San Diego Poetry Slam Launches New Season
On Monday, September 12th, the San Diego Poetry Slam hosted its first slam competition of the season. Over 300 people filled Queen Bee’s Art and Culture Center to witness poets share their work to...
View ArticleEd Gordon Returns to Primetime TV in a Big Way
By Natasha S. Alford — The Grio Award-winning broadcast journalist, Ed Gordon, is returning to primetime TV with his own show and a clear mission: cut through the noise to tell good stories. Gordon has...
View ArticleRapper Lil Wayne Shares his Thoughts on the Existence of Racism
During an appearance on Fox’s sports debate show ‘Undisputed’ rapper Lil Wayne shared his experience with racism in his life citing his ‘blessings’ have allowed him to have a life where it hasn’t...
View ArticleFilm Review: Southside With You
By Dwight Brown (NNPA Newswire Film Critic) “Thought he was just another smooth talking brother?” says an inquisitive Chicago mom. She’s repeating the words her daughter used to describe a colleague...
View ArticleT.D. Jakes to Tackle Headlines in New Talk Show on OWN
By Stacy M. Brown (NNPA Newswire Contributor) The struggles of an interracial marriage, families divided by race, religion and politics and the conversion of one Jewish woman to Islam are all upcoming...
View ArticleJay-Z slams War on Drugs as an ‘Epic Fail’ in Viral Video
Shawn ‘Jay-Z’ Carter made waves Thursday when he teamed up with visual artist Molly Crabapple to release a 4-minute video slamming the War On Drugs as an “epic fail.” The video A History Of The War On...
View ArticleBlack Films and Artists Triumph at 2016 Toronto International Film Festival
By Dwight Brown (NNPA Newswire Film Critic) For 41 years the Toronto International Film Festival has attracted the world’s best films and built and audience. At the 2016 festival, 480,000 film lovers...
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Q & A with San Diego Native, Chondra Profit Ardrey of The Lion King
By Edward Henderson – Digital Managing Editor I was a senior in college when ‘The Secret’ film was released. A metaphysical wildfire of ideas and ‘thoughts become things’ mantras spread across the...
View ArticleFilm Review: The Magnificent Seven
By Dwight Brown (NNPA Newswire Film Critic) In the original 1960s The Magnificent Seven, seven gunfighters assembled to help a Mexican peasant village fight off villains. That’s the basic premise. This...
View ArticleHollywood Finally Embraces What it Means to be Black and Awkward
The Grio In a scene from “Insecure,” a new show written and created by Issa Rae that debuts on HBO Oct. 9, a white woman asks her black co-worker (played by Issa), “What does ‘on fleek’ mean?” Issa...
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‘Actorvist’ Keith A. Wallace Presents “The Bitter Game”
By Edward Henderson The saying ‘art reflects life’ stands true even when it’s being taken away by the hands of police officers. Actor, director and playwright Keith A. Wallace is using his talents as a...
View ArticleTHE CALIFORNIA AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM OPENS ITS FALL SEASON ON OCTOBER 19,...
(Los Angeles, CA) — The California African American Museum recently announced that its fall season of exhibitions will open to the public on October 19, 2016, celebrating the work of several...
View ArticleJada Pinkett Smith Launches Program to Promote Diversity in the Film Industry
The Grio On September 21, Jada Pinkett Smith launched a tour called “Careers In Entertainment” that is meant to help youth in underserved areas and from diverse backgrounds to achieve their dreams of...
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African American artist featured in Latino Art Show highlighting Hispanic...
By Jennifer Coburn – Contributing Writer Jonelle Crowder is an African American artist who feels it’s vital to her growth to study her cultural roots – and those of other groups who have been...
View ArticleFILM REVIEW: THE BIRTH OF A NATION
By Dwight Brown (NNPA Wire Service Film Critic) Finally, a filmmaker unearths one of the biggest secrets in American history: slave revolts. It’s a lesson rarely mentioned in history books, though it’s...
View ArticleM.A.N.D.A.T.E. Records Signs Veteran Jazz Saxophonist Reggie Codrington
M.A.N.D.A.T.E. Records has carved another niche for itself by signing Reggie Codrington to their new jazz division on Saturday, September 24, 2016 in Fayetteville, North Carolina. This company remains...
View ArticlePort of San Diego Celebrates National Arts Month
In recognition of October being named “National Arts and Humanities Month” by President Barack Obama, the Port of San Diego’s Office of Arts & Culture has developed a month-long calendar of special...
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Q&A with Hidden Figures Director Theodore Melfi
By Edward Henderson Imagine being in the running to direct the newest Spiderman film. What kind of script would have to cross your desk to make you drop out of consideration? For me, it would have to...
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CYGNET THEATRE PRESENTS HISTORIC PAIRING OF 2 OF AUGUST WILSON’S PLAYS
By Barbara Smith A first-ever pairing of two of August Wilson’s groundbreaking plays, “Seven Guitars” and “King Hedley II,” will be performed in rotating repertory at San Diego’s Cygnet Theatre in Old...
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MJF KEEPS JAZZ ALIVE AND MOVING FORWARD
By Barbara Smith – Photos by ESE It’s hard for the Monterey Jazz Festival to outdo itself, but Fest #59, held last weekend at the idyllic seaside Monterey Fairgrounds, will surely go down in history as...
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