Category Archives: Pop Culture

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NETFLIX’s ‘Family Reunion’ Starring Tia Mowry-Hardrict & ‘Brian Banks’ Movie Starring Sherri Shepherd To Be Screened at ESSENCE Festival!

Hello World,

I still haven’t made it to NOLA for the renowned ESSENCE Festival(which is really sad considering it’s the 25th year anniversary of the festival’s beginning), but if you will be in the mix from July 5-7, please go to the screening room to check out  family sitcom “Family Reunion” and movie “Brian Banks.”

Below are descriptions of both:

About Family Reunion

When the McKellan family moves from Seattle to Georgia to be closer to extended family, the transition is like being a catfish out of water. From 3 hour church services and huge humidity hair to M’Dear’s home cooking and family bonding, the everyday ups and downs of Family Reunion are real, memorable, toe tapping, heart stopping, laugh out loud authentic moments.

Cast

Loretta Devine (M’Dear), Tia Mowry-Hardrict (Cocoa), Richard Roundtree (Jebediah), Anthony Alabi (Moz), Talia Jackson (Jade), Isaiah Russell-Bailey (Shaka), Cameron J. Wright (Mazzi) and Jordyn Raya James (Ami)

Launch Date

July 10, 2019 on Netflix

Trailer

&

About Brian Banks

The inspirational true story of Brian Banks (Aldis Hodge), an All-American high school football star committed to USC who finds his life upended when he is wrongly convicted of a crime he didn’t commit. Despite lack of evidence, Banks is railroaded through a broken justice system and sentenced to a decade of prison and probation. Years later, with the support of Justin Brooks (Greg Kinnear) and the California Innocence Project, Banks fights to reclaim his life and fulfill his dreams of playing in the NFL. Clink on this LINK for more of Banks’ background.

Cast

Aldis Hodge (Clemency, “City on a Hill”), Greg Kinnear, Sherri Shepherd and Melanie Liburd (“This is Us”)

Launch Date

In Theaters August 9, 2019

Trailer

Also, the casts of “Family Reunion” and “Brian Banks” will be in the Screening Room at the ESSENCE festival! I so want to go, but I can’t make it…maybe next year…Anyone want to sponsor my trip? 🙂 Like the kids say, Cash App me. J/K. I don’t even have a Cash App account…LOL…

Any thoughts?

 

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McDonald’s ICGT & RCAI Name Winner in Atlanta Weekend Featuring Donald Lawrence, Kierra Sheard, Sir the Baptist and More (PHOTOS)!

Tour host and media personality Lonnie Hunter engages grand prize winner Aarion Rhodes (L-R)on stage prior to her showstopping audition at the first-ever Golden Voice Talent Showcase. The showcase is offered in select markets of the 13th Annual McDonald’s Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour and is in partnership with RCA Inspiration.

Hello World,

This past weekend, McDonald’s USA brought the first-ever Golden Voice Talent Showcase and in-depth Master Class to Atlanta as part of the 13th Annual McDonald’s Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour.

This is the first time the Golden Arches has offered a two-day empowering and educational experience as part of its free nationwide tour. The tour is an extension of McDonald’s Black & Positively Golden campaign, an initiative that shines a brilliant light on Black excellence through the areas of empowerment, education and entrepreneurship. The Golden Voice Talent Showcase and Master Class were produced in partnership with RCA Inspiration.

GOLDEN VOICE TALENT SHOWCASE: The power-packed experience kicked off with the Golden Voice Talent Showcase Friday night at the Riverside Epicenter. Twenty-four hopefuls from as near as metro Atlanta to as far as Rochester, NY, auditioned before a crowd of gospel music fans and judges, including musical powerhouses Donald Lawrence, Kierra Sheard and Sir the Baptist. RCA Inspiration Vice President of Marketing Damon Williams joined the judging panel, giving aspiring singers feedback on their performances. In the end, Atlanta-native Aarion Rhodes, blew away the judges and onlookers with a traditional gospel hymn. She took home the grand prize, which included opening for the McDonald’s Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour concert the following day in her hometown.

MASTER CLASS: The following morning, the showcase judges joined tour host Lonnie Hunter for an in-depth Master Class, held at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church. The panelists gave an intimate crowd an inside look into the music business.

CONCERT:The exciting weekend culminated with a much-anticipated, explosive concert featuring performances by Donald Lawrence, Kierra Sheard, Sir the Baptist, Tye Tribbett, Keke Wyatt and DJ Standout. The event was hosted by Lonnie Hunter and drew approximately 6,000 attendees to New Birth.

Atlanta-native Aarion Rhodes took home the grand prize at the first-ever Golden Voice Talent Showcase. As part of the prize, Rhodes got to open the Atlanta concert of the 13th Annual McDonald’s Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour on June 22. The showcase is offered in select tour markets and is in partnership with RCA Inspiration.

DJ Standout, Kierra Sheard, Donald Lawrence and Sir the Baptist (L-R) join grand prize winner Aarion Rhodes (Center) on stage after the first-ever Golden Voice Talent Showcase. The showcase is offered in select markets of the 13th Annual McDonald’s Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour and is in partnership with RCA Inspiration.

Twenty-four contestants eagerly await the announcement of the night’s top performers at the first-ever Golden Voice Talent Showcase. The showcase is offered in select markets of the 13th Annual McDonald’s Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour and is in partnership with RCA Inspiration.

DJ Standout spins during the 13th Annual McDonald’s Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour pre-show in Atlanta. The tour is an extension of McDonald’s Black & Positively Golden campaign, which celebrates Black excellence through education, empowerment and entrepreneurship.

Hip-hop gospel artist Sir the Baptist performs during the 13th Annual McDonald’s Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour concert in Atlanta. The tour is an extension of McDonald’s Black & Positively Golden campaign, which celebrates Black excellence through education, empowerment and entrepreneurship.

Famed gospel vocalist Kierra Sheard performs during the 13th Annual McDonald’s Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour concert in Atlanta. The tour is an extension of McDonald’s Black & Positively Golden campaign, which celebrates Black excellence through education, empowerment and entrepreneurship.

Vocal powerhouse Keke Wyatt performs during the 13th Annual McDonald’s Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour concert in Atlanta. The tour is an extension of McDonald’s Black & Positively Golden campaign, which celebrates Black excellence through education, empowerment and entrepreneurship.

Legendary music director and producer Donald Lawrence performs during the 13th Annual McDonald’s Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour concert in Atlanta. The tour is an extension of McDonald’s Black & Positively Golden campaign, which celebrates Black excellence through education, empowerment and entrepreneurship.

Gospel music vocalist Tye Tribbett performs during the 13th Annual McDonald’s Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour concert in Atlanta. The tour is an extension of McDonald’s Black & Positively Golden campaign, which celebrates Black excellence through education, empowerment and entrepreneurship.

Atlanta-area McDonald’s Owner/Operator John Hurt delivers remarks during the 13th Annual McDonald’s Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour concert in Atlanta. The tour is an extension of McDonald’s Black & Positively Golden campaign, which celebrates Black excellence through education, empowerment and entrepreneurship.

Any thoughts?

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BET Announces Top 20 Contestants of ‘Sunday Best’ – Premieres Sun. June 30th at 8/7c!

Hello World,

Returning from its four-year hiatus, America’s most inspirational singing competition, “Sunday Best,” makes its triumphant return to BET on Sunday, June 30that 8/7c with two brand-new back-to-back episodes. The well-established gospel show welcomes back Grammy Award®-winning music legend Kirk Franklin as host, gospel songstress and host of “Get Up Mornings,” Erica Campbell as a judge; and added two Grammy-Award® nominated artists Kelly Price and Jonathan McReynolds as new additions to the panel. With a brand-new stage and exciting themed challenges, this season has narrowed down the competition to 20 finalists.

The new season kicks off for the first time ever with in-person auditions in front of the judges, with no audience.  The contestants have to show their true talent, with no smoke and mirrors, by performing acapella with no band support, as they narrow the field from 20 to the top 10.  For the first time the contestants were able to use an online submissions process, after which the team lead a global search for this year’s contestants, leading up to the much-anticipated live auditions in Dallas, TX, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, GA, and Detroit, MI, Lagos, Nigeria and for the first time-ever London, England and Johannesburg, South Africa, which were open to select international contestants. The top 20 contestants are:

  • Antonio Santora, 31, Durham, North Carolina
  • Ashley Barnes, 24, Memphis, Tennessee
  • Brielle Frage, 21, Avenel, New Jersey
  • Cornelius Edwards, 33, West Palm Beach, Florida
  • Chelsey Barnes, 22, Memphis, TN
  • Emorja Roberson, 27, South Bend, Indiana
  • Jamal Roberts, 22, Meridian, Mississippi
  • James Thompson, 23, Derby UK
  • Jason Warrior, 23, Chicago, IL
  • Joshua Copeland, 37, Salisbury, Maryland
  • Kayva Offord, 27, Orange, Texas
  • Keyla Richardson, 22, Pensacola, Florida
  • Lakeesha Rice, 36, Greensboro, North Carolina
  • Linda Williams, 52, University Heights, OH
  • Melvin Crispell III, 21, Charlotte, North Carolina
  • Opal Staples, 38, Chicago, IL
  • Roy Moye, 26, Wichita, Kansas
  • Tiffany Andrews, 35, Newark, New Jersey
  • Tiffany Moore, 35, Augusta, Georgia
  • Yoonjung Park, 32, South Korea

Jesse Collins, CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment (BET Awards, The New Edition Story), serves as executive producer of season nine of Sunday Best along with showrunner Josh Greenberg (The Sing-Off, Lip Sync Battle).  Dionne Harmon (The Bobby Brown Story, Hip Hop Squares) and Jeannae Rouzan–Clay (Dear Mama, Black Girls Rock!) and are co-executive producers.

For updates and more information about “SUNDAY BEST”, please visit BET.com/SundayBest. Join the conversation on social media by logging on to our social media platforms using the hashtag: #BETSundayBest.

Any thoughts?