Queer Black Cinema's QBC VISIONS 2007 (PT. I)
Sunday, June 17, 2007 (7PM- 1AM)
Luke & Leroy’s (formerly Crazy Nannies)
21 7th Avenue South
Tickets: $10.00 online; $15.00 at the door
www.queerblackcinema.org

Babs Bunny will host Queer Black Cinema’s QBC VISIONS Pride Benefit 2007. Bad Boy Entertainment’s hip hop princess will help QBC launch New York City’s Pride Week by premiering Christopher Street, America’s newest gay teen series and powerhouse live performances from today’s most notable LGBTQ artists. Scheduled to appear are Homorevolution Tour’s Shorty Roc, Siya, Tangarae, Jesse O and Steph, the Sapphic Songstress! The focus of QBC VISIONS 2007 is to raise developing funds for Queer Black Cinema’s first international film festival and promote HIV/AIDS prevention during June.! Tickets: $10.00 online; $15.00 at the door. For details regarding sponsorship, volunteering and tickets for the event, visit the QBC web site at www.queerblackcinema.org.

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READ MORE ABOUT QBC VISIONS 2007

To initiate the special night Queer Black CinemaTM will host the world premiere Christopher Street, America’s newest gay teen mini-series. A menagerie of Noah’s Arc and My So Called Life, Christopher Street explores the lives, loves, and relationships of four very diverse yet, loving close young men in New York City. Due to its amiable and complex characters, comedic plot and its ability to incorporate urban chic fashion and contemporary issues affecting LGBTQ teens (i.e./ homelessness, domestic violence, homophobia and HIV/AIDS) the series has been nicknamed the “Black gay Sex in the City” by its web followers. Already featured in CLIK, Bleu Magazine and this May’s The Advocate, QBC is proud to present such significant work to audience members of all ages. Executive producer and writer, Dwight O’ Neal, and the show’s phenomenal cast will be in attendance at QBC VISIONS Pride Benefit 2007. On Thursday June 21st, QBC will host an encore screening of Christopher Street at The NYC LGBT Community Center specifically for the youth. The creator, cast and crew will also be in attendance with special invited guest.

In 2003, Shorty Roc emerged on the music scene with his underground smash “Ten Gay Commandments”, his rendition of the classic DJ Premiere produced Biggie joint “Ten Crack Commandments”. Shorty has performed at gay clubs such as Langston’s, The Legendary Warehouse, The Clubhouse, and The Lab as well as Nuyorican Poets Café. He gained underground praise for his street delivery, catchy punch lines and his heavy performance. His first CD, “The Mixtape: Jackin’ Beats, which contained the classic, “This is My Quest”, which expressed the troubles of dating, society, and the growing rate of HIV/AIDS in the LGBTQ of color community. A participate in the gay hip-hop festival “Peace Out East” in NY and “Peace Out East” in Atlanta, Shorty also makes a guest appearance the documentary, How U Doing: Homophobia in Hip Hop. This year Shorty Roc will be releasing a new CD titled “Personal”, will be participating in the first ever LGBT tour “Homorevolution Tour” and will be performing for QBC VISIONS Pride Benefit 2007.

No stranger to the stage, Jesse O, born in Ghana and raised in the Bronx, has opened for Kelis and Sean Paul and is not afraid to sing and write about who he really is. On his debut CD, Exposure, nominated for an OUTMUSIC Award for Outstanding Debut Recording by a male, Jesse explores his sexuality and profoundly sheds the light. Exposure is performed, written, and produced entirely by Jesse, is a refreshing mix of pop, R&B, hip-hop, reggae, and tribal rhythms. It has received airplay on various radio programs including Pink Mafia Radio. Jesse O has headlined a variety of pride events all over the tri-state area and graced the stages of notable NYC venues such as Webster Hall and The Cuttin Room. Jesse is a conscious entertainer with a message. His song “My Brotha”, recently adopted, as an anthem by the support organization “Friends Offering Respect and Understanding for HIV” is a beautifully crafted ode to safer sex that has touched and inspired listeners.

The night will also feature the hip-hop beats of Bed-Stuyvesant’s own, Siya. The out and proud gay rapper is known for her stage presence at clubs like Lovergirl NYC and The Lab and has been proclaimed the “female TI” by her fans. Recently, the cover girl was featured in GO NYC Magazine and the Village Voice’s most newsworthy article, Girls to Men. This emerging star will make a special appearance in the upcoming documentary, Ready! Set! Flow! produced by QBC’s presenting sponsor- Our Stories Productions. With confident delivery and cunning lyrics, Siya’s proves that she not only can flow but she shines when teaming up with Tangarae to do a duet for the females. R & B sensation, Tangarae, will blow people away with her charm, sexiness and angelic voice. Singing songs from her sophomore self-titled album, Tangarae, the five-foot-two diva is reminiscent of soulful powerhouses like Mary J. Blige with an edgy attitude that rivals Kelis and Pink.

Innovative, sultry, genuine, unique - that is simply the tip of the iceberg that is Steph, The Sapphic Songstress. This "out" lesbian has all the essentials of an R & B master: the vocal ability, production prowess, creative writing style, and eccentricity. The content of her work is far from limited, touching subjects like spirituality, politics, personal conflicts, as well as the all-important subject of love and its many facets. Steph has not only performed at WOW Cafe, The Demarara, Club Speed, Opaline, and Stay. She’s also rocked the turntables at Temperamental. Steph is slated to soon release an EP entitled "Fulfillment: The EP" later this year. For those who have been waiting for another true R&B sensation, Steph will not let you down at QBC VISIONS Pride Benefit.

“QBC VISIONS is our way of showing what the best of QBC is about: “edu-tainment” or socially-conscious entertainment. We strive to show not only groundbreaking films but, feature Black LGBTQ artists and musicians with a mission and nonetheless soul. It means the world to us that these artists, straight and LGBTQ, have come on board to fully support QBC”, says Angel L. Brown, executive producer of QBC.

To honor Pride Week in New York City, QBC will celebrate with a night filled with live music performances, films and special guest appearances on June 17, 2007 at Luke & Leroy’s. Located on 21 Seventh Avenue South and Leroy Street doors open at 7 PM. Tickets are available online for $ 10.00 and more at the door. To learn more details about the series’ benefit and the event’s special host, Babs Bunny, sign up to QBC’s mailing list, qbcfilmseries@yahoogroups.com, or go to www.queerblackcinema.org | www.myspace.com/queerblackcinema.

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