Suite 411

 

 
Tupac Shakur’s song, “Dear Mama,” was inducted into the Library of Congress’ Recording Registry, which preserves “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant” recordings that are at least 10 years old.  The Library of Congress called the 1995 hit “a moving and eloquent homage to both the murdered rapper’s own mother and all mothers struggling to maintain a family in the face of addiction, poverty and societal indifference.”
 
“Dear Mama” marks only the third hip-hop recording in the Library of Congress following Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five’s “The Message” and Public Enemy’s album, Fear of a Black Planet.  Little Richard’s 1955 hit “Tutti Frutti” and bluesman Howlin’ Wolf’s 1956 single “Smokestack Lightning” were also among the 25 recordings inducted into the Library of Congress.

 

 
On Sunday night, Jay-Z, Will and Jada Smith won three Tony Awards as executive producers of the Broadway musical, “Fela!”  The play about ’70s Nigerian musician and political activist Fela Anikulapo-Kuti was nominated for 11 Tony Awards.  The three categories in which “Fela!” won were Best Sound Design of a Musical, Best Choreography, and Best Costume Design of a Musical.
 
Denzel Washington won his first Tony award for his performance in August Wilson’s “Fences.”  Viola Davis, also won a Tony for her role as his wife in the play.
 
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Mo’Nique takes home her first Academy Award for best supporting actress in the movie, “Precious.”  She thanked her husband, Sidney during her acceptance speech by saying: “Thank you for showing me that sometimes you have to forgo doing what’s popular in order to do what’s right.  And baby…you were so right.”
 

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The 41st NAACP Image Awards aired Friday night from the Los Angeles’ Shrine Auditorium.  Several celebrities came out for the event.

 

 
Lance Gross (House of Payne) and his fiancee Eva (America’s Next Top Model)
 
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Across the pond, American artists performed Tuesday at the Brit Awards.  Jay-Z and Alicia Keys performed “Empire State of Mind” and Lady Gaga sang “Telephone” and “Dance in the Dark.”
 

 

 
The Grammys were chocked full of appearances by artists such as Jamie Foxx, Jay-Z, Toni Braxton and the Jackson children.  Maxwell also won his first Grammy for best R&B Male Vocal Performance for “Pretty Wings.” Beyonce marches on stage as she begins her “If I Were A Boy/ You Oughta Know” performance.  Check out performances by Beyonce and Jamie Foxx and other Grammy pics …
 
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Maya and Usher were spotted on the red carpet Sunday night at the 52nd annual Grammy Awards.  See photos of a slimmer Jennifer Hudson, Beyonce and Mary J. Blige as they arrive to the event below the cut.
 
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Halle Berry will be a presenter Jan. 17 at the 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards, announced the Hollywood Foreign Press Association Monday. Berry will join presenters, which include: Colin Ferrell, Jennifer Aniston, Julia Roberts and Mickey Rourke.

Robert De Niro and Leonardo Di Caprio will present Martin Scorsese with the Cecil B. DeMille Award and British comedian Ricky Gervais will host the event.

After a opening tribute to her late brother Michael Jackson at the MTV Video Awards, Janet Jackson is now set to kick off the American Music Awards Nov. 22. at 7 p.m. central time.

“We’re thrilled about having Janet Jackson open this year’s show,” said American Music Awards producer Larry Klein in a news release.  “She is an incredibly dynamic performer, and I think the audience will be excited to see what she has in store.”

She is also set to release a greatest hits two-CD set, “Number Ones,” before the awards show.  She will also release a new single, “Make Me.”

How you doing?!  Talk show host Wendy Williams was in Chicago this past weekend to be inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame. Before debuting her daytime talk show this year, Williams was a New York radio personality for more than 20 years.

“Women, I scored one for us!” said Williams on her talk show Tuesday after noting that there are few women or African Americans in the Radio Hall of Fame.