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Cynthia Erivo to Portray Aretha Franklin in First-Ever Authorized Limited Series About the Queen of Soul
Fresh off the heels of Harriet, Cynthia Erivo will be portraying another beloved woman in black history—Aretha Franklin. According to Variety, Erivo will be taking on the role of Franklin in National Geographic’s third season of Genius, an anthology period drama. “Aretha Franklin has been a source of inspiration for me since I was a…
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TIFF 2019: Dolemite Is My Name Is the Comeback King of Blaxploitation
You ever leave a movie feeling all warm inside due to the bubbling laughter in your tummy and pure joy in reaction to an underdog’s triumph? That movie, for me, is Dolemite Is My Name. Netflix breaks down the synopsis like so: Stung by a string of showbiz failures, floundering comedian Rudy Ray Moore (Academy…
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Ryan Coogler Just Started Writing the Black Panther 2 Story. Black Twitter: It's OK Baby, Take Your Time
All eyes are on Ryan Coogler as he prepares to embark on one of the most anticipated sequels in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal discussing upcoming Marvel projects during his final two years at Disney, CEO Bob Iger confirmed Coogler is “just beginning the process of outlining…
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Mannie Fresh Declares 'Back That Azz Up' the Greatest Love Song of All Time
Picture it…Sicily. Or any place that has a nightclub, actually. You’ve just walked to the bathroom after the DJ decides to play a bathroom break-worthy song. Whilst (hopefully) dousing your hands with water and soap after you’ve handled your business, you hear the beautiful violin strings of success start to harmonize in the background. Is…
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Sincerely, Black Folks: Dear White People Renewed for 4th and Final Season
It’s official—Dear White People, Volume 4 is a go! Netflix confirmed that Dear White People has been renewed for a fourth season. But that’s not even the most major news—it’ll be the final season of the entire series! “I’m so grateful my little indie-that-could has made it to four seasons at Netflix!” show creator Justin…
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Angela Lansbury Just Found Out About a Girl Named Maxine, Learns 'Murder She Wrote' Song Exists
If you catch Dame Angela Lansbury suddenly bustin’ out a dutty wine over tea, you can thank her newfound discovery. The 93-year-old iconic actor recently appeared on q, a radio show on CBC, where she learned something delightful and new. That’s right, she finally became aware of the 1993 Chaka Demus & Pliers reggae hit,…
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Mathew Knowles Reveals He Has Breast Cancer and Emphasizes the Importance of Early Detection
On Tuesday night, a sad bit of news hit the Twitter timeline as Good Morning America promoted its Wednesday morning show. Mathew Knowles sat down with the show’s co-anchor, Michael Strahan, and revealed that he has breast cancer. “I’m hoping by me coming here today, speaking out, letting folks know that you can survive this…
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First Look: Gregory Hines Shines in Restored 'Tall, Tan, Terrific' Scene from The Cotton Club Encore
Encore, Encore! The Cotton Club is back for a new generation. Directed by Academy Award-winning Francis Ford Coppola, The Cotton Club has been restored from its 1984 version. The film starred Richard Gere, Gregory Hines, Diane Lane, Lonette McKee, Bob Hoskins, James Remar, Maurice Hines, Laurence Fishburne, Nicolas Cage, Jennifer Grey and Tom Waits. From…
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First Look: Amadou Fled Mauritania and the "Highest Rate of Slavery in the Entire World" in Netflix's Living Undocumented
As we witness what appears to be an immigration crisis in America, it’s important to remember the people behind the statistics and politics. They are the people you share space with every day who often live in fear that their next moment may be their last in a country they contribute to, just because they…
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Seems Like He's Not Ready for Jail: Lawyer Complains R. Kelly Can Only Visit One of His Girlfriends at a Time
Robert “R.” Kelly wants out of jail. Naturally. Kelly’s attorney, Steven Greenberg has a couple of reasons why his client should be released, one of which happens to be Kelly’s inability to visit all of his girlfriends at once. “His visits are severely restricted; presently, he is only allowed one unrelated person to visit. In…
