Black Widow Entertainment

August 29, 9:52 AMNY Music ExaminerSherrill Fulghum

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Throughout its history Niagara Falls has been known for many things – the thundering falls, being the honeymoon capitol, the final stop in the United States on the way to freedom for the Underground Railroad, numerous industries, and most recently as a popular tourist attraction.  But for the past seven plus years Niagara Falls has also bee known for something else – the home of Black Widow Entertainment.

As owner and CEO of Black Widow Entertainment JP “The Black Widow” Macias-Johnson is the first female to own an independent record label in the United States.  Black Widow Entertainment is the home of 14 artists that currently specialize in urban, hip-hop, R&B, and Spiritual music.  A group she would like to see expand into more artists in other musical genres.

An artist herself Macias-Johnson does more than sit behind the desk as CEO, she also acts as mentor to the up and coming young artists by guiding them along the path as the artists learn the ins and outs of the music business.

As urban and hip-hop music developed as a genre all its own, the music and some of the artists also developed a reputation for violence and bad behaviour.  As she guides her artists on the label Macias-Johnson strives to “catch them in her web” of positive behaviour and understanding that not all of the songs have to be about negativity.

Macias-Johnson does not just spout rhetoric but practices what she preaches.  On her new album “Along Came A Spider” is a song “I Don’t Want to be Your Widow” which describes the woman’s point of view on her drug dealing partner.  “Along Came A Spider” is set for release on October 28.

“Along Came A Spider” is a collection of 24 original songs of R&B and hip-hop music by Macias-Johnson.  Previously Macias-Johnson has performed with a group called As One; “Along Came A Spider” is her first album as a solo artist.  The album is also the culmination of the past seven years of work and the first major release from Black Widow Entertainment.

Black Widow Entertainment may be a small label in a sea of the mega labels, but Macias-Johnson plans to catch them in her web as the Black Widow spider catches its prey and making her label as powerful as the mighty falls flowing through the gorge only a couple of  miles away in the process.