Photo Credit: Peabo Bryson & Patty Jackson Instagram 2019
A will has been found on John Singleton. His mother is in charge of the will, and a $35 million estate hangs in the balance. She had been his business manager, but despite that, there are now three sides to this story. There’s Singleton’s Mom and Dad. Then there’s Singleton’s college age daughter Cleopatra. Now there’s the girlfriend who just had a year-old baby. Is Singleton’s mom stalling getting everything to the probate court? Cleopatra has already reportedly been at odds with her grandmother in the media. Are we looking at a long drawn out fight?
Meanwhile, the world mourns Writer/Producer/Director John Singleton’s passing. The tributes have been all over social media. President Barack Obama said Singleton opened doors for filmmakers of color to tell powerful stories too often ignored. Singleton’s casts of his films Regina King, Nia Long, Ice Cube, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Morris Chestnut, Angela Bassett, Kristy Swanson, Mark Wahlberg, Tyrese and Taraji P. Hall are amongst those leading tributes.In Singleton’s nearly thirty year career, his writing/producing/directing box office blockbusters and cult favorites included Baby Boy (2001), Poetic Justice (1993), 2 Fast 2 Furious(2003), Abduction (2011), Rosewood (1997), Higher Learning (1995) and, of course, Boyz N The Hood (1991). Boyz brought Singleton Oscar nominations for directing, making him the youngest nominee ever, and writing, making him the first African American nominated for original screenplay. John Singleton was 51-years old.
Our thoughts and prayers are going out to some of our favorite entertainers and their families:
First, Singer/Songwriter Peabo Bryson suffered a heart attack. Published reports say it happened at his home in Georgia and it’s being described as a mild heart attack. Reps say the medical team and the family are optimistic the legendary soul and pop crooner will have a speedy recovery especially since he is alert and responsive. You know Peabo and I go a long way back. He even took me shoe shopping back in the day. He recently came to the WDAS studios in support of his latest album Stand For Love. Peabo signed to Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis’ label and that enabled his dramatic comeback songs Love Like Yours And Mine and All She Wants To Do Is Me. Of course his legendary career also includes the songs Can You Stop The Rain, I’m So Into You, Let The Feeling Flow, Beauty & The Beast (with Celine Dion), A Whole New World (with Regina Belle), Adventures In Paradise (with Minnie Riperton), Gimme Some Time (with Natalie Cole), Tonight, I Celebrate My Love (with Roberta Flack), If Ever You’re In My Arms Again and Feel The Fire. The 68-year old Grammy winner’s social media platforms have been sharing updates on his condition.
Hip Hop Pioneer Kurtis Blow is having heart surgery. The 59-year old says he developed a hematoma during his speaking engagement in China, and the heart surgery is to correct that condition. A hematoma is localized bleeding outside of blood vessels. At press time, the rap legend was hospitalized, resting comfortably but having his social media apprised of the latest.
Bushwick Bill is facing a stage 4 pancreatic cancer diagnosis. A founding member of the Houston-based rap group The Geto Boys, he decided to take control and go public himself with his health status. He is currently undergoing chemotherapy and says it’s too soon to tell how his body will respond. Bushwick Bill says the mass was found on his pancreas and doctors told him it wasn’t alcohol, sugar or diabetes. By the time doctors could confirm in February, it was at stage 4. Pancreatic cancer is often undetectable until stage four or five according to Bill. He says while he’s being treated, he’s working on three albums to provide for the future.
Journalist Larry King is hospitalized and recovering after having a heart procedure, but conflicting reports describe the emergency right before that procedure. The 85-year old was scheduled to have angioplasty, but experienced chest pains before it and was rushed to the hospital and then had the procedure. After published reports declared it a heart attack, which King has also suffered in the past, his publicist refuted the reports and called the chest pains angina. Based on information that has since been leaking out, the conflicting reports continue. Meanwhile, at press time, King is reportedly resting comfortably in the Mayo Clinic.
Empire is coming back for season 6, but Jussie Smollett won’t be appearing…. at least not right away. FOX extended his option with the show, but the network exercised its own option and Jussie won’t be seen in the beginning of the new season. FOX may be very well waiting until the resolution of the $130,000 civil suit filed against Smollett by the city of Chicago. The city alleges Smollett orchestrated a fake racial and homophobic attack and the suit seeks monetary damages for the police investigation. Smollett continues to maintain his innocence and that he’s been truthful all along. Meanwhile season 6 of Empire returns to FOX this fall.
Former President Barack Obama and Forever First Lady Michelle Obama have created Higher Ground Productions and their deal with Netflix is beginning to take shape with the public. The Forever First couple has 7 projects on deck including a bio on African American slave turned abolitionist and civil rights freedom fighter Frederick Douglass along with a variety of documentary films. Streaming release dates have yet to be announced. The goal for Higher Ground Productions is to address political and social issues. Meanwhile, Forever FLOTUS Michelle Obama made a splash with her annual College Signing Day. This year from the campus of UCLA and Mrs. Obama was joined by John Legend, Usher, Nina Dobrev, LaLa Anthony, Conan O’Brien, and Lil Rel Howery.
Oprah quit 60 Minutes after being told she’s being too emotional, but may return to the talk show format with Apple Streaming. First, The Mighty O felt like she experienced a throwback when the 60 Minutes team told her how to say her name. The legendary CBS Sunday night news magazine show told Winfrey she brought too much emotion just saying her name. It didn’t take long for the parties to part ways. It reminded Winfrey when a former new director told her the same thing. That time she was a young field reporter and the story was about a family who lost their home. Winfrey says it’s never ideal when she’s got to be told to put her personality in her pocket. Winfrey says she’s working her new deal with Apple Streaming and first up is a docu-series on mental health. Meanwhile, Winfrey still battles the Leaving Neverland backlash. She says even friends got on her about the documentary, which features people accusing the late Michael Jackson of being a serial child molester. Winfrey says her participation wasn’t about Michael, but the culture of childhood sexual abuse.
Ain’t Too Proud To Beg is the toast of The Tony Award nominations. Broadway’s highest honor has given 12 nominations to the stage production of one of Motown’s all time legendary groups The Temptations.Ain’t Too Proud To Beg: The Life And Times Of The Temptations is currently running on Broadway and stars Derrick Baskin, Ephraim Sykes, Jeremy Pope, James Harkness and Jawan M. Jackson. Baskin as Otis Williams, Pope as Eddie Kendricks and Sykes as David Ruffin are among the 12 nominations. The cast says they’re not doing impressions of the original group, but giving their interpretations in both acting and song. The Tony Awards air on CBS Sunday, June 29th.
Glamour magazine features Gabrielle Union talking disrupting Hollywood, her newborn daughter, her new TV series with Jessica Alba (the Bad Boys spin-off L.A.’s Finest), sharing parenting with husband Dwyane Wade, and at day’s end she’s just Nickie Union from Omaha.
People Magazine has Hoda Kotb on the cover. The new mom just adopted her second daughter and the pictures are incredible. Model and Actress Eva Marcille is expecting her third child and she’s also featured. And, Idris Elba, People’s Sexiest Man, got hitched to Sabrina Dhowre over the weekend and their wedding photos are also in People.
Music Mogul Diddy, a.k.a. Sean Combs, and his children grace the cover of Essence Magazine’s 49th anniversary issue. In dual covers, the 49-year old poses in one with all six of his children and in a second with his three daughters.
Diana Ross is on the cover of Ebony magazine. She’s celebrating her 75th birthday this month and Motown’s 60th anniversary, the legendary music label that started her career.
Rihanna brings out the rainbow flavor for her cover of Harper’s Bazaar. It’s the Beauty Issue and Rih Rih is the perfect person at the perfect time. The Wild Thoughts singer has got the new Fenty make up line on its way. The cover puts the eyeliner and lashes on full display, but on social media, Fenty Beauty will only say stay tuned and wouldn’t name the products. While we wait for Rihanna’s big reveal look for her on May’s Harper’s Bazaar.
New music and a new book are on the way courtesy of the estate of Prince. The Beautiful Ones is a classic Price song and soon to be a book title about his life. The Purple One was working on this memoir at the time of his death three years ago. The Beautiful Ones is set to hit bookshelves October 29th and is being released with the cooperation of the Prince estate. The estate is also rolling out new music in their partnership with Warner Brothers Records. Songs that Prince wrote and produced for other artists he usually recorded himself as well, but he let them stay in the vault so the other artists could have the hit. Now to mark what would have been the legendary singer/songwriter’s 61st birthday on June 7th, the new album, Originals, debuts. This time Prince performs the songs he wrote for The Bangles (Manic Monday), The Family and Sinead O’Connor (Nothing Compares 2 U), The Time (Jungle Love), Kenny Rogers (You’re My Love) and Shelia E. (The Glamorous Life), just to name a few. Originals by Prince will be streamed on Tidal June 7th, released June 21st on all formats followed by a limited edition collectors’ Deluxe CD and Double LP on July 21st.
At the movies this week, Michael Ealy and Meagan Good in The Intruder. The movie follows a couple whose purchase of their dream home soon turns into a nightmare thanks to the previous owner who can’t let go. Co-starring Dennis Quaid and directed by Deon Taylor, The Intruder is in theaters this Friday.
Made In America 2019 has been announced with Cardi B and Travis Scott headlining. Also on the bill are Freddie Gibbs, Grace Carter, Kodak Black and Anderson .Paak. The festivities take place on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Labor Day Weekend, Saturday, August 31st through Sunday, September 1st. Tickets and information can be found at madeinamericafest.com.
Jill Scott, a.k.a. Jilly From Philly, heads up the WDAS Block Party coming to The Mann. Philly’s own Jazmine Sullivan and Musiq Soulchild, plus Mase and DJ D-Nice are all on the bill at The Mann Center for The Performing Arts, 52nd and Parkside Avenue, on Saturday, June 29th. Tickets are on sale at ticketmaster.com.
Dionne Warwick will release her first album in five years. Produced by her son, Damon Elliot, the album is simply entitled She’s Back. The album consists of remakes and new songs, and Warwick will duet with Kenny Latimore, Musiq Soulchild, and Krayzie Bone from Bone, Thugs & Harmony. She’s Back, will be released May 10th.
Check out who’s coming to town:
This Friday, May 3rd – Wayne Brady at the Parx Casino in Bensalem. For Tickets and information log onto parxcasino.com/xcitecenter
Friday, May 10th – The Mother’s Day Music Festival Weekend starring The Whispers & The Force MD’s at Caesar’s Circus Maximus Theater in Atlantic City. For more information log onto ppshows.com and for tickets log onto ticketmaster.com.
Saturday, May 11th – The Mother’s Day Music Festival Weekend starring Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, Kem, Al B. Sure and Christopher Williams at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. For more information log onto ppshows.com and for tickets log onto ticketmaster.com.
Sunday, May 12th – The Mother’s Day Music Festival Weekend starring After 7 and Dru Hill at Tropicana Showroom Theater in Atlantic City. Tickets are on sale now. For more information log onto ppshows.com and for tickets log onto ticketmaster.com.
Saturday, June 1st – The 2019 Roots Picnic has a new location at The Mann Music Center For The Performing Arts, 52nd and Parkside! Celebrating the 20th anniversary of The Roots album Things Fall Apart with special guests H.E.R., Raphael Saadiq, 21 Savage, City Girls and more. Log onto rootspicnic.com for more information.
Thursday, June 6th – One Nation Under A Groove-George Clinton’s Farewell Tour with Parliament-Funkadelic at the Franklin Music Hall, formerly The Electric Factory, 421 North 7th Street. For more ticket information log onto ticketmaster.com
Saturday, June 29th– Diana Ross in concert at Borgata Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City. Log onto theborgata.com for tickets and information.
Saturday, July 6th– Earth, Wind & Fire in concert at The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City. Log onto ticketmaster.com for tickets and information.
Friday, July 12th and Saturday, July 13th– Lionel Richie in concert at The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City. Log onto ticketmaster.com for tickets and information.
Saturday, July 20th– Mary J. Blige & Nas in concert at The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City. Log onto ticketmaster.com for tickets and information.
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.