Entertainment

Griot: Media mogul Byron Allen is making major moves in the business world. His company, Entertainment Studios (theGrio.com’s parent corporation), just purchased The Weather Channel for $300 million. The iconic media brand is the latest acquisition for the expansive and diverse Entertainment Studios portfolio, which includes film production and distribution, 41 television shows, and eight…

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Photo: Shutterstock NEW YORK (AP) — Queen Latifah is mourning the death of her mother. In a statement, the singer and actress says Rita Owens died Wednesday after struggling with a heart condition for many years. The statement did not given her mother’s age or say where the death occurred. She was diagnosed with heart…

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By Kharisma McIlwaine The Harper Lee novel “To Kill A Mockingbird” is considered a classic in American literature. The Pulitzer prize-winning novel — published in 1960 and adapted by Christopher Sergel — is set in Maycomb, Alabama in the 1930s. It tells the story of the Finch family’s experience of living in a small town…

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ABOVE PHOTO:  Veteran broadcaster and author Paul Porter (right) is interviewed by Kindred the Family Soul on his new book “Blackout — My 40 Years in the Music Business”   (Photo courtesy: Amy V. Simmons)   By Amy V. Simmons Veteran broadcaster Paul Porter was in town on March 12th to promote his book “Blackout —…

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Booksigning for “MFON: Women Photographers of the African Diaspora” on March 16 and screening of the award winning documentary film, Justice is a Black Woman: The Life & Work of Constance Baker Motley on March 31   On Friday, join the African American Museum in Philadelphia (AAMP) and the Philadelphia Photo Arts Center (PPAC) as…

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Photo:Craig Mack ‘Flava in Ya Ear’ album cover/Wikipedia The Root Craig Mack, 46, the legendary Bad Boy artist who burst onto the national stage in 1994 with that “Flava in Ya Ear,” died Monday night at a hospital near his Walterboro, S.C., home, reportedly of heart failure. He was 46 years old. Alvin Toney, Mack’s…

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From Chicago Tribune Jay-Z and Beyonce are on the run to a city near you with their OTRIII tour.  The dynamic duo is set to hit Philadelphia on July 30.   Check out the US tour schedule below to see when Bey and Jay are hitting your city. OTR II NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES: July 25…

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By Kam Williams “The Shape of Water” was the big winner at the 90th Annual Academy Awards, netting four Oscars, including Best Picture. Mexican directors have now won four of the past five years, with Guillermo del Toro joining his compadres Alejandro Inarritu (“Birdman” and “The Revenant”) and Alfonso Cuaron (Gravity) in the elite fraternity….

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ABOVE PHOTO:  Arturo O’Farrill   The Philadelphia Clef of Jazz & Performing Arts will present an exciting evening of Latin Jazz by Grammy Winning pianist/bandleader Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro-Latin Jazz Ensemble on Saturday, March 17, at 7:30pm. Performing with O’Farrill will be Ivan Renta on sax, James Seeley on trumpet, Rafi Malkiel on trombone,…

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Smith Memorial Playground & Playhouse invites families to Play-A-Palooza 2018, the seasonal grand opening of the Playgroundon Saturday, March 31 from 12pm – 4pm.  This year, Play-A-Palooza will include a special PBS Kids Pop Up area on Smith’s front lawn featuring appearances by Nature Cat, special giveaways, and games in addition to live performances by…

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