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Breathing New Life Into Jazz
Jazz pianist and bandleader Robert Glasper is serious about his music. But when it came to naming his forthcoming album Black Radio, he loosely based it on a joke rapper Yasiin Bey (formerly Mos Def) told him. “You [know] the black box in the airplane, some people call it the black radio,” Glasper explains. “He…
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Celebrities Advocate for Arts Education
The fourth annual fundraiser for the Bronx Charter School for the Arts, hosted by Swizz Beatz at the Marquee club in New York City Wednesday night, featured a silent auction of original student artwork. La La Anthony and her NBA hubby, Carmelo; 106 & Park co-host Rocsi Diaz; and musicians Alicia Keys, Big Sean and Melanie…
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11 R&B Divas' Memorable Film Debuts
Conventional entertainment wisdom says that even if you’re a huge music star, you need more than one hustle. That’s why so many singers and rappers have turned to acting. Rihanna, who on May 18 makes her initial movie bow in the probable summer blockbuster Battleship, is the latest convert. By August, count in Jordin Sparks,…
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Hal Jackson, NY Radio Pioneer, Dead at 96
Hal Jackson, the iconic voice of New York radio who opened doors for generations of black broadcast talent, has died from an undisclosed illness, according to a WBLS report. He was 96 years old. Born on Nov. 3, 1915, Jackson grew up in Washington, D.C., and studied at Howard University. His earliest broadcasting jobs were…
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'Single Ladies' Creator Talks Season 2
(The Root) — Stacy A. Littlejohn had every intention of becoming a criminal defense attorney. But by the time she hit college, a moral dilemma kept gnawing at her conscience: Could she really defend someone who might be guilty? No, she decided. So instead of heading to law school, the Oakland, Calif., native took a…
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Fatherly Advice on Stop and Frisk
(The Root) — Although I might be biased, my dad, Ronald Johnson, was one of New York City’s good cops. He spent nearly half his career on the other side of the blue shield, investigating reports filed with the department’s Civilian Complaint Review Board and assessing police wrongdoing as a sergeant in the Internal Affairs…
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Black Music Back in the Day: Remember 1977?
For Black Music Month, we’re looking back 15, 25, 35 and 45 years to take stock of black music’s most memorable and pivotal moments. In part three of our four-part series, we revisit 1977 — the year when funk, hip-hop, reggae and disco emerged as wildly influential genres. Tell us what you loved most about…
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No Sign of Foul Play in Kennedy Death
Updated Monday, June 18, 2012, 3:40 p.m.: (The Root) — A spokesman from the Miami Beach police department told The Root that Kennedy’s death is being classified as a “death investigation pending toxicology results.” There were no signs of foul play, according to authorities. Miami Beach police received a call a short time after 12…
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Stop-and-Frisk March, Packed and Peaceful
(The Root) — On a Sunday that started out with blustery winds and slightly overcast conditions, several thousand New Yorkers gathered in upper Manhattan and marched down Fifth Avenue from 110th Street in a remarkably silent protest of the city’s stop-and-frisk police policy. Today’s march — led by a coalition of organizations and prominent public…
Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude
