By Naturally Triece According to Deadline, a Barbershop 3 is on the way. The threequel will be coming 11 years after the sequel to the first Barbershop, which was a hit! The site is reporting that they’re still barbering the deal, but MGM is hiring The Best Man franchise director, Malcolm D. Lee, to direct Barbershop 3. Rumor has it that the film is coming along very well and steps…
By Michal Ortner Many fans of contemporary R&B are wondering where their beloved soul music has gone, as many artists are leaning towards the hip-hop beat of pop culture. Some wonder if artists are feeling pressured into newer sounds that leave no room for the steady, smooth sound of soul. Others are concerned that soul music is losing touch with its original African-American artists and audience. Soul music may have…
In case you don’t know the story of Anne Frank, it’s an intriguing diary written by a young Jewish woman during World War II. The Jewish community takes great pride in the book, and they make sure that many of their children read it at some point in their lives as a point of cultural heritage. Lee Daniels, creator of the show “Empire,” and the films “Precious” and “Monster’s Ball,”…
By Tamala Perkins Bobby Brown has been in an Atlanta hospital at his daughter Bobbi Kristina’s bedside. She is reported to be fighting for her life after being found unresponsive in a bathtub but he has also received some good news; his wife Alicia Etheredge is pregnant. Brown and his wife are expecting their second child together who will be Brown’s sixth child. The couple has a five year old…
By Jamaal Brewer If you have not yet watched the film Black or White, I’m warning you now that this is a *spoiler* alert. I remember first learning about Black or White after it appeared in the upcoming movie trailers for Selma . It didn’t spark my interest initially, but as someone who studies race relations and propaganda I wanted to see exactly what image it would portray and the…
By Angela L. Braden In what may seem as a laughable display of biting irony, Michael Jackson’s 2700-acre estate, where Jackson was accused of molesting several children, may soon be the new home of a rehab facility for children to recover from s*xual abuse. The famous Neverland Ranch is now being sold to whomever makes the highest bid. Two of the four investors that are trying to acquire the property…
By Marie Seva Did you know that in 2003, Spike Lee filed legal action against Spike TV to discontinue the use of his nickname, claiming that his fame may lead to people’s belief that he was affiliated with the network? Here are 10 more intriguing topics on the accomplished actor, writer, producer and film director. 1. Lee was born Shelton Jackson Lee to Jacqueline Carroll (a teacher) and William James Edward Lee…
Reported by Liku Zelleke Fox’s “Empire” has been a hit since day 1. The show, which stars Terrance Howard and Taraji P. Henson, has high ratings and the second season has already received the go-ahead. But, if you’re thinking everyone loves the new drama, then you haven’t read the opinion piece that was posted on the Chicago Sun-Times’ website. Writer Mary Mitchell says she’s no TV snob, and is quite the opposite….
By Michal Ortner Eddie Murphy is scheduled to appear on “Saturday Night Live” on Feb. 15—nearly 31 years after his departure from the sketch comedy show in the 80s. Interestingly, Murphy has not been a guest on the show that jump-started his career since his last appearance in 1984. “It just never worked out where the timing was right for me to do it,” Murphy explained about why he waited…
By Angela L. Braden Drake’s father, Dennis Graham, wants to follow in the footsteps of his hugely successful son. The granddad, who is in his 60s, wants to be a rap artist, according to AllHipHop.com But as of right now, Drake won’t be joining Dad in the studio to provide 16-bars on Graham’s first single. Drake is supposedly “too busy.” In an interview with XXL, Drake said, “I’m living my…
Kanye West is a rapper, songwriter, record producer and fashion designer who began his career as a producer with Roc-A-Fella Records. He first gained fame for his contributions to Jay-Z’s The Blueprint album in 2001 as well as his work on hit singles for such artists as Alicia Keys, Ludacris and Janet Jackson. West was born in Atlanta, Georgia but moved to Chicago with his mother after his parents divorced. West’s…
Dr. Dre is now the top paid celebrity on the Forbes celebrity earnings list for annual earnings between June 2013 and 2014. He has ousted Sean “Diddy” Combs from the top spot of highest paid hop hop artist, and what makes the $620 million in estimated pre-tax earnings so astronomical is that it is actually the highest of any musician in any genre ever evaluated by Forbes. It is also…
Tupac Shakur was one of the most legendary hip hop artists of all time, and his influence helped a generation of black youth find their voice. Eighteen years have passed since his senseless and tragic murder, but the imprint he left on American culture and black conscious is still visible. Born in Manhattan, New York, he was named after Tupac Amarau, an 18th century South American revolutionary who was executed…
Some people don’t like Dr. Umar Johnson, but it might be because his version of the truth is different from the mainstream. But he’s not stupid, and he has quite a few theories that might help explain why black people are always found at the bottom of the barrel, even when Democrats and other so-called friendly organizations are lining up to help us. Dr. Johnson, in this long video that…
by Dr. Boyce Watkins The older I get, the more I appreciate Spike Lee. Spike ruffles feathers with his raw commentary, but I’m firmly convinced that he cares about black people. While most of the folks in Hollywood are too busy wondering if their overseers are going to give them approval to be outraged over the death of Eric Garner, Spike is making his voice heard almost instantaneously. Eric…