Second Listen Sunday : Angie Stone, “Black Diamond”
As music fans mourn the loss of the iconic Angie Stone, we will continue paying tribute to the songstress. After getting her start in Hip-Hop with the group The Sequence, she transitioned into R&B with her second group, Vertical Hold. However, her 1999 debut, “Black Diamond,” and this week’s Second Listen Sunday pick allowed Stone to break through to the masses.
Slow Jam Saturday : Angie Stone, “Brotha”
Music fans were shocked when we learned last week that the legendary Angie Stone had been called home to join the heavenly choir. I had planned to feature Ms. Stone on Slow Jam Saturday for a while and hoped to interview her. I went back and forth about which song to feature, but when I thought about the state of the world, the only choice was “Brotha.”
“Plankton: The Movie” delivers as a witty genre mashup
When the power-hungry Plankton (Mr. Lawerence) sets fire to Karen’s (Jill Talley) thriving Chum Bucket concept, she evolves into a multi-headed robot determined to enact her scheme for world domination. Meanwhile, with SpongeBob’s (Tom Kenny) assistance, Plankton must sift through his history to uncover his past mistakes in this origin story while a countdown towards chaos looms.
“Adolescence” is a gripping real time exploration of family and justice
Streaming giant Netflix continues to deliver groundbreaking entertainment with their latest limited series, “Adolescence.” The four-part series is the brainchild of writers Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham, who penned all four episodes, while Philip Barantini directs
Slow Jam Saturday : Roberta Flack & Maxi Priest, “Set the Night to Music”
Heaven gained another angelic voice last weekend when the iconic Roberta Flack made her transition. I kept Ms. Flack’s music in regular rotation, particularly her cover of Stephen Bishop’s “It Might Be You.” However, for this week’s Slow Jam Saturday, I wanted to highlight another one of her covers, “Set the Night to Music.”
Second Listen Sunday : Q Parker, “The Manual”
R&B singer Q Parker is enjoying success with his new single, “Beg.” However, I wanted to travel back to 2012 for this week’s Second Listen Sunday and show some love for his underrated debut solo album, “The Manual.”
“Cold Wallet” delivers a crypto heist thriller
Director Martin Campbell delivers another female-led action film in Cleaner from Lionsgate. Matthew Orton, Simon Uttley, and Paul Andrew Williams pen the film’s screenplay. Set in present-day London, a group of radical activists led by Marcus (Clive Owen) takes over an energy company’s annual gala, seizing 300 hostages to expose the hosts’ corruption.
Kate Hudson leads the winning series “Running Point”
Oscar nominee Kate Hudson teams up with Netflix for her second television series, “Running Point,” from the creative team of Elaine Ko, Mindy Kaling, Ike Barinholtz, and David Stassen. When a scandal forces her oldest brother Cam (Justin Theroux) to resign, Isla Gordon (Hudson) is appointed president of the Los Angeles Waves, one of the most storied professional basketball franchises and her family business.
“My Dead Friend Zoe” is an earnest look at the grief process
After an incident at work, Merit (Sonequa Martin-Green), a U.S. Army veteran who served in Afghanistan, is forced to attend therapy. Despite the best efforts of her VA group counselor, Dr. Cole (Morgan Freeman), Merit remains aloof in her perspective on the world. She also has a strained but tough-love relationship with her mother, Kris (Gloria Reuben).
Second Listen Sunday : Major Harris, “My Way”
For this week’s Second Listen Sunday, we will venture to the city of Brotherly Love and give some flowers to Major Harris and his solo debut, My Way. Harris had already made a name for himself, performing with groups such as the Charmers, The Teenagers, the Jarmels, and Nat Turner Rebellion. Later, he would find success as a member of The Delfonics.
Slow Jam Saturday : TLC, “Red Light Special”
For this week’s Slow Jam Saturday, we’re returning to 1995 to show some love to TLC with their song “Red Light Special,” the second single from their massively popular sophomore album, CrazySexyCool.
Album Review : Drake & Party Next Door , “$ome $exy $ongs 4 U”
On Drake’s most recent album, $ome $exy $ongs 4 U which hit store last Friday he joined forces with his labelmate Party Next Door for this collaborative project. The album attempts to address themes related to intimacy and allure but does not reach the high standard established by the artist’s earlier music. Listeners search for the depth and innovation that have been the signature elements of Drake’s musical trajectory.