The full video for Jennifer Hudson’s “Think Like A Man” will be released tomorrow, but we’ve got a sneak peek! Check out the video teaser with Jennifer Hudson, Ne-Yo , Rick Ross and Kevin Hart . The single is from Steve Harvey’s upcoming movie of the same title. RELATED: Hot 107.9′s Jazzy McBee Wins Role In Steve Harvey’s “Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man” [EXCLUSIVE] Must Hear: John Legend’s “Tonight” From “Think Like A Man” Soundtrack [NEW MUSIC] Steve Harvey’s “Think Like A Man” [MOVIE TRAILER] Jennifer Hudson Sings Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” At Grammys [VIDEO] Jennifer Hudson Drops Video Diary Of Promo Travels [VIDEO]
Quincy Delightt Jones, Jr. (born March 14, 1933) is an American record producer and musician. He’s also a conductor, musical arranger, film composer, television producer, and trumpeter. His career spans five decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations,[2] 27 Grammys,[2] including a Grammy Legend Award in 1991. He is particularly recognized as the producer of the album Thriller, by pop icon Michael Jackson, which has sold more than 110 million copies worldwide,[3] and as the producer and conductor of the charity song “We Are the World”. Source We have compiled some of the biggest songs and jazz compositions that Quincy Jones has produced and/or recorded in his career. Check them out and see if you remember these. Killer Joe (released in 1970) Razzmattazz ft. Patti Austin (1981) Sanford and Son Theme Song We Are The World (1985) Thriller (1982) The Secret Garden ft. Barry White, James Ingram, Al B. Sure, and El Debarge (1990)
The artistry leaps off the stage as black legs, brown arms and high-yellow bodies soar through the air in dances such as “Revelations.” At an Alvin Ailey performance it’s not quite clear what’s more beautiful: the black people on stage, or the ones in the audience swelling with pride and awe as they see people who look like them performing ballet and modern dance. African Americans so rarely see themselves dancing majestically. Pop dances such as the “Fox Trot” and the “Charleston” have now been replaced by the “Dougie” and the a’Wobblea’. At an Alvin Ailey performance however, black men and women are the manifestation of hopes and dreams as well as pain and suffering. Watch this snippet of “Rock My Soul” “Ailey will rock your soul!” from AlvinAileyAmericanDanceTheater on Vimeo . Ailey, born during the Depression in Texas, grew up in the church and juke joints. The conflicting forces fueled his sense of black pride and influenced what would later become a world-renowned dance company. Ailey started his troupe after moving to New York in the late ’50s and being dissatisfied with the style of dances performed at company’s there. “Revelations” is his most notable work, but its precursor was “Blues Suite.” The piece was derived from blues songs and it conveyed the African Americans’ suffering. While “Blues Suite” focused on the pain of black folks, “Revelations” showcased the perseverance and tenacity. It is a work of celebration influenced by Ailey’s rural upbringing in Texas.
You may know Sidney Poitier as the first black man or woman to win an Academy Award for Best Actor, but how many of his movies have you actually seen? Below is a list of his 10 best films, watch a few for the first time or watch them again and enjoy a true master at work. Poitier was born in 1927 in Miami, Florida, to Bahamian parents, and he grew up in the small village of Cat Island, Bahamas. At the age of 16 he moved to New York City and soon began working as a janitor for the American Negro Theater in exchange for acting lessons. After performing in plays throughout the 1940s he made his acting debut in the 1950 film “No Way Out. No Way Out.” The rest is cinematic history. Sidney Poitier Bio from PBS Disagree with the list? Did we miss one? Let us know what you think in the comments area below. 10. The Bedford Incident (Columbia, 1965) Ben Munceford (Poitier) is a reporter who is onboard the USS Bedford to interview the captain (Richard Widmark) when a Soviet submarine is detected. Widmark’s character relentlessly pursues the submarine to the bitter and horrific end. The movie is an edge of the seat thriller and Poitier delivers as the lone civilian on the ship trying to find out what makes the captain tick. 9. Edge of the City (MGM, 1957) One of many movies tackled by Poitier that explores relationships between whites and blacks. In this film, Poitier’s character, Tommy Tyler, befriends a white young drifter, Axel Nordmann, played by John Cassavetes. Tommy mentors Axel and teaches him how to stand up for himself. When tragedy strikes near the end of the film the lessons from Tommy spur Axel into action. The film was one of the firsts to portray an interracial friendship and would help lay the ground work for future films that would portray interracial romantic relationships and eventually marriage. The movie was priased by the NAACP, Urban League and the American Jewish Committee. Poitier got his first acting award nomination for his role earning a BAFTA nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role. 8. To Sir, With Love (Columbia, 1967) 1967 was a banner year for Poitier who released three films, including “To Sir, With Love,” which earned him the title of top box office star of the year. The first time a black actor earned that role. Poitier is sharp as Mark Thackeray, a teacher who deals with social and racial issues in an inner city London school. This was a role reversal for Poitier who earlier in his career played the disruptive student in the 1955 film “Blackboard Jungle,” which dealt with similar issues. 7. Blackboard Jungle (MGM, 1955) Glenn Ford plays the lead as an idealistic teacher trying to get through to inner-city youths, but Poitier comes alive and owns the screen in one of his early roles as Gregory Miller, the leader of the troubled students at North Manual High School. 6. A Patch of Blue (MGM, 1965) The film depicts the relationship between a black man (Poitier) and a blind white teenager (Elizabeth Hartman) and the obstacles and prejudice they encounter as they fall in love in the racially charged and divided 1960s. The film was modified when it was shown in the south, removing the scenes of Poitier and Hartman kissing. Poitier was nominated for his fifth Golden Globe Award for his role as Gordon Ralfe, something he did not receive for his other major depiction of an interracial relationship in “Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner.” 5. Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (Columbia, 1967) Poitier shares the screen and matches acting chops with heavyweight stars Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy in a drama about parents coming to terms with their white daughter bringing her soon to be black man husband home. The movie was groundbreaking in its positive depiction of interracial marriage, which had been illegal in most state and was still illegal in 17 southern states until June 12, 1967 when the Supreme Court ruled on Loving v Virginia and ended all race-based legal restrictions on marriage in the US. 4. Lilies of the Field (United Artists, 1963) His Oscar role! Poitier’s portrayal of Homer Smith, an itinerant worker who helps a group of nuns construct a new chapel, earned him his second Academy Award nomination and one and only win. It was the first time a black man or woman had ever won a Best Actor award. Interesting fact, when Smith sings “Amen” it’s actually Jester Hairston singing and not Poitier. Poitier did however do all his own acting, and he earned his Oscar. 3. The Defiant Ones (United Artists, 1958) Sidney Poitier and Tony Curtis play two prisoners who escape a chain gang while still shackled to one another. The two are of different races, different backgrounds and they have a mutual distain for one another, but they must cooperate in order to evade law enforcement officials constantly tracking them. The role of Noah Cullen earned Poitier his first Academy Award nomination, Curtis would also be nominated for his role in the film but both actors lost that year to David Niven. 2. A Raisin in the Sun (Columbia, 1961) Poitier shows off his acting chops in this adaptation of Lorraine Hansberry’s play of the same name. The film has a simple plot, a black man, Walter Lee Younger (Poitier), shares a small apartment with his wife, son, sister and mother. They struggle to live their lives and when they receive $10,000 from an insurance policy paid after the Younger patriarch’s death they must decide how to use it. Most of the movie takes place in their small apartment and it’s really up to the actors to command your attention and keep the movie moving and Poitier and the supporting cast do just that. The movie is at times uplifting and other times heart wrenching but always powerful and poignant. Acting at its best. 1. In the Heat of the Night (United Artists, 1967) Drama doesn’t get any better than this. Poitier plays Philadelphia Detective Virgil Tibbs who becomes entangled in a southern murder mystery and battles intense racial prejudice, even risking his life, while solving a crime in Sparta, Mississippi. The interaction between Poitier’s Tibbs and Police Chief Gillespie (played by Rod Steiger) is as honest and raw as it is intense. The movie was so successful and powerful that it spun off another Poitier movie “They Call me MISTER Tibbs” and a television show by the same name in the 1980s. Watch the trailer below. Disagree with the list? Did we miss one? Let us know what you think in the comments area below.
Before Deion Sanders called himself “Primetime,” before T.O. had a reality show, there was Jim Brown. He was a stud on the football field, as a running back from the Cleveland Browns, and on screen as an action hero. He is considered the first black action star thanks to his roles in movies such as “Dirty Dozen” and “Ice Station Zebra.” His records included: • Most yards in a single-season (1,863 in 1963) • Career rushing (12,312 yards) • All-time leader in rushing touchdowns (106) • Total touchdowns (126) • All-purpose yards (15,549) In this interview, Jim Brown lashes out at today’s black athletes calling them buffoonish with their celebration dances and antics. He says today’s athletes are playing the “yessir boss slaves,” and don’t know the dignity of what it means to be a man. Newsone compiled a list of Heisman winners. Below are a select few, but you can see the entire list here .
Born Chloe Anthony Wofford, in 1931 in Lorain, Ohio, the second of four children in a black working-class family, Toni Morrison displayed an early interest in literature. She studied humanities at Howard and Cornell Universities, followed by an academic career at Texas Southern University, Howard University, Yale, and since 1989, a chair at Princeton University. She has also worked as an editor for Random House, a critic, and given numerous public lectures, specializing in African-American literature. She made her debut as a novelist in 1970, soon gaining the attention of both critics and a wider audience for her epic power, unerring ear for dialogue, and her poetically charged and richly expressive depictions of Black America. A member since 1981 of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, she has been awarded a number of literary distinctions, among them the Pulitzer Prize in 1988. Quotes All water has a perfect memory and is forever trying to get back to where it was. Toni Morrison As you enter positions of trust and power, dream a little before you think. Toni Morrison At some point in life the world’s beauty becomes enough. You don’t need to photograph, paint or even remember it. It is enough. Toni Morrison
Willard Christopher “Will” Smith, Jr. (born September 25, 1968), also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor, producer, and rapper. He has enjoyed success in television, film and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him the most powerful actor in Hollywood.[2] Smith has been nominated for four Golden Globe Awards, two Academy Awards, and has won multiple Grammy Awards. Source MUSIC Will got his first taste of showbiz when he debuted in a rap duo “DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince” with a chart-topping and record-breaking single, ” Parents Just Don’t Understand” which garnered the first Grammy awarded in the Rap category in 1988. Who could forget the critically acclaimed “Summertime” performed by the duo? This song still gets heavily played during the summer season during family reunions, in your local barber and beauty shops, and on radio stations nationwide. TELEVISION AND FILM After nearly being bankrupt in 1990, NBC networks created a show around Will called ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” which seen huge success and launched a thriving acting career for the rapper. He then set a goal to be the “biggest movie star in the world” and began studying hit movies trends and successes. His first movie was in 1993 titled, Six Degrees of Separation later starring alongside Martin Lawrence in Bad Boys two years later. Check out more of Will Smith’s top 10 films below courtesy of IMDB . Independence Day (1996) In the beginning of July, a strange spaceship is heading towards Earth. Humans received a strange signal, and this has turned into a global phenomenon. It was aliens. smaller spaceships began to cover entire cities around the world. Suddenly, the wonder turns into horror as the spaceships destroy the cities. Then, when the world counterattacked, the alien ships are invincible to normal weapon systems, then The President of the United States, decides to head to area 51, to formulate a plan to defeat the aliens. Now, the fate of the world rests on a handful of surviving humans. Written by John Wiggins Men In Black (1997) Men in Black follows the exploits of agents Kay (Jones) and Jay (Smith), members of a top-secret organization established to monitor and police alien activity on Earth. The two Men in Black find themselves in the middle of the deadly plot by an intergalactic terrorist who has arrived on Earth to assassinate two ambassadors from opposing galaxies. In order to prevent worlds from colliding, the MiB must track down the terrorist and prevent the destruction of Earth. Source Enemy of the State (1998) A successful lawyer (Smith) finds himself the target of a treacherous NSA official and his goons after receiving evidence to a politically motivated murder, the only man that can help him is a former government operative turned surveillance expert (Hackman). Written by mystic80 Ali (2001) Muhammad Ali from 1964 to 1974, told in three braided threads. The boxer: from becoming champion to regaining the championship. Religion and politics: Cassius Clay becomes a Black Muslim, truncates a friendship with Malcolm X, perhaps is Elijah Muhammad’s pawn, refuses induction into the US military, and faces a five year prison sentence while his case goes to the Supreme Court. Family: he marries twice and by 1974 marriage two is strained, defends his white trainer, has a brother in Bundini Brown, and is wily with Howard Cosell. Throughout, Ali keeps his own counsel: in the ring, at the induction center when he won’t step forward, and in friendship, love, and victory. Written by Men In Black II (2002) For Agent J, it is another day at the office, monitoring, licensing and policing all alien activity on Earth. One day, J receives a report of an unauthorized landing of an alien spacecraft near New York. It is an old enemy of MIB, a Kylothian named Surleena. Who is searching for a powerful artifact called The Light of Zartha. J investigates and quickly realizes he is going to need help. Unfortunately, the other MIB agents do not work up to par like J can. So, J decides to bring back K. J must bring back K’s memory as an MIB agent and try to stop Surleena, before she can succeed. Written by John Wiggins I, Robot (2004) This is the year 2035. Everybody in the world relies on a huge system of robots, which are programmed specifically to help humans and not harm them in any way. But one person does not think that robots are helpful. Chicago homicide detective Del Spooner. but one day, he received a call from the United States Robotics (USR) about a recent death of renowned robot scientist Dr. Alfred J. Laning. Spooner immediately blamed this incident on robots without justifiable reason or proof. Then, he begins his investigation on Lanning’s death, only to discover Sonny, a “unique” robot. What Spooner does not realize, is that something is about to happen. Something that is beyond even spooner’s wildest dreams. Written by John Wiggins Hitch (2005) Alex Hitchens is “The Date Doctor.” He helps men to land dates. Sara is a gossip columnist for a New York City tabloid. Both are very guarded around the opposite sex. Despite their natures, Alex and Sara begin a relationship. Complications ensue when Sara’s latest scoop happens to be one of Alex’s clients. Written by Ken Miller The Pursuit of Happyness (2006) Chris Gardner has big dreams for him and his family but it doesn’t seem to come together for him. Chris has an opportunity to be a stock broker but first he has to go through a grueling internship which means no pay. Chris decides to do it but when his wife leaves and he is evicted, he has to take care of his son on his own. So they find themselves sometimes living on the street and struggling to get by. But Chris is determined to make it. Written by rcs0411@yahoo.com I Am Legend (2007) It is the year 2012. In the ruins of New York city. Robert Neville who is a military scientist who is the lone survivor of a biochemical disease which was supposed to cure cancer 3 years previous. With only blood thirsty zombies as his neighbors and his trusty dog, Samantha, Robert is trying to discover a cure for this disease and to find out any other people who might have also survived. Written by John Wiggins FUN FACTS ABOUT WILL SMITH: He was originally casted as Neo in The Matrix movie, but turned it down to do the film, Wild Wild West . He enjoys playing chess. He was a millionaire by age 20. Will Smith speaks fluent Spanish. Will Smith is also an author, penning a children’s book called “Just The Two of Us”. SOURCE
Northerners often depict the South as backwards and racist. During the Civil Rights Movement, the South gave the North plenty of reasons to feel superior. Snarling dogs, skin bruising water hoses and lynch mobs didn’t help the South’s image. The South’s racism was on full display as African Americans from Virginia to Alabama and beyond fought for equality. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. became the face of the movement. In the South, King spearheaded efforts to integrate public spaces and he fought for voting rights. King, however, didn’t just fight racism in the South. He highlighted racism in the North as well. To read a traditional King bio, click here . To learn more about King’s efforts in the North read below. Watch video of Mahalia Jackson singing at King’s funeral. In one famous incident, King lead a fight to end housing segregation in Chicago — a mecca for blacks escaping the South. The march didn’t go well. In August 1966, King and his supporters marched in front of more than 4,000 angry white immigrants in southwest Chicago. The white mob called the 800 black marchers “cannibals,” and “savages” and stoned King. He would later say, “I have seen demonstrations in the South, but have never seen anything so hostile and so hateful as I’ve seen here today.” The incident showed that the South wasn’t the only bastion of racism that needed to change. Below are King’s quotes about the fight to end racism everywhere: “Let’s Not Fool Ourselves, we are far from the Promised Land, both north and south.” “Never forget that everything Hitler did in Germany was legal.” “Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable… Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.” Watch this video of King’s “Letter From the Birmingham Jail.”
