This is exhibit is so good I’ve gone twice! Once at the opening then again with my kids and other families. I’d highly recommend that you all go support this celebration of black artists as well. It’s on display at The Broad museum in downtown LA at 221 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012 until September 1st 2019!
My daughter and I agree this is the artwork we most want in our house. Art + Larceny!
I never saw this piece by David Hammons before, but I love it.
My daughter takes a picture of a brilliant piece about the death of MLK.
At the opening I ran into one of my heroes, Greg Tate. Back in my New York days, we spent endless hours discussing every possible permutation of the black aesthetic. His Sun Ra meets P.Funk writing style is a huge influence on me. Plus he’s a great guy.
Michael Jackson and Bubbles by Jeff Koons, part of the permanent collection.
Kara Walker, part of their permanent collection.
Hanging out after the opening with Sheila Marmon, Amy DuBois Barnett, and Shaun Robinson.
Phil Gurin and I have been executive producing the show for six years. We have a great time every time.
Byron Phillips and I producing the show from the floor. We’ve been doing the show together for seven years!
Mitch Marchand and Jon Macks write the show. Amazing talents and great guys.
The biggest stars of television…
…and movies are all in house!
Backstage with Michael B. Jordan
Byron and I talking with Vin Diesel right before he presents Outstanding Motion Picture…which turned out to be Black Panther, of course!
Jay Z after winning the President’s Award. With NAACP president Derrick Johnson and Sen. Kamala Harris, who is a presidential candidate herself!
Oh, what a night! Attending the NAACP Image Awards
By MICHAEL TWYMAN
Miles Brown plays Jack Johnson on the ABC show “Black-ish.” (Photo/Michael Twyman)
Tamera Mowry-Housley and Trevor Jackson on stage at the 50th annual NAACP Image Awards. (Photo/Michael Twyman)
One of the special privileges of serving on the NAACP Foundation Board and member of the Image Awards Selection Committee is being a VIP guest at the annual show. The 50th NAACP Image Awards held its signature event celebrating Black excellence in arts and entertainment for the very first time at Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre — the venue for the annual Academy Awards. The aesthetic beauty and charm of the theater is breathtaking when experienced in-person, and it is even more transformed and electrifying when filled with Black Hollywood’s finest and some of the most illustrious African American leaders of our time.
Not likely there’s any other occasion whereby I’d be seated in the row with journalist icons Roland Martin, April Ryan and Ed Gordon, and get to chat with Iyanla Vanzant, shake hands with Winston Duke, or hug Lynn Whitfield and tell her how spectacular she is on “Greenleaf.”
Much of the evening punctuated the role Black women play as mothers, grandmothers, activists, actors and trailblazers. Here are some examples: Image Awards host Anthony Anderson welcomed his mother on stage to give his acceptance speech for the Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series Award. Tracee Ellis Ross gave a tearful tribute to her famed mother, Diana Ross, for marking a 75th birthday milestone and being the single-most inspiration to her career as she received another Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series for “Black-ish.”
And, hip-hop mogul Shawn Carter aka Jay-Z won and shared very touching remembrances of his childhood in Brooklyn when accepting the NAACP President’s Award. He dedicated the award to his grandmother Hattie White. She raised seven kids in a walk-up apartment while earning $20 a week. He grew up in that same household, and through the love and tenacity demonstrated by her and the other women in his life he quickly learned it was nothing he could not accomplish.
Whereas there is nothing quite like the awards show itself, equally enjoyable was the pre-show dinner with master of ceremonies Loni Love, Tamera Mowry-Housley and Adrienne Houghton from “The Real.” Here, you’re really able to rub shoulders with dignitaries and engage in meaningful conversations. Nothing quite like meeting and speaking with producer Robert Townsend, TV One founder Cathy Hughes, sports commentator Stephen A. Smith within a span of 10 minutes during the dinner event. It was also very cool to fist-bump Indy homeboy Trevor Jackson, who was there serving as an award presenter. Another treat was Donna Brazile cracking jokes and keeping us in stitches during our rides on the coach shuttle to and from the event.
To cap things off, an A-list after-party was held at the Roosevelt Hotel on Hollywood Boulevard and hosted by Doug E. Fresh, with Teddy Riley and Blackstreet and Kool Moe Dee performing poolside. Regina Hall, Chadwick Boseman, Issa Rae, Omari Hardwick and Kofi Siriboe made their rounds at the event — all extremely gracious and unassuming in their demeanor and interactions with guests. What’s especially nice to see are young actors like Marcus Scribner and Marsai Martin being there with their families having a good time and mingling with all the more seasoned entertainers and high-profile political figures.
Of course it wouldn’t have
been Hollywood if there wasn’t the random sighting of celebrities not attending
the NAACP festivities. Such was the case when returning late to my hotel from
the after party. Chillin’ just a few feet away from me in the lobby bar was
none other than Jack Nicholson kicked back and sipping a martini … just as at
ease as if he were in his own living room and clearly admiring all the Black
“art” on full display!
Mark Marvel’s 80th anniversary with this celebration of ’70s Doctor Strange and Captain America!
BY BEN MORSE
Each week, the Best of the Decade column honors Marvel’s 80th anniversary by spotlighting a single issue from the House of Ideas beloved by the best in the business!
Before he was counted among the elite in the entertainment business, Reginald Hudlin would go to great lengths when it came to acquiring Marvel comics in the 1970s.
“By the time I was in middle school, I was buying comics pretty regularly,” Hudlin says. “The drug store near our house that sold comics on a spinner rack had closed down, but I was taking the bus home from a middle school in St. Louis, which mean I was in downtown, where the only place you could buy comics were these storefronts that sold comics in the front but sold [adult magazines] in the back behind a curtain! I don’t think my parents knew that’s where I was shopping. But we were kids that were only interested in the comics.”
Years later, Hudlin would go on to write a landmark run on BLACK PANTHER from 2005 to 2008, putting his adolescence scouring town for comics to good use. And, as he recalls, he wasn’t the only one. “Jim Lee, also from St. Louis, told me he was shopping at the same shady stores as a kid,” he adds. “This was before the era of dedicated comic book shops.”
In honor of Marvel’s 80th, we got Hudlin’s invaluable insight on what makes the ’70s special—from the return of a King to Doctor Strange confronting his ultimate challenge…
Marvel.com: What are you first memories of reading Marvel comics?
Reginald Hudlin: My older brothers were very serious comic collectors. I remember them coming home with the original runs of the Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, X-Men—everything. They had complete runs from the first issue. So I grew up reading comics voraciously.
Finally I was old enough to buy my own books. My mom gave me enough money to buy one book. I bought a Monkees comic because I liked the TV show. My brothers were disgusted with me “wasting” money on a book like that. I could have bought one more book they couldn’t afford, but I stuck with my choice.
But I quickly transitioned into [Super Hero] books, including Marvel.
Marvel.com: What sets Marvel comics of the 1970s apart from other eras?
Hudlin: I define ’70s Marvel as post Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. My impression [was] that Stan wasn’t writing monthly books anymore, he was now more management. And Kirby had left for DC. So the next generation of creative talent stepped up and took the line in a new direction, while continuing the Marvel tradition of reflecting the cultural trends of the era. Luke Cage had the Blaxploitation vibe. Shang-Chi and Iron Fist reflected the popularity of kung fu movies. Captain America’s SECRET EMPIRE[and] NOMAD storylines reflected the Watergate crisis.
Also, characters finally started being based in other cities besides New York. Daredevil moved to San Francisco. Son of Satan was set in St. Louis!
Marvel.com: In your mind, who were the most important and memorable characters in the evolution of black Super Heroes in 1970s Marvel?
Hudlin: You are talking about Luke Cage, Storm, Blade, and Misty Knight—I had the four of them team up with Black Panther and Monica Rambeau in one of my BLACK PANTHER story arcs, but there’s more to be done with them individually and as a group. What I like about them is that they are all very different personalities and none of their backgrounds are alike, reflecting the diversity of black experiences in the real world.
Marvel.com: What titles stood out to you as favorites from that decade?
What about the oversized magazines like SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN with the Red Nails story by Barry Windsor-Smith? Or those beautiful painted covers by Neal Adams for INSIDE KUNG FU?
Marvel.com: What specifically makes them stand out?
Hudlin: The Silver Dagger story featured a great villain with a smart plan. The hero tries to stop him and fails at every turn. The villain succeeds at his goal, but the conflict is resolved without a big final fight. A really smartly told tale.
Madbomb is Kirby once again predicting the future with perfect accuracy. America’s elites decide to overthrow democracy and return to a monarchy. The method of achieving this is the Madbomb, which drives people crazy and they attack each other, allowing the wealthy and powerful to take total control.
I don’t like making “best movie” lists, because there are so many great movies, and so many great movies I don’t get to see…but here are a bunch of movies worth seeing.
1. AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR
This is exactly like reading a great annual or event mini series in comics. It took ten years and eighteen movies the make it plausible and it pays off beautifully.
2. BLACK PANTHER 1. AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR
Given how many horrible drafts of this movie have existed over the decades, the fact that a movie this true to the comic exists is a miracle. The fact that it’s the biggest superhero movie of all time is a wake up call to the movie industry.
3. ROMA
Masterpiece.
4. SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDERVERSE
Artistic breakthrough in animation and great depiction of a black superhero.
5. VICE
Adam McKay has evolved into this generation’s Oliver Stone, who covers recent political history with wit and style.
6. KING IN THE WILDERNESS
So many films try to make MLK a relatable human, but this is the first one to succeed at it. A must see.
7. MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT
I like Mission Impossible movies, and this was the best one. It’s hard for number 6 of any franchise to the best one.
8. AMAZING GRACE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BA6lBW3R__M
It’s great to have Aretha, at her peak, back with us for two hours, performing one of her greatest triumphs.
9. A STAR IS BORN
I haven’t seen the other versions, but this one is perfect. Great performances, great dialogue, great look….just great.
10. CRAZY RICH ASIANS
Fresh cast, fresh setting, fresh culture to explore, and so much fun!
Runner ups: SORRY TO BOTHER YOU; READY PLAYER ONE; HOW COULD YOU EVER FORGIVE ME; THREE IDENTITAL STRANGERS; ANNIHALATION; BIRD BOX; DEADPOOL 2, THE FIRST PURGE, A QUIET PLACE.
