8 The Compass Tuesday, December 7,1993
Entertainment
Rap stars’ arrests
a trend in hip liop?
Mmo ^/Mit Arte
By Taisha White
Are criminal arrests becoming a trend
in hip-hop and rap?
It seems that way with the recent wave
of rap artists who just can't seem to stay
out of trouble.
Tupac Shakur, who has played a major
role in the film. Juice, and now more
recently in John Singleton's Poetic Justice
along with Janet Jackson, was arrested in
early November for allegedly shooting
two undercover cops. As if that wasn't
bad enough, just a couple weeks ago,
Tupac was arrested again, this time on
charges of sodemy and sex abuse.
Tupac had allegedly takena female fan
up to his hotel room and, along with three
other frierxis, sexually abused her. Police
have a video tape of Tupac and what
appears to be a drunken mirwr Flav was
arrested for pulling a gun on his neigh
bor. Though Flav did not actually shoot
the neighbor, charges were filed against
him.
Many observers hope this will be the
last of ^e crime and violence for Rap aiKl
Hip>-Hop music. Fans say the music form
has eixiured enough bad publicity on its
own without any of its artists helping it
along. As for Tupac, Snoop Doggy Dog,
and Flav-O-Flav—^will these arrests have
a bad affect on their future as artists?
Only time will tell.
University players shine
in Miller’s Crucible
By Taisha White
ECSU's University Players has scored
another hit wi^The Crucible.
The Players' November presentation
of The Crucible was an action-packed and
well cast production of this true-account
drama by Arthur Miller.
SetinSalenv Massachusetts inl692,Tfe
Crucible tells the story of the "witch himt"
which actually took place during that
year. The main action of the play deals
with the efforts of John Proctor (Gaig
Avondo) to save his wife, Elizabeth
(Tresha R. Griffin) from being hanged as
a witch.
Avondo turns in a mesmerizing per
formance as Proctor. He brings the diar-
acter to life, and successfully involves the
audienceinhisfrantic,desperateattempts
to save his wife.
The play opens with the yoving women
of the tovm in the woods stirring a witch
bowl, calling spirits. After that scene, a
young girl falls ill. The town's residents
assume that she has been bewitched be
cause she has seen the witches in the
woods.
Meanwhile, Abigail Williams (Regina
Reddick) is accused of leading the chil
dren into the woodsand dancing. Abigails
true motive isto discredit John Proctor's
wife, Elizabeth, because she is in love
with John Proctor. She is able to convince
the others Tishuba does witchcraft.
The pla/sactionbuildstoafinal, tragic
conclusion, keeping the audience on the
edgp of their seats tlroughout the perfor-
maiKe.
All of the actors worked well together,
even with such a full cast.
The set design and lighting helped to
achieve a realistic portrayal of the time in
which the witch trials took place. Theset
was designed and oorwtructed by James
Bean, Kennethjordan, Valerie Rawls,Sam
Perry, BJ Wiseman, Wally Homer, Joni
Homer,KathleenBrooks,JacksonMorris,
and Lavenia Dameron.
TheCrucible,, directed byShawnSmith,
futures such veteran actors as Robin
Gresham (Iituba). Greshman, who has
previously played ZaritainaScholarcade
production of SrmptyHajcCTiiy,isa recep
tionist in the office of ti\e Chancellor. She
lives in Moyock.
Shawn Smith, who plays Rev. John
Hale, is the Director of Theatre at ECSU.
Chester Dunton, who plays John Willard,
has been recognized for his roles in many
productions with the University Players.
AmoT\giheseareTheGoodDoctor,Dracula,
Joe Tumer's Come and Gone, Hedda Cabler,
Chained Camek, Cry of the Crowds, and Bus
Stop.
Cordell Garrett has previoudy woiked
with the Players in Fences.
TheCrucible is based on the actual trials
conducted in Salem, New Eng^d. A
short tinne after the Salem trials, Parris
was voted from office and left the village,
never to be heard from again.
Thirty years have passed sinceTheCru-
ciWe was first performed at Elizabeth City
State University. Chancellor Dr. Jimmy
Jenkins and his wife. Dr. Faleese Jenkins,
appeared in thatperformanceasstudents
at the University.
Tupac Shakur’s career took off wfwn fie appeared as Lucky in Jofm Sinjeton’s Poetic
Justice, along wilfi Janet Jackson(rigfTt). However, cfcje to fils legal troubles Sfiakefs mey
beiitfiewave.
Sampson likes 89.9
By Greg Sampson
"One,two,three,andwe'rerollin'! And
welcome to the interview of a lifetime.
Hi, this is Greg Sampson. " laug^hs
Greg Sampson, chillin' in the production
room of WRVS FM.
Gregg Samp>son is the latest arrival at
Elizabeth Qty State University's radio
station, WRVS, as production director
(pd). Sampson attributes his working at
a variety of radio stations-fi^m classical
to urban-to his success here at ECSU.
'TcamefromCalifomia," saysSampson
This is my sixteenth year of bi^dcasting,
so my first station was a college station in
Califomia,KC9^J, which wasforCal State
University Northridge."
"I worked for six years for free, didn't
know that I could get paid for this until
somebody sat down and told me. "
Sampson also worked at a classical
radio station, KFAC-AM while in Cali
fornia.
"My position was music librarian in
chai^ of research. They also needed an
air personality who was familiar with
classical music terminology and jaigon.
It sure wasn't urban radio, but I gave it a
shot anyway."
Sampson says he also worked at a
satelite network, and has done news and
talk radio.
'TvedoneeverytWngbutcoimtry. And
now, since I've been in North Carolina,
I've done urban/contemporary, RAP
format,"says Sampson.
From Califomia,he moved on to North
Carolina, working in cities such as Win
ston-Salem, New Bern, Greensboro, and
Highpoint.
Greensboro, Sampson worked at
WQMG-FM for four years as music di
rector.
"And now I'm here in the illustrious
dty of Elizabeth Qty, at the prestigious-
You look to thenor^eastand you'll seea
shining star," laughs Sampsoa
Sampson says that hisheart has always
been with playing urban music or R&B
music. When he came to Greendwro,
Sampson says tiiat they had a 32-year-old
AM radio station. He says that he played
the last record of the 32 years, it was
"Goodnight My Love".
Sampson says he loves working at 89.9
ECSU because he loves working with the
student staff, as well as the prof^ional
staff.
"I came to teach, to educate students
how to nuke pronK)S and public service
announcements (PSA's) and my techni
cal aspects."
He also likes 89.9 for the variety of
programming. The station doesn't just
play one type of music, it has gospel, rap,
regular urban format, specialized pro
grams, and live programs.
"WRVS comWneseverythingl'vedone
before, so it fits."