Comedy and music artists encourage community to Fall Back in Love

By Sylvia Dunnavant Hines Texas Metro News

Comedy and rhythm and blues might not sound like the ideal combination, but for the Fall Back the Love Comedy & Music Jam it was a winning combination.

More than 10,000 fans turned out to the American Airlines Center in downtown Dallas, to hear comedians: Brandon T. Jackson, Daphique Springs and Zoie Fenty; and listen to the music of Trey Songz, Jacquees, August Alsina, Monica, Trey Songz and Mario, among artists in the star-studded lineup.

“It was important to do this tour. I believe that comedy and music have always been synonymous,” said MTV comedian Rip Michaels. “I think the way to a woman’s heart is by making her laugh and good music. When I first put this concept together, they said it could not be done.”

After no-one seemed to latch on to his vision, he reached out to promoter Eugene Parker, the CEO of 5120 Entertainment, and a few of his friends to get things rolling.

Rip Michaels August Alsina

“I wanted to bridge comedy and music with the metropolitan communities across the country. It has been my object to help bring jobs and other financial opportunities to these areas as we also touch the culture of the community,” said Parker, who is already looking at expanding the tour.

The tour is currently scheduled in Houston, New Orleans, Detroit, and San Francisco.

“The Fall Back in Love Tour is all about bringing comedy and music together in a way that is safe. Our community needs to laugh, and we need love right now. We are in such a bad place, especially in the urban communities,” said stand-up comedian, Brandon T.

Jackson, who has several movies to his credit including the movie, “Lottery Ticket,” with Ice Cube.

“We have to laugh with each other and at each other with the understanding that it is all good. Comedy is very important and vital for the African American family. Laughter is a way for us to stay connected,” said comedian Emmanuel Hudson from Wild N Out.

The audience was captivated by a surprise guest appearance by Grammy award-winning DJ, and producer Kid Capri, who is globally known as a pioneer of the DJ Culture. He has been called the guru of mixtapes and is known for his crowd-hyping performance.

During the highlight of Capri’s performance, he dimmed the lights and had the audience swaying with the lights from their cell phones; which completely lit up the arena.

“I was so excited to see DJ Kid Capri,” said Shannon Wilson, who attended the event with a few friends. “There was never a dull moment during the concert. The comedians kept things moving between artists.”

Although Daphique Springs was the only female comedian on the roster, she didn’t miss a beat as she made a joke referencing rapper, August Alsina, who has been romantically linked with actress, Jada Pickett Smith.

Spring attributed the overall successful attendance of the concert to the promoter’s ability to keep the price of the tickets affordable for everyday people; starting as low as $50.

“At a time like this with everything going on around us, mental health is important,” said Michaels, who wants to see the tour reach at least 10 cities. “It only takes five seconds to laugh and get rid of the pain. I think that is why this tour is so amazing.”

Sharp has become the first chancellor in the State of Texas to say that DEI will no longer be a factor in the admissions process and has directed staff to review employment practices, including faculty and staff application requirements.

“The exclusion of input from minority legislators on this very sensitive issue sends a clear message that Texas A&M is willing to sacrifice the benefits of a diverse student body for the sake of political expediency,” said Senator West.

Chancellor Sharp's statement that ‘no university or agency in the A&M System will admit any student, nor hire any employee based on any factor other than merit’ raises concerns about the impact on athletes at Texas A&M. As stated by Sharp, Texas A&M University will now prioritize academic merit as the sole factor in admissions decisions and the university will no longer consider athletic ability as a factor.

“As it implements this policy, I’m calling on the A&M System to certify that each athlete who is recruited and given a scholarship to ensure that the scholarship is also based on academic merit,” Senator West said. “Further, ‘merit’ needs to be defined and A&M must now make sure each student admitted meets the definition. While DEI considerations have to go, do legacy admits get to stay?”

Should this policy remain in place, the removal of DEI as a factor in university admissions could result in Texas A&M failing to properly prepare its students for the realities of a country that is growing more diverse. Senator West urges Texas A&M University and Chancellor Sharp to reconsider their decision and work towards a more diverse and inclusive campus environment.