By Danielle Sanders, Interim Managing Editor Chicago Defender After years of rumors, allegations, videos, and an explosive documentary, the federal trial of disgraced R&B Singer, R. Kelly began Wednesday in a Brooklyn, NY courtroom. The trial started with only R. Kelly, attorneys, witnesses, and jurors allowed in the courtroom. Media and the public observed through […]
Category: Arts & Culture
Posted inARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
There weren’t enough Fridays for Tom Joyner’s Sky Shows
Former radio show host and entrepreneur Tom Joyner used fun at his unique Sky Shows and the Fantastic Voyage cruises to make money for students at the nation’s HBCUs. (Photos courtesy of Black America Web) By Rev. Dorothy Boulware AFRO Managing Editor The excitement was high in whatever city that was bracing itself for the […]
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Why doesn’t Angela Bassett make as much as White female actresses?
Angela Bassett (Courtesy Photo) By Sherri Kolade The Michigan Chronicle Dynamic Hollywood Actress Angela Bassett is getting a pay upgrade and is now making over $450,000 an episode in a television series, Deadline reported, according to Black Enterprise. Her increase was noted by many in and out of the industry, but how does her pay grade rank up […]
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National Black Movie Association celebrates with ‘Respect’
The National Black Movie Association hosted a screening of {Respect} starring Jennifer Hudson as the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin. (Courtesy Photo) By Micha Green AFRO D.C. and Digital Editor mgreen@afro.com A lot of instances in the Black community did not gain full R-E-S-P-E-C-T until the whole narrative was exposed in art- and often through […]
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Never Gonna Snow Again film review
By Dwight Brown, NNPA News Wire Film Critic He’s a man about town. A lanky masseur in a tony neighborhood in Warsaw’s metro area. A Ukrainian immigrant. A foreigner. Not overly handsome, but magnetic. That’s the main character in this bedroom community slow-burning farce about a man whose sensitive hands rub Polish people the right […]
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Siblings Phumi and Muzi Mthembu talk their Netflix debut African America
Actress and writer Phumi, left, and her brother Muzi Mthembu created the Netflix film, African America, which was inspired in part by Phumi’s grave disappointment after living in America for almost a year. (Courtesy Photo) By Nadine Matthews Special to the AFRO African-America, made by South African brother and sister team Muzi and Phumi Mthembu, […]
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TruSo, a Black-owned social networking app set to launch
Upon launch, TruSo will be available for both Apple and Android users. By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent A new app could end the so-called “Black Twitter” experience and allow African Americans their own social media platform. Backed by celebrities Sway Calloway, Kareem Grimes, Terrell Owens and Miki Barber, the Black-owned social […]
Posted inAfro Briefs
Flex that crown: Wear your natural hair how you want it, when you want it
By Sherri Kolade The Michigan Chronicle With an unshakeable, penetrating stare, a brown-skinned Black woman takes off her glasses, her wavy wig and wig cap. In an Instagram video, she reveals her natural hair — then takes off her green suit jacket and swings it in front of the camera, which transitions to a new […]
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Get Back — Lizzo Sets Her Boundaries, Shows Others the Power of ‘No’
Grammy-winning musician an singer, Lizzo. (Photo/TheMichiganChronicle.com) By Sherri Kolade The Michigan Chronicle Lizzo’s larger-than-life personality is not immune to hurts and disappointments. Despite her confidence and out-of-this-world vocals, she has had to up her boundaries and is doing it takes grace and space, ESSENCE Magazine. The Grammy-winning musician, who advocates for body confidence, recently partnered […]
Posted in!Front Page
D.C., Hip Hop legend dies
Rapper Diddy posted this photo and a heartfelt tribute to legendary producer Chucky Thompson, who died from complications due to COVID-19 at the age of 53. (Courtesy Photo) By Micha Green AFRO D.C. and Digital Editor mgreen@afro.com District of Columbia native and the Hip Hop legend, responsible for some of music’s hottest hits, Chucky Thompson, […]
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Cauthen appointed interim executive director of the Baltimore School of the Arts
Rosiland Cauthen, head of the Theater Department since 2016, was appointed after an extensive nationwide search. (Courtesy photo by Mary Gardella) By AFRO Staff The Baltimore School for the Arts (BSA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Ms. Rosiland Cauthen as its Interim Executive Director. Ms. Cauthen will succeed Dr. Chris Ford who retired […]
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Black billionaire list continues to grow
Rihanna, Tyler Perry, Michael Jordan, Robert Smith, Kanye West. (AP and Courtesy Photos) By Micha Green AFRO D.C. and Digital Editor mgreen@afro.com Despite being one of the most marginalized races in the world, the growing list of Black billionaires shows that with opportunity, hard work, entrepreneurial goals and outstanding business acumen, financial freedom, success and […]