Tariji P Henson will be hosting this years BET Awards on Sunday. There will be Performances by Da Baby and Megan Thee Stallion. Queen Latifah is getting The Lifetime Achievement Awards. This years BET Awards will be live with a vaccinated audience. Tariji P Henson is also joining the cast of NBC’s Annie Live. Henson is playing the head of the Orphanage. She playing the role made famous by Carol Burnette made famous in the 1982 movie musical Annie. NBC’s version is airing in December.
Dwayne The Rock Johnson is gracing the cover of the new People Magazine. He’s talking about life and fame. Coming up later this year his NETFLIX Action/Comedy ‘Red Notice’ about The Worlds greatest conman. The movie also stars Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman) and Ryan Reynolds. And filming is almost done in Atlanta on his DC Comics movie ‘Black Adam”.
At the movies this weekend it’s Fast and Furious Nine. Yes the 9th installment is back with Vin Diesel, Jon Cena, Tyrese, Ludacris, Michelle Rodriquez, and Charlize Theron. Expect Lot’s of action and Cars and a trip to space.
Will Smith is ready to tell all in his new book ‘will’ Smith has been working on this project for the past two years and e says it was a labor of love. The book is coming out November 9th and it will coincide with the release of his latest movie ‘King Richard’ the story of Richard Williams the father of Venus and Serena Williams. Smith is also working on a new variety show. An hour long program with celebrity guests music and comedy debuting on Netflix later this year.
A big congrats to Singer Patti Labelle and her family. It’s baby number three for her son Zuri and his beautiful wife. It’s going to be a boy, they are so excited because they were hoping for a boy. The baby is due in November.
Boys to Men is coming to Atlantic City September 3rd at the Borgata
Envogue is coming to Hard Rock Casino in Atlantic City Friday September 10th
Trevor Noah is coming to The Wells Fargo Center Saturday October 16th
The Atlantic City Comedy Festival is coming up at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. Two nights of comedy. Saturday October 9th It’s Sommore, Lavell Crawford, DC Young Fly, Kountry Wayne and Karlous Miller. Sunday October 10th Mike Epps, Bruce Bruce, Earthquake, Arnez J and Desi Banks. Tickets are on sale now.
Now speaking of Mike Epps he is going to be playing Richard Pryor in an upcoming series about the 1980’s LA Lakers on HBO.
Jazz under the Stars is happening Saturday July 17th with The Gerald Veasley All Stars and featured special guests Mrion Meadows and Jeff Bradshaw. There will be two shows at the top of the hill at The Mann Center for the Performing Arts. There will be a 3 course dinner and show. Presented by South Jazz Club and Eatible Delights.
Diana Ross is back with her first album since 2006. Thank You from the 77 year old Ross is featuring all new material. The album is coming out in September , The first single Thank You is out now.
Jill Scott is coming to the Lifetime Network in a revival of the Michael Landon TV classic Highway to Heaven that aired in the 80’s. In this modern take Scott is playing an Angel named Angela who comes to earth to help people in Crisis. The series will be about love and kindness.
Jamie Foxx’s Netflix Show Dad stop embarrassing me will not be back for a second season. The father daughter comedy with David Allen Grier just didn’t catch on like Netflix hoped it would. Don’t fret for Foxx. He has two other NETFLIX projects coming up including the movies Day Shift and They Cloned Tyrone and he’s playing Mike Tyson in a movie about his life.
Levar Burton is coming to Jeopardy! Mark your calendars for the week of July 26-July 30. Over 250 thousand people signed a petition to get the Roots and Reading Rainbow star on the show.
The life story of Marvin Gaye is coming to the big screen. In a 80 Million dollar deal Warner Brothers will be doing to project and Dr. Dre will be producing. In this exclusive deal They have the cooperation of the estate of Marvin Gaye which means they have the rights to the Music of Marvin Gaye. Marvin Gaye one of the greatest Soul Singers of our times and the first Black Singer to sign a million dollar Record. The life of Marvin Gaye was filed with great music but Gaye led a very troubled life, dominated by drug abuse. In 1984 he was 44 years old when he was gunned down by his father. The Big question now is who is going to play Marvin Gaye in this movie?
Check out some of the Stars getting a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2022.Michael B Jordan, DJ Khaled, The Black EYE Peas, The late Rapper Nipsey Hustle, Actress Regina King, Tessa Thompson, Holly Robinson Peete, Kenan Thompson,Tracee Ellis Ross, George Clinton,Singer Ashanti , Martha Reeves and Michael Strahan to name a few.
There will be shows at the Dell Music Center this August, Starting in August. The season kicks off Sunday August 1st with Jeffrey Osborne, Peabo Bryson and Regina Bell. Thursday August 5th it’s Tank, SWV and Dru Hill. Thursday August 12th it’s Gregory Porter, Stokely and Leela James. Sunday August 15th It’s Lady B and her 40th Anniversary in Radio salute with the Basement Party. Big Daddy Kane, Kool Moe Dee, Roxanne Shante, EPMD, Tuff Crew,,Sugarhill Gang , Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five . Thursday August 19th It’s the Isley Brothers and Singer Kelly Price amnd Carol Riddick. Sunday September 5th I am having my Annual Party in the Park with The Whispers , Stephanie Mills and After 7. Tickets go on sale Saturday June 26th 9am at the Dell Music Center Box Office 33rd and Ridge. On line sales began on June 26th that afternoon at 1pm. Go to Ticketmaster.com or DellmusicCenter.com
Jay-z’s Made in America returns to Philly Labor day Day Weekend Sept 4th and 5th. Justin Beiber is headlining along with Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Baby, Doja Cat and many others on the Ben Franklin Parkway
Kevin Hart is starring in the Netflix dramatic movie ‘Fatherhood’ .Fatherhood is based on the book Two Kisses for Maddie:A Memoir of Loss and Love. Kevin Hart plays a single dad who has to raise his infant daughter after her mother dies in childbirth. Alfre Woodard plays his mother in Law and the movie also stars Lil Rel Howery, Actress Dewanda Wise (Dear White People) and Actor Paul Reiser also stars.. He also returns to the big screen with Woody Harrelson in the action/thriller Man from Toronto MLK weekend 2022. Kevin Hart has also signed on for the new movie The Superleague of Pets with Dwyane The Rock Johnson, John Krasinki and Keanu Reeves.
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Basketball Superstar Scottie Pippen wants everyone to know that he was the real leader of the Chicago bulls with Michael Jordan. Pippendid not like how he was portrayed in the award winning Documentary ‘The Last Dance’ about the Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan. He said he was more than just a sidekick to Michael Jordan. He says he got no respect from The Bulls management or the media. His new book Unguarded is coming out on November 21st.
Rapper Foxy Brown is also ready to tell all. In her over 20 years Foxy says she’s going to reveal including her relationship with Jay-Z.
Bell Biv Devoe is coming to Atlantic City. Friday August 27th at The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. Tickets are on sale now.
The autopsy report is in regarding Rapper Shock G of Digital Underground. Shock G was found dead in a Tampa Hotel room in April. In an autopsy just released his death was an accidental overdose a combination of Fentyl, Meth and alcohol. Shock G was 57 years old and was best known for his character Humpty Hump and the hit song ‘The Humpty Dance’ with Digital Underground. He also produced Tupac Shakurs first solo album.
The MTV Video music awards will be live this year in New York.
Madea is back! In his new deal with ‘Netflix’ Tyler Perry is bringing the popular character back in a new movie ‘A Madea Homecoming’. The movie is coming to Netflix next year.
Wawa Welcome America 4th of July activitesinclude Rapper Flo-rida and Singer Bebe Rexha in concert at the Mann Center for performing Arts52nd and Parkside and fireworks on the Parkway.
4 time Olympic Champion Simone Biles just won her seventh all around title and with in weeks she’s set to be the star of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. She’s also starring in a facebook watch Docuseries about her road to Tokyo.
Issa Rae is lending her voice to the next animated Spiderman movie. Rae is playing Spider-woman AKA Jessica Drew. Spiderman Into the Spider verse part two follows the adventures of the films hero Miles Morales. It is set to arrive in theaters October 7th, 2022. Issa Rae is the cover girl for the latest issue of Vanity Fair Magazine. This summer Rae is producing a reality show for HBO about Young Black Life in Los Angeles. Also look for the return of ‘Insecure” the fifth and final season in late August on HBO.
Mariah Carey is making news with her new management team. Carey is no longer with Roc Nation. Carey is teaming up with legendary Producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for aR&B project and she is planning a new world tour.
Actor Bill Duke plays the original OG in the HBO MAX Movie ‘No Sudden Move’.The movie is set in 1954 Detroit, a group of small time criminals get involved in a bank heist that goes wrong and they try to figure out what went wrong. The movie stars Don Cheadle, Benecio Del Toro, Jon Hamm and Ray Liotta. The movie starts streaming on HBO MAX July 1st.
Actor Johnathan Majors will play the opponent of Adonis Creed in the movie Creed 3. Michael B Jordan is back as Adonis he is starring and directing Creed 3. Majors is best known for his roles in HBO’s Lovecraft Country, Da Five Bloods, The Last Black Man in San Francisco. Majors is a busy guy he’s also playing King The Conqyeror in the marvel movie Antman and the wasps and he’s also appearing in the Netflix Western The Harder They Fall.
Actress Regina Hall and Sterling K Brown (This is Us) have teamed up for the movie project ‘Honk for Jesus, Save your Soul. Hall plays the first Lady of a Mega church.
Have you checked out Singer Monica. She is hosting a new true crime series on VH1 ‘Infamy ‘When fame turns deadly’. It airs on Monday Nights.
The Obamas Former President Barack and Former First Lady Michelle are introducing a new animated show on Netflix called ‘We The People’ the 10 episode series is about educating children on Untied States Civic Lessons. The series features the voices of Singers Andra Day, Janelle Monae, Her, Bebe Rexha and the poetry of Amanda Gorman. We the People starts streaming on NETFLIX July.
Tiffany Haddish has announced to produce and star in a movie based on Olympic Great Florence Grifffith Joyner. Joyner was the darling of the Olympics in track and Field. Her death at 38 years old in 1998 shocked the world. Haddish says she grew up idolizing Joyner and that it’s an honor to do this movie. Haddish is also doing a follow up to the best selling book The Last Black Unicorn. I hear she is being offered Millions to talk about her career in Hollywood.
Actress/Comedian Yvonne Orji who plays Molly on the HBO show Insecure has a new book out called ‘Bamboozled by Jesus’ How God tricked me into the life of my dreams. The Nigerian Actress/Comedian says the book is full of Life Lessons.
The Four Tops musical is coming to Broadway. The Motown Group led by Levi Stubbs is known for their hits ‘Reach out ,I’ll be there’ and I can’t help Myself . Rehearsals are happening now.
Congrats to Actress Singer Teyanna Taylor. She is the first black woman to be named The Sexiest woman alive by Maxim Magazine. The mother of two has an incredible body she appeared in Coming to America 2 and she is scheduled to lay Dionne Warwick in a movie based on her life.
70 years of pop music is streaming on Netflix in the docuseries This is Pop. The series features Artist, Producers, Songwriters and Superstars. The series also shines the light on Racism, Sexism and Social Justice in the music industry.
Here’s a show that I strongly recommend ‘In our Mothers Garden’. This docuseries is streaming now on Netflix and it’s about the legacies of Black Mothers and an honest discussion on love spirituality, family, racism and wisdom.
The Howard University College of Fine Arts has been named in honor of the Late Actor Chadwick Boseman . The college of Fine Arts is being led by Actress Dean Phylicia Rashad. Rashad is also returning to Broadway in January in the Production of Skeleton Crew. Skeleton Crew is about a team of automotive workers in 2008 dealing with the closing of their factory.
Kelly Clarkson will be getting the coveted time left by Ellen Degeneres when she leaves her show next year.
Congrats to Philadelphia’s Cam Anthony. The 19 year old was the winner of the NBC Talent Show ‘The Voice’ . Anthony was on Team Blake he has opened for Patti Labelle and he appeared on the Ellen Degeneres show.
The Academy Awards are taking place in 2022 in late March.
Music Lovers listen up! To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff and Philly International Records a 50th Anniversary Box Set of music has been released. This set of songs has all the hits including the first 8 songs released by Philly International records.
Another box set coming is one celebrating Singer Phyliss Hyman. Phyliss Hyman Old Friend is a 9 Disc career retrospective 1976-1998. It’s coming out July 31st. Hyman died in 1995.
The History of African American cuisine is explored in the new Netflix Docuseries‘High on the Hog’. This series is an excellent look at the history of our foods. I teared up, I clapped I cheered, I learned so much. This is a must see ‘High on The Hog is streaming now on Netflix.
Nick Cannon will be rolling out his new Daytime Talk Show this Fall on Fox Affiliates.
Billy Porter the Tony and Emmy Winner is opening up about his private life. The openly Gay star of the FX series Pose recently revealed his battle with HIV. Porter has living with HIV for the past 15 years and he says he kept quiet about because he felt ashamed.Porter is now opening up he has a NETFLIX documentary coming out this Fall and a book coming out in late December.
The HBO comedy The Black Lady Sketch Show has been renewed for a third season
The trailer is out for the movie Respect. Jennifer Hudson is starring as the Queen of Soul. Marlon Wayans, Forest Whitaker and Mary J Blige also star. The movie Respect opens in theaters August 13th.
Rapper Lil John is coming to HGTV with his own home design show.
Actor Morris Chestnut will be starring in the new Lee Daniels Fox Drama ‘Our Kind of People’ the drama also starring YaYa DeCosta is about the Black upper class in Marthas Vineyard. The show will air on Tuesday nights on Fox. Letoya Luckett formerly of Destiny Child has also been added to the cast. Chestnut will also wrap up his role as Dr. Barett Cain on the Fox Show ‘The Resident’ and he will be joining his fellow cast mates from the movie ‘The Best Man” in The Best Man The Final Chapters which is airing on The Peacock Streaming network (NBC) in September.
A new Mike Tyson documentary isstreaming on Hulu. It is excellent! Mike Tyson: The Knockout The Climb, The Crush, The Comeback is a 4 hour hour Docu series that’s takes a hard look at The Boxers life.
Where’s Ghost? Actor Omari Hardwick has moved on from the Power TV series . he has a new movie out withDave Bautista Army of the Dead. Army of the Dead is streaming on Netflix. t. The movie is about a bank heist featuring some unforgettable characters and Zombies. Hardwick is also teaming up with Halle Berry for the Netflix Sci Fi movie The Mothership.
Get ready for a Bridgerton Spinoff. Shonda Rhimes the force behind the hit Netflix Show says the show will focus on Queen Charlotte, Violet Bridgerton and Lady Danbury in their younger years.
The ABC Network has announced the Upcoming Fall Lineup. Shows not returning are Blackish and Mixish. Blackish will end next year during the midseason it’s 8th season.News show coming to ABC include ‘Abbott Elemtary’ starring Philadelphia Native Quinta Brunson. Brunson is the creator of the show set at a Philadelphia Public School. Abbott Elementary also stars Tyler James Williams (Everybody Hates hris) and Actress Sheryl Lee Ralph. Another new show coming is Queens starring Phillys own Eve, Brandy and Naturi Naughton. The show focuses on a girl group that was big 20 years ago and they hit the road to rekindle their careers. Is the magic still there.
Snoop Dog is getting a show on NBC’s Streaming Network Peacock called ‘Worlds Dumbest Criminals and he’s teaming up with Kevin Hart for a News and Sport comedy Show.
Dave Chappelle has teamed up with Talib Kweli, and Yasiin Bey to launch a new Podcast called the midnight miracle special guests for season one include Chris Rock, and Questlove.
It’s going to a busy summer for Basketball Superstar Lebron James. In addition to his movie Space Jam 2 coming to theaters July 16th he’s releasing his second Childrens book ‘We are Family’ on August 31st. The book is about five new friends who have different dreams and backgrounds but work together to save their basketball season and prove they can succeed if given the chance. I hear Basketball great Michael Jordan who starred in the original Space Jam will be making an appearance in Space Jam2.
Neicy Nash is returning to TV in a revival of the show ‘Don’t Forget The Lyrics’. It’sgame show and singing competionall in one. Wayne Brady hosted the original ‘Don’t Forget The Lyrics’ back in 2007.
Questlove from The Roots and The Tonight show with Jimmy Fallon is ready to give us a Summer of Soul. 1n 1969 a musical festival took place the Harlem Cultural Fest which was also called The Black Woodstock. It was a who’s who of musical giants including Sly Stone Nina Simone, Stevie Wonder, The Staple Singers, BB King, Gladys Knight, 5th Dimension and Mahalia Jackson to name a few. This festival was filmed but it was hidden in a basement. Questlove found it and put it together and now 50 years later we are going to have a chance to see it. On July 2nd it is coming to theaters and HULU.
Rappers Redman and Method Man are teaming up to play brothers on the new season of Power Book 2. Redman and Method Man recently treated their fans to a VERZUZ, and the two are no strangers to acting in 2001 they starred in the movie how high and in 2004 they had the short lived TV show Method and Red. The next Power installment Power Book 3 ‘Rising Kanaan’ debuts next month.
Rapper Lil Kim is ready to tell all. The Queen Bee is the name of the book and it comes out Nov. 2nd. Kim says she is going to reveal the real story of Kimberly Denise Jones. The hidden moments of her reign. She was the side chick to Biggie, the only female in Junior Mafia. In 1996 she released ‘Hardcore’ . In her nearly 30 year career she was a trailblazer with the colorful wigs.
Bishop T.D. Jakes is back with his latest book ‘Don’t drop the Mic’. I love this book it’s about communication and the power of works. How to communicate properly, write emails, talk to others. I had a chance to interview Bishop Jakes a few weeks ago and he says he wrote this book because good communication is important for building connection and community.
Actress Gabrielle Union and her husband Former NBA Players are getting ready to release their first children’s book. The book is based on their young daughter Kaavia. For a toddler she makes the most unbelievable faces . The book is called shady baby and it’s about a baby who uses her facial expressions as superpowers. This September Gabrielle Union is releasing her second book ‘You got anything Stronger’ which she talks about her road to surrogacy to become a mother.
Filming starts in July on Black Panther 2. Director Ryan Coogler says the movie ‘Wakanda Forever’ arrives in theatersJuly 8th 2022. He also says the role of T’Challa played by the late Actor Chadwick Boseman will not be recast but the character will be given the proper sendoff in Wakenda Forever.
Michael B Jordans latest Movie ‘Without Remorse’ is now streaming on Amazon Prime . The action thriller stars Jordan who plays an elite Navy Seal who uncovers an international conspiracy while seeking justice for the murder of his pregnant . The movie also stars Lauren London, Jodie Turner Smith (Queen and Slim) and Actor Colman Domingo. Up next for Michael B Jordan is the Denzel Washington directed movie ‘a Journal for Jordan. In the movie A Journal for Jordan , Michael B Jordan plays an Army Sargent who was killed during the Iraq War, before he died he left behind a journal for his son, giving life lessons on growing up without a father. The movie is coming out on December 10th. In the meantime Jordan will be directing the next installment of the Creed movie. Some of the filming is taking place in Philly with Tessa Thompson and Phylicia Rashad returning. Oscar Winner Sylvester Stallone who started the Rocky Franchise that spawned Creed will not be in this new installment because he has decided to retire the character.
Will Smith is coming to Youtube in a six part fitness fitness series called the Best Shape of my Life. In the Docu series Smith consults with Athletes and Scientists about staying in shape no matter what age you are.
Alicia Keys is also coming to Youtube in the music series ‘noted’ In Noted keys invites fans into her world as she celebrates the 20th Anniversary of her album ‘Songs in A Minor’ . also included in the 4 part series is her fans seeingher work on her new album.
Broadway is returning this Fall in New York Alladdin, September. The Michael Jackson Musical MJ in December. Hamilton, The Lion King, Wicked, Tina Turner and The Temptations Ain’t Too Proud to Beg are also returning this Fall.
Oscar Winner Rita Moreno is going to featured in a new documentary about her life. Moreno who is 89 is an EGOT. Which means she has won an Emmy, a Grammy and Oscar and a Tony Award. The documentary ‘A Girl who decided to go for it’ arrives in theaters. Moreno is also going to be featured in the Steven Spielberg Directed movie ‘West Side Story’ which is coming out in December.
Levar Burton is coming to Jeopardy. When the longtime host Alex Trebek died last year a permanent Host was not named so new episodes were filmed with a slew of celebrity hosts like Footballs Aaron Rodgers, Dr. Oz, Former Today show host Katie Couric but no Black men were ever considered, then a petition was launched on behalf of Levar Burton, and 245 thousand signatures later it was announced that Burton would be joining the list of revolving hosts. Burton burst onto the national scene as Kunte Kinte in the groundbreaking TV Miniseries Roots. For 21 years Burton has been a part of the Reading Rainbow Educational series and the TV series Star Trek The Next Generation.
Actress Janet Hubert the original Aunt Viv on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air has joined the cast of the TBS Show The Last OG. The Last OG stars Tracey Morgan as an ex con rebuilding his life after spending the last 15 years in Prison. The show is entering it’s 4th season. Tiffany Haddish will not be a part of season 4 because she only signed on for three seasons. Anna Marie Horsford (Amen) has also joined the cast and she and Hubert will play best friends.
Tennis Superstar Serena Williams has team up with Amazon to Star in a docuseries about her life.
Jamie Foxx has returned to TV in the Netflix Comedy ‘Dad Stop Embarrassing Me’ . The series has started streaming . The show is about Foxx’s real life relationship with his Daughter Corrinne. Corrine is not in the show but she is the show’s Executive Producer. Kyla Drew is playing the role of his daughterand David Allen Grier is reteaming with Foxx, remember their days on In Living Color. Grier is playing Jamies Dad. Foxx has also signed on for a TV Movie about Boxer Mike Tyson. The movie is being produced and directed by acclaimed Directors Antoine Fuqua (Training Day) and Martin Scorcese (Casino, Raging Bull) Jamie Foxx is playing iron Mike Tyson.
Now speaking of Viola Davis she is the part of the cast of the upcoming movie Suicide Squad. Suicide Squad hits theaters August 5th, 2021. The movie will also feature Margo Robbie, Idris Elba and Jon Cena.
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We all know Stephan A. Smith from ESPN and his sports commentaries now he’s gearing up for a Docuseries about HBCU Schools. The series entitled ‘Black Excellence will feature Black Colleges and Universities in American Society. Politics, Business, Culture, Sports and Entertainment will be covered. Special guests on the Docu Series include Madame Vice President Kamala Harris, Stacey Abrams, Oprah Winfrey, Spike Lee, Tariji P Henson and Senator Raphael Warnock. Black Excellence is coming out next Year.
The next Disney/Marvel movie coming out will be ‘Black Widow’ which will be in theaters July 9th. Black Widow stars Scarlett Johansen.it will also be available on Disney Plus with its Premiere Access service on the same date.
Director Spike Lee says his next project will focus on New York City. From 9/11 to today. This year marks the 20th anniversary of 9/11 a day that changed America forever.
The Proud Family is returning, this time on Disney Plus. The Proud family Louder and prouder will show the characters a little older. Penny Proud is now in high school. The twins are three, Mom Trudy is running her Veterinary Clinic and Dad Oscar is running a very successful Snack Company. The show will also be introducing two gay dads and Penny will have a Gay best friend.
Kerry Washington and Oscar Winner Charlize Theron are teaming up for the Netflix movie Fairytales. It’s about a fairytale school for good and evil.
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 on 105.3 Wdasfm. Or join me on Social Media Twitter:Mspattyjackson Instagram Wdaspatty and Facebook Patty