Tupac Amaru Shakur (also known as 2Pac, Pac, Makaveli) whose birth name is Lesane Parish Crooks was born on 16th June, 1971, Tupac was known by his stage names Makaveli and Pac, he was an American rapper. Shakur had sold around 75 million albums globally as of the year 2007, which made him one among the best selling music artists in the globe. In US alone he has sold 37.5 million records.Rolling Stone Magazine named him as the 86th Greatest Artist of All Time.

He was also an actor.The themes of most of Tupac Shakur’s songs are the hardship and violence in the inner cities, conflicts, racism and other social problems with other rappers during the East Coast — West Coast hip hop rivalry. Tupac began his career as a backup dancer and roadie for the alternative hip hop group named Digital Underground.

Tupac Amaru Shakur was born on the East Harlem section of Manhattan in New York City.Tupac was named after Túpac Amaru II, a Peruvian revolutionary person who led an indigenous uprising against the Spain and was subsequently executed.

Shakur’s mother, Mrs. Afeni Shakur, and his father, Mr. Billy Garland, were active members of the Black Panther Party in the New York in the late 1960′s and during the early 1970′s, he was born just 1 month after Afeni Shakur’s acquittal on more than 150 charges of “Conspiracy against the United States government and New York landmarks” in the New York Panther 21 court case.

On September 7, 1996, Shakur was shot 4 times in the metropolitan area of Nevada in Las Vegas and he was taken to the University Medical Center there, where he died 6 days later due to cardiac arrest and respiratory failure.

Who is Tupac Shakur is a post from: Universal Ramblings

Joshua Otis “Josh” Turner was born on 20th November, 1977, he is an American country music singer and actor who signed to MCA Nashville Records in the year 2003.Josh has two brothers, Cameron and John, and three sisters  Christi, Jackie and Julie. Josh met his wife Jennifer in the year 2003 at a classical training vocal program in the Belmont University in Tennessee. Jennifer travels with Josh when he is on tour, she sings background vocals and plays keyboards.

Early in his life, Josh Turner, sang bass and lead parts in his church choir. He has also formed a gospel quartet called the Thankful Hearts in which he used to sing bass and occasionally lead. After finishing his schoolings at Hannah Pamplico High School in South Carolina, Josh attended Francis Marion University in South Carolina and then Belmont University in Tennessee.

In the year 1996, Josh developed a lesion on his right vocal cord. Surgery wasn’t needed, but he was forced to rest his voice for a year. Josh states that, he “learned how to whistle really well during that year.”Josh was examined by the Vanderbilt voice clinic who advised Turner to let the lesion heal on its own. While Josh rested his voice back at his home, Turner learned classical vocal techniques and how to take care of his voice and avoid the development of further problems.

Shortly , Josh moved to Nashville to pursue his music career and attend the Belmont University in ennessee.Josh Turner went through a classical training vocal program at that university. While he was there, he also met Jennifer, whom he married in the year 2003, prior to the release of one of his album.

Josh has released 4 studio albums for MCA Nashville. The first one was released in 2003 (Long Black Train), whose title track was Josh’s breakthrough single release.  Unlike many basses though he is able to sing much higher than the average bass range and in a number of his songs he rarely sings particularly low.

Who is Josh Turner? is a post from: Universal Ramblings

Paul McDonald (born as William Paul McDonald) was born on August 29, 1984 is an American singer and songwriter from Huntsville, Alabama.Mr.McDonald is currently residing in Nashville, Tennessee and he was placed 8th on the 10th season of American Idol. Since 2005, he has been the leading singer of the band Hightide Blues, which was then renamed as The Grand Magnolias in 2010. He is the first male of that season to be eliminated.

In the spring of 2005, he along with his fellow Auburn student Mr. Jonathan Pears began writing songs together, forming the band Hightide Blues. Adding two other members, Mr. Phillip Gayle and Mr. Scott Rollins, they started touring small clubs around the state of Alabama. In the year 2006, Mr. McDonald put his education on hold to pursue a full-time career in the field of music.After a limited edition self-titled EP Hightide Blues in the year 2007, the band was released in 2008 which was a self-produced album, Love Come Easy, was recorded in an old boarding school which turned as a recording studio, operated by Mr. David Briggs, called as the House of David in Nashville, Tennessee.

On August 2010, McDonald along with his band members moved to Nashville, Tennessee, and launched their campaign to let their fans choose a new name for the band.In 2011 the group’s first album under its new name, entitled The Grand Magnolias was released. It’s songs were written by McDonald and its band member Jonathan Pears and was produced by Dan Hannon and Ken Coomer. That album has seen as a boost in sales since Paul McDonald appearance on the American Idol, and it reached No. 16 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart and had successfully sold 6,000 copies by April 6, 2011. iTunes pulled their album from its store, without giving any explanation, and the sales dropped off by 60% from the previous week. A week later the album had returned, again without explanation.

Who is Paul McDonald? is a post from: Universal Ramblings

David Michael Letterman who was born on April 12, 1947 is an comedian and American television host. He hosts the late night television talk show, which are broadcasted on CBS. David has been a fixture on late night television shows since the 1982 debut of Late Night with David Letterman on NBC. Only David’s friend and mentor Johnny Carson has had a longer late-night hosting career.David is also a television and film producer. His company Worldwide Pants produces his show and also its network follow-up The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. It has also produced several prime-time comedies, the most successful of their production was Everybody Loves Raymond, currently in syndication.

On June 23, 1980, NBC gave Letterman his own morning comedy show, The David Letterman Show. The show was originally 90 minutes long, but was shortened to 1 hour in August.The show was a critical success, winning two Emmy Awards, but it was a ratings disappointment and was canceled on October 1980.

The Late Show went off air for 8 weeks during the months of November and December because of the Writers Guild of America strike. Worldwide Pants was the first company to make an individual agreement with the WGA, thus allowing his show to come back on air on January 2, 2008. On his 1st episode since being off air, David surprised the viewing audience with his newly grown beard, which signified solidarity with the strike.He was again beardless during the show on January 7, 2008.

With his capacities as either a writer, performer, producer or as part of a writing team, David Letterman is among the most nominated people in Emmy Award history with a maximum of 52 nominations, winning a couplpe of Daytime Emmys and 5 Primetime Emmys since the year 1981. His nomination record is second only to producer Jac Venza, who holds the record for the most Emmy nominations for an individual. David has been nominated every year since 1984, when he first appeared on late night television as the host of Late Night with David Letterman.He has also won four American Comedy Awards.

Who is David Letterman? is a post from: Universal Ramblings

Mick Karn who is recently referred to in Japan as ‘ the God of bass guitar ‘ will surely be in the favourite bass player list of any bassist. obviously many of them will have taken up bass as their career solely because of his unique style of playing, his influence within music is acknowledged, changing the way bass is heard as well as played it for generations to come.

Mick Karn when he was 3 years old emigrated to London as a Greek Cypriot and he looked for ways to express himself from early ages.At the age of 7 he began with the chromatic mouth organ and then the violin when he was 11 years old, both lasted only for just 3 years before he was offered with a chance to take up the bassoon with the school orchestra and later chosen as a member of the London School Symphony Orchestra.

Mick Karn had most certainly been heard and released his first solo album Titles on Virgin in the year 1982. His unique style made musicians (from Jeff Beck to Gary Numan) from all types of genres wanting his contribution to their own work. Mick had also surprised the art world by holding his first sculpture exhibition in the year 1981 to outstanding critical acclaim, with many reviews and features in columns and magazines not usually frequented by musicians, he has held 5 exhibitions in Italy, Japan and London.

1987 Mick released his 2nd solo album Dreams of Reason Produce Monsters. Relying heavily on his classical beginnings, using woodwind and brass more extensively as well as harmonica.There then came another surprise decision and a sojourn from solo work as Japan reformed for a one off album under the new name of Rain Tree Crow in 1991, through the associations he had made within the Jazz world, Mick recorded his next album Bestial Cluster in 1993 for German Jazz label CMP and soon became their top selling artist. CMP also signed Polytown to their label. The album Polytown was written, recorded and mixed in three weeks and released in 1994.

Mick also recorded another album for CMP in 1995 – The Tooth Mother, this time without support of other musicians from the label. The drums were provided by Gavin Harrison, guitars by Natasha Atlas on Middle Eastern vocals and David Torn. This was to be Mick’s most ethnic CD to date, Mick’s work with Steve Jansen and Richard Barbieri went from strength to strength, forming their own record label Medium Productions as an outlet for their collaborative work independent of limitations set by major labels. Forming their own unit JBK, they recorded several CDs together including a live recording.

Each Eye a Path was to be Mick’s most absorbed and personal of albums, drawing on troubled past experiences as it’s source of inspiration. However, he was delighted to see the response from fellow musicians lead to an eventual remix album in 2002 entitled: Each Path a Remix, the contributors being David Torn, Paul Wong, Richard Barbieri, Ryuichi Sakamoto and Claudio Chianuro.More Better Different was released in 2004 by Invisible Hands Music and reviews certainly agree with the sentiments in the title.

Who is Mick Karn? is a post from: Universal Ramblings

Chloe Stevens Sevigny is an American film actress, fashion designer and ex- model. Before becoming an actress, she was Jay McInerney “It” girl. She was born on 18^th November, 1974 in Springfield, Massachusetts and raised in Connecticut, United States. Her mother, Janine Sevigny is a Polish American and father, H. David Sevigny was an accountant. Chloe’s father died in 1996 by cancer. She spent her summers in theatre camp where she played leading roles in drama run by the YMCA. Sevigny had always tried to be an actress.

Chloe Sevigny became famous in the mid 1990s due to her broad fashion career and highly individual style. At that time New York’s Sassy magazine labeled her a new “it girl” for her work as well as modeling. She started her career with a leading role in the Larry Clark film ‘Kids’ in 1995. This film was nominated in an ‘Independent Spirit Awards’ for her good performance. Sevigny received serious recognition by public and critics for her first mainstream role in ‘Boys Do not Cry’ and she got Academy Award and Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

In spite of a very successful career, Chloe Sevigny is facing problem to find a boyfriend. She said in an interview with Playboy magazine, “I want a guy who is masculine, good with his hands and able to build stuff and who has survival skills. Facial hair is a big turn-on. Most of the kids I hang out with in New York are hipster arty types, but I like a stronger, more physically imposing man–like a lumberjack.”

Who is Chloe Sevigny? is a post from: Universal Ramblings

Kimbo slice is not a slice actually. This is a person named Kevin Ferguson. He is called more often by the name mentioned first. Kevin Ferguson was born on 8^th of February 1974 so he is about 37 years old currently. He was born at Bahamas but later shifted to United States during his childhood. The height of Kevin Ferguson is about six feet 2 inches and he weighs about 250 lbs. Kimbo is a brand today and does not need any introduction. He has been famous for street fights being a martial art professional. However he may be notorious in opinion of some people.

Kimbo Slice acted as a bouncer for a strip club initially in starting of his career. Later he acted as body guard of reality kings a leading pornography founder. He is still in little collaboration with him. He started his street fighting career in year 2003. His street fights have been in high demand over the internet for many years mostly on adult paid websites. Acting as a mixed martial artist was the next step which made him more noticed. His fighting records shows that he won nine fights out of his first ten fights.

He got the name Kimbo Slice after he made a huge cut on of the eyes of his opponent during fighting. His act of slicing was placed after his previously famous nickname Kimbo which he got from his childhood. It is his internet fans which made him so famous on internet. His personality of being fully beard, clean head, muscular body and his own fighting style makes him called Kimbo Slice.

Who is Kimbo Slice? is a post from: Universal Ramblings

Jessica Simpson is now locked to her new man, football player Eric Johnson. The duo has been into each other past last May and Jessica has admitted to it already that Eric is the right man for her. To take their relationship to a stronger area, now they have engaged.

Now they are looking forward to get married as soon as possible after they got engaged. Representative of Jessica Simpson have conformed the news of their engagement. They got tied up on Thursday and Jessica was spotted showing the engagement ring on Saturday to her fans at dept. store in the Kansas City.

In an interview, the actress told that right now Eric is the one for her. She feels very happy and is at a great place right now! The actress Jessica Simpson accepted a diamond and ruby engagement ring from her footballer boyfriend whose relationship is 5 month old. Jessica’s dad is ready to take her to aisle. He says that he is very glad that they are together. Dad Joe Simpson tweeted on Sunday. He wished the couple, happiness for the life time.

Jessica Simpson met Eric last May. After Eric accompanied Jessica to Italy to celebrate 30^th birthday of hers, they fell into a relationship that was a big leap forward. Johnson had divorced his wife last month of five years, Keri. Divorced was finalized and Eric raved their new romance in the press. She told that he was his dude and that they were just friends.

Is Jessica Simpson Engaged to Footballer Boyfriend?? is a post from: Universal Ramblings

Robert Louis Stevenson was born on 13^th November 1850, in Scotland. Robert Louis Stevenson quotes are a way to reminisce his birthday today.

Stevenson had tuberculosis in his childhood so most of his time was spent resting in bed. He utilized this time positively in making stories. This was the time when he had not learned how to read. When Stevenson was just sixteen he composed one small historical tale. He was greatly inspired by Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman and adventure tales of Dumas.

His family occupation was of lighthouse design. He joined Edinburgh University for pursuing engineering but could not continue due to his ill health. He opted for law and started writing travel sketches, short stories and essays for The Edinburgh University Magazine and The Portfolio. For improvement of his health he traveled many places which inspired him to write travelogues.

He got recognition with Treasure Island which was a romantic story full of travel adventure. Stevenson stands among the top 30 translated writers in the world. His work, A Child’s Garden of Verses is much appreciated by children and their parents as well. He holds a position just below famous author Charles Dickens. Some of the writers who had a great influence on his writing were Rudyard Kipling, G. K Chesterton, Ernest Hemingway, Jorge Luis Borges and J. M. Barrie.

He was a travel writer, essayist, poet and novelist. His great work includes Treasure Island, Kidnapped, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, The Master of Ballantrae, Prince Otto, The Wrong Box, The Wrecker and The Ebb-Tide. Most of these books are filmed frequently.

On 3 rd Dec 1894, Stevenson died in Vailima out of a brain hemorrhage. Weir of Hermiston was his last work which was incomplete but was a stunning success.

What are Robert Louis Stevenson Quotes? is a post from: Universal Ramblings

Thomas Hardy, the English novelist and poet wrote great novels like Tess of the d’Urbervilles and Far from the Madding Crowd. He was born on 2^nd June 1840 in England. Being a son of a stonemason, Thomas could not afford university education so he had to stop his education when he was sixteen. His poems were based on ideas of romance, passion and illumination. He was highly fascinated by supernatural elements.

He worked as an apprentice under John Hicks who was a local architect in Dorchester. In 1862, he moved to London as an architect and joined King’s College, London. Royal Institute of British Architects and Architectural Association honoured him for his architectural skills. The discriminations amongst different classes in London made him uncomfortable. He had an interest in social reform and was exposed to the writings of Charles Fourier and Auguste Comte during his stay in London by his friend Horace Moule. He also enjoyed opera and Shakespeare, and read the literature of Charles Darwin. The works of Herbert Spencer and John Stuart Mills made a positive influence on him.

He came back to Dorest after five years to continue his passion for writing. He got married to Emma Lavinia Gifford in 1874 and dedicated a set of poems, known as Vestiges of an Old Flame after her death, forty years later.

Initially, it was difficult for him to get readers for his poems. Famous novelist George Meredith advised Thomas for writing novels. In 1867 he wrote a novel, The Poor Man and the Lady which was rejected by most of the publishers which compelled him to destroy the manuscript. He got success with his first book, Far from the Madding Crowd in the year 1874. From then onwards Hardy devoted his life for writing novels and poems.

His works, Tess of the d’Urbervilles and Jude of the Obscure, created controversy. Hardy gave up novel writing then onwards and concentrated on poems. Hardy died in 1909 and the Royal Society of Literature conferred gold medal and Order of merit on him in 1912.

Who was Thomas Hardy? is a post from: Universal Ramblings