Archive for July, 2009

Former 'Oz' Star Set To Star In “Black Panther” Marvel Flick

Tuesday, July 28th, 2009

Summer 2010 is shaping up to be one for the ages. Traditionally the most important time of the year for Hollywood, movie buffs and comic book aficionados are finding themselves impatiently waiting on the silver screen gifts that have been promised to them by movie studios. Marvel, the premier name in graphic novels, is looking to make good on their end of the bargain by promising a groundbreaking superhero flick based on little known but celebrated and revered hero, “The Black Panther.”

Set to be directed by John Singleton, a man known more for his gritty urban semi-biopics than exploring the intricacies of modern folklore and action tales, the sure fire action flick will offer movie goers an opportunity to see a hero that had been a major part of Marvel's comic universe but a minor player in the collective psyche of the mainstream. To say that expectations are high would be a gross understatement; even so, one man feels that he has what it takes to meet and exceed all benchmarks set for the film. That man is none other than for Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje.

Better know to the masses as the infamous Simon Adebisi of "Oz" lore, Akinnuoye-Agbaje seeks to bring one of Marvel's most realistic characters to life by playing “T'Challa,” the man behind the Panther's mask. Created by the legendary Stan Lee, “The Black Panther” ventured to New York City from the fictional nation of Wakanda, which is well over 1,000 miles from San Diego, the city that most recently played host the national comic book convention know as Comic-Con.

Speaking to press, the versatile actor spoke of excitement about the role. "He's from a fictional village in Africa and the timing is so right for that kind of character to come through," he told. "And while I'm in my prime, this is the time. We've got Obama, now we need something on screen to represent, so... 'Panther,' man."

Before capturing a spot in what is sure to be next Summer's biggest hit, Adewale can be seen in one of this Summer's most anticipated big screen offerings. Stepehn Sommer's "G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra" is sure to portray the veteran actor in a light that he has yet to be shown, a testosterone laden butt-kicker. Set to play Joe favorite "Heavy Duty" in the 2009 blockbuster, Akinnuoye-Agbaje is poised to change the game by challenging the long running stigma that is associated with Black superheroes, one movie role at a time.

Woman Kills Baby, Eats His Brain

Tuesday, July 28th, 2009

Texas officials are reporting extremely gruesome and intensely disturbing news about the killing of an infant. A San Antonio woman admitted to killing, dismembering and eating the brain of her infant son Sunday. Police arrived at 33-year old Otty Sanchez's home and found her with a self inflicted wound to her chest and her throat partially slashed screaming:

“I killed my baby! I killed my baby!”

She then told officers the devil made her do it. Her 3 ½ week old son was found in the bedroom with three of his toes chewed off, his face torn away, his head severed and brain ripped out. Sanchez ate the boy's toes and part of his brain before stabbing herself in the chest.

Sanchez's sister and her two children were present in the house as well but were not injured. She is charged with capital murder and is being held on $1 million bail while recovering in the hospital.

Kanye Deems Himself the New” King of Pop”

Tuesday, July 28th, 2009

In another idiotic and just plain stupid move, Kanye's messed up…royally. According to Scrape TV, Kanye is calling himself the new “King of Pop.” Please say it ain't so. They have a reported statement from Kanye that says since Michael's gone, it's his turn to take the crown:

“You know everyone loves and respects Michael but times change. It's so sad to see Michael gone but it makes a path for a new King of Pop and I'm willing to take that on. There's nobody who can match me in sales and in respect so it only makes sense for me to take over Michael's crown and become the new King. First there was Elvis, then there was Michael, now in the 21st century its Kanye's time to rule. I have nothing but respect for (more...)

Black Eyed Peas Foundation Create Music Academies

Tuesday, July 28th, 2009

The Black Eyed Peas Peapod Foundation will be creating two new state-of-the-art music and media academies for youth in Oakland and Redwood City, California with the help of the Adobe Foundation.

The purpose of this joint venture is to provide the youth with access to multi-media production tools that are a necessity to produce video, dance, music and art. This opportunity should be able to promote awareness of social disparities to teens within the community and help to inspire needed social change.

"As a group, music has given us amazing opportunities. With the Peapod Foundation, we want to give back to inner-city kids so they can realize their potential through artistic and digital expression," says (more...)

Alfamega Claims DEA Documents Are Fake

Tuesday, July 28th, 2009

A YouTube video surfaced Monday showing Alfamega claiming his innocence once again. Just a week after Cedric Zellers released a letter he wrote to T.I. in jail, he's back, this time to deny the validity of the DEA Documents discovered by The Smoking Gun. The Smoking Gun released court documents that exposed the rapper as a DEA informant in May. The documents led to his demise with his former label, Grand Hustle and ultimately made him an abomination to Hip-Hop.

In the YouTube video he is sitting in a car talking directly in a camera. He shows his two broken legs stemming from an alleged push from police off a 25-foot parking garage in April and most importantly wastes no time claiming that the documents are (more...)

Apple and Labels Working To Resurrect Album Sales

Tuesday, July 28th, 2009

Music labels are teaming with Apple Inc. on a hush-hush new project. A source leaked information about the new project, code name “Cocktail,” on Monday. Project “Cocktail” is a plan to make enhanced albums that will work with a new tablet PC from Apple. Instead of the normal multi-track albums consumers are used to, they will introduce software that packages songs, album liners, music videos, interviews and other interactive forms of media together.

Labels such as EMI Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group all originally planned to reveal the new format this November but they teamed with up Apple for a version that will debut this fall with their new (more...)

Democrats Lift 21-Year-Old Ban on Needle-Exchange Program

Tuesday, July 28th, 2009

HIV/AIDS prevention in the U.S. is a topic that isn't discussed enough, nor is the information made readily available to the public. During his presidential campaign, Obama pledged to allot federal funds to a needle exchange program for drug users, in efforts to slight the spread of the HIV/ AIDS virus through intravenous drug use.

Shortly after he took office, however, President Obama wavered from his original campaign promise and was reluctant to make good on his commitment to lift the ban on the program that provides clean needles to drug users. The House of Representatives took matters into their own hands, and on July 25 voted to lift the 21-year-old ban.

The ban , which has stood firm since 1988, was won by 218-211 vote, but met resistance from Rep. Mark Souder of Indiana who said the HIV virus is contracted mainly form unprotected sexual activities, and needle exchange programs have yet to be proven successful, reports the Washington Times.

"Providing needles acts as a way for drug users to sustain and support their intravenous drug use and does not address the primary illness of the drug addiction," he said.

In sharp contrast, West Virginia Democrat Rep. Alan B. Mollohan said, "Needle exchange is not about promoting drug use." He added, "It is in fact about preventing disease."

The piece is legislation will encompass several other public health awareness and education programs including $114 million worth of funding for a teenage-pregnancy prevention campaign.

Henry Louis Gates Jr. Arresting Officer Lied on 911 Caller

Tuesday, July 28th, 2009

The arrest of a well-known Harvard African-American studies professor Henry Gates sent shock waves through the nation, when he was jailed on charges of disorderly conduct for busting through a jammed door of his home. Gates was later released and all charges were dropped.

It's been almost two weeks since the incident made headlines, often speculating racial profiling by Cambridge police, and details of the account are still trickling through the news media.

The latest development will likely confirm that Sgt. James Crowley did, in fact, profile the situation with own personal racial biases.

According to CNN, the 911 call that was placed by a neighbor who alerted the police that two men appeared to be breaking into Gates home. In the official police report, Sgt. Crowley claims Lucia Whalen described what she saw as two Black men with backpacks at the home, and later told Gates that he has spoken with the woman in person before his investigation that led to his arrest.

On Monday, Cambridge police released the 911 call and, not so surprisingly, the audio footage and Crowley's police report do not coincide. Whalen said she saw, "two larger men, one looked kind of Hispanic, but I'm not really sure, and the other one entered, and I didn't see what he looked like at all."

The concerned neighbor, Whalen, wanted to clear up the misinformation as it related to the call and wanted to stress the fact that she did not use the word "Black" in her description of the two men.

Wendy Murphy, Whalen's attorney blasted the police report and argued that much of it was untrue.

"Let me be clear: She never had a conversation with Sgt. Crowley at the scene," Murphy said. "And she never said to any police officer or to anybody 'two Black men.' She never used the word 'Black.' Period."

She added, "I'm not sure what the police explanation will be. Frankly, I don't care. Her only goal is to make it clear she never described them as Black. She never saw their race. ... All she reported was behavior, not skin color."

Crowley, who rejects the notion of being a racist and refused to apologize for "doing my job," will have some explaining to do now that the truth has been presented. Not only will he have to explain himself to the public, but also at the Thursday discussion over a beer President Obama has requested with him and the professor. Crowley pulling a no-show would be less than a shocker.

Now that the truth has come to light, an apology is in order but will Crowley be a man enough to admit his racial prejudices and apologize? Or will this case continue to exemplify the long standing issue between Black men and police?

Haitian Vessel Capsizes

Tuesday, July 28th, 2009

A vessel carrying nearly 200 Haitian immigrants capsized Tuesday near Turks and Caicos. The U.S. Coast Guard reports that 113 people were rescued and two were found dead. Four of the survivors were injured and had to be airlifted by helicopter to shore. 85 people are still missing from the sunken ship.

According to survivors, the vessel left Haiti with 160 people on board but stopped to pick up more passengers. The group was headed for the Bahamas or the southern coast of the United States in search of work. Haitians often leave Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, and take to the seas in search of work and a better life. Just last week, the U.S. Coast Guard intercepted what they called a “grossly overloaded” 60-foot boat carrying 124 passengers. Those passengers returned safely to Haiti Monday.

Rap Group Blue Scholars Hires Duck Down Records

Tuesday, July 28th, 2009

Partnering up with Duck Down Records, which has released albums for rap acts such as Sean Price, Boot Camp Clik and Buckshot & 9th Wonder, Blue Scholars will be on the scene as it is set to release several projects through its partnership with the record label and with Seattle's Caffe Vita Coffee Co.

Dru Ha, CEO of Duck Down Records states, “I believe Blue Scholars is positioned to be one of the next important groups, not just in Hip-Hop, but in music worldwide, and I want Duck Down to be a part of that. They bring their progressive ideas not just to their music and lyrics, but also in the way they think about and (more...)

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