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MUSIC: Gladys Knight Verzuz Patti Labelle – Celebrating Legends with “The Best of the Rest” Playlist (LISTEN)

MUSIC: Gladys Knight Verzuz Patti Labelle – Celebrating Legends with “The Best of the Rest” Playlist (LISTEN)

By goodblacknews on September 14, 2020

by Jeff Meier (FB: Jeff.Meier.90)

We know where you were last night. Millions of fans of a certain age were enjoying the stay-at-home celebration dubbed by the internet as “AuntieChella,” as Gladys Knight and Patti Labelle ‘battled’ it out on Instagram/Apple Music‘s “Verzuz” series.

Verzuz was created a few months ago by hitmaking producers Timbaland and Swizz Beatz as a way for music fans to honor their greats while relaxing at home during these quarantine times.

For those of you who haven’t checked it out yet, the sessions are not truly a ‘battle’ – but rather an occasion for two legends to get together (whether in real life like last night, or virtually) and banter about their careers while having a listening party of the greatest hits of each artist.

The battle was epic, with both ladies, now in their late ’70s, decked out in stylish pantsuits, and sharing their love for each other amidst career stories, lots of live singing, and plenty of chair grooving.


via GIPHY

Michelle Obama, Oprah, and Queen Latifah were tuned in to hear such hits as “Midnight Train to Georgia,” “Over the Rainbow,” “You Are My Friend” and ‘The Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me.”

Gladys honored all phases of her career, delving back into her early doo-wop hit “Every Beat of My Heart,” her Motown Pips years with “Friendship Train,” her ’80s hits like “Love Overboard” and the Bond theme “License to Kill.”

Patti focused on her material from her solo years, mixing ballad favorites like “Somebody Loves You Baby” and “If Only You Knew” with uptempo hits like “The Right Kinda Lover” and “Feels Like Another One.”

The evening was capped off when Dionne Warwick surprised the audience with a special appearance to end the show, as they joined her to sing “That’s What Friends Are For” and their hit version of “Superwoman.”

The three of them had previously worked together on a special called “Sisters in the Name of Love” that Gladys had produced for HBO in the late ’80s (there are some fan posts of it on YouTube that offer some thrilling harmonies).

Gladys, Dionne, Patti

Of course with these vets, even a couple of hours of hits doesn’t come close to diving into their full careers. So in case you were ready for more, we’ve done that work for you – pairing up additional Patti and Gladys hits and deep tracks from the rest of their six decade careers for GBN’s latest playlist: “Gladys Knight Verzuz Patti Labelle – The Best of the Rest.”

[spotifyplaybutton play=”spotify:playlist:1CvrkhBELQhtg5baBmfip5″/]

We’ve gone beyond the biggest hits, and focused solely on extensive additional material they did not cover during last night’s show.

While Patti and Gladys both hit the charts for the first time in the very early ’60s – their careers have actually taken very divergent paths before, in more recent years, they’ve ended up as favorite Aunties to the Black community.

D-Nice to Host and DJ Virtual Prom for Class of 2020 on May 7

By goodblacknews on May 4, 2020
(image via Twitter)

Hip hop artist D-Nice has brought joy to hundreds of thousands of people by DJ’ing viral quarantine parties on Instagram Live since March. According to Revolt, D-Nice is now planning to do the same for high school seniors across the country who won’t be able to attend their physical prom this year due to COVID-19.

To quote Revolt:

D-Nice is teaming up with the social app Houseparty to throw a virtual prom for the Class of 2020. The House Party Prom will take place from 8 to 10 pm ET on May 7.

According to AJC, the teens can choose their musical theme, take prom photos and dance all from the safety of their own homes.

Before starting “Club Quarantine,” D-Nice started his career as a member of Boogie Down Productions alongside KRS-One, Lee Smith and the late Scott La Rock. He soon went solo and dropped albums such as To Tha Rescue and Call Me D-Nice.

Back in March, he came up with the idea to play music on Instagram Live for some friends and a few hundred people. As he continued to host the parties, he noticed that his numbers on Live began to grow tremendously. Everyone from Diddy to Michelle Obama made appearances at “Club Quarantine.”

Once the pandemic ends, he wants to be able to take his parties across the country. He has cities such as New York, Miami, Los Angeles and Atlanta in mind.

“Once we’re able to be able to be together again, I want to pick three cities to actually do a ‘Club Quarantine’ party live,” he told Rolling Stone last month. “Play that same vibe and celebrate with the same people we’ve been celebrating with virtually. Just to be able to see them face-to-face, play that music and feel that bass, that’s the ultimate goal that I have.”

To learn more, check out D-Nice on IG or Twitter.

Entertainers Tyrese, Da Brat and Ricky Smiley Vow to Buy Car for Corey Patrick, Alabama Teen Who Took Bus to His Graduation

By goodblacknews on May 25, 2018

Alabama Teen Corey Patrick (photo via ebony.com)

by Jessica Bennett via ebony.com
An Alabama teen was determined to obtain his high school diploma, despite the fact that his family doesn’t have a car. Images of Birmingham, AL teen Corey Patrick walking and taking the bus to his graduation have gone viral, with a few stars promising to buy the determined student new wheels for all of his hard work and dedication to his education.
Speaking to WBRC, Patrick revealed that his mom suggested he take the bus to his commencement since she had no way to get him there. “I told Corey, well the best thing to do is just get on the bus and we will work from there,” said Felicia White, Corey’s mother.
Patrick proceeded to pound the pavement and caught the bus in his graduation cap and gown, with the bus driver snapping photos of the young man that eventually spread all over the internet. His family eventually found a ride and met him at the school. “I had to do what was necessary for me to walk this year,” Patrick said.
His mother revealed that Corey was determined to graduate with his friends after moving to a new neighborhood. “Corey was getting up at 4:30 in the morning and had to be at the bus stop at 5:41 in the morning for the last year. Even when he would get out of school he couldn’t get from that side of town until 5:19 when the bus runs back over there. So he doesn’t make it back this way until about 6:30 or 7 o’clock.”
The Shade Room is now reporting Da Brat, Tyrese and Rickey Smiley have committed to buying the young man a new ride so he’ll never have to worry about making it to an important event again.

Meet Kayla Robinson, the Teen Who Made Frank Ocean's Powerful Panorama Tee via Green Box Shop

By goodblacknews on August 5, 2017

Green Box Shop creator Kayla Robinson (l); Frank Ocean (r) [photos via mtv.com]
by Hilary Hughes via mtv.com
Since launching Green Box Shop in 2016, social media has played a huge part in how Kayla Robinson, 18, runs Green Box Shop: She heavily relies on Instagram and Twitter to promote her line of T-shirts bearing progressive, all-caps messages, and she’s found inspiration for some designs by connecting with people online and checking her feed, too.
A couple of famous fans have snapped up Green Box Shop shirts — including Zendaya, who posted an image of a Green Box tee on Snapchat before saying she’ll snap up a few shirts (or all of them) herself — thanks to their popularity on these platforms, and it was one of these well-known customers who let Robinson know that Frank Ocean was rocking one of her shirts for his headlining set at the Panorama Music Festival on July 28.
“Well, Jessica Williams, she DMed me,” says Robinson of the moment she realized her shirt was about to go viral. The star of The Incredible Jessica James and former Daily Show correspondent has been a Green Box shopper for a minute, and was all too eager to share that Ocean was broadcasting Robinson’s WHY BE RACIST, SEXIST, HOMOPHOBIC, OR TRANSPHOBIC WHEN YOU COULD JUST BE QUIET? design to a thousands-strong crowd.
“She texted me in all caps, all excited, like, ‘FRANK OCEAN IS WEARING ONE OF YOUR SHIRTS!’ I was like, ‘That’s not true! You’re lying!’ I didn’t believe her at first, but then she sent me some pictures, and I was like, ‘That’s crazy.’ I just started freaking out. I just remember doing something in my kitchen, and I just immediately started running around.”
Robinson’s reaction is completely understandable given the intense surge of interest in Green Box. During a typical week, Green Box sees a daily average of 50 orders. On July 29, the day after Ocean’s set, Robinson says that 3,500 orders were placed (though not all for the shirt he wore, specifically); an additional 1,000 orders came in before this article went to press on July 30. That means that Green Box sold ten times what they typically do in a week in a single day thanks to the exposure Ocean provided — and it also means that Green Box has a chance to give back more than they already do.
For Robinson, the focus of Green Box has always been more about freedom of expression than about fashion, as she launched the company to sell tees with activist messages she’d actually wear (and raise money to fund her yoga teacher certification in the process).
“I never really had an interest in fashion — you know, as in being really trendy or fashionable,” she says. “I was already in the phase of tie-dying a lot of shirts, and so I decided to put my ideas on shirts and sell them to raise money. I first started doing this through GoFundMe, and then the business grew. It basically came from a passion of speaking my mind and tie-dye.”
To read full article, go to: Meet The Teen Who Made Frank Ocean’s Powerful Panorama Tee – MTV

Rival Gang Members Malachi Jenkins and Roberto Smith Quit Banging, Create Catering Business Trap Kitchen LA

By goodblacknews on March 10, 2016
trap-kitchen-LA
Malachai Jenkins and Roberto Smith (CREDIT: Instagram)
article by Shenequa Golding via vibe.com
Malachai Jenkins and Roberto Smith at one point would’ve never saw eye-to-eye. Both LA natives pledged their allegiance to rival gang members, Jenkins a Crip and Smith a member of the Bloods. But after years of gang banging, Jenkins grew tired of the dangerous life.
“All money isn’t good money, Jenkins said. “[Selling drugs] worked for me for a little while until it started to get me into trouble, so I had to find something legit to do.”
Jenkins then enrolled into the famed culinary school Le Cordon Bleu, and from there things began to change. A mutual friend introduced Jenkins to Smith and the two became fast comrades. Upon finishing his courses, Jenkins, who also goes by the name Chef Spanky, began cooking meals and posting the finishing product on Instagram. Soon, people started placing orders and slowly, their catering business Trap Kitchen LA was birthed.
“The gang stuff, the shootings, now that I’m in this kitchen, I don’t go through none of that,” Smith said.
The way it works is Jenkins puts the daily menu on Instagram and people then place their orders. The men make everything from the simple and comforting chicken and waffles to the popular and more decadent $25 Pineapple Friday dish which is made up of King Crab, lobster, jumbo shrimp and salmon over white rice covered in Teriyaki Sriracha sesame seeds and green onions placed inside an actual pineapple. Whatever your stomach desires, the gentlemen of Trap Kitchen LA will serve you.
To see original article, go to: http://www.vibe.com/2016/03/rival-gang-members-trap-kitchen-la/

Chris Brown Pledges $1 From Every New Album Sold by December 25 to Children’s Charity

By goodblacknews on November 29, 2015

(Instagram)
Chris Brown and daughter Royalty (photo via Instagram)

In a stroke of marketing (and altruistic) genius, singer Chris Brown has pledged to donate $1 from the sale of every copy of his upcoming album “Royalty” to a children’s charity.
He made the announcement via video on Instagram where he said, “The holidays are all about giving back, so this Christmas, from now until Christmas, if you order the album, pre-order the album, one dollar of every album sold will go to Children’s Miracle Network Hospital”
“So please do your part. Give back, return it for the holidays,” he added.
Royalty, which is named after his daughter, is available to pre-order now.
https://www.instagram.com/p/-nGr9ePpSF/
article by Blue Telusma via thegrio.com

"Brown Girls Do Ballet" Draws Attention to Dance’s Need for Diversity

By goodblacknews on November 25, 2015
Photo From Brown Girls Do Ballet Instagram via Alex Ray Studios
Photo From Brown Girls Do Ballet Instagram via Alex Ray Studios 

The organization Brown Girls Do Ballet is drawing attention to ballet’s need for diversity through beautiful Instagram posts.

According to their website, the organization is “dedicated to promoting diversity in ballet programs through various media platforms, training resources, and an exclusive network in the world of ballet.”
Co-founders TaKiyah Wallace and Brittani Marie created the group in 2013 after Wallace noticed a lack of diversity among her young daughter’s ballet classes.
“We realized the missing link to diversifying ballet was a resource that spoke to their identity. We wanted to convey a message of acceptance, vision, and possibility,” the founders told BuzzFeed.
The duo wanted to show young dancers of color that there are dancers out there that look like them, so they began their Instagram page.
One of their Instagram videos of students dancing en pointe to Disclosure and Sam Smith’s “Omen” recently went viral. Check it out below:


article by Carrie Healey via thegrio.com

Pharrell Williams’ New Adidas Campaign Is All About Equality 

By goodblacknews on November 14, 2014
(Getty Images)

Pharrell Williams is spreading positivity everywhere he goes: from his infectious summer anthem “Happy” to encouraging young artists on NBC’s “The Voice”, to helping get recyclables out of the sea with Raw for the Oceans, Pharrell is continuing his upbeat trend with his current collaboration with Adidas.

Skateboard P decided to use his platform for a good cause and created a conceptual campaign on equality. When you first see the branding for it–which shows an equal sign above Pharrell’s name and the Adidas logo next to it–you might think that just means Pharrell is Adidas, and you wouldn’t be too far off. Over the past year, P has been a walking billboard for the retailer wearing it everywhere, including his infamous Grammys outfit.

First Lady Michelle Obama's Valentines Day Message to the President on Instagram

By goodblacknews on February 14, 2014

Michelle Obama Sends Valentines Day Message to the President Obama on InstagramHappy Valentine’s Day from America’s first couple!  The Oval Office is decidedly more heart-shaped today as Michelle Obama posted a Valentine’s Day message to her husband on Instagram.   “Hey Barack, I’ll always be your valentine! #HappyValentinesDay,” she wrote, next to three photos of herself and the president laughing and embracing.
The president and first lady are famously affectionate with each other year-round. But this year, they’re actually not planning anything major for Valentine’s Day – mostly because Michelle’s 50th birthday celebrations last month were so extensive.
“He celebrated me so well – he did a great job,” Michelle told Ryan Seacrest on his radio show this week. “I had a great couple of weeks, so I think we’re going to low-key it for Valentine’s Day. It feels like we just finished celebrating my birthday so I think we’ll low-key it.”

article by Tim Nudd via people.com

10 Tips for Managing Your Digital Photos

By goodblacknews on January 14, 2014
Digital cameras make it easy to take way too many photos during the holidays or on that wonderful trip to Costa Rica. How do you keep them from becoming a growing electronic pile on your hard drive? We asked photographers, professional organizers and others how they manage.
1. Make time. Carve out a regular time to download new photos — daily (during prime-time TV) or weekly (first thing on Saturdays). Just make it routine.
2. Clean as you go. “As you upload, take the time to delete any photos that you are sure you will not want to keep,” said Suzanne O’Donnell of My LA Organizer. It could save you grief and hard drive space in the long run.
3. Back up and store long term. “Transfer photos off your computer to an external hard drive, cloud or online gallery to save space,” said Ashley Stanfield of Creatively Neat. Again, a routine is key. “I recommend twice a year, or every daylight savings.”
4. Develop a labeling system and stick to it. “Part of the organization is knowing beforehand how you’d like to divide up your images,” said Joey Honsa of Brass Tacks Organization in Los Angeles. Develop a naming system for photo folders. Many professionals start folder names with the year, month and date, then subject. Examples: 2013-12-25-Christmas-Morning or 20131210-tokyo. Start with the year, so when folders are sorted alphabetically, they will appear in chronological order.
5. Consider software. Our experts recommended Adobe Lightroom. Price: $149. There are free alternatives, but they aren’t as flexible or sophisticated. Windows users can rename files in batches by highlighting all the photos in a folder (or simultaneously pressing Control and F4). Right click on the first file and select “Rename.” Type in your new file name and hit Enter. All the highlighted photos will be renamed sequentially, as in: 131210-11 tokyo (1), 131210-11 tokyo (2), and so on.