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Spike Lee Greets Fla. Voters
(November 1, 2008) -- As early voting enters its final stretch, Miami, Fla., residents waiting in line to cast their ballots had some celebrity company: Spike Lee.
‘Soul Train’s’ Don Cornelius Arrested
Don Cornelius, the “Soul Train” television icon, has been released on a $50,000 bond after being arrested last Friday night on suspicion of felony domestic violence, according to reports.
Grammy-Nominated Singer Dee Dee Warwick Dies
Dee Dee Warwick, a soul singer recognized for her solo performances and work with older sister Dionne Warwick died Saturday at a nursing home in Essex County, N.J. She was 63.
Levi Stubbs, Lead Singer of Motown’s Four Tops, Dies
(October 18, 2008) -- Levi Stubbs, the soulful lead singer of the Four Tops, died yesterday. He was 72 and had complications from a stroke. According to the Associated Press, the Motown legend passed away at his Detroit home while he was asleep.
Special Message from Tyler:<br>"I Wanted You There!"
I only had room for 350 guests. So, I couldn’t invite all of you, but I wanted to find a way to make you feel like you were there with us. So here are lots of pictures and my little bit of a walking tour for you. I called the celebration IMAGINE THAT.
Delta Museum is Tribute to Bluesman B.B. King
More than a half-century after B.B. King left Indianola, Miss., in search of fame, the $15 million B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretative Center has opened in his hometown.
Saxophonist David Marq Breaks Out as Solo Artist with Tribute
Acclaimed saxophonist David Marq first met the late producer and songwriter Skip Scarborough in the mid 1990s, when the Grammy Award-winning Scarborough needed a sax man for a gospel music project he was working on.
Black Stars Light the Obama Campaign Trail
(October 4, 2008) - This weekend, voters in Ohio had a chance to see a familiar face up close and personal. Russell Simmons, hip-hop pioneer, designer and philanthropist, joined the stump for presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama for the first time Saturday.
James Earl Jones to Receive SAG Award for Lifetime Achievement
(October 4, 2008) - World-renowned actor James Earl Jones will receive the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) most prestigious honor at its 15th annual awards, the Guild announced Friday.
INSIDE AFRO ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Books
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<u><i>Beacon on the Hill</i></u><br>by Linda Kenny Miller
Recently the American Medical Association proclaimed their past wrong doings of racism toward African-American physicians. Perhaps the AMA was inspired to apologize after reading the eloquently written novel, “Beacon on the Hill” by Linda Kenney-Miller.
<u>Bargain Buy:</u><br>‘Tupac Shakur Legacy’
Sept. 13, 2008 will mark 12 years since Tupac Shakur’s death, and what better way to commemorate the late rapper’s life than to explore his legacy? Tupac Shakur Legacy (Atira Books 2006) does just that. And if the book isn’t enough, the included 60- minute interview CD may do the trick.
Another Look at Booker T. Flushes Out His Conundrum
At the book’s onset, Lee H. Walker, the lecture collection editor of the 2006 symposium, 'Booker T. Washington: A Re-examination', strains credibility in declaring that Washington "was one of the most famous, influential and respected men...perhaps of all time...either black or white."
Author Zane Speaks on New TV Series, Next Novel
She goes by a single name – Zane. This 42-year old woman, born Kristina LaFerne Roberts started off publishing her work on the Internet and became a New York Times bestselling author.
Faith Evans Releases Tell-All Book
R&B singer Faith Evans has released a tell-all memoir entitled Keep the Faith. The book discusses her meteoric rise to fame, turbulent relationship with late rapper Biggie Smalls and her struggles with substance abuse.
Fresh Fiction - She Had it Coming
If New York Times best selling author Mary Monroe’s latest novel was a movie, you’d yell things such as, “Girl, have you lost your mind?” “No, don’t do that!” or “Oh my goodness” at the television as the main character, Dolores “Lo” Reese, takes you through a first-person, full-circle account of her calamity called life. She had it Coming (Dafina Books, $24) is a predictable, yet suspenseful drama.
Historian Jerome Watson Captures the Telling Turner Station Story
Turner Station, of course, is a venerable Black community in the southeast quadrant of Baltimore County that was born during Jim Crow’s emergence. This meant that Turner Station’s watchwords were “self-reliance” and “safety-in-numbers.”
Movies
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<u>Film Review</u><br>Slackers Mentor Troubled Kids in Crass Shock Comedy
Sometimes a promising production can add up to far less than the sum of its parts. Case in point: {Role Models}. Director David Wain ({The Ten}) probably thought he had an inspired idea when he cast his crass comedy with some of the most famous faces from recent teensploits,...
Expressing Himself
Born in Harlem on March 1, 1984, but raised in Brooklyn, Rob Brown got his start in showbiz when he answered a casting call for extras in Finding Forrester. Although he had no prior acting experience, at the age of 16 this natural talent landed the co-starring role of Jamal Wallace opposite Oscar-winner Sean Connery.
Fear Thy Neighbor
Many of us grew up being taught to “love thy neighbor,” but when your neighbor is a psycho whose ultimate mission is to make every moment of your life a living hell, it’s hard to stop by for tea and crumpets.
Controversial Action Comedy Is Ben Stiller’s Brainchild
You know you’re asking for trouble when you make a movie with a White actor in blackface wearing a lower lip extension who’s always talking jive jibberish, and with a mentally-challenged character who’s repeatedly teased about his disability.
Movie Review:  Boris Kodjoe and Ryan Michelle Bathe Co-Star Family Flick
Edward (Boris Kodjoe) and Stacey Brown (Ryan Michelle Bathe) are a young African-American couple trying to make it as filmmakers in Los Angeles. However, they haven’t met with much success, primarily because they’ve been pitching the studios with their script for a wholesome family flick.
Meet Dave:  Eddie Murphy Misfires as Brother from Another Planet
In 1984, John Sayles directed The Brother from Another Planet, a thought-provoking, sci-fi comedy about an alien who washes ashore at Ellis Island and makes his way to Manhattan where he does his best to blend in because he’s being chased by a couple of bounty hunters who had followed him to Earth.
Will Smith as Alcoholic Superhero in Need of AA and a New Image
John Hancock (Will Smith) is a superhero who has fallen out of favor with the public, and for good reason. First of all, he can usually be found passed out with a bottle of whiskey in his hand, draped across a bench in downtown L.A. He routinely antagonizes pedestrians, behaving no differently than a typical bum living on Skid Row,...
Music
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She’s a bubbling pot of green tea. Literally.
(November 12, 2008) - The nation capital’s own Green Tea has been making her mark on the underground DMV (D.C., Maryland and Virginia) arts scene since December of 2004. With just four years actively promoting her music, the 28-year-old songster has crafted two CDs and a music video. Her songs speak of her faith with God, her triumph over poverty, and they encourage her listeners to strive for new heights.
Rapper Lil’ Wayne Named ‘Lyricist of the Year’
Rapper Lil’ Wayne was named lyricist of the year at the recent BET Hip-Hop Awards taping in Atlanta on Saturday. The diminutive artist has had a whirlwind year, earning top slots on music charts with single “Lollipop.”
First Black Hollywood Studio Staff Musician Dies
Lee Young, a jazz drummer, recording artist and producer who played with Duke Ellington and other greats and became the first African American to work as a Hollywood studio staff musician, has died. He was 94.
D.C. Native Takes Hip-Hop to the Classroom
It’s amazing how learning the lyrics to the most popular songs on the radio can be easier and much more enjoyable than learning the lackluster things that we need to succeed in everyday life. But thanks to D.C. native Alex “Alleycat” Nesmith, learning the bare necessities will soon become just as fun as a Friday night party.
Mary J. Blige Song Leads to Legal Concerns
Soulful singer Mary J. Blige has been slapped with a $2 million federal suit claiming music for “Work That,” a track from her latest platinum-selling album Growing Pains, is stolen.
R. Kelly’s New Lyrics Raise Eyebrows
Songs leaked from R. Kelly’s upcoming album 12 Play 4th Quarter are making headlines for their sexually-charged lyrics.
Chante Moore Back on the Scene
Following her two highly successful albums with her husband, Kenny Lattimore, Chante Moore returns with her long awaited first solo CD in nearly a decade, Love The Woman, released June 17th on Peak Records.