Happy Monday, the 5th. I hope many of you have the day off.
So many of the playlists I’ve created for GOOD BLACK NEWS have been to celebrate a particular artist, region, or genre. There have been more than a few to honor the fight for freedom and civil rights.
This collection is hopefully just pure joy.
This playlist is for firing up the grill in the backyard or park. It’s for listening to while eating your auntie’s potato salad and deviled eggs. It’s to enjoy while pulling the foil off that peach cobbler. It’s for when your jam comes on from back in the day, and you show them youngsters you still got dance moves.
Play it while driving with your peeps with all the windows down. Savor it while you’re eating carnitas on a warm tortilla with a cold drink, or crispy chicken and a side of collards. It’s for kickin’ it too while those old heads form a “Soul Train” line in the grass.
Dig it while you are feeling sand and surf between your toes, while sipping grape Kool Aid, while eating a Dreamsicle, and while hugging friends and family.
The nominees for the 91st Academy Awards were announced early this morning by Black-ishstar Tracee Ellis Ross and The Big Sickstar Kumail Nanjiani, and among them were for the first time a superhero movie nominated for Best Picture, Black Panther, and the prolific Spike Lee‘s first nomination in the Best Director category for Black KkKlansman, which also was nominated for Best Picture.
Ever since the #OscarsSoWhite controversy of 2016, the demand for more diversity in movies and television has gained and retained attention. Although there are no African-Americans among the Best Actor or Best Actress nominees, Mexican actress Yalitza Aparicio was recognized for her work in Roma, and among the nominees in the Best Supporting Actress category are Golden Globe winner Regina King for her turn in If Beale Street Could Talk, and Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali, who garnered his third Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor in Green Book.
Other notable African-American Oscar nominees this year are Kendrick Lamar and SZA in the Original Song category for “All The Stars” from Black Panther, and Academy Award winner Jennifer Hudson, who might win for what she first became known for as she is also nominated (with Diane Warren) in the Original Song category for “I’ll Fight” from RBG.
“Black Panther” nominees Hannah Beachler and Ruth E. Carter; “Spider-Man: Into the Spider Verse” co-director Peter Ramsey
Peter Ramsey, who is co-director on Best Animated Feature Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and Barry Jenkins in the Adapted Screenplay category for If Beale Street Could Talk. Spike Lee earned a second nod in the Adapted Screenplay category as one of the writers of Black KkKlansman.
Another first this year is Hannah Beachler‘s nomination for Production Design for Black Panther, the only African American woman to receive one in this category. Ruth E. Carter earned her third nomination for Costume Design (the first two were for Malcolm X and Amistad) for Black Panther and composer Terence Blanchard, who has scored more than forty films and all of Spike Lee’s, finally earned an Original Score nomination this year for his work on Black KkKlansman.
The Oscars will be broadcast live by ABC on Feb. 24 at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET. Below is a complete list of all the nominees:
Rapper/singer J. Cole is raising funds through his Dreamville Foundation to help people from his hometown of Fayetteville, N.C., who have been affected by Hurricane Florence.
“The Dreamville Foundation is looking to lend a helping hand to the community, children, and families affected by Hurricane Florence,” the nonprofit which is based in Fayetteville, N.C., said on its webpage. “There will be hot food stations placed throughout the city, temporary housing options for families and stocking of food pantries/shelters (as) well as supporting other local nonprofits who help provide services for the people in Fayetteville.”
According to CBS News at least, 42 people have died as a result of Florence, which barreled through the Carolinas last week.
The goal of the 4-year-old organization is to inspire urban youth, according to the website. Cole is quoted on the homepage as saying, “I want to start the process of showing them there are other options besides what’s on the screen. They don’t have to be a rapper or an athlete, there are people who manage the rappers, who book the shows. There are so many jobs you can do, this is about expanding their minds to those possibilities.”
The hurricane forced the cancellation of J. Cole’s inaugural Dreamville Festival, which was slated to take place in Raleigh and include not only J. Cole but also Big Sean, SZA, Nelly and Young Thug. The festival has been rescheduled for April 2019, according to the Dreamville Festival Twitter account.
Cole, born Jermaine Lamarr Cole, was born on a U.S. military base in Germany but raised in Fayetteville. Along with the foundation, he is the founder of Dreamville Records, with his manager, Ibrahim Hamad.
Jay Z led the nominations for the 60th Grammy Awards, annouced on Tuesday morning, with eight. He’s followed by Kendrick Lamar, whose “DAMN.” album scored seven; Bruno Mars with six; and Childish Gambino (aka actor Donald Glover), newcomers SZA and Khalid, and producer No I.D. (who worked on “4:44”) with five each.
The rap icon was the only artist to score nods in the top three categories (record, album, and song of the year) for his 13th studio album, “4:44,” while Mars’ “24K Magic,” and Gambino’s “‘Awaken, My Love!’” each landed two noms in the general field.
Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Andra Day announced the nominees in the four general field categories: best new artist, record of the year, song of the year, and album of the year on “CBS This Morning” at 8:30 a.m. ET/5:30 a.m. PT.
The 60th Grammy Awards will air live from New York’s Madison Square Garden Jan. 28 on CBS.
Here is the full list of nominees for the 60th Grammy Awards: GENERAL FIELD Record Of The Year:
“Redbone” — Childish Gambino
“Despacito” — Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee Featuring Justin Bieber
“The Story Of O.J.” — Jay-Z
“HUMBLE.” — Kendrick Lamar
“24K Magic” — Bruno Mars
Lauryn Hill, The Roots, A$AP Rocky, Wale, Janelle Monae& Wondaland, Raekwon, Ghostface, The Internet, Raury, SZA, Scarface, and many more will take center stage at ONE Musicfestfestival in Atlanta on Saturday, September 12, 2015.
Over the last 6 years ONE Musicfest has pulled together the best of urban alternative legends and contemporaries for a unique experience through music and visual. And this year it gets even better, with ONE Musicfest in partnership with Live Nation, “pulling out all the stops with an outdoor music festival that the media says, can’t be missed, and attracting a generationally and culturally diverse audience. “
Beyond festival-goers having a good old-fashion time at the ONE Musicfest, Jason Carter, the founder of ONE Musicfest, told Black Enterprise.com exclusively, “I want people to walk away knowing that it’s possible for us all to share the same space. ONE Musicfest is a generational festival. It’s nothing to see a 17-year-old enjoying music along with someone in his or her late 40’s partying just as hard. So many times I think that’s overlooked with festivals. Some people will say, “That’s a young persons festival or that’s old school.” But the way we set up ONE Musicfest is so different—people jump up and dance when they hear a classic New Edition song and in the same breath once they hear the first drop on Kendrick Lamar, they’re bopping their head just as hard.
“The other WIN for One Musicfest is how we’ve brought progressive urban music to the stage. You never see Lauryn Hill on the same bill as Big Krit, but interestingly enough they’re fans of each other, but never get a chance to celebrate each other’s music together. So when they get backstage, they’re snapping pictures together and sharing them on Facebook and Instagram.”
According to a statement released by One Musicfest, the festival will take place on multiple stages and will serve as the ultimate mashup of innovative urban alternative acts with over eleven hours of non-stop music. The festival will feature over 25 of the hottest global DJs whose music crosses over to all spectrums, local vendors, games, and interactive activities. One Musicfest is the only place to see this roster of incredible acts join together for One purpose – which is to witness a wide variety of sounds, from rock to hip-hop, electro, reggae, funk, disco, house, alternative and soul while having your musical senses stimulated.
Founded by Jason Carter, ONE Musicfest has been one of Southeast’s largest home-grown, musical arts festivals to date including over 10,000 plus attendees. Carter has brought Atlanta music lovers the best and the brightest urban alternative acts performing in a welcoming, hospitable setting, creating an atmosphere where everyone can enjoy and discover music.
Previous artists include Kendrick Lamar, Nas, Jhene Aiko, Erykah Badu, Snoop Dogg, CeeLo Green & Goodie Mob, Santigold, Common, Method Man, Redman, Chrisette Michele, Amel Larriueux, Daley, Goapele, Joey Bada$$, De La Soul, Bilal, Quadron and more.
For more information, please visit www.onemusicfest.com and follow @ONEMusicfest | #OMF2015 | #ONLYOMF. article by Kandia Johnson via blackenterprise.com
