Anyone here from Shreveport, LA? Go see Stromile Swift tonight...

You could go to this event tonight and try to ask Swift if he is coming to the Rockets. Your chance to be an insider .

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050715/ENT/507150302/1005

Basketball charity event enters third year
July 15, 2005

Memphis Grizzlies' Stromile Swift (right) will be a featured celebrity player in So Slimm Entertainment's Third Annual Celebrity All-Star Weekend basketball game to benefit area after-school programs for local students. (File/The Times)

Celebrity Basketball Game
WHEN: 7 p.m. Saturday. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
WHERE: Huntington High School Gymnasium, 6801 Rasberry Lane.
ADMISSION: $12.50 for the first 250 people; $15 thereafter

All-White Affair After Party
WHEN: 11 p.m. Saturday.
WHERE: Phase 2, 624 Commerce St.
ADMISSION: $10. All-white dress codewill be enforced strictly.

For information, call (318) 636-6690or e-mail slimm23@aol.com.

Tickets can be purchased in advanceat Lil' J's Music & More, Garland's Super Sound and Lakeshore All Around Sounds. By Alexandyr Kent

Pro athletes from Shreveport are coming back to Shreveport this weekend to take the amateurs to school.

The hardwood at Huntington High School will play host to So Slimm Entertainment's Celebrity Basketball Game. Set for Saturday night, the game will feature Stromile Swift (Memphis Grizzlies), Troy Edwards (Jacksonville Jaguars), Arnaz Battle (San Francisco 49ers), Larry Robinson (former NBA player) and other pro athletes taking on a team of eager amateurs.

Ali, a comedian who performs on BET, will host the evening.

The post-game concert will feature performances by local rap group Lil' Shu & Da Hustle City Boyz and The Inc. recording artist Lloyd. The young R&B singer's debut album, "Southside," was released in July 2004.

"Can't nobody else throw a party like we can," said Roy Jones, who is organizing the event.

As the CEO of So Slimm Entertainment, a local record label and entertainment-based business, Jones hopes this year's event will build on past success.

Supported by 'Slimm'

Nicknamed "Slimm," Jones will take his producing skills to the court on Saturday when his team of local names faces the pros.

He's hoping a little insider knowledge may help his team. As a graduate of Fair Park High School, Jones played with Stromile Swift on their high school basketball team.

He didn't know Swift was destined for NBA stardom back then. But through his past celebrity basketball tournaments, he's learned just how good the forward has gotten since high school.

"To share the same court with him and the guys, it's unbelievable," he said, describing Swift's basketball skills as hard to match. "That's why he gets paid the big money."

Jones, 28, graduated from Grambling State University with a leisure studies degree.

Now heading up So Slimm Entertainment, he produces music, manages bands and organizes and promotes concerts.

"I live for music and working with people," he said.

Part of the proceeds raised at the celebrity basketball game will be donated to his Project Vision, a nonprofit charity that supports after-school programs for children in Bossier City and Shreveport. To date, he's raised more than $6,000.

"Everything I can do to help the community, that's what motivates me," Jones said. Whether it's helping them with their school work, teaching them how to run a lemonade stand or helping them plan their own business, Jones said it's just important to be there and provide encouragement.

Lil' Shu, Boyz eager for next level

Sit down with Shamariay "Lil' Shu" Welch, Byron "Lil' B" Still and Demetrius "Lil' Mechi" Welch, and they'll tell you Da Hustle City Boyz are working to stress positivity.

"We don't hate on nobody. We just do our thing," said Lil' Shu, 20, who laughs, just a little bit, when ribbed about having small feet.

They all talk about putting Shreveport's hip-hop scene on the national map, much like Master P brought New Orleans into prominence, and Nelly put the focus on St. Louis.

They realize Shreveport doesn't have the national hip-hop reputation yet, but they hope it will soon.

"R&B, Shreveport is already known for that," said Lil' Mechi, 23. "As far as rap and hip-hop, we haven't got to that next level."

"Shreveport is not like a big market, but it's got a lot of talent in it," Lil' Shu said. "Once that one person cracks the seal, it ain't ever going to get back after that."

Lil' Shu dreams of Da Hustle City Boyz being the leaders, but he would show respect for other groups who make it first.

"If they're the first to make it, then great," he said. "But we're going to try and pull them on."

"We just got to come together and let it be shown," he added later.

Is the nation ready to be shown life in Shreveport?

All say yes, and just see neighborhoods like Allendale and Queensborough full of stories waiting to be told.

Lil' Mechi believes what's happening in Shreveport is similar to what happened in New York in late 1970s and 1980s. He hopes Shreveport is in the early stages of developing a nationally recognized hip-hop scene.

"Back then, they rapped about what they were going through. Now, we rap about what we are going through," he said. "Different days and times, that's the only thing that it is."

Lil' Shu & Da Hustle City Boyz will be featured on a So Slimm Entertainment mixtape, which will be released in the fall. The label also plans to release Lil' Shu's solo album in spring 2006.