*Spike Lee is speaking out against a Hollywood system he says keeps African American executives out of its boardrooms. He tells Complex magazine: "You go to any studio, the black guy you are going to see is the guy at the gate. In Hollywood, there is not one African American who is an executive that has gatekeeper position that could greenlight a picture. They'll make a movie with Denzel and Jamie and Eddie, but only because they can make money off them. They might think there's diversity because four white women run studios."
*The 1959 recording "Diahann Carroll and the Andre Previn Trio Porgy and Bess" has been reissued on CD via DRG. The disc features ten songs from the acclaimed George and Ira Gershwin opera, which debuted in 1935. Carroll, who played Clara in the 1959 "Porgy and Bess" film, provides vocals and is backed by Andre Previn on piano, Joe Mandragon or Keith Mitchell on bass and Larry Bunker or Frank Capp on drums. Tracks on the set include "Summertime," "What You Want Wid Bess” and "There's Somebody Knockin'."
*Snoop Dogg will take his 12-piece band, The Snoopadelics, on a tour through New Zealand in April, reports Allhiphop.com. The Long Beach rapper is scheduled to stop in Wellington at the Events Centre on Apr. 13 and at the Supertop Ericsson Stadium in Auckland on Apr. 15th. Tickets go on sale Mar. 1 at
*The San Bernardino County Sun is reporting that Terrence Howard is in talks to star as Rick James in one biopic, and Joe Louis in another. A film based on the life of the late funk legend James has been talked about for a number of years, while a biopic on the Brown Bomber has been done at least twice before – including 1953’s “The Joe Louis Story.” Spike Lee was rumored to have a Joe Louis film in the works with Vin Diesel in the title role.
*CRLA, an organization in support of low income and farmworker residents in California, will honor Carlos Santana and his wife Deborah for their work with the Milagro Foundation at CRLA’s 3rd Annual Teguio Awards, to be held March 1 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. The Milagro Foundation was started in 1998 by Deborah and Carlos Santana to benefit underrepresented and underprivileged children around the world. CRLA has provided free legal services to thousands of low income Californians and has been a powerful voice in the courtrooms, in the classrooms, in the fields and in California’s legislative halls. Through its advocacy, CRLA seeks to empower, bring hope, confidence and justice to thousands of California’s rural poor.
*The 4th annual Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase, held on Jan. 28, featured some 65,000 fans, 2,200 musicians and 200 gospel singers paying tribute to survivors of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and the promise of future heroes from America's Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Led by Former U.N. Ambassador and Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young, the powerful message for all was "Come hell or high water, we have a legacy of survival." Featured bands included: Bethune-Cookman College, Florida A&M University, Jackson State University, Prairie View A&M University, North Carolina Central University, Langston University, Tuskegee University, Virginia State University, Clark Atlanta University, and Central State University. The bands performed such crowd-pleasers as "Unpredictable," "Laffy Taffy," "Golddigger" and many others.
Posted By: Candice Johnson
Tuesday, February 21st 2006 at 2:30PM
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