Simmons-Shelley Entertainment And R&B Legend Keith Sweat Present Platinum House for Peachtree TV

Feb. 16, 2009 - PRLog -- Atlanta, GA – Ten years and counting since the highly successful super group from Baltimore known to fans as Dru Hill, recorded and released  an album together.  During their “brief’ hiatus from the music world as a group, two members of the group started solo careers in an attempt to stay in the addictive spotlight.  SISQO, the groups more colorful and most successful breakout star grew to become an international superstar with a burgeoning acting career, appearances on other reality shows, maintaining relevance in today’s pop culture. So after such a long time apart, how can Dru Hill become Dru Hill again?  A chance for a comeback is on the horizon and legendary singer-songwriter-producer Keith Sweat orchestrates this humbling yet, suspenseful story of the groups 30 day adventures to stardom again, KEITH SWEAT’S PLATINUM HOUSE. They’re back.

Dru Hill’s comeback story takes place in a mansion a la Real World house- in Atlanta, Georgia, and for the next month they must essentially re-learn how to work together again as a group-counteract and solve all the problems that prevented any previous chances of an album. The remaining faces of Dru Hill– SISQO (Mark Althavean Andrews), Nokio (Tamir Ruffin), Jazz (Larry Anthony) and new face Tao (Antwuan Simpson) with manger Keivn Peck-go through an intensive work regimen with the help of a licensed therapist, team-building coach, trainer and vocal coach all determined to equip them with tools to make the road to their comeback a little smoother.
Enters Making the Band meets In Treatment.

PLATINUM HOUSE is the brainchild of Keith Sweat’s film and television company KEIA Productions and serves as executive producer along with the super team of Simmons-Shelley Entertainment, formerly B2 Entertainment Studios, Tracey Baker-Simmons and Wanda Shelley-the dynamic duo behind Bravo’s hit show “Being Bobby Brown”.  

“My purpose in producing PLATINUM HOUSE stems from my history with R&B groups of the late ‘80s and ‘90s,” said Sweat.  “Many of these groups consisted of some very talented individuals, but they also seem to have their problems.  They have a lot of anger and frustration that they need to release.  Although there were many solo careers launched from these various groups, none of the solo careers were ever as big as the success they achieved as a group.  My goal is to help groups like Dru Hill get back together and rekindle the magic.  The public wants it, and the music industry needs it” states Sweat.

Viewers will tune in to Peachtree TV, Turner Broadcasting System’s Atlanta based station, on February 23rd at 10PM EST as KEITH SWEAT’S PLATINUM HOUSE will air exclusively as a one-hour special.  Throughout the emotionally charged special, the Peachtree audience will see the highs and lows and frustrations of trying to regain the luster of what the group once had while evoking a new kind of musical magic to make them relevant in 2009.  From the departure of a group member to the entrance of a new, watch Dru Hill’s perilous journey back to musical greatness.  Look for the series to appear on a national cable network.

ABOUT DRU HILL
Since its beginnings in Baltimore, Dru Hill has recorded seven Top 40 hits, including the #1 smashes “In My Bed,” “Never Make a Promise” and “How Deep Is Your Love.”  Signing to Island Records through Haqq Islam’s University Records imprint, they released two successful albums before separating for a period from late 1999 to 2002, during which time two members released solo albums.  In 2002, the group recorded a third album, this one for the Def Soul record label.  Several factors – including public feuds and attempts at solo careers – kept the group out of the public eye from 2005 to 2008.

ABOUT KEITH SWEAT
Singer-songwriter-producer Keith Sweat serves as president of KEIA Productions, Inc.  His debut album, Make It Last Forever, sold 4 million copies and made hits out of “I Want Her” and the title song.  He built on that success as a solo artist, turning to producing in the early 1990s, when he discovered the group Silk and helped produce their first album.  In 1995, he discovered the Atlanta-based female R&B group Kut Klose and produced their debut album.  He then returned to performing when he formed the group LSG with Gerald Levert and Johnny Gill.  As a producer, Sweat has worked with such artists as Men at Large, Immature, Xscape, The Isley Brothers and KEITH SWEAT’S PLATINUM HOUSE’s Dru Hill.  Today, he hosts his own syndicated radio show, The Keith Sweat Hotel, for the Premiere Radio Networks.  In 2007, he released the DVD Keith Sweat: Sweat Hotel Live, which he independently financed and produced.

ABOUT SIMMONS-SHELLEY ENTERTAINMENT
Simmons-Shelley Entertainment, formerly known as B2 Entertainment Studios, is a full service, multi-faucet production company based in Atlanta, Georgia. With over 10 years in production, co-owners Tracey Baker-Simmons and Wanda Shelley are seasoned film and television producers.  . One of their most successful series to date- the 2005 Bravo’s hit reality series “Being Bobby Brown”, starring controversial music legends Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston where they served as the show’s Executive Producers and Co-Creators.  With the executive production credit of this show, it opened up the doors for other opportunities and partnerships with major networks.    Tracey and Wanda are developing a children’s educational program for PBS called Mac & Me, an independent feature film called Strange Fruit, and several reality-based projects for television.  Currently projects for BET, MTV, VH-1 and Turner are in production including a reality series entitled “Keith Sweat’s Platinum House” executive produced by legendary platinum producer Keith Sweat and KEIA Productions starring platinum artists Dru Hill.

ABOUT PEACHTREE TV
Peachtree TV is Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.’s local Atlanta broadcast platform.  Driven by an Atlanta-centric, hyper-local sensibility, the channel features nightly blockbuster prime-time movies and a daytime line-up packed with popular sitcoms targeted to Atlanta’s local audience.  In addition, Peachtree TV will also bring local viewers 45 Atlanta Braves baseball games in 2008, as well as other special Atlanta-based events. With such shows as The Single: Monica, Brutha and Dallas Austin’s Drumroll: SWD, Peachtree TV has established itself as a vital Atlanta showcase for the urban music scene.