Suite 411

D’Angelo to perform at Essence Music Festival

allison — Fri, 04 May 2012 09:57:14 +0000

After a 10-year hiatus, R&B singer D’Angelo will make his first U.S. performance at this year’s Essence Music Festival in New Orleans.

He will perform July 6, the opening night of the festival that runs through July 8. Trey Songz, Aretha Franklin, Mary J. Blige are some of the other artists scheduled to perform.

D’Angelo, 37, pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct last month to his March 2010 arrest for prostitution.

He is working on a new album.

‘Think Like A Man’ movie hits theaters

allison — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 12:48:38 +0000

Michael Ealy, left, and Taraji P. Henson in "Think Like a Man."

The rom-com based upon Steve Harvey’s best selling book, “Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man” hit theaters this weekend. The entertaining movie features a cast of well-known African-American actors and actresses in the age-old struggle between men and women in the dating world.

The movie follows several men and how the women in their lives use Harvey’s book to guide their relationships. That is until the men realize what is going on and the hijinks ensues. The men consist of the Player (Romany Malco), the Mama’s Boy (Terrence J), the Dreamer (Michael Ealy), the Non-Committer (Jerry Ferrara), the Happily Married Guy (Gary Owen) and the Happily Divorced Guy (Kevin Hart). The women consist of Oscar-nominated Taraji P. Henson, Regina Hall, Meagan Good and Gabrielle Union.

Hart is his usual spastic funny self and provides comic relief. Also look for talk show host Wendy Williams to pop up in a surprising funny turn.

“Think Like a Man” is a cute romantic comedy that would be fun for any date night.

Beyonce, Jay-Z release online photos of Blue Ivy

allison — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 10:17:35 +0000

Beyonce and Jay-Z release online photos of their one-month-old daughter, Blue Ivy.

The couple posted the photos on a page at the blogging service Tumblr at http://helloblueivycarter.tumblr.com.

A message with the photos read:

We Welcome you to share in our joy.

Thank you for respecting
our privacy during this
Beautiful time in our lives.

The Carter Family

Jennifer Holliday remembers ‘Dreamgirls’

allison — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 05:04:41 +0000

Check out my interview in the Chicago Sun-Times newspaper with Tony- and Grammy Award-winning singer Jennifer Holliday as this year marks the 30th anniversary of the Broadway production of “Dreamgirls.”

Read interview

Rapper Heavy D dead at age 44

allison — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 23:04:52 +0000

Rapper Heavy D died Tuesday after being rushed to an area hospital from his Beverly Hills home.

Heavy D, born Dwight Arrington Myers, was conscious and speaking when he was taken Tuesday afternoon to a Los Angeles hospital, reports TMZ.com.

He died soon after. He was 44.

Jay-Z guest stars in cartoon series

allison — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:23:29 +0000

Jay-Z guest stars in the new animated series, “Secret Millionaires Club.” He plays a mogul promoting financial literacy to children on the special that premieres Sunday on Hub TV, E! online reports. Financial guru Warren Buffet is also featured in an episode giving financial advice to teenagers.

Kanye West and Jay-Z sued over ‘The Joy’

allison — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 04:41:02 +0000

A federal lawsuit was filed Friday by a Chicago producer claiming his 1967 song “Different Strokes” was illegally sampled on “The Joy,” a song by rappers Kanye West and Jay-Z that is featured on their album, “Watch the Throne.”

Veteran soul singer Syl Johnson, whose real name is Sylvester Thompson, produced, sang, and recorded the 1967 song, “Different Strokes,” which has been sampled by other artists including Michael Jackson, Kid Rock, Tupac Shakur and rap group NWA, according to a suit filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago.

The suit claims that Kanye West and Jay-Z did not obtain permission from Johnson’s Syl-Zel Music Company to use a composition excerpt in the “The Joy,” a song featured on their “Watch the Throne” album.

Johnson owns the copyrights of the song and claims that West initially attempted to obtain permission to use a “Different Strokes” sample in the release of his 2010 album, “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,” but was unable to obtain permission in time for its release, the suit said.

The “Watch the Throne” album was released about August 2011 with a song entitled “The Joy,” which featured a sample of “Different Strokes” that was not authorized, the suit said.

The five-count suit claims copyright infringement, unfair competition, and fraud. It seeks a jury trial, permanently restraining the rappers from performing the song “The Joy” in concert or distributing the recording. The suit also requests an order to impound all recordings of the song, an accounting of the revenues and a judgment for the balance due Johnson. It also seeks punitive damages, attorney fees and court costs.

So does he have a case? Take a listen.

Idris Elba returns in ‘Luther’

allison — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 21:49:58 +0000

Idris Elba is back for a second season as a police detective in the BBC America series, “Luther.”

Elba, 39, plays Detective Chief Inspector John Luther, a brilliant police detective entering middle age, with erratic behavior, a broken marriage, and a nervous breakdown in his past, The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

In the psychological police thriller, Luther is an anguished soul who is too keenly aware of the evil that people can do because he recognizes the criminal impulse in himself.

The second season of Luther debuted on BBC America last Wednesday.

Episode two airs Wednesday night at 9 p.m.

Damian Marley becomes ‘Super Heavy’

allison — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 18:17:32 +0000

Reggae star Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley collaborates with Rolling Stones band member Mick Jagger to form all-star band, Super Heavy.

Super Heavy consists of British soul diva Joss Stone, Marley, Jagger, Eurythmics founder Dave Stewart and Oscar-winning Indian film composer A.R. Rahman.

Jagger and Stewart formed the band and decided to enlist Marley because they were fans of his 2005 Grammy-winning album, “Welcome to Jamrock,” USA Today reports.

The recently released 12-track, self-titled album, “Super Heavy,” was recorded in early 2009 in a Los Angeles music studio and is comprised of rock, soul, reggae, blues, pop and Indian music.

Kanye West to debut fashion line in Paris

allison — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 09:35:46 +0000

Kanye West visiting Paris last March.

Kanye West is expected to debut his fashion line Saturday during Paris Fashion Week.

The media has been invited to cover the Kanye West Spring/Summer 2012 fashion show on Oct. 1, the Boston Globe reports.

The debut of West’s fashion collection has been rumored for months and the rap star recently attended the Burberry runway show in London.