Today, Bootsy Collins Foundation and Funk Not Fight announced Bootsy Collins has created an official theme song for the Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame*, the free, family-focused attraction founded by Hamilton County Board of Commissioners Alicia Reece, who helped raise $20 million publicly and privately raised funds for the project. The song features Penny Ford, Terry Troutman, Reggie Calloway, Vincent Calloway, Tnava Avant, alongside Bootsy Collins who performs bass, guitar, drums & vocals on the track. The song will be unveiled at a celebratory event hosted at the Cincinnati Black Music Walk Of Fame today, December 15, from 5.30-7.30pm, details below.

Listen HERE to "Cincinnati Black Music Walk Of Fame"

FUNK NOT FIGHT RALLY4 PEACE WEST COAST CHAPTER COMPTON: UNITING COMMUNITIES FOR A SAFER TOMORROW
Today the Bootsy Collins Foundation and Funk Not Fight announce their inaugural Funk Not Fight Rally4 Peace, in response to recent incidents of violence impacting our communities. This pivotal event is scheduled to take place on December 30, 2023, at the Victory Outreach Ministries Compton in the heart of Compton, CA 90221. The rally aims to address the pressing issue of violence affecting the lives of Compton residents, particularly the younger generation. With a focus on fostering positivity, engagement, and understanding, the event seeks to provide opportunities that will contribute to the well-being of the Compton community.

In celebration of this event, Bootsy Collins wrote the song "We Outta B' Funkin" - Listen HERE

The program promises to be both concise and impactful, bringing together community leaders, organizations, and individuals dedicated to creating a safer environment for our youth and families.

Speakers include: Patti Collins (Princess Pepperminte Patti), the wife of the illustrious and Iconic Bootsy Collins and President of the Bootsy Collins Foundation, Superior Court Judge, Kelvin D Filer, Mayor of the city of Compton, Emma Sharif, Victory Outreach Compton, Pastor Hector Monarrez, Faith in Christ Family Church, Pastor William Reddick, Psychologist Joseph Banks, NAACP Compton, Paulette Gipson President, NAEJA, Johnathan Taylor CFO, FA’ ATASIUA O USO’S Brotherhood...and more.

Location: Victory Outreach Ministries Compton, 4205 East Alondra Blvd., Compton CA 90221
Date: December 30, 2023
Time: 11 am - 4 pm

*MORE INFO ON CINCINNATI BLACK MUSIC WALK OF FAME
Commissioner Alicia grew up in the music industry and later served as the Deputy Director of Ohio Tourism. Her mother, Barbara Howard, was a recording artist, and her father, Steven Reece Sr., worked with Motown Records and helped to bring both the Beatles and Aretha Franklin to town for their first-ever Cincinnati dates. Built on a former lot filled with gravel and rocks, Reece called for the creation of a Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame to celebrate the legacy and untold stories of music artists, songwriters, producers, and musicians from Cincinnati, Hamilton County, and Southwest Ohio. Cincinnati was the home to pioneering label King Records, where a number of very early rock n’ roll, funk and R&B songs were cut by the likes of James Brown, Bootsy Collins, Otis Williams and Billboard Magazine was founded in the city in 1894.

This legacy includes the previously inducted Bootsy Collins, who is based in Cincinnati and helped put it on the musical map with his work with fellow Black Music Walk Of Fame inductee James Brown, alongside Bootsy’s work with Parliament-Funkadelic and later solo work. Other Cincinnati black music legends inducted including The Charms doo-wop singer Otis Williams, The Isley Brothers and Philippe Wynne, lead vocalist for The Spinners, Louise Shropshire, who penned the original lyrics to civil rights anthem “We Shall Overcome.” Other inductees include important local artists such as  Klymaxx/Snap! singer Penny Ford, funk group Midnight Star and hip-hop producer  Hi-Tek (50 Cent, Snoop Dogg) to name a few.

The Dedication & Induction Ceremony held in July 2023 featured a free live performance by Ohio Players, and the unveiling of the new official launch of the Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame with 4,000 people in attendance of the festivities. Since its launch, the exhibit has welcomed over 20,000 visitors and counting.

The permanent and free exhibit honors the city’s Black music legends of pop, rock, funk, gospel, hip-hop, jazz and classical music. It is an exhibit like no other, an international state-of-the-art, outdoor interactive permanent tourism attraction and exciting music corridor on the Ohio River Banks.

"From a gravel lot covered with rocks to becoming one of the greatest world-renowned outdoor Black music tourism attractions is historic.” Alicia stated, adding, “Through the interactive elements and use of the latest technology, we will connect our rich black music legacy as inspiration to the generations of future music legends to come. The historical part of this place is that African-American slaves lived in this flood plain and [the Hall of Fame] is across from Paycor Stadium, where the annual Cincinnati Music Festival takes place."

The Walk of Fame is lined with stars, commemorating different local legends and music pioneers. Every year a new class of artists is unveiled and added to the walk. Inductees are nominated by community members and selected by a special panel of judges. ‍The Cincinnati Black Walk of Fame utilizes AI technology to create an immersive experience. Visitors are able to sing along with some of Cincinnati’s music icons and haptic panels will let guests feel the music through vibrations. Each attraction features QR codes visitors can scan to learn more about the artists and listen to their music in real-time. There is a dance area and interactive kiosk with augmented reality experiences. According to Billboard, the feature called the “Beatmaker,” features “8 drum heads that interact with the lights and an adjacent fountain, acting like a kind of Simon Says game in which visitors follow Hi-Tek’s instructions to keep up with the music, as well as areas with three-minute video clips about each act and panels with the stories of local music influencers.”

For more information visit: https://www.cincyblackmusicwalkoffame.org/