After a controversial week, Made In America is back and is set to hit the Ben Franklin Parkway on Labor Day weekend. Mayor Jim Kenney, Jay-Z and the promoters all got together and worked things out. So what was all the fuss about not wanting the event back? Money! Money! Money! There was an unpaid $400,000 bill that was owed to the city. This apparently was an issue stretching over the two administrations. This current administration wants those outstanding receipts covered. Looks like they worked it out, and Made In America will stay in Philadelphia. This year’s event is being headlined by Fat Joe, Janelle Monae’, Miguel, Meek Mill and Nicki Minaj, just to name a few. Made In America will happen at the Ben Franklin Parkway Saturday, September 1st and Sunday, September 2nd.
Did R Kelly confess? Remember O.J. Simpson wrote the “fictional” book If I Did It? Well now Kells is following suit. In a 19 minute confessional called I Admit It, here’s what the infamous singer/songwriter covered: he admitted he’s a drop out; he doesn’t go to church; he can’t read or spell; he signed all his music rights away; he considers himself a broke a** legend; he trusts people too much; he needs a hug; he hasn’t seen his kids in years (he apologizes to them); he says he’s a freak and likes women old and young. Remember, this goes on for 19 minutes. It’s something like R Kelly’s previous song/miniseries Trapped In The Closet except this is one big, continuous song. Kells makes no mention of that infamous sex tape. He feels this is all a conspiracy/set up. He admits to being molested as a child. He gets in his own way; he trust people too much. I Admit It is currently on sound cloud. Kelly’s ex-wife, Andrea, took time to create an answer song in response to her ex-husband. Among the things she says: your mom is looking down on this and sees how you abused me. R Kelly denies abusing Andrea or anyone else, and addresses no abuse allegations in I Admit It.
Anthony Anderson, despite riding high with Emmys, is being investigated for sexual assault. His lawyer released a statement that its unfortunate that anyone can file a report true or false and denied any wrongdoing on Anderson’s part. An anonymous woman who catered an event Anderson hosted a year ago says she was assaulted on that assignment. Could this police complaint also bring up the past? In 2004, Anderson was previously investigated for rape on the set of the movie Hustle & Flow. The charges were dropped when a judge ruled there was no probable cause to try the case. Could these new allegations also get the show Black-ish cancelled? Anderson, as producer and actor, just received a double Emmy nomination for the series. Ironically, Black-ish addressed the Bill Cosby allegations on the show. Police are currently investigating.
Omarosa speaks……..make that writes. The one time Trump Administration official and former reality TV show villainess is back with a reported hefty payday to talk in a new book deal. Omarosa Manigualt-Newman goes back a long ways with now President Donald Trump. Omarosa was once a controversial but popular figure on the Trump reality show The Apprentice. Later, she kept her connection with Trump when she was hired as Communications Director for The Office of Public Liaison. Last December, she was fired after a shakeup in Trump Administration. Now, the former reality star has signed a seven figure book deal with Simon & Schuster to give her 411 on the political and showbiz side of Trump. Reports are that Trump has cut off Omarosa completely since she’s been fired. Sources say the book is expected to be released in August. Will she be taking revenge via this book?
Sanaa Lathan and Loni Love have two new TV projects. First, Comedienne/Actress and Emmy winning The Real Co-host Loni Love signed a new deal with Warner Bros. for her own show. Warner Bros. also produces The Real, and Love’s deal will allow her to do both shows. The new show is a comedy series based around her personality as a self-made, successful, funny, single woman. In real life, Love holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering she earned at Prairie View A&M before she went into comedy. No premiere date has been announced for Love’s solo project, but The Real has been renewed for two more seasons.
Meanwhile, Sanaa Lathan’s pet project, Nappily Ever After, is coming to Netflix. Lathan, who dons a shaved head for the role, plays Violet Jones, whose accident in a hair salon makes her realize she’s not living her life to the fullest. The romantic comedy also stars Ernie Hudson, Ricky Whittle and Lynn Whitfield. Nappily Ever After, based on the Tina Gordon Chism novel, begins streaming Friday, September 21st on Netflix.
Another week, another broom jump, and this time it’s Tank. The When We singer tied the knot with his long time love Zena Foster. The couple has a ten-year old daughter, Zoey, and a three-year old son, Zion, and both participated as bridesmaid and ring bearer, respectively. Tank also has three children from a previous relationship. Well wishers for the couple included Actor Michael B. Jordan, Boxer Floyd Mayweather and Groomsman Jamie Foxx. Congrats to the happy couple.
The NFL, the owners, and The NFL Players Association, which is the union, have called a truce. The rule that the players would have to stay in the locker room if they didn’t stand for the national anthem is now on hold. The NFL never ran the new rule by the union, which publicly said they object. Now, there’s a temporary agreement to hold the rule until the two sides can get together.
The Emmy nominations are out, and some of our favorites are up. Let’s start with Saturday Night Live and Tiffany Haddish getting nominated for her guest hosting duties. SNL’s longest tenured castmember ever is Kenan Thompson (15 years), and now he has his first nomination along with castmate Leslie Jones. Jones made headlines by saying she’s looking for a man…an older white man. That was after she trashed black men on social media. Hmmmmm! Anywho, back to the Emmys and FX’s Atlanta got nominations for Star/Writer/Director Donald Glover and co-stars Bryan Tyree Henry, Zazie Beets and guest star Katt Williams. Black-ish received nominations for Anthony Anderson, Tracee Ellis Ross, guest star Wanda Sykes and, as co-executive producer, Lawrence Fishburne. Issa Rae has been nominated as lead actress for HBO’s Insecure. Sterling K. Brown and Ron Cephas Jones are both up for the NBC drama This Is Us. Brown is also up for his guest role in Brooklyn Nine-Nine. “Westworld” Stars Jeffrey Wright and Thandie Newton are both up for lead actor and actress. Bruno Mars was nominated for his special 24K Magic Live At The Apollo, and Jesus Christ Superstar Live In Concert won nominations for both John Legend and Brandon Victor Dixon. Some of our other favorites up are Regina King (Seven Seconds), Maya Rudolph (The Good Place), Viola Davis for her crossover appearance in Scandal and Cicely Tyson in How to Get Away With Murder. Saturday Night Live Performers and Head Writers Colin Jost and Michael Che will host the Emmys on NBC Monday, September 17th.
My El has cleared his name. El DeBarge reached out to me to explain his arrest last weekend. He spent the night in jail before he was released on $20,000 bond. El says he was at his sister Bunny’s house when he got into a fight with his brothers. They tried to attack him with machetes. That’s right machetes!!! El said to defend himself he did grab a wrench and bust out windows. El also told me that this stems from jealousy and that there will never be a DeBarge reunion.
The MTV Video Music Award nominations are out and brand new mom Cardi B leads all nominees with 10 nods. Beyonce & Jay-Z, The Carters, have eight nominations for A***hit off their album Everything Is Love. Drake and Childish Gambino have 7, and 6 nominations go to Bruno Mars. The 2018 MTV Video Music Awards air Monday, August 20th at 9pm on MTV.
The NFL’s Odell Beckham, Jr. splits a cover with NHL Royalty PK Subban and his girlfriend Olympic Gold Medal Skier Lindsey Vonn for Sports Illustrated’s Fashionable 50 issue. Also featured inside are Venus Williams, Lewis Hamilton, Russell Wilson, Marcedes Lewis and Russell Westbrook.
Janet Jackson is on the cover of Essence magazine’s Sizzling Summer Styles issue for the July/August edition.
Omari Hardwick, the Star of Power, is on the cover of Ebony magazine’s July/August issue. Power airs Sundays at 9pm on Starz, and Hardwick’s new Tyler Perry movie, Nobody’s Fool with Tiffany Haddish, opens November 2nd.
The ESPN Body issue is out. Among this year’s most notable models 54-year old NFL Legend Jerry Rice, who says he has more muscle now than when he was playing. Soccer Player Crystal Dunn, Sprinter and three-time Olympic Medalist Tori Bowie, NY Giants Saquon Barkley, Minnesota Timberwolves Karl-Anthony Towns and the L.A. Dodgers Yasiel Puig are all featured.
Creed II starring Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone will be in theaters this Thanksgiving.
Uncle Drew Co-star Tiffany Haddish has more on the horizon. Up next, Haddish co-stars with fellow Comedian Kevin Hart in Night School coming to theaters September 28th. After that, Haddish joins Tika Sumpter (The Haves & The Have Nots), Amber Riley (Glee), Omari Hardwick (Power) and Whoopi Goldberg for Nobody’s Fool, written and directed by Tyler Perry hitting theaters November 2nd.
The stars return to the Dell Music Center, 33rd and Ridge Avenue, this summer. Tickets are on sale now and check out the lineup:
Thurs., Aug 2nd – Erykah Badu & Talib Kweli
Thurs., Aug 9th – Monica/After 7/ Tony! Toni! Tone!
Thurs., Aug 16th - Keith Sweat, Johnny Gill & Ralph Tresvant with special guest Major
Sun., August 19th – The Basement Party starring Rakim, MC Lyte, Kurtis Blow, Stetsasonic, Tracey Lee, the Alumni featuring Chubb Rock, Special Ed, Dana Dane, Monie Love and Kwame
Thurs., Aug. 23rd - Patti LaBelle & Gregory Porter
Sunday, September 2nd - Patty Jackson’s Annual Party in the Park Celebrating my 35th anniversary starring Maze featuring Frankie Beverly & The Whispers and Blue Magic
For more information log onto mydelleast.org.
Spike Lee and Oscar Winner Jordan Peele have teamed up for the feature film BlacKkKlansman. The movie is based on the life experiences of African American Detective Ron Stallworth, who so successfully infiltrated the Ku Klux Klan in Colorado that he became the head of the chapter. Fresh off his Oscar winning box office hit, Get Out Writer and Director Jordan Peele teams up with Spike Lee with Lee and Peele both serve as producers and Lee taking on directing and co-writing duties. The film stars John David Washington (son of Denzel and Pauletta Washington), Topher Grace (That 70’s Show), Adam Driver and the legendary Harry Belafonte. BlacKkKlansman opens in theaters August 10th.
Emmy nominated Actress/Writer/Producer Issa Rae’s hit show Insecure returns to HBO Sunday, August 12th at 10:30pm right after the season premiere of Ballers with Dwayne The Rock Johnson at 10pm.
Check out who’s coming to town:
This Monday, July 30th – Jay-Z & Beyoncé: 2018 On The Run 2 Tour at Lincoln Financial Field in South Philadelphia. For tickets and information log onto ticketmaster.com.
Sunday, August 12th – Gladys Knight and The O’Jays in concert at the Mann Center For The Performing Arts, 52nd Street & Parkside Avenue. For more information log on to manncenter.org
Saturday, August 25th – Smokey Robinson in concert at the Mann Center For The Performing Arts, 52nd Street & Parkside Avenue. For more information log on to manncenter.org
Saturday, August 25th & Sunday, August 26th – Stevie Wonder in concert at the Borgata Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City. For more information log on to theborgata.com
Saturday, September 1st & Sunday September 2nd – Made In America 2018 starring Nicki Minaj, Fat Joe, Janelle Monae’, Miguel and Meek Mill on The Ben Franklin Parkway. For tickets and information log onto madeinamericafest.com
Sunday, September 2nd – Earth, Wind & Fire in concert at the Borgata Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City. For more information log on to theborgata.com
Saturday, September 15th – The Aubrey and The Three Amigos Tour starring Drake and Migos at the Wells Fargo Center. Log onto wellsfargocenterphilly.com for ticket information.
Wednesday & Thursday, September 19th and 20th – Bruno Mars and Cardi B on Thee 24K Magic North American Concert Tour at the Wells Fargo Center. For tickets and information log onto wellsfargocenterphilly.com.
Saturday, September 22nd – The LIT AF Tour Hosted by Martin Lawrence featuring Deray Davis/ Deon Cole/ Adele Givens/ Benji Brown at the Liacouras Center, Broad & Montgomery. For more information log onto liacourascenter.com/events
Saturday, October 6th & Sunday, October 7th- Mike Epps, Bruce Bruce, Jay Pharoah, Sheryl Underwood, Tony Rock and Gary Owen and more over the two days of The Atlantic City Comedy Festival on Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. For tickets and information log onto boardwalkhall.com/events.
Saturday, November 24th - The Irresponsible Tour starring Kevin Hart at the Wells Fargo Center. For tickets and information log onto wellsfargocenterphilly.com.
If you would like more info please email me at PattyJackson@iHeartMedia.com or check me out with my midday reports at 10:30am, 12:30pm and 2:30pm during the day.