Here I am with my wife Chrisette and (L-R) Wall Street wizard Derek Jones and media mogul Cathy Hughes, the other two honorees at the 2016 United Negro College Fund Benefit in the Hamptons.
Me and journalist Samson Styles, one of favorite people from my BET years.
Here’s an animated clip of him telling a story from his previous life:
Dr. Michael Lomax, President of the UNCF, presents me with a huge plaque!
I give my thank yous to the crowd.
The crowd responds in kind.
The next day the party continues with a lovely brunch at the home of Dianne and Bill Plummer. Here I am with Alicia Goldstein, a dear friend of me and my wife Chrisette.
Alicia, Chrisette and host Dianne Plummer chillin’ Hamptons style.
Always happy to talk with fellow honoree Cathy Hughes, founder of Radio One and TV One. I produce the NAACP Image Awards on her television network.
The Academy presented a screening of “Purple Rain” on Wednesday, August 17, 2016. Pictured (left to right): Marie France, Robert Cavallo, Albert Magnoli, Apollonia Kotero, Marcus Miller, Reginald Hudlin, Jerome Benton and Jill Jones.
Guests for the panel discussion preceding the film included actor Jill Jones, director Albert Magnoli, producer Robert Cavallo, costume designer Marie France, actor/musician Jerome Benton, and actor/singer Apollonia.
It was moderated by Academy Governor Reggie Hudlin and Marcus Miller. Check out video and picture highlights of the event below.
The film was set in Minneapolis, Prince’s hometown, and it centers on a young rock musician, the Kid (Prince), looking to escape his abusive family life. The Kid dedicates himself to relentless rehearsals and performances at the First Avenue nightclub with his band, the Revolution, while trying to start a stable relationship with singer Apollonia.
Purple Rain grossed almost $70 million at the box office, sold over 20 million copies of the soundtrack, won an Oscar for Original Song Score and turned Prince into the sensation he remains today.
Byron Phillips, Van Jones and Academy governor/moderator Reginald Hudlin prior to a screening of “Purple Rain” presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, on Wednesday, August 17, 2016. ©AMPAS
Chrisette Hudlin, Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs, Academy governor/moderator Reginald Hudlin and Stanley Isaacs prior to a screening of “Purple Rain” presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, on Wednesday, August 17, 2016. ©AMPAS
Moderators Marcus Miller (left) and Reginald Hudlin prior to a screening of “Purple Rain” presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, on Wednesday, August 17, 2016. ©AMPAS
The Genesis of the Film
Jill and Jerome
Academy governor/moderator Reginald Hudlin (left), actor/musician Jerome Benton (center) and actress/musician Jill Jones prior to a screening of “Purple Rain” presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, on Wednesday, August 17, 2016. ©AMPAS
The Academy presented a screening of “Purple Rain” on Wednesday, August 17, 2016. Pictured (left to right): Marie France, Robert Cavallo, Albert Magnoli, Apollonia Kotero, Marcus Miller, Reginald Hudlin, Jerome Benton and Jill Jones. ©AMPAS
Writing and Casting
Costume Design
Actress/musician Apollonia Kotero (left), moderator Marcus Miller (center) and Academy governor/moderator Reginald Hudlin prior to a screening of “Purple Rain” presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, on Wednesday, August 17, 2016. ©AMPAS
Apollonia
The Academy presented a screening of “Purple Rain” on Wednesday, August 17, 2016. Pictured (left to right): Jerome Benton, Jill Jones, Marie France, Reginald Hudlin, Apollonia Kotero, Albert Magnoli, Robert Cavallo and Joe Ruffalo. ©AMPAS
Academy governor/moderator Reginald Hudlin prior to a screening of “Purple Rain” presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, on Wednesday, August 17, 2016. ©AMPAS
Craig Robinson, left, Judith Hill and Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds perform Wednesday at the Hollywood Bowl. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
As movies go, “Shaft” and “Waiting to Exhale” are about as different as can be.
In the former, Richard Roundtree plays a private detective battling enemies on the streets of New York. In the latter, Whitney Houston is a show-biz professional in love with the wrong guy.
But on Wednesday night at the Hollywood Bowl, these disparate pictures were celebrated, along with many others, for what they share: killer songs.
The occasion was “The Black Movie Soundtrack II,” the sequel to a successful production mounted at the Bowl in 2014 that brought together acts such as Public Enemy and En Vogue to perform music from films including “Sparkle,” “In the Heat of the Night” and “Do the Right Thing.”
Like the first installment, Wednesday’s concert was overseen by Reginald Hudlin, who produced this year’s Academy Awards ceremony, and Marcus Miller, the Grammy-winning bassist and bandleader known for his work with Miles Davis and Luther Vandross. (Miller’s small combo was accompanied by the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra under the direction of Vince Mendoza.)
Actor Craig Robinson returned as host, and in his welcome to the audience, he said the show — which paired live performances with movie clips projected on a large screen — had an explicit feel-good design.
“A hug for your soul,” he called it.
Verdine White, left, Philip Bailey and Ralph Johnson of Earth Wind & Fire. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
That’s certainly what Charlie Wilson, resplendent in a sparkly white suit, delivered in his charismatic take on Isaac Hayes’ “Theme From Shaft.” Ditto Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, who flexed his creamy falsetto in “Superfly,” one of several Curtis Mayfield tunes performed Wednesday; later, Gladys Knight revisited the lush soul-funk songs Mayfield wrote for her and the Pips to sing in 1974’s “Claudine.”
More positive vibes came from the old-school hip-hop crew Full Force, which zoomed through “Ain’t My Type of Hype” (from Hundlin’s movie “House Party”); Philip Bailey, Verdine White and Ralph Johnson of Earth Wind & Fire in a jubilant “September”; and singer Judith Hill, who did “Sittin’ Up in My Room” as part of a suite of songs created by Babyface for “Boomerang” and “Waiting to Exhale.”
That medley also featured Lalah Hathaway in “Love Shoulda Brought You Home” and Babyface himself in “Give U My Heart” — persuasive evidence that this perceptive singer, songwriter and producer has earned a place next to Mayfield as one of R&B’s true auteurs.
As crowd-pleasing as “Black Movie Soundtrack” set out to be, the show used heavier moments to demonstrate the thematic and emotional range of black cinema — and to illustrate, as motion picture academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs said in her opening remarks, that “black movie music matters.”
Common and Alice Smith performed “Glory,” from the movie “Selma.” (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
In a turn from the night’s cheerful nostalgia, Common and Alice Smith performed “Glory,” the rousing — and unsparing — hip-hop anthem from Ava DuVernay’s “Selma” in which Common explained “why Rosa sat on the bus” and “why we walk through Ferguson with our hands up.”
And though a tribute to the late Prince had Wilson busting sweet moves through “Baby I’m a Star,” the memorial closed on a more somber note, with Hathaway singing the title track from “Purple Rain” as though it were an age-old hymn.
Which, come to think of it, it basically is.
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The stars came out in droves to celebrate once again The Black Movie Soundtrack II hosted by comedian and actor Craig Robinson on Wednesday August 31st at the Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles.
I’m so proud of this #BlackPanther @chadwickboseman! Hard work pays off👊🏾 Excellent running into you everywhere this week @only1karimah! Lol #Greene #ActorsdoingitWell #TheHollywoodBowl
In attendance were Actors Anthony Anderson, Chadwick Boseman who will play Marvel’s Black Panther, Chad Coleman from ‘The Walking Dead’ and Actresses Skye P. Marshall, Vanessa Bell Calloway and Bresha Webb.
A-Team : Reginald, Craig and Marcus hosted the evening
By popular demand, Grammy winner Marcus Miller and acclaimed producer/director Reginald Hudlin reprise the Bowl’s 2014 Black Movie Soundtrack event with new clips and some funky favorites.
The LA Philharmonic orchestra played 70’s medleys accompanied by the respective films on the screens performed by musicians Charlie Wilson, Babyface and Lalah Hathaway who serenaded to the classics of Shaft, Superfly and Little Ghetto Boy.
Gladys Knight brought the house down as she performed three songs from the film ‘Claudine’. The audience sang along to a vibrant Gladys as she sang ‘Make Yours a Happy Home’, ‘The Makings of You’ and ‘On and On’.
Lady in red: Gladys Knight wrote on her instagram that she had an amazing night
Highlight of the evening was a touching tribute to the passing of Earth Wind and Fires Maurice White who passed away earlier this year on February the 4th.
The remaining members of the band lit up the night as they performed their chart toppers, ‘Got to Get You into My Life’ , ‘That’s The Way of the World’ and the infectious ‘September’.
Still going strong: The remaining members of Earth Wind and Fire lit the night up as they performed their chart toppers
The tributes didn’t end there with another passing of the legendary singer Prince, who also passed away this year on April 21st. Charlie Wilson and Lalah Hathaway performed ‘Take me with you’ , Chance Howard performed ‘When Doves Cry’, Alice Smith sang ‘If I was your girlfriend’ and Charlie Wilson performed ‘Baby I’m a Star’.
Remembered: Whitey Houston and Prince were paid tribute on the night
Lalah Hathaway ended the tribute with a powerful rendition of ‘Purple Rain’ to a audience who lit up the stadium with their cell phone lights singing along as the stage hummed to the hue of the colour purple.
The night ended with the Oscar award winning song ‘Glory, performed by Common and guest sung with Alice Smith to the film by the same name ‘Glory’.
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