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Denzel Washington and Nine Year-Old Quvenzhané Wallis Nominated For Oscars

By goodblacknews on January 10, 2013
This film image released by Paramount Pictures shows Denzel Washington portraying Whip Whitaker in a scene from "Flight." (AP Photo/Paramount Pictures, Robert Zuckerman)

This film image released by Paramount Pictures shows Denzel Washington portraying Whip Whitaker in a scene from “Flight.” (AP Photo/Paramount Pictures, Robert Zuckerman)

Denzel Washington scored his first Oscar nomination in over a decade this morning for his acclaimed performance as an alcoholic pilot in the hit drama Flight.  This is Denzel’s sixth career Academy Award nomination, making him the most honored black actor in history. He’s won twice before: supporting actor for 1989′s Glory and best actor for his villainous role in 2001′s Training Day.

This recognition caps perhaps a career-best year for the A-list superstar, following the box office success of February’s action thriller Safe House and now his return to Hollywood’s most prestigious night.

Actress Quvenzhane Wallis attends TheWrap's Awards Season Screening Series Presents 'Beasts Of The Southern Wild' on October 23, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Valerie Macon/Getty Images)Meanwhile, Quvenzhané Wallis received her first Oscar nomination ever for her acting debut in Beasts of the Southern Wild.  At nine, Wallis is also the youngest actress to ever be nominated  in the Academy’s leading actress category.Auditioning for the lead role when she was only 5 years old, Quvenzhané was 6 when filming began in 2010 in Pointe-aux-Chenes and Isle de Jean Charles, not too far from her hometown of Houma, Louisiana.

Beasts of the Southern Wild won the ‘Grand Jury Prize’ at the Sundance Independent Film Festival and won the Camera d’Or for best first film at the Cannes Film Festival.

Jill Scott, Maxwell Return to Re-Branded Essence Fest

By goodblacknews on January 9, 2013
Singers Jill Scott (L) and Maxwell arrives at the 41st NAACP Image awards held at The Shrine Auditorium on February 26, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for NAACP)

Singers Jill Scott (L) and Maxwell arrive at the 41st NAACP Image awards held at The Shrine Auditorium on February 26, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for NAACP)

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The Essence Music Festival is dropping the music — from its name, that is.
The festival held in New Orleans every July 4th weekend for the past 18 years has rebranded itself The Essence Festival. Organizers say the change is designed to showcase the event as more than a music festival.
Still, music will remain a focus for the 19th annual festival, which is July 4-7.
The lineup includes more than 30 acts — a number of them Essence veterans. On the roster are Jill Scott, Maxwell, New Edition, Charlie Wilson, Keyshia Cole, LL Cool J and Brandy.
As in past years, concerts will be held at the Superdome while empowerment seminars on health, beauty, careers, education and relationships are held at a nearby convention center.
article by Stacey Plaisance via thegrio.com

MSNBC’s Huge Ratings Attributed to 61 Percent Increase in Black Viewership

By goodblacknews on January 8, 2013
Tamron Hall, Michael Eric Dyson, and Al Sharpton

Tamron Hall, Michael Eric Dyson, and Al Sharpton. (Photo: Getty Images)

From Ebony.com:
MSNBC yesterday reported a huge increase in their overall ratings, a 20% increase, in 2012, no doubt due to the 2012 Presidential campaign, but also due to a another major factor – Black viewership. The network announced an incredible increase in their already large number of Black viewers –  a whopping 60.5% increase during the past year.
That’s compared to CNN, whose Black audience increased last year by 23.7%, while Fox News’  Black audience decreased by the same amount.
No doubt MSNBC’s more progressive leaning approach to the news and their wide array of black hosts and pundits such as Toure, Melissa Harris-Perry, Tamron Hall, Joy-Ann Reid (pictured above and who I predict is headed for her own MSNBC show soon) Karen Finney, Michael Steele, Al Sharpton, Eugene Robinson, Jonathan Capehart, Goldie Taylor and if I’ve forgotten anyone, I’m sorry, have played a large part in the increase in black viewers.
When recently asked about this remarkable development, MSNBC president Phil Griffith said: “I think we made a commitment, we decided, that in order for this channel to succeed, that we had to reflect the country. This meant that we had to be part of the country in ways that the other channels weren’t.”
Read the rest of this story on Ebony.com.
post via thegrio.com

University of Arizona Introduces First Ever Hip-Hop Minor

By goodblacknews on January 7, 2013
grandmaster-flash-16x9

The University of Arizona has announced that it has created a “Hip-Hop Concentration” minor under the Africana Studies department, the first of its kind for any institution, according to the school’s website.
The course’s objectives are to “provide students with a solid introduction and broad understanding of the origins and developing of the forms of expression that make up hip-hop culture throughout the world: hip-hop dance, rap music, graffiti/tagging, fashion, business, and film.

Pulitzer Prize-Winning Film Critic Wesley Morris Joins Sports/Pop Culture Website Grantland

By goodblacknews on January 6, 2013

Wesley Morris in 2012 (YouTube)
Wesley Morris, the African-American film critic for the Boston Globe who won a Pulitzer Prize last year, is leaving for Grantland, the ESPN-affiliated sports/pop culture website that specializes in longform journalism, his Globe editor told staffers Thursday night.
“I just didn’t have a reason to say no any longer,” Morris told Journal-isms by telephone on Friday. Morris had already been writing for Grantland, and this presented an opportunity to write about film for the site full-time, he said. Moreover, “I can do my job from anywhere. That’s very appealing.”

Prince to be Honored at Tribute Concert in Carnegie Hall

By goodblacknews on January 5, 2013
Prince
The music of Prince will be honored at a special concert at Carnegie Hall in March and The Rootsand Talib Kweli will be among those that pay tribute.
The show, the latest in an annual concert series put on by New York entrepreneur Michael Dorf, will raise money for various music education organizations, including Music Unites, the Pinwheel Project and the Center for Arts Education. Past shows have paid tribute to The Rolling Stones, The Who, Joni Mitchell and Elton John among other luminaries.
In addition to Talib Kweli and The Roots, performers at the show who will interpret Prince songs will include the Blind Boys of Alabama, DeVotchKa, Living Colour, Madeleine Peyroux and more. Tickets for the concert, to take place March 7, are available online here.
article by Reggie Ugwu via bet.com

Denzel Washington Voted Top Money-Making Actor in 2012

By goodblacknews on January 4, 2013

Denzel Washington in a scene from 'Safe House'

Denzel Washington in a scene from ‘Safe House’

According to Quigley Publishing Company’s 81st Annual Poll of Motion Picture Exhibitors, actor Denzel Washington was voted the top money-making star in 2012.  He’s been on the poll seven other times but this is the first time he was crowned winner.
The only woman in the Top Ten this year, Anne Hathaway, placed second with her roles in “Les Miserables” and as Catwoman in “The Dark Knight Rises.” Hugh Jackman and Mark Wahlberg , both with their initial Poll appearance, were third and fourth respectively.
Jackman was in “Les Miserables” and a voice talent in “Rise of the Guardians” and Wahlberg scored with “Contraband” and in the sleeper hit of the year, “Ted.” Johnny Depp was in “Dark Shadows” and had an uncredited role in “21 Jump Street,” but still managed a fifth this year. He has been in the Top Ten eight times, with wins in 2010, 2007 and 2006.
According to the report, exhibitors collectively decided Denzel was responsible for movie traffic in 2012, based on his performances in “Flight” and “Safe House.”  He’s the fourth African American to win the poll and joins the ranks of Sidney Poitier (1968), Eddie Murphy (1987) and Will Smith (2005).
ann hathaway & denzel washington
Top Ten Money-Making Stars of 2012
1.     Denzel Washington
2.     Anne Hathaway
3.     Hugh Jackman
4.     Mark Wahlberg
5.     Johnny Depp
6.     Daniel Craig
7.     Daniel Day-Lewis
8.      Brad Pitt
9.      Leonardo DiCaprio
10.   Robert Downey , Jr,
Read more at http://www.eurweb.com/2013/01/denzel-washington-brought-in-the-most-movie-money-in-2012/#9VVjV0Kz6mU2ZAmS.99

Ghana Native Sandra Appiah Rebrands Africa Through New Magazine

By goodblacknews on January 4, 2013

sandra(1)
As a 12-year-old girl emigrating to America from Ghana, Sandra Appiah’s (pictured) background was certainly vulnerable  to xenophobia.
And when she began high school, such attacks did come her way.  But not from whom one might expect.  “A lot of the comments I was receiving were from African Americans or a lot of the discrimination [came] from African Americans,” the 23-year-old noted about her teenage years in the Bronx.
“Every time we did something wrong, it was, ‘Oh, go back to Africa,’ or, ‘Oh, go back to the jungle.’  ‘You’re an African booty scratcher,’ or, ‘You stink,’ or, ‘You live in trees,’ or things like that. I had no idea where these ideas were coming from, because I remember in Africa I was a very happy child growing up.”
Eventually, Appiah discovered the reason for all the animosity from people she shared skin colors with.  “CNN, PBS, all these documentaries, this is how they portray Africa,” Appiah continues. “So in their [African-Americans’] mind-set, this is the only way they know Africa to be.”
Rather than just accept this, though, Appiah knew she had to take action, co-founding a company called “Face 2 Face Africa” in March 2011.

NFL Star Ray Lewis to Sign with ESPN After Retirement

By goodblacknews on January 3, 2013
Linebacker Ray Lewis #52 of the Baltimore Ravens warms up prior to the game against the St. Louis Rams at the Edward Jones Dome on August 30, 2012 in St. Louis, Missouri. The St. Louis Rams defeated the Baltimore Ravens 31-17. (Photo by David Welker/Getty Images)

Linebacker Ray Lewis #52 of the Baltimore Ravens warms up prior to the game against the St. Louis Rams at the Edward Jones Dome on August 30, 2012 in St. Louis, Missouri. The St. Louis Rams defeated the Baltimore Ravens 31-17. (Photo by David Welker/Getty Images)

He’s mentored scores of NFL players, past and present, as well as provided motivational talks and workout ‘sessions’ for college teams and communities.  Lewis’ former head coach in Baltimore Brian Billick recently called Lewis the “greatest individual leader on a football team” he’d ever seen on ESPN’s ‘Mike and Mike in the Morning.’ 
SI.com’s Deitsch also reports Lewis’ son Ray Lewis III and his college football career (Lewis III will be a freshman at dad’s alma mater University of Miami in the fall) weighed heavily on the decision to work with ESPN. The schedule is reportedly flexible enough for Lewis to attend games and remain involved.
article by Todd Johnson via thegrio.com

DISH Network Launches Africa Box Office Channel For U.S. Audiences

By goodblacknews on January 2, 2013

Yuri Arcurs/Shutterstock.com

Yuri Arcurs/Shutterstock.com

Ever hear of Kate Henshaw-Nuttal? How about Genevieve Nnaji? You might soon. They are two of Nollywood’s top actresses. Nollywood (Nigeria’s film industry) is continuing to give Hollywood a run for its money… with help from moviegoers. The Nigerian film industry is now an $800-million industry, reports Forbes. And it’s becoming more global. In fact, even the Dish Network has recognized the power of Nollywood. It has just announced it will launch Africa Box Office (ABO), an Afro-Caribbean movie channel. ABO is broadcasts films exclusively from Nollywood, the prolific Nigerian film industry. It also airs films from other major African and Caribbean motion picture houses.
According to a press release, ABO is the largest Afro-Caribbean content aggregator for television in North America, broadcasting over 150 new movies per year, eight movies every day, and three premieres every week. It has a catalog of more than 1,500 African and Caribbean movies, leveraging the Afrotainment Family of Channels.