Hello World,

The clock still has a few 24-hour segments before Season 3 of OWN’s ‘Greenleaf’ premieres on Tuesday, August 28 and Wednesday, August 29, but thankfully the stars of the show are out and about leading up until then!

Last night, comedian and radio show host Rickey Smiley and singer and OWN “Greenleaf” actress LeToya Luckett ( aka Rochelle Cross, Lady’s Mae’s lady-in-waiting and or archenemy), who debuted her baby bump,  co-hosted the 2018 Black Music Honors! The annual two-hour television special honors artists and musicians who have influenced and made significant contributions to American music. This year’s honorees were Bobby Brown, Faith Evans, Bebe & Cece Winans, Whodini, Stephanie Mills and Dallas Austin. Also, the 2018 Black Music Honors recognized the legacy of Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul who passed away yesterday. (Condolences to her family and friends. She will certainly be missed the world over.)

The night included performances by Bell Biv Devoe, Next, Jade Novah, Kierra Sheard, Tasha Page-Lockhart, V. Bozeman, Demetria McKinney, DJ Mell Starr, Sammie, Donnie McClurkin, Sammie, Yo-Yo, Koryn Hawthorne, Rhyon Brown, Raheem DeVaughn, Regina Belle, Paris Bennett, Syleena Johnson, Angela Winbush, Jonathan McReynolds, Monie Love, Ruben Studdard and Doug E. Fresh. Additional VIP’s in attendance included Shiggy, Kyla Jade, Stevie J and more.

Proceeds from the 2018 Black Music Honors will benefit the 2019 opening of the National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM) in Nashville. NMAAM’s mission is to educate the world, preserve the legacy, and celebrate the central role African Americans play in creating the American soundtrack. Event sponsors include AT&T, McDonald’s, Walmart, Johnson & Johnson, Chevrolet and State Farm as title sponsor. 

See photos of the evening below:

LeToya Luckett and Rickey Smiley

Paris Bennett, Angela Winbush, Regina Bella perform for Aretha Franklin’s tribute.

LeToya Luckett and Rickey Smiley open the show.

Charity Greenleaf aka Deborah Joy Winans’ Auntie & Uncle CeCe and BeBe Winans

Koryn  “Won’t He Do It” Hawthorne. Remember when Koryn and Isaiah better known to me as Gospel Chris Brown or Christian Breezy sang the song on an a “Greenleaf” episode?

Kierra Sheard and Donnie McClurkin sing.

The Tankards

Regina Belle performs.

Ruben Studdard sings.

Darlene McCoy

Tasha Page-Lockhart

Jonathan McReynolds and Tasha Page-Lockhart sing.

James Shaw, the Waffle House shoot-out “shutdowner”

Tommicus Walker and LeToya Luckett. Tommicus is her hubby! Congratulations to the expecting couple

Again, Season 3 of OWN’s “Greenleaf” is almost HERE!!

Any thoughts?

The post OWN ‘Greenleaf’ Actress LeToya Luckett aka Rochelle Cross Shows Off Baby Bump at 2018 Black Music Honors! (PHOTOS) appeared first on After the Altar Call.

Hello World,

I plan to have a box of Kleenex at my side as I watch “Oprah’s Next Chapter” on OWN this Sunday…a month to the day that beloved music icon Whitney Houston passed away, Oprah will air her interview with Bobbi Kristina, Whitney Houston’s daughter; Gary Houston, Whitney Houston’s older brother; and his wife Patricia Houston, who was Whitney Houston’s manager….The family “addresses the rumors and speculation surrounding Houston’s death” according to Oprah.com  The interview will air at 9 p.m. /8 p.m. CST. (According to the AJC, Oprah flew to Atlanta to interview them…)

While I am eager to hear their thoughts on Whitney’s untimely death, I wonder is it too soon for them to be speaking publicly about it all…Have they even had the time to process it all much less speak to the masses about it…

What say you? Will you be watching? It is too soon?

Any thoughts?

The post Too Soon? Oprah interviews Bobbi Kristina & Family… appeared first on After the Altar Call.

Didn’t it feel like summer yesterday? It was a perfect day for a free outdoor concert with Bobby Brown, Miki Howard and the opening band – The 911 Band…And the City of Riverdale delivered it. The city hosted a free concert complete with big boy fireworks to celebrate the opening of its new City Hall and amphitheater…Yeah, that’s right, I got to see Mr. My Prerogative in all his bad boy splendor up, close & personal for the free free…And as an added bonus, the true saaanger, Ms. Miki “Love Under New Management”  Howard was a part of the bill…And I must say, the opening band, The 911 Band, also got down with their renditions all the way from Carlos Santana’s “Maria, Maria” to Prince’s “Purple Rain!”

So there I am…two hours early…Yes, I was in full groupie mode as R put it….(Insert Kanye shrug…who cares chile…)

Not the best overall pic of the new City Hall…but hopefully, you get the idea…

A better view of the new amphitheater which is directly in front of the City Hall…Apparently, more stars will be on deck next week, and I think for free…but don’t quote me…if you look closely, you can see Bobby on stage doing a sound check!!!

“BOBBY!!!” in my best shrill Whitney voice….I still love some Bobby…I don’t care what anyone says….

The 911 Band….

Woman to Woman, I know this isn’t the best photo of Miki but this is the best one I have….sorry Miki, but you still got it…She told us she recently turned 50 years old!

Me in Miki’s armpit lol…Girl got all in the audience and took off her shoes channeling Patti Labelle…She sang to recordings of her music and had me laughing when she said that she would have a brought a band with her but it was too expensive…At one point, her music stopped and she threatened to go to church and start praying if it didn’t start again…And then she said she would have have a take an offering because you can’t have church without an offering….hmmm…I don’t agree, but it was funny…After I Googled her, I discovered she is the daughter of two gospel singers…very interesting…And apparently, she will be featured on an upcoming episode of TV1’s “Unsung.” (Love that show!)

Bobby in his show gear…He still got it too although R begs to differ…

At the end of his show, Bobby introduced his nephews who have started a new group, CMG – it stands for Certified Money Getters – who came up with that name…I bet Bobby wit his crazy self had a hand in the madness…

Also, here’s a little snippet of the sound check…I’m not a videographer so forgive me…

All of that music for free…I was getting my Clark Howard on for real…yes!

Any thoughts?

P.S. Bobby was on his best behavior although you could tell the crazy was dying to get out…he mentioned that he is newly engaged with a child and he is happy…Was I wrong for thinking he should still be with Whitney…

The post Kicking it with Bobby, Miki & Friends…. appeared first on After the Altar Call.