Most notably since the mass outbreaks of U.S. urban unrest in the 1960s, Los Angeles’ Watts neighborhood has been portrayed as the epitome of inner-city despair and cynicism in Southern California up through mic-controlling of hoodcore rappers.
R&B crooner, model, MTV VJ, and now actor Tyrese plans to change that forbidding image as Watts’ most famous alumnus with his next LP album 2000 Watts (RCA), scheduled for release in mid-May.
During a Chicagoland music industry reception Tuesday at the River West lounge Sage, attended by members of local major label R&B group Public Announcement, Tyrese revealed that proceeds from the album will go toward a foundation that would build a Boys And Girls Club center in Watts. Tyrese said in an interview after that announcement that his Horatio Algeresque ascent to superstardom and brother-next-door mystique would be key in helping the project transform Watts into an inner-city beacon of hope.
“People are coming out of the hood who aren’t getting press because they’re doing something positive,” a laryngitis-stricken Tyrese said. “I’m nothing like they’re saying is coming out of Watts. I’m not promoting something negative, I’m just being myself.”
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Tyrese recently completed filming a role for a John Singleton movie titled “Baby Boy.”
