The Victor Brooks Show

A true Chicago native. Charles McCoy is affectionately and professionally known as Mr. Charles... Hairstylist To The Stars. His work has been seen in fashion magazines, music videos, album covers and he is a sought after stylist that is in high demand at video shoots and award shows like the Oscar Awards, Emmy Awards, Grammy Awards, Image Awards, and Soul Train Awards. This Master "Sizzor Wizard" learned the ropes from watching his esteemed Mother ... a true Chicago socialite...as a kid, who owned one of the most respected Hair Salons in Chicago.

Mr. Charles grew up in an upper middle class environment. His mother and father were black business owners and Chicago movers and shakers. Mr. Charles and his family... eventually moved to Los Angeles where they set up a number of successful Hair Salons... which immediately attracted celebrities and top clients. Mr. Charles served our country in the Coast Guard, he has developed his own line of hair products and he takes pride in his grandchildren... that carry the smooth "good looking" McCoy Trademark.

Tremendously Mr. Charles is also a cancer survivor. In 2019... Mr. Charles was hospitalized... undergoing, several extensive operations... At which... during those procedures... he flat lined 4 times. Doctors call him a "Walking Miracle" because somehow only by God's grace he survived all 4 of the flat lines.

Mr. Charles' personal life journey has been full of ups and downs, crazy turn arounds and most of all GAME CHANGES.Today he is busy working on a captivating book... that will display his life's journey... as well as describe his INCREDIBLE experience with death... detailing what he saw and felt when he flat lined...

The Chicago native is also creating a brand new social media platform, which will feature his hair techniques and spotlight celebrity clients. Mr. Charles' personal life journey has been full of ups and downs, crazy turn arounds and most of all GAME CHANGES. Mr. Charles... continues to inspire and guide young people who hope to work in Hollywood. He has kept his Mother's legacy alive by carrying the family torch upholding the McCoy name as a GOAT in the hair industry.

Mr. Charles... has more than 30 years under his belt..as a hairstylist trendsetter... and as he reflects on his life journey he makes one thing clear. He is thankful to STILL BE ALIVE... and when it comes to The journey of MR CHARLES... The Best Is Yet To Come.

It was a true honor to welcome my father Pastor Victor Brooks Sr. to The Victor Brooks Show for Father's Day. Dad shared memories of growing up in Baltimore Md, his college and professional life, his career as a minister, pioneering the foster care program of Youthville USA in Memphis, Tennessee and continuing the efforts in South Central Los Angeles. Pastor Brooks's life journey has truly been dedicated to the civil rights of others, family and the importance of taking his ministry to the streets, not only in the pulpit. He talks of his times with Martin Luther King, Muhammad Ali, Nina Simone and others as a partnership for equality and change for so many.

The passage of time has seen Cameo maintain an outstanding presence through the years with their signature style and unique sound, even as the music business has continually changed. They have been sampled and covered by multiple artists over the years, and Tomi is co-writer of some of Cameo’s hugest hits including Single Life, Back and Forth, Talking Out the Side of Your Neck, She’s Strange, Candy, and monster world-wide hit (also nominated for a Grammy) Word Up.

Cameo's Artistry is played on the radio to this day, and is a quintessential cultural shout-out on the now widely used phrase ‘word up’, which is still a part of New York Hip-Hop culture’s vernacular expressions. Cameo has truly been part of the backbone of Black music history in America, and Tomi graciously shared with us the groups’ origins and his own amazing experiences with Cameo, and in the music business.

Singer/bassist/guitarist/songwriter Janice Marie Johnson, as a founding member of A Taste of Honey, sang lead on the million-selling hits "Boogie Oogie Oogie" and a cover of Kyu Sakamoto's 1963 gold hit "Sukiyaki." The group won the 1978 Grammy for Best New Artist. The number one R&B/pop "Boogie Oogie Oogie" was used in a national TV ad campaign by fast food chain Burger King during summer 1999. The track has also been sampled by hip-hop and rap groups MC Lyte, Mac 10, and others. Johnson also sang background vocals on Lionel Richie's ten-million-selling LP Can't Slow Down. Capitol Records released as a part of their Double Shot series a two-album single CD that included the group's debut album, A Taste of Honey (includes a 12" remix of "Boogie Oogie Oogie") and Twice As Sweet (includes "Sukiyaki") in January 2000.

The Los Angeles native, whose father was a musician, started playing music as a small child. Growing up, Johnson sang in L.A.-area jazz clubs, opening for Miles Davis, among others. While attending college she began playing bass. About 1971, Johnson met keyboardist Percy Kibble while auditioning for a vacation cruise gig with Princess Cruises lines, and the two started a band using the title of one of their favorite songs, "A Taste of Honey," as the band's moniker. Adding guitarist Hazel Payne and drummer Donald Johnson, they began playing Southern California bars and military bases in the U.S. and abroad.

After meeting with producers Fonce Mizell (formerly of the Motown songwriting/arranging/producing collective The Corporation that had hits with the Jackson 5's "I Want You Back," "ABC," and "The Love You Save") and his brother Larry Mizell who had success with LTD ("Love Ballad"), the group was signed to Capitol Records by Larkin Arnold after meeting him after a performance at the wedding of Smokey Robinson's bass player.

While playing before a staring, apathetic audience during a gig at an airbase in San Bernardino, CA, Johnson improvised these lyrics: "If you're thinking that you're too cool to boogie/we've got news for you/everyone here tonight must boogie/and you are no exception to the rule." The infamous bass solo intro on "Boogie Oogie Oogie" came about when Johnson was warming up before the recording session unaware that she was being recorded. The single "Boogie Oogie Oogie" b/w "World Spin" sold more than two million copies, and topped Billboard's charts at number one R&B/pop for three weeks in fall 1978. After the huge success of "Boogie Oogie Oogie," Johnson detested the group being labeled as a "disco group," but that would change later in a big way. The follow-up single, the slinky funky "Do It Good" b/w "I Love You" went to number 13 R&B in summer 1979. The A Taste of Honey album went platinum, going to number six pop in summer 1978.

A Taste of Honey was a favorite in Japan long before signing with Capitol, having traveled there to play military bases and entering the Yamaha Song Festival. One of Johnson's favorite records was Kyu Sakamoto's "Sukiyaki." After hearing Linda Ronstadt's version of Smokey's "Oo Baby Baby," Johnson decided that the group (now Johnson and Payne) should do a remake of a classic song. Contacting her Japanese subpublisher who in turn contacted the original writers, Rokusuke EI and Hachidai Nakamura, to get permission to redo the song with English lyrics. After employing two translators, one of which came up with lyrics that were close to the bittersweet theme of the original song title, which translated into English as "I Look Up When I Walk (To Keep the Tears From Falling)," Johnson decided to add her own original lyrics to the song.

Dr H. Jean Wright ll is a highly experienced, professionally trained Clinical and Forensic Psychologist in the city of Philadelphia, PA. The seasoned psychologist of more than seventeen years currently serves as an administrator for the city and Adjunct Professor, Temple University Department of Psychology. Dr. Wright leads the city’s cross-system collaboration initiative, working with criminal justice stakeholders within the adult criminal justice system to enhance the delivery of behavioral health services for people in recovery involved in the justice system. With the assistance of a dynamic team, Dr. Wright was able to usher in a more cohesive relationship between the Department of Behavioral Health and Justice Partners. As a result, the lines of communication improved, as well as the efficiency, and provided a wide range of opportunities for citizens returning from incarceration.

Prior to his current responsibilities; Dr. Wright served as Associate Director of Clinical Management for the city’s non-profit managed care organization, where he had the awesome responsibility of overseeing clinical care managers and staff stationed at Family Court. Dr. Wright also served as Clinical Director of the Juvenile Justice initiative, within the Philadelphia Behavioral Health System and Program Director for city’s Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) initiative, which is one of Philadelphia’s signature public health education initiatives. Before coming to Philadelphia; Dr. Wright served as a clinical and forensic psychologist in the State of Ohio’s Rehabilitation and Correction System, maintained a caseload in private practice, and adjunct professor at Wilberforce University, the oldest historically black college in the United States.

Dr. Wright has actively participated on several boards including The Mayor’s Task Force on Reintegration, The Mayor’s Advisory Task Force on Gaming, The Philadelphia Board of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, The American Bar Association Barriers Project, and Youthville USA, Inc. Board of Directors, where he was Clinical Director of Therapeutic Foster Care Group Homes, in Raleigh, NC. Currently, he is a member of the American Psychological Association serving on Division 41, American Psychology-Law and Society Continuing Education committee, as well as a member of Division 36, Society for Psychology of Religion and Spirituality.

Using his extensive knowledge from years of experience, Dr. Wright has contributed to psychological research and literature with several papers and articles focusing on people of color and the effects of depression and anxiety. He has written several articles published in journals, educational newsletters, and faith-based magazines, including The Education Highway, Healthy Horizons, The Pacific Press, and The Lake Union Herald, where his contribution focused on the connection between psychology, faith, and spirituality.

Dr. Wright recently completed a book: Find Strength In Your Struggle: Discover The Miracle In You, which highlights his concept of “spiritual depression” and how it impacts the spiritual core of people from all walks of life. He also spends considerable time conducting seminars, workshops, and trainings on a variety of topics related to behavioral health and wellness, public health education, and trauma-informed care, for a diverse group of clientele, including law enforcement, rehabilitation and correction, academic institutions, Judicial Appointees, faith-based organizations, and community service agencies providing behavioral health resources and support to people in recovery in the Common Wealth of Pennsylvania and throughout the United States.

It is truly and honor to welcome a television and entertainment Icon, the legendary Marla Gibbs. Star of the Jeffersons and 227, Marla Gibbs also talks about her upbringing in Chicago and her move to Los Angeles. Marla gives us an insight into her passion to give back to her community and opening her music dinner club, Marla's Memory Lane. Ms., Gibbs reminds us all that "It's never to late to live your dreams.

Freda Payne, a true entertainment industry Icon, joins me for an intimate conversation of her career, growing up in the Detroit, her stories of the racism she faced in Las Vegas and performing with Duke Ellington, Pearl Bailey and Sammy Davis Jr.

The name, "Play", comes from his original MC name, "Playboy", which originated with a group called "Quicksilver and the Super Lovers",[1] which featured producer Hurby Luv Bug. It was with this group that he met Christopher "Kid" Reid, who was using the name "Kid Coolout" with a group called The Turnout Brothers. In time, all of the members of their respective groups moved on, and decided that they could work together as a duo. By shortening their nicknames, it would lead to the start of the group Kid 'n Play.

With Kid, Play recorded three successful albums and starred in four hip-hop based comedy films: House Party, House Party 2, Class Act, and House Party 3. After the duo split in 1995, Play became a born-again Christian and focused on Christian hip hop. Today, Play is the founder and CEO of HP4 Digital, a pre- and post-production multimedia company for film, digital media, and theater.

In 2010, Play starred as an undercover DEA agent in the independent film, The Return, which is currently in post-production and whose trailer can be seen on youtube.com.[2][3]

Play was also a judge for the 8th annual Independent Music Awards to support independent artists.[4] [5]

Personal life

Martin, who is also the cousin of Martin Lawrence and Hurby "Luv Bug" Azor, was born in Queens, New York. He is a graduate of the High School of Art and Design, in New York City. Martin has a son, Skyler Martin, with ex-wife Shari Headley (an actress best known for her role in the 1988 comedy Coming To America starring Eddie Murphy). The couple married in May 1993 and divorced in June 1995. Martin also has a child with his ex-girlfriend Janae Yvonne Jackson, named Vannessa Martin-Jackson, born in the 80's. Martin now resides in Durham, North Carolina, and was a hip hop teacher at North Carolina Central University until budget cuts forced the school to let him go in 2009. Upon learning of the firing, students began a petition for Martin to be given back the position, along with 9th Wonder. Martin also likes to devote time to the non-profit group Campaign 4 Change.

Victor shares an incredible and uplifting conversation, with these pioneers of Soul Music and R & B, The Whispers.

So proud and honored to present this intimate and very real conversation, with one of the music industry's most legendary Icons, Mr. Eddie Levert Of The O'Jays. Eddie gives his opinion on the topics of racism, spirituality, the music industry and we also hear his latest single; "Walking In The Spirit", as well as enjoy a "Zoom" performance of the O'Jays singing "Love Train".