News
Lina Viktor: Who Spins Art Out of Gold
from The Root
"The artist Lina Viktor is every inch a living, breathing piece of art, from her gold-draped fingers, brown skin and blond hair to her skintight catsuit and platform sneakers. Some have called her the art world’s cross between M.I.A. and Nicki Minaj, but she begs to disagree."
Aisha Tyler Tells Us The Real Problem With Gaming And Diversity
from NPR
"Best known as an actress, comedian and podcaster, Tyler is also a big name in video game circles. An avid gamer herself, she has hosted game developer Ubisoft's press conference at the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles — one of the biggest gaming trade shows in the industry — for the past three years."
Horace Silver, 85, Master of Earthy Jazz, Is Dead
from The New York Times
Horace Silver, a pianist, composer and bandleader who was one of the most popular and influential jazz musicians of the 1950s and ’60s, died on Wednesday at his home in New Rochelle, N.Y. He was 85.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art Floods The Block
from Mass Appeal
"New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art just flooded the block…so to speak. The iconic museum will be allowing folks to download nearly 400,000 high-resolution images of works from their public domain collection."
Black Identity and Racism Collide in Brazil
from The Root
"Before teams representing their countries from around the world arrived in Brazil, the country’s president, Dilma Rousseff, took the opportunity to label 2014 the “anti-racism World Cup.”
The declaration came after a wave of racist incidents in soccer around the world targeting black players, many of whom are Brazilian."
India.Arie Pens Open Letter to Blue Ivy’s Hair Critics
from The Root
"Blue Ivy’s hair has been the talk of social media for the last two weeks. The 2-year-old has no idea, of course, but many came to her defense anyway. However, there were also others who tried to draw attention to themselves by starting fake petitions demanding that Beyoncé and Jay Z comb the toddler’s hair."
Dad Trolls the World With Wu-Tang Clan Baby Names
from Mass Appeal
"It looks like one dad and lover of all things Wu-Tang had an awesome Father’s Day, so awesome that he named his new twins after Raekwon and Ghostface! The news even reached Raekwon"
16-Year-Old Entrepreneur Opens World’s First Sneaker Pawn Shop
from Mass Appeal
"If you want to change the game, change the way it’s played. That’s what young entrepreneur Chase Reed is doing with his new sneaker pawn shop."
Ever heard of Nile Rodgers?
from Black America Web
"Attempting to list all the achievements of musician, producer and guitarist Nile Rodgers is nearly impossible. His career, which began when he was still a teenager has spanned over 40 years and he remains as a vital part of the music industry. Rodgers was born September 19, 1952 in New York."
Good Kid, Smart Money: Kendrick Lamar Buys Reasonable $523,500 California Home
from Black Enterprise
“So if you get your first big check and you cop your chain before you buy a house, you’re a vanity slave,” are the words Kendrick Lamar rapped on his “Vanity Slaves” track, teaching his listeners a lesson on the value of smart spending and home investment.
Deal Could Almost Double Number of Black-Owned Television Stations
from The Root
In what is being hailed as a major boost for black-TV station ownership, Nexstar Broadcasting Group, Inc. said Friday it has agreed to sell three stations to black media entrepreneur Pluria Marshall Jr.
Actress and Activist Ruby Dee Dead at 91
from Black America Web
Ruby Dee, an acclaimed actor and civil rights activist whose versatile career spanned stage, radio television and film, has died at age 91, according to her daughter.
There's No Formula For Being A Great Black Dad
from The Root
My father didn’t know his own biological dad, he wasn’t always open, and he said he was “winging it” with my brothers and me. But that didn’t stop him from loving us and making us aware of our potential.
Legendary Entertainment and Banking Industry Mogul Don Davis Has Died
from Black Enterprise
Davis led First Independence Bank, Michigan’s only African American-owned and operated commercial bank with $204 million in assets (as of December 31, 2013). It was ranked as one of the top African American-owned banks in the U.S by Black Enterprise Magazine.
Marvin Gaye and Yasiin Bey, together?
from Revolt
Check out Amerigo Gazaway's second installment of his popular Marvin Gaye and Yasiin Bey mashup. Shifting focus for the project’s second installment, the producer aimed to highlight the often overlooked accomplishments of Marvin Gaye’s role as the producer.
How 12 Black Chefs Cooked Their Way to the Top of the Culinary Game
from The Root
"Diverse, ambitious and as creative outside the kitchen as they are within it, these food geniuses are changing the color of cuisine around the country."
Teyonah Parris shines in Mad Men
from Bright Ideas Magazine
"Parris’ earnest and heart-breakingly lonely portrayal of Dawn on Mad Men made her a crucial cast member of the show’s sixth season for breaking the color barrier at Sterling Draper Price Cooper.the South Carolina-raised, Julliard-trained actor is poised to generate a lot more buzz."
Don Cheadle Launches Indiegogo Campaign to Fund Miles Davis Film
from Clutch Mag Online
Don Cheadle invites us to join him in his directorial debut on Miles Ahead, a film exploring a moment in the career of trumpeteer, bandleader, and composer Miles Davis.
New Music: Groove To Max Marshall's Funky New Track "Yesterday"
from Afropunk
East-London based singer Max Marshall is back with a funky new single, 'Yesterday'. Sit back, relax and groove to this!
LeVar Burton Plans to Take Reading Rainbow Even Further
from The Root
"With the huge success of the Reading Rainbow app Kickstarter page and hoping to give universal Web access to children, the star behind it all has big, big plans for the extra cash raised and big, big hopes for the generations to come."