Chew also credits his mentors for shaping his career by exposing him to a variety of music venues, from Broadway pits to intimate jazz clubs. These experiences deepened his appreciation for both the precision of theater and the spontaneity of jazz, enhancing his versatility as a musician and musical director.
“I made a commitment to myself during COVID isolation,” said Campbell. “I’m going to do everything that I ever wanted to do in my life. I’m going to at least try it once.”
“I’ve worked with primarily Black directors, men and women, who recognized that I, too, am ‘Africa’ America, to paraphrase Langston Hughes.”
Growing up in the Bronx, NY, Henson says the city had a reputation for being tough, but he remembers it being an amazing creative environment. Henson notes that New York was the birthplace of hip hop and says growing up in this burgeoning music scene allowed him the freedom to express himself artistically.
“It shouldn’t just take the holiday to do so,” said Gill. “Of course, everybody is always off living their lives, working, and doing what they do. But thank God for the holidays. That gives a reason to have to come together.”
In addition to his success creating chart-topping hits for many popular artists, Snoddy has also scored for the Fox television series “Empire” and “Star.” Both shows were produced by Lee Daniels.
Pennsylvania’s highest court threw out Bill Cosby’s sexual assault conviction and opened the way for his immediate release from prison Wednesday in a stunning reversal of fortune for the comedian once known as “America’s Dad,” ruling that the prosecutor who brought the case was bound by his predecessor’s agreement not to charge Cosby.
Paul Mooney, a boundary-pushing comedian who was Richard Pryor’s longtime writing partner and whose sage, incisive musings on racism and American life made him a revered figure in stand-up, has died. He was 79.
Rapper Drake will receive an “Artist of the Decade” award at this month’s Billboard Music Awards ceremony in downtown Los Angeles, show producers announced today.
Viewership for ABC’s Oscars telecast plummeted to 9.85 million viewers, according to preliminary figures released today by Nielsen, continuing the trend of record-low viewership for awards shows since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Paisley Park, where Prince lived and worked, welcomed back select fans Wednesday to mark the fifth anniversary of his death from inside his creative sanctuary. Some wore custom Prince clothes and shoes and left flowers and other mementos as tributes to the late superstar.
Ahead of Sunday’s 93rd Academy Awards, Associated Press Film Writers Jake Coyle and Lindsey Bahr share their predictions for a ceremony that is forging on in the midst of the pandemic.
A physical altercation between safety personnel and members of a South Los Angeles grassroots coalition on February 25 in Leimert Park Village cut short a film production and threatens future filming revenue in an area that has struggled economically, first from construction of the Metro Crenshaw/LAX Line and more recently from the Coronavirus pandemic.
Ethiopia Habtemariam was appointed president of Motown and executive vice president of Capitol Music Group in 2014. That same year, she oversaw Motown’s relocation to Los Angeles from New York.
Portrayals of Black women and girls in film are showing signs of progress, with their characters more likely to be depicted as leaders or as working in STEM professions than white women, but issues of “colorism” still exist, according to a study released today.