By Brandi Randolph, Special to the AFRO The AFRAM Festival smells of second chances, first performances and summer every year. With performances by Dru Hill, Ella Mai and more, this year’s festival is expected to be big. AFRAM is Baltimore’s African American cultural heritage festival. It celebrates Black businesses, health, music, job opportunities and more. This […]
Category: Arts & Culture
Posted inArts & Culture, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT, Baltimore Community, Baltimore News, ENTERTAINMENT, Living for the Weekend, NEWS
Living For The Weekend
By Valerie Fraling, Special to the AFRO “I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I […]
Posted inAfro Briefs, Arts & Culture, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT, ENTERTAINMENT
Free the FUPA: Beyoncé Tells All
By Micha Green, AFRO Washington, D.C. Editor, mgreen@afro.com Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, the “Bootylicious” diva, admitted to having a little extra meat on her bones after having children, and a collective sigh of relief was heard all throughout social media. She was praised for her honesty and how she celebrated her imperfections. The queen diva said she was 218 […]
Posted inAfro Briefs, Arts & Culture, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT, ENTERTAINMENT
Ciara’s Cryptic Response to Slim Thug’s Shots at Her Relationship
By Perry Green, AFRO Sports Editor, pgreen@afro.com Did famous singer Ciara marry Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson simply for financial security? Houston rapper Slim Thug certainly thinks so, according to his own words during a radio interview last week with 97.9fm, an urban music station in Houston. Slim Thug explained how he doesn’t see how Ciara, who […]
Posted inArts & Culture, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT, ENTERTAINMENT, NEWS, Washington D.C. News
‘Dave’ the Musical Comes to Arena Stage
By Briana Thomas, Special to the AFRO Dave, a musical comedy, made its world premiere July 18 at Arena Stage in Southwest, Washington, D.C. The play is an adaptation from the 1993 Oscar-nominated film ‘Dave.’ Set in the District, the plot centers around a high school teacher who looks almost identical to the Commander-in-Chief Bill Mitchell. […]
Posted inArts & Culture, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT, Baltimore Community, Baltimore News, ENTERTAINMENT, NEWS, Rambling Rose
RAMBLING ROSE
Hello everyone, how are you? Well, I hope. I just want to start off by saying I love God’s work, but a little bit of less rain would do me just great. Well, rain or shine I have something to keep your spirit up, so take notes. First I want to talk about this wonderful […]
Posted inArts & Culture, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT, Baltimore News, ENTERTAINMENT, NEWS
Baltimore’s Abdu Ali Readies New Album
By Lisa Snowden-McCray, Special to the AFRO Musician Abdu Ali, who was born and raised in Baltimore (and goes by the nonbinary pronoun they), makes music that has roots in Baltimore club but then extrapolates into something else – channeling elements of gospel, punk, and rap. Ali released their first mixtape in 2012 and has released […]
Posted inArts & Culture, ENTERTAINMENT, NEWS, Prince George's County News
Summer Film Camp Lights The Way For Young Filmmakers
By Mark F. Gray, Special to the AFRO Janice Murphy remembers what it was like to miss out on summer camp when she was growing up. After her parents divorced the family couldn’t afford the extracurricular opportunities that expose children to culture and can lead to an appreciation for the fine arts. Now the organization she […]
Posted inArts & Culture, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT, ENTERTAINMENT, LIFE & STYLE, NEWS, Travel, Washington D.C. News
Former Slave Holding Mansion Now Home to Black Artists
By Hamzat Sani, Special to the AFRO About 20 miles south of Washington, D.C. lies an old plantation which once housed slaves that has been transformed into a home for some of the most innovative Black makers and artists the DMV has to offer. Makers In The Mansion: Stories of A Transformed African American Community at […]
Posted inArts & Culture, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT, Baltimore News, ENTERTAINMENT, NEWS
Baltimore African Art Exhibit Aims to Subvert Beauty
By J. K. Schmid, Special to the AFRO Subverting Beauty: African Anti-Aesthetics, which recently opened at the Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA), uses a new 750-foot rotating space to expand the definition of African art. The BMA boasts 2,500 African pieces in its vast vault. Long on display in the African Art exhibit, and the passage […]
Posted inArts & Culture, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT, ENTERTAINMENT
Navia Robinson Learns from the Best as She Makes Her Own Hollywood Moves
By Nadine Matthews, Special to the AFRO At an early age, Navia Robinson has already gotten the opportunity to learn from two actresses with longevity. One of Robinson’s first jobs at the age of 9 was working with Gabrielle Union in the popular series “Being Mary Jane.” Robinson played D’Asia, Mary Jane’s niece. “It was single […]
Posted inArts & Culture, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT, D.C. Community, ENTERTAINMENT, NEWS, Washington D.C. News
D.C. Mayor Launches Summer Concert Series at Marvin Gaye Park
By Lenore T. Adkins/Special to the AFRO True to its name, Marvin Gaye Park is playing host to a concert series this summer that has three dates lined up . The free series, presented by D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, kicks off every third Saturday of the month all summer, so plan to hit the park […]