By Alexis LaRueAFRO Internalarue@afro.com Kiki Shepard, the long-time co-host of the variety show “Showtime at the Apollo,” died on March 16 after suffering a heart attack. She was 74. Shepard, a Texas native and a graduate of Howard University, launched her career as an ensemble dancer on Broadway in shows like “Reggae” and “Comin’ Uptown” […]
Category: !Front Page Arts and Entertainment
Posted inARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Cast, crew of ‘Sinners’ win big at 2026 Academy Awards
By Alexis TaylorAFRO Managing Editor Standing on the Dolby Theatre stage before his mother, father and all of Hollywood, actor Michael B. Jordan accepted the Oscar award for Best Actor in a Leading Role inside of the Dolby Theatre on March 15. “God is good,” said Jordan, before acknowledging his parents, siblings and the people […]
Posted inENTERTAINMENT
Multiple gunshots fired near Rihanna’s LA home and a woman is taken into custody
By The Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles police took a woman into custody after she fired gunshots outside Rihanna ‘s gated home, according to authorities and news reports on March 9. No one was injured, police said. It wasn’t immediately clear whether the singer was at home when the shooting happened March […]
Posted inENTERTAINMENT
BAFTA and BBC apologize for racial slur during awards show
The British Academy Film Awards and the BBC issued apologies after a racial slur was broadcast during the Feb. 22 BAFTA ceremony while “Sinners” stars Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting onstage. The slur was shouted by a Tourette syndrome advocate in attendance, who later said he was “deeply mortified” and stressed that the utterance was an involuntary tic. BAFTA and the BBC acknowledged the harm caused, while advocacy groups emphasized that such vocal tics are not reflective of a person’s beliefs or intentions.
Posted inENTERTAINMENT
Review: Bad Bunny brought Puerto Rico’s history and culture to a revolutionary Super Bowl show
Bad Bunny turned the Super Bowl 60 halftime show into a vibrant celebration of Puerto Rican history and resilience, performing entirely in Spanish while weaving symbols of island life, politics and pride into a star-studded spectacle that included Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin.
Posted inBlack History
Black artists as historians: Preserving memory through art
For generations, Black artists have documented Black life, preserving memory and identity where traditional histories have overlooked or erased their stories. From painting and performance to film and public art, their work captures the everyday, the ancestral and the deeply personal— creating a living record of Black history.
Posted inENTERTAINMENT
Bad Bunny makes Grammy history as Lamar, SZA and Olivia Dean lead night of milestones
Bad Bunny made history at the 68th Grammy Awards, winning album of the year for “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” the first all-Spanish-language project to earn the top prize, while Kendrick Lamar and SZA captured record of the year for “luther.” Lamar also became the most-awarded rapper in Grammy history with 26 wins, and British singer Olivia Dean was named best new artist as the ceremony highlighted both musical achievement and social commentary.
Posted inArts & Culture
Baltimore August Wilson Celebration continues with ‘Fences’
By Victoria MejicanosAFRO Staff Writervmejicanos@afro.com Chesapeake Shakespeare Company will produce August Wilson’s “Fences” as part of the citywide Baltimore August Wilson Celebration. The production is the sixth of 10 plays in Wilson’s American Century Cycle, being staged as part of the celebration, and will run Feb. 6–March 1. Set in 1950s Pittsburgh, “Fences” centers on […]
Posted inObituaries
Richard Smallwood, gospel icon, to be honored at Jan. 24 celebration of life
The celebration of life for legendary gospel artist Richard Smallwood will take place Jan. 24 at First Baptist Church of Glenarden International in Upper Marlboro, Md. Smallwood, 77, died of complications from kidney failure on Dec. 30, 2025.
Posted in!Front Page Arts and Entertainment
Crypto firms: Wolves in banks’ clothing
n this commentary, attorney and educator Alice T. Crowe warns that major cryptocurrency firms are positioning themselves as banks without being subject to the same consumer protections, posing heightened risks for Black communities. She argues that crypto companies deliberately target Black consumers—through celebrity endorsements, Bitcoin ATMs in Black neighborhoods, and promises of liberation from racist banking systems—while offering little recourse against fraud, volatility, or loss, potentially deepening existing racial wealth gaps rather than closing them.
Posted inTV and Film
‘Sinners’ wins two Golden Globes; loses out on Best Motion Picture
By Itoro N. Umontuen “One Battle After Another” emerged as a major winner, taking home the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical. The film continued its strong showing by earning three additional honors, including Best Supporting Actress for Teyana Taylor, along with Best Director and Best Screenplay awarded to Paul Thomas […]
Posted inDMV News
D.C.’s ‘Black Broadway’ comes alive as fans celebrate 50 years of go-go music
By D. Kevin McNeirSpecial to the AFRO The old magic of “Chocolate City” returned on Tuesday, Jan. 6, at the Lincoln Theatre in Washington, D.C. The theatre, located in the U Street corridor known as “Black Broadway,” is where legendary entertainers musicians like Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, and Louis Armstrong once showcased their musical prowess […]