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Will Downing Talks Longevity, Avoiding Trends and the Future of Music

Read Part I of our interview with Will Downing here. If the music industry were like the NBA, Will Downing would be like Vince Carter or Kevin Garnett — easily one of its longest-tenured members.  His career spans seven presidential administrations and predates smartphones, “The Simpsons,” and even Google — as a concept, company and […]
The post Will Downing Talks Longevity, Avoiding Trends and the Future of Music first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Read Part I of our interview with Will Downing here.

If the music industry were like the NBA, Will Downing would be like Vince Carter or Kevin Garnett — easily one of its longest-tenured members. 

His career spans seven presidential administrations and predates smartphones, “The Simpsons,” and even Google — as a concept, company and verb. 

But Downing’s brand of sophisticated soul continues to age impeccably. This was evident at a recent concert he headlined at the Country Club Hills Amphitheater. 

On that night, Downing enthralled his audience completely. Women in the crowd sang along to his most notable ballads, including his smoldering 1992 duet with Rachelle Ferrell, “Nothing Has Ever Felt Like This.” Quite a few belted out Ferrell’s parts and closed their eyes as Downing crooned to them from the stage.

In Part II of our interview with Downing, he talked about his longevity, not bowing to trends and the younger singers he sees as the future. He also shared why he’ll continue to make music but will probably never release another album. 

Chicago Defender: Thirty-six years and 26 albums. That’s an incredible run. I know you get asked this question all the time. But I have to know, what keeps you going in this business? What do you attribute to your longevity?

Will Downing: Well, they keep sending bills to my house.

CD: Hahahahaha.

Will Downing: They just keep sending them. Honestly, this is what I enjoy doing. I don’t fall into that mindset of stopping because you’re of a certain age or anything like that. It’s like if you have something to say and if you’re artistic, then get it out. 

CD: Yeah. 

Will Downing: So as long as ideas keep coming to me, I’m going to keep recording. I’m going to keep releasing music, but quality music. The joy of the internet today is that any and everybody can do that. So that’s the great part. 

It’s not like I’m down at a record company, and I’m waiting on them to give me a budget to record or they’re telling me it’s not a good time. The internet is one of the greatest things that’s ever been recorded. It’s also one of the worst things that has ever been recorded. But it’s also one of the best things at the same time because it gives everybody an opportunity to say what they want to say, the way they want to say it, without having restraints. 

Write better songs, sing them better, produce or have them produced better. That’s always my goal. But I stay in my lane.

And that’s why I keep recording. It’s like, If I want to do this type of song, then I’m going to release this type of song. If it sells, it sells. If it don’t, it don’t. 

You can’t just hold it in. It’s not like the days when you release an album, and then you wait five years before you release another one. 

Those days are over. People have this insatiable thing. They just want new, new, new every month, every two months, every three months. You give them something, and then you turn around and it’s, ‘What else do you got coming? And I’m like, ‘I just released something.’ (Laughter)

CD: Yeah, that’s crazy. That’s really crazy. There used to be anticipation for an album for those couple of years. It was something you savored when an album was finally released. 

Will Downing: It ain’t like that no more. It’s like, [him addressing a fan] ‘Hey man, ‘I just wrote this.’ [The fan responds] ‘Okay, cool. That was yesterday. What we doing today?’ 

You have got to reinvent yourself all the time. It sounds kind of crazy, but it’s true. 

CD: Correct me if I’m wrong. But you seem very intentional about not succumbing to musical trends. Was that intentional?

Will Downing: I think that you have to know who you are. And, if you do this long enough, people will tell you what they expect from you. At the same time, you’ll get to know who you are and your strengths and weaknesses. So, my goal in every project that I release is to accentuate the positive and just be better at my strengths.

Write better songs, sing them better, produce or have them produced better. That’s always my goal. But I stay in my lane.

I watched the BET Awards the other day. And I couldn’t identify with a great deal of the artists that were there. I’m not going to conform to try to be that even though I might think or other artists might think that, ‘Oh yeah, I sing better than him or her or these people.’

The thing is, this is their sound. It’s their time. You’re not going to become that because that’s not you. And once you come to that real realization, it makes life a lot easier.

Once you know that trap ain’t your thing, or the new R&B ain’t your thing or rap ain’t your thing, it’s like that ain’t my thing. There’s an audience out there that I grew up with who appreciate what I do. 

And you know, young folks have to get older. When they grow up, I’ll always be here. There’s always going to be a good a** song that’s going to speak to your heart and say what you want to say and don’t know how to say it. And when that time comes, artists like myself become relevant. 

CD: Is there a young artist out there you’ve been following that you’re a fan of that people may be surprised to learn?

Will Downing: We all know extreme talent when we hear it. So like a Jazmine Sullivan. You hear her, and you kind of go, ‘Got damn.’ (Laughter) Man, that chick can sing! And we all recognize it. Or, even on the jazzier side, like a Samara Joy.

CD: Oh yeah. 

Will Downing: You hear her, and it’s like, ‘Ahhh, all is not lost.’ The future is here, and the future looks bright. This kid can really, really, really freaking sing. Or even for me, and this is going to sound crazy, but if you’ve had as many records as I’ve had, I look at someone like a Gregory Porter, and you know, he’s still young to me. Even though he may not be young as far as his actual age, but as far as his artistic journey, he’s just getting up the road. 

For me, I’m at the end of the road. He’s going to carry the torch. Samara Joy is going to carry the torch. They are the future to me.

I hear Samara, and I think Sarah Vaughn. And I hear Samara, and I also hear Lalah Hathaway. So it’s like, okay, you’re the future. When I hear even a Fantasia, I also hear Patti LaBelle — the early years. When I hear Gregory Porter, I hear Bill Withers.

So there are a lot of great artists. When I hear PJ Morton, the future looks bright. It’s just someone else’s turn.

CD: Yeah. So, here’s my last question here. What’s next for Will Downing?

Will Downing: I’m working on album number 27, even as we speak. I’m really happy with it so far. Yeah, I’m excited to see where it goes as well. I’m about four songs in. I have no idea what the other ones are going to sound like. It just depends on what hits me musically. But I’m excited about where we are. I’ll probably release something in October, November.

CD: Is it a full project or just a single?

Will Downing: I don’t think I’m ever going to do a full album again, like eight or ten cuts. I think we’ll just stick to just EPs, so it would be six or seven songs — something. 

In my opinion, if you release more than that, the only thing you’re going to do is get your feelings hurt. 

CD: Hahahaha. 

Will Downing: It’s true. People don’t have the patience to listen to a complete album anymore. And they’ll just skip over stuff. There might be some gems on the album, don’t get me wrong. But people go through albums, they listen to two minutes, and they go, ‘I like that one. I like that cut. I like that cut. I like that cut.’ And then they throw the other stuff aside. 

They very rarely revisit, or they very rarely listen to the whole album as a complete project. And there are very few outlets for the album itself or other songs on the album. 

That’s why people concentrate so much on their singles. They’re going to push the single and push these two singles. You don’t get your feelings hurt with the other five, six, seven, eight cuts that no one, as far as the majority of people, is going to hear. They’re just not going to hear it. CD

 

The post Will Downing Talks Longevity, Avoiding Trends and the Future of Music appeared first on Chicago Defender.

The post Will Downing Talks Longevity, Avoiding Trends and the Future of Music first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring Review — Is This $136K EV Sedan Worth It?

AUTONETWORK ON BLACKPRESSUSA — Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, but it still feels elegant instead of trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

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The 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring is the kind of luxury EV that makes people stop and ask a simple question: Is this really better than a Tesla Model S, Mercedes EQS, or BMW i7? At $136,150, it has to do more than look futuristic. It has to feel special every time you get in it.

Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, yet it still feels elegant rather than trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Inside is where the Air Grand Touring really makes its case. The 34-inch Glass Cockpit Display and retractable Pilot Panel screen give the cabin a clean, modern look that still feels different from other EVs. The Tahoe Extended Leather and Lucid Black Alcantara headliner lifts the sense of occasion, and the front seats are a highlight. They are 20-way power-adjustable, heated, ventilated, and include massage. That matters because luxury buyers at this price expect comfort first.

Rear passengers are not ignored either. You get 5-zone heated rear seating, a rear center console display, and power rear and rear side window sunshades. Add in the Surreal Sound Pro system with 21 speakers, and the Air feels like a true long-distance luxury sedan.

Lucid also gives this car serious EV hardware. The dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, 900V+ charging architecture, and Wunderbox onboard charger are big talking points. Buyers in this segment care about range, charging speed, and everyday ease, not just raw performance. That is where the Lucid continues to stand out.

On the technology side, the Air Grand Touring includes DreamDrive Premium, with 3D Surround View Monitoring, Blind Spot Warning, Automatic Park In and Out, Automatic Emergency Braking, and a Driver Monitoring System with distracted and drowsy driver alerts. This one also has DreamDrive Pro, which adds future-capable ADAS hardware.

There are still some real-world annoyances. Based on your notes, the windshield wiper control is hard to find and use, and that matters more than people think in a high-tech car. When controls become less intuitive, even a beautiful interior can feel frustrating.

Still, the 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring succeeds where it matters most. It feels luxurious, advanced, comfortable, and thoughtfully engineered. For buyers who want an EV sedan that feels truly premium and less common than the usual choices, this Lucid makes a very strong case.


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Snoop Dogg Celebrates 10 Til’ Midnight at the Compound

LOS ANGELES SENTINEL — The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles.

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Snoop Dogg celebrated the premiere of 10 Til’ Midnight at his Inglewood recording studio & multipurpose facility, The Compound, but the night felt like much more than an album release. It felt like Los Angeles. It felt like legacy. And it felt like another major move from one of the city’s greatest cultural architects as he continues to prove that he is not just dropping music — he is building moments, shaping narratives, and pushing the culture forward in real time.

What made the event so powerful was the clarity behind the vision. During a panel conversation with DJ Hed, Snoop opened up about the heart behind 10 Til’ Midnight, explaining that the project was created to help bridge older and younger generations while also speaking to the long-standing divisions between Bloods and Crips in a unique way through film. That alone gave the project a different kind of weight. This was not just about songs. This was about using creativity as a tool for connection. This was about taking a story rooted in Los Angeles and telling it in a way that could bring people together.

Snoop Congratulated By Rapper & Fellow 10 Til Midnight Cast Member G Perico (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

Snoop Congratulated By Rapper & Fellow 10 Til Midnight Cast Member G Perico (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles. The film was shot in the city, including at WePlay Studios in Inglewood, which gave the entire project an even deeper hometown feel. It was not just a West Coast story in content — it was a Los Angeles-made production from the ground up.

That matters because, in a city like this, authenticity still carries weight. Snoop understands how to make sure that what he creates does not just represent Los Angeles on the surface, but actually comes from it.

What also makes 10 Til’ Midnight significant is that it represents another major step in Snoop’s evolution as both an artist and executive. Public reporting around the project identifies it as his 22nd studio album, but the bigger story is what it represents in this season of his life. This is one of several consecutive moves he has made in his 50s that show he is still building, still expanding, and still finding new ways to reinvent what the next chapter looks like.

Snoop Dogg at the Premiere of 10 Til Midnight (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

Snoop Dogg at the Premiere of 10 Til Midnight (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

Now, as the head of Death Row Records and the newly aligned leader of Death Row Pictures, he is taking the brand into a new dimension. That is what made this moment feel bigger than music. Snoop is not just protecting the legacy of Death Row — he is stretching it. He is expanding it beyond records and into film, visual storytelling, and larger creative worlds that can continue carrying the label’s impact forward. Public reporting has noted that this project arrives as part of that broader cinematic push.

That is a major Los Angeles move because the city has always been built on the intersection of music, film, neighborhood identity, and cultural storytelling. With 10 Til’ Midnight, Snoop is leaning all the way into that intersection.

The room at The Compound reflected that. It felt like a private premiere, but it also felt like a statement — a reminder that Snoop Dogg’s staying power has never been based only on nostalgia. It comes from his ability to remain connected, remain visionary, and remain in tune with how to move the culture without losing the essence of who he is.

That is why this premiere mattered. It was not just about celebrating another album. It was about witnessing a Los Angeles legend continue to evolve, continue to unify, and continue to use art to tell stories that hit deeper than entertainment alone.

In that sense, 10 Til’ Midnight became more than a project launch. It became another example of how Snoop Dogg is still taking Los Angeles to the next level — using music, film, and legacy together to build something bigger than a moment.

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OP-ED: Small Businesses Need Minnesota to Act on Pass-Through Tax Policy

MINNESOTA SPOKESMAN RECORDER — A Twin Cities immigrant entrepreneur who built several businesses including grocery stores in underserved neighborhoods is calling on Minnesota lawmakers to extend the Pass-Through Entity tax option before it expires, warning that its loss would hit small businesses already recovering from Operation Metro Surge with higher federal tax bills.

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A Twin Cities Small Business Owner Is Urging Minnesota to Extend a Tax Policy That Could Save Thousands of Businesses

By Daniel Hernandez | Minnesota Spokesman Recorder

I came to the United States as a teenager with a clear goal: to build something meaningful through hard work. I put in long days in construction, restaurants, and landscaping; doing whatever it took to learn, save, and eventually start my own business.

Over time, I built and ran several successful ventures, including an event photography company, a magazine, a tax and accounting firm, and now grocery stores serving neighborhoods across the Twin Cities where other retailers chose not to invest. I’ve created jobs, supported families, and committed to communities that deserve stability and opportunity.

That’s why I’m speaking out now.

Small business owners in Minneapolis and the communities we serve are recovering from serious disruptions, including the impacts of Operation Metro Surge. That event hit immigrant communities especially hard. In my own case, I lost nearly half of my 60 employees and saw revenue drop by about 85%. While I worked to provide competitive wages, health benefits, and paid time off, the real hardship fell on the people who lost their jobs and income.

Even as we rebuild, small businesses are facing another challenge. The Minnesota Legislature is considering letting an important tax policy expire: the Pass-Through Entity tax option.

Here’s what that means in plain terms.

Many small businesses, including mine, are pass-through businesses. That means the business itself doesn’t pay income tax. Instead, the owners report the income on their personal tax returns. But under current federal rules, there’s a limit on how much state tax we can deduct. That often leads to higher federal tax bills.

The Pass-Through Entity option fixes that. It allows the business to pay the state tax directly, which means the business can fully deduct those taxes on its federal return and lower the total amount of income taxed federally. The result is straightforward: small business owners pay less in federal taxes, without reducing what the state collects.

This policy is not new or controversial. Thirty-six states already offer it. It doesn’t cost Minnesota anything, it’s revenue neutral. And it benefits more than 66,000 businesses across the state.

In a state where the cost of doing business is already high, it’s hard to understand why we wouldn’t offer the same basic tax treatment as states like California and Illinois.

Small businesses have carried a heavy load in recent years, through a pandemic, rising costs and public safety disruptions. We’ve adapted, reinvested and stayed committed to our communities. What we need now are practical policies that support that work, not make it harder.

If the Minnesota House does not act soon, many businesses will face significantly higher federal tax bills. That’s money that could otherwise be used to hire workers, raise wages or reinvest in local neighborhoods.

I urge Gov. Tim Walz and members of the House Tax Committee to pass House File 3127 and extend the Pass-Through Entity election.

Small businesses are the backbone of our communities. We’ve proven our resilience. Now we need our state leaders to show the same commitment to us.

Daniel Hernandez is the owner of Colonial Market located at 2100 E. Lake St.

 

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