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Quinn Coleman, Capitol Records Executive, DJ and Son of Debra Lee, Dies at 31
Quinn Coleman, the Senior Director of A&R at Capitol Records and son of former BET Chairman and CEO Debra Lee, has died at the age of 31, Billboard reports. Coleman’s cause of death hasn’t been confirmed at this time. “Quinn was a loving son, brother, cousin and friend, a passionate DJ and A&R executive with…
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Trailer Roundup: Zola Does Not Have Bad Hair
I know I start all of these with a reflection on 2020, but it really is jarring just how fast this year is going, yet feels like it’s going so slowly. Maybe it’s because the year has been so dense with heavy events such as the global pandemic, uprisings, presidential election, etc. Speaking of dense,…
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Lovecraft Country and the Horror Story of America
Welcome to Lovecraft Country…or um, you know…welcome to America for Black folks. Based on the Matt Ruff novel of the same name, Lovecraft Country follows Atticus “Tic” Freeman (Jonathan Majors) who takes a road trip from Chicago across 1950s Jim Crow America to find his missing father Montrose (Michael Kenneth Williams). His childhood friend Letitia,…
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Dolly Parton Talks Black Lives Matter, Says 'Do We Think Our Little White Asses Are the Only Ones That Matter?'
Sometimes you just need someone to put it plain. Enter country legend, Dolly Parton. In a recent cover story interview with Billboard, Parton discussed her life during the global pandemic, the possibility of selling her publishing, and she even opened up about the importance of making sure her estate is in order. The standout part…
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Oprah, Angela Bassett, Courtney B. Vance and Phylicia Rashad Among Cast in Ta-Nehisi Coates' Between the World and Me HBO Adaptation
We have a paramount cast lineup for a paramount author’s paramount work! On Thursday afternoon, HBO announced the initial cast for its adaptation of Ta-Nehisi Coates’ Between the World and Me. And wow, what a lineup. The cast includes Oprah Winfrey, Angela Bassett, Alicia Garza, Joe Morton, Phylicia Rashad, Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter, Courtney B.…
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TikTok Trump Impersonator Sarah Cooper Scores Comedy Variety Show at Netflix, Maya Rudolph to Executive Produce
Sarah Cooper is one of the rare bright lights of 2020 because she has actually accomplished the impossible—making it so that the sound of Trump’s voice doesn’t automatically make me sick. In fact, her impersonation videos are the primary source of my Trump content now. I rarely watch anything having to do with President Pissy…
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Will Smith to Develop The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Drama Reboot Born and Raised From Viral YouTube Trailer
Remember that dramatic retelling of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air that we all first noticed via social media? It went super viral—so viral, in fact, that Will Smith totally noticed it and gave his props to the filmmaker. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Will Smith and the trailer’s filmmaker Morgan Cooper will be adapting the…
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'Billie Holiday Is Probably One of Our First Civil Rights Leaders': Lee Daniels Discusses His Upcoming Biopic at The Root Institute
It’s been nearly 50 years since the debut of Lady Sings the Blues, which was a huge inspiration for writer-director-producer Lee Daniels—so much so, that he is now directing his own biographical drama about the iconic Billie Holiday, The United States vs. Billie Holiday. Through her art—especially her stirring song, “Strange Fruit”—Holiday became pivotal in…
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NBCUniversal's Peacock Announces 2 New and Timely Late Night Shows With Larry Wilmore and Amber Ruffin
NBCUniversal’s new streaming platform Peacock just announced some new comedy content that is very relevant and needed during these somber times. Amber Ruffin will be hosting The Amber Ruffin Show and Larry Wilmore will host the Untitled Larry Wilmore Show as part of the streaming platform’s weekly topical late-night block. You may know Wilmore from…
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Lee Daniels Discusses How He Juxtaposes Art With Activism at The Root Institute
Lee Daniels has something to say. Known for the dramatic flair sprinkled throughout his art, the writer-director-producer never shies away from controversial and emotional topics as has been displayed in his works such as Empire, Star and Precious. Daniels has routinely prioritized the importance of telling real and gritty stories within the Black community, especially…
