Second Listen Sunday: Monica, “Miss Thang”
Nineties R&B fans had an exciting moment last week when rumors began circulating that vocal powerhouses Brandy and Monica are reportedly embarking on “The Boy Is Mine Tour” this fall. While no official announcement has been made yet, with Monica’s debut album “Miss Thang” celebrating its 30th anniversary next month, I thought it would be the perfect pick for this week’s Second Listen Sunday.
Slow Jam Saturday: Chaka Khan, “Through the Fire”
As Black Music Month 2025 continues, I wanted to give flowers to “The Queen of Funk,” Ms. Chaka Khan, for this week’s Slow Jam Saturday. The song I decided to highlight is “Through the Fire.”
“The Life of Chuck Is” a bittersweet trip through life, death, and dance moves
Director Mike Flanagan returns for a third time to the world of legendary author Stephen King in “The Life of Chuck,” produced by NEON. Flanagan also writes the screenplay for the film, which is based on the story of the same name that first appeared in King’s book “If It Bleeds.”
“Barron’s Cove” features a never better Garrett Hedlund in a gripping tale of grief and vengeance
Through his powerful performance in Barron’s Cove, Garrett Hedlund delivers one of his strongest roles. He leads a gritty crime drama filled with secretive small-town elements and intense emotions. Writer-director Evan Ari Kelman presents a narrative filled with grief and loyalty that moves toward retribution amidst the fictional backdrop of Monroe City, Massachusetts.
“Ballerina” twirls into the Wick franchise with style and gun-fu
After spending some time on television, director Len Wiseman returns to the big screen with “Ballerina,” produced by Lionsgate. Set in the world of the iconic action franchise “John Wick,” the film is written by Shay Hatten, who penned the third and fourth entries in the series.
Second Listen Sunday: Cameo, “Single Life”
If there were ever a question on Jeopardy with a category about R&B bands and the question centered on Cameo, I’m sure it would be on one of their signature songs, “Candy” or “Word Up!”
Slow Jam Saturday : Melvin Riley Jr., “Whose Is It?”
For this week’s Slow Jam Saturday, I wanted to venture to the Wolverine State and show some love to “Whose Is It,” the lead single from Melvin Riley Jr.’s solo album “Ghetto Stories.”
“The Phoenician Scheme” is strictly for die hard “Wes Fandersons”
Wes Anderson has long been the cinematic equivalent of an eccentric watchmaker. Every frame was precisely engineered, every movement perfectly timed…
Blood Ties and Broken Truths: “The Better Sister” delivers an engaging family drama
Best-selling author Alafair Burke sees her 2019 novel The Better Sister come to the small screen from Prime Video. The series’ directors include Leslie Hope, Stephanie Laing, Dawn Wilkinson, Craig Gillespie, and Azarel Jacobs.
“Bono: Stories of Surrender” – a rock legend gets intimate (and actually kinda wins you over)
A rock music icon has teamed up with Apple Original Films to produce the compelling documentary “Bono: Songs of Surrender.
Second Listen Sunday: Johnny Gill, “Chemistry”
From his early days in the family group Wings of Faith, Mr. Gill was born to make music. However, as R&B fans know, Johnny Gill’s initial release with Atlantic Records failed to make a significant impact when it first came out. The 1983 self-titled debut showed a strong voice struggling to adapt to a studio that couldn’t properly utilize its power.
Slow Jam Saturday: Myron, “Destiny”
My introduction to Myron was with the song “Sistas” on the “Eddie” soundtrack in the summer of 1996. Before setting up his solo album, Myron would write classics for Mya and Dru Hill. “Destiny” was written by Myron and Tyrice Jones, and the latter was also producing. Set to a sample of Herbie Hancock’s “Come Running to Me”, the song explores how fate governs the formation of connections between people meant to exist from the beginning.