TV News Desk Jun. 20, 2018 EMPEROR is inspired by the true story of Shields Green (Okeniyi), who in 1859 escaped from a plantation and made a daring journey north where he met Frederick Douglass and John Brown (Cromwell). With the opportunity to continue to freedom in Canada, Green instead chose…
+ Read Moreby Amanda N’Duka June 20, 2018 10:57am EXCLUSIVE: Oscar nominees James Cromwell and Bruce Dern have signed on for Emperor, joining previously announced star Dayo Okeniyi in the Civil War-abolitionist film directed by former Lionsgate exec Mark Amin. Paul Scheer, Harry Lennix, Naturi Naughton, Mykelti Williamson, Ben Robson, Keean Johnson, and Kat Graham are also attached to co-star…
+ Read Moreby Amanda N’Duka EXCLUSIVE: Dayo Okeniyi, best known for his role in The Hunger Games as well as NBC’s Shades of Blue, has been tapped as the lead in Emperor, a Civil War-era historical drama from Sobini Films. Former Lionsgate exec and Sobini founder Mark Amin is directing the pic. Written by Amin and Pat Charles, the screenplay is…
+ Read MoreBY LISA WILSON [email protected] June 13, 2018 03:47 PM Updated June 13, 2018 03:55 PM Actor Dayo Okeniyi, who portrayed Thresh in “The Hunger Games,” is in Savannah filming a new drama, according to posts on his Instagram page. Okeniyi has been cast as the star of “Emperor,” a Civil War-era movie…
+ Read MoreThe concept of Afro Futurism is imagining a future through a black cultural lens. Like a lot of science fiction, it often ends up a metaphor for life today. Here’s a list of highlights of musical afro futurists. Sun Ra – Space Is The Place Sun Ra took big band…
+ Read MoreARETHA FRANKLIN What is soul? Aretha Franklin, that’s what it is. GLADYS KNIGHT The underrated. Her voice is as powerful, as sincere, as moving as it ever was. CHAKA KHAN Chaka live blows me away every time. WHITNEY HOUSTON The singer’s singer. NANCY WILSON Her voice is a beautiful as…
+ Read MoreThese artists wrote great songs for themselves and others, and sang the heck out of them. These are artists who deserve your complete attention. Listen deeply to their entire catalogue of music. 1. Stevie Wonder With a body of work that covers two generations, Stevie is the artists’ artist. 2….
+ Read MoreAll month I’m going to assemble a list of great black artists and songs. I’ll start with great black soundtracks, since I won’t be able to do the Black Movie Soundtrack show at the Hollywood Bowl this summer. BLACK ORPHEUS Not only one of the greatest soundtracks, but arguably the…
+ Read MoreBY JAMIE HWANG The ABA announced winners of the 2018 Silver Gavel Awards for Media and the Arts, which recognize outstanding efforts to foster the public’s understanding of law through media. From 19 finalists, the Standing Committee on Gavel Awards selected six pieces of media for Silver Gavels with four others receiving honorable…
+ Read MoreBy Ani Bundel When Avengers: Infinity War ended there were almost no loose ends left behind. The film accounted for nearly everyone who was done and dusted, except one: Shuri, T’Challa’s little sister. Because Infinity War was finished before Black Panther came out, the Russo Brothers didn’t know she’d be a fan favorite or audiences would worry…
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