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Ms. Pat to Bring “Ya Girl Done Made It” Comedy Tour to Memphis

Memphis comedy enthusiasts are in for a treat as the renowned comedian Ms. Pat gears up to hit the stage at Minglewood Hall on March 15th as part of her “Ya Girl Done Made It” comedy tour. 

“I honestly didn’t know if I had a big enough audience in Memphis, but people kept asking me to come,” said Ms. Pat. “So I told my agent to book the show and I cannot wait to get there and make my fans happy.” 

Ms. Pat, who was raised on the streets of Atlanta, gained recognition in the comedy community for her unreserved and brutally honest humor. She addresses subjects like family dynamics and societal issues by drawing on her personal experiences, all the while delivering punchlines with perfect timing and wit.

It all started with her standup career where she started discussing her life drawing connections from being a convicted felon and the rough streets of Atlanta into connecting with her audience. There was one joke in particular that led to her tw0-time Emmy-nominated BET sitcom, The Ms. Pat Show. 

“The more I did interviews, the more I started to paint a picture, and that is when I started to get calls from Hollywood,” says Ms. Pat. 

Now that the Ms. Pat Show is on season three, Ms. Pat has been making strides to connect with her audience on different levels. Her standup special Y’all Want to Hear Something Crazy is currently streaming on Netflix. 

“I always say I am like a buffet,” says Ms. Pat. “I try to create stuff to where if you don’t like this then maybe you will like this.” 

Her weekly court style show, Ms. Pat Settles It, recently premiered on BET. The show resembles the Judge Judy show. The comedian and her jury of comedy friends resolve conflicts that arise on a daily basis. 

“I am just so thankful and grateful to be in this position,” said Ms. Pat. “Not only am I doing what I want to do, but I am also helping young and up-and-coming comedians with this tour.” 
Tickets for the Minglewood show can be found on Ticketmaster and Ms. Pat’s official website.

Check out her 11/6/23 appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers here:

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Music We Recommend

Rising Entertainment: Tripp and B

It all started about a year ago in a studio apartment in Memphis. Two creatives came together to combine their love for music and dance.

Brande Pa’trice and Trippy Tribbitt sat in Pa’trice’s apartment bouncing ideas off each other when they decided to form the entertainment company Toxic Soul Music Group in joint with BrandeWine Entertainment. Together they are known as Tripp and B. 

They’re much more than just a hip-hop duo. 

“We do it all — hip-hop, R&B, pop, act, dance,” says Tribbett. “If you name it, we can do it.” 

The two had already established themselves as successful solo performers before they joined forces. Pa’trice is a dancer, choreographer, and recording artist; Tribbett is a DJ and recording artist as well. 

“He has been a great performer since I’ve known him,” says Pa’trice. “I haven’t known him all my life, but it feels like [I have] and he is a great performer.” 

One day, when they were both solo artists and scheduled interviews for the same day, Tribbett ran into Pa’trice. “I saw her at the interview and knew I wanted to work with her, but she kind of just brushed me off,” Tribbett jokes. 

Now you will never see one without the other. 

Brande Pa’trice and Trippy Tribbett (Photo: Brande Pa’trice)

“We actually never discussed the topic of performing together, it just kind of happened naturally,” Pa’trice says.

In May 2023, the two formally formed a duo when Pa’trice agreed to assist Tribbett in promoting his album, Unscripted Feelings. They started their project “No Munch (Jump)” — a song that has an accompanying dance — after realizing their chemistry.

“It’s at a point now where if my name [Tripp] is on the flyer everybody already knows she’s going to be with me and vice versa,” says Tribbett.

This collaboration has brought them a feeling of peace and comfort. 

“We are sharing everything now and it feels good too because now we both have each other to lean on,” says Pa’trice. 

Sitting across from them, the creative connection is clear. Pa’trice is the partner who likes to keep pushing like a train in route, while Tribbett is there to help pause the train to ensure it doesn’t speed to a crash.

“She definitely knows what she is doing, but sometimes I have to come in and say let’s slow down,” Tribbett says. “It’s the balance that we bring to each other because sometimes when she’s on go I need to be on go.” 

They agree the past year has been rewarding, challenging, and a blessing. Not only have they launched their entertainment company, they have also dropped music, produced music videos, and traveled across the country on their “No Munch” tour, where they sing and dance in front of various crowds. 

They made it their goal to visit college campuses while on tour, not only to increase their visibility but also to demonstrate to their younger fan base the opportunities available to them.

“It was important to us that we went to these colleges and stamped them, just to show what is all out there,” says Pa’trice. 

While they are helping the youth, they are also fulfilling their childhood dreams. The duo performed at a recent Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers halftime show in front of a crowd of 20,000 people. 

Tripp and B perform a halftime show (Photo: Brande Pa’trice)

“It was a fun experience,” Pa’trice says. “I think I was more excited for him because I know it’s something he always wanted to make happen.”

Like any creative person, the two are always trying to figure out what their next project will be. 

“We are always thinking about what can be next, and I think that’s what makes us click because we have that same mindset,” says Tribbett. 

They recently released their song “Step and Move,” along with a music video. 

“We have big goals and dreams that we both want to reach,” says Pa’trice. “We want to sell out arenas.”

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Sports The Fly-By

Two Teams, One Goal

The University of Memphis cheerleading and dance teams won this year’s Universal Dance Association and Universal Cheer Association college national championship. The competition was held at Disney World in Orlando, Florida, last month. Through a display of talent, collaboration, and hard work, the teams reestablished themselves as strong competitors in the collegiate cheer and dance circuit. 

This is the one annual competition these teams compete in to showcase their skills.

“We love to put Memphis on the map, and we know as a spirit squad we represent the city and university,” said four-year cheer member Peyton Cathy.

In the Division IA small coed competition, Memphis Cheer defeated six other teams. Their final rating was 90.8 out of 100. After competing against five other teams on Division IA game day, the dance team emerged victorious, scoring 95.9. 

Despite being separate entities, the bond between the cheer and dance teams at U of M runs deep. United by a shared passion and a common goal, they operate as a cohesive unit, supporting and uplifting each other every step of the way. 

“I take pride in the fact that our program is family-oriented and it always has been,” said University of Memphis head coach of dance Carol Lloyd. “Cheer and dance support each other all season.” 

One of the main reasons athletes want to be a part of these programs, according to Lloyd, is the family-like atmosphere. 

“We have always been a very close-knit program,” said fourth-year dance team member Anna Merritt. “Yes, we are cheer and pom, but we come together and make Memphis Spirit Squad.” 

This isn’t the first time these two teams won national titles together (they both took home a national title in 2021), making it a two-peat for some of the squads’ current members.

“It feels nice to be able to finish the way I started,” said Merritt who was a part of the 2021 winning team.

These athletes work hard to succeed, not just for themselves but also to see their teammates happy. 

Photo courtesy Anna Merritt

“A lot of people come to Memphis just to win and now that they have that win, they can be happy with their retirement of cheer,” said Cathy. “I am just glad I was able to help lead us to a title.” 

The success of these teams can be attributed to more than just the family dynamic. Hard work, sacrifice, and leadership helped elevate them to the top. “Leadership alone, to me, is the drive behind all the success,” said coach Lloyd. 

The spirit squad is a familiar sight to many spectators and fans at games and school functions, but not everyone is aware of the work these athletes put in behind the scenes. Both the cheer and dance squads spent numerous hours honing their routines and techniques during the training sessions in the months leading up to the competition, aiming to perfect their stunts, jumps, tumbles, and complex choreography.

“There are countless hours, sacrifice, and dedication that a lot of these athletes [give],” said head coach of cheer, Tony Crump.

According to Lloyd, the dance team practices six hours a day, every day, for six weeks straight. Crump said athletes work all year around and the road to nationals starts immediately after try-outs. 

Not only have these athletes been growing in the collegiate circuit, but they have also been making waves online, reaching a larger audience. Their performances are shared out on multiple TikTok pages, and social media has led the sport of cheer and dance to gain more attention.

“It’s great to see the sport that you love and work hard doing, being more recognized by people that may not have known what our sport really entails,” said Cathy.

Photo courtesy Peyton Cathy