government had not acted on the issue.
On 22 November, an open letter to the UK Home Secretary and Shadow Home Secretary signed by a group of medical practitioners named Doctors for Assange said Assange's health was declining to such an extent that he could die in prison. Subsequent attempts by the group, made to the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice Robert Buckland, and to Marise Payne, the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, also yielded no result.
On 30 December 2019, Melzer accused the UK government of torturing Julian Assange. He said Assange's "continued exposure to severe mental and emotional suffering... clearly amounts to psychological torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment."
On 17 February 2020, the medical journal The Lancet published an open letter from Doctors for Assange in which they said Assange was in a "dire state of health due to the effects of prolonged psychological torture in both the Ecuadorian embassy and Belmarsh prison" which could lead to his death and that his "politically motivated medical neglect... sets a dangerous precedent". On the same day, Reporters Without Borders posted a separate petition which accused the Trump administration of acting in "retaliation for (Assange's) facilitating major revelations in the international media about the way the United States conducted its wars". The petition said, Assange's publications "were clearly in the public interest and not espionage". Australian MPs Andrew Wilkie and George Christensen visited Assange and pressed the UK and Australian governments to intervene to stop his being extradited.
On 25 March 2020, Assange was denied bail after Judge Baraitser rejected his lawyers' argument that his imprisonment would put him at high risk of contracting COVID-19. She said Assange's past conduct showed how far he was willing to go to avoid extradition. In November 2021, his father told a French interview program that Assange had received a non-mandatory COVID-19 vaccination in Belmarsh Prison.
On 25 June 2020, Doctors for Assange published another letter in The Lancet, "reiterating their demand to end the torture and medical neglect of Julian Assange", in which they state their "professional and ethical duty to speak out against, report, and stop torture".
In September 2020, an open letter in support of Assange was sent to Boris Johnson with the signatures of two current heads of state and approximately 160 other politicians. The following month, U.S. Representatives Tulsi Gabbard, a Democrat, and Thomas Massie, a Republican, introduced a resolution opposing the extradition of Assange. In December 2020, German human rights commissioner Bärbel Kofler cautioned the UK about the need to consider Assange's physical and mental health before deciding whether to extradite him.
Hearings on extradition to the U.S.
On 2 May 2019, the first hearing was held in London into the U.S. request for Assange's extradition. When asked by Judge Snow whether he consented to extradition, Assange replied, "I do not wish to surrender myself for extradition for doing journalism that has won many, many awards and protected many people". On 13 June, British Home Secretary Sajid Javid said he had signed the extradition order.
Towards the end of 2019, Judge Emma Arbuthnot, who had presided at several of the extradition hearings, stepped aside because of a "perception of bias". Vanessa Baraitser was appointed as the presiding judge.
On 21 October 2019, Assange appeared at the court for a case management hearing. When Judge Baraitser asked about his understanding of the proceedings, Assange replied:
In February 2020, the court heard legal arguments. Assange's lawyers contended that he had been charged with political offences and therefore could not be extradited. The hearings were delayed for months due to requests for extra time from the prosecution and the defence and due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In March, the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute, IBAHRI, condemned the mistreatment of Julian Assange in the extradition trial.
Assange appeared in court on 7 September 2020, facing a new indictment with 18 counts:
Conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information;
Conspiracy to commit computer intrusions;
Obtaining national defence information (seven counts); and
Disclosure of national defence information (nine counts).
The US Department of Justice stated that the new indictment "broaden[s] the scope of... alleged computer intrusions", alleging that Assange "communicated directly with a leader of the hacking group LulzSec[,]... provided a list of targets for LulzSec to hack" and "[conspired] with Army Intelligence Analyst Chelsea Manning to crack a password hash". Judge Baraitser denied motions by Assange's barristers to dismiss the new charges or to adjourn in order to better respond.
Some witnesses who testified in September, such as Daniel Ellsberg, did so remotely via video link due to COVID-19 restrictions. Technical problems caused extensive delays. Amnesty International, PEN Norway, and eight members of the European Parliament had their access to the livestream revoked. Baraitser responded that the initial invitations had been sent in error. Torture victim Khaled el-Masri, who was originally requested as a defence witness, had his testimony reduced to a written statement. Other witnesses testified that the conditions of imprisonment, which would be likely to worsen upon extradition to the U.S., placed Assange at a high risk of depression and suicide which was exacerbated by his Asperger syndrome. During the court proceedings the defence drew attention to a prison service report stating that a hidden razor blade had been found by a prison officer during a search of Assange's cell. During the proceedings it was also revealed that Assange had contacted the Samaritans phone service on numerous occasions.
Patrick Eller, a former forensics examiner with the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command, testified that Assange did not crack and could not have cracked the password mentioned in the U.S. indictment, as Chelsea Manning had intentionally sent only a portion of the password's hash. Moreover, Eller stated that password cracking was a common topic of discussion among other soldiers stationed at Forward Operating Base Hammer, suggesting that Manning's message was unrelated to the classified documents which were already in her possession. Testimony on 30 September revealed new allegations surrounding the surveillance of the Ecuadorian embassy by UC Global. A former UC Global employee, who spoke anonymously fearing reprisals, stated that the firm undertook "an increasingly sophisticated operation" after it was put into contact with the Trump administration by Sheldon Adelson. According to the employee, intelligence agents discussed plans to break into the embassy to kidnap or poison Assange and attempted to obtain the DNA of a baby who was believed to be Assange's child.
To coincide with the end of the hearing, Progressive International convened a virtual event called the Belmarsh Tribunal, modelled after the Russell Tribunal, to scrutinise what it calls "the crimes that have been revealed by Assange, and the crimes that have been committed against him, in turn".
Hearings, including a statement in support of the defence by Noam Chomsky, concluded on 1 October 2020.
On 4 January 2021, Judge Baraitser ruled that Assange could not be extradited to the United States, citing concerns about his mental health and the risk of suicide in a US prison. She sided with the US on every other point, including whether the charges constituted political offences and whether he was entitled to freedom of speech protections.
Appeal and other developments
On 6 January 2021, Assange was denied bail on the grounds that he was a flight risk, pending an appeal by the United States. The US prosecutors lodged an appeal of the denial of extradition on 15 January.
Following the decision by Judge Baraitser that it would be "oppressive to extradite [Assange] to the United States," in July 2021 the Biden administration assured the Crown Prosecution Services that "Mr Assange will not be subject to SAMs or imprisoned at ADX (unless he were to do something subsequent to the offering of these assurances that meets the tests for the imposition of SAMs or designation to ADX)". The United States also assured that it "will consent to Mr Assange being transferred to Australia to serve any custodial sentence imposed on him." An Amnesty International expert on national security and human rights in Europe said, "Those are not assurances at all. It's not that difficult to look at those assurances and say: these are inherently unreliable, it promises to do something and then reserves the right to break the promise".
In June 2021 Icelandic newspaper Stundin published details of an interview with Sigurdur Ingi Thordarson, the witness identified as "Teenager" in the U.S. Justice Department's case against Assange. In the interview Thordarson, who had received a promise of immunity from prosecution in return for co-operating with the FBI, stated he had fabricated allegations used in the U.S. indictment.
In June 2021, Julian Assange's half brother Gabriel Shipton and father John Shipton left Australia to conduct a month-long 17 city tour of the United States to generate awareness and support for Assange and press freedom. In a Saint Paul, Minnesota event, sponsored by Women Against Military Madness, the Shiptons asked supporters to appeal to members of Congress to weigh in with the Justice Department to reconsider its prosecution. Ecuador revoked Assange's citizenship in July 2021.
In August 2021 in the High Court, Lord Justice Holroyde decided that Judge Baraitser may have given too much weight to what Holroyde called "a misleading report" by an expert witness for the defence, psychiatrist Prof Michael Kopelman, and granted permission for the contested risk of suicide to be raised on the appeal.
In October 2021, the High Court held a two-day appeal hearing presided over by Ian Burnett, Baron Burnett of Maldon, Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, and Lord Justice Holroyde. In opening the U.S. as appellant argued that Assange's health issues were less severe than claimed during the initial extradition hearing and that his depression was moderate rather than severe. They also drew attention to binding assurances given by the U.S. concerning his proposed treatment in custody. In answer Assange's defence drew attention to a Yahoo! News report that the CIA had plotted to poison, abduct or assassinate Assange. Edward Fitzgerald QC argued: "Given the revelations of surveillance in the embassy and plots to kill [Assange]," "there are great grounds for fearing what will be done to him" if extradited to the U.S. He urged the court "not to trust [the] assurances" of the "same government" alleged to have plotted Assange's killing. According to his partner Stella Moris, Assange suffered a mini-stroke on 27 October while sitting through the court hearing and was subsequently given anti-stroke medication.
On 10 December 2021, the High Court ruled in favour of the United States. The Lord Chief Justice and Lord Justice Holroyde ruled that, in line with previous judgements, when the US administration gives a promise of fair and humane treatment its word should not be doubted. The case has been remitted to Westminster Magistrates' Court with the direction that it be sent to the Home Secretary Priti Patel for the final decision on whether to extradite Assange. On 24 January 2022 Assange was granted permission to petition the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom for an appeal hearing.
Writings and opinions
Assange has written a few short pieces, including "State and terrorist conspiracies" (2006), "Conspiracy as governance" (2006), "The hidden curse of Thomas Paine" (2008), "What's new about WikiLeaks?" (2011), and the foreword to Cypherpunks (2012). Cypherpunks is primarily a transcript of World Tomorrow episode eight, a two-part interview between Assange, Jacob Appelbaum, Andy Müller-Maguhn, and Jérémie Zimmermann. In the foreword, Assange said, "the Internet, our greatest tool for emancipation, has been transformed into the most dangerous facilitator of totalitarianism we have ever seen". He also contributed research to Suelette Dreyfus's Underground (1997), and received a co-writer credit for the Calle 13 song "Multi Viral" (2013). In 2010, Assange said he was a libertarian and that "WikiLeaks is designed to make capitalism more free and ethical".
In 2010, Assange received a deal for his autobiography worth at least US$1.3million. In 2011, Canongate Books published Julian Assange, The Unauthorised Autobiography. Assange immediately disavowed it, stating, "I am not 'the writer' of this book. I own the copyright of the manuscript, which was written by Andrew O'Hagan." Assange accused Canongate of breaching their contract by publishing, against his wishes, a draft that Assange considered "a work in progress" and "entirely uncorrected or fact-checked by me." In 2014, O'Hagan wrote about his experience as Assange's ghostwriter. "The story of his life mortified him and sent him scurrying for excuses," O'Hagan recalled. "He didn't want to do the book. He hadn't from the beginning." Colin Robinson, co-publisher of Assange's 2012 book Cypherpunks, criticised O'Hagan for largely ignoring the bigger issues about which Assange had been warning, and noted that O'Hagan's piece "is no part of an organised dirty tricks campaign. But by focusing as it does on Assange's character defects, it ends up serving much the same purpose."
Assange's book When Google Met WikiLeaks was published by OR Books in 2014. It recounts when Google CEO Eric Schmidt requested a meeting with Assange, while he was on bail in rural Norfolk, UK. Schmidt was accompanied by Jared Cohen, director of Google Ideas; Lisa Shields, vice president of the Council on Foreign Relations; and Scott Malcomson, the communications director for the International Crisis Group. Excerpts were published on the Newsweek website, while Assange participated in a Q&A event that was facilitated by the Reddit website and agreed to an interview with Vogue magazine.
In 2011, an article in Private Eye by its editor, Ian Hislop, recounted a rambling phone call he had received from Assange, who was especially angry about Private Eye′s report that Israel Shamir, an Assange associate in Russia, was a Holocaust denier. Assange suggested, Hislop wrote, "that British journalists, including the editor of The Guardian, were engaged in a Jewish-led conspiracy to smear his organization." Assange subsequently responded that Hislop had "distorted, invented or misremembered almost every significant claim and phrase." He added, "We treasure our strong Jewish support and staff, just as we treasure the support from pan-Arab democracy activists and others who share our hope for a just world."
Personal life
While in his teens, Assange married a girl named Teresa, and in 1989 they had a son named Daniel. The couple separated and disputed custody of Daniel until 1999. According to Assange's mother, during the time of the custody dispute, his brown hair turned white. In 2015, in an open letter to French President Hollande, Assange said that his youngest child was French, as was the child's mother. He also said his family had faced death threats and harassment because of his work, forcing them to change identities and reduce contact with him.
In 2015, Assange began a relationship with Stella Moris ( Stella Moris-Smith Robertson), his South African-born lawyer. They became engaged in 2017 and had two children. Moris revealed their relationship in 2020 because she feared for Assange's life. On 7 November 2021, the couple said they were preparing legal action against Deputy UK Prime Minister Dominic Raab and Jenny Louis, governor of Belmarsh prison. Assange and Moris accused Raab and Louis of denying their and their two children's human rights by blocking and delaying Moris and Assange from getting married. On 11 November, the prison service said it had granted permission for the couple to marry in Belmarsh prison. The service said the application had been "considered in the usual way by the prison governor".
Assessments
Views on Assange have been given by a number of public figures, including journalists, well-known whistleblowers, activists and world leaders. In July 2010, Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg said that "Assange has shown much better judgment with respect to what he has revealed than the people who kept those items secret inside the government." In October 2010, Ellsberg flew to London to give Assange his support. In November 2010, an individual from the office of Dmitry Medvedev, the President of Russia, suggested that Assange should be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. In December 2010, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, then President of Brazil, said "They have arrested him and I don't hear so much as a single protest for freedom of expression". Vladimir Putin, the prime minister of Russia, asked at a press conference "Why is Mr Assange in prison? Is this democracy?" In the same month, Julia Gillard, Prime Minister of Australia, described his activities as "illegal", but the Australian Federal Police said he had not broken Australian law. Joe Biden, the vice president of the United States, was asked whether he saw Assange as closer to a high-tech terrorist than to whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg. Biden responded that he "would argue it is closer to being a high-tech terrorist than the Pentagon Papers". In November 2011, Vaughan Smith, founder of the Frontline Club, supported Assange and in July 2012 offered his residence in Norfolk for Assange to continue WikiLeaks' operations whilst in the UK. In April 2012, interviewed on Assange's television show World Tomorrow, Ecuadorian president Rafael Correa praised WikiLeaks and told his host "Cheer up! Cheer up! Welcome to the club of the persecuted!" In August 2012, historian and journalist Tariq Ali and former ambassador and author Craig Murray spoke in support of Assange outside the Ecuadorian embassy. In April 2013, filmmaker Oliver Stone stated that "Julian Assange did much for free speech and is now being victimised by the abusers of that concept." In November 2014, Spanish Podemos party leader Pablo Iglesias also gave his support to Assange. In July 2015, British Member of Parliament Jeremy Corbyn opposed Assange's extradition to the US, and as Labour Party leader in April 2019 said the British government should oppose Assange's extradition to the US "for exposing evidence of atrocities in Iraq and Afghanistan".
In July 2016, artist and activist Ai Weiwei, musicians Patti Smith, Brian Eno and PJ Harvey, scholars Noam Chomsky and Yanis Varoufakis, fashion designer Vivienne Westwood and filmmaker Ken Loach were amongst those attending an event in support of Assange at the embassy. That same month, the documentary filmmaker and long-time supporter Michael Moore also visited Assange in the embassy. In December 2019, Australian journalist Mary Kostakidis said, "I became fascinated at this young, idealistic Australian, very tech-savvy, who developed a way for whistleblowers to upload data anonymously" and that she would be giving "100 per cent of my attention and resources" to his defence. In January 2021, Australian journalist John Pilger stated that, were Assange to be extradited, "no journalist who challenges power will be safe".
American politicians Mitch McConnell, Newt Gingrich and Sarah Palin each either referred to Assange as "a high-tech terrorist" or suggested that through publishing US diplomatic traffic he was engaged in terrorism. Other American and Canadian politicians and media personalities, including Tom Flanagan, Bob Beckel, Mike Huckabee and Michael Grunwald, called for his assassination or execution, though Grunwald later apologised for this, saying, "It was a dumb tweet. I'm sorry. I deserve the backlash."
Honours and awards
Works
Bibliography
Underground: Tales of Hacking, Madness and Obsession on the Electronic Frontier (1997)
Cypherpunks: Freedom and the Future of the Internet. OR Books, 2012. .
When Google Met WikiLeaks. OR Books, 2014. .
The WikiLeaks Files: The World According to The US Empire. By WikiLeaks. Verso Books, 2015. (with an Introduction by Julian Assange).
Filmography
As himself
The War You Don't See (2010)
The Simpsons (2012) (cameo; episode "At Long Last Leave")
Citizenfour (2014)
The Yes Men Are Revolting (2014)
Terminal F/Chasing Edward Snowden (2015)
Asylum (2016)
Risk (2016)
Architects of Denial (2017)
The New Radical (2017)
See also
List of people who took refuge in a diplomatic mission
List of peace activists
Lauri Love, who in 2018 won an appeal in the High Court of England against extradition to the United States
Gary McKinnon, whose extradition to the United States was blocked in 2012 by then-Home Secretary Theresa May
Ross Ulbricht
Thomas A. Drake
Jeremy Hammond, who was summoned to appear before a Virginia federal grand jury which was investigating Julian Assange. He was held in civil contempt of court after refusing to testify.
Ola Bini, who was arrested in April 2019 in Ecuador apparently due to his association with Julian Assange and WikiLeaks.
Notes
References
Further reading
Books
Nick Cohen, You Can't Read this Book: Censorship in an Age of Freedom (2012).
Films
Underground: The Julian Assange Story (2012), Australian TV drama that premiered at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival.
Julian (2012), Australian short film about nine-year-old Julian Assange. The film won several awards and prizes.
The Fifth Estate (2013), American thriller that Assange said was a 'serious propaganda attack' on WikiLeaks and its staff.
Mediastan (2013), Swedish documentary produced by Assange to challenge The Fifth Estate.
We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks (2013), American documentary.
Risk (2016), American documentary.
Hacking Justice (2017), German documentary.
Ithaka (2021), Australian documentary produced by Assange's brother Gabriel Shipton, which deals with his father's worldwide campaign for Julian's release from prison.
External links
1971 births
21st-century Australian male writers
Activists from Melbourne
Articles containing video clips
Australian computer programmers
Australian editors
Australian expatriates in the United Kingdom
Australian founders
Australian libertarians
Australian publishers (people)
Australian whistleblowers
Australia–United States relations
Central Queensland University alumni
Cypherpunks
Inmates of HM Prison Belmarsh
Internet activists
Living people
Media critics
Open content activists
People associated with Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections
People associated with the 2016 United States presidential election
People from Townsville
People with Asperger syndrome
Political party founders
Prisoners and detainees of England and Wales
RT (TV network) people
United Kingdom–United States relations
University of Melbourne alumni
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"Ndyakira Ntamuhiira Amooti ( – 25 August 1999) was a Ugandan children's writer, journalist and environmentalist, awarded the Global 500 Roll of Honour and winner of the Goldman Environment Prize.\n\nLife and career\nAmooti worked as a journalist for the Kampala newspaper The New Vision from 1986. He lived in a village in the Ibanda District. He reported on various environmental issues, such as endangered mountain gorillas, the forests of Bwindi, and illegal mining and poaching. He also called attention to the business of smuggling of rare animals for the purpose of exposition or laboratory experiments, in particular endangered chimpanzees and parrots. In 1993, he was awarded the Global 500 Roll of Honour of the United Nations Environment Programme. He was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize in 1996. He later focused on forest protection and on the environment of Lake Victoria.\n\nHe published the children's book What a Country Without Animals! in 1998, and has also published the books What a Country Without Birds, What a Country Without Grasslands, and What a Country Without Wetlands. The books are about environmental issues, written for children from nine to twelve years old, and the story's principal character is the young man \"Kazoora\".\n\nAmooti died from leukemia in 1999, 43 years old. In accordance with his wishes, he was buried without a coffin, with his body being wrapped in a palm-leaf mat.\n\nHe is regarded as a pioneer in the awareness of environmental issues in Uganda. At the World Wetlands Day in 2008, Amooti was honored with a memorial lecture.\n\nSelected works\nChildren's books\n What a Country Without Animals\n What a Country Without Birds\n What a Country Without Grasslands\n What a Country Without Wetlands\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\n\n \n\n\"\n\nYear of birth missing\n1950s births\n1999 deaths\nPeople from Ibanda District\nUgandan journalists\nEnvironmental journalists\nNon-fiction environmental writers\nUgandan children's writers\nDeaths from leukemia\nDeaths from cancer in Uganda\n20th-century journalists\nGoldman Environmental Prize awardees",
"\"'Jesus Was a Country Boy\" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Clay Walker. It was released in July 2004 as the third and final single from his album A Few Questions. It peaked at #31 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks in 2004. The song was written by Walker and Rivers Rutherford.\n\nBackground\nIn an interview with CMT, Walker stated \"Jesus Was a Country Boy\" was meant to be twofold—tongue-in-cheek for one, but there is a pretty deep meaning to it. The song is written in a more light-hearted way. I feel like people get so confused and wrapped up in religious doctrine that sometimes a person can lose what the meaning is—if that makes any sense. We get so wrapped up in the doctrine of laws that we lose what the true meaning is, and that is to love your neighbor as yourself. That is kind of what this song is really about. It is more a Sermon-on-the-Mount song.\"\n\nWalker told Country France, \"The material that was given to me to record is very different soundly. I wrote a few of the songs, I actually wrote a song called “Jesus Was A Country Boy”, it's very different, kind of a bold statement.\"\n\nContent\nThe male narrator explains that Jesus was a country boy because of the lifestyle Jesus lived which he compares to that of a \"country boy\".\n\nCritical reception\nDan MacIntosh of Country Standard Time wrote \"Walker is equally inept at theology, as this album's title track fails to help explain why bad things happen to good people, and \"Jesus Was A Country Boy\" isn't going to bring in any new converts.\" Cheryl Harvey Hill of Country Stars Online wrote that the song has \"A very powerful old message is conveyed in a melodic, refreshing, new way.\"\n\nChart positions\nFor the week of July 10, 2004 the song debuted at #55. \"'Jesus Was a Country Boy\" is Walker's twenty-fifth Top 40 single on the Billboard country singles charts. The song peaked at #31 on the chart week of September 25.\n\nCharts\n\nReferences\n\n2004 singles\nClay Walker songs\nSongs written by Clay Walker\nSongs written by Rivers Rutherford\nRCA Records Nashville singles\n2003 songs\nSongs about Jesus"
] |
[
"Julian Assange",
"Swedish sexual assault allegations",
"What was he alleged of doing?",
"he became the subject of sexual assault allegations from two women with whom he had sex.",
"Who was one of the woman?",
"I don't know.",
"Was there formal charges made?",
"He was questioned, the case was initially closed, and he was told he could leave the country.",
"What country was this in?",
"Assange visited Sweden in August 2010."
] |
C_64d98f3da46040bd8ec1317d5f9caf0a_0
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Was the case ever opened back up?
| 5 |
Was the case ever opened back up for Julian Assange's sexual assult allegations?
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Julian Assange
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Assange visited Sweden in August 2010. During his visit, he became the subject of sexual assault allegations from two women with whom he had sex. He was questioned, the case was initially closed, and he was told he could leave the country. In November 2010, however, the case was re-opened by a special prosecutor who said that she wanted to question Assange over two counts of sexual molestation, one count of unlawful coercion and one count of "lesser-degree rape" (mindre grov valdtakt). Assange denied the allegations and said he was happy to face questions in Britain. In 2010, the prosecutor said Swedish law prevented her from questioning anyone by video link or in the London embassy. In March 2015, after public criticism from other Swedish law practitioners, she changed her mind and agreed to interrogate Assange in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, with interviews finally beginning on 14 November 2016. These interviews involved police, Swedish prosecutors and Ecuadorian officials and were eventually published online. By this time, the statute of limitations had expired on all three of the less serious allegations. Since the Swedish prosecutor had not interviewed Assange by 18 August 2015, the questioning pertained only to the open investigation of "lesser degree rape", whose statute of limitations is due to expire in 2020. On 19 May 2017, the Swedish authorities dropped their investigation against Assange, claiming they could not expect the Ecuadorian Embassy to communicate reliably with Assange with respect to the case. Chief prosecutor Marianne Ny officially revoked his arrest warrant, but said the investigation could still be resumed if Assange visited Sweden before August 2020. "We are not making any pronouncement about guilt", she said. CANNOTANSWER
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In November 2010, however, the case was re-opened by a special prosecutor who said that she wanted to question Assange
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Julian Paul Assange (; né Hawkins; born 3 July 1971) is an Australian editor, publisher and activist who founded WikiLeaks in 2006. WikiLeaks came to international attention in 2010 when it published a series of leaks provided by U.S. Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning. These leaks included the Baghdad airstrike Collateral Murder video (April 2010), the Afghanistan war logs (July 2010), the Iraq war logs (October 2010), and Cablegate (November 2010). After the 2010 leaks, the United States government launched a criminal investigation into WikiLeaks.
In November 2010, Sweden issued an international arrest warrant for Assange over allegations of sexual misconduct. Assange said the allegations were a pretext for his extradition from Sweden to the United States over his role in the publication of secret American documents. After losing his battle against extradition to Sweden, he breached bail and took refuge in the Embassy of Ecuador in London in June 2012. He was granted asylum by Ecuador in August 2012 on the grounds of political persecution, with the presumption that if he were extradited to Sweden, he would be eventually extradited to the US. Swedish prosecutors dropped their investigation in 2019, saying their evidence had "weakened considerably due to the long period of time that has elapsed since the events in question."
During the 2016 U.S. election campaign, WikiLeaks published confidential Democratic Party emails, showing that the party's national committee favoured Hillary Clinton over her rival Bernie Sanders in the primaries.
On 11 April 2019, Assange's asylum was withdrawn following a series of disputes with the Ecuadorian authorities. The police were invited into the embassy and he was arrested. He was found guilty of breaching the Bail Act and sentenced to 50 weeks in prison. The United States government unsealed an indictment against Assange related to the leaks provided by Manning. On 23 May 2019, the United States government further charged Assange with violating the Espionage Act of 1917. Editors from newspapers, including The Washington Post and The New York Times, as well as press freedom organisations, criticised the government's decision to charge Assange under the Espionage Act, characterising it as an attack on the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, which guarantees freedom of the press. On 4 January 2021, UK District Judge Vanessa Baraitser ruled against the United States' request to extradite Assange and stated that doing so would be "oppressive" given concerns over Assange's mental health and risk of suicide. On 6 January 2021, Assange was denied bail, pending an appeal by the United States. On 10 December 2021, the High Court in London ruled that Assange can be extradited to the US to face the charges.
Assange has been confined in Belmarsh maximum-security prison in London since April 2019.
Early life
Assange was born Julian Paul Hawkins on 3 July 1971 in Townsville, Queensland, to Christine Ann Hawkins (b. 1951), a visual artist, and John Shipton, an anti-war activist and builder. The couple separated before their son was born. When Julian was a year old, his mother married Brett Assange, an actor with whom she ran a small theatre company and whom Julian regards as his father (choosing Assange as his surname). Christine and Brett Assange divorced around 1979. Christine then became involved with Leif Meynell, also known as Leif Hamilton, whom Julian Assange later described as "a member of an Australian cult" called The Family. They separated in 1982.
Julian had a nomadic childhood, living in more than 30 Australian towns and cities by the time he reached his mid-teens, when he settled with his mother and half-brother in Melbourne. Assange attended many schools, including Goolmangar Primary School in New South Wales (1979–1983) and Townsville State High School in Queensland as well as being schooled at home.
In 1987, aged 16, Assange began hacking under the name Mendax, supposedly taken from Horace's splendide mendax (nobly lying). He and two others, known as "Trax" and "Prime Suspect", formed a hacking group they called "the International Subversives". According to David Leigh and Luke Harding, Assange may have been involved in the WANK (Worms Against Nuclear Killers) hack at NASA in 1989, but this has never been proven.
In September 1991, Assange was discovered hacking into the Melbourne master terminal of Nortel, a Canadian multinational telecommunications corporation. The Australian Federal Police tapped Assange's phone line (he was using a modem), raided his home at the end of October and eventually charged him in 1994 with 31 counts of hacking and related crimes. In December 1996, he pleaded guilty to 24 charges (the others were dropped) and was ordered to pay reparations of A$2,100 and released on a good behaviour bond. He received a lenient penalty due to the absence of malicious or mercenary intent and his disrupted childhood.
Assange studied programming, mathematics and physics at Central Queensland University (1994) and the University of Melbourne (2003–2006), but did not complete a degree.
In 1993, Assange used his computing skills to help the Victoria Police Child Exploitation Unit to prosecute individuals responsible for publishing and distributing child pornography. In the same year, he was involved in starting one of the first public Internet service providers in Australia, Suburbia Public Access Network. He began programming in 1994, authoring or co-authoring the TCP port scanner Strobe (1995), patches to the open-source database PostgreSQL (1996), the Usenet caching software NNTPCache (1996), the Rubberhose deniable encryption system (1997) (which reflected his growing interest in cryptography), and Surfraw, a command-line interface for web-based search engines (2000). During this period, he also moderated the AUCRYPTO forum, ran Best of Security, a website "giving advice on computer security" that had 5,000 subscribers in 1996, and contributed research to Suelette Dreyfus's Underground (1997), a book about Australian hackers, including the International Subversives. In 1998, he co-founded the company Earthmen Technology.
Assange stated that he registered the domain leaks.org in 1999, but "didn't do anything with it". He did publicise a patent granted to the National Security Agency in August 1999, for voice-data harvesting technology: "This patent should worry people. Everyone's overseas phone calls are or may soon be tapped, transcribed and archived in the bowels of an unaccountable foreign spy agency."
Founding WikiLeaks
Early publications
Assange and others established WikiLeaks in 2006. Assange became a member of the organisation's advisory board and described himself as the editor-in-chief. From 2007 to 2010, Assange travelled continuously on WikiLeaks business, visiting Africa, Asia, Europe and North America. During this time, the organisation published internet censorship lists, leaks, and classified media from anonymous sources. These publications including revelations about drone strikes in Yemen, corruption across the Arab world, extrajudicial executions by Kenyan police, 2008 Tibetan unrest in China, and the "Petrogate" oil scandal in Peru.
WikiLeaks' international profile increased in 2008 when a Swiss bank, Julius Baer, failed to block the site's publication of bank records. Assange commented that financial institutions ordinarily "operate outside the rule of law", and received extensive legal support from free-speech and civil rights groups.
In September 2008, during the 2008 United States presidential election campaign, the contents of a Yahoo! account belonging to Sarah Palin (the running mate of Republican presidential nominee John McCain) were posted on WikiLeaks after being hacked into by members of Anonymous. After briefly appearing on a blog, the membership list of the far-right British National Party was posted to WikiLeaks on 18 November 2008.
WikiLeaks released a report disclosing a "serious nuclear accident" at the Iranian Natanz nuclear facility in 2009. According to media reports, the accident may have been the direct result of a cyber-attack at Iran's nuclear program, carried out with the Stuxnet computer worm, a cyber-weapon built jointly by the United States and Israel.
Iraq and Afghan War logs and US diplomatic cables
The material WikiLeaks published between 2006 and 2009 attracted various degrees of international attention, but after it began publishing documents supplied by U.S. Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning, WikiLeaks became a household name.
In April 2010, WikiLeaks released the Collateral Murder video, which showed United States soldiers fatally shooting 18 civilians from a helicopter in Iraq, including Reuters journalists Namir Noor-Eldeen and his assistant Saeed Chmagh. Reuters had previously made a request to the US government for the Collateral Murder video under Freedom of Information but had been denied. Assange and others worked for a week to break the U.S. military's encryption of the video.
In October 2010, WikiLeaks published the Iraq War logs, a collection of 391,832 United States Army field reports from the Iraq War covering the period from 2004 to 2009. Assange said that he hoped the publication would "correct some of that attack on the truth that occurred before the war, during the war, and which has continued after the war".
Regarding his own role within WikiLeaks, he said, "We always expect tremendous criticism. It is my role to be the lightning rod... to attract the attacks against the organization for our work, and that is a difficult role. On the other hand, I get undue credit".
Other Manning material published by WikiLeaks included the Afghanistan War logs in July 2010, and the Guantánamo Bay files in April 2011.
WikiLeaks published a quarter of a million U.S. diplomatic cables, known as the "Cablegate" files, in November 2010. WikiLeaks initially worked with established Western media organisations, and later with smaller regional media organisations, while also publishing the cables upon which their reporting was based. The files showed United States espionage against the United Nations and other world leaders, revealed tensions between the U.S. and its allies, and exposed corruption in countries throughout the world as documented by U.S. diplomats, helping to spark the Arab Spring. The Cablegate and Iraq and Afghan War releases impacted diplomacy and public opinion globally, with responses varying by region.
Legal issues
US criminal investigation
After WikiLeaks released the Manning material, United States authorities began investigating WikiLeaks and Assange personally to prosecute them under the Espionage Act of 1917. In November 2010, US Attorney-General Eric Holder said there was "an active, ongoing criminal investigation" into WikiLeaks. It emerged from legal documents leaked over the ensuing months that Assange and others were being investigated by a federal grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia.
In August 2011, WikiLeaks volunteer Sigurdur Thordarson, working in his home country Iceland, contacted the FBI and, after presenting a copy of Assange's passport at the American embassy, became the first informant to work for the FBI from inside WikiLeaks. In November 2011, WikiLeaks dismissed Thordarson due to what the organization said was his embezzlement of $50,000, to which charge (along with several other offences) he later pleaded guilty in an Icelandic court. According to Thordarson, a few months after his dismissal by WikiLeaks the FBI agreed to pay him $5,000 as compensation for work missed while meeting with agents.
In December 2011, prosecutors in the Chelsea Manning case revealed the existence of chat logs between Manning and an interlocutor they claimed was Assange. Assange said that WikiLeaks has no way of knowing the identity of its sources and that chats with sources, including user-names, were anonymous. In January 2011, Assange described the allegation that WikiLeaks had conspired with Manning as "absolute nonsense". The logs were presented as evidence during Manning's court-martial in June–July 2013. The prosecution argued that they showed WikiLeaks helping Manning reverse-engineer a password. During her trial, Manning said she acted on her own to send documents to WikiLeaks and no one associated with WikiLeaks pressured her into giving more information.
In 2013, US officials said that it was unlikely that the Justice Department would indict Assange for publishing classified documents because it would also have to prosecute the news organisations and writers who published classified material.
In June 2013, The New York Times said that court and other documents suggested that Assange was being examined by a grand jury and "several government agencies", including by the FBI. Court documents published in May 2014 suggest that Assange was under "active and ongoing" investigation at that time.
Some Snowden documents published in 2014 showed that the U.S. government had put Assange on its 2010 "Manhunting Timeline", an annual account of efforts to capture or kill alleged terrorists and others, and in the same period urged allies to open criminal investigations into Assange. In the same documents, there was a proposal by the National Security Agency (NSA) to designate WikiLeaks a "malicious foreign actor", thus increasing the surveillance against it.
In January 2015, WikiLeaks issued a statement saying that three members of the organisation had received notice from Google that Google had complied with a federal warrant by a US District Court to turn over their emails and metadata on 5 April 2012. In July 2015, Assange called himself a "wanted journalist" in an open letter to the French president published in Le Monde. In a December 2015 court submission, the US government confirmed its "sensitive, ongoing law enforcement proceeding into the Wikileaks matter".
Under the Obama Administration, the Department of Justice did not indict Assange because it was unable to find any evidence that his actions differed from those of a journalist. However, after President Donald Trump took office, CIA director Mike Pompeo and Attorney General Jeff Sessions stepped up pursuit of Assange.
In April 2017, US officials were preparing to file formal charges against Assange. Legal scholar Steve Vladeck said prosecutors accelerated the case in 2019 due to the impending statute of limitations on Assange's largest leaks.
Swedish sexual assault allegations
Assange visited Sweden in August 2010. During his visit, he became the subject of sexual assault allegations from two women. Assange denied the allegations and said he was happy to face questions in Britain.
On 20 November 2010, the Swedish police issued an international arrest warrant. Later that day, Assange told journalist Raffi Khatchadourian that Sweden has a "very, very poor judicial system" and a culture of "crazed radical feminist ideology". He commented that, more importantly, his case involved international politics, and that "Sweden is a U.S. satrapy." In a later interview he described Sweden as "the Saudi Arabia of feminism." On 8 December 2010, Assange gave himself up to British police and attended his first extradition hearing, where he was remanded in custody. On 16 December 2010, at the second hearing, he was granted bail by the High Court of Justice and released after his supporters paid £240,000 in cash and sureties. A further hearing on 24 February 2011 ruled that Assange should be extradited to Sweden. This decision was upheld by the High Court on 2 November and by the Supreme Court on 30 May the next year.
After previously stating that she could not question a suspect by video link or in the Swedish embassy, prosecutor Marianne Ny wrote to the English Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in 2013. Her letter advised that she intended to lift the detention order and withdraw the European arrest warrant as the actions were not proportionate to the costs and seriousness of the crime. In response, the CPS tried to dissuade Ny from doing so.
In March 2015, after public criticism from other Swedish law practitioners, Ny changed her mind about interrogating Assange, who had taken refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in London. These interviews, which began on 14 November 2016, involved the British police, Swedish prosecutors and Ecuadorian officials, and were eventually published online. By that time, the statute of limitations had expired on all three of the less serious allegations. Since the Swedish prosecutor had not interviewed Assange by 18 August 2015, the questioning pertained only to the open investigation of "lesser degree rape".
On 19 May 2017, the Swedish authorities suspended their investigation, saying they could not expect the Ecuadorian Embassy to communicate reliably with Assange with respect to the case. Chief prosecutor Marianne Ny officially revoked his arrest warrant, but said the investigation could still be resumed if Assange visited Sweden before August 2020.
Following Assange's arrest on 11 April 2019, the case was reopened, in May 2019, under prosecutor Eva-Marie Persson. On 19 November, she announced that she had discontinued her investigation, saying that the evidence was not strong enough. She added that although she was confident in the complainant, "the evidence has weakened considerably due to the long period of time that has elapsed".
Ecuadorian embassy period
Entering the embassy
On 19 June 2012, the Ecuadorian foreign minister, Ricardo Patiño, announced that Assange had applied for political asylum, that the Ecuadorian government was considering his request, and that Assange was at the Ecuadorian embassy in London.
Assange and his supporters said he was not concerned about any proceedings in Sweden as such, but said that the Swedish allegations were designed to discredit him and were a pretext for his extradition from Sweden to the United States.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague gave a news conference in response. He said "We will not allow Mr Assange safe passage out of the United Kingdom, nor is there any legal basis for us to do so," whilst adding, "The United Kingdom does not recognise the principle of diplomatic asylum."
Assange breached his bail conditions by taking up residence in the embassy rather than appearing in court, and faced arrest if he left. Assange's supporters, including journalist Jemima Goldsmith, journalist John Pilger, and filmmaker Ken Loach, forfeited £200,000 in bail. Goldsmith said she was surprised at his asylum bid and had expected him to face the Swedish allegations.
The UK government wrote Patiño that the police were entitled to enter the embassy and arrest Assange under UK law. Patiño said it was an implied threat, stating that "such actions would be a blatant disregard of the Vienna Convention". Officers of the Metropolitan Police Service were stationed outside the embassy from June 2012 to October 2015 to arrest Assange if he left the embassy, and compel him to attend the extradition appeal hearing. The police officers were withdrawn on grounds of cost in October 2015, but the police said they would still deploy "several overt and covert tactics to arrest him". The Metropolitan Police Service said the cost of the policing for the period was £12.6million.
WikiLeaks insiders stated that Assange decided to seek asylum because he felt abandoned by the Australian government. The Australian attorney-general, Nicola Roxon, had written to Assange's lawyer, Jennifer Robinson, saying that Australia would not seek to involve itself in any international exchanges about Assange's future. She suggested that if Assange was imprisoned in the US, he could apply for an international prisoner transfer to Australia. Assange's lawyers described the letter as a "declaration of abandonment".
On 16 August 2012, Patiño announced that Ecuador was granting Assange political asylum because of the threat represented by the United States secret investigation against him. In its formal statement, Ecuador said that "as a consequence of Assange's determined defense to freedom of expression and freedom of press... in any given moment, a situation may come where his life, safety or personal integrity will be in danger". Latin American states expressed support for Ecuador. Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa confirmed on 18 August that Assange could stay at the embassy indefinitely, and the following day Assange gave his first speech from the balcony. An office converted into a studio apartment, equipped with a bed, telephone, sun lamp, computer, shower, treadmill, and kitchenette, became his home until 11 April 2019.
WikiLeaks publishing
On 24 April 2011, WikiLeaks began publishing the Guantanamo Bay files leak, 779 classified reports on prisoners, past and present, held by the U.S. at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp in Cuba. The documents, dated from 2002 to 2008, revealed prisoners, some of whom were coerced to confess, included children, the elderly and mentally disabled.
In July 2012, WikiLeaks began publishing the Syria Files, a collection of more than two million emails from Syrian political figures, government ministries and companies. Assange said the "Syria Files" collection
In 2013, Assange analysed the Kissinger cables held at the US National Archives and released them in searchable form.
By 2015, WikiLeaks had published more than ten million documents and associated analyses, and was described by Assange as "a giant library of the world's most persecuted documents".
In June 2015, WikiLeaks began publishing confidential and secret Saudi Arabian government documents.
On 25 November 2016, WikiLeaks released emails and internal documents that provided details on U.S. military operations in Yemen from 2009 to March 2015. In a statement accompanying the release of the "Yemen Files", Assange said about the U.S. involvement in the Yemen war: "The war in Yemen has produced 3.15million internally displaced persons. Although the United States government has provided most of the bombs and is deeply involved in the conduct of the war itself, reportage on the war in English is conspicuously rare."
In December 2016, WikiLeaks published emails from the Turkish government in response to Erdoğan's post-coup purges in Turkey. The emails covered the period from 2010 to July 2016. In response, Turkey blocked access to the WikiLeaks site.
Public positions
WikiLeaks Party
Assange stood for the Australian Senate in the 2013 Australian federal election for the newly formed WikiLeaks Party but failed to win a seat. The party experienced internal dissent over its governance and electoral tactics and was deregistered due to low membership numbers in 2015.
Edward Snowden
In 2013, Assange and others in WikiLeaks helped whistleblower Edward Snowden flee from US law enforcement. After the United States cancelled Snowden's passport, stranding him in Russia, they considered transporting him to Latin America on the presidential jet of a sympathetic Latin American leader. In order to throw the US off the scent, they spoke about the jet of the Bolivian president Evo Morales, instead of the jet they were considering. In July 2013, Morales's jet was forced to land in Austria after the US pressured Italy, France, and Spain to deny the jet access to their airspace over false rumours Snowden was on board. Assange said the grounding "reveals the true nature of the relationship between Western Europe and the United States" as "a phone call from U.S. intelligence was enough to close the airspace to a booked presidential flight, which has immunity". Assange advised Snowden that he would be safest in Russia which was better able to protect its borders than Venezuela, Brazil or Ecuador. In 2015, Maria Luisa Ramos, the Bolivian ambassador to Russia, accused Assange of putting Morales' life at risk. Assange stated that he regretted what happened but that "[w]e can't predict that other countries engage in some... unprecedented criminal operation".
Operation Speargun
Documents provided by Edward Snowden showed that in 2012 and 2013 the NZ government worked to establish a secret mass surveillance programme which it called "Operation Speargun". On 15 September 2014, Assange appeared via remote video link on Kim Dotcom's Moment of Truth town hall meeting held in Auckland, which discussed the programme. Assange said the Snowden documents showed that he had been a target of the programme and that "Operation Speargun" represented "an extreme, bizarre, Orwellian future that is being constructed secretly in New Zealand".
On 3 July 2015, Paris newspaper Le Monde published an open letter from Assange to French President François Hollande in which Assange urged the French government to grant him refugee status. In response to this letter, Hollande said: "France cannot act on his request. The situation of Mr Assange does not present an immediate danger."
Other developments
In 2015, La Repubblica stated that it had evidence of the UK's role via the English Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in creating the "legal and diplomatic quagmire" which prevented Assange from leaving the Ecuadorian embassy. La Repubblica sued the CPS in 2017 to obtain further information but its case was rejected with the judge saying "the need for the British authorities to protect the confidentiality of the extradition process outweighs the public interest of the press to know". A further appeal was rejected in September 2019.
On 5 February 2016, the UN's Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concluded that Assange had been subject to arbitrary detention by the UK and Swedish Governments since 7 December 2010, including his time in prison, on conditional bail and in the Ecuadorian embassy. The Working Group said Assange should be allowed to walk free and be given compensation. The UK and Swedish governments denied the charge of detaining Assange arbitrarily. The UK Foreign Secretary, Philip Hammond, said the charge was "ridiculous" and that the group was "made up of lay people", and called Assange a "fugitive from justice" who "can come out any time he chooses", and called the panel's ruling "flawed in law". Swedish prosecutors called the group's charge irrelevant. The UK said it would arrest Assange should he leave the embassy. Mark Ellis, executive director of the International Bar Association, stated that the finding is "not binding on British law". US legal scholar Noah Feldman described the Working Group's conclusion as astonishing, summarising it as "Assange might be charged with a crime in the US. Ecuador thinks charging him with violating national security law would amount to 'political persecution' or worse. Therefore, Sweden must give up on its claims to try him for rape, and Britain must ignore the Swedes' arrest warrant and let him leave the country."
In September 2016 and again on 12 January 2017, WikiLeaks tweeted that Assange would agree to US prison in exchange for President Obama granting Chelsea Manning clemency. After commuting Manning's sentence on 17 January 2017, Obama stated that Assange's offer had not been a consideration.
On 19 May 2017, Assange emerged on the embassy's balcony and told a crowd that, despite no longer facing a Swedish sex investigation, he would remain inside the embassy to avoid extradition to the United States.
2016 U.S. presidential election
During the 2016 US Democratic Party presidential primaries, WikiLeaks hosted a searchable database of emails sent or received by presidential candidate Hillary Clinton while she was Secretary of State. The emails had been released by the US State Department under a Freedom of information request in February 2016. The emails were a major point of discussion during the presidential election and prompted an FBI investigation of Clinton for using a private email server for classified documents while she was US Secretary of State.
In February 2016, Assange wrote: "I have had years of experience in dealing with Hillary Clinton and have read thousands of her cables. Hillary lacks judgment and will push the United States into endless, stupid wars which spread terrorism. ...she certainly should not become president of the United States." On 25 July, following the Republican National Convention, Assange said that choosing between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump is like choosing between cholera or gonorrhoea. "Personally, I would prefer neither." In an Election Day statement, Assange criticised both Clinton and Trump, saying that "The Democratic and Republican candidates have both expressed hostility towards whistleblowers."
On 22 July 2016, WikiLeaks released emails and documents from the Democratic National Committee (DNC) in which the DNC seemingly presented ways of undercutting Clinton's competitor Bernie Sanders and showed apparent favouritism towards Clinton. The release led to the resignation of DNC chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz and an apology to Sanders from the DNC. The New York Times wrote that Assange had timed the release to coincide with the 2016 Democratic National Convention because he believed Clinton had pushed for his indictment and he regarded her as a "liberal war hawk".
On 7 October Assange posted a press release on WikiLeaks exposing a second batch of emails with over 2,000 mails from Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta.
In mid-October, the Ecuadorian government severed Assange's Internet connection because of the leaks. In December, Assange said the connection had been restored.
Cybersecurity experts attributed the attack to the Russian government. The Central Intelligence Agency, together with several other agencies, concluded that Russian intelligence agencies hacked the DNC servers, as well as Podesta's email account, and provided the information to WikiLeaks to bolster Trump's election campaign. As a result of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections, 12 Russian GRU military intelligence agents were indicted on 13 July 2018 for the attack on the DNC mail-server. According to the Mueller report, this group shared these mails using the pseudonym Guccifer 2.0 with WikiLeaks and other entities. The investigation also unearthed communications between Guccifer 2.0, WikiLeaks and the Trump campaign, in which they coordinated the release of the material. The Senate Intelligence Committee reported that "WikiLeaks actively sought, and played, a key role in the Russian intelligence campaign and very likely knew it was assisting a Russian intelligence influence effort."
In interviews, Assange repeatedly said that the Russian government was not the source of the DNC and Podesta emails, and accused the Clinton campaign of "a kind of neo-McCarthy hysteria" about Russian involvement. On the eve of the election, Assange addressed the criticism he had received for publishing Clinton material, saying that WikiLeaks publishes "material given to us if it is of political, diplomatic, historical or ethical importance and which has not been published elsewhere," that it had never received any information on Trump, Jill Stein, or Gary Johnson's campaign.
A 2017 article in Foreign Policy said that WikiLeaks turned down leaks on the Russian government, focusing instead on hacks relating to the US presidential election. WikiLeaks said that, as far as it could recall, the material was already public.
In April 2018, the DNC sued WikiLeaks for the theft of the DNC's information under various Virginia and US federal statutes. It accused WikiLeaks and Russia of a "brazen attack on American democracy". The Committee to Protect Journalists said that the lawsuit raised several important press freedom questions. The suit was dismissed with prejudice in July 2019. Judge John Koeltl said that WikiLeaks "did not participate in any wrongdoing in obtaining the materials in the first place" and were therefore within the law in publishing the information.
Seth Rich
In a July 2016 interview on Dutch television, Assange hinted that DNC staffer Seth Rich was the source of the DNC emails and that Rich had been killed as a result. Seeking clarification, the interviewer asked Assange whether Rich's killing was "simply a murder," to which Assange answered, "No. There's no finding. So, I'm suggesting that our sources take risks, and they become concerned to see things occurring like that." WikiLeaks offered a $20,000 reward for information about his murder and wrote: "We treat threats toward any suspected source of WikiLeaks with extreme gravity. This should not be taken to imply that Seth Rich was a source to WikiLeaks or to imply that his murder is connected to our publications."
Assange's comments were highlighted by Fox News, The Washington Times and conspiracy website InfoWars and set off a spike in attention to the murder. Assange's statements lent credibility and visibility to what had at that point been a conspiracy theory in the fringe parts of the Internet. According to the Mueller investigation, Assange "implied falsely" that Rich was the source to obscure the fact that Russia was the source. Assange received the emails when Rich was already dead and continued to confer with the Russian hackers to coordinate the release of the material.
Later years in the embassy
In March 2017, WikiLeaks began releasing the largest leak of CIA documents in history, codenamed Vault 7. The documents included details of the CIA's hacking capabilities and software tools used to break into smartphones, computers and other Internet-connected devices. In April, CIA director Mike Pompeo called WikiLeaks "a non-state hostile intelligence service often abetted by state actors like Russia". Assange accused the CIA of trying to "subvert" his right to freedom of speech. According to former intelligence officials, in the wake of the Vault7 leaks, the CIA plotted to kidnap Assange from Ecuador's London embassy, and some senior officials discussed his potential assassination. Yahoo! News found "no indication that the most extreme measures targeting Assange were ever approved." Some of its sources stated that they had alerted House and Senate intelligence committees to the plans that Pompeo was suggesting. In October 2021, Assange's lawyers introduced the alleged plot during a hearing of the High Court of Justice in London as it considered the U.S. appeal of a lower court's ruling that Assange could not be extradited to face charges in the U.S.
On 6 June 2017, Assange tweeted his support for NSA leaker Reality Winner, who had been arrested three days earlier. Winner had been identified in part because a reporter from The Intercept showed a leaked document to the government without removing possibly incriminating evidence about its leaker. WikiLeaks later offered a $10,000 reward for information about the reporter responsible.
On 16 August 2017, US Republican congressman Dana Rohrabacher visited Assange and told him that Trump would pardon him on condition that he said Russia was not involved in the 2016 Democratic National Committee email leaks. At his extradition hearings in 2020, Assange's lawyers told the court that Rohrabacher had said the offer was made "on instructions from the president". Trump and Rohrabacher said they had never spoken about the offer and Rohrabacher said he had made the offer on his own initiative.
In August 2017, in the midst of the Qatar diplomatic crisis, Dubai-based Al Arabiya said Assange had refrained from publishing two cables about Qatar after negotiations between WikiLeaks and Qatar. Assange said Al Arabiya had been publishing "increasingly absurd fabrications" during the dispute. In September 2017, Assange released "Spy Files Russia," revealing "how a St. Petersburg-based technology company called Peter-Service helped Russian state entities gather detailed data on Russian cellphone users, part of a national system of online surveillance called System for Operative Investigative Activities (SORM)." According to Moscow-based journalist Fred Weir, "experts say it casts a timely spotlight on the vast surveillance operations mounted by Russian security services."
Assange was granted Ecuadorian citizenship in December 2017.
In February 2018, after Sweden had suspended its investigation, Assange brought two legal actions, arguing that Britain should drop its arrest warrant for him as it was "no longer right or proportionate to pursue him" and the arrest warrant for breaching bail had lost its "purpose and its function". In both cases, Senior District Judge Emma Arbuthnot ruled that the arrest warrant should remain in place.
In March 2018, Assange used social media to criticise Germany's arrest of Catalonian separatist leader Carles Puigdemont. On 28 March 2018, Ecuador responded by cutting Assange's internet connection because his social media posts put at risk Ecuador's relations with European nations. In May 2018, The Guardian reported that over five years Ecuador had spent at least $5million (£3.7m) to protect Assange, employing a security company and undercover agents to monitor his visitors, embassy staff and the British police. Ecuador reportedly also devised plans to help Assange escape should British police forcibly enter the embassy to seize him. The Guardian reported that by 2014 Assange had compromised the embassy's communications system. WikiLeaks described the allegation as "an anonymous libel aligned with the current UK-US government onslaught against Mr Assange". In July 2018, President Moreno said that he wanted Assange out of the embassy provided that Assange's life was not in danger. By October 2018, Assange's communications were partially restored.
On 16 October 2018, congressmen from the United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs wrote an open letter to President Moreno which described Assange as a dangerous criminal and stated that progress between the US and Ecuador in the areas of economic cooperation, counter-narcotics assistance and the return of a USAID mission to Ecuador depended on Assange being handed over to the authorities.
In October 2018, Assange sued the government of Ecuador for violating his "fundamental rights and freedoms" by threatening to remove his protection and cut off his access to the outside world, refusing him visits from journalists and human rights organisations and installing signal jammers to prevent phone calls and internet access. An Ecuadorian judge ruled against him, saying that requiring Assange to pay for his Internet use and clean up after his cat did not violate his right to asylum.
In November 2018, Pamela Anderson, a close friend and regular visitor of Assange, gave an interview in which she asked the Australian prime minister, Scott Morrison, to defend Assange. Morrison rejected the request with a response Anderson considered "smutty". Anderson responded that "[r]ather than making lewd suggestions about me, perhaps you should instead think about what you are going to say to millions of Australians when one of their own is marched in an orange jumpsuit to Guantanamo Bay – for publishing the truth. You can prevent this."
On 21 December 2018, the UN's Working Group on Arbitrary Detention urged the UK to let Assange leave the embassy freely. In a statement, the organisation said that the "Swedish investigations have been closed for over 18 months now, and the only ground remaining for Mr Assange's continued deprivation of liberty is a bail violation in the UK, which is, objectively, a minor offence that cannot post-facto justify the more than six years' confinement that he has been subjected to".
In February 2019, the parliament of Geneva passed a motion demanding that the Swiss government extend asylum to Assange. In January 2020, the Catalan Dignity Commission awarded Assange its 2019 Dignity Prize for supporting the Catalan people during the 2017 Catalan independence referendum.
In March 2019, Assange submitted a complaint to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights asking the Ecuadorian government to "ease the conditions that it had imposed on his residence" at the embassy and to protect him from extradition to the US. It also requested US prosecutors unseal criminal charges that had been filed against him. Assange said the Ecuadorian embassy was trying to end his asylum by spying on him and restricting his visitors. The commission rejected his complaint.
Surveillance of Assange in the embassy
On 10 April 2019, WikiLeaks said it had uncovered an extensive surveillance operation against Assange from within the embassy. WikiLeaks said that "material including video, audio, copies of private legal documents and a medical report" had surfaced in Spain and that unnamed individuals in Madrid had made an extortion attempt.
On 26 September 2019, the Spanish newspaper El País reported that the Spanish defence and security company Undercover Global S.L. (UC Global) had spied on Assange for the CIA during his time in the embassy. UC Global had been contracted to protect the embassy during this time. According to the report UC Global's owner David Morales had provided the CIA with audio and video of meetings Assange held with his lawyers and colleagues. Morales also arranged for the US to have direct access to the stream from video cameras installed in the embassy at the beginning of December 2017. The evidence was part of a secret investigation by Spain's High Court, the Audiencia Nacional, into Morales and his relationship with US intelligence. The investigation was precipitated by a complaint by Assange that accused UC Global of violating his privacy and client-attorney privileges as well as committing misappropriation, bribery and money laundering.
Morales was arrested in September on charges involving violations of privacy and client-attorney privileges, as well as misappropriation, bribery, money laundering and criminal possession of weapons. He was released on bail. On 25 September, Spanish Judge José de la Mata sent British authorities a European Investigation Order (EIO) asking for permission to question Assange by videoconference as a witness in the case against Morales. The United Kingdom Central Authority (UKCA), which is in charge of processing and responding to EIOs in the UK, provisionally denied De la Mata's request to question Assange, raised a number of objections to the request, and asked for more details. De la Mata responded to UKCA's objections on 14 October by stating that Assange was the victim who had filed the complaint and that unlawful disclosure of secrets and bribery are also crimes in the UK. He said that the crimes were partially committed on Spanish territory because the microphones used to spy on Assange were bought in Spain, and the information obtained was sent and uploaded to servers at UC Global S. L.'s headquarters in Spain.
Spanish judicial bodies were upset at having their EIO request denied by UKCA and believed the British justice system is concerned by the effect the Spanish case may have on the process to extradite Assange to the US.
In a November 2019 article, Stefania Maurizi said she had access to some of the videos, audios and photos showing a medical examination of Assange, a meeting between Ecuadorian ambassador Carlos Abad Ortiz and his staff, a meeting between Assange, Glenn Greenwald and David Miranda and lunch between Assange and British rapper M.I.A. Microphones had been placed in the women's toilets to capture meetings between Assange and his lawyers. Phones belonging to some of the embassy's visitors were compromised. Spanish lawyer Aitor Martinez, who is part of Assange's legal team, said videos were taken of meetings between Assange and his legal defence team. Maurizi concluded that, based on statements from former employees of UC Global, internal UC Global emails and the type of information collected, it was clear that the surveillance was conducted on behalf of the US government and the information gathered would be used by the US to assist in its case for extraditing Assange.
Britain agreed to allow Judge De la Mata to interview Assange via video link on 20 December. According to his lawyer, Assange testified that he was unaware that cameras installed by Undercover Global were also capturing audio and suggested the surveillance likely targeted his legal team.
Imprisonment and extradition proceedings
Arrest in the embassy
On 2 April 2019, Ecuador's president Moreno said that Assange had violated the terms of his asylum, after photos surfaced on the internet linking Moreno to a corruption scandal. WikiLeaks said it had acquired none of the published material, and that it merely reported on a corruption investigation against Moreno by Ecuador's legislature. WikiLeaks reported a source within the Ecuadorian government saying that, due to the controversy, an agreement had been reached to expel Assange from the embassy and place him in the custody of UK police. According to Assange's father, the revoking of Assange's asylum was connected to an upcoming decision by the International Monetary Fund to grant Ecuador a loan, an assertion also made by critics of Moreno, such as former Ecuadorian foreign minister Guillaume Long.
On 11 April 2019 the Ecuadorian government invited the Metropolitan Police into the embassy, and they arrested Assange on the basis of a US extradition warrant. Moreno stated that Ecuador withdrew Assange's asylum after he interfered in Ecuador's domestic affairs, calling Assange a "miserable hacker". British foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt and prime minister Theresa May applauded Moreno's actions, while Australian prime minister, Scott Morrison, said the arrest "has got nothing to do with [Australia], it is a matter for the US". United Nations Special Rapporteur Agnès Callamard said that British authorities had arbitrarily detained Assange and further endangered his life by their actions.
Conviction for breach of bail
On the day of his arrest, Assange was charged with breaching the Bail Act 1976 and was found guilty after a short hearing. Assange's defence said chief magistrate Emma Arbuthnot, who had dealt with his case, was biased against him as her husband was directly affected by WikiLeaks' allegations. Judge Michael Snow said it was "unacceptable" to air the claim in front of a "packed press gallery" and that Assange was "a narcissist who cannot get beyond his own selfish interest" and he had "not come close to establishing reasonable excuse".
Assange was remanded to Belmarsh Prison, and on 1 May 2019 was sentenced to 50 weeks imprisonment. The judge said he would be released after serving half of his sentence, subject to other proceedings and conditional upon committing no further offences. The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention said that the verdict contravened "principles of necessity and proportionality" for what it considered a "minor violation". Assange appealed his sentence, but dropped his appeal in July.
Espionage indictment in the United States
In 2012 and 2013, US officials indicated that Assange was not named in a sealed indictment. On 6 March 2018, a federal grand jury for the Eastern District of Virginia issued a sealed indictment against Assange. In November 2018, US prosecutors accidentally revealed the indictment.
In February 2019, Chelsea Manning was subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury in Virginia in the case. When Manning condemned the secrecy of the hearings and refused to testify, she was jailed for contempt of court on 8 March 2019. On 16 May 2019, Manning refused to testify before a new grand jury investigating Assange, stating that she "believe[d] this grand jury seeks to undermine the integrity of public discourse with the aim of punishing those who expose any serious, ongoing, and systemic abuses of power by this government". She was returned to jail for the 18-month term of the grand jury with financial penalties. In June 2021, Chelsea Manning said her grand jury resistance was not contingent on Julian Assange being the target, and that she was not even sure he was. "I treated this no differently than if it was for a protest or for some other grand jury—if it was a grand jury in general, I would respond the same way. But it did appear that this one was about, specifically, the 2010 disclosures; the media was speculating, but our legal team and ourselves, we never got full confirmation as to whether that was the case."
On 11 April 2019, the day of Assange's arrest in London, the indictment against him was unsealed. He was charged with conspiracy to commit computer intrusion (i.e., hacking into a government computer), which carries a maximum five-year sentence. The charges stem from the allegation that Assange attempted and failed to crack a password hash so that Chelsea Manning could use a different username to download classified documents and avoid detection. This allegation had been known since 2011 and was a factor in Manning's trial; the indictment did not reveal any new information about Assange.
On 23 May 2019, Assange was indicted on 17 new charges relating to the Espionage Act of 1917 in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. These charges carried a maximum sentence of 170 years in prison. The Obama administration had debated charging Assange under the Espionage Act, but decided against it out of fear that it would have a negative effect on investigative journalism and could be unconstitutional. The New York Times commented that it and other news organisations obtained the same documents as WikiLeaks also without government authorisation. It said it was not clear how WikiLeaks' publications were legally different from other publications of classified information.
Most cases brought under the Espionage Act have been against government employees who accessed sensitive information and leaked it to journalists and others. Prosecuting people for acts related to receiving and publishing information has not previously been tested in court. In 1975, the Justice Department decided after consideration not to charge journalist Seymour Hersh for reporting on US surveillance of the Soviet Union. Two lobbyists for a pro-Israel group were charged in 2005 with receiving and sharing classified information about American policy toward Iran. The charges, however, did not relate to the publication of the documents and the case was dropped in 2009.
The Associated Press reported that the indictment raised concerns about media freedom, as Assange's solicitation and publication of classified information is a routine job journalists perform. Steve Vladeck, a professor at the University of Texas School of Law, stated that what Assange is accused of doing is factually different from but legally similar to what professional journalists do. Suzanne Nossel of PEN America said it was immaterial if Assange was a journalist or publisher and pointed instead to First Amendment concerns.
While some American politicians supported the arrest and indictment of Julian Assange, several non-government organisations for press freedom condemned it. Mark Warner, vice chairman of the United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said that Assange was "a dedicated accomplice in efforts to undermine American security". Several jurists, politicians, associations, academics and campaigners viewed the arrest of Assange as an attack on freedom of the press and international law. Reporters Without Borders said Assange's arrest would "set a dangerous precedent for journalists, whistle-blowers, and other journalistic sources that the US may wish to pursue in the future". Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch, wrote that Assange's prosecution for publishing leaked documents is "a major threat to global media freedom". United Nations human rights expert Agnes Callamard said the indictment exposed him to the risk of serious human rights violations. Ben Wizner from the American Civil Liberties Union said that prosecuting Assange "for violating US secrecy laws would set an especially dangerous precedent for US journalists, who routinely violate foreign secrecy laws to deliver information vital to the public's interest".
Imprisonment in the UK
Since his arrest on 11 April 2019, Assange has been incarcerated in Belmarsh Prison in London.
After examining Assange on 9 May 2019, Nils Melzer, the United Nations special rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, concluded that "in addition to physical ailments, Mr Assange showed all symptoms typical for prolonged exposure to psychological torture, including extreme stress, chronic anxiety and intense psychological trauma." The British government said it disagreed with some of his observations. In a later interview, Melzer criticised the "secretive grand jury indictment in the United States", the "abusive manner in which Swedish prosecutors disseminated, re-cycled and perpetuated their 'preliminary investigation' into alleged sexual offences", the "termination by Ecuador of Mr Assange's asylum status and citizenship without any form of due process", and the "overt bias against Mr Assange being shown by British judges since his arrest". He said the United States, UK, Sweden and Ecuador were trying to make an example of Assange. He also accused journalists of "spreading abusive and deliberately distorted narratives". Shortly after Melzer's visit, Assange was transferred to the prison's health care unit.
On 13 September 2019, District Judge Vanessa Baraitser ruled that Assange would not be released on 22 September when his prison term ended because he was a and his lawyer had not applied for bail. She said when his sentence came to an end, his status would change from a serving prisoner to a person facing extradition.
On 1 November 2019, Melzer said that Assange's health had continued to deteriorate and his life was now at risk. He said that the UK government had not acted on the issue.
On 22 November, an open letter to the UK Home Secretary and Shadow Home Secretary signed by a group of medical practitioners named Doctors for Assange said Assange's health was declining to such an extent that he could die in prison. Subsequent attempts by the group, made to the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice Robert Buckland, and to Marise Payne, the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, also yielded no result.
On 30 December 2019, Melzer accused the UK government of torturing Julian Assange. He said Assange's "continued exposure to severe mental and emotional suffering... clearly amounts to psychological torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment."
On 17 February 2020, the medical journal The Lancet published an open letter from Doctors for Assange in which they said Assange was in a "dire state of health due to the effects of prolonged psychological torture in both the Ecuadorian embassy and Belmarsh prison" which could lead to his death and that his "politically motivated medical neglect... sets a dangerous precedent". On the same day, Reporters Without Borders posted a separate petition which accused the Trump administration of acting in "retaliation for (Assange's) facilitating major revelations in the international media about the way the United States conducted its wars". The petition said, Assange's publications "were clearly in the public interest and not espionage". Australian MPs Andrew Wilkie and George Christensen visited Assange and pressed the UK and Australian governments to intervene to stop his being extradited.
On 25 March 2020, Assange was denied bail after Judge Baraitser rejected his lawyers' argument that his imprisonment would put him at high risk of contracting COVID-19. She said Assange's past conduct showed how far he was willing to go to avoid extradition. In November 2021, his father told a French interview program that Assange had received a non-mandatory COVID-19 vaccination in Belmarsh Prison.
On 25 June 2020, Doctors for Assange published another letter in The Lancet, "reiterating their demand to end the torture and medical neglect of Julian Assange", in which they state their "professional and ethical duty to speak out against, report, and stop torture".
In September 2020, an open letter in support of Assange was sent to Boris Johnson with the signatures of two current heads of state and approximately 160 other politicians. The following month, U.S. Representatives Tulsi Gabbard, a Democrat, and Thomas Massie, a Republican, introduced a resolution opposing the extradition of Assange. In December 2020, German human rights commissioner Bärbel Kofler cautioned the UK about the need to consider Assange's physical and mental health before deciding whether to extradite him.
Hearings on extradition to the U.S.
On 2 May 2019, the first hearing was held in London into the U.S. request for Assange's extradition. When asked by Judge Snow whether he consented to extradition, Assange replied, "I do not wish to surrender myself for extradition for doing journalism that has won many, many awards and protected many people". On 13 June, British Home Secretary Sajid Javid said he had signed the extradition order.
Towards the end of 2019, Judge Emma Arbuthnot, who had presided at several of the extradition hearings, stepped aside because of a "perception of bias". Vanessa Baraitser was appointed as the presiding judge.
On 21 October 2019, Assange appeared at the court for a case management hearing. When Judge Baraitser asked about his understanding of the proceedings, Assange replied:
In February 2020, the court heard legal arguments. Assange's lawyers contended that he had been charged with political offences and therefore could not be extradited. The hearings were delayed for months due to requests for extra time from the prosecution and the defence and due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In March, the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute, IBAHRI, condemned the mistreatment of Julian Assange in the extradition trial.
Assange appeared in court on 7 September 2020, facing a new indictment with 18 counts:
Conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information;
Conspiracy to commit computer intrusions;
Obtaining national defence information (seven counts); and
Disclosure of national defence information (nine counts).
The US Department of Justice stated that the new indictment "broaden[s] the scope of... alleged computer intrusions", alleging that Assange "communicated directly with a leader of the hacking group LulzSec[,]... provided a list of targets for LulzSec to hack" and "[conspired] with Army Intelligence Analyst Chelsea Manning to crack a password hash". Judge Baraitser denied motions by Assange's barristers to dismiss the new charges or to adjourn in order to better respond.
Some witnesses who testified in September, such as Daniel Ellsberg, did so remotely via video link due to COVID-19 restrictions. Technical problems caused extensive delays. Amnesty International, PEN Norway, and eight members of the European Parliament had their access to the livestream revoked. Baraitser responded that the initial invitations had been sent in error. Torture victim Khaled el-Masri, who was originally requested as a defence witness, had his testimony reduced to a written statement. Other witnesses testified that the conditions of imprisonment, which would be likely to worsen upon extradition to the U.S., placed Assange at a high risk of depression and suicide which was exacerbated by his Asperger syndrome. During the court proceedings the defence drew attention to a prison service report stating that a hidden razor blade had been found by a prison officer during a search of Assange's cell. During the proceedings it was also revealed that Assange had contacted the Samaritans phone service on numerous occasions.
Patrick Eller, a former forensics examiner with the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command, testified that Assange did not crack and could not have cracked the password mentioned in the U.S. indictment, as Chelsea Manning had intentionally sent only a portion of the password's hash. Moreover, Eller stated that password cracking was a common topic of discussion among other soldiers stationed at Forward Operating Base Hammer, suggesting that Manning's message was unrelated to the classified documents which were already in her possession. Testimony on 30 September revealed new allegations surrounding the surveillance of the Ecuadorian embassy by UC Global. A former UC Global employee, who spoke anonymously fearing reprisals, stated that the firm undertook "an increasingly sophisticated operation" after it was put into contact with the Trump administration by Sheldon Adelson. According to the employee, intelligence agents discussed plans to break into the embassy to kidnap or poison Assange and attempted to obtain the DNA of a baby who was believed to be Assange's child.
To coincide with the end of the hearing, Progressive International convened a virtual event called the Belmarsh Tribunal, modelled after the Russell Tribunal, to scrutinise what it calls "the crimes that have been revealed by Assange, and the crimes that have been committed against him, in turn".
Hearings, including a statement in support of the defence by Noam Chomsky, concluded on 1 October 2020.
On 4 January 2021, Judge Baraitser ruled that Assange could not be extradited to the United States, citing concerns about his mental health and the risk of suicide in a US prison. She sided with the US on every other point, including whether the charges constituted political offences and whether he was entitled to freedom of speech protections.
Appeal and other developments
On 6 January 2021, Assange was denied bail on the grounds that he was a flight risk, pending an appeal by the United States. The US prosecutors lodged an appeal of the denial of extradition on 15 January.
Following the decision by Judge Baraitser that it would be "oppressive to extradite [Assange] to the United States," in July 2021 the Biden administration assured the Crown Prosecution Services that "Mr Assange will not be subject to SAMs or imprisoned at ADX (unless he were to do something subsequent to the offering of these assurances that meets the tests for the imposition of SAMs or designation to ADX)". The United States also assured that it "will consent to Mr Assange being transferred to Australia to serve any custodial sentence imposed on him." An Amnesty International expert on national security and human rights in Europe said, "Those are not assurances at all. It's not that difficult to look at those assurances and say: these are inherently unreliable, it promises to do something and then reserves the right to break the promise".
In June 2021 Icelandic newspaper Stundin published details of an interview with Sigurdur Ingi Thordarson, the witness identified as "Teenager" in the U.S. Justice Department's case against Assange. In the interview Thordarson, who had received a promise of immunity from prosecution in return for co-operating with the FBI, stated he had fabricated allegations used in the U.S. indictment.
In June 2021, Julian Assange's half brother Gabriel Shipton and father John Shipton left Australia to conduct a month-long 17 city tour of the United States to generate awareness and support for Assange and press freedom. In a Saint Paul, Minnesota event, sponsored by Women Against Military Madness, the Shiptons asked supporters to appeal to members of Congress to weigh in with the Justice Department to reconsider its prosecution. Ecuador revoked Assange's citizenship in July 2021.
In August 2021 in the High Court, Lord Justice Holroyde decided that Judge Baraitser may have given too much weight to what Holroyde called "a misleading report" by an expert witness for the defence, psychiatrist Prof Michael Kopelman, and granted permission for the contested risk of suicide to be raised on the appeal.
In October 2021, the High Court held a two-day appeal hearing presided over by Ian Burnett, Baron Burnett of Maldon, Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, and Lord Justice Holroyde. In opening the U.S. as appellant argued that Assange's health issues were less severe than claimed during the initial extradition hearing and that his depression was moderate rather than severe. They also drew attention to binding assurances given by the U.S. concerning his proposed treatment in custody. In answer Assange's defence drew attention to a Yahoo! News report that the CIA had plotted to poison, abduct or assassinate Assange. Edward Fitzgerald QC argued: "Given the revelations of surveillance in the embassy and plots to kill [Assange]," "there are great grounds for fearing what will be done to him" if extradited to the U.S. He urged the court "not to trust [the] assurances" of the "same government" alleged to have plotted Assange's killing. According to his partner Stella Moris, Assange suffered a mini-stroke on 27 October while sitting through the court hearing and was subsequently given anti-stroke medication.
On 10 December 2021, the High Court ruled in favour of the United States. The Lord Chief Justice and Lord Justice Holroyde ruled that, in line with previous judgements, when the US administration gives a promise of fair and humane treatment its word should not be doubted. The case has been remitted to Westminster Magistrates' Court with the direction that it be sent to the Home Secretary Priti Patel for the final decision on whether to extradite Assange. On 24 January 2022 Assange was granted permission to petition the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom for an appeal hearing.
Writings and opinions
Assange has written a few short pieces, including "State and terrorist conspiracies" (2006), "Conspiracy as governance" (2006), "The hidden curse of Thomas Paine" (2008), "What's new about WikiLeaks?" (2011), and the foreword to Cypherpunks (2012). Cypherpunks is primarily a transcript of World Tomorrow episode eight, a two-part interview between Assange, Jacob Appelbaum, Andy Müller-Maguhn, and Jérémie Zimmermann. In the foreword, Assange said, "the Internet, our greatest tool for emancipation, has been transformed into the most dangerous facilitator of totalitarianism we have ever seen". He also contributed research to Suelette Dreyfus's Underground (1997), and received a co-writer credit for the Calle 13 song "Multi Viral" (2013). In 2010, Assange said he was a libertarian and that "WikiLeaks is designed to make capitalism more free and ethical".
In 2010, Assange received a deal for his autobiography worth at least US$1.3million. In 2011, Canongate Books published Julian Assange, The Unauthorised Autobiography. Assange immediately disavowed it, stating, "I am not 'the writer' of this book. I own the copyright of the manuscript, which was written by Andrew O'Hagan." Assange accused Canongate of breaching their contract by publishing, against his wishes, a draft that Assange considered "a work in progress" and "entirely uncorrected or fact-checked by me." In 2014, O'Hagan wrote about his experience as Assange's ghostwriter. "The story of his life mortified him and sent him scurrying for excuses," O'Hagan recalled. "He didn't want to do the book. He hadn't from the beginning." Colin Robinson, co-publisher of Assange's 2012 book Cypherpunks, criticised O'Hagan for largely ignoring the bigger issues about which Assange had been warning, and noted that O'Hagan's piece "is no part of an organised dirty tricks campaign. But by focusing as it does on Assange's character defects, it ends up serving much the same purpose."
Assange's book When Google Met WikiLeaks was published by OR Books in 2014. It recounts when Google CEO Eric Schmidt requested a meeting with Assange, while he was on bail in rural Norfolk, UK. Schmidt was accompanied by Jared Cohen, director of Google Ideas; Lisa Shields, vice president of the Council on Foreign Relations; and Scott Malcomson, the communications director for the International Crisis Group. Excerpts were published on the Newsweek website, while Assange participated in a Q&A event that was facilitated by the Reddit website and agreed to an interview with Vogue magazine.
In 2011, an article in Private Eye by its editor, Ian Hislop, recounted a rambling phone call he had received from Assange, who was especially angry about Private Eye′s report that Israel Shamir, an Assange associate in Russia, was a Holocaust denier. Assange suggested, Hislop wrote, "that British journalists, including the editor of The Guardian, were engaged in a Jewish-led conspiracy to smear his organization." Assange subsequently responded that Hislop had "distorted, invented or misremembered almost every significant claim and phrase." He added, "We treasure our strong Jewish support and staff, just as we treasure the support from pan-Arab democracy activists and others who share our hope for a just world."
Personal life
While in his teens, Assange married a girl named Teresa, and in 1989 they had a son named Daniel. The couple separated and disputed custody of Daniel until 1999. According to Assange's mother, during the time of the custody dispute, his brown hair turned white. In 2015, in an open letter to French President Hollande, Assange said that his youngest child was French, as was the child's mother. He also said his family had faced death threats and harassment because of his work, forcing them to change identities and reduce contact with him.
In 2015, Assange began a relationship with Stella Moris ( Stella Moris-Smith Robertson), his South African-born lawyer. They became engaged in 2017 and had two children. Moris revealed their relationship in 2020 because she feared for Assange's life. On 7 November 2021, the couple said they were preparing legal action against Deputy UK Prime Minister Dominic Raab and Jenny Louis, governor of Belmarsh prison. Assange and Moris accused Raab and Louis of denying their and their two children's human rights by blocking and delaying Moris and Assange from getting married. On 11 November, the prison service said it had granted permission for the couple to marry in Belmarsh prison. The service said the application had been "considered in the usual way by the prison governor".
Assessments
Views on Assange have been given by a number of public figures, including journalists, well-known whistleblowers, activists and world leaders. In July 2010, Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg said that "Assange has shown much better judgment with respect to what he has revealed than the people who kept those items secret inside the government." In October 2010, Ellsberg flew to London to give Assange his support. In November 2010, an individual from the office of Dmitry Medvedev, the President of Russia, suggested that Assange should be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. In December 2010, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, then President of Brazil, said "They have arrested him and I don't hear so much as a single protest for freedom of expression". Vladimir Putin, the prime minister of Russia, asked at a press conference "Why is Mr Assange in prison? Is this democracy?" In the same month, Julia Gillard, Prime Minister of Australia, described his activities as "illegal", but the Australian Federal Police said he had not broken Australian law. Joe Biden, the vice president of the United States, was asked whether he saw Assange as closer to a high-tech terrorist than to whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg. Biden responded that he "would argue it is closer to being a high-tech terrorist than the Pentagon Papers". In November 2011, Vaughan Smith, founder of the Frontline Club, supported Assange and in July 2012 offered his residence in Norfolk for Assange to continue WikiLeaks' operations whilst in the UK. In April 2012, interviewed on Assange's television show World Tomorrow, Ecuadorian president Rafael Correa praised WikiLeaks and told his host "Cheer up! Cheer up! Welcome to the club of the persecuted!" In August 2012, historian and journalist Tariq Ali and former ambassador and author Craig Murray spoke in support of Assange outside the Ecuadorian embassy. In April 2013, filmmaker Oliver Stone stated that "Julian Assange did much for free speech and is now being victimised by the abusers of that concept." In November 2014, Spanish Podemos party leader Pablo Iglesias also gave his support to Assange. In July 2015, British Member of Parliament Jeremy Corbyn opposed Assange's extradition to the US, and as Labour Party leader in April 2019 said the British government should oppose Assange's extradition to the US "for exposing evidence of atrocities in Iraq and Afghanistan".
In July 2016, artist and activist Ai Weiwei, musicians Patti Smith, Brian Eno and PJ Harvey, scholars Noam Chomsky and Yanis Varoufakis, fashion designer Vivienne Westwood and filmmaker Ken Loach were amongst those attending an event in support of Assange at the embassy. That same month, the documentary filmmaker and long-time supporter Michael Moore also visited Assange in the embassy. In December 2019, Australian journalist Mary Kostakidis said, "I became fascinated at this young, idealistic Australian, very tech-savvy, who developed a way for whistleblowers to upload data anonymously" and that she would be giving "100 per cent of my attention and resources" to his defence. In January 2021, Australian journalist John Pilger stated that, were Assange to be extradited, "no journalist who challenges power will be safe".
American politicians Mitch McConnell, Newt Gingrich and Sarah Palin each either referred to Assange as "a high-tech terrorist" or suggested that through publishing US diplomatic traffic he was engaged in terrorism. Other American and Canadian politicians and media personalities, including Tom Flanagan, Bob Beckel, Mike Huckabee and Michael Grunwald, called for his assassination or execution, though Grunwald later apologised for this, saying, "It was a dumb tweet. I'm sorry. I deserve the backlash."
Honours and awards
Works
Bibliography
Underground: Tales of Hacking, Madness and Obsession on the Electronic Frontier (1997)
Cypherpunks: Freedom and the Future of the Internet. OR Books, 2012. .
When Google Met WikiLeaks. OR Books, 2014. .
The WikiLeaks Files: The World According to The US Empire. By WikiLeaks. Verso Books, 2015. (with an Introduction by Julian Assange).
Filmography
As himself
The War You Don't See (2010)
The Simpsons (2012) (cameo; episode "At Long Last Leave")
Citizenfour (2014)
The Yes Men Are Revolting (2014)
Terminal F/Chasing Edward Snowden (2015)
Asylum (2016)
Risk (2016)
Architects of Denial (2017)
The New Radical (2017)
See also
List of people who took refuge in a diplomatic mission
List of peace activists
Lauri Love, who in 2018 won an appeal in the High Court of England against extradition to the United States
Gary McKinnon, whose extradition to the United States was blocked in 2012 by then-Home Secretary Theresa May
Ross Ulbricht
Thomas A. Drake
Jeremy Hammond, who was summoned to appear before a Virginia federal grand jury which was investigating Julian Assange. He was held in civil contempt of court after refusing to testify.
Ola Bini, who was arrested in April 2019 in Ecuador apparently due to his association with Julian Assange and WikiLeaks.
Notes
References
Further reading
Books
Nick Cohen, You Can't Read this Book: Censorship in an Age of Freedom (2012).
Films
Underground: The Julian Assange Story (2012), Australian TV drama that premiered at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival.
Julian (2012), Australian short film about nine-year-old Julian Assange. The film won several awards and prizes.
The Fifth Estate (2013), American thriller that Assange said was a 'serious propaganda attack' on WikiLeaks and its staff.
Mediastan (2013), Swedish documentary produced by Assange to challenge The Fifth Estate.
We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks (2013), American documentary.
Risk (2016), American documentary.
Hacking Justice (2017), German documentary.
Ithaka (2021), Australian documentary produced by Assange's brother Gabriel Shipton, which deals with his father's worldwide campaign for Julian's release from prison.
External links
1971 births
21st-century Australian male writers
Activists from Melbourne
Articles containing video clips
Australian computer programmers
Australian editors
Australian expatriates in the United Kingdom
Australian founders
Australian libertarians
Australian publishers (people)
Australian whistleblowers
Australia–United States relations
Central Queensland University alumni
Cypherpunks
Inmates of HM Prison Belmarsh
Internet activists
Living people
Media critics
Open content activists
People associated with Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections
People associated with the 2016 United States presidential election
People from Townsville
People with Asperger syndrome
Political party founders
Prisoners and detainees of England and Wales
RT (TV network) people
United Kingdom–United States relations
University of Melbourne alumni
WikiLeaks
| false |
[
"Shockwave (Originally The 7up Shockwave & npower Shockwave) is an Intamin stand-up roller coaster, located at Drayton Manor Theme Park at Drayton Bassett in the United Kingdom. It was opened in 1994 and is one of the only two stand-up coasters in Europe. It is also the only stand-up roller coaster with a zero-gravity roll ever made.\n\nThe ride, designed by Werner Stengel, was created as part of a two-year, £4m project in 1993-94. The Shockwave's station is located directly above Splash Canyon's station area, in the 'Action Park' area previously next to G Force.\n\nRide Experience\nShockwave, which reaches and delivers up to 4 g, features a lift to , then an drop into a Vertical Loop followed by a zero-g roll, 2 corkscrews and bends around back into the station. Originally, the track was white with brown supports, but between 2004 and 2012 it was repainted to have a light blue track and turquoise supports. Also in 2012 the Trains were repainted: 1 Blue and the other Red. Both will operate on busy days. Originally, the train would re enter the station by braking to a low speed and moving back to the loading area; now it stops completely before moving back to the loading area. In 2016, the ride and trains received new logos\n\nIn 1994, the ride opened along with two other roller coasters in the UK; the Pepsi Max Big One at Pleasure Beach Blackpool and Nemesis at Alton Towers (which opened one week before the Shockwave).\n\nReferences \n\nStand-up roller coasters\nRoller coasters in the United Kingdom\nRoller coasters introduced in 1994",
"The 1893 Case football team was an American football team that represented the Case School of Applied Science in Cleveland, Ohio, now a part of Case Western Reserve University. Playing as an independent during the 1893 college football season, the team compiled a 4–0 record, outscoring opponents by a total of 120 to 8. \n\nCase snapped a 13-game win streak of Oberlin, whose win streak dated back to their undefeated 1892 season. Notably, Case defeated Coach John Heisman of Buchtel, handing him his first ever career coaching loss, who ironically was the coach of the undefeated 1892 Oberlin team the prior season.\n\nCharley Gleason was the star halfback, who also previously played on the 1889 Georgetown football team. Captain Alva C. Smith played quarterback.\n\nSchedule\n\nReferences\n\nCase\nCase Western Reserve Spartans football seasons\nCollege football undefeated seasons\nCase football"
] |
[
"Sam Thompson",
"1896-98 seasons"
] |
C_4337398a4cae4165ad0f213132296e70_1
|
What sport did he play?
| 1 |
What sport did Sam Thompson play?
|
Sam Thompson
|
At age 36, Thompson played his last full season of professional baseball in 1896. His average dipped to .298, but he still managed to collect 100 RBIs. Thompson's throwing remained strong as he turned in one of the finest defensive performances of his career. Despite appearing in only 119 games in the outfield, he led the league in outfield fielding percentage (.974), outfield assists (28), and double plays from the outfield (11). One sports writer noted that, even at age 38, Thompson "possessed an arm that the fastest sprinters in the big league had a lot of respect for." As a team, however, the Phillies fell to eighth place in the National League with a 62-68 record. In 1897, at age 37, Thompson was sidelined by pain and appeared in only three games. Some accounts suggest that Thompson's absence from the lineup may have also been the result of his not getting along with Philadelphia's new manager George Stallings. Without Thompson, the 1897 Phillies dropped to 10th place with a 55-77 record. Before the 1898 season began, Thompson gave an interview in which he questioned the Phillies chances to compete in 1898: "What are the Phillies' chances this season? Six clubs, Cincinnati Baltimore, Boston, New York, Cleveland and Brooklyn are bound to beat them, and they will have to fight hard to lead the second division, and I very much doubt if they can do that." Though his loyalty to the Phillies was questioned, Thompson did return in 1898 and was batting .349 with 15 RBIs, five doubles, three triples, a home run after 14 games. However, Thompson opted to leave the team in May 1898 and return to his home in Detroit. His sudden retirement has been attributed to a "combination of homesickness and chronic back pain." Other accounts indicate that continued tension with manager Stallings contributed to Thompson's decision to retire. CANNOTANSWER
|
professional baseball
|
Samuel Luther "Big Sam" Thompson (March 5, 1860 – November 7, 1922) was an American professional baseball player from 1884 to 1898 and with a brief comeback in 1906. At , the Indiana native was one of the larger players of his day and was known for his prominent handlebar mustache. He played as a right fielder in Major League Baseball for the Detroit Wolverines (1885–1888), Philadelphia Phillies (1889–1898) and Detroit Tigers (1906). He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.
Thompson had a .331 career batting average and was one of the most prolific run producers in baseball history. His career run batted in (RBI) to games played ratio of .923 (1,305 RBIs in 1,410 games) remains the highest in major league history. In 1895, Thompson averaged 1.44 RBIs per game, and his 166 RBIs in 1887 (in only 127 games) remained the major league record until 1921 when Babe Ruth collected 168 (albeit in 152 games). Thompson still holds the major league record for most RBIs in a single month with 61 in August 1894 while playing for the Phillies. Manager Bill Watkins in 1922 called Thompson "the greatest natural hitter of all time."
Defensively, Thompson was known to have one of the strongest arms of any outfielder in the early decades of the game. He still ranks among the all-time major league leaders with 61 double plays from the outfield (16th all time) and 283 outfield assists (12th all time). Thompson also had good speed on the base paths and, in 1889, he became the first major league player to reach 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in the same season.
Early years
Thompson was born in Danville, Indiana, in 1860. He was the fifth of eleven children born to Jesse and Rebecca Thompson. He was educated at the Danville Graded School. After reaching adulthood, Thompson became employed as a carpenter in Danville. He and five of his brothers also played on a local baseball team known as the Danville Browns.
Baseball career
Evansville and Indianapolis
In July 1884, Thompson began his professional baseball career at age 24, playing for the Evansville, Indiana, team in the Northwestern League. A scout for Evansville travelled to Danville and was referred to "Big Sam", who was working on a roof in Stinesville. Thompson was initially reluctant to give up his carpentry career and travel 150 miles to Evansville, but he ultimately agreed to give it a try. Unfortunately, the league folded in early August 1884, after only five games. In five games at Evansville, Thompson compiled a .391 batting average.
Thompson signed with the Indianapolis Hoosiers of the newly formed Western League in 1885. He compiled a .321 average in 30 games with the Hoosiers. He was approached by a Union Association team and offered more money, but in a show of "steadfastness to his word", Thompson refused the offer and remained with Indianapolis at a pay of $100 per month. The Hoosiers were the dominant team in the Western League, compiling an .880 winning percentage.
Detroit Wolverines
Signing
In mid June 1885, the Western League disbanded, and a mad rush developed to sign the players on the Indianapolis roster, a line-up that included Thompson, Deacon McGuire, Sam Crane, Chub Collins, Jim Donnelly, Mox McQuery, Gene Moriarty, and Dan Casey.
Thompson later told the colorful story of his acquisition by Detroit. Detroit sent two representatives (Marsh and Maloney) to Indianapolis, principally to sign the Hoosiers' battery of Larry McKeon and Jim Keenan. The Wolverines were outbid by the Cincinnati Reds for McKeon and Keenan but wound up with the Hoosiers' manager (Bill Watkins) and the rest of the team's starting lineup. The only catch was that a 10-day waiting period would allow other teams to outbid Detroit. Marsh and Maloney promptly sent the players to Detroit and quartered them in a hotel there. The next morning, the players were told that the team had arranged a fishing trip for them. The players boarded the steamship Annette and enjoyed the first day and night of successful fishing. After three days, the players became suspicious, but the ship captain laughed when asked when they would return to Detroit. As the players became mutinous on the sixth day, the captain admitted he had been ordered to keep them "out at sea" for 10 days. In another account, Thompson described his 10 days aboard the Annette as follows: "We were prisoners, but well cared-for prisoners. Anything in the line of creature comforts you could find packed away on ice. We lived on the best in the market, and spent the rest of the time in fishing and playing poker, chips having very thoughtfully been provided. On the night of the tenth day, at midnight, we were all taken ashore where Watkins met us and signed us to our contracts."
The players were only later presented with their accumulated mail which included scores of offers from other clubs. A writer in the Detroit Free Press later noted: "Detroit magnates showed some inside baseball brains and great finessing in sending the players away from all tempters for that period when they belonged to no club."
Regardless of the trickery by Detroit, Thompson considered Detroit to be a mecca. He recalled his first time in 1885 viewing Woodward Avenue with Indianapolis teammate Mox McQuery. They gazed with "open-mouth amazement" at the "wondrous pavements", having never seen a street as "clean and smooth as a table."
1885 and 1886 seasons
Thompson joined the Wolverines lineup in early July. In his first plate appearance, he had a hit off New York Giants' Hall of Fame pitcher Tim Keefe. The Wolverines were in last place when Thompson joined the club, but won 12 of their first 13 games after Thompson took over in right field. Thompson compiled a .303 batting average in 63 games. Despite playing only the second half of his rookie season, Thompson ranked among the National League leaders with seven home runs (third most in the league) and nine triples (10th most in the league). Displaying a strong arm that would be one of the main features of his defensive game, Thompson also ranked fifth in the league with 24 outfield assists in only 63 games.
In 1886, team owner Frederick K. Stearns made a big splash when he purchased the Buffalo infield that had become known as the "Big Four", consisting of Dan Brouthers, Hardy Richardson, Jack Rowe, and Deacon White. In addition, Detroit pitcher Lady Baldwin won 42 games in 1886, a major league record for a left-handed pitcher. The 1886 season was Thompson's first full season in the majors. Thompson made a major contribution to the 1886 club as well, compiling a .310 batting average with 101 runs scored, 13 triples, and eight home runs in 122 games. His 89 runs batted in (RBIs) ranked third in the National League. His defensive statistics continued to impress as well. He led the league with 11 double plays from the outfield, ranked second with a .945 fielding percentage, and was fourth in the league with 194 outfield putouts. The 1886 Wolverines compiled an impressive 87–36 record (.707 winning percentage), but lost the National League pennant, finishing 2½ games behind the Chicago White Stockings.
1887 season
Thompson had his breakout season in 1887 when he won the National League batting crown with .372 batting average, and he set a major league record with 166 RBIs. Thompson also led the league in hits (203), triples (23), slugging percentage (.565), total bases (308), and at bats (545). On May 7, 1887, Thompson became the first player in major league history to hit two triples with the bases loaded in the same game. The 1887 Detroit Wolverines featured four future Hall of Fame inductees (Thompson, Dan Brouthers, Deacon White, and Ned Hanlon) and won the National League pennant with a 79-45 record. The Wolverines then went on to defeat the St. Louis Browns of the American Association in a 15-game World Series challenge. Thompson played in all 15 games of the World Series and led all hitters with a .362 average, two home runs, seven RBIs and a .621 slugging percentage.
1888 season
During the 1888 season, Thompson was sidelined with a sore arm during most of the season and appeared in only 56 games. His batting average declined by 90 points to .282, and the fortunes of the entire 1888 Detroit team followed suit. The team finished in fifth place with a 68-63 record. With high salaries owed to the team's star players, and gate receipts declining markedly, the team folded in October 1888 season with the players being sold to other teams.
Philadelphia Phillies
1889–1892
On October 16, 1888, Thompson was purchased from the Wolverines by the Philadelphia Quakers (known as the Philadelphia Phillies beginning in 1890), for $5,000 cash (equal to $ today).
In his first season with Philadelphia, Thompson hit .296 and led the National League with a career-high 20 home runs. He also became the first major league player to reach 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases (Thompson stole 24 bases) in the same season. Thompson improved his batting average to .313 in 1890 and led the league in both hits (172) and doubles (41). Thompson's batting average dipped slightly below .300 in 1891 (.294) but bounced back in 1892 to .305. In each of his first four seasons with the Phillies, Thompson finished among the league leaders in total bases and RBIs. He ranked third in total bases in 1889 (262), 1890 (243), and 1893 (263), second in RBIs in 1892 (104), and third in RBIs in 1890 (102). He also tallied a career-high 32 outfield assists to lead the National League in 1891. (It has been suggested that Thompson's assist and home run totals in Philadelphia were aided by the short 300-foot right field fence at the Huntingdon Street Grounds.) The Phillies were a good, but not great team, during Thompson's first four years in Philadelphia, finishing in fourth place in 1889, 1891 and 1892, and in third place in 1890.
1893–1895
From 1893 to 1895, Thompson hit his stride with the Phillies. During those three years, he hit .390 and averaged 207 hits, 125 runs, 146 RBIs, 21 triples, and 24 stolen bases. And he compiled those numbers while striking out an average of only 14 times per season. Despite Thompson's contributions, the Phillies were unable to compete for the National League pennant, finishing in fourth place in 1893 and 1894 and in third place in 1895.
Thompson's 1893 totals included a league-leading 222 hits and 37 doubles. After the 1893 season, Thompson vowed not to return to Philadelphia in protest over the owners' penny-pinching ways and the team's inability to compete for a pennant. In October 1893, Thompson announced: "I shall not play again in Philadelphia, and I told Harry Wright it would be a waste of time for him to write to me about signing. The cheese-paring methods of the management ... have been the causes leading to my resolution. ... The management [has] made a barrel of money, but they grind the players into the dirt." Thompson finally agreed in March 1894 to return to the Phillies, but only after management agreed to improve travel accommodations.
In 1894, Thompson was part of the only all-.400-hitting outfield of all-time. All four Philadelphia outfielders ended the season with a batting average better than .400 (Tuck Turner at .416, Thompson and Ed Delahanty at .407, and Billy Hamilton at .404). Thompson missed a month from the 1894 season with an injury to the little finger on his left hand. Doctors determined that the smaller bones in the finger were dead, and portions of the finger were surgically removed in mid-May 1894. Despite the injury and partial amputation, and being limited to only 102 games, Thompson compiled a .407 batting average with a career-high 28 triples and a league-leading 147 RBIs. His 1894 ratio of 1.44 RBIs per game remains the all-time major league record. Also, his 28 triples was the second highest total in major league history up to that time and remains the fifth highest of all time. Thompson also led the National League with a career-high .696 slugging percentage, and he hit for the cycle on August 17, 1894.
In 1895, Thompson compiled a .392 batting average with 211 hits in 119 games and led the National League in slugging percentage (.654), total bases (352), extra base hits (84), home runs (18), and RBIs (165). His average of 1.39 RBIs per game in 1895 remains second in major league history—trailing Thompson's 1.44 ratio in 1894. Thompson also continued to perform well defensively with 31 outfield assists, second most in the league. From June 11 to 21, Thompson had 6 consecutive games with at least 3 or more hits. Since then, only Jimmy Johnston (June 24–30, 1923) and George Brett (May 8–13, 1976) had 6 straight games with at least 3 or more hits.
1896–1898
At age 36, Thompson played his last full season of professional baseball in 1896. His average dipped to .298, but he still managed to collect 100 RBIs. Thompson's throwing remained strong as he turned in one of the finest defensive performances of his career. Despite appearing in only 119 games in the outfield, he led the league in outfield fielding percentage (.974), outfield assists (28), and double plays from the outfield (11). One sports writer noted that, even at age 38, Thompson "possessed an arm that the fastest sprinters in the big league had a lot of respect for." As a team, however, the Phillies fell to eighth place in the National League with a 62-68 record.
In 1897, at age 37, Thompson was sidelined by pain and appeared in only three games. Some accounts suggest that Thompson's absence from the lineup may have also been the result of his not getting along with Philadelphia's new manager George Stallings. Without Thompson, the 1897 Phillies dropped to 10th place with a 55-77 record.
Before the 1898 season began, Thompson gave an interview in which he questioned the Phillies chances to compete in 1898: "What are the Phillies' chances this season? Six clubs, Cincinnati Baltimore, Boston, New York, Cleveland and Brooklyn are bound to beat them, and they will have to fight hard to lead the second division, and I very much doubt if they can do that." Though his loyalty to the Phillies was questioned, Thompson did return in 1898 and was batting .349 with 15 RBIs, five doubles, three triples, a home run after 14 games. However, Thompson opted to leave the team in May 1898 and return to his home in Detroit. His sudden retirement has been attributed to a "combination of homesickness and chronic back pain." Other accounts indicate that continued tension with manager Stallings contributed to Thompson's decision to retire.
Detroit Tigers
Late in the 1906 baseball season, Thompson briefly returned to the major leagues as a player for the Detroit Tigers. With starting outfielders Ty Cobb and Davy Jones out of the Tigers lineup with injuries, Thompson volunteered to fill in. At age 46, Thompson had remained active, playing baseball for the Detroit Athletic Club and other local teams. Accordingly, in late August and early September 1906, he took his old place in right field for Detroit. Thompson's return to baseball led to an increase in attendance, as "the stands and bleachers were full of special Thompson delegations." After getting a hit and two RBIs in his first game, he totaled seven hits, four runs, three RBIs and a triple in eight games with the Tigers. At age 46, he became, and remains, the oldest player to hit a triple in the major leagues. Detroit sports writer Paul H. Bruske noted that Thompson was still able to throw the ball from deep right field to the plate "on a line" and that he still had "a lot of speed on the bases."
Career statistics and legacy
In 15 major league seasons, Thompson compiled a .331 batting average with 1,988 hits, 343 doubles, 161 triples, 126 home runs, 1,305 RBIs, and 232 stolen bases. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.
Thompson was one of the most prolific run producers in baseball history. His career RBI to games played ratio of .923 (1,305 RBIs in 1,410 games) remains the highest in major league history, higher even than Lou Gehrig (.921), Hank Greenberg (.915), Joe DiMaggio (.885), and Babe Ruth (.884). In 1895, Thompson averaged 1.44 RBIs per game (147 RBIs in 102 games), still a major league record. His 166 RBIs in 1887 (in only 127 games) was 62 more than anyone else in the league that year, and it stood as the major league record until 1921 when Babe Ruth collected 168 (albeit in 152 games). Thompson still holds the major league record for most RBIs in a single month with 61 in August 1894 while playing for the Phillies.
Thompson was also one of the best power hitters of the era before Babe Ruth. At the end of the 19th century, Thompson's 126 career home runs ranked second only to Roger Connor. Defensively, Thompson still ranks among the all-time major league leaders with 61 double plays from the outfield (16th all time) and 283 outfield assists (12th all time). Thompson has also been credited by baseball historians with perfecting "the art of throwing the ball to the plate on one bounce, which catchers found easier to handle than the usual throw on the fly." Bill Watkins, who managed Thompson in Detroit, recalled: "He was a fine fielder and had a cannon arm and will live in my memory as the greatest natural hitter of all time."
In a 1913 story on Thompson, Detroit sports writer Maclean Kennedy noted that Thompson's drives "were the direct cause of more hats being smashed, more backs that were thumped til they were black and blue by some wild-eyed fan sitting in the seat behind, more outbursts of frenzied shrieks and howls of glee, than those of any other player who ever wore a Detroit uniform", barring only the two great stars of the day, Ty Cobb and Sam Crawford.
Family and later years
Thompson was married in 1888 to Ida Morasha of Detroit. They had no children and made their home in Detroit until Thompson's death. After retiring from baseball, Thompson invested in real estate and was financially comfortable in his later years. He was appointed a U.S. Deputy Marshall during World War I and also worked as the crier in the courtroom of U.S. District Court Judge Arthur J. Tuttle. He was "well known" and a "well liked" figure at the federal building in Detroit.
Thompson died in 1922 at age 62. He had a heart attack while serving as an election inspector on November 7 and was stricken again later in the morning after being taken to his home located at 6468 Trumbull Avenue in Detroit. Upon learning of Thompson's death, his former Detroit manager Bill Watkins recalled Thompson as "not only a great baseball player, but as one of the finest gentlemen I ever knew." At Thompson's funeral, "Michigan's foremost citizens – state and city officials, judges, bankers, doctors, millionaires, laborers – paid homage ... to their beloved friend", and the neighborhood in which Thompson lived "was packed with expensive automobiles and their liveried chauffeurs" as workmen and wealthy men "discussed their favorite player with an unusual spirit of camaraderie." Thompson was interred at the historic Elmwood Cemetery in Detroit. He was posthumously inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.
See also
1887 Detroit Wolverines season
List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders
List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders
List of Major League Baseball career triples leaders
List of Major League Baseball batting champions
List of Major League Baseball annual home run leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual runs batted in leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual doubles leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual triples leaders
List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle
List of Major League Baseball single-game hits leaders
References
External links
1860 births
1922 deaths
People from Danville, Indiana
Baseball players from Indiana
Burials at Elmwood Cemetery (Detroit, Michigan)
National Baseball Hall of Fame inductees
Major League Baseball right fielders
19th-century baseball players
Detroit Wolverines players
Philadelphia Quakers players
Philadelphia Phillies players
Detroit Tigers players
National League batting champions
National League home run champions
National League RBI champions
Evansville (minor league baseball) players
Indianapolis Hoosiers (minor league) players
| true |
[
"Joseph Jef Nelis was a Belgian footballer, born on 1 April 1917 in Tutbury, Staffordshire, (England), who died on 12 April 1994. Striker for Royal Berchem Sport, he was picked for the World Cup in 1938 in France, but did not play. However, he played two games and scored two goals in 1940 for Belgium.\n\nHonours \n International in 1940 (2 caps and 2 goals)\n Picked for the 1938 World Cup (did not play)\n\nReferences \n\nBelgium international footballers\nBelgian footballers\n1938 FIFA World Cup players\nK. Berchem Sport players\nRoyale Union Saint-Gilloise players\n1917 births\n1994 deaths\nAssociation football forwards\nPeople from Tutbury",
"Émerson da Silva Leal or simply Émerson (born July 3, 1980 in Esteio), is a Brazilian defensive midfielder. In 2012, he played for Aimoré.\n\nFollowing the diagnosis of a heart condition in November 2004, Emerson did not play for three years. He re-joined Grêmio in 2007. Despite having a contract with Grêmio, Émerson did not usually train with the rest of Grêmio players.\n\nHonours\nBrazilian Cup: 2001\nRio Grande do Sul State League: 2001\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\n zerozero.pt\n CBF\n Emerson, del Gremio, apartado del equipo por sufrir problemas cardíacos\n\n1980 births\nLiving people\nBrazilian footballers\nGrêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense players\nSport Club do Recife players\nEsporte Clube Novo Hamburgo players\nCanoas Sport Club players\nEsporte Clube Juventude players\nAssociation football midfielders"
] |
[
"Sam Thompson",
"1896-98 seasons",
"What sport did he play?",
"professional baseball"
] |
C_4337398a4cae4165ad0f213132296e70_1
|
What team did he play for
| 2 |
What team did Sam Thompson play for?
|
Sam Thompson
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At age 36, Thompson played his last full season of professional baseball in 1896. His average dipped to .298, but he still managed to collect 100 RBIs. Thompson's throwing remained strong as he turned in one of the finest defensive performances of his career. Despite appearing in only 119 games in the outfield, he led the league in outfield fielding percentage (.974), outfield assists (28), and double plays from the outfield (11). One sports writer noted that, even at age 38, Thompson "possessed an arm that the fastest sprinters in the big league had a lot of respect for." As a team, however, the Phillies fell to eighth place in the National League with a 62-68 record. In 1897, at age 37, Thompson was sidelined by pain and appeared in only three games. Some accounts suggest that Thompson's absence from the lineup may have also been the result of his not getting along with Philadelphia's new manager George Stallings. Without Thompson, the 1897 Phillies dropped to 10th place with a 55-77 record. Before the 1898 season began, Thompson gave an interview in which he questioned the Phillies chances to compete in 1898: "What are the Phillies' chances this season? Six clubs, Cincinnati Baltimore, Boston, New York, Cleveland and Brooklyn are bound to beat them, and they will have to fight hard to lead the second division, and I very much doubt if they can do that." Though his loyalty to the Phillies was questioned, Thompson did return in 1898 and was batting .349 with 15 RBIs, five doubles, three triples, a home run after 14 games. However, Thompson opted to leave the team in May 1898 and return to his home in Detroit. His sudden retirement has been attributed to a "combination of homesickness and chronic back pain." Other accounts indicate that continued tension with manager Stallings contributed to Thompson's decision to retire. CANNOTANSWER
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his loyalty to the Phillies was questioned, Thompson did return in 1898
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Samuel Luther "Big Sam" Thompson (March 5, 1860 – November 7, 1922) was an American professional baseball player from 1884 to 1898 and with a brief comeback in 1906. At , the Indiana native was one of the larger players of his day and was known for his prominent handlebar mustache. He played as a right fielder in Major League Baseball for the Detroit Wolverines (1885–1888), Philadelphia Phillies (1889–1898) and Detroit Tigers (1906). He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.
Thompson had a .331 career batting average and was one of the most prolific run producers in baseball history. His career run batted in (RBI) to games played ratio of .923 (1,305 RBIs in 1,410 games) remains the highest in major league history. In 1895, Thompson averaged 1.44 RBIs per game, and his 166 RBIs in 1887 (in only 127 games) remained the major league record until 1921 when Babe Ruth collected 168 (albeit in 152 games). Thompson still holds the major league record for most RBIs in a single month with 61 in August 1894 while playing for the Phillies. Manager Bill Watkins in 1922 called Thompson "the greatest natural hitter of all time."
Defensively, Thompson was known to have one of the strongest arms of any outfielder in the early decades of the game. He still ranks among the all-time major league leaders with 61 double plays from the outfield (16th all time) and 283 outfield assists (12th all time). Thompson also had good speed on the base paths and, in 1889, he became the first major league player to reach 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in the same season.
Early years
Thompson was born in Danville, Indiana, in 1860. He was the fifth of eleven children born to Jesse and Rebecca Thompson. He was educated at the Danville Graded School. After reaching adulthood, Thompson became employed as a carpenter in Danville. He and five of his brothers also played on a local baseball team known as the Danville Browns.
Baseball career
Evansville and Indianapolis
In July 1884, Thompson began his professional baseball career at age 24, playing for the Evansville, Indiana, team in the Northwestern League. A scout for Evansville travelled to Danville and was referred to "Big Sam", who was working on a roof in Stinesville. Thompson was initially reluctant to give up his carpentry career and travel 150 miles to Evansville, but he ultimately agreed to give it a try. Unfortunately, the league folded in early August 1884, after only five games. In five games at Evansville, Thompson compiled a .391 batting average.
Thompson signed with the Indianapolis Hoosiers of the newly formed Western League in 1885. He compiled a .321 average in 30 games with the Hoosiers. He was approached by a Union Association team and offered more money, but in a show of "steadfastness to his word", Thompson refused the offer and remained with Indianapolis at a pay of $100 per month. The Hoosiers were the dominant team in the Western League, compiling an .880 winning percentage.
Detroit Wolverines
Signing
In mid June 1885, the Western League disbanded, and a mad rush developed to sign the players on the Indianapolis roster, a line-up that included Thompson, Deacon McGuire, Sam Crane, Chub Collins, Jim Donnelly, Mox McQuery, Gene Moriarty, and Dan Casey.
Thompson later told the colorful story of his acquisition by Detroit. Detroit sent two representatives (Marsh and Maloney) to Indianapolis, principally to sign the Hoosiers' battery of Larry McKeon and Jim Keenan. The Wolverines were outbid by the Cincinnati Reds for McKeon and Keenan but wound up with the Hoosiers' manager (Bill Watkins) and the rest of the team's starting lineup. The only catch was that a 10-day waiting period would allow other teams to outbid Detroit. Marsh and Maloney promptly sent the players to Detroit and quartered them in a hotel there. The next morning, the players were told that the team had arranged a fishing trip for them. The players boarded the steamship Annette and enjoyed the first day and night of successful fishing. After three days, the players became suspicious, but the ship captain laughed when asked when they would return to Detroit. As the players became mutinous on the sixth day, the captain admitted he had been ordered to keep them "out at sea" for 10 days. In another account, Thompson described his 10 days aboard the Annette as follows: "We were prisoners, but well cared-for prisoners. Anything in the line of creature comforts you could find packed away on ice. We lived on the best in the market, and spent the rest of the time in fishing and playing poker, chips having very thoughtfully been provided. On the night of the tenth day, at midnight, we were all taken ashore where Watkins met us and signed us to our contracts."
The players were only later presented with their accumulated mail which included scores of offers from other clubs. A writer in the Detroit Free Press later noted: "Detroit magnates showed some inside baseball brains and great finessing in sending the players away from all tempters for that period when they belonged to no club."
Regardless of the trickery by Detroit, Thompson considered Detroit to be a mecca. He recalled his first time in 1885 viewing Woodward Avenue with Indianapolis teammate Mox McQuery. They gazed with "open-mouth amazement" at the "wondrous pavements", having never seen a street as "clean and smooth as a table."
1885 and 1886 seasons
Thompson joined the Wolverines lineup in early July. In his first plate appearance, he had a hit off New York Giants' Hall of Fame pitcher Tim Keefe. The Wolverines were in last place when Thompson joined the club, but won 12 of their first 13 games after Thompson took over in right field. Thompson compiled a .303 batting average in 63 games. Despite playing only the second half of his rookie season, Thompson ranked among the National League leaders with seven home runs (third most in the league) and nine triples (10th most in the league). Displaying a strong arm that would be one of the main features of his defensive game, Thompson also ranked fifth in the league with 24 outfield assists in only 63 games.
In 1886, team owner Frederick K. Stearns made a big splash when he purchased the Buffalo infield that had become known as the "Big Four", consisting of Dan Brouthers, Hardy Richardson, Jack Rowe, and Deacon White. In addition, Detroit pitcher Lady Baldwin won 42 games in 1886, a major league record for a left-handed pitcher. The 1886 season was Thompson's first full season in the majors. Thompson made a major contribution to the 1886 club as well, compiling a .310 batting average with 101 runs scored, 13 triples, and eight home runs in 122 games. His 89 runs batted in (RBIs) ranked third in the National League. His defensive statistics continued to impress as well. He led the league with 11 double plays from the outfield, ranked second with a .945 fielding percentage, and was fourth in the league with 194 outfield putouts. The 1886 Wolverines compiled an impressive 87–36 record (.707 winning percentage), but lost the National League pennant, finishing 2½ games behind the Chicago White Stockings.
1887 season
Thompson had his breakout season in 1887 when he won the National League batting crown with .372 batting average, and he set a major league record with 166 RBIs. Thompson also led the league in hits (203), triples (23), slugging percentage (.565), total bases (308), and at bats (545). On May 7, 1887, Thompson became the first player in major league history to hit two triples with the bases loaded in the same game. The 1887 Detroit Wolverines featured four future Hall of Fame inductees (Thompson, Dan Brouthers, Deacon White, and Ned Hanlon) and won the National League pennant with a 79-45 record. The Wolverines then went on to defeat the St. Louis Browns of the American Association in a 15-game World Series challenge. Thompson played in all 15 games of the World Series and led all hitters with a .362 average, two home runs, seven RBIs and a .621 slugging percentage.
1888 season
During the 1888 season, Thompson was sidelined with a sore arm during most of the season and appeared in only 56 games. His batting average declined by 90 points to .282, and the fortunes of the entire 1888 Detroit team followed suit. The team finished in fifth place with a 68-63 record. With high salaries owed to the team's star players, and gate receipts declining markedly, the team folded in October 1888 season with the players being sold to other teams.
Philadelphia Phillies
1889–1892
On October 16, 1888, Thompson was purchased from the Wolverines by the Philadelphia Quakers (known as the Philadelphia Phillies beginning in 1890), for $5,000 cash (equal to $ today).
In his first season with Philadelphia, Thompson hit .296 and led the National League with a career-high 20 home runs. He also became the first major league player to reach 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases (Thompson stole 24 bases) in the same season. Thompson improved his batting average to .313 in 1890 and led the league in both hits (172) and doubles (41). Thompson's batting average dipped slightly below .300 in 1891 (.294) but bounced back in 1892 to .305. In each of his first four seasons with the Phillies, Thompson finished among the league leaders in total bases and RBIs. He ranked third in total bases in 1889 (262), 1890 (243), and 1893 (263), second in RBIs in 1892 (104), and third in RBIs in 1890 (102). He also tallied a career-high 32 outfield assists to lead the National League in 1891. (It has been suggested that Thompson's assist and home run totals in Philadelphia were aided by the short 300-foot right field fence at the Huntingdon Street Grounds.) The Phillies were a good, but not great team, during Thompson's first four years in Philadelphia, finishing in fourth place in 1889, 1891 and 1892, and in third place in 1890.
1893–1895
From 1893 to 1895, Thompson hit his stride with the Phillies. During those three years, he hit .390 and averaged 207 hits, 125 runs, 146 RBIs, 21 triples, and 24 stolen bases. And he compiled those numbers while striking out an average of only 14 times per season. Despite Thompson's contributions, the Phillies were unable to compete for the National League pennant, finishing in fourth place in 1893 and 1894 and in third place in 1895.
Thompson's 1893 totals included a league-leading 222 hits and 37 doubles. After the 1893 season, Thompson vowed not to return to Philadelphia in protest over the owners' penny-pinching ways and the team's inability to compete for a pennant. In October 1893, Thompson announced: "I shall not play again in Philadelphia, and I told Harry Wright it would be a waste of time for him to write to me about signing. The cheese-paring methods of the management ... have been the causes leading to my resolution. ... The management [has] made a barrel of money, but they grind the players into the dirt." Thompson finally agreed in March 1894 to return to the Phillies, but only after management agreed to improve travel accommodations.
In 1894, Thompson was part of the only all-.400-hitting outfield of all-time. All four Philadelphia outfielders ended the season with a batting average better than .400 (Tuck Turner at .416, Thompson and Ed Delahanty at .407, and Billy Hamilton at .404). Thompson missed a month from the 1894 season with an injury to the little finger on his left hand. Doctors determined that the smaller bones in the finger were dead, and portions of the finger were surgically removed in mid-May 1894. Despite the injury and partial amputation, and being limited to only 102 games, Thompson compiled a .407 batting average with a career-high 28 triples and a league-leading 147 RBIs. His 1894 ratio of 1.44 RBIs per game remains the all-time major league record. Also, his 28 triples was the second highest total in major league history up to that time and remains the fifth highest of all time. Thompson also led the National League with a career-high .696 slugging percentage, and he hit for the cycle on August 17, 1894.
In 1895, Thompson compiled a .392 batting average with 211 hits in 119 games and led the National League in slugging percentage (.654), total bases (352), extra base hits (84), home runs (18), and RBIs (165). His average of 1.39 RBIs per game in 1895 remains second in major league history—trailing Thompson's 1.44 ratio in 1894. Thompson also continued to perform well defensively with 31 outfield assists, second most in the league. From June 11 to 21, Thompson had 6 consecutive games with at least 3 or more hits. Since then, only Jimmy Johnston (June 24–30, 1923) and George Brett (May 8–13, 1976) had 6 straight games with at least 3 or more hits.
1896–1898
At age 36, Thompson played his last full season of professional baseball in 1896. His average dipped to .298, but he still managed to collect 100 RBIs. Thompson's throwing remained strong as he turned in one of the finest defensive performances of his career. Despite appearing in only 119 games in the outfield, he led the league in outfield fielding percentage (.974), outfield assists (28), and double plays from the outfield (11). One sports writer noted that, even at age 38, Thompson "possessed an arm that the fastest sprinters in the big league had a lot of respect for." As a team, however, the Phillies fell to eighth place in the National League with a 62-68 record.
In 1897, at age 37, Thompson was sidelined by pain and appeared in only three games. Some accounts suggest that Thompson's absence from the lineup may have also been the result of his not getting along with Philadelphia's new manager George Stallings. Without Thompson, the 1897 Phillies dropped to 10th place with a 55-77 record.
Before the 1898 season began, Thompson gave an interview in which he questioned the Phillies chances to compete in 1898: "What are the Phillies' chances this season? Six clubs, Cincinnati Baltimore, Boston, New York, Cleveland and Brooklyn are bound to beat them, and they will have to fight hard to lead the second division, and I very much doubt if they can do that." Though his loyalty to the Phillies was questioned, Thompson did return in 1898 and was batting .349 with 15 RBIs, five doubles, three triples, a home run after 14 games. However, Thompson opted to leave the team in May 1898 and return to his home in Detroit. His sudden retirement has been attributed to a "combination of homesickness and chronic back pain." Other accounts indicate that continued tension with manager Stallings contributed to Thompson's decision to retire.
Detroit Tigers
Late in the 1906 baseball season, Thompson briefly returned to the major leagues as a player for the Detroit Tigers. With starting outfielders Ty Cobb and Davy Jones out of the Tigers lineup with injuries, Thompson volunteered to fill in. At age 46, Thompson had remained active, playing baseball for the Detroit Athletic Club and other local teams. Accordingly, in late August and early September 1906, he took his old place in right field for Detroit. Thompson's return to baseball led to an increase in attendance, as "the stands and bleachers were full of special Thompson delegations." After getting a hit and two RBIs in his first game, he totaled seven hits, four runs, three RBIs and a triple in eight games with the Tigers. At age 46, he became, and remains, the oldest player to hit a triple in the major leagues. Detroit sports writer Paul H. Bruske noted that Thompson was still able to throw the ball from deep right field to the plate "on a line" and that he still had "a lot of speed on the bases."
Career statistics and legacy
In 15 major league seasons, Thompson compiled a .331 batting average with 1,988 hits, 343 doubles, 161 triples, 126 home runs, 1,305 RBIs, and 232 stolen bases. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.
Thompson was one of the most prolific run producers in baseball history. His career RBI to games played ratio of .923 (1,305 RBIs in 1,410 games) remains the highest in major league history, higher even than Lou Gehrig (.921), Hank Greenberg (.915), Joe DiMaggio (.885), and Babe Ruth (.884). In 1895, Thompson averaged 1.44 RBIs per game (147 RBIs in 102 games), still a major league record. His 166 RBIs in 1887 (in only 127 games) was 62 more than anyone else in the league that year, and it stood as the major league record until 1921 when Babe Ruth collected 168 (albeit in 152 games). Thompson still holds the major league record for most RBIs in a single month with 61 in August 1894 while playing for the Phillies.
Thompson was also one of the best power hitters of the era before Babe Ruth. At the end of the 19th century, Thompson's 126 career home runs ranked second only to Roger Connor. Defensively, Thompson still ranks among the all-time major league leaders with 61 double plays from the outfield (16th all time) and 283 outfield assists (12th all time). Thompson has also been credited by baseball historians with perfecting "the art of throwing the ball to the plate on one bounce, which catchers found easier to handle than the usual throw on the fly." Bill Watkins, who managed Thompson in Detroit, recalled: "He was a fine fielder and had a cannon arm and will live in my memory as the greatest natural hitter of all time."
In a 1913 story on Thompson, Detroit sports writer Maclean Kennedy noted that Thompson's drives "were the direct cause of more hats being smashed, more backs that were thumped til they were black and blue by some wild-eyed fan sitting in the seat behind, more outbursts of frenzied shrieks and howls of glee, than those of any other player who ever wore a Detroit uniform", barring only the two great stars of the day, Ty Cobb and Sam Crawford.
Family and later years
Thompson was married in 1888 to Ida Morasha of Detroit. They had no children and made their home in Detroit until Thompson's death. After retiring from baseball, Thompson invested in real estate and was financially comfortable in his later years. He was appointed a U.S. Deputy Marshall during World War I and also worked as the crier in the courtroom of U.S. District Court Judge Arthur J. Tuttle. He was "well known" and a "well liked" figure at the federal building in Detroit.
Thompson died in 1922 at age 62. He had a heart attack while serving as an election inspector on November 7 and was stricken again later in the morning after being taken to his home located at 6468 Trumbull Avenue in Detroit. Upon learning of Thompson's death, his former Detroit manager Bill Watkins recalled Thompson as "not only a great baseball player, but as one of the finest gentlemen I ever knew." At Thompson's funeral, "Michigan's foremost citizens – state and city officials, judges, bankers, doctors, millionaires, laborers – paid homage ... to their beloved friend", and the neighborhood in which Thompson lived "was packed with expensive automobiles and their liveried chauffeurs" as workmen and wealthy men "discussed their favorite player with an unusual spirit of camaraderie." Thompson was interred at the historic Elmwood Cemetery in Detroit. He was posthumously inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.
See also
1887 Detroit Wolverines season
List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders
List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders
List of Major League Baseball career triples leaders
List of Major League Baseball batting champions
List of Major League Baseball annual home run leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual runs batted in leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual doubles leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual triples leaders
List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle
List of Major League Baseball single-game hits leaders
References
External links
1860 births
1922 deaths
People from Danville, Indiana
Baseball players from Indiana
Burials at Elmwood Cemetery (Detroit, Michigan)
National Baseball Hall of Fame inductees
Major League Baseball right fielders
19th-century baseball players
Detroit Wolverines players
Philadelphia Quakers players
Philadelphia Phillies players
Detroit Tigers players
National League batting champions
National League home run champions
National League RBI champions
Evansville (minor league baseball) players
Indianapolis Hoosiers (minor league) players
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"John Stirk (born 5 September 1955) is an English former footballer. His primary position was as a right back. During his career he played for Ipswich Town, Watford, Chesterfield and North Shields. He also made two appearances for England at youth level.\n\nCareer \n\nBorn in Consett, Stirk played youth football for local non-league team Consett A.F.C. He joined Ipswich Town on schoolboy terms in 1971, and after making two appearances for the England youth team, turned professional in 1973. During his time at Ipswich he was largely a reserve. He made his first-team debut on 5 November 1977, in a Football League First Division match against Manchester City at Portman Road. His manager at the time was Bobby Robson, who later went on to manage the England national football team. Ipswich won the FA Cup in 1978, in what proved to be Stirk's final season at the club. However, Stirk himself did not play in the final, nor did he play in any of the rounds en route to the final.\n\nAnother future England manager, Watford's Graham Taylor, signed Stirk for a transfer fee of £30,000 at the end of the 1977–78 season. Stirk went on to play every Watford league game in the 1978–79 season, as Watford gained promotion to the Second Division. However, Stirk did not play for Watford in the Second Division. Two months before the end of the 1979–80 season, Stirk was sold to Third Division side Chesterfield, at a profit to Watford of £10,000. After making 56 league appearances over two and a half seasons, Stirk left Chesterfield in 1983 moving on to Blyth Spartans then Tow Law Town, and finished his career at non-league North Shields.\n\nReferences \n\n1955 births\nLiving people\nConsett A.F.C. players\nIpswich Town F.C. players\nWatford F.C. players\nChesterfield F.C. players\nEnglish Football League players\nNorth Shields F.C. players\nSportspeople from Consett\nAssociation football fullbacks\nEnglish footballers",
"is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team.\n\nClub career\nYamaguchi was born in Oita Prefecture on August 1, 1959. After graduating from high school, he joined Mitsubishi Motors in 1978. However he did not play in the game, as he was the team's reserve goalkeeper behind Japan national team player Mitsuhisa Taguchi. He retired in 1984. Eventually he could not play in the game.\n\nNational team career\nIn August 1979, Yamaguchi was selected Japan U-20 national team for 1979 World Youth Championship. However, he did not compete, as he was the team's reserve goalkeeper behind Yasuhito Suzuki. In February 1981, although he did not play at his club, he was selected Japan national team because Japan's manager Saburo Kawabuchi actively appointed young players. On February 19, Yamaguchi debuted for Japan national team against Singapore.\n\nClub statistics\n\nNational team statistics\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\n \n \n Japan National Football Team Database\n\n1959 births\nLiving people\nAssociation football people from Ōita Prefecture\nJapanese footballers\nJapan international footballers\nJapan Soccer League players\nUrawa Red Diamonds players\nAssociation football goalkeepers"
] |
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"Sam Thompson",
"1896-98 seasons",
"What sport did he play?",
"professional baseball",
"What team did he play for",
"his loyalty to the Phillies was questioned, Thompson did return in 1898"
] |
C_4337398a4cae4165ad0f213132296e70_1
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What was his highest score
| 3 |
What was Sam Thompson's highest score?
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Sam Thompson
|
At age 36, Thompson played his last full season of professional baseball in 1896. His average dipped to .298, but he still managed to collect 100 RBIs. Thompson's throwing remained strong as he turned in one of the finest defensive performances of his career. Despite appearing in only 119 games in the outfield, he led the league in outfield fielding percentage (.974), outfield assists (28), and double plays from the outfield (11). One sports writer noted that, even at age 38, Thompson "possessed an arm that the fastest sprinters in the big league had a lot of respect for." As a team, however, the Phillies fell to eighth place in the National League with a 62-68 record. In 1897, at age 37, Thompson was sidelined by pain and appeared in only three games. Some accounts suggest that Thompson's absence from the lineup may have also been the result of his not getting along with Philadelphia's new manager George Stallings. Without Thompson, the 1897 Phillies dropped to 10th place with a 55-77 record. Before the 1898 season began, Thompson gave an interview in which he questioned the Phillies chances to compete in 1898: "What are the Phillies' chances this season? Six clubs, Cincinnati Baltimore, Boston, New York, Cleveland and Brooklyn are bound to beat them, and they will have to fight hard to lead the second division, and I very much doubt if they can do that." Though his loyalty to the Phillies was questioned, Thompson did return in 1898 and was batting .349 with 15 RBIs, five doubles, three triples, a home run after 14 games. However, Thompson opted to leave the team in May 1898 and return to his home in Detroit. His sudden retirement has been attributed to a "combination of homesickness and chronic back pain." Other accounts indicate that continued tension with manager Stallings contributed to Thompson's decision to retire. CANNOTANSWER
|
was batting .349 with 15 RBIs, five doubles, three triples, a home run after 14 games.
|
Samuel Luther "Big Sam" Thompson (March 5, 1860 – November 7, 1922) was an American professional baseball player from 1884 to 1898 and with a brief comeback in 1906. At , the Indiana native was one of the larger players of his day and was known for his prominent handlebar mustache. He played as a right fielder in Major League Baseball for the Detroit Wolverines (1885–1888), Philadelphia Phillies (1889–1898) and Detroit Tigers (1906). He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.
Thompson had a .331 career batting average and was one of the most prolific run producers in baseball history. His career run batted in (RBI) to games played ratio of .923 (1,305 RBIs in 1,410 games) remains the highest in major league history. In 1895, Thompson averaged 1.44 RBIs per game, and his 166 RBIs in 1887 (in only 127 games) remained the major league record until 1921 when Babe Ruth collected 168 (albeit in 152 games). Thompson still holds the major league record for most RBIs in a single month with 61 in August 1894 while playing for the Phillies. Manager Bill Watkins in 1922 called Thompson "the greatest natural hitter of all time."
Defensively, Thompson was known to have one of the strongest arms of any outfielder in the early decades of the game. He still ranks among the all-time major league leaders with 61 double plays from the outfield (16th all time) and 283 outfield assists (12th all time). Thompson also had good speed on the base paths and, in 1889, he became the first major league player to reach 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in the same season.
Early years
Thompson was born in Danville, Indiana, in 1860. He was the fifth of eleven children born to Jesse and Rebecca Thompson. He was educated at the Danville Graded School. After reaching adulthood, Thompson became employed as a carpenter in Danville. He and five of his brothers also played on a local baseball team known as the Danville Browns.
Baseball career
Evansville and Indianapolis
In July 1884, Thompson began his professional baseball career at age 24, playing for the Evansville, Indiana, team in the Northwestern League. A scout for Evansville travelled to Danville and was referred to "Big Sam", who was working on a roof in Stinesville. Thompson was initially reluctant to give up his carpentry career and travel 150 miles to Evansville, but he ultimately agreed to give it a try. Unfortunately, the league folded in early August 1884, after only five games. In five games at Evansville, Thompson compiled a .391 batting average.
Thompson signed with the Indianapolis Hoosiers of the newly formed Western League in 1885. He compiled a .321 average in 30 games with the Hoosiers. He was approached by a Union Association team and offered more money, but in a show of "steadfastness to his word", Thompson refused the offer and remained with Indianapolis at a pay of $100 per month. The Hoosiers were the dominant team in the Western League, compiling an .880 winning percentage.
Detroit Wolverines
Signing
In mid June 1885, the Western League disbanded, and a mad rush developed to sign the players on the Indianapolis roster, a line-up that included Thompson, Deacon McGuire, Sam Crane, Chub Collins, Jim Donnelly, Mox McQuery, Gene Moriarty, and Dan Casey.
Thompson later told the colorful story of his acquisition by Detroit. Detroit sent two representatives (Marsh and Maloney) to Indianapolis, principally to sign the Hoosiers' battery of Larry McKeon and Jim Keenan. The Wolverines were outbid by the Cincinnati Reds for McKeon and Keenan but wound up with the Hoosiers' manager (Bill Watkins) and the rest of the team's starting lineup. The only catch was that a 10-day waiting period would allow other teams to outbid Detroit. Marsh and Maloney promptly sent the players to Detroit and quartered them in a hotel there. The next morning, the players were told that the team had arranged a fishing trip for them. The players boarded the steamship Annette and enjoyed the first day and night of successful fishing. After three days, the players became suspicious, but the ship captain laughed when asked when they would return to Detroit. As the players became mutinous on the sixth day, the captain admitted he had been ordered to keep them "out at sea" for 10 days. In another account, Thompson described his 10 days aboard the Annette as follows: "We were prisoners, but well cared-for prisoners. Anything in the line of creature comforts you could find packed away on ice. We lived on the best in the market, and spent the rest of the time in fishing and playing poker, chips having very thoughtfully been provided. On the night of the tenth day, at midnight, we were all taken ashore where Watkins met us and signed us to our contracts."
The players were only later presented with their accumulated mail which included scores of offers from other clubs. A writer in the Detroit Free Press later noted: "Detroit magnates showed some inside baseball brains and great finessing in sending the players away from all tempters for that period when they belonged to no club."
Regardless of the trickery by Detroit, Thompson considered Detroit to be a mecca. He recalled his first time in 1885 viewing Woodward Avenue with Indianapolis teammate Mox McQuery. They gazed with "open-mouth amazement" at the "wondrous pavements", having never seen a street as "clean and smooth as a table."
1885 and 1886 seasons
Thompson joined the Wolverines lineup in early July. In his first plate appearance, he had a hit off New York Giants' Hall of Fame pitcher Tim Keefe. The Wolverines were in last place when Thompson joined the club, but won 12 of their first 13 games after Thompson took over in right field. Thompson compiled a .303 batting average in 63 games. Despite playing only the second half of his rookie season, Thompson ranked among the National League leaders with seven home runs (third most in the league) and nine triples (10th most in the league). Displaying a strong arm that would be one of the main features of his defensive game, Thompson also ranked fifth in the league with 24 outfield assists in only 63 games.
In 1886, team owner Frederick K. Stearns made a big splash when he purchased the Buffalo infield that had become known as the "Big Four", consisting of Dan Brouthers, Hardy Richardson, Jack Rowe, and Deacon White. In addition, Detroit pitcher Lady Baldwin won 42 games in 1886, a major league record for a left-handed pitcher. The 1886 season was Thompson's first full season in the majors. Thompson made a major contribution to the 1886 club as well, compiling a .310 batting average with 101 runs scored, 13 triples, and eight home runs in 122 games. His 89 runs batted in (RBIs) ranked third in the National League. His defensive statistics continued to impress as well. He led the league with 11 double plays from the outfield, ranked second with a .945 fielding percentage, and was fourth in the league with 194 outfield putouts. The 1886 Wolverines compiled an impressive 87–36 record (.707 winning percentage), but lost the National League pennant, finishing 2½ games behind the Chicago White Stockings.
1887 season
Thompson had his breakout season in 1887 when he won the National League batting crown with .372 batting average, and he set a major league record with 166 RBIs. Thompson also led the league in hits (203), triples (23), slugging percentage (.565), total bases (308), and at bats (545). On May 7, 1887, Thompson became the first player in major league history to hit two triples with the bases loaded in the same game. The 1887 Detroit Wolverines featured four future Hall of Fame inductees (Thompson, Dan Brouthers, Deacon White, and Ned Hanlon) and won the National League pennant with a 79-45 record. The Wolverines then went on to defeat the St. Louis Browns of the American Association in a 15-game World Series challenge. Thompson played in all 15 games of the World Series and led all hitters with a .362 average, two home runs, seven RBIs and a .621 slugging percentage.
1888 season
During the 1888 season, Thompson was sidelined with a sore arm during most of the season and appeared in only 56 games. His batting average declined by 90 points to .282, and the fortunes of the entire 1888 Detroit team followed suit. The team finished in fifth place with a 68-63 record. With high salaries owed to the team's star players, and gate receipts declining markedly, the team folded in October 1888 season with the players being sold to other teams.
Philadelphia Phillies
1889–1892
On October 16, 1888, Thompson was purchased from the Wolverines by the Philadelphia Quakers (known as the Philadelphia Phillies beginning in 1890), for $5,000 cash (equal to $ today).
In his first season with Philadelphia, Thompson hit .296 and led the National League with a career-high 20 home runs. He also became the first major league player to reach 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases (Thompson stole 24 bases) in the same season. Thompson improved his batting average to .313 in 1890 and led the league in both hits (172) and doubles (41). Thompson's batting average dipped slightly below .300 in 1891 (.294) but bounced back in 1892 to .305. In each of his first four seasons with the Phillies, Thompson finished among the league leaders in total bases and RBIs. He ranked third in total bases in 1889 (262), 1890 (243), and 1893 (263), second in RBIs in 1892 (104), and third in RBIs in 1890 (102). He also tallied a career-high 32 outfield assists to lead the National League in 1891. (It has been suggested that Thompson's assist and home run totals in Philadelphia were aided by the short 300-foot right field fence at the Huntingdon Street Grounds.) The Phillies were a good, but not great team, during Thompson's first four years in Philadelphia, finishing in fourth place in 1889, 1891 and 1892, and in third place in 1890.
1893–1895
From 1893 to 1895, Thompson hit his stride with the Phillies. During those three years, he hit .390 and averaged 207 hits, 125 runs, 146 RBIs, 21 triples, and 24 stolen bases. And he compiled those numbers while striking out an average of only 14 times per season. Despite Thompson's contributions, the Phillies were unable to compete for the National League pennant, finishing in fourth place in 1893 and 1894 and in third place in 1895.
Thompson's 1893 totals included a league-leading 222 hits and 37 doubles. After the 1893 season, Thompson vowed not to return to Philadelphia in protest over the owners' penny-pinching ways and the team's inability to compete for a pennant. In October 1893, Thompson announced: "I shall not play again in Philadelphia, and I told Harry Wright it would be a waste of time for him to write to me about signing. The cheese-paring methods of the management ... have been the causes leading to my resolution. ... The management [has] made a barrel of money, but they grind the players into the dirt." Thompson finally agreed in March 1894 to return to the Phillies, but only after management agreed to improve travel accommodations.
In 1894, Thompson was part of the only all-.400-hitting outfield of all-time. All four Philadelphia outfielders ended the season with a batting average better than .400 (Tuck Turner at .416, Thompson and Ed Delahanty at .407, and Billy Hamilton at .404). Thompson missed a month from the 1894 season with an injury to the little finger on his left hand. Doctors determined that the smaller bones in the finger were dead, and portions of the finger were surgically removed in mid-May 1894. Despite the injury and partial amputation, and being limited to only 102 games, Thompson compiled a .407 batting average with a career-high 28 triples and a league-leading 147 RBIs. His 1894 ratio of 1.44 RBIs per game remains the all-time major league record. Also, his 28 triples was the second highest total in major league history up to that time and remains the fifth highest of all time. Thompson also led the National League with a career-high .696 slugging percentage, and he hit for the cycle on August 17, 1894.
In 1895, Thompson compiled a .392 batting average with 211 hits in 119 games and led the National League in slugging percentage (.654), total bases (352), extra base hits (84), home runs (18), and RBIs (165). His average of 1.39 RBIs per game in 1895 remains second in major league history—trailing Thompson's 1.44 ratio in 1894. Thompson also continued to perform well defensively with 31 outfield assists, second most in the league. From June 11 to 21, Thompson had 6 consecutive games with at least 3 or more hits. Since then, only Jimmy Johnston (June 24–30, 1923) and George Brett (May 8–13, 1976) had 6 straight games with at least 3 or more hits.
1896–1898
At age 36, Thompson played his last full season of professional baseball in 1896. His average dipped to .298, but he still managed to collect 100 RBIs. Thompson's throwing remained strong as he turned in one of the finest defensive performances of his career. Despite appearing in only 119 games in the outfield, he led the league in outfield fielding percentage (.974), outfield assists (28), and double plays from the outfield (11). One sports writer noted that, even at age 38, Thompson "possessed an arm that the fastest sprinters in the big league had a lot of respect for." As a team, however, the Phillies fell to eighth place in the National League with a 62-68 record.
In 1897, at age 37, Thompson was sidelined by pain and appeared in only three games. Some accounts suggest that Thompson's absence from the lineup may have also been the result of his not getting along with Philadelphia's new manager George Stallings. Without Thompson, the 1897 Phillies dropped to 10th place with a 55-77 record.
Before the 1898 season began, Thompson gave an interview in which he questioned the Phillies chances to compete in 1898: "What are the Phillies' chances this season? Six clubs, Cincinnati Baltimore, Boston, New York, Cleveland and Brooklyn are bound to beat them, and they will have to fight hard to lead the second division, and I very much doubt if they can do that." Though his loyalty to the Phillies was questioned, Thompson did return in 1898 and was batting .349 with 15 RBIs, five doubles, three triples, a home run after 14 games. However, Thompson opted to leave the team in May 1898 and return to his home in Detroit. His sudden retirement has been attributed to a "combination of homesickness and chronic back pain." Other accounts indicate that continued tension with manager Stallings contributed to Thompson's decision to retire.
Detroit Tigers
Late in the 1906 baseball season, Thompson briefly returned to the major leagues as a player for the Detroit Tigers. With starting outfielders Ty Cobb and Davy Jones out of the Tigers lineup with injuries, Thompson volunteered to fill in. At age 46, Thompson had remained active, playing baseball for the Detroit Athletic Club and other local teams. Accordingly, in late August and early September 1906, he took his old place in right field for Detroit. Thompson's return to baseball led to an increase in attendance, as "the stands and bleachers were full of special Thompson delegations." After getting a hit and two RBIs in his first game, he totaled seven hits, four runs, three RBIs and a triple in eight games with the Tigers. At age 46, he became, and remains, the oldest player to hit a triple in the major leagues. Detroit sports writer Paul H. Bruske noted that Thompson was still able to throw the ball from deep right field to the plate "on a line" and that he still had "a lot of speed on the bases."
Career statistics and legacy
In 15 major league seasons, Thompson compiled a .331 batting average with 1,988 hits, 343 doubles, 161 triples, 126 home runs, 1,305 RBIs, and 232 stolen bases. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.
Thompson was one of the most prolific run producers in baseball history. His career RBI to games played ratio of .923 (1,305 RBIs in 1,410 games) remains the highest in major league history, higher even than Lou Gehrig (.921), Hank Greenberg (.915), Joe DiMaggio (.885), and Babe Ruth (.884). In 1895, Thompson averaged 1.44 RBIs per game (147 RBIs in 102 games), still a major league record. His 166 RBIs in 1887 (in only 127 games) was 62 more than anyone else in the league that year, and it stood as the major league record until 1921 when Babe Ruth collected 168 (albeit in 152 games). Thompson still holds the major league record for most RBIs in a single month with 61 in August 1894 while playing for the Phillies.
Thompson was also one of the best power hitters of the era before Babe Ruth. At the end of the 19th century, Thompson's 126 career home runs ranked second only to Roger Connor. Defensively, Thompson still ranks among the all-time major league leaders with 61 double plays from the outfield (16th all time) and 283 outfield assists (12th all time). Thompson has also been credited by baseball historians with perfecting "the art of throwing the ball to the plate on one bounce, which catchers found easier to handle than the usual throw on the fly." Bill Watkins, who managed Thompson in Detroit, recalled: "He was a fine fielder and had a cannon arm and will live in my memory as the greatest natural hitter of all time."
In a 1913 story on Thompson, Detroit sports writer Maclean Kennedy noted that Thompson's drives "were the direct cause of more hats being smashed, more backs that were thumped til they were black and blue by some wild-eyed fan sitting in the seat behind, more outbursts of frenzied shrieks and howls of glee, than those of any other player who ever wore a Detroit uniform", barring only the two great stars of the day, Ty Cobb and Sam Crawford.
Family and later years
Thompson was married in 1888 to Ida Morasha of Detroit. They had no children and made their home in Detroit until Thompson's death. After retiring from baseball, Thompson invested in real estate and was financially comfortable in his later years. He was appointed a U.S. Deputy Marshall during World War I and also worked as the crier in the courtroom of U.S. District Court Judge Arthur J. Tuttle. He was "well known" and a "well liked" figure at the federal building in Detroit.
Thompson died in 1922 at age 62. He had a heart attack while serving as an election inspector on November 7 and was stricken again later in the morning after being taken to his home located at 6468 Trumbull Avenue in Detroit. Upon learning of Thompson's death, his former Detroit manager Bill Watkins recalled Thompson as "not only a great baseball player, but as one of the finest gentlemen I ever knew." At Thompson's funeral, "Michigan's foremost citizens – state and city officials, judges, bankers, doctors, millionaires, laborers – paid homage ... to their beloved friend", and the neighborhood in which Thompson lived "was packed with expensive automobiles and their liveried chauffeurs" as workmen and wealthy men "discussed their favorite player with an unusual spirit of camaraderie." Thompson was interred at the historic Elmwood Cemetery in Detroit. He was posthumously inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.
See also
1887 Detroit Wolverines season
List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders
List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders
List of Major League Baseball career triples leaders
List of Major League Baseball batting champions
List of Major League Baseball annual home run leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual runs batted in leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual doubles leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual triples leaders
List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle
List of Major League Baseball single-game hits leaders
References
External links
1860 births
1922 deaths
People from Danville, Indiana
Baseball players from Indiana
Burials at Elmwood Cemetery (Detroit, Michigan)
National Baseball Hall of Fame inductees
Major League Baseball right fielders
19th-century baseball players
Detroit Wolverines players
Philadelphia Quakers players
Philadelphia Phillies players
Detroit Tigers players
National League batting champions
National League home run champions
National League RBI champions
Evansville (minor league baseball) players
Indianapolis Hoosiers (minor league) players
| true |
[
"John Heynes Ferrandi (3 April 1930 – 16 September 2019) was a South African cricketer who played first-class cricket for Western Province from 1949 to 1964.\n\nPrincipally a wicket-keeper, Ferrandi was also a useful batsman. Selected to play for a South African XI against the Australians in 1957-58, he scored 62 and 30 (the top score of the innings). His highest first-class score was 89, which was also Western Province's highest score in the match against Natal in 1955-56. Against the New Zealanders in 1961-62 he made 81 not out (Western Province's highest score in the match) and 25 not out, hitting hard and excelling in his footwork, his strokes through mid-wicket and his late cutting. In 1960-61 he was the leading stumper in South Africa, executing seven stumpings, most of them off the leg-spin bowling of John Commins.\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\n \n\n1941 births\n2019 deaths\nSouth African cricketers\nWestern Province cricketers",
"Frederick Leslie Angell (29 June 1922 – 9 October 2014) was an English first-class cricketer who played for Somerset County Cricket Club. He was born in Norton St Philip, Somerset and died at Bath, Somerset.\n\nA right-handed opening batsman, Angell made a lot of runs in club cricket for the Lansdown Cricket Club in Bath, but his record in first-class cricket was less successful. He played for Somerset in matches at Bath in both 1947 and 1948, and in a few more games in 1949, before joining the county club's staff in 1950. Playing mostly as the opening partner to the ebullient Harold Gimblett, Angell was a restrained, neat batsman and made 933 runs in his first full season, though his average was only 20 and he passed 50 only three times. There was a very similar record in 1951, with 975 runs, again at an average of 20. In 1952, Angell made his highest score of 90 in the match against Derbyshire at Derby. But three weeks later he was dropped from the side and, as Somerset hit the bottom of the County Championship table for what would prove to be the first of four consecutive last-place finishes, he was not re-engaged at the end of the 1952 season.\n\nIn 1954, however, with Gimblett retiring suddenly at the start of the season, Angell was recalled to Somerset and proceeded to have his best season in first-class cricket. He scored 1,125 runs at an average of 22.95 and made his highest score (and only first-class century) of 114 in the match against the Pakistanis. Apart from this innings, his highest score for the season was an unbeaten 62. He was less successful again in 1955, and after seven matches in 1956 he left the staff for good.\n\nHe continued to be a heavy scorer in club cricket into his late 40s. By profession, he was an engineering draughtsman for a Bath company. He died on 9 October 2014.\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\n Cricket Archive Profile\n\n1922 births\n2014 deaths\nEnglish cricketers\nSomerset cricketers"
] |
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"1896-98 seasons",
"What sport did he play?",
"professional baseball",
"What team did he play for",
"his loyalty to the Phillies was questioned, Thompson did return in 1898",
"What was his highest score",
"was batting .349 with 15 RBIs, five doubles, three triples, a home run after 14 games."
] |
C_4337398a4cae4165ad0f213132296e70_1
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Anything else he did interesting?
| 4 |
Anything else Sam Thompson did interesting other than who Sam played for, what sport Sam played, and what Sam's highest score was?
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Sam Thompson
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At age 36, Thompson played his last full season of professional baseball in 1896. His average dipped to .298, but he still managed to collect 100 RBIs. Thompson's throwing remained strong as he turned in one of the finest defensive performances of his career. Despite appearing in only 119 games in the outfield, he led the league in outfield fielding percentage (.974), outfield assists (28), and double plays from the outfield (11). One sports writer noted that, even at age 38, Thompson "possessed an arm that the fastest sprinters in the big league had a lot of respect for." As a team, however, the Phillies fell to eighth place in the National League with a 62-68 record. In 1897, at age 37, Thompson was sidelined by pain and appeared in only three games. Some accounts suggest that Thompson's absence from the lineup may have also been the result of his not getting along with Philadelphia's new manager George Stallings. Without Thompson, the 1897 Phillies dropped to 10th place with a 55-77 record. Before the 1898 season began, Thompson gave an interview in which he questioned the Phillies chances to compete in 1898: "What are the Phillies' chances this season? Six clubs, Cincinnati Baltimore, Boston, New York, Cleveland and Brooklyn are bound to beat them, and they will have to fight hard to lead the second division, and I very much doubt if they can do that." Though his loyalty to the Phillies was questioned, Thompson did return in 1898 and was batting .349 with 15 RBIs, five doubles, three triples, a home run after 14 games. However, Thompson opted to leave the team in May 1898 and return to his home in Detroit. His sudden retirement has been attributed to a "combination of homesickness and chronic back pain." Other accounts indicate that continued tension with manager Stallings contributed to Thompson's decision to retire. CANNOTANSWER
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At age 36, Thompson played his last full season of professional baseball in 1896.
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Samuel Luther "Big Sam" Thompson (March 5, 1860 – November 7, 1922) was an American professional baseball player from 1884 to 1898 and with a brief comeback in 1906. At , the Indiana native was one of the larger players of his day and was known for his prominent handlebar mustache. He played as a right fielder in Major League Baseball for the Detroit Wolverines (1885–1888), Philadelphia Phillies (1889–1898) and Detroit Tigers (1906). He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.
Thompson had a .331 career batting average and was one of the most prolific run producers in baseball history. His career run batted in (RBI) to games played ratio of .923 (1,305 RBIs in 1,410 games) remains the highest in major league history. In 1895, Thompson averaged 1.44 RBIs per game, and his 166 RBIs in 1887 (in only 127 games) remained the major league record until 1921 when Babe Ruth collected 168 (albeit in 152 games). Thompson still holds the major league record for most RBIs in a single month with 61 in August 1894 while playing for the Phillies. Manager Bill Watkins in 1922 called Thompson "the greatest natural hitter of all time."
Defensively, Thompson was known to have one of the strongest arms of any outfielder in the early decades of the game. He still ranks among the all-time major league leaders with 61 double plays from the outfield (16th all time) and 283 outfield assists (12th all time). Thompson also had good speed on the base paths and, in 1889, he became the first major league player to reach 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in the same season.
Early years
Thompson was born in Danville, Indiana, in 1860. He was the fifth of eleven children born to Jesse and Rebecca Thompson. He was educated at the Danville Graded School. After reaching adulthood, Thompson became employed as a carpenter in Danville. He and five of his brothers also played on a local baseball team known as the Danville Browns.
Baseball career
Evansville and Indianapolis
In July 1884, Thompson began his professional baseball career at age 24, playing for the Evansville, Indiana, team in the Northwestern League. A scout for Evansville travelled to Danville and was referred to "Big Sam", who was working on a roof in Stinesville. Thompson was initially reluctant to give up his carpentry career and travel 150 miles to Evansville, but he ultimately agreed to give it a try. Unfortunately, the league folded in early August 1884, after only five games. In five games at Evansville, Thompson compiled a .391 batting average.
Thompson signed with the Indianapolis Hoosiers of the newly formed Western League in 1885. He compiled a .321 average in 30 games with the Hoosiers. He was approached by a Union Association team and offered more money, but in a show of "steadfastness to his word", Thompson refused the offer and remained with Indianapolis at a pay of $100 per month. The Hoosiers were the dominant team in the Western League, compiling an .880 winning percentage.
Detroit Wolverines
Signing
In mid June 1885, the Western League disbanded, and a mad rush developed to sign the players on the Indianapolis roster, a line-up that included Thompson, Deacon McGuire, Sam Crane, Chub Collins, Jim Donnelly, Mox McQuery, Gene Moriarty, and Dan Casey.
Thompson later told the colorful story of his acquisition by Detroit. Detroit sent two representatives (Marsh and Maloney) to Indianapolis, principally to sign the Hoosiers' battery of Larry McKeon and Jim Keenan. The Wolverines were outbid by the Cincinnati Reds for McKeon and Keenan but wound up with the Hoosiers' manager (Bill Watkins) and the rest of the team's starting lineup. The only catch was that a 10-day waiting period would allow other teams to outbid Detroit. Marsh and Maloney promptly sent the players to Detroit and quartered them in a hotel there. The next morning, the players were told that the team had arranged a fishing trip for them. The players boarded the steamship Annette and enjoyed the first day and night of successful fishing. After three days, the players became suspicious, but the ship captain laughed when asked when they would return to Detroit. As the players became mutinous on the sixth day, the captain admitted he had been ordered to keep them "out at sea" for 10 days. In another account, Thompson described his 10 days aboard the Annette as follows: "We were prisoners, but well cared-for prisoners. Anything in the line of creature comforts you could find packed away on ice. We lived on the best in the market, and spent the rest of the time in fishing and playing poker, chips having very thoughtfully been provided. On the night of the tenth day, at midnight, we were all taken ashore where Watkins met us and signed us to our contracts."
The players were only later presented with their accumulated mail which included scores of offers from other clubs. A writer in the Detroit Free Press later noted: "Detroit magnates showed some inside baseball brains and great finessing in sending the players away from all tempters for that period when they belonged to no club."
Regardless of the trickery by Detroit, Thompson considered Detroit to be a mecca. He recalled his first time in 1885 viewing Woodward Avenue with Indianapolis teammate Mox McQuery. They gazed with "open-mouth amazement" at the "wondrous pavements", having never seen a street as "clean and smooth as a table."
1885 and 1886 seasons
Thompson joined the Wolverines lineup in early July. In his first plate appearance, he had a hit off New York Giants' Hall of Fame pitcher Tim Keefe. The Wolverines were in last place when Thompson joined the club, but won 12 of their first 13 games after Thompson took over in right field. Thompson compiled a .303 batting average in 63 games. Despite playing only the second half of his rookie season, Thompson ranked among the National League leaders with seven home runs (third most in the league) and nine triples (10th most in the league). Displaying a strong arm that would be one of the main features of his defensive game, Thompson also ranked fifth in the league with 24 outfield assists in only 63 games.
In 1886, team owner Frederick K. Stearns made a big splash when he purchased the Buffalo infield that had become known as the "Big Four", consisting of Dan Brouthers, Hardy Richardson, Jack Rowe, and Deacon White. In addition, Detroit pitcher Lady Baldwin won 42 games in 1886, a major league record for a left-handed pitcher. The 1886 season was Thompson's first full season in the majors. Thompson made a major contribution to the 1886 club as well, compiling a .310 batting average with 101 runs scored, 13 triples, and eight home runs in 122 games. His 89 runs batted in (RBIs) ranked third in the National League. His defensive statistics continued to impress as well. He led the league with 11 double plays from the outfield, ranked second with a .945 fielding percentage, and was fourth in the league with 194 outfield putouts. The 1886 Wolverines compiled an impressive 87–36 record (.707 winning percentage), but lost the National League pennant, finishing 2½ games behind the Chicago White Stockings.
1887 season
Thompson had his breakout season in 1887 when he won the National League batting crown with .372 batting average, and he set a major league record with 166 RBIs. Thompson also led the league in hits (203), triples (23), slugging percentage (.565), total bases (308), and at bats (545). On May 7, 1887, Thompson became the first player in major league history to hit two triples with the bases loaded in the same game. The 1887 Detroit Wolverines featured four future Hall of Fame inductees (Thompson, Dan Brouthers, Deacon White, and Ned Hanlon) and won the National League pennant with a 79-45 record. The Wolverines then went on to defeat the St. Louis Browns of the American Association in a 15-game World Series challenge. Thompson played in all 15 games of the World Series and led all hitters with a .362 average, two home runs, seven RBIs and a .621 slugging percentage.
1888 season
During the 1888 season, Thompson was sidelined with a sore arm during most of the season and appeared in only 56 games. His batting average declined by 90 points to .282, and the fortunes of the entire 1888 Detroit team followed suit. The team finished in fifth place with a 68-63 record. With high salaries owed to the team's star players, and gate receipts declining markedly, the team folded in October 1888 season with the players being sold to other teams.
Philadelphia Phillies
1889–1892
On October 16, 1888, Thompson was purchased from the Wolverines by the Philadelphia Quakers (known as the Philadelphia Phillies beginning in 1890), for $5,000 cash (equal to $ today).
In his first season with Philadelphia, Thompson hit .296 and led the National League with a career-high 20 home runs. He also became the first major league player to reach 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases (Thompson stole 24 bases) in the same season. Thompson improved his batting average to .313 in 1890 and led the league in both hits (172) and doubles (41). Thompson's batting average dipped slightly below .300 in 1891 (.294) but bounced back in 1892 to .305. In each of his first four seasons with the Phillies, Thompson finished among the league leaders in total bases and RBIs. He ranked third in total bases in 1889 (262), 1890 (243), and 1893 (263), second in RBIs in 1892 (104), and third in RBIs in 1890 (102). He also tallied a career-high 32 outfield assists to lead the National League in 1891. (It has been suggested that Thompson's assist and home run totals in Philadelphia were aided by the short 300-foot right field fence at the Huntingdon Street Grounds.) The Phillies were a good, but not great team, during Thompson's first four years in Philadelphia, finishing in fourth place in 1889, 1891 and 1892, and in third place in 1890.
1893–1895
From 1893 to 1895, Thompson hit his stride with the Phillies. During those three years, he hit .390 and averaged 207 hits, 125 runs, 146 RBIs, 21 triples, and 24 stolen bases. And he compiled those numbers while striking out an average of only 14 times per season. Despite Thompson's contributions, the Phillies were unable to compete for the National League pennant, finishing in fourth place in 1893 and 1894 and in third place in 1895.
Thompson's 1893 totals included a league-leading 222 hits and 37 doubles. After the 1893 season, Thompson vowed not to return to Philadelphia in protest over the owners' penny-pinching ways and the team's inability to compete for a pennant. In October 1893, Thompson announced: "I shall not play again in Philadelphia, and I told Harry Wright it would be a waste of time for him to write to me about signing. The cheese-paring methods of the management ... have been the causes leading to my resolution. ... The management [has] made a barrel of money, but they grind the players into the dirt." Thompson finally agreed in March 1894 to return to the Phillies, but only after management agreed to improve travel accommodations.
In 1894, Thompson was part of the only all-.400-hitting outfield of all-time. All four Philadelphia outfielders ended the season with a batting average better than .400 (Tuck Turner at .416, Thompson and Ed Delahanty at .407, and Billy Hamilton at .404). Thompson missed a month from the 1894 season with an injury to the little finger on his left hand. Doctors determined that the smaller bones in the finger were dead, and portions of the finger were surgically removed in mid-May 1894. Despite the injury and partial amputation, and being limited to only 102 games, Thompson compiled a .407 batting average with a career-high 28 triples and a league-leading 147 RBIs. His 1894 ratio of 1.44 RBIs per game remains the all-time major league record. Also, his 28 triples was the second highest total in major league history up to that time and remains the fifth highest of all time. Thompson also led the National League with a career-high .696 slugging percentage, and he hit for the cycle on August 17, 1894.
In 1895, Thompson compiled a .392 batting average with 211 hits in 119 games and led the National League in slugging percentage (.654), total bases (352), extra base hits (84), home runs (18), and RBIs (165). His average of 1.39 RBIs per game in 1895 remains second in major league history—trailing Thompson's 1.44 ratio in 1894. Thompson also continued to perform well defensively with 31 outfield assists, second most in the league. From June 11 to 21, Thompson had 6 consecutive games with at least 3 or more hits. Since then, only Jimmy Johnston (June 24–30, 1923) and George Brett (May 8–13, 1976) had 6 straight games with at least 3 or more hits.
1896–1898
At age 36, Thompson played his last full season of professional baseball in 1896. His average dipped to .298, but he still managed to collect 100 RBIs. Thompson's throwing remained strong as he turned in one of the finest defensive performances of his career. Despite appearing in only 119 games in the outfield, he led the league in outfield fielding percentage (.974), outfield assists (28), and double plays from the outfield (11). One sports writer noted that, even at age 38, Thompson "possessed an arm that the fastest sprinters in the big league had a lot of respect for." As a team, however, the Phillies fell to eighth place in the National League with a 62-68 record.
In 1897, at age 37, Thompson was sidelined by pain and appeared in only three games. Some accounts suggest that Thompson's absence from the lineup may have also been the result of his not getting along with Philadelphia's new manager George Stallings. Without Thompson, the 1897 Phillies dropped to 10th place with a 55-77 record.
Before the 1898 season began, Thompson gave an interview in which he questioned the Phillies chances to compete in 1898: "What are the Phillies' chances this season? Six clubs, Cincinnati Baltimore, Boston, New York, Cleveland and Brooklyn are bound to beat them, and they will have to fight hard to lead the second division, and I very much doubt if they can do that." Though his loyalty to the Phillies was questioned, Thompson did return in 1898 and was batting .349 with 15 RBIs, five doubles, three triples, a home run after 14 games. However, Thompson opted to leave the team in May 1898 and return to his home in Detroit. His sudden retirement has been attributed to a "combination of homesickness and chronic back pain." Other accounts indicate that continued tension with manager Stallings contributed to Thompson's decision to retire.
Detroit Tigers
Late in the 1906 baseball season, Thompson briefly returned to the major leagues as a player for the Detroit Tigers. With starting outfielders Ty Cobb and Davy Jones out of the Tigers lineup with injuries, Thompson volunteered to fill in. At age 46, Thompson had remained active, playing baseball for the Detroit Athletic Club and other local teams. Accordingly, in late August and early September 1906, he took his old place in right field for Detroit. Thompson's return to baseball led to an increase in attendance, as "the stands and bleachers were full of special Thompson delegations." After getting a hit and two RBIs in his first game, he totaled seven hits, four runs, three RBIs and a triple in eight games with the Tigers. At age 46, he became, and remains, the oldest player to hit a triple in the major leagues. Detroit sports writer Paul H. Bruske noted that Thompson was still able to throw the ball from deep right field to the plate "on a line" and that he still had "a lot of speed on the bases."
Career statistics and legacy
In 15 major league seasons, Thompson compiled a .331 batting average with 1,988 hits, 343 doubles, 161 triples, 126 home runs, 1,305 RBIs, and 232 stolen bases. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.
Thompson was one of the most prolific run producers in baseball history. His career RBI to games played ratio of .923 (1,305 RBIs in 1,410 games) remains the highest in major league history, higher even than Lou Gehrig (.921), Hank Greenberg (.915), Joe DiMaggio (.885), and Babe Ruth (.884). In 1895, Thompson averaged 1.44 RBIs per game (147 RBIs in 102 games), still a major league record. His 166 RBIs in 1887 (in only 127 games) was 62 more than anyone else in the league that year, and it stood as the major league record until 1921 when Babe Ruth collected 168 (albeit in 152 games). Thompson still holds the major league record for most RBIs in a single month with 61 in August 1894 while playing for the Phillies.
Thompson was also one of the best power hitters of the era before Babe Ruth. At the end of the 19th century, Thompson's 126 career home runs ranked second only to Roger Connor. Defensively, Thompson still ranks among the all-time major league leaders with 61 double plays from the outfield (16th all time) and 283 outfield assists (12th all time). Thompson has also been credited by baseball historians with perfecting "the art of throwing the ball to the plate on one bounce, which catchers found easier to handle than the usual throw on the fly." Bill Watkins, who managed Thompson in Detroit, recalled: "He was a fine fielder and had a cannon arm and will live in my memory as the greatest natural hitter of all time."
In a 1913 story on Thompson, Detroit sports writer Maclean Kennedy noted that Thompson's drives "were the direct cause of more hats being smashed, more backs that were thumped til they were black and blue by some wild-eyed fan sitting in the seat behind, more outbursts of frenzied shrieks and howls of glee, than those of any other player who ever wore a Detroit uniform", barring only the two great stars of the day, Ty Cobb and Sam Crawford.
Family and later years
Thompson was married in 1888 to Ida Morasha of Detroit. They had no children and made their home in Detroit until Thompson's death. After retiring from baseball, Thompson invested in real estate and was financially comfortable in his later years. He was appointed a U.S. Deputy Marshall during World War I and also worked as the crier in the courtroom of U.S. District Court Judge Arthur J. Tuttle. He was "well known" and a "well liked" figure at the federal building in Detroit.
Thompson died in 1922 at age 62. He had a heart attack while serving as an election inspector on November 7 and was stricken again later in the morning after being taken to his home located at 6468 Trumbull Avenue in Detroit. Upon learning of Thompson's death, his former Detroit manager Bill Watkins recalled Thompson as "not only a great baseball player, but as one of the finest gentlemen I ever knew." At Thompson's funeral, "Michigan's foremost citizens – state and city officials, judges, bankers, doctors, millionaires, laborers – paid homage ... to their beloved friend", and the neighborhood in which Thompson lived "was packed with expensive automobiles and their liveried chauffeurs" as workmen and wealthy men "discussed their favorite player with an unusual spirit of camaraderie." Thompson was interred at the historic Elmwood Cemetery in Detroit. He was posthumously inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.
See also
1887 Detroit Wolverines season
List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders
List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders
List of Major League Baseball career triples leaders
List of Major League Baseball batting champions
List of Major League Baseball annual home run leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual runs batted in leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual doubles leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual triples leaders
List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle
List of Major League Baseball single-game hits leaders
References
External links
1860 births
1922 deaths
People from Danville, Indiana
Baseball players from Indiana
Burials at Elmwood Cemetery (Detroit, Michigan)
National Baseball Hall of Fame inductees
Major League Baseball right fielders
19th-century baseball players
Detroit Wolverines players
Philadelphia Quakers players
Philadelphia Phillies players
Detroit Tigers players
National League batting champions
National League home run champions
National League RBI champions
Evansville (minor league baseball) players
Indianapolis Hoosiers (minor league) players
| true |
[
"\"How Interesting: A Tiny Man\" is a 2010 science fiction/magical realism short story by American writer Harlan Ellison. It was first published in Realms of Fantasy.\n\nPlot summary\nA scientist creates a tiny man. The tiny man is initially very popular, but then draws the hatred of the world, and so the tiny man must flee, together with the scientist (who is now likewise hated, for having created the tiny man).\n\nReception\n\"How Interesting: A Tiny Man\" won the 2010 Nebula Award for Best Short Story, tied with Kij Johnson's \"Ponies\". It was Ellison's final Nebula nomination and win, of his record-setting eight nominations and three wins.\n\nTor.com calls the story \"deceptively simple\", with \"execution (that) is flawless\" and a \"Geppetto-like\" narrator, while Publishers Weekly describes it as \"memorably depict(ing) humanity's smallness of spirit\". The SF Site, however, felt it was \"contrived and less than profound\".\n\nNick Mamatas compared \"How Interesting: A Tiny Man\" negatively to Ellison's other Nebula-winning short stories, and stated that the story's two mutually exclusive endings (in one, the tiny man is killed; in the other, he becomes God) are evocative of the process of writing short stories. Ben Peek considered it to be \"more allegory than (...) anything else\", and interpreted it as being about how the media \"give(s) everyone a voice\", and also about how Ellison was treated by science fiction fandom.\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\nAudio version of ''How Interesting: A Tiny Man, at StarShipSofa\nHow Interesting: A Tiny Man, at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database\n\nNebula Award for Best Short Story-winning works\nShort stories by Harlan Ellison",
"\"Night Piece\" is a science fiction short story by American writer Poul Anderson, first published in the July 1961 issue of The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. It later appeared in Anderson's 1981 collection The Dark Between the Stars.\n\nPlot summary\nThe story takes place over the span of a few hours during one night. The unnamed protagonist, a scientist working on extra-sensory perception, leaves work and walks toward home. He is haunted by perceptions of another world, and creatures in it, who appear to be malevolent. Through flashbacks, it is revealed that he has accidentally uncovered evidence of a different and superior class of beings, which he calls \"Superiors\", who co-exist with humans but had previously gone almost undetected. He interprets his visions as reflections of an ongoing struggle in Superior's world and finds himself both attracted, and repelled, by what he sees.\n\nCommentary\nIn The Worlds of Science Fiction, the author wrote\nIt's quite unlike anything else I've done...I have no pretensions to being a Kafka or a Capek, but it did seem to me it would be interesting to use, or attempt to use, some of their techniques.\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\nPublication history\n\nShort stories by Poul Anderson\n1961 short stories\nWorks originally published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction"
] |
[
"Sam Thompson",
"1896-98 seasons",
"What sport did he play?",
"professional baseball",
"What team did he play for",
"his loyalty to the Phillies was questioned, Thompson did return in 1898",
"What was his highest score",
"was batting .349 with 15 RBIs, five doubles, three triples, a home run after 14 games.",
"Anything else he did interesting?",
"At age 36, Thompson played his last full season of professional baseball in 1896."
] |
C_4337398a4cae4165ad0f213132296e70_1
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What did he do next
| 5 |
What did Sam Thompson do after playing his last full season in 1986?
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Sam Thompson
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At age 36, Thompson played his last full season of professional baseball in 1896. His average dipped to .298, but he still managed to collect 100 RBIs. Thompson's throwing remained strong as he turned in one of the finest defensive performances of his career. Despite appearing in only 119 games in the outfield, he led the league in outfield fielding percentage (.974), outfield assists (28), and double plays from the outfield (11). One sports writer noted that, even at age 38, Thompson "possessed an arm that the fastest sprinters in the big league had a lot of respect for." As a team, however, the Phillies fell to eighth place in the National League with a 62-68 record. In 1897, at age 37, Thompson was sidelined by pain and appeared in only three games. Some accounts suggest that Thompson's absence from the lineup may have also been the result of his not getting along with Philadelphia's new manager George Stallings. Without Thompson, the 1897 Phillies dropped to 10th place with a 55-77 record. Before the 1898 season began, Thompson gave an interview in which he questioned the Phillies chances to compete in 1898: "What are the Phillies' chances this season? Six clubs, Cincinnati Baltimore, Boston, New York, Cleveland and Brooklyn are bound to beat them, and they will have to fight hard to lead the second division, and I very much doubt if they can do that." Though his loyalty to the Phillies was questioned, Thompson did return in 1898 and was batting .349 with 15 RBIs, five doubles, three triples, a home run after 14 games. However, Thompson opted to leave the team in May 1898 and return to his home in Detroit. His sudden retirement has been attributed to a "combination of homesickness and chronic back pain." Other accounts indicate that continued tension with manager Stallings contributed to Thompson's decision to retire. CANNOTANSWER
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In 1897, at age 37, Thompson was sidelined by pain and appeared in only three games.
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Samuel Luther "Big Sam" Thompson (March 5, 1860 – November 7, 1922) was an American professional baseball player from 1884 to 1898 and with a brief comeback in 1906. At , the Indiana native was one of the larger players of his day and was known for his prominent handlebar mustache. He played as a right fielder in Major League Baseball for the Detroit Wolverines (1885–1888), Philadelphia Phillies (1889–1898) and Detroit Tigers (1906). He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.
Thompson had a .331 career batting average and was one of the most prolific run producers in baseball history. His career run batted in (RBI) to games played ratio of .923 (1,305 RBIs in 1,410 games) remains the highest in major league history. In 1895, Thompson averaged 1.44 RBIs per game, and his 166 RBIs in 1887 (in only 127 games) remained the major league record until 1921 when Babe Ruth collected 168 (albeit in 152 games). Thompson still holds the major league record for most RBIs in a single month with 61 in August 1894 while playing for the Phillies. Manager Bill Watkins in 1922 called Thompson "the greatest natural hitter of all time."
Defensively, Thompson was known to have one of the strongest arms of any outfielder in the early decades of the game. He still ranks among the all-time major league leaders with 61 double plays from the outfield (16th all time) and 283 outfield assists (12th all time). Thompson also had good speed on the base paths and, in 1889, he became the first major league player to reach 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in the same season.
Early years
Thompson was born in Danville, Indiana, in 1860. He was the fifth of eleven children born to Jesse and Rebecca Thompson. He was educated at the Danville Graded School. After reaching adulthood, Thompson became employed as a carpenter in Danville. He and five of his brothers also played on a local baseball team known as the Danville Browns.
Baseball career
Evansville and Indianapolis
In July 1884, Thompson began his professional baseball career at age 24, playing for the Evansville, Indiana, team in the Northwestern League. A scout for Evansville travelled to Danville and was referred to "Big Sam", who was working on a roof in Stinesville. Thompson was initially reluctant to give up his carpentry career and travel 150 miles to Evansville, but he ultimately agreed to give it a try. Unfortunately, the league folded in early August 1884, after only five games. In five games at Evansville, Thompson compiled a .391 batting average.
Thompson signed with the Indianapolis Hoosiers of the newly formed Western League in 1885. He compiled a .321 average in 30 games with the Hoosiers. He was approached by a Union Association team and offered more money, but in a show of "steadfastness to his word", Thompson refused the offer and remained with Indianapolis at a pay of $100 per month. The Hoosiers were the dominant team in the Western League, compiling an .880 winning percentage.
Detroit Wolverines
Signing
In mid June 1885, the Western League disbanded, and a mad rush developed to sign the players on the Indianapolis roster, a line-up that included Thompson, Deacon McGuire, Sam Crane, Chub Collins, Jim Donnelly, Mox McQuery, Gene Moriarty, and Dan Casey.
Thompson later told the colorful story of his acquisition by Detroit. Detroit sent two representatives (Marsh and Maloney) to Indianapolis, principally to sign the Hoosiers' battery of Larry McKeon and Jim Keenan. The Wolverines were outbid by the Cincinnati Reds for McKeon and Keenan but wound up with the Hoosiers' manager (Bill Watkins) and the rest of the team's starting lineup. The only catch was that a 10-day waiting period would allow other teams to outbid Detroit. Marsh and Maloney promptly sent the players to Detroit and quartered them in a hotel there. The next morning, the players were told that the team had arranged a fishing trip for them. The players boarded the steamship Annette and enjoyed the first day and night of successful fishing. After three days, the players became suspicious, but the ship captain laughed when asked when they would return to Detroit. As the players became mutinous on the sixth day, the captain admitted he had been ordered to keep them "out at sea" for 10 days. In another account, Thompson described his 10 days aboard the Annette as follows: "We were prisoners, but well cared-for prisoners. Anything in the line of creature comforts you could find packed away on ice. We lived on the best in the market, and spent the rest of the time in fishing and playing poker, chips having very thoughtfully been provided. On the night of the tenth day, at midnight, we were all taken ashore where Watkins met us and signed us to our contracts."
The players were only later presented with their accumulated mail which included scores of offers from other clubs. A writer in the Detroit Free Press later noted: "Detroit magnates showed some inside baseball brains and great finessing in sending the players away from all tempters for that period when they belonged to no club."
Regardless of the trickery by Detroit, Thompson considered Detroit to be a mecca. He recalled his first time in 1885 viewing Woodward Avenue with Indianapolis teammate Mox McQuery. They gazed with "open-mouth amazement" at the "wondrous pavements", having never seen a street as "clean and smooth as a table."
1885 and 1886 seasons
Thompson joined the Wolverines lineup in early July. In his first plate appearance, he had a hit off New York Giants' Hall of Fame pitcher Tim Keefe. The Wolverines were in last place when Thompson joined the club, but won 12 of their first 13 games after Thompson took over in right field. Thompson compiled a .303 batting average in 63 games. Despite playing only the second half of his rookie season, Thompson ranked among the National League leaders with seven home runs (third most in the league) and nine triples (10th most in the league). Displaying a strong arm that would be one of the main features of his defensive game, Thompson also ranked fifth in the league with 24 outfield assists in only 63 games.
In 1886, team owner Frederick K. Stearns made a big splash when he purchased the Buffalo infield that had become known as the "Big Four", consisting of Dan Brouthers, Hardy Richardson, Jack Rowe, and Deacon White. In addition, Detroit pitcher Lady Baldwin won 42 games in 1886, a major league record for a left-handed pitcher. The 1886 season was Thompson's first full season in the majors. Thompson made a major contribution to the 1886 club as well, compiling a .310 batting average with 101 runs scored, 13 triples, and eight home runs in 122 games. His 89 runs batted in (RBIs) ranked third in the National League. His defensive statistics continued to impress as well. He led the league with 11 double plays from the outfield, ranked second with a .945 fielding percentage, and was fourth in the league with 194 outfield putouts. The 1886 Wolverines compiled an impressive 87–36 record (.707 winning percentage), but lost the National League pennant, finishing 2½ games behind the Chicago White Stockings.
1887 season
Thompson had his breakout season in 1887 when he won the National League batting crown with .372 batting average, and he set a major league record with 166 RBIs. Thompson also led the league in hits (203), triples (23), slugging percentage (.565), total bases (308), and at bats (545). On May 7, 1887, Thompson became the first player in major league history to hit two triples with the bases loaded in the same game. The 1887 Detroit Wolverines featured four future Hall of Fame inductees (Thompson, Dan Brouthers, Deacon White, and Ned Hanlon) and won the National League pennant with a 79-45 record. The Wolverines then went on to defeat the St. Louis Browns of the American Association in a 15-game World Series challenge. Thompson played in all 15 games of the World Series and led all hitters with a .362 average, two home runs, seven RBIs and a .621 slugging percentage.
1888 season
During the 1888 season, Thompson was sidelined with a sore arm during most of the season and appeared in only 56 games. His batting average declined by 90 points to .282, and the fortunes of the entire 1888 Detroit team followed suit. The team finished in fifth place with a 68-63 record. With high salaries owed to the team's star players, and gate receipts declining markedly, the team folded in October 1888 season with the players being sold to other teams.
Philadelphia Phillies
1889–1892
On October 16, 1888, Thompson was purchased from the Wolverines by the Philadelphia Quakers (known as the Philadelphia Phillies beginning in 1890), for $5,000 cash (equal to $ today).
In his first season with Philadelphia, Thompson hit .296 and led the National League with a career-high 20 home runs. He also became the first major league player to reach 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases (Thompson stole 24 bases) in the same season. Thompson improved his batting average to .313 in 1890 and led the league in both hits (172) and doubles (41). Thompson's batting average dipped slightly below .300 in 1891 (.294) but bounced back in 1892 to .305. In each of his first four seasons with the Phillies, Thompson finished among the league leaders in total bases and RBIs. He ranked third in total bases in 1889 (262), 1890 (243), and 1893 (263), second in RBIs in 1892 (104), and third in RBIs in 1890 (102). He also tallied a career-high 32 outfield assists to lead the National League in 1891. (It has been suggested that Thompson's assist and home run totals in Philadelphia were aided by the short 300-foot right field fence at the Huntingdon Street Grounds.) The Phillies were a good, but not great team, during Thompson's first four years in Philadelphia, finishing in fourth place in 1889, 1891 and 1892, and in third place in 1890.
1893–1895
From 1893 to 1895, Thompson hit his stride with the Phillies. During those three years, he hit .390 and averaged 207 hits, 125 runs, 146 RBIs, 21 triples, and 24 stolen bases. And he compiled those numbers while striking out an average of only 14 times per season. Despite Thompson's contributions, the Phillies were unable to compete for the National League pennant, finishing in fourth place in 1893 and 1894 and in third place in 1895.
Thompson's 1893 totals included a league-leading 222 hits and 37 doubles. After the 1893 season, Thompson vowed not to return to Philadelphia in protest over the owners' penny-pinching ways and the team's inability to compete for a pennant. In October 1893, Thompson announced: "I shall not play again in Philadelphia, and I told Harry Wright it would be a waste of time for him to write to me about signing. The cheese-paring methods of the management ... have been the causes leading to my resolution. ... The management [has] made a barrel of money, but they grind the players into the dirt." Thompson finally agreed in March 1894 to return to the Phillies, but only after management agreed to improve travel accommodations.
In 1894, Thompson was part of the only all-.400-hitting outfield of all-time. All four Philadelphia outfielders ended the season with a batting average better than .400 (Tuck Turner at .416, Thompson and Ed Delahanty at .407, and Billy Hamilton at .404). Thompson missed a month from the 1894 season with an injury to the little finger on his left hand. Doctors determined that the smaller bones in the finger were dead, and portions of the finger were surgically removed in mid-May 1894. Despite the injury and partial amputation, and being limited to only 102 games, Thompson compiled a .407 batting average with a career-high 28 triples and a league-leading 147 RBIs. His 1894 ratio of 1.44 RBIs per game remains the all-time major league record. Also, his 28 triples was the second highest total in major league history up to that time and remains the fifth highest of all time. Thompson also led the National League with a career-high .696 slugging percentage, and he hit for the cycle on August 17, 1894.
In 1895, Thompson compiled a .392 batting average with 211 hits in 119 games and led the National League in slugging percentage (.654), total bases (352), extra base hits (84), home runs (18), and RBIs (165). His average of 1.39 RBIs per game in 1895 remains second in major league history—trailing Thompson's 1.44 ratio in 1894. Thompson also continued to perform well defensively with 31 outfield assists, second most in the league. From June 11 to 21, Thompson had 6 consecutive games with at least 3 or more hits. Since then, only Jimmy Johnston (June 24–30, 1923) and George Brett (May 8–13, 1976) had 6 straight games with at least 3 or more hits.
1896–1898
At age 36, Thompson played his last full season of professional baseball in 1896. His average dipped to .298, but he still managed to collect 100 RBIs. Thompson's throwing remained strong as he turned in one of the finest defensive performances of his career. Despite appearing in only 119 games in the outfield, he led the league in outfield fielding percentage (.974), outfield assists (28), and double plays from the outfield (11). One sports writer noted that, even at age 38, Thompson "possessed an arm that the fastest sprinters in the big league had a lot of respect for." As a team, however, the Phillies fell to eighth place in the National League with a 62-68 record.
In 1897, at age 37, Thompson was sidelined by pain and appeared in only three games. Some accounts suggest that Thompson's absence from the lineup may have also been the result of his not getting along with Philadelphia's new manager George Stallings. Without Thompson, the 1897 Phillies dropped to 10th place with a 55-77 record.
Before the 1898 season began, Thompson gave an interview in which he questioned the Phillies chances to compete in 1898: "What are the Phillies' chances this season? Six clubs, Cincinnati Baltimore, Boston, New York, Cleveland and Brooklyn are bound to beat them, and they will have to fight hard to lead the second division, and I very much doubt if they can do that." Though his loyalty to the Phillies was questioned, Thompson did return in 1898 and was batting .349 with 15 RBIs, five doubles, three triples, a home run after 14 games. However, Thompson opted to leave the team in May 1898 and return to his home in Detroit. His sudden retirement has been attributed to a "combination of homesickness and chronic back pain." Other accounts indicate that continued tension with manager Stallings contributed to Thompson's decision to retire.
Detroit Tigers
Late in the 1906 baseball season, Thompson briefly returned to the major leagues as a player for the Detroit Tigers. With starting outfielders Ty Cobb and Davy Jones out of the Tigers lineup with injuries, Thompson volunteered to fill in. At age 46, Thompson had remained active, playing baseball for the Detroit Athletic Club and other local teams. Accordingly, in late August and early September 1906, he took his old place in right field for Detroit. Thompson's return to baseball led to an increase in attendance, as "the stands and bleachers were full of special Thompson delegations." After getting a hit and two RBIs in his first game, he totaled seven hits, four runs, three RBIs and a triple in eight games with the Tigers. At age 46, he became, and remains, the oldest player to hit a triple in the major leagues. Detroit sports writer Paul H. Bruske noted that Thompson was still able to throw the ball from deep right field to the plate "on a line" and that he still had "a lot of speed on the bases."
Career statistics and legacy
In 15 major league seasons, Thompson compiled a .331 batting average with 1,988 hits, 343 doubles, 161 triples, 126 home runs, 1,305 RBIs, and 232 stolen bases. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.
Thompson was one of the most prolific run producers in baseball history. His career RBI to games played ratio of .923 (1,305 RBIs in 1,410 games) remains the highest in major league history, higher even than Lou Gehrig (.921), Hank Greenberg (.915), Joe DiMaggio (.885), and Babe Ruth (.884). In 1895, Thompson averaged 1.44 RBIs per game (147 RBIs in 102 games), still a major league record. His 166 RBIs in 1887 (in only 127 games) was 62 more than anyone else in the league that year, and it stood as the major league record until 1921 when Babe Ruth collected 168 (albeit in 152 games). Thompson still holds the major league record for most RBIs in a single month with 61 in August 1894 while playing for the Phillies.
Thompson was also one of the best power hitters of the era before Babe Ruth. At the end of the 19th century, Thompson's 126 career home runs ranked second only to Roger Connor. Defensively, Thompson still ranks among the all-time major league leaders with 61 double plays from the outfield (16th all time) and 283 outfield assists (12th all time). Thompson has also been credited by baseball historians with perfecting "the art of throwing the ball to the plate on one bounce, which catchers found easier to handle than the usual throw on the fly." Bill Watkins, who managed Thompson in Detroit, recalled: "He was a fine fielder and had a cannon arm and will live in my memory as the greatest natural hitter of all time."
In a 1913 story on Thompson, Detroit sports writer Maclean Kennedy noted that Thompson's drives "were the direct cause of more hats being smashed, more backs that were thumped til they were black and blue by some wild-eyed fan sitting in the seat behind, more outbursts of frenzied shrieks and howls of glee, than those of any other player who ever wore a Detroit uniform", barring only the two great stars of the day, Ty Cobb and Sam Crawford.
Family and later years
Thompson was married in 1888 to Ida Morasha of Detroit. They had no children and made their home in Detroit until Thompson's death. After retiring from baseball, Thompson invested in real estate and was financially comfortable in his later years. He was appointed a U.S. Deputy Marshall during World War I and also worked as the crier in the courtroom of U.S. District Court Judge Arthur J. Tuttle. He was "well known" and a "well liked" figure at the federal building in Detroit.
Thompson died in 1922 at age 62. He had a heart attack while serving as an election inspector on November 7 and was stricken again later in the morning after being taken to his home located at 6468 Trumbull Avenue in Detroit. Upon learning of Thompson's death, his former Detroit manager Bill Watkins recalled Thompson as "not only a great baseball player, but as one of the finest gentlemen I ever knew." At Thompson's funeral, "Michigan's foremost citizens – state and city officials, judges, bankers, doctors, millionaires, laborers – paid homage ... to their beloved friend", and the neighborhood in which Thompson lived "was packed with expensive automobiles and their liveried chauffeurs" as workmen and wealthy men "discussed their favorite player with an unusual spirit of camaraderie." Thompson was interred at the historic Elmwood Cemetery in Detroit. He was posthumously inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.
See also
1887 Detroit Wolverines season
List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders
List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders
List of Major League Baseball career triples leaders
List of Major League Baseball batting champions
List of Major League Baseball annual home run leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual runs batted in leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual doubles leaders
List of Major League Baseball annual triples leaders
List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle
List of Major League Baseball single-game hits leaders
References
External links
1860 births
1922 deaths
People from Danville, Indiana
Baseball players from Indiana
Burials at Elmwood Cemetery (Detroit, Michigan)
National Baseball Hall of Fame inductees
Major League Baseball right fielders
19th-century baseball players
Detroit Wolverines players
Philadelphia Quakers players
Philadelphia Phillies players
Detroit Tigers players
National League batting champions
National League home run champions
National League RBI champions
Evansville (minor league baseball) players
Indianapolis Hoosiers (minor league) players
| true |
[
"Do You Know What I'm Going To Do Next Saturday? is a 1963 children's book published by Beginner Books and written by Helen Palmer Geisel, the first wife of Theodor Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss). Unlike most of the Beginner Books, Do You Know What I'm Going To Do Next Saturday? did not follow the format of text with inline drawings, being illustrated with black-and-white photographs by Lynn Fayman, featuring a boy named Rawli Davis. It is sometimes misattributed to Dr. Seuss himself. The book's cover features a photograph of a young boy sitting at a breakfast table with a huge pile of pancakes.\n\nActivities mentioned in the book include bowling, water skiing, marching, boxing, and shooting guns with the United States Marines, and eating more spaghetti \"than anyone else has eaten before.\n\nHelen Palmer's photograph-based children's books did not prove to be as popular as the more traditional text-and-illustrations format; however, Do You Know What I'm Going To Do Next Saturday received positive reviews and was listed by The New York Times as one of the best children's books of 1963. The book is currently out of print.\n\nReferences\n\n1963 children's books\nAmerican picture books",
"Daniel S. Burt is an American author and literary critic.\n\nCareer\n\nDaniel S. Burt, Ph.D. received his doctorate in English and American Literature with a specialization in Victorian fiction from New York University. He taught undergraduate- and graduate-level courses in writing and literature at New York University, Wesleyan University, Trinity College, Northeastern University, Wentworth Institute of Technology, and Cape Cod Community College. At Wentworth Institute of Technology, he served as a dean for almost a decade. During his time at New York University, he was director of the NYU in London program, wherein he traveled with students to Russia, Spain, Britain and Ireland. \n\nSince 2003, Burt has served as the Academic Director for the Irish Academic Enrichment Workshops, which are held in Ireland every summer.\n\nBibliography\n\nThe Literary 100: A Ranking Of The Most Influential Novelists, Playwrights, And Poets Of All Time. Checkmark Books. October 1, 1999.\nThe Biography Book: A Reader's Guide To Nonfiction, Fictional, And Film Biographies Of More Than 500 Of The Most Fascinating Individuals Of All Time. Oryx Press. February 1, 2001.\nThe Novel 100: A Ranking Of The Greatest Novels Of All Time. Checkmark Books. November 1, 2003.\nThe Chronology of American Literature: America's Literary Achievements from the Colonial Era to Modern Times. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. February 10, 2004.\nThe Drama 100: A Ranking of the Greatest Plays of All Time. Checkmark Books. December 1, 2007.\nThe Handy Literature Answer Book: An Engaging Guide to Unraveling Symbols, Signs and Meanings in Great Works with Deborah G. Felder. Visible Ink Press. July 1, 2018.\n\nWhat Do I Read Next? Series \n\n What Historical Novel Do I Read Next? Gale Cengage.1997.\nWhat Do I Read Next? 2000, Volume 1 with Neil Barron. Gale Cengage. June 1, 2000.\nWhat Fantastic Fiction Do I Read Next? 2001, Volume 1 with Neil Barron and Tom Barton. Gale Cengage. June 1, 2001. \nWhat Do I Read Next? 2003, Volume 2 with Neil Barron and Tom Barton. Gale Cengage. October 17, 20013.\nWhat Do I Read Next? 2005, Volume 1 with Neil Barron and Tom Barton. Thomson Gale. May 27, 2005.\nWhat Do I Read Next? 2005, Volume 2 with Neil Barron. Gale. October 21, 2005. \nWhat Do I Read Next? 2006, Volume 1 with Neil Barron and Tom Barton. Thomson Gale. May 25, 2006.\n What Do I Read Next? 2007, Volume 1 with Natalie Danford and Don D'Ammassa. Gale Cengage. June 8, 2007.\nWhat Do I Read Next? 2007, Volume 2: A Reader's Guide to Current Genre Fiction with Don D'Ammassa, Natalie Danford, Stefan R. Dziemianowicz, Jim Huang, and Melissa Hudak. Gale Cengage. October 19, 2007. \nWhat Do I Read Next? 2008, Volume 1 with Natalie Danford and Don D'Ammassa. Gale. May 23, 2008. \n What Do I Read Next? 2009. Volume 1 with Michelle Kazensky, Marie Toft, and Hazel Rumney. Gale Cengage. June 12, 2009.\nWhat Do I Read Next? 2010, Volume 1 with Neil Barron. Gale. 2010.\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links \nBibliography on GoodReads\n\nYear of birth missing (living people)\nLiving people\nAmerican male non-fiction writers\nAmerican literary critics\nNew York University alumni\nWesleyan University faculty"
] |
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"Weather Report",
"1970: Inception and formation"
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How does that effect us
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How does the Weather report 1970: Inception and formation affect us?
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Weather Report
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Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter had first met and become friends in 1959 while they were playing in Maynard Ferguson's Big Band. Zawinul went on to play with Cannonball Adderley's group in the 1960s, while Shorter joined Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers and then, in 1964, Miles Davis' second great quintet. During this decade, both men made names for themselves as being among the best composers in jazz. Zawinul later joined Shorter in contributing to the initial fusion music recordings of Miles Davis, and both men were part of the studio groups, which recorded the key Davis albums In a Silent Way (1969) and Bitches Brew (1970). In consequence, Weather Report has often been seen as a spin-off from the Miles Davis bands of the late 1960s and early 1970s, although Zawinul was never part of Davis's touring line-up. Weather Report was initially formed to explore a more impressionistic and individualistic music (or, as Zawinul put it, "away from all that eight bars shit and then you go to the bridge...") Zawinul and Shorter recruited another Miles Davis associate, the classically trained Czech-born bass player Miroslav Vitous, who had previously played with Zawinul, as well as with Herbie Mann, Bob Brookmeyer, Stan Getz, and Chick Corea (Vitous has subsequently claimed that in fact Shorter and he had founded Weather Report, with Shorter bringing in Zawinul afterwards.) All three men composed, and formed the core of the project. To complete the band, the trio brought in former McCoy Tyner drummer Alphonse Mouzon and set about looking for a full-time auxiliary percussionist as they began to record their debut album. The initial recruits were session player Don Alias and symphony orchestra percussionist Barbara Burton. During recording, Alias quarreled with Zawinul (allegedly due to Zawinul being too dictatorial over the percussion approach) and the innovative Brazilian percussionist Airto Moreira (yet another Davis alumnus) was brought in to complete the record. John McLaughlin was also invited to join the group, but decided to pursue his solo career, instead. CANNOTANSWER
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CANNOTANSWER
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Weather Report was an American jazz fusion band active from 1970 to 1986. The band was founded (and initially co-led) by Austrian keyboard player Joe Zawinul, American saxophonist Wayne Shorter, and Czech bassist Miroslav Vitouš. Other prominent members at various points in the band's lifespan included Jaco Pastorius, Alphonso Johnson, Victor Bailey, Chester Thompson, Peter Erskine, Airto Moreira, and Alex Acuña. Throughout most of its existence, the band was a quintet consisting of Zawinul, Shorter, a bass guitarist, a drummer, and a percussionist.
The band started as a free improvising jazz group with avant-garde and experimental electronic leanings (pioneered by Zawinul); when Vitouš left Weather Report (due mostly to creative disagreements), Zawinul increasingly steered the band towards a funky, edgy sound incorporating elements of R&B and native musics from around the world. Zawinul used the latest developments in synthesizer technology, and took advantage of a large variety of sounds and tone colors to make the band stand out. During the first half of their career, Weather Report were seen as one of the defining acts in modern jazz, winning the DownBeat "best album award" five times in a row.
Alongside bands such as Mahavishnu Orchestra, Return to Forever, Herbie Hancock's Headhunters (all with members inspired by and partially responsible for the fusion-era work of Miles Davis), Weather Report is widely considered one of the defining bands of the jazz fusion genre.
Musical style
Over their 16-year career, Weather Report explored various areas of music, predominantly centered on jazz (initially the "free" variety), but also incorporating elements of art music, ethnic music, R&B, funk, and rock. While their work was categorized as "jazz fusion", the band members generally distanced themselves from that term.
From the start, Weather Report took the unusual approach of abandoning the traditional "soloist/accompaniment" demarcation of straight-ahead jazz and featured opportunities for continuous improvisation by every member of the band. That position remained consistent throughout the life of the band. From the point where Alphonso Johnson joined the band, individual solos became more prominent in concert, but were never allowed to overwhelm the collective approach. Initially, the band's music featured an improvisational method (similar to Miles Davis's Bitches Brew-period), but eventually that shifted to a more groove-oriented approach, and catchier compositions (as epitomized by their 1977 hit single "Birdland").
Joe Zawinul's playing style was often dominated by quirky melodic improvisations (simultaneously bebop-, ethnic-, and pop-sounding) combined with sparse but rhythmic big-band chords or bass lines. Having originally made his name as a pioneering electric piano player, he went on to consistently develop the role of the synthesizer in jazz during his time with Weather Report. Working with companies such as ARP and Oberheim, Zawinul developed new ways of voicing and patching electronic tones for textures, ensemble roles (including emulations of traditional band instruments) and soloing. In Weather Report, he often employed a vocoder, as well as recorded sounds played (i.e., filtered and transposed) through a synthesizer, creating a very distinctive, often beautiful, synthesis of jazz harmonics and "noise" (which he referred to as "using all the sounds the world generates"). On some Weather Report tunes, however, Zawinul was criticized for allowing his synthesized arrangements to dominate the sound.
Wayne Shorter came to the group with a reputation as a dominant role as an instrumentalist, drawn from both his solo work and his contributions to Miles Davis' "second great quintet" during the 1960s. His choice not to follow the same approach with Weather Report led to some criticism of the group. During his time with Weather Report, Shorter was noted for generally playing saxophone with an economical, "listening" style. Rather than continually taking the lead, he generally added subtle harmonic, melodic, and/or rhythmic complexity by responding to other member's improvisations (although he could and did sometimes exercise a more frenetic style akin to that of John Coltrane or Michael Brecker). As a composer, he chose a more abstract, sometimes atonal and "free jazz" style of music, opposed to the sometimes flamboyant melodicism of the tunes written by Zawinul or Pastorius. Playing both tenor and soprano saxophones, Shorter continued to develop the role of the latter instrument in jazz, taking his cue from previous work by Coltrane, Sidney Bechet, Lucky Thompson, and Steve Lacy.
Weather Report maintained a consistent interest in a textured sound and developments in music technology and processing. Both Zawinul and original bassist Miroslav Vitouš experimented with electronic effects pedals (as generally used by rock guitarists) with Zawinul using them on electric piano and synthesizers and Vitouš on his upright bass (which he frequently bowed through distortion to create a second horn-like voice). The band's third bass player, Jaco Pastorius, popularized the use of fretless bass guitar, melodic bass soloing and extensive use of string harmonics, as well as consolidating the driving R&B pulse in the band's music (which had been brought in by his predecessor Alphonso Johnson).
With the exception of a brief quartet period between 1978 and 1979 (wherein other members could double on various percussion instruments), Weather Report's instrumentation always included both a drummer and a percussionist. For its first eight years of existence, the group had difficulty finding a permanent drummer, moving through about one drummer per year until Jaco Pastorius helped to recruit Peter Erskine in 1978. Erskine and Omar Hakim were the only drummers who played with Weather Report for more than two years.
History
1970: Inception and formation
Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter had first met and become friends in 1959 while they were playing in Maynard Ferguson's Big Band. Zawinul went on to play with Cannonball Adderley's group in the 1960s, while Shorter joined Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers and then, in 1964, Miles Davis' second great quintet. During this decade, both men made names for themselves as being among the best composers in jazz.
Zawinul later joined Shorter in contributing to the initial fusion music recordings of Miles Davis, and both men were part of the studio groups that recorded the key Davis albums In a Silent Way (1969) and Bitches Brew (1970). Weather Report was initially formed to explore a more impressionistic and individualistic music (or, as Zawinul put it, "away from all that eight bars shit and then you go to the bridge...").
There's some dispute over how Weather Report initially formed. According to Zawinul, it began when he and Shorter recruited another Miles Davis associate, the classically trained Czech-born bass player Miroslav Vitouš, who had previously played with each of them separately (as well as with Herbie Mann, Bob Brookmeyer, Stan Getz, and Chick Corea). According to Vitouš himself, it was he and Shorter who actually founded Weather Report, with Shorter bringing in Zawinul afterwards. Whichever story is true, it was those three musicians – all composers – who formed the initial core of the project.
To complete the band, Zawinul, Shorter and Vitouš brought in former McCoy Tyner drummer Alphonse Mouzon and began recording their debut album while looking for a full-time auxiliary percussionist. The initial recruits were session percussion player Don Alias and symphony orchestra percussionist Barbara Burton. During recording, Alias quarreled with Zawinul (allegedly due to Zawinul being too dictatorial over the percussion approach) and the innovative Brazilian percussionist Airto Moreira (yet another Davis alumnus) was brought in to complete the record. Guitarist John McLaughlin was also invited to join the group, but decided to pursue his solo career, instead.
1971–1972: Avant-garde collective
Weather Report's debut album Weather Report featured a softer sound than would be the case in later years, predominantly using acoustic bass, with Shorter exclusively playing soprano saxophone. It built on the avant-garde experiments which Zawinul and Shorter had pioneered with Miles Davis on Bitches Brew, including an avoidance of head-and-chorus composition in favor of continuous rhythm and movement. DownBeat magazine described the album as "music beyond category".
In 1972, Weather Report released its second album, I Sing the Body Electric. The first side featured new studio recordings, while the second side was taken from live recordings of a concert in Tokyo, featuring the full-band lineup of Zawinul, Shorter, Vitouš, Gravatt, and Um Romão (and later available in full as the 1972 Japan-only double album Live in Tokyo). The studio side used extended versions of the band including various guest performers, suggesting that Weather Report was not necessarily an integral jazz band, but might possibly work as an expandable project set up to realise the music of its three composers. The album also featured Zawinul's first use of a synthesizer (an instrument with which he would become synonymous within jazz) and of sound effects.
I Sing the Body Electric also showed the first signs of a shift in the balance of control within the band, away from the more collective approach of the debut album. During the following year, this tendency would develop further.
1973: Move towards groove
On 1973's Sweetnighter, Weather Report began to abandon the primarily acoustic group improvisation format, and the band started to take a new direction. Primarily at Zawinul's instigation, Weather Report became more jazz funk- and groove-oriented, drawing more heavily on R&B influences and dense electric keyboard work while adding more structure to both the prewritten and the improvisational sections.
Gravatt took his replacement in the studio sessions badly and quit the band at the end of recording, moving to Minneapolis to join the band Natural Life. Many years later, Zawinul paid tribute to Gravatt's skills and stated that he had been the finest of the band's "pure jazz" drummers as well as being "from the jazz side... my favorite of them all". With Gravatt gone and Dwellingham unavailable for touring, former Sly & the Family Stone drummer Greg Errico played on the Sweetnighter tour, but did not stay with the band afterwards.
At this point, Vitouš and Zawinul found themselves at creative loggerheads, since the former preferred Weather Report's original approach and the latter wished to continue further along the road to funk. Retrospectively, Zawinul accused Vitouš of being unable to play funk convincingly (something which Greg Errico corroborated) and claimed that he had not provided enough music for the band. Vitouš countered that he had in fact brought in compositions, but that Zawinul had been unable to play them. Vitouš has also accused Zawinul of having been "a first-class manipulator" primarily interested in commercial success. When Shorter sided with Zawinul, the original three-man partnership broke down acrimoniously and Vitouš left Weather Report, moving on to an illustrious career leading his own band and winning respect as a composer. His final contribution to Weather Report was to play bass on a single track, which appeared on the band's 1974 album Mysterious Traveller ("American Tango", which he had co-written with Zawinul).
Vitouš' departure marked the end of the first phase of Weather Report and the shift of overall creative dominance of the band to Josef Zawinul, although Shorter remained an integral, influential, and vital part of the project. Vitouš has subsequently accused both Zawinul and Shorter of having used foul play to edge him out of the band, to deny the scale of his contribution to Weather Report's history and creative approach, and to cheat him out of remuneration.
1974–1975: Further into groove
Vitouš' replacement was the Philadelphian electric bass guitarist Alphonso Johnson (formerly a sideman for the pop-fusion player Chuck Mangione). Recruited by Shorter, Johnson was a supple player more than capable of providing the funk element which Zawinul desired. He was also an early advocate of the Chapman Stick, which he can be heard playing on some of the live Weather Report recordings of the period.
According to Zawinul, Wilburn apparently "lost heart" on tour (despite performing well in the studio). To shore up the music, the band hired another drummer, Darryl Brown, to play alongside him. At the end of the tour, both Wilburn and Brown left the band (as did Dom Um Romão) and Weather Report was, once again, drummerless.
For the next set of studio sessions, Weather Report added a new Brazilian percussionist (Alyrio Lima) and a new drummer – Chuck Bazemore of The Delfonics.
The new album, Tale Spinnin', was released in 1975. It was the first Weather Report album to feature a consistent rhythm section (rather than a varied set of drummers, percussionists, and bass players) since their debut. The album also made further strides in using technological improvements in synthesizers, even making use of the gigantic studio-based TONTO array.
During the same year, Shorter also recorded Native Dancer under his own name (with the Brazilian composer and vocalist Milton Nascimento). Tale Spinnin won the DownBeat best album award for 1975 (the third Weather Report album to do so) and Native Dancer was the runner-up.
1976: In transition
1976's Black Market album was perhaps the most rock-oriented work which the group had produced to date. Weather Report's music had evolved further from open-ended funk jams into more melody-oriented, concise forms, which also offered a greater mass-market appeal. Zawinul further consolidated his use of keyboard synthesizers, while Shorter experimented with an early form of wind synthesizer, the Lyricon.
However, the album was recorded during yet another period of change for the group, with multiple personnel shuffles. Although Alyrio Lima played percussion on one track, he was replaced during the sessions by Don Alias (his first appearance with the group since the debut album debacle) and by Alex Acuña (a Peruvian drummer and conga player based in Las Vegas, who had played with Elvis Presley and Ike Turner, among others). Alphonso Johnson was also worn out from the strain put on the rhythm by the band's frequent changes of drummer. During a break in activity halfway through the recording of Black Market, Johnson opted to leave Weather Report to play with the Billy Cobham/George Duke Band (which featured a young John Scofield on guitar).
Prior to his departure, Johnson played on all but two of the new album's tracks. His replacement was Jaco Pastorius, a virtuoso fretless bass guitarist from Florida, who had been in touch with Zawinul for several years, and who came in to play on "Cannon Ball" and his own composition "Barbary Coast". Zawinul and Shorter had assumed that Chester Thompson would be departing alongside his friend Johnson, and for the second set of sessions they replaced him (on Pastorius' recommendation) with the former Mahavishnu Orchestra drummer Narada Michael Walden. Although Walden played on several album tracks, he ultimately proved unsuitable. Thompson returned for the final Black Market sessions, but left again after failing to gel as a rhythm section with Pastorius (whose style was much busier than that of Johnson). Thompson subsequently joined Genesis as their touring drummer.
Black Market continued Weather Report's ongoing run of success, selling well and being the fourth of the band's albums to win the album of the year award from DownBeat magazine. For the subsequent tour, Alex Acuña moved from percussion to the drum kit, and Don Alias was replaced by the young Puerto Rican percussionist Manolo Badrena, who had previously played with various Latin rock bands and with Art Blakey. The band made a very well-received appearance in July at the Montreux Jazz Festival 1976, which was filmed for future release.
1977–1979: Jazz-rock stars
The recruitment of Jaco Pastorius helped to push Weather Report to the height of its popularity. Already a rising star in his own right, Pastorius brought a very musical, melodic quality to the bass. He could play muscular, lightning-fast groove lines influenced by R&B or funk, as well as demonstrating an extraordinary solo control of tone and string harmonics, often sounding more like a horn player. Pastorius was also a multi-instrumentalist (contributing drums, steel pan, and mandocello to the latest recording sessions), a gifted composer (eventually responsible for some signature Weather Report pieces such as "Teen Town" and "Three Views of a Secret"), and a useful production foil for Zawinul due to his knowledge of recording studios and techniques. Finally, Pastorius' stagecraft and aggressive showmanship helped the band to bring in a new audience.
The band's next album was 1977's acclaimed Heavy Weather, which proved to be the band's most successful recording in terms of sales, while still retaining wide critical acclaim. It contained the band's biggest hit, the propulsive and danceable "Birdland" (highlighting Pastorius' singing bass lines and Zawinul's synthesized ensemble brass), which became a pop hit and later became a jazz standard. Weather Report appeared on the Burt Sugarman-produced series The Midnight Special, performing both "Birdland" and "Teen Town". Heavy Weather dominated Weather Report's disc awards, including their last DownBeat Album of the Year award.
During this period, Pastorius' strong professional connection with Joni Mitchell (for whom he played bass throughout the latter half of the 1970s) led to another musical connection. Over the next few years, Mitchell hired the Weather Report line-up en masse (although without Zawinul in each case) to play on her studio albums Don Juan's Reckless Daughter (1977) and Mingus (1979).
During August 1978 the band joined Maurice White's vanity label ARC at Columbia. At the time they were once again without either a full-time drummer and percussionist, with Alex Acuña having returned to Las Vegas for a career as a studio musician and Manolo Badrena having been fired for "non-musical reasons". Shorter had been focusing most of his attention and compositional ideas into his solo work, while Zawinul was sketching out ideas for a solo album of his own, which involved moving away from a raw group sound in favor of constructing a far more orchestrated and experimental studio-based recording with multiple overdubs. However, Weather Report's contract and work schedule required another album, so Zawinul's solo work was absorbed into what became Weather Report's eighth album, Mr. Gone (1978).
The studio sessions made use of a variety of drummers – Pastorius played the kit on two tracks and further contributions came from Tony Williams, Steve Gadd, and Peter Erskine (the latter an ex-Stan Kenton/Maynard Ferguson drummer recruited to the project by Pastorius). Erskine became a full member of the band for the next tour and remained with Weather Report until 1982. The album also featured guest appearances from Deniece Williams and Earth Wind and Fire leader Maurice White.
The album rose to No. 1 on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart.
Notoriously, Mr. Gone (1978) received only a one-star review rating from DownBeat after a string of group releases which had all pulled a five-star rating. The group arranged for a rebuttal interview with the magazine to defend their efforts. Zawinul and Pastorius were defiant in their responses to the interviewer, Shorter more philosophical, and Erskine the most reticent of the four.
By the late '70s, Weather Report was a quartet of Zawinul, Shorter, Pastorius, and Erskine, and (for the first time) had dispensed with the auxiliary percussionist role, which had been integral since the band's inception. Instead, all four members doubled on percussion at various points in live performances. Zawinul commented that this sleeker, less crowded sound provided more listening range and made the music less chaotic now that the band were focusing more on melody and harmony.
The larger scale and multimedia staging of the band's tours (complete with stagehands, laser and film projections) began to take on the kind of rock-star proportions mostly unknown in jazz circles. The 1979 double live album 8:30 (which won that year's Best Jazz Fusion Performance) was recorded on the Mr. Gone tour and captured the direct power and energy of this lineup of Weather Report. Zawinul would later describe this lineup as "one of the greatest bands of all time! That band was a hummer!"
Between March 2 and 4, 1979, Weather Report traveled to Havana, Cuba, to participate in the historic Havana Jam festival, a break in mutual Cuban/American political hostilities, which had American artists such as Stephen Stills, the CBS Jazz All-Stars, Bonnie Bramlett, Kris Kristofferson, Rita Coolidge, and Billy Joel play alongside Cuban artists such as Irakere, Pacho Alonso, Tata Güines, and Orquesta Aragón. Another featured performance was by the Trio of Doom (a short-lived teaming of Pastorius with John McLaughlin and Tony Williams). Weather Report's performance featured in Havana Jam '79, Ernesto Juan Castellanos' documentary celebrating the event.
1980–1982: A tighter arrangement
At the beginning of 1980, Pastorius recruited hand-drummer Robert Thomas Jr. (a fellow Floridan, with whom he had jammed previously) into the band. Thomas featured on the 1980 album Night Passage. A tighter and more traditional recording than previous releases, the record featured a more prominent role for Shorter, a strong element of bebop, and a nod to jazz's golden age via a high-speed cover of Duke Ellington's "Rockin' in Rhythm" (showing off Zawinul's pioneering and ever-increasing ability to create synthetic big-band sounds on his synthesizers).
By now, Pastorius was displaying signs of the mental instability and substance abuse problems that ultimately wrecked his career; and the close relationship he'd previously shared with Zawinul was becoming strained as Zawinul grew tired of Pastorius' showmanship onstage (beginning to feel that it detracted from the music). Towards the end of the year, Pastorius began working on his long-delayed second solo album (Word of Mouth) (1981) in New York, while Zawinul worked on new Weather Report material in California.
Weather Report's next album Weather Report (1982) – their second eponymous release following their 1971 debut – was recorded in 1981, although it was not released for another year. Zawinul's dominance as instrumentalist and composer (as well as group director) was even more pronounced on this album. Much of the band's music was increasingly written out rather than improvised. In the event, Pastorius spent more of his creative attention on the Word of Mouth project: his only writing for the Weather Report album being his contribution to a single, group-composed piece. Shorter (who only contributed one whole composition to the 1982 album beyond group-written work) was already taking a more philosophical approach. He later commented, "for a long time in Weather Report, I abstained. I elected not to do things."
Erskine's own commitment to Word of Mouth (and a subsequent summer commitment to Steps Ahead) meant that he, too, had to be replaced, while Robert Thomas Jr., was simply dismissed. Reduced to a duo, and with tour commitments looming, Zawinul and Shorter were obliged to quickly assemble a new band.
1982–1985: A new band
On the recommendation of Michał Urbaniak, Zawinul and Shorter recruited 23-year-old drummer Omar Hakim, a talented session player and multi-instrumentalist, who had played with a variety of musicians including Mike Mainieri, David Bowie, and Carly Simon. Hakim was immediately entrusted with recruiting the rest of the new lineup. Having failed to secure Marcus Miller as bass guitarist, he selected Victor Bailey (a recent graduate from the Berklee College of Music, with whom Hakim had played while backing Miriam Makeba). Hakim also recruited percussion/concertina player José Rossy, with whom he had worked in Labelle.
The new Weather Report went straight onto tour. The music developed on tour was later recorded for the 1983 album Procession, which showed the band beginning to make something of a return to the "world music" approach which it had pioneered in the mid-1970s, and featured a cameo appearance from The Manhattan Transfer.
Continuing with the same lineup, Weather Report recorded the Domino Theory album in 1984, with Hakim stepping into Jaco Pastorius' old role as Zawinul's co-producer. The album was Weather Report's first album to employ drum machines and samplers (the Emulator), deepening the band's involvement with cutting-edge music technology, and also featured a guest vocal from Carl Anderson.
Percussionist and singer Mino Cinélu replaced Rossy in the spring of 1984 and appeared on the band's video release Live in Japan (reissued on DVD in 2007). The same lineup played on 1985's Sportin' Life album, which included a cover of Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" and appearances by singers Bobby McFerrin and Carl Anderson. In keeping with Zawinul's technological curiosity, the album heralded the arrival of MIDI, which allowed him to rapidly and inexpensively write, demonstrate, and record music via a set of synthesizers.
1986: Final split
Both Zawinul and Shorter were beginning to realise that the refreshing nature of other projects was more satisfying than Weather Report work, and both generally felt that the band had run its course.
In February 1986, the San Diego Union-Tribune announced that Shorter had left the band to concentrate on solo work. Having reluctantly agreed with Shorter that he would no longer use the band name, Zawinul then ended Weather Report. The final album under the Weather Report name, This is This!, was released in June 1986 and fulfilled the band's contract with Columbia Records. Two of its tracks featured guitar work from Carlos Santana, and it also marked the return of Peter Erskine on drums, with Hakim only appearing on one track.
1986–present: After Weather Report
Having split the band, Zawinul promptly attempted to reform it – after a fashion – as Weather Update. For this project, he reunited with recent Weather Report alumni Victor Bailey, Mino Cinélu, and Peter Erskine, but replaced Shorter with guitarist John Scofield. This lineup was short-lived, with Los Angeles session guitarist Steve Khan and former Weather Report percussionist Robert Thomas Jr. replacing Scofield and Cinélu prior to live appearances. Weather Update toured in 1986 and 1987 before Zawinul dissolved the band. From 1988 onwards, Zawinul went on to enjoy a successful nineteen-year career leading the world music/jazz ensemble The Zawinul Syndicate (which has continued, following Zawinul's death, as The Syndicate).
Rather than form another collective band, Wayne Shorter concentrated on his solo career and on work as a bandleader, which continues to the present day.
In spite of the band's enduring popularity, a Weather Report reunion never occurred. The nearest that the band ever came to reuniting was when Zawinul and Shorter both played live with Miles Davis on July 10, 1991, in Paris (the only time when Zawinul is known to have shared a live stage with Davis). A projected mid-'90s reunion CD for Verve never materialized; according to Zawinul, disappointing sales for Shorter's 1995 CD High Life may have played a part in ending the idea.
Five of the band's members have since died. Zawinul himself died on September 11, 2007, in Vienna from skin cancer (Merkel cell carcinoma). He was predeceased by mid-period bass player Jaco Pastorius, who died on September 21, 1987, following a fatal beating in his hometown of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Pastorius' successor on bass guitar, Victor Bailey, died on November 11, 2016 (apparently from complications from Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). Alphonse Mouzon, the first drummer, died on December 25, 2016 from cardiac arrest after neuroendocrine cancer. Dom Um Romão, the group's drummer from 1971 to 1974, died in 2005 aged 79.
Lineups
Timeline
Releases since the band's breakup
A "post band" Weather Report double CD called Live and Unreleased was made available in 2002, featuring vintage live recordings made during the late 1970s/early 1980s with various personnel. In September 2006, Columbia/Legacy released a Weather Report boxed set, Forecast: Tomorrow. It includes three CDs of mostly previously released material (from 1970 to 1985, excluding This is This!) and a DVD of the entire September 28, 1978, performance (with Erskine and Pastorius) in Offenbach, Germany, not previously available. A DVD video of the 1976 Montreux Jazz Festival performance (featuring the Heavy Weather lineup of Pastorius, Acuna, and Badrena) has become available, as well. Columbia/Legacy have also re-released the 1984 Live in Japan concert on DVD.
In 2011, the Zawinul estate, in conjunction with an independent label, released a 40th-anniversary commemorative trilogy of previously unavailable Weather Report live shows: In March Live in Berlin 1975 was released both on vinyl and as a CD/DVD set; in June the Live in Offenbach 1978 DVD was re-released together with a previously unavailable double CD of the complete show; in October Live in Cologne 1983 was released as both DVD and double CD.
Grammy Awards
The Grammy Awards are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States. Weather Report has won one Grammy from six nominations.
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!1979
|"8:30"
|Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal or Instrumental
|
|-
!1981
|"Night Passage"
|Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal or Instrumental
|
|-
!1982
|"Weather Report"
|Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal or Instrumental
|
|-
!1983
|"Procession"
|Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal or Instrumental
|
|-
!1985
||"Sportin' Life"
|Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal or Instrumental
|
Discography
Studio albums
References
External links
Weather Report's official website www.WeatherReportMusic.com
Weather Report biography by Richard S. Ginell, discography and album reviews, credits & releases at AllMusic
The Weather Report Annotated Discography
Weather Report discography, album releases & credits at Discogs
Weather Report albums to be listened on Spotify
Weather Report albums to be listened on YouTube
Musical groups established in 1970
Musical groups disestablished in 1986
Jazz fusion ensembles
American jazz ensembles from New York City
Musical groups from New York City
Grammy Award winners
Jazz musicians from New York (state)
| false |
[
"In Kamin's blocking effect the conditioning of an association between two stimuli, a conditioned stimulus (CS) and an unconditioned stimulus (US) is impaired if, during the conditioning process, the CS is presented together with a second CS that has already been associated with the unconditioned stimulus.\n\nFor example, an agent (such as a mouse in the figure) is exposed to a light (the first conditioned stimulus, CS1), together with food (the unconditioned stimulus, US). After repeated pairings of CS1 and US, the agent salivates when the light comes on (conditioned response, CR). Then, there are more conditioning trials, this time with the light (CS1) and a tone (CS2) together with the US. Now, when tested, the agent does not salivate to the tone (CS2). In other words, an association between the tone CS2 and the US has been \"blocked\" because the CS1–US association already exists.\n\nThis effect was most famously explained by the Rescorla–Wagner model. The model says, essentially, that if one CS (here the light) already fully predicts that the US will come, nothing will be learned about a second CS (here the tone) that accompanies the first CS. Blocking is an outcome of other models that also base learning on the difference between what is predicted and what actually happens.\n\nComparator\nWhile some argue that blocking demonstrates that the organism did not learn the association between the CS2 and the US, this is not necessarily the case. For instance, after a traditional blocking paradigm, the CS2 does not elicit a response (alone). However, if the response to the CS1 is extinguished, the organism will begin to respond to CS2 alone. This demonstrates that the association between the CS2 and the US was initially learned but in comparison to the stronger predictive value of the CS1 there is no conditioned response. However, after extinction, the CS2 does have more predictive value than the now extinguished CS1. However, this finding was not replicated in a later, similar study.\n\nBackward blocking\nThe reverse of blocking is often called backward blocking. In backward blocking, the subject is exposed to the compound stimulus (CS1 and CS2 together) first, and only later to CS1 alone. In some human and animal studies, subjects show a reduction in the association between CS2 and the US, though the effect is often weaker than the standard blocking effect, and vanishes under some conditions. This effect is not predicted by the Rescorla–Wagner model although other models have been proposed that capture this effect.\n\nRobustness of the effect\n\nMaes and colleagues reported fifteen experiments that attempted to replicate the blocking effect. None of them succeeded despite using procedures well-established in previous literature. They argue that publication bias may have produced a false confidence in the robustness of the effect. However, Soto (2018) has questioned this conclusion arguing that they come as a consequence of the type of stimuli used in these studies, and shows how contemporary models of associative learning can predict these results on the basis of this observation.\n\nSee also\nClassical conditioning\nRescorla–Wagner model\n\nReferences\n\nLearning\nBehavioral concepts",
"The liking gap is the gap between how much we think another person likes us and how much they actually like us. The current studies have found that most people underestimated how much another person liked them and enjoyed their company. This difference is the liking gap.\n\nTheories for why the gap exists\n\nThis misunderstanding or gap has multiple factors that lead to or contribute to it. First, people tend to be overly self-critical and ruminate more on what they have said. In turn people tend to not think too much about what the other person said. We are often very self-absorbed and think that everyone is judging us. Some good examples of this is the spotlight effect. The spotlight effect is when people think everyone is looking and judging them more than they truly are. The illusion of transparency also shows how we get self-absorbed in social situations. This illusion is when people tend to think that everyone knows exactly what we are thinking when in reality they do not. Second, in conversations we tend to be as polite as possible especially in first encounters. This politeness is a kind of façade people use which can cause people to misunderstand how much the other person likes them. Third, people tend to protect against rejection. One way of doing this is to not show interest in someone. Fourth, conversations are often quite complex, and we miss verbal and nonverbal cues. An example of this is when we are thinking about what we want to say next and ignore what the person just said to us.\n\nEmpirical research\n\nVarious studies and replications have examined the liking gap and provide validity for the occurrence of this phenomenon. The liking gap is a newer idea and requires more research in order for it to be more widely accepted. Although no specific all-encompassing factor can explain why it happens, it does seems to appear in many interactions. \n\nThe first study done was to see if there was a liking gap with a random stranger. This study was statistically significant and the people tended to underestimate how much their conversation partners liked and enjoyed their company. In another study, videos of first encounters were judged based on verbal or nonverbal cues of enjoyment. Even when cues were obvious to outside observers, the gap persisted with the participants. It also was evident in conversations of varying lengths; conversations that were short, medium, and long were compared and the gap appeared in all categories of conversation length. The gap was also seen in a year-long study of dorm mates. The dorm mates participated in multiple tests over the year and the gap consistently appeared. It was reliably shown that people's views of their own conversation tended to be more negative than their view of other people's performance.\n\nThe gap is not showing that people are always negative. In fact, people usually have favorable views about themselves and others. However, there is evidence that people tend to exhibit self-criticism when thinking about their own interactions with others.\n\nReferences \n\nPsychological concepts\nSocial psychology"
] |
[
"Weather Report",
"1970: Inception and formation",
"How does that effect us",
"I don't know."
] |
C_54c9e0273f1c46e2a10d245abac9c168_1
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do you think the weather is normal
| 2 |
do you think the weather in 1970 is normal?
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Weather Report
|
Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter had first met and become friends in 1959 while they were playing in Maynard Ferguson's Big Band. Zawinul went on to play with Cannonball Adderley's group in the 1960s, while Shorter joined Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers and then, in 1964, Miles Davis' second great quintet. During this decade, both men made names for themselves as being among the best composers in jazz. Zawinul later joined Shorter in contributing to the initial fusion music recordings of Miles Davis, and both men were part of the studio groups, which recorded the key Davis albums In a Silent Way (1969) and Bitches Brew (1970). In consequence, Weather Report has often been seen as a spin-off from the Miles Davis bands of the late 1960s and early 1970s, although Zawinul was never part of Davis's touring line-up. Weather Report was initially formed to explore a more impressionistic and individualistic music (or, as Zawinul put it, "away from all that eight bars shit and then you go to the bridge...") Zawinul and Shorter recruited another Miles Davis associate, the classically trained Czech-born bass player Miroslav Vitous, who had previously played with Zawinul, as well as with Herbie Mann, Bob Brookmeyer, Stan Getz, and Chick Corea (Vitous has subsequently claimed that in fact Shorter and he had founded Weather Report, with Shorter bringing in Zawinul afterwards.) All three men composed, and formed the core of the project. To complete the band, the trio brought in former McCoy Tyner drummer Alphonse Mouzon and set about looking for a full-time auxiliary percussionist as they began to record their debut album. The initial recruits were session player Don Alias and symphony orchestra percussionist Barbara Burton. During recording, Alias quarreled with Zawinul (allegedly due to Zawinul being too dictatorial over the percussion approach) and the innovative Brazilian percussionist Airto Moreira (yet another Davis alumnus) was brought in to complete the record. John McLaughlin was also invited to join the group, but decided to pursue his solo career, instead. CANNOTANSWER
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CANNOTANSWER
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Weather Report was an American jazz fusion band active from 1970 to 1986. The band was founded (and initially co-led) by Austrian keyboard player Joe Zawinul, American saxophonist Wayne Shorter, and Czech bassist Miroslav Vitouš. Other prominent members at various points in the band's lifespan included Jaco Pastorius, Alphonso Johnson, Victor Bailey, Chester Thompson, Peter Erskine, Airto Moreira, and Alex Acuña. Throughout most of its existence, the band was a quintet consisting of Zawinul, Shorter, a bass guitarist, a drummer, and a percussionist.
The band started as a free improvising jazz group with avant-garde and experimental electronic leanings (pioneered by Zawinul); when Vitouš left Weather Report (due mostly to creative disagreements), Zawinul increasingly steered the band towards a funky, edgy sound incorporating elements of R&B and native musics from around the world. Zawinul used the latest developments in synthesizer technology, and took advantage of a large variety of sounds and tone colors to make the band stand out. During the first half of their career, Weather Report were seen as one of the defining acts in modern jazz, winning the DownBeat "best album award" five times in a row.
Alongside bands such as Mahavishnu Orchestra, Return to Forever, Herbie Hancock's Headhunters (all with members inspired by and partially responsible for the fusion-era work of Miles Davis), Weather Report is widely considered one of the defining bands of the jazz fusion genre.
Musical style
Over their 16-year career, Weather Report explored various areas of music, predominantly centered on jazz (initially the "free" variety), but also incorporating elements of art music, ethnic music, R&B, funk, and rock. While their work was categorized as "jazz fusion", the band members generally distanced themselves from that term.
From the start, Weather Report took the unusual approach of abandoning the traditional "soloist/accompaniment" demarcation of straight-ahead jazz and featured opportunities for continuous improvisation by every member of the band. That position remained consistent throughout the life of the band. From the point where Alphonso Johnson joined the band, individual solos became more prominent in concert, but were never allowed to overwhelm the collective approach. Initially, the band's music featured an improvisational method (similar to Miles Davis's Bitches Brew-period), but eventually that shifted to a more groove-oriented approach, and catchier compositions (as epitomized by their 1977 hit single "Birdland").
Joe Zawinul's playing style was often dominated by quirky melodic improvisations (simultaneously bebop-, ethnic-, and pop-sounding) combined with sparse but rhythmic big-band chords or bass lines. Having originally made his name as a pioneering electric piano player, he went on to consistently develop the role of the synthesizer in jazz during his time with Weather Report. Working with companies such as ARP and Oberheim, Zawinul developed new ways of voicing and patching electronic tones for textures, ensemble roles (including emulations of traditional band instruments) and soloing. In Weather Report, he often employed a vocoder, as well as recorded sounds played (i.e., filtered and transposed) through a synthesizer, creating a very distinctive, often beautiful, synthesis of jazz harmonics and "noise" (which he referred to as "using all the sounds the world generates"). On some Weather Report tunes, however, Zawinul was criticized for allowing his synthesized arrangements to dominate the sound.
Wayne Shorter came to the group with a reputation as a dominant role as an instrumentalist, drawn from both his solo work and his contributions to Miles Davis' "second great quintet" during the 1960s. His choice not to follow the same approach with Weather Report led to some criticism of the group. During his time with Weather Report, Shorter was noted for generally playing saxophone with an economical, "listening" style. Rather than continually taking the lead, he generally added subtle harmonic, melodic, and/or rhythmic complexity by responding to other member's improvisations (although he could and did sometimes exercise a more frenetic style akin to that of John Coltrane or Michael Brecker). As a composer, he chose a more abstract, sometimes atonal and "free jazz" style of music, opposed to the sometimes flamboyant melodicism of the tunes written by Zawinul or Pastorius. Playing both tenor and soprano saxophones, Shorter continued to develop the role of the latter instrument in jazz, taking his cue from previous work by Coltrane, Sidney Bechet, Lucky Thompson, and Steve Lacy.
Weather Report maintained a consistent interest in a textured sound and developments in music technology and processing. Both Zawinul and original bassist Miroslav Vitouš experimented with electronic effects pedals (as generally used by rock guitarists) with Zawinul using them on electric piano and synthesizers and Vitouš on his upright bass (which he frequently bowed through distortion to create a second horn-like voice). The band's third bass player, Jaco Pastorius, popularized the use of fretless bass guitar, melodic bass soloing and extensive use of string harmonics, as well as consolidating the driving R&B pulse in the band's music (which had been brought in by his predecessor Alphonso Johnson).
With the exception of a brief quartet period between 1978 and 1979 (wherein other members could double on various percussion instruments), Weather Report's instrumentation always included both a drummer and a percussionist. For its first eight years of existence, the group had difficulty finding a permanent drummer, moving through about one drummer per year until Jaco Pastorius helped to recruit Peter Erskine in 1978. Erskine and Omar Hakim were the only drummers who played with Weather Report for more than two years.
History
1970: Inception and formation
Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter had first met and become friends in 1959 while they were playing in Maynard Ferguson's Big Band. Zawinul went on to play with Cannonball Adderley's group in the 1960s, while Shorter joined Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers and then, in 1964, Miles Davis' second great quintet. During this decade, both men made names for themselves as being among the best composers in jazz.
Zawinul later joined Shorter in contributing to the initial fusion music recordings of Miles Davis, and both men were part of the studio groups that recorded the key Davis albums In a Silent Way (1969) and Bitches Brew (1970). Weather Report was initially formed to explore a more impressionistic and individualistic music (or, as Zawinul put it, "away from all that eight bars shit and then you go to the bridge...").
There's some dispute over how Weather Report initially formed. According to Zawinul, it began when he and Shorter recruited another Miles Davis associate, the classically trained Czech-born bass player Miroslav Vitouš, who had previously played with each of them separately (as well as with Herbie Mann, Bob Brookmeyer, Stan Getz, and Chick Corea). According to Vitouš himself, it was he and Shorter who actually founded Weather Report, with Shorter bringing in Zawinul afterwards. Whichever story is true, it was those three musicians – all composers – who formed the initial core of the project.
To complete the band, Zawinul, Shorter and Vitouš brought in former McCoy Tyner drummer Alphonse Mouzon and began recording their debut album while looking for a full-time auxiliary percussionist. The initial recruits were session percussion player Don Alias and symphony orchestra percussionist Barbara Burton. During recording, Alias quarreled with Zawinul (allegedly due to Zawinul being too dictatorial over the percussion approach) and the innovative Brazilian percussionist Airto Moreira (yet another Davis alumnus) was brought in to complete the record. Guitarist John McLaughlin was also invited to join the group, but decided to pursue his solo career, instead.
1971–1972: Avant-garde collective
Weather Report's debut album Weather Report featured a softer sound than would be the case in later years, predominantly using acoustic bass, with Shorter exclusively playing soprano saxophone. It built on the avant-garde experiments which Zawinul and Shorter had pioneered with Miles Davis on Bitches Brew, including an avoidance of head-and-chorus composition in favor of continuous rhythm and movement. DownBeat magazine described the album as "music beyond category".
In 1972, Weather Report released its second album, I Sing the Body Electric. The first side featured new studio recordings, while the second side was taken from live recordings of a concert in Tokyo, featuring the full-band lineup of Zawinul, Shorter, Vitouš, Gravatt, and Um Romão (and later available in full as the 1972 Japan-only double album Live in Tokyo). The studio side used extended versions of the band including various guest performers, suggesting that Weather Report was not necessarily an integral jazz band, but might possibly work as an expandable project set up to realise the music of its three composers. The album also featured Zawinul's first use of a synthesizer (an instrument with which he would become synonymous within jazz) and of sound effects.
I Sing the Body Electric also showed the first signs of a shift in the balance of control within the band, away from the more collective approach of the debut album. During the following year, this tendency would develop further.
1973: Move towards groove
On 1973's Sweetnighter, Weather Report began to abandon the primarily acoustic group improvisation format, and the band started to take a new direction. Primarily at Zawinul's instigation, Weather Report became more jazz funk- and groove-oriented, drawing more heavily on R&B influences and dense electric keyboard work while adding more structure to both the prewritten and the improvisational sections.
Gravatt took his replacement in the studio sessions badly and quit the band at the end of recording, moving to Minneapolis to join the band Natural Life. Many years later, Zawinul paid tribute to Gravatt's skills and stated that he had been the finest of the band's "pure jazz" drummers as well as being "from the jazz side... my favorite of them all". With Gravatt gone and Dwellingham unavailable for touring, former Sly & the Family Stone drummer Greg Errico played on the Sweetnighter tour, but did not stay with the band afterwards.
At this point, Vitouš and Zawinul found themselves at creative loggerheads, since the former preferred Weather Report's original approach and the latter wished to continue further along the road to funk. Retrospectively, Zawinul accused Vitouš of being unable to play funk convincingly (something which Greg Errico corroborated) and claimed that he had not provided enough music for the band. Vitouš countered that he had in fact brought in compositions, but that Zawinul had been unable to play them. Vitouš has also accused Zawinul of having been "a first-class manipulator" primarily interested in commercial success. When Shorter sided with Zawinul, the original three-man partnership broke down acrimoniously and Vitouš left Weather Report, moving on to an illustrious career leading his own band and winning respect as a composer. His final contribution to Weather Report was to play bass on a single track, which appeared on the band's 1974 album Mysterious Traveller ("American Tango", which he had co-written with Zawinul).
Vitouš' departure marked the end of the first phase of Weather Report and the shift of overall creative dominance of the band to Josef Zawinul, although Shorter remained an integral, influential, and vital part of the project. Vitouš has subsequently accused both Zawinul and Shorter of having used foul play to edge him out of the band, to deny the scale of his contribution to Weather Report's history and creative approach, and to cheat him out of remuneration.
1974–1975: Further into groove
Vitouš' replacement was the Philadelphian electric bass guitarist Alphonso Johnson (formerly a sideman for the pop-fusion player Chuck Mangione). Recruited by Shorter, Johnson was a supple player more than capable of providing the funk element which Zawinul desired. He was also an early advocate of the Chapman Stick, which he can be heard playing on some of the live Weather Report recordings of the period.
According to Zawinul, Wilburn apparently "lost heart" on tour (despite performing well in the studio). To shore up the music, the band hired another drummer, Darryl Brown, to play alongside him. At the end of the tour, both Wilburn and Brown left the band (as did Dom Um Romão) and Weather Report was, once again, drummerless.
For the next set of studio sessions, Weather Report added a new Brazilian percussionist (Alyrio Lima) and a new drummer – Chuck Bazemore of The Delfonics.
The new album, Tale Spinnin', was released in 1975. It was the first Weather Report album to feature a consistent rhythm section (rather than a varied set of drummers, percussionists, and bass players) since their debut. The album also made further strides in using technological improvements in synthesizers, even making use of the gigantic studio-based TONTO array.
During the same year, Shorter also recorded Native Dancer under his own name (with the Brazilian composer and vocalist Milton Nascimento). Tale Spinnin won the DownBeat best album award for 1975 (the third Weather Report album to do so) and Native Dancer was the runner-up.
1976: In transition
1976's Black Market album was perhaps the most rock-oriented work which the group had produced to date. Weather Report's music had evolved further from open-ended funk jams into more melody-oriented, concise forms, which also offered a greater mass-market appeal. Zawinul further consolidated his use of keyboard synthesizers, while Shorter experimented with an early form of wind synthesizer, the Lyricon.
However, the album was recorded during yet another period of change for the group, with multiple personnel shuffles. Although Alyrio Lima played percussion on one track, he was replaced during the sessions by Don Alias (his first appearance with the group since the debut album debacle) and by Alex Acuña (a Peruvian drummer and conga player based in Las Vegas, who had played with Elvis Presley and Ike Turner, among others). Alphonso Johnson was also worn out from the strain put on the rhythm by the band's frequent changes of drummer. During a break in activity halfway through the recording of Black Market, Johnson opted to leave Weather Report to play with the Billy Cobham/George Duke Band (which featured a young John Scofield on guitar).
Prior to his departure, Johnson played on all but two of the new album's tracks. His replacement was Jaco Pastorius, a virtuoso fretless bass guitarist from Florida, who had been in touch with Zawinul for several years, and who came in to play on "Cannon Ball" and his own composition "Barbary Coast". Zawinul and Shorter had assumed that Chester Thompson would be departing alongside his friend Johnson, and for the second set of sessions they replaced him (on Pastorius' recommendation) with the former Mahavishnu Orchestra drummer Narada Michael Walden. Although Walden played on several album tracks, he ultimately proved unsuitable. Thompson returned for the final Black Market sessions, but left again after failing to gel as a rhythm section with Pastorius (whose style was much busier than that of Johnson). Thompson subsequently joined Genesis as their touring drummer.
Black Market continued Weather Report's ongoing run of success, selling well and being the fourth of the band's albums to win the album of the year award from DownBeat magazine. For the subsequent tour, Alex Acuña moved from percussion to the drum kit, and Don Alias was replaced by the young Puerto Rican percussionist Manolo Badrena, who had previously played with various Latin rock bands and with Art Blakey. The band made a very well-received appearance in July at the Montreux Jazz Festival 1976, which was filmed for future release.
1977–1979: Jazz-rock stars
The recruitment of Jaco Pastorius helped to push Weather Report to the height of its popularity. Already a rising star in his own right, Pastorius brought a very musical, melodic quality to the bass. He could play muscular, lightning-fast groove lines influenced by R&B or funk, as well as demonstrating an extraordinary solo control of tone and string harmonics, often sounding more like a horn player. Pastorius was also a multi-instrumentalist (contributing drums, steel pan, and mandocello to the latest recording sessions), a gifted composer (eventually responsible for some signature Weather Report pieces such as "Teen Town" and "Three Views of a Secret"), and a useful production foil for Zawinul due to his knowledge of recording studios and techniques. Finally, Pastorius' stagecraft and aggressive showmanship helped the band to bring in a new audience.
The band's next album was 1977's acclaimed Heavy Weather, which proved to be the band's most successful recording in terms of sales, while still retaining wide critical acclaim. It contained the band's biggest hit, the propulsive and danceable "Birdland" (highlighting Pastorius' singing bass lines and Zawinul's synthesized ensemble brass), which became a pop hit and later became a jazz standard. Weather Report appeared on the Burt Sugarman-produced series The Midnight Special, performing both "Birdland" and "Teen Town". Heavy Weather dominated Weather Report's disc awards, including their last DownBeat Album of the Year award.
During this period, Pastorius' strong professional connection with Joni Mitchell (for whom he played bass throughout the latter half of the 1970s) led to another musical connection. Over the next few years, Mitchell hired the Weather Report line-up en masse (although without Zawinul in each case) to play on her studio albums Don Juan's Reckless Daughter (1977) and Mingus (1979).
During August 1978 the band joined Maurice White's vanity label ARC at Columbia. At the time they were once again without either a full-time drummer and percussionist, with Alex Acuña having returned to Las Vegas for a career as a studio musician and Manolo Badrena having been fired for "non-musical reasons". Shorter had been focusing most of his attention and compositional ideas into his solo work, while Zawinul was sketching out ideas for a solo album of his own, which involved moving away from a raw group sound in favor of constructing a far more orchestrated and experimental studio-based recording with multiple overdubs. However, Weather Report's contract and work schedule required another album, so Zawinul's solo work was absorbed into what became Weather Report's eighth album, Mr. Gone (1978).
The studio sessions made use of a variety of drummers – Pastorius played the kit on two tracks and further contributions came from Tony Williams, Steve Gadd, and Peter Erskine (the latter an ex-Stan Kenton/Maynard Ferguson drummer recruited to the project by Pastorius). Erskine became a full member of the band for the next tour and remained with Weather Report until 1982. The album also featured guest appearances from Deniece Williams and Earth Wind and Fire leader Maurice White.
The album rose to No. 1 on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart.
Notoriously, Mr. Gone (1978) received only a one-star review rating from DownBeat after a string of group releases which had all pulled a five-star rating. The group arranged for a rebuttal interview with the magazine to defend their efforts. Zawinul and Pastorius were defiant in their responses to the interviewer, Shorter more philosophical, and Erskine the most reticent of the four.
By the late '70s, Weather Report was a quartet of Zawinul, Shorter, Pastorius, and Erskine, and (for the first time) had dispensed with the auxiliary percussionist role, which had been integral since the band's inception. Instead, all four members doubled on percussion at various points in live performances. Zawinul commented that this sleeker, less crowded sound provided more listening range and made the music less chaotic now that the band were focusing more on melody and harmony.
The larger scale and multimedia staging of the band's tours (complete with stagehands, laser and film projections) began to take on the kind of rock-star proportions mostly unknown in jazz circles. The 1979 double live album 8:30 (which won that year's Best Jazz Fusion Performance) was recorded on the Mr. Gone tour and captured the direct power and energy of this lineup of Weather Report. Zawinul would later describe this lineup as "one of the greatest bands of all time! That band was a hummer!"
Between March 2 and 4, 1979, Weather Report traveled to Havana, Cuba, to participate in the historic Havana Jam festival, a break in mutual Cuban/American political hostilities, which had American artists such as Stephen Stills, the CBS Jazz All-Stars, Bonnie Bramlett, Kris Kristofferson, Rita Coolidge, and Billy Joel play alongside Cuban artists such as Irakere, Pacho Alonso, Tata Güines, and Orquesta Aragón. Another featured performance was by the Trio of Doom (a short-lived teaming of Pastorius with John McLaughlin and Tony Williams). Weather Report's performance featured in Havana Jam '79, Ernesto Juan Castellanos' documentary celebrating the event.
1980–1982: A tighter arrangement
At the beginning of 1980, Pastorius recruited hand-drummer Robert Thomas Jr. (a fellow Floridan, with whom he had jammed previously) into the band. Thomas featured on the 1980 album Night Passage. A tighter and more traditional recording than previous releases, the record featured a more prominent role for Shorter, a strong element of bebop, and a nod to jazz's golden age via a high-speed cover of Duke Ellington's "Rockin' in Rhythm" (showing off Zawinul's pioneering and ever-increasing ability to create synthetic big-band sounds on his synthesizers).
By now, Pastorius was displaying signs of the mental instability and substance abuse problems that ultimately wrecked his career; and the close relationship he'd previously shared with Zawinul was becoming strained as Zawinul grew tired of Pastorius' showmanship onstage (beginning to feel that it detracted from the music). Towards the end of the year, Pastorius began working on his long-delayed second solo album (Word of Mouth) (1981) in New York, while Zawinul worked on new Weather Report material in California.
Weather Report's next album Weather Report (1982) – their second eponymous release following their 1971 debut – was recorded in 1981, although it was not released for another year. Zawinul's dominance as instrumentalist and composer (as well as group director) was even more pronounced on this album. Much of the band's music was increasingly written out rather than improvised. In the event, Pastorius spent more of his creative attention on the Word of Mouth project: his only writing for the Weather Report album being his contribution to a single, group-composed piece. Shorter (who only contributed one whole composition to the 1982 album beyond group-written work) was already taking a more philosophical approach. He later commented, "for a long time in Weather Report, I abstained. I elected not to do things."
Erskine's own commitment to Word of Mouth (and a subsequent summer commitment to Steps Ahead) meant that he, too, had to be replaced, while Robert Thomas Jr., was simply dismissed. Reduced to a duo, and with tour commitments looming, Zawinul and Shorter were obliged to quickly assemble a new band.
1982–1985: A new band
On the recommendation of Michał Urbaniak, Zawinul and Shorter recruited 23-year-old drummer Omar Hakim, a talented session player and multi-instrumentalist, who had played with a variety of musicians including Mike Mainieri, David Bowie, and Carly Simon. Hakim was immediately entrusted with recruiting the rest of the new lineup. Having failed to secure Marcus Miller as bass guitarist, he selected Victor Bailey (a recent graduate from the Berklee College of Music, with whom Hakim had played while backing Miriam Makeba). Hakim also recruited percussion/concertina player José Rossy, with whom he had worked in Labelle.
The new Weather Report went straight onto tour. The music developed on tour was later recorded for the 1983 album Procession, which showed the band beginning to make something of a return to the "world music" approach which it had pioneered in the mid-1970s, and featured a cameo appearance from The Manhattan Transfer.
Continuing with the same lineup, Weather Report recorded the Domino Theory album in 1984, with Hakim stepping into Jaco Pastorius' old role as Zawinul's co-producer. The album was Weather Report's first album to employ drum machines and samplers (the Emulator), deepening the band's involvement with cutting-edge music technology, and also featured a guest vocal from Carl Anderson.
Percussionist and singer Mino Cinélu replaced Rossy in the spring of 1984 and appeared on the band's video release Live in Japan (reissued on DVD in 2007). The same lineup played on 1985's Sportin' Life album, which included a cover of Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" and appearances by singers Bobby McFerrin and Carl Anderson. In keeping with Zawinul's technological curiosity, the album heralded the arrival of MIDI, which allowed him to rapidly and inexpensively write, demonstrate, and record music via a set of synthesizers.
1986: Final split
Both Zawinul and Shorter were beginning to realise that the refreshing nature of other projects was more satisfying than Weather Report work, and both generally felt that the band had run its course.
In February 1986, the San Diego Union-Tribune announced that Shorter had left the band to concentrate on solo work. Having reluctantly agreed with Shorter that he would no longer use the band name, Zawinul then ended Weather Report. The final album under the Weather Report name, This is This!, was released in June 1986 and fulfilled the band's contract with Columbia Records. Two of its tracks featured guitar work from Carlos Santana, and it also marked the return of Peter Erskine on drums, with Hakim only appearing on one track.
1986–present: After Weather Report
Having split the band, Zawinul promptly attempted to reform it – after a fashion – as Weather Update. For this project, he reunited with recent Weather Report alumni Victor Bailey, Mino Cinélu, and Peter Erskine, but replaced Shorter with guitarist John Scofield. This lineup was short-lived, with Los Angeles session guitarist Steve Khan and former Weather Report percussionist Robert Thomas Jr. replacing Scofield and Cinélu prior to live appearances. Weather Update toured in 1986 and 1987 before Zawinul dissolved the band. From 1988 onwards, Zawinul went on to enjoy a successful nineteen-year career leading the world music/jazz ensemble The Zawinul Syndicate (which has continued, following Zawinul's death, as The Syndicate).
Rather than form another collective band, Wayne Shorter concentrated on his solo career and on work as a bandleader, which continues to the present day.
In spite of the band's enduring popularity, a Weather Report reunion never occurred. The nearest that the band ever came to reuniting was when Zawinul and Shorter both played live with Miles Davis on July 10, 1991, in Paris (the only time when Zawinul is known to have shared a live stage with Davis). A projected mid-'90s reunion CD for Verve never materialized; according to Zawinul, disappointing sales for Shorter's 1995 CD High Life may have played a part in ending the idea.
Five of the band's members have since died. Zawinul himself died on September 11, 2007, in Vienna from skin cancer (Merkel cell carcinoma). He was predeceased by mid-period bass player Jaco Pastorius, who died on September 21, 1987, following a fatal beating in his hometown of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Pastorius' successor on bass guitar, Victor Bailey, died on November 11, 2016 (apparently from complications from Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). Alphonse Mouzon, the first drummer, died on December 25, 2016 from cardiac arrest after neuroendocrine cancer. Dom Um Romão, the group's drummer from 1971 to 1974, died in 2005 aged 79.
Lineups
Timeline
Releases since the band's breakup
A "post band" Weather Report double CD called Live and Unreleased was made available in 2002, featuring vintage live recordings made during the late 1970s/early 1980s with various personnel. In September 2006, Columbia/Legacy released a Weather Report boxed set, Forecast: Tomorrow. It includes three CDs of mostly previously released material (from 1970 to 1985, excluding This is This!) and a DVD of the entire September 28, 1978, performance (with Erskine and Pastorius) in Offenbach, Germany, not previously available. A DVD video of the 1976 Montreux Jazz Festival performance (featuring the Heavy Weather lineup of Pastorius, Acuna, and Badrena) has become available, as well. Columbia/Legacy have also re-released the 1984 Live in Japan concert on DVD.
In 2011, the Zawinul estate, in conjunction with an independent label, released a 40th-anniversary commemorative trilogy of previously unavailable Weather Report live shows: In March Live in Berlin 1975 was released both on vinyl and as a CD/DVD set; in June the Live in Offenbach 1978 DVD was re-released together with a previously unavailable double CD of the complete show; in October Live in Cologne 1983 was released as both DVD and double CD.
Grammy Awards
The Grammy Awards are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States. Weather Report has won one Grammy from six nominations.
|-
!1972
|"I Sing The Body Electric"
|Best Jazz Performance by a Group
|
|-
!1979
|"8:30"
|Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal or Instrumental
|
|-
!1981
|"Night Passage"
|Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal or Instrumental
|
|-
!1982
|"Weather Report"
|Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal or Instrumental
|
|-
!1983
|"Procession"
|Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal or Instrumental
|
|-
!1985
||"Sportin' Life"
|Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal or Instrumental
|
Discography
Studio albums
References
External links
Weather Report's official website www.WeatherReportMusic.com
Weather Report biography by Richard S. Ginell, discography and album reviews, credits & releases at AllMusic
The Weather Report Annotated Discography
Weather Report discography, album releases & credits at Discogs
Weather Report albums to be listened on Spotify
Weather Report albums to be listened on YouTube
Musical groups established in 1970
Musical groups disestablished in 1986
Jazz fusion ensembles
American jazz ensembles from New York City
Musical groups from New York City
Grammy Award winners
Jazz musicians from New York (state)
| false |
[
"\"Who Do You Think You Are\" is the third single from Love Is, the 1992 album by Kim Wilde. The previous single, \"Heart Over Mind\" had only been released in the UK, making this the second international single. The lyrics were written by Wilde and apparently are about herself (but rumours have said it's about Madonna). The song was remixed from its original album form for its release, and several longer remixes were found on the 12\" and CD-single formats. A remix of \"Try Again\" from the Love Is album was used as the B-side in the UK, while other countries used \"I've Found a Reason\", an exclusive non-album track, previously used as the B-side to \"Heart Over Mind\". A remix of \"Heart Over Mind\" also appeared on the UK CD-single.\n\nCritical reception\nLennox Herald described the song as \"bright, breezy pop\" in their review.\n\nMusic video\nA music video was made to accompany the song, directed by Greg Masuak. It was published on YouTube in September 2013. By November 2020, the video has been viewed over 864 000 times.\n\nTrack listing\n 7\"\n \"Who Do You Think You Are ?\" - 3:46\n \"Try Again\" (Club Mix) - 4:29\n\n CD 1\n \"Who Do You Think You Are ?\" (7\" version) - 3:46\n \"Try Again\" (Club Mix) - 4:29\n \"Who Do You Think You Are ?\" (Bruce Forest 12\" Mix) - 7:56\n \"Who Do You Think You Are ?\" (Bruce Forest Dub Mix) - 5:31\n\n CD 2\n \"Who Do You Think You Are ?\" (7\" version) - 3:46\n \"Who Do You Think You Are ?\" (Extended version) - 5:38\n \"Heart Over Mind\" (Club Mix) - 4:28\n \"Never Trust A Stranger\" (7\" version) - 4:05\n\nCharts\n\nReferences\n\nKim Wilde songs\n1992 songs\nSongs written by Ricky Wilde\nSongs written by Kim Wilde\n1992 singles\nMCA Records singles",
"\"Hobart Paving\" is a single by British pop group Saint Etienne. It was released by Heavenly Records on 11 May 1993 as a double A-side with the band's cover of \"Who Do You Think You Are\", originally released in 1974 by Jigsaw and a hit for Candlewick Green. It reached number 23 in the UK Singles Chart.\n\nLyrics\nThe song describes an unhappy woman, using characteristically surreal images such as \"Rain falls like Elvis tears\" and \"Just like a harpsichordist she moves\". The apparently meaningless title appears in the song's chorus: \"Hobart paving, don't you think that's it's time, / On this platform with the drizzle in my eyes?\" The title may derive from a construction firm called Hobart Paving Company Limited in the town of Croydon, where two of the band members grew up.\n\nCritical reception\nStephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic picked the song as one of the stand outs from the So Tough album. Music writer James Masterton viewed it as \"being a fairly average track\" in his weekly UK chart commentary.\n\nMusic video\nA black-and-white music video was produced to promote the single. It was published on YouTube in May 2012.\n\nMixes\n\"Hobart Paving\" was slightly remixed for single release, adding subtle overdubs and extra instrumentation.\n\n\"Your Head My Voice (Voix Revirement)\" is a remix of \"Who Do You Think You Are\", though the source material is unrecognisable in the mix, hence the different title. However, if one reverses the audio, the lyrics \"Every day sees another scar, tell me who do you...\" are audible. Also of note is the writing credits for \"Your Head My Voice (Voix Revirement)\" which list Stanley/Wiggs/James as composers, none of whom composed \"Who Do You Think You Are\" and marking the only time Richard David James/Aphex Twin would be listed as a co-writer of a Saint Etienne track.\n\nAn alternative mix of \"Hobart Paving\", created for the single but ultimately not used, was eventually released on the Nice Price outtakes collection in 2006.\n\nTrack listing\nAll tracks written and composed by Dyer and Scott, except where indicated.\n\nEuropean release\n\n 7\" - Heavenly / HVN 29 (UK) (also available on MC (HVN 29C))\n \"Hobart Paving\" (Stanley, Wiggs) – 4:54\n \"Who Do You Think You Are\" – 3:53\n\n 12\" - Heavenly / HVN 29-12 (UK)\n \"Hobart Paving\" (Stanley, Wiggs) – 4:54\n \"Your Head My Voice (Voix Revirement)\" (Stanley, Wiggs, James) – 4:12\n \"Who Do You Think You Are\" – 3:53\n \"Who Do You Think You Are\" (Quex-Rd) – 8:08\n\n 12\" - Heavenly / HVN 29-12P (UK) (UK promo. Labelled \"Aphex Twin Remixes\")\n \"Who Do You Think You Are\" (Quex-Rd) – 8:08\n \"Your Head My Voice\" (Voix Revirement) (Stanley, Wiggs, James) – 4:12\n\n CD - Heavenly / HVN 29CD (UK)\n \"Hobart Paving\" (Stanley, Wiggs) – 4:54\n \"Who Do You Think You Are\" – 3:53\n \"Who Do You Think You Are\" (Quex-Rd) – 8:08\n \"Your Head My Voice (Voix Revirement)\" (Stanley, Wiggs, James) – 4:12\n\nUS release\n 12\" - Warner / 0-40910 (US)\n \"Who Do You Think You Are\" (Strobelights & Platform Shoes Mix) – 7:00\n \"Who Do You Think You Are\" (Saturday Night Fever Dub) – 6:59\n \"Who Do You Think You Are\" (Tilt Dub) – 6:00\n \"Who Do You Think You Are\" (Quex-Rd) – 8:08\n \"Who Do You Think You Are\" (Nu Solution Mix) – 7:46\n \"Hobart Paving\" (UK single version) (Stanley, Wiggs) – 4:54\n\n 2x12\" - Warner / PRO-A-6254 (US) (US 2x12\" promo)\n \"Who Do You Think You Are\" (Strobelights & Platform Shoes Mix) – 7:00\n \"Who Do You Think You Are\" (Saturday Night Fever Dub) – 6:59\n \"Who Do You Think You Are\" (Nu Solution Mix) – 7:46\n \"Who Do You Think You Are\" (Tilt Dub) – 6:00\n\n \"Who Do You Think You Are\" (Quex-Rd) – 8:08\n \"Your Head My Voice (Voix Revirement)\" (Stanley, Wiggs, James) – 4:12\n \"Who Do You Think You Are\" (Radio Remix) – 4:39\n \"Who Do You Think You Are\" (Bonus Beats Down) – 4:55\n\n CD - Warner / 9 40910-2 (US)\n \"Who Do You Think You Are\" (Album Version) – 3:52\n \"Who Do You Think You Are\" (Strobelights & Platform Shoes Mix) – 7:00\n \"Who Do You Think You Are\" (Quex-Rd) – 8:08\n \"Hobart Paving\" (UK single version) (Stanley, Wiggs) – 4:54\n \"Who Do You Think You Are\" (Nu Solution Mix) – 7:46\n \"Who Do You Think You Are\" (Saturday Night Fever Dub) – 6:59\n \"Your Head My Voice (Voix Revirement)\" (Stanley, Wiggs, James) – 4:12\n \"Who Do You Think You Are\" (Radio Remix) (Stanley, Wiggs) – 4:39\n\nRemixers\n\nAphex Twin\n \"Who Do You Think You Are\" (Quex-Rd) – 8:08\n \"Your Head My Voice\" (Voix Revirement) – 4:12\n\nRoger Sanchez\n \"Who Do You Think You Are\" (Strobelights & Platform Shoes Mix) – 7:00\n \"Who Do You Think You Are\" (Nu Solution Mix) – 7:46\n \"Who Do You Think You Are\" (Saturday Night Fever Dub) – 6:59\n \"Who Do You Think You Are\" (Radio Remix) – 4:39\n \"Who Do You Think You Are\" (Tilt Dub) – 6:00\n \"Who Do You Think You Are\" (Bonus Beats Down) – 4:55\n\nCharts\n\nCover versions\nThe 1997 German movie Bandits featured a cover version of the song called \"Catch Me\" (possibly to better match the movie's prison break story), released under the band name \"Bandits\". The \"Hobart Paving\" in the chorus was replaced by \"Hold on, princess\". \"Catch Me\" peaked at #42 on the German Media Control Singles chart\n\nReferences\n\nExternal links\nHobart Paving Company Limited, the probable source of the title\n\nSaint Etienne (band) songs\n1993 singles\nSongs written by Bob Stanley (musician)\nSongs written by Pete Wiggs\n1993 songs\nHeavenly Recordings singles\nBlack-and-white music videos"
] |
[
"Weather Report",
"1970: Inception and formation",
"How does that effect us",
"I don't know.",
"do you think the weather is normal",
"I don't know."
] |
C_54c9e0273f1c46e2a10d245abac9c168_1
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is miles davis widely known
| 3 |
is miles davis widely known
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Weather Report
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Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter had first met and become friends in 1959 while they were playing in Maynard Ferguson's Big Band. Zawinul went on to play with Cannonball Adderley's group in the 1960s, while Shorter joined Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers and then, in 1964, Miles Davis' second great quintet. During this decade, both men made names for themselves as being among the best composers in jazz. Zawinul later joined Shorter in contributing to the initial fusion music recordings of Miles Davis, and both men were part of the studio groups, which recorded the key Davis albums In a Silent Way (1969) and Bitches Brew (1970). In consequence, Weather Report has often been seen as a spin-off from the Miles Davis bands of the late 1960s and early 1970s, although Zawinul was never part of Davis's touring line-up. Weather Report was initially formed to explore a more impressionistic and individualistic music (or, as Zawinul put it, "away from all that eight bars shit and then you go to the bridge...") Zawinul and Shorter recruited another Miles Davis associate, the classically trained Czech-born bass player Miroslav Vitous, who had previously played with Zawinul, as well as with Herbie Mann, Bob Brookmeyer, Stan Getz, and Chick Corea (Vitous has subsequently claimed that in fact Shorter and he had founded Weather Report, with Shorter bringing in Zawinul afterwards.) All three men composed, and formed the core of the project. To complete the band, the trio brought in former McCoy Tyner drummer Alphonse Mouzon and set about looking for a full-time auxiliary percussionist as they began to record their debut album. The initial recruits were session player Don Alias and symphony orchestra percussionist Barbara Burton. During recording, Alias quarreled with Zawinul (allegedly due to Zawinul being too dictatorial over the percussion approach) and the innovative Brazilian percussionist Airto Moreira (yet another Davis alumnus) was brought in to complete the record. John McLaughlin was also invited to join the group, but decided to pursue his solo career, instead. CANNOTANSWER
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composers
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Weather Report was an American jazz fusion band active from 1970 to 1986. The band was founded (and initially co-led) by Austrian keyboard player Joe Zawinul, American saxophonist Wayne Shorter, and Czech bassist Miroslav Vitouš. Other prominent members at various points in the band's lifespan included Jaco Pastorius, Alphonso Johnson, Victor Bailey, Chester Thompson, Peter Erskine, Airto Moreira, and Alex Acuña. Throughout most of its existence, the band was a quintet consisting of Zawinul, Shorter, a bass guitarist, a drummer, and a percussionist.
The band started as a free improvising jazz group with avant-garde and experimental electronic leanings (pioneered by Zawinul); when Vitouš left Weather Report (due mostly to creative disagreements), Zawinul increasingly steered the band towards a funky, edgy sound incorporating elements of R&B and native musics from around the world. Zawinul used the latest developments in synthesizer technology, and took advantage of a large variety of sounds and tone colors to make the band stand out. During the first half of their career, Weather Report were seen as one of the defining acts in modern jazz, winning the DownBeat "best album award" five times in a row.
Alongside bands such as Mahavishnu Orchestra, Return to Forever, Herbie Hancock's Headhunters (all with members inspired by and partially responsible for the fusion-era work of Miles Davis), Weather Report is widely considered one of the defining bands of the jazz fusion genre.
Musical style
Over their 16-year career, Weather Report explored various areas of music, predominantly centered on jazz (initially the "free" variety), but also incorporating elements of art music, ethnic music, R&B, funk, and rock. While their work was categorized as "jazz fusion", the band members generally distanced themselves from that term.
From the start, Weather Report took the unusual approach of abandoning the traditional "soloist/accompaniment" demarcation of straight-ahead jazz and featured opportunities for continuous improvisation by every member of the band. That position remained consistent throughout the life of the band. From the point where Alphonso Johnson joined the band, individual solos became more prominent in concert, but were never allowed to overwhelm the collective approach. Initially, the band's music featured an improvisational method (similar to Miles Davis's Bitches Brew-period), but eventually that shifted to a more groove-oriented approach, and catchier compositions (as epitomized by their 1977 hit single "Birdland").
Joe Zawinul's playing style was often dominated by quirky melodic improvisations (simultaneously bebop-, ethnic-, and pop-sounding) combined with sparse but rhythmic big-band chords or bass lines. Having originally made his name as a pioneering electric piano player, he went on to consistently develop the role of the synthesizer in jazz during his time with Weather Report. Working with companies such as ARP and Oberheim, Zawinul developed new ways of voicing and patching electronic tones for textures, ensemble roles (including emulations of traditional band instruments) and soloing. In Weather Report, he often employed a vocoder, as well as recorded sounds played (i.e., filtered and transposed) through a synthesizer, creating a very distinctive, often beautiful, synthesis of jazz harmonics and "noise" (which he referred to as "using all the sounds the world generates"). On some Weather Report tunes, however, Zawinul was criticized for allowing his synthesized arrangements to dominate the sound.
Wayne Shorter came to the group with a reputation as a dominant role as an instrumentalist, drawn from both his solo work and his contributions to Miles Davis' "second great quintet" during the 1960s. His choice not to follow the same approach with Weather Report led to some criticism of the group. During his time with Weather Report, Shorter was noted for generally playing saxophone with an economical, "listening" style. Rather than continually taking the lead, he generally added subtle harmonic, melodic, and/or rhythmic complexity by responding to other member's improvisations (although he could and did sometimes exercise a more frenetic style akin to that of John Coltrane or Michael Brecker). As a composer, he chose a more abstract, sometimes atonal and "free jazz" style of music, opposed to the sometimes flamboyant melodicism of the tunes written by Zawinul or Pastorius. Playing both tenor and soprano saxophones, Shorter continued to develop the role of the latter instrument in jazz, taking his cue from previous work by Coltrane, Sidney Bechet, Lucky Thompson, and Steve Lacy.
Weather Report maintained a consistent interest in a textured sound and developments in music technology and processing. Both Zawinul and original bassist Miroslav Vitouš experimented with electronic effects pedals (as generally used by rock guitarists) with Zawinul using them on electric piano and synthesizers and Vitouš on his upright bass (which he frequently bowed through distortion to create a second horn-like voice). The band's third bass player, Jaco Pastorius, popularized the use of fretless bass guitar, melodic bass soloing and extensive use of string harmonics, as well as consolidating the driving R&B pulse in the band's music (which had been brought in by his predecessor Alphonso Johnson).
With the exception of a brief quartet period between 1978 and 1979 (wherein other members could double on various percussion instruments), Weather Report's instrumentation always included both a drummer and a percussionist. For its first eight years of existence, the group had difficulty finding a permanent drummer, moving through about one drummer per year until Jaco Pastorius helped to recruit Peter Erskine in 1978. Erskine and Omar Hakim were the only drummers who played with Weather Report for more than two years.
History
1970: Inception and formation
Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter had first met and become friends in 1959 while they were playing in Maynard Ferguson's Big Band. Zawinul went on to play with Cannonball Adderley's group in the 1960s, while Shorter joined Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers and then, in 1964, Miles Davis' second great quintet. During this decade, both men made names for themselves as being among the best composers in jazz.
Zawinul later joined Shorter in contributing to the initial fusion music recordings of Miles Davis, and both men were part of the studio groups that recorded the key Davis albums In a Silent Way (1969) and Bitches Brew (1970). Weather Report was initially formed to explore a more impressionistic and individualistic music (or, as Zawinul put it, "away from all that eight bars shit and then you go to the bridge...").
There's some dispute over how Weather Report initially formed. According to Zawinul, it began when he and Shorter recruited another Miles Davis associate, the classically trained Czech-born bass player Miroslav Vitouš, who had previously played with each of them separately (as well as with Herbie Mann, Bob Brookmeyer, Stan Getz, and Chick Corea). According to Vitouš himself, it was he and Shorter who actually founded Weather Report, with Shorter bringing in Zawinul afterwards. Whichever story is true, it was those three musicians – all composers – who formed the initial core of the project.
To complete the band, Zawinul, Shorter and Vitouš brought in former McCoy Tyner drummer Alphonse Mouzon and began recording their debut album while looking for a full-time auxiliary percussionist. The initial recruits were session percussion player Don Alias and symphony orchestra percussionist Barbara Burton. During recording, Alias quarreled with Zawinul (allegedly due to Zawinul being too dictatorial over the percussion approach) and the innovative Brazilian percussionist Airto Moreira (yet another Davis alumnus) was brought in to complete the record. Guitarist John McLaughlin was also invited to join the group, but decided to pursue his solo career, instead.
1971–1972: Avant-garde collective
Weather Report's debut album Weather Report featured a softer sound than would be the case in later years, predominantly using acoustic bass, with Shorter exclusively playing soprano saxophone. It built on the avant-garde experiments which Zawinul and Shorter had pioneered with Miles Davis on Bitches Brew, including an avoidance of head-and-chorus composition in favor of continuous rhythm and movement. DownBeat magazine described the album as "music beyond category".
In 1972, Weather Report released its second album, I Sing the Body Electric. The first side featured new studio recordings, while the second side was taken from live recordings of a concert in Tokyo, featuring the full-band lineup of Zawinul, Shorter, Vitouš, Gravatt, and Um Romão (and later available in full as the 1972 Japan-only double album Live in Tokyo). The studio side used extended versions of the band including various guest performers, suggesting that Weather Report was not necessarily an integral jazz band, but might possibly work as an expandable project set up to realise the music of its three composers. The album also featured Zawinul's first use of a synthesizer (an instrument with which he would become synonymous within jazz) and of sound effects.
I Sing the Body Electric also showed the first signs of a shift in the balance of control within the band, away from the more collective approach of the debut album. During the following year, this tendency would develop further.
1973: Move towards groove
On 1973's Sweetnighter, Weather Report began to abandon the primarily acoustic group improvisation format, and the band started to take a new direction. Primarily at Zawinul's instigation, Weather Report became more jazz funk- and groove-oriented, drawing more heavily on R&B influences and dense electric keyboard work while adding more structure to both the prewritten and the improvisational sections.
Gravatt took his replacement in the studio sessions badly and quit the band at the end of recording, moving to Minneapolis to join the band Natural Life. Many years later, Zawinul paid tribute to Gravatt's skills and stated that he had been the finest of the band's "pure jazz" drummers as well as being "from the jazz side... my favorite of them all". With Gravatt gone and Dwellingham unavailable for touring, former Sly & the Family Stone drummer Greg Errico played on the Sweetnighter tour, but did not stay with the band afterwards.
At this point, Vitouš and Zawinul found themselves at creative loggerheads, since the former preferred Weather Report's original approach and the latter wished to continue further along the road to funk. Retrospectively, Zawinul accused Vitouš of being unable to play funk convincingly (something which Greg Errico corroborated) and claimed that he had not provided enough music for the band. Vitouš countered that he had in fact brought in compositions, but that Zawinul had been unable to play them. Vitouš has also accused Zawinul of having been "a first-class manipulator" primarily interested in commercial success. When Shorter sided with Zawinul, the original three-man partnership broke down acrimoniously and Vitouš left Weather Report, moving on to an illustrious career leading his own band and winning respect as a composer. His final contribution to Weather Report was to play bass on a single track, which appeared on the band's 1974 album Mysterious Traveller ("American Tango", which he had co-written with Zawinul).
Vitouš' departure marked the end of the first phase of Weather Report and the shift of overall creative dominance of the band to Josef Zawinul, although Shorter remained an integral, influential, and vital part of the project. Vitouš has subsequently accused both Zawinul and Shorter of having used foul play to edge him out of the band, to deny the scale of his contribution to Weather Report's history and creative approach, and to cheat him out of remuneration.
1974–1975: Further into groove
Vitouš' replacement was the Philadelphian electric bass guitarist Alphonso Johnson (formerly a sideman for the pop-fusion player Chuck Mangione). Recruited by Shorter, Johnson was a supple player more than capable of providing the funk element which Zawinul desired. He was also an early advocate of the Chapman Stick, which he can be heard playing on some of the live Weather Report recordings of the period.
According to Zawinul, Wilburn apparently "lost heart" on tour (despite performing well in the studio). To shore up the music, the band hired another drummer, Darryl Brown, to play alongside him. At the end of the tour, both Wilburn and Brown left the band (as did Dom Um Romão) and Weather Report was, once again, drummerless.
For the next set of studio sessions, Weather Report added a new Brazilian percussionist (Alyrio Lima) and a new drummer – Chuck Bazemore of The Delfonics.
The new album, Tale Spinnin', was released in 1975. It was the first Weather Report album to feature a consistent rhythm section (rather than a varied set of drummers, percussionists, and bass players) since their debut. The album also made further strides in using technological improvements in synthesizers, even making use of the gigantic studio-based TONTO array.
During the same year, Shorter also recorded Native Dancer under his own name (with the Brazilian composer and vocalist Milton Nascimento). Tale Spinnin won the DownBeat best album award for 1975 (the third Weather Report album to do so) and Native Dancer was the runner-up.
1976: In transition
1976's Black Market album was perhaps the most rock-oriented work which the group had produced to date. Weather Report's music had evolved further from open-ended funk jams into more melody-oriented, concise forms, which also offered a greater mass-market appeal. Zawinul further consolidated his use of keyboard synthesizers, while Shorter experimented with an early form of wind synthesizer, the Lyricon.
However, the album was recorded during yet another period of change for the group, with multiple personnel shuffles. Although Alyrio Lima played percussion on one track, he was replaced during the sessions by Don Alias (his first appearance with the group since the debut album debacle) and by Alex Acuña (a Peruvian drummer and conga player based in Las Vegas, who had played with Elvis Presley and Ike Turner, among others). Alphonso Johnson was also worn out from the strain put on the rhythm by the band's frequent changes of drummer. During a break in activity halfway through the recording of Black Market, Johnson opted to leave Weather Report to play with the Billy Cobham/George Duke Band (which featured a young John Scofield on guitar).
Prior to his departure, Johnson played on all but two of the new album's tracks. His replacement was Jaco Pastorius, a virtuoso fretless bass guitarist from Florida, who had been in touch with Zawinul for several years, and who came in to play on "Cannon Ball" and his own composition "Barbary Coast". Zawinul and Shorter had assumed that Chester Thompson would be departing alongside his friend Johnson, and for the second set of sessions they replaced him (on Pastorius' recommendation) with the former Mahavishnu Orchestra drummer Narada Michael Walden. Although Walden played on several album tracks, he ultimately proved unsuitable. Thompson returned for the final Black Market sessions, but left again after failing to gel as a rhythm section with Pastorius (whose style was much busier than that of Johnson). Thompson subsequently joined Genesis as their touring drummer.
Black Market continued Weather Report's ongoing run of success, selling well and being the fourth of the band's albums to win the album of the year award from DownBeat magazine. For the subsequent tour, Alex Acuña moved from percussion to the drum kit, and Don Alias was replaced by the young Puerto Rican percussionist Manolo Badrena, who had previously played with various Latin rock bands and with Art Blakey. The band made a very well-received appearance in July at the Montreux Jazz Festival 1976, which was filmed for future release.
1977–1979: Jazz-rock stars
The recruitment of Jaco Pastorius helped to push Weather Report to the height of its popularity. Already a rising star in his own right, Pastorius brought a very musical, melodic quality to the bass. He could play muscular, lightning-fast groove lines influenced by R&B or funk, as well as demonstrating an extraordinary solo control of tone and string harmonics, often sounding more like a horn player. Pastorius was also a multi-instrumentalist (contributing drums, steel pan, and mandocello to the latest recording sessions), a gifted composer (eventually responsible for some signature Weather Report pieces such as "Teen Town" and "Three Views of a Secret"), and a useful production foil for Zawinul due to his knowledge of recording studios and techniques. Finally, Pastorius' stagecraft and aggressive showmanship helped the band to bring in a new audience.
The band's next album was 1977's acclaimed Heavy Weather, which proved to be the band's most successful recording in terms of sales, while still retaining wide critical acclaim. It contained the band's biggest hit, the propulsive and danceable "Birdland" (highlighting Pastorius' singing bass lines and Zawinul's synthesized ensemble brass), which became a pop hit and later became a jazz standard. Weather Report appeared on the Burt Sugarman-produced series The Midnight Special, performing both "Birdland" and "Teen Town". Heavy Weather dominated Weather Report's disc awards, including their last DownBeat Album of the Year award.
During this period, Pastorius' strong professional connection with Joni Mitchell (for whom he played bass throughout the latter half of the 1970s) led to another musical connection. Over the next few years, Mitchell hired the Weather Report line-up en masse (although without Zawinul in each case) to play on her studio albums Don Juan's Reckless Daughter (1977) and Mingus (1979).
During August 1978 the band joined Maurice White's vanity label ARC at Columbia. At the time they were once again without either a full-time drummer and percussionist, with Alex Acuña having returned to Las Vegas for a career as a studio musician and Manolo Badrena having been fired for "non-musical reasons". Shorter had been focusing most of his attention and compositional ideas into his solo work, while Zawinul was sketching out ideas for a solo album of his own, which involved moving away from a raw group sound in favor of constructing a far more orchestrated and experimental studio-based recording with multiple overdubs. However, Weather Report's contract and work schedule required another album, so Zawinul's solo work was absorbed into what became Weather Report's eighth album, Mr. Gone (1978).
The studio sessions made use of a variety of drummers – Pastorius played the kit on two tracks and further contributions came from Tony Williams, Steve Gadd, and Peter Erskine (the latter an ex-Stan Kenton/Maynard Ferguson drummer recruited to the project by Pastorius). Erskine became a full member of the band for the next tour and remained with Weather Report until 1982. The album also featured guest appearances from Deniece Williams and Earth Wind and Fire leader Maurice White.
The album rose to No. 1 on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart.
Notoriously, Mr. Gone (1978) received only a one-star review rating from DownBeat after a string of group releases which had all pulled a five-star rating. The group arranged for a rebuttal interview with the magazine to defend their efforts. Zawinul and Pastorius were defiant in their responses to the interviewer, Shorter more philosophical, and Erskine the most reticent of the four.
By the late '70s, Weather Report was a quartet of Zawinul, Shorter, Pastorius, and Erskine, and (for the first time) had dispensed with the auxiliary percussionist role, which had been integral since the band's inception. Instead, all four members doubled on percussion at various points in live performances. Zawinul commented that this sleeker, less crowded sound provided more listening range and made the music less chaotic now that the band were focusing more on melody and harmony.
The larger scale and multimedia staging of the band's tours (complete with stagehands, laser and film projections) began to take on the kind of rock-star proportions mostly unknown in jazz circles. The 1979 double live album 8:30 (which won that year's Best Jazz Fusion Performance) was recorded on the Mr. Gone tour and captured the direct power and energy of this lineup of Weather Report. Zawinul would later describe this lineup as "one of the greatest bands of all time! That band was a hummer!"
Between March 2 and 4, 1979, Weather Report traveled to Havana, Cuba, to participate in the historic Havana Jam festival, a break in mutual Cuban/American political hostilities, which had American artists such as Stephen Stills, the CBS Jazz All-Stars, Bonnie Bramlett, Kris Kristofferson, Rita Coolidge, and Billy Joel play alongside Cuban artists such as Irakere, Pacho Alonso, Tata Güines, and Orquesta Aragón. Another featured performance was by the Trio of Doom (a short-lived teaming of Pastorius with John McLaughlin and Tony Williams). Weather Report's performance featured in Havana Jam '79, Ernesto Juan Castellanos' documentary celebrating the event.
1980–1982: A tighter arrangement
At the beginning of 1980, Pastorius recruited hand-drummer Robert Thomas Jr. (a fellow Floridan, with whom he had jammed previously) into the band. Thomas featured on the 1980 album Night Passage. A tighter and more traditional recording than previous releases, the record featured a more prominent role for Shorter, a strong element of bebop, and a nod to jazz's golden age via a high-speed cover of Duke Ellington's "Rockin' in Rhythm" (showing off Zawinul's pioneering and ever-increasing ability to create synthetic big-band sounds on his synthesizers).
By now, Pastorius was displaying signs of the mental instability and substance abuse problems that ultimately wrecked his career; and the close relationship he'd previously shared with Zawinul was becoming strained as Zawinul grew tired of Pastorius' showmanship onstage (beginning to feel that it detracted from the music). Towards the end of the year, Pastorius began working on his long-delayed second solo album (Word of Mouth) (1981) in New York, while Zawinul worked on new Weather Report material in California.
Weather Report's next album Weather Report (1982) – their second eponymous release following their 1971 debut – was recorded in 1981, although it was not released for another year. Zawinul's dominance as instrumentalist and composer (as well as group director) was even more pronounced on this album. Much of the band's music was increasingly written out rather than improvised. In the event, Pastorius spent more of his creative attention on the Word of Mouth project: his only writing for the Weather Report album being his contribution to a single, group-composed piece. Shorter (who only contributed one whole composition to the 1982 album beyond group-written work) was already taking a more philosophical approach. He later commented, "for a long time in Weather Report, I abstained. I elected not to do things."
Erskine's own commitment to Word of Mouth (and a subsequent summer commitment to Steps Ahead) meant that he, too, had to be replaced, while Robert Thomas Jr., was simply dismissed. Reduced to a duo, and with tour commitments looming, Zawinul and Shorter were obliged to quickly assemble a new band.
1982–1985: A new band
On the recommendation of Michał Urbaniak, Zawinul and Shorter recruited 23-year-old drummer Omar Hakim, a talented session player and multi-instrumentalist, who had played with a variety of musicians including Mike Mainieri, David Bowie, and Carly Simon. Hakim was immediately entrusted with recruiting the rest of the new lineup. Having failed to secure Marcus Miller as bass guitarist, he selected Victor Bailey (a recent graduate from the Berklee College of Music, with whom Hakim had played while backing Miriam Makeba). Hakim also recruited percussion/concertina player José Rossy, with whom he had worked in Labelle.
The new Weather Report went straight onto tour. The music developed on tour was later recorded for the 1983 album Procession, which showed the band beginning to make something of a return to the "world music" approach which it had pioneered in the mid-1970s, and featured a cameo appearance from The Manhattan Transfer.
Continuing with the same lineup, Weather Report recorded the Domino Theory album in 1984, with Hakim stepping into Jaco Pastorius' old role as Zawinul's co-producer. The album was Weather Report's first album to employ drum machines and samplers (the Emulator), deepening the band's involvement with cutting-edge music technology, and also featured a guest vocal from Carl Anderson.
Percussionist and singer Mino Cinélu replaced Rossy in the spring of 1984 and appeared on the band's video release Live in Japan (reissued on DVD in 2007). The same lineup played on 1985's Sportin' Life album, which included a cover of Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" and appearances by singers Bobby McFerrin and Carl Anderson. In keeping with Zawinul's technological curiosity, the album heralded the arrival of MIDI, which allowed him to rapidly and inexpensively write, demonstrate, and record music via a set of synthesizers.
1986: Final split
Both Zawinul and Shorter were beginning to realise that the refreshing nature of other projects was more satisfying than Weather Report work, and both generally felt that the band had run its course.
In February 1986, the San Diego Union-Tribune announced that Shorter had left the band to concentrate on solo work. Having reluctantly agreed with Shorter that he would no longer use the band name, Zawinul then ended Weather Report. The final album under the Weather Report name, This is This!, was released in June 1986 and fulfilled the band's contract with Columbia Records. Two of its tracks featured guitar work from Carlos Santana, and it also marked the return of Peter Erskine on drums, with Hakim only appearing on one track.
1986–present: After Weather Report
Having split the band, Zawinul promptly attempted to reform it – after a fashion – as Weather Update. For this project, he reunited with recent Weather Report alumni Victor Bailey, Mino Cinélu, and Peter Erskine, but replaced Shorter with guitarist John Scofield. This lineup was short-lived, with Los Angeles session guitarist Steve Khan and former Weather Report percussionist Robert Thomas Jr. replacing Scofield and Cinélu prior to live appearances. Weather Update toured in 1986 and 1987 before Zawinul dissolved the band. From 1988 onwards, Zawinul went on to enjoy a successful nineteen-year career leading the world music/jazz ensemble The Zawinul Syndicate (which has continued, following Zawinul's death, as The Syndicate).
Rather than form another collective band, Wayne Shorter concentrated on his solo career and on work as a bandleader, which continues to the present day.
In spite of the band's enduring popularity, a Weather Report reunion never occurred. The nearest that the band ever came to reuniting was when Zawinul and Shorter both played live with Miles Davis on July 10, 1991, in Paris (the only time when Zawinul is known to have shared a live stage with Davis). A projected mid-'90s reunion CD for Verve never materialized; according to Zawinul, disappointing sales for Shorter's 1995 CD High Life may have played a part in ending the idea.
Five of the band's members have since died. Zawinul himself died on September 11, 2007, in Vienna from skin cancer (Merkel cell carcinoma). He was predeceased by mid-period bass player Jaco Pastorius, who died on September 21, 1987, following a fatal beating in his hometown of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Pastorius' successor on bass guitar, Victor Bailey, died on November 11, 2016 (apparently from complications from Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). Alphonse Mouzon, the first drummer, died on December 25, 2016 from cardiac arrest after neuroendocrine cancer. Dom Um Romão, the group's drummer from 1971 to 1974, died in 2005 aged 79.
Lineups
Timeline
Releases since the band's breakup
A "post band" Weather Report double CD called Live and Unreleased was made available in 2002, featuring vintage live recordings made during the late 1970s/early 1980s with various personnel. In September 2006, Columbia/Legacy released a Weather Report boxed set, Forecast: Tomorrow. It includes three CDs of mostly previously released material (from 1970 to 1985, excluding This is This!) and a DVD of the entire September 28, 1978, performance (with Erskine and Pastorius) in Offenbach, Germany, not previously available. A DVD video of the 1976 Montreux Jazz Festival performance (featuring the Heavy Weather lineup of Pastorius, Acuna, and Badrena) has become available, as well. Columbia/Legacy have also re-released the 1984 Live in Japan concert on DVD.
In 2011, the Zawinul estate, in conjunction with an independent label, released a 40th-anniversary commemorative trilogy of previously unavailable Weather Report live shows: In March Live in Berlin 1975 was released both on vinyl and as a CD/DVD set; in June the Live in Offenbach 1978 DVD was re-released together with a previously unavailable double CD of the complete show; in October Live in Cologne 1983 was released as both DVD and double CD.
Grammy Awards
The Grammy Awards are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States. Weather Report has won one Grammy from six nominations.
|-
!1972
|"I Sing The Body Electric"
|Best Jazz Performance by a Group
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|-
!1979
|"8:30"
|Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal or Instrumental
|
|-
!1981
|"Night Passage"
|Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal or Instrumental
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|-
!1982
|"Weather Report"
|Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal or Instrumental
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|-
!1983
|"Procession"
|Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal or Instrumental
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|-
!1985
||"Sportin' Life"
|Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal or Instrumental
|
Discography
Studio albums
References
External links
Weather Report's official website www.WeatherReportMusic.com
Weather Report biography by Richard S. Ginell, discography and album reviews, credits & releases at AllMusic
The Weather Report Annotated Discography
Weather Report discography, album releases & credits at Discogs
Weather Report albums to be listened on Spotify
Weather Report albums to be listened on YouTube
Musical groups established in 1970
Musical groups disestablished in 1986
Jazz fusion ensembles
American jazz ensembles from New York City
Musical groups from New York City
Grammy Award winners
Jazz musicians from New York (state)
| true |
[
"Miles in Berlin is an album recorded on September 25, 1964, by the Miles Davis Quintet at the Berliner Philharmonie, Berlin, Germany. It was released in the United States on CD in 2005 and marks the first recorded work of what is commonly known as Miles Davis's ‘Second Great Quintet’ with tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter, pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Ron Carter and drummer Tony Williams.\n\nTrack listing\n\nOriginal LP track List\n\nSide 1\n \"Milestones\" (Miles Davis) – 7:56\n \"Autumn Leaves\" (Joseph Kosma, Jacques Prévert, Johnny Mercer) – 12:46\n\nSide 2\n \"So What\" (Miles Davis) – 10:38\n \"Walkin'\" (Richard H. Carpenter) – 10:36\n \"Theme\" (Miles Davis) – 1:48\n\nReissue CD(COL 519507 2, 2005) track List\n \"Milestones\" (Miles Davis) – 8:57\n \"Autumn Leaves\" (Joseph Kosma, Jacques Prévert, Johnny Mercer) – 12:37\n \"So What\" (Miles Davis) – 10:27\n \"Stella by Starlight\" (Victor Young, Ned Washington) - 12:53\n \"Walkin'\" (Richard H. Carpenter) – 10:39\n \"Go-Go [Theme] and Announcement\" (Miles Davis) – 1:44\n\nPersonnel\n Miles Davis – trumpet\n Wayne Shorter – tenor saxophone\n Herbie Hancock – piano\n Ron Carter – acoustic bass\n Tony Williams – drums\n\nProduction\n Original Producer - Rudy Wolpert\n Recording Produced - SFB Radio, Berlin\n Cover Photography - Rudy Wolpert\n Reissue Producer - Michael Cuscuna and Bob Belden\n Remastered - Mark Wilder at Sony Music Studios, New York, NY.\n\nReferences\n\nAlbums produced by Michael Cuscuna\nAlbums produced by Bob Belden\nMiles Davis live albums\n1964 live albums\nColumbia Records live albums",
"{{Album ratings\n| rev1 = Allmusic\n| rev1Score = \n| rev2 = The Encyclopedia of Popular Music| rev2Score = \n|rev4 = The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide| rev4Score = \n|rev3 = The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings|rev3score = \n}}Blue Haze is a compilation album of tracks recorded in 1953 and 1954 by Miles Davis for Prestige Records.\n\nOverview\nThe album is a reissue in 12\" format of the 10\" LP Miles Davis Quartet (PRLP 161), with \"I'll Remember April\" added. Tracks 4,6, 7, and 8 come from Prestige PREP 1326, The Miles Davis Quartet, recorded 19 May 1953. It features a quartet with John Lewis on piano —replaced on \"Smooch\" by its co-composer Charles Mingus— Percy Heath, the bassist throughout the album, and Max Roach on drums. Tracks 2, 3, and 5, from March 15, 1954, with Horace Silver on piano and Art Blakey on drums, were first released on PREP 1360, titled Miles Davis Quartet. The first track on the album \"I'll Remember April\" is from the 3 April 1954 session and was originally included on the 10\" LP Miles Davis Quintet'' (PRLP 185).\n\nThe compositions \"Four\" and \"Tune Up\" were always credited to Davis, although both were claimed by Eddie Vinson to be his compositions. Vinson was a known blues singer at that time and had no use for them and gave Davis permission to record them. No one expressed opposition to the false crediting until decades later.\n\nThe album's last track, \"Miles Ahead\" is not the same composition as featured on the album of the same name, but is the changes to John Lewis' tune \"Milestones\".\n\nTrack listing\nPrestige – LP 7054\n\nPersonnel\nTrack #1 (April 3, 1954)\nMiles Davis – trumpet\nDavid Schildkraut – alto saxophone\nHorace Silver – piano\nPercy Heath – bass\nKenny Clarke – drums\n\nTrack #2, 3 and 5 (March 15, 1954)\nMiles Davis – trumpet\nHorace Silver – piano\nPercy Heath – bass\nArt Blakey – drums\n\nTrack #4, 6, 7 and 8 (May 19, 1953)\nMiles Davis – trumpet\nJohn Lewis – piano (6, 7, 8)\nCharles Mingus – piano (4)\nPercy Heath – bass\nMax Roach – drums\n\nReferences\n\n1956 compilation albums\nMiles Davis albums\nPrestige Records compilation albums\nAlbums recorded at Van Gelder Studio\nAlbums produced by Ira Gitler\nAlbums produced by Bob Weinstock\nInstrumental albums"
] |
[
"Weather Report",
"1970: Inception and formation",
"How does that effect us",
"I don't know.",
"do you think the weather is normal",
"I don't know.",
"is miles davis widely known",
"composers"
] |
C_54c9e0273f1c46e2a10d245abac9c168_1
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was some one else in this band
| 4 |
Besides Miles Davis, was some one else in Weather Report?
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Weather Report
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Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter had first met and become friends in 1959 while they were playing in Maynard Ferguson's Big Band. Zawinul went on to play with Cannonball Adderley's group in the 1960s, while Shorter joined Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers and then, in 1964, Miles Davis' second great quintet. During this decade, both men made names for themselves as being among the best composers in jazz. Zawinul later joined Shorter in contributing to the initial fusion music recordings of Miles Davis, and both men were part of the studio groups, which recorded the key Davis albums In a Silent Way (1969) and Bitches Brew (1970). In consequence, Weather Report has often been seen as a spin-off from the Miles Davis bands of the late 1960s and early 1970s, although Zawinul was never part of Davis's touring line-up. Weather Report was initially formed to explore a more impressionistic and individualistic music (or, as Zawinul put it, "away from all that eight bars shit and then you go to the bridge...") Zawinul and Shorter recruited another Miles Davis associate, the classically trained Czech-born bass player Miroslav Vitous, who had previously played with Zawinul, as well as with Herbie Mann, Bob Brookmeyer, Stan Getz, and Chick Corea (Vitous has subsequently claimed that in fact Shorter and he had founded Weather Report, with Shorter bringing in Zawinul afterwards.) All three men composed, and formed the core of the project. To complete the band, the trio brought in former McCoy Tyner drummer Alphonse Mouzon and set about looking for a full-time auxiliary percussionist as they began to record their debut album. The initial recruits were session player Don Alias and symphony orchestra percussionist Barbara Burton. During recording, Alias quarreled with Zawinul (allegedly due to Zawinul being too dictatorial over the percussion approach) and the innovative Brazilian percussionist Airto Moreira (yet another Davis alumnus) was brought in to complete the record. John McLaughlin was also invited to join the group, but decided to pursue his solo career, instead. CANNOTANSWER
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Zawinul
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Weather Report was an American jazz fusion band active from 1970 to 1986. The band was founded (and initially co-led) by Austrian keyboard player Joe Zawinul, American saxophonist Wayne Shorter, and Czech bassist Miroslav Vitouš. Other prominent members at various points in the band's lifespan included Jaco Pastorius, Alphonso Johnson, Victor Bailey, Chester Thompson, Peter Erskine, Airto Moreira, and Alex Acuña. Throughout most of its existence, the band was a quintet consisting of Zawinul, Shorter, a bass guitarist, a drummer, and a percussionist.
The band started as a free improvising jazz group with avant-garde and experimental electronic leanings (pioneered by Zawinul); when Vitouš left Weather Report (due mostly to creative disagreements), Zawinul increasingly steered the band towards a funky, edgy sound incorporating elements of R&B and native musics from around the world. Zawinul used the latest developments in synthesizer technology, and took advantage of a large variety of sounds and tone colors to make the band stand out. During the first half of their career, Weather Report were seen as one of the defining acts in modern jazz, winning the DownBeat "best album award" five times in a row.
Alongside bands such as Mahavishnu Orchestra, Return to Forever, Herbie Hancock's Headhunters (all with members inspired by and partially responsible for the fusion-era work of Miles Davis), Weather Report is widely considered one of the defining bands of the jazz fusion genre.
Musical style
Over their 16-year career, Weather Report explored various areas of music, predominantly centered on jazz (initially the "free" variety), but also incorporating elements of art music, ethnic music, R&B, funk, and rock. While their work was categorized as "jazz fusion", the band members generally distanced themselves from that term.
From the start, Weather Report took the unusual approach of abandoning the traditional "soloist/accompaniment" demarcation of straight-ahead jazz and featured opportunities for continuous improvisation by every member of the band. That position remained consistent throughout the life of the band. From the point where Alphonso Johnson joined the band, individual solos became more prominent in concert, but were never allowed to overwhelm the collective approach. Initially, the band's music featured an improvisational method (similar to Miles Davis's Bitches Brew-period), but eventually that shifted to a more groove-oriented approach, and catchier compositions (as epitomized by their 1977 hit single "Birdland").
Joe Zawinul's playing style was often dominated by quirky melodic improvisations (simultaneously bebop-, ethnic-, and pop-sounding) combined with sparse but rhythmic big-band chords or bass lines. Having originally made his name as a pioneering electric piano player, he went on to consistently develop the role of the synthesizer in jazz during his time with Weather Report. Working with companies such as ARP and Oberheim, Zawinul developed new ways of voicing and patching electronic tones for textures, ensemble roles (including emulations of traditional band instruments) and soloing. In Weather Report, he often employed a vocoder, as well as recorded sounds played (i.e., filtered and transposed) through a synthesizer, creating a very distinctive, often beautiful, synthesis of jazz harmonics and "noise" (which he referred to as "using all the sounds the world generates"). On some Weather Report tunes, however, Zawinul was criticized for allowing his synthesized arrangements to dominate the sound.
Wayne Shorter came to the group with a reputation as a dominant role as an instrumentalist, drawn from both his solo work and his contributions to Miles Davis' "second great quintet" during the 1960s. His choice not to follow the same approach with Weather Report led to some criticism of the group. During his time with Weather Report, Shorter was noted for generally playing saxophone with an economical, "listening" style. Rather than continually taking the lead, he generally added subtle harmonic, melodic, and/or rhythmic complexity by responding to other member's improvisations (although he could and did sometimes exercise a more frenetic style akin to that of John Coltrane or Michael Brecker). As a composer, he chose a more abstract, sometimes atonal and "free jazz" style of music, opposed to the sometimes flamboyant melodicism of the tunes written by Zawinul or Pastorius. Playing both tenor and soprano saxophones, Shorter continued to develop the role of the latter instrument in jazz, taking his cue from previous work by Coltrane, Sidney Bechet, Lucky Thompson, and Steve Lacy.
Weather Report maintained a consistent interest in a textured sound and developments in music technology and processing. Both Zawinul and original bassist Miroslav Vitouš experimented with electronic effects pedals (as generally used by rock guitarists) with Zawinul using them on electric piano and synthesizers and Vitouš on his upright bass (which he frequently bowed through distortion to create a second horn-like voice). The band's third bass player, Jaco Pastorius, popularized the use of fretless bass guitar, melodic bass soloing and extensive use of string harmonics, as well as consolidating the driving R&B pulse in the band's music (which had been brought in by his predecessor Alphonso Johnson).
With the exception of a brief quartet period between 1978 and 1979 (wherein other members could double on various percussion instruments), Weather Report's instrumentation always included both a drummer and a percussionist. For its first eight years of existence, the group had difficulty finding a permanent drummer, moving through about one drummer per year until Jaco Pastorius helped to recruit Peter Erskine in 1978. Erskine and Omar Hakim were the only drummers who played with Weather Report for more than two years.
History
1970: Inception and formation
Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter had first met and become friends in 1959 while they were playing in Maynard Ferguson's Big Band. Zawinul went on to play with Cannonball Adderley's group in the 1960s, while Shorter joined Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers and then, in 1964, Miles Davis' second great quintet. During this decade, both men made names for themselves as being among the best composers in jazz.
Zawinul later joined Shorter in contributing to the initial fusion music recordings of Miles Davis, and both men were part of the studio groups that recorded the key Davis albums In a Silent Way (1969) and Bitches Brew (1970). Weather Report was initially formed to explore a more impressionistic and individualistic music (or, as Zawinul put it, "away from all that eight bars shit and then you go to the bridge...").
There's some dispute over how Weather Report initially formed. According to Zawinul, it began when he and Shorter recruited another Miles Davis associate, the classically trained Czech-born bass player Miroslav Vitouš, who had previously played with each of them separately (as well as with Herbie Mann, Bob Brookmeyer, Stan Getz, and Chick Corea). According to Vitouš himself, it was he and Shorter who actually founded Weather Report, with Shorter bringing in Zawinul afterwards. Whichever story is true, it was those three musicians – all composers – who formed the initial core of the project.
To complete the band, Zawinul, Shorter and Vitouš brought in former McCoy Tyner drummer Alphonse Mouzon and began recording their debut album while looking for a full-time auxiliary percussionist. The initial recruits were session percussion player Don Alias and symphony orchestra percussionist Barbara Burton. During recording, Alias quarreled with Zawinul (allegedly due to Zawinul being too dictatorial over the percussion approach) and the innovative Brazilian percussionist Airto Moreira (yet another Davis alumnus) was brought in to complete the record. Guitarist John McLaughlin was also invited to join the group, but decided to pursue his solo career, instead.
1971–1972: Avant-garde collective
Weather Report's debut album Weather Report featured a softer sound than would be the case in later years, predominantly using acoustic bass, with Shorter exclusively playing soprano saxophone. It built on the avant-garde experiments which Zawinul and Shorter had pioneered with Miles Davis on Bitches Brew, including an avoidance of head-and-chorus composition in favor of continuous rhythm and movement. DownBeat magazine described the album as "music beyond category".
In 1972, Weather Report released its second album, I Sing the Body Electric. The first side featured new studio recordings, while the second side was taken from live recordings of a concert in Tokyo, featuring the full-band lineup of Zawinul, Shorter, Vitouš, Gravatt, and Um Romão (and later available in full as the 1972 Japan-only double album Live in Tokyo). The studio side used extended versions of the band including various guest performers, suggesting that Weather Report was not necessarily an integral jazz band, but might possibly work as an expandable project set up to realise the music of its three composers. The album also featured Zawinul's first use of a synthesizer (an instrument with which he would become synonymous within jazz) and of sound effects.
I Sing the Body Electric also showed the first signs of a shift in the balance of control within the band, away from the more collective approach of the debut album. During the following year, this tendency would develop further.
1973: Move towards groove
On 1973's Sweetnighter, Weather Report began to abandon the primarily acoustic group improvisation format, and the band started to take a new direction. Primarily at Zawinul's instigation, Weather Report became more jazz funk- and groove-oriented, drawing more heavily on R&B influences and dense electric keyboard work while adding more structure to both the prewritten and the improvisational sections.
Gravatt took his replacement in the studio sessions badly and quit the band at the end of recording, moving to Minneapolis to join the band Natural Life. Many years later, Zawinul paid tribute to Gravatt's skills and stated that he had been the finest of the band's "pure jazz" drummers as well as being "from the jazz side... my favorite of them all". With Gravatt gone and Dwellingham unavailable for touring, former Sly & the Family Stone drummer Greg Errico played on the Sweetnighter tour, but did not stay with the band afterwards.
At this point, Vitouš and Zawinul found themselves at creative loggerheads, since the former preferred Weather Report's original approach and the latter wished to continue further along the road to funk. Retrospectively, Zawinul accused Vitouš of being unable to play funk convincingly (something which Greg Errico corroborated) and claimed that he had not provided enough music for the band. Vitouš countered that he had in fact brought in compositions, but that Zawinul had been unable to play them. Vitouš has also accused Zawinul of having been "a first-class manipulator" primarily interested in commercial success. When Shorter sided with Zawinul, the original three-man partnership broke down acrimoniously and Vitouš left Weather Report, moving on to an illustrious career leading his own band and winning respect as a composer. His final contribution to Weather Report was to play bass on a single track, which appeared on the band's 1974 album Mysterious Traveller ("American Tango", which he had co-written with Zawinul).
Vitouš' departure marked the end of the first phase of Weather Report and the shift of overall creative dominance of the band to Josef Zawinul, although Shorter remained an integral, influential, and vital part of the project. Vitouš has subsequently accused both Zawinul and Shorter of having used foul play to edge him out of the band, to deny the scale of his contribution to Weather Report's history and creative approach, and to cheat him out of remuneration.
1974–1975: Further into groove
Vitouš' replacement was the Philadelphian electric bass guitarist Alphonso Johnson (formerly a sideman for the pop-fusion player Chuck Mangione). Recruited by Shorter, Johnson was a supple player more than capable of providing the funk element which Zawinul desired. He was also an early advocate of the Chapman Stick, which he can be heard playing on some of the live Weather Report recordings of the period.
According to Zawinul, Wilburn apparently "lost heart" on tour (despite performing well in the studio). To shore up the music, the band hired another drummer, Darryl Brown, to play alongside him. At the end of the tour, both Wilburn and Brown left the band (as did Dom Um Romão) and Weather Report was, once again, drummerless.
For the next set of studio sessions, Weather Report added a new Brazilian percussionist (Alyrio Lima) and a new drummer – Chuck Bazemore of The Delfonics.
The new album, Tale Spinnin', was released in 1975. It was the first Weather Report album to feature a consistent rhythm section (rather than a varied set of drummers, percussionists, and bass players) since their debut. The album also made further strides in using technological improvements in synthesizers, even making use of the gigantic studio-based TONTO array.
During the same year, Shorter also recorded Native Dancer under his own name (with the Brazilian composer and vocalist Milton Nascimento). Tale Spinnin won the DownBeat best album award for 1975 (the third Weather Report album to do so) and Native Dancer was the runner-up.
1976: In transition
1976's Black Market album was perhaps the most rock-oriented work which the group had produced to date. Weather Report's music had evolved further from open-ended funk jams into more melody-oriented, concise forms, which also offered a greater mass-market appeal. Zawinul further consolidated his use of keyboard synthesizers, while Shorter experimented with an early form of wind synthesizer, the Lyricon.
However, the album was recorded during yet another period of change for the group, with multiple personnel shuffles. Although Alyrio Lima played percussion on one track, he was replaced during the sessions by Don Alias (his first appearance with the group since the debut album debacle) and by Alex Acuña (a Peruvian drummer and conga player based in Las Vegas, who had played with Elvis Presley and Ike Turner, among others). Alphonso Johnson was also worn out from the strain put on the rhythm by the band's frequent changes of drummer. During a break in activity halfway through the recording of Black Market, Johnson opted to leave Weather Report to play with the Billy Cobham/George Duke Band (which featured a young John Scofield on guitar).
Prior to his departure, Johnson played on all but two of the new album's tracks. His replacement was Jaco Pastorius, a virtuoso fretless bass guitarist from Florida, who had been in touch with Zawinul for several years, and who came in to play on "Cannon Ball" and his own composition "Barbary Coast". Zawinul and Shorter had assumed that Chester Thompson would be departing alongside his friend Johnson, and for the second set of sessions they replaced him (on Pastorius' recommendation) with the former Mahavishnu Orchestra drummer Narada Michael Walden. Although Walden played on several album tracks, he ultimately proved unsuitable. Thompson returned for the final Black Market sessions, but left again after failing to gel as a rhythm section with Pastorius (whose style was much busier than that of Johnson). Thompson subsequently joined Genesis as their touring drummer.
Black Market continued Weather Report's ongoing run of success, selling well and being the fourth of the band's albums to win the album of the year award from DownBeat magazine. For the subsequent tour, Alex Acuña moved from percussion to the drum kit, and Don Alias was replaced by the young Puerto Rican percussionist Manolo Badrena, who had previously played with various Latin rock bands and with Art Blakey. The band made a very well-received appearance in July at the Montreux Jazz Festival 1976, which was filmed for future release.
1977–1979: Jazz-rock stars
The recruitment of Jaco Pastorius helped to push Weather Report to the height of its popularity. Already a rising star in his own right, Pastorius brought a very musical, melodic quality to the bass. He could play muscular, lightning-fast groove lines influenced by R&B or funk, as well as demonstrating an extraordinary solo control of tone and string harmonics, often sounding more like a horn player. Pastorius was also a multi-instrumentalist (contributing drums, steel pan, and mandocello to the latest recording sessions), a gifted composer (eventually responsible for some signature Weather Report pieces such as "Teen Town" and "Three Views of a Secret"), and a useful production foil for Zawinul due to his knowledge of recording studios and techniques. Finally, Pastorius' stagecraft and aggressive showmanship helped the band to bring in a new audience.
The band's next album was 1977's acclaimed Heavy Weather, which proved to be the band's most successful recording in terms of sales, while still retaining wide critical acclaim. It contained the band's biggest hit, the propulsive and danceable "Birdland" (highlighting Pastorius' singing bass lines and Zawinul's synthesized ensemble brass), which became a pop hit and later became a jazz standard. Weather Report appeared on the Burt Sugarman-produced series The Midnight Special, performing both "Birdland" and "Teen Town". Heavy Weather dominated Weather Report's disc awards, including their last DownBeat Album of the Year award.
During this period, Pastorius' strong professional connection with Joni Mitchell (for whom he played bass throughout the latter half of the 1970s) led to another musical connection. Over the next few years, Mitchell hired the Weather Report line-up en masse (although without Zawinul in each case) to play on her studio albums Don Juan's Reckless Daughter (1977) and Mingus (1979).
During August 1978 the band joined Maurice White's vanity label ARC at Columbia. At the time they were once again without either a full-time drummer and percussionist, with Alex Acuña having returned to Las Vegas for a career as a studio musician and Manolo Badrena having been fired for "non-musical reasons". Shorter had been focusing most of his attention and compositional ideas into his solo work, while Zawinul was sketching out ideas for a solo album of his own, which involved moving away from a raw group sound in favor of constructing a far more orchestrated and experimental studio-based recording with multiple overdubs. However, Weather Report's contract and work schedule required another album, so Zawinul's solo work was absorbed into what became Weather Report's eighth album, Mr. Gone (1978).
The studio sessions made use of a variety of drummers – Pastorius played the kit on two tracks and further contributions came from Tony Williams, Steve Gadd, and Peter Erskine (the latter an ex-Stan Kenton/Maynard Ferguson drummer recruited to the project by Pastorius). Erskine became a full member of the band for the next tour and remained with Weather Report until 1982. The album also featured guest appearances from Deniece Williams and Earth Wind and Fire leader Maurice White.
The album rose to No. 1 on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart.
Notoriously, Mr. Gone (1978) received only a one-star review rating from DownBeat after a string of group releases which had all pulled a five-star rating. The group arranged for a rebuttal interview with the magazine to defend their efforts. Zawinul and Pastorius were defiant in their responses to the interviewer, Shorter more philosophical, and Erskine the most reticent of the four.
By the late '70s, Weather Report was a quartet of Zawinul, Shorter, Pastorius, and Erskine, and (for the first time) had dispensed with the auxiliary percussionist role, which had been integral since the band's inception. Instead, all four members doubled on percussion at various points in live performances. Zawinul commented that this sleeker, less crowded sound provided more listening range and made the music less chaotic now that the band were focusing more on melody and harmony.
The larger scale and multimedia staging of the band's tours (complete with stagehands, laser and film projections) began to take on the kind of rock-star proportions mostly unknown in jazz circles. The 1979 double live album 8:30 (which won that year's Best Jazz Fusion Performance) was recorded on the Mr. Gone tour and captured the direct power and energy of this lineup of Weather Report. Zawinul would later describe this lineup as "one of the greatest bands of all time! That band was a hummer!"
Between March 2 and 4, 1979, Weather Report traveled to Havana, Cuba, to participate in the historic Havana Jam festival, a break in mutual Cuban/American political hostilities, which had American artists such as Stephen Stills, the CBS Jazz All-Stars, Bonnie Bramlett, Kris Kristofferson, Rita Coolidge, and Billy Joel play alongside Cuban artists such as Irakere, Pacho Alonso, Tata Güines, and Orquesta Aragón. Another featured performance was by the Trio of Doom (a short-lived teaming of Pastorius with John McLaughlin and Tony Williams). Weather Report's performance featured in Havana Jam '79, Ernesto Juan Castellanos' documentary celebrating the event.
1980–1982: A tighter arrangement
At the beginning of 1980, Pastorius recruited hand-drummer Robert Thomas Jr. (a fellow Floridan, with whom he had jammed previously) into the band. Thomas featured on the 1980 album Night Passage. A tighter and more traditional recording than previous releases, the record featured a more prominent role for Shorter, a strong element of bebop, and a nod to jazz's golden age via a high-speed cover of Duke Ellington's "Rockin' in Rhythm" (showing off Zawinul's pioneering and ever-increasing ability to create synthetic big-band sounds on his synthesizers).
By now, Pastorius was displaying signs of the mental instability and substance abuse problems that ultimately wrecked his career; and the close relationship he'd previously shared with Zawinul was becoming strained as Zawinul grew tired of Pastorius' showmanship onstage (beginning to feel that it detracted from the music). Towards the end of the year, Pastorius began working on his long-delayed second solo album (Word of Mouth) (1981) in New York, while Zawinul worked on new Weather Report material in California.
Weather Report's next album Weather Report (1982) – their second eponymous release following their 1971 debut – was recorded in 1981, although it was not released for another year. Zawinul's dominance as instrumentalist and composer (as well as group director) was even more pronounced on this album. Much of the band's music was increasingly written out rather than improvised. In the event, Pastorius spent more of his creative attention on the Word of Mouth project: his only writing for the Weather Report album being his contribution to a single, group-composed piece. Shorter (who only contributed one whole composition to the 1982 album beyond group-written work) was already taking a more philosophical approach. He later commented, "for a long time in Weather Report, I abstained. I elected not to do things."
Erskine's own commitment to Word of Mouth (and a subsequent summer commitment to Steps Ahead) meant that he, too, had to be replaced, while Robert Thomas Jr., was simply dismissed. Reduced to a duo, and with tour commitments looming, Zawinul and Shorter were obliged to quickly assemble a new band.
1982–1985: A new band
On the recommendation of Michał Urbaniak, Zawinul and Shorter recruited 23-year-old drummer Omar Hakim, a talented session player and multi-instrumentalist, who had played with a variety of musicians including Mike Mainieri, David Bowie, and Carly Simon. Hakim was immediately entrusted with recruiting the rest of the new lineup. Having failed to secure Marcus Miller as bass guitarist, he selected Victor Bailey (a recent graduate from the Berklee College of Music, with whom Hakim had played while backing Miriam Makeba). Hakim also recruited percussion/concertina player José Rossy, with whom he had worked in Labelle.
The new Weather Report went straight onto tour. The music developed on tour was later recorded for the 1983 album Procession, which showed the band beginning to make something of a return to the "world music" approach which it had pioneered in the mid-1970s, and featured a cameo appearance from The Manhattan Transfer.
Continuing with the same lineup, Weather Report recorded the Domino Theory album in 1984, with Hakim stepping into Jaco Pastorius' old role as Zawinul's co-producer. The album was Weather Report's first album to employ drum machines and samplers (the Emulator), deepening the band's involvement with cutting-edge music technology, and also featured a guest vocal from Carl Anderson.
Percussionist and singer Mino Cinélu replaced Rossy in the spring of 1984 and appeared on the band's video release Live in Japan (reissued on DVD in 2007). The same lineup played on 1985's Sportin' Life album, which included a cover of Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" and appearances by singers Bobby McFerrin and Carl Anderson. In keeping with Zawinul's technological curiosity, the album heralded the arrival of MIDI, which allowed him to rapidly and inexpensively write, demonstrate, and record music via a set of synthesizers.
1986: Final split
Both Zawinul and Shorter were beginning to realise that the refreshing nature of other projects was more satisfying than Weather Report work, and both generally felt that the band had run its course.
In February 1986, the San Diego Union-Tribune announced that Shorter had left the band to concentrate on solo work. Having reluctantly agreed with Shorter that he would no longer use the band name, Zawinul then ended Weather Report. The final album under the Weather Report name, This is This!, was released in June 1986 and fulfilled the band's contract with Columbia Records. Two of its tracks featured guitar work from Carlos Santana, and it also marked the return of Peter Erskine on drums, with Hakim only appearing on one track.
1986–present: After Weather Report
Having split the band, Zawinul promptly attempted to reform it – after a fashion – as Weather Update. For this project, he reunited with recent Weather Report alumni Victor Bailey, Mino Cinélu, and Peter Erskine, but replaced Shorter with guitarist John Scofield. This lineup was short-lived, with Los Angeles session guitarist Steve Khan and former Weather Report percussionist Robert Thomas Jr. replacing Scofield and Cinélu prior to live appearances. Weather Update toured in 1986 and 1987 before Zawinul dissolved the band. From 1988 onwards, Zawinul went on to enjoy a successful nineteen-year career leading the world music/jazz ensemble The Zawinul Syndicate (which has continued, following Zawinul's death, as The Syndicate).
Rather than form another collective band, Wayne Shorter concentrated on his solo career and on work as a bandleader, which continues to the present day.
In spite of the band's enduring popularity, a Weather Report reunion never occurred. The nearest that the band ever came to reuniting was when Zawinul and Shorter both played live with Miles Davis on July 10, 1991, in Paris (the only time when Zawinul is known to have shared a live stage with Davis). A projected mid-'90s reunion CD for Verve never materialized; according to Zawinul, disappointing sales for Shorter's 1995 CD High Life may have played a part in ending the idea.
Five of the band's members have since died. Zawinul himself died on September 11, 2007, in Vienna from skin cancer (Merkel cell carcinoma). He was predeceased by mid-period bass player Jaco Pastorius, who died on September 21, 1987, following a fatal beating in his hometown of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Pastorius' successor on bass guitar, Victor Bailey, died on November 11, 2016 (apparently from complications from Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). Alphonse Mouzon, the first drummer, died on December 25, 2016 from cardiac arrest after neuroendocrine cancer. Dom Um Romão, the group's drummer from 1971 to 1974, died in 2005 aged 79.
Lineups
Timeline
Releases since the band's breakup
A "post band" Weather Report double CD called Live and Unreleased was made available in 2002, featuring vintage live recordings made during the late 1970s/early 1980s with various personnel. In September 2006, Columbia/Legacy released a Weather Report boxed set, Forecast: Tomorrow. It includes three CDs of mostly previously released material (from 1970 to 1985, excluding This is This!) and a DVD of the entire September 28, 1978, performance (with Erskine and Pastorius) in Offenbach, Germany, not previously available. A DVD video of the 1976 Montreux Jazz Festival performance (featuring the Heavy Weather lineup of Pastorius, Acuna, and Badrena) has become available, as well. Columbia/Legacy have also re-released the 1984 Live in Japan concert on DVD.
In 2011, the Zawinul estate, in conjunction with an independent label, released a 40th-anniversary commemorative trilogy of previously unavailable Weather Report live shows: In March Live in Berlin 1975 was released both on vinyl and as a CD/DVD set; in June the Live in Offenbach 1978 DVD was re-released together with a previously unavailable double CD of the complete show; in October Live in Cologne 1983 was released as both DVD and double CD.
Grammy Awards
The Grammy Awards are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States. Weather Report has won one Grammy from six nominations.
|-
!1972
|"I Sing The Body Electric"
|Best Jazz Performance by a Group
|
|-
!1979
|"8:30"
|Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal or Instrumental
|
|-
!1981
|"Night Passage"
|Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal or Instrumental
|
|-
!1982
|"Weather Report"
|Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal or Instrumental
|
|-
!1983
|"Procession"
|Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal or Instrumental
|
|-
!1985
||"Sportin' Life"
|Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal or Instrumental
|
Discography
Studio albums
References
External links
Weather Report's official website www.WeatherReportMusic.com
Weather Report biography by Richard S. Ginell, discography and album reviews, credits & releases at AllMusic
The Weather Report Annotated Discography
Weather Report discography, album releases & credits at Discogs
Weather Report albums to be listened on Spotify
Weather Report albums to be listened on YouTube
Musical groups established in 1970
Musical groups disestablished in 1986
Jazz fusion ensembles
American jazz ensembles from New York City
Musical groups from New York City
Grammy Award winners
Jazz musicians from New York (state)
| true |
[
"The Cranberries were an Irish rock band formed in Limerick in 1989, originally under the name The Cranberry Saw Us. Although widely associated with alternative rock, the band's sound incorporates post-punk and rock elements. Since their formation, The Cranberries have released eight studio albums, six EPs, and 22 singles (including two re-releases).\n\nThe Cranberries rose to international fame with their debut album Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?, which became a commercial success and was certified Platinum in Australia, 2× platinum in Britain and 5× platinum in the US. Their next studio album No Need to Argue gave the band the hit single \"Zombie\" and was their best-selling studio album. The band has achieved one number-one album on the UK Albums Chart (Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?), and two number one singles on the Modern Rock Tracks chart (\"Zombie\") and (\"Salvation\"). The album Roses was released on 27 February 2012. Their next album, Something Else, covering earlier songs together with the Irish Chamber Orchestra, was released on 28 April 2017. Their eighth and final studio album, In The End, was released on 26 April 2019.\n\nThe group covered \"(They Long to Be) Close to You\" on the 1994 tribute album, If I Were a Carpenter.\n\nAlbums\n\nStudio albums\n\nNotes\nA Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We? was remastered and re-released with exclusive bonus tracks in 2018.\n\nCompilation albums\n\nLive albums\n\nExtended plays\n\nSingles\n\nPromotional singles\n\nVideography\n\nMusic videos\n\nReferences\n\nDiscography\nDiscographies of Irish artists\nRock music group discographies\nAlternative rock discographies",
"\"Used to Be in Love\" is a song by Australian indie-pop band The Jungle Giants. It was released in March 2018 as the fourth and final single from the band's third studio album Quiet Ferocity. The single was certified platinum in Australia in December 2019.\n\nBand member Sam Hales said \"When we first recorded this song it wasn't even a dance song. The song was being super stubborn and I told it, 'If you don't want to get on the bus and go to the beach with everyone else then you can stay at home.' But then we put a 4x4 dance pattern in the song and it became something else entirely.\"\n\nAt the Queensland Music Awards of 2019, \"Used to Be in Love\" won Rock Song of the Year.\n\nTrack listing\nDigital download\n \"Used to Be in Love\" – 3:42\n\nCertifications\n\nReferences\n\n2017 songs\n2018 singles\nThe Jungle Giants songs"
] |
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