The official dates for the 2018 Essence Festival® presented by Coca-Cola® will take place from July 5 – 8, 2018 in New Orleans, LA. Limited advance tickets for the 24th annual event’s nightly concert series will be available starting August 10 at 10:00am ET. On the heels of a record-breaking 2017 Festival, the highly anticipated event is expected to feature a diverse, all-star roster of musicians and speakers for its nightly concert series and daytime empowerment programming respectively. The 2017 “party with a purpose” drew over 470,000 attendees and featured first-time performances by Diana Ross and Chance The Rapper, plus keynote conversations with Ava Duvernay, Mary J. Blige, the cast of the critically acclaimed film “Girls Trip” – Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, Regina Hall and Tiffany Haddish – and many more. Festivalgoers can start planning their ‘girl’s trip’ and weekend getaways by visiting Essence Festival for a recap of the 2017 Festival, information about advance ticket sales, the latest news about the Festival and to sign up for Festival-related newsletters. Join the Essence Festival community by following us on Twitter @essencefest #EssenceFest and become a fan of 2018 Essence Festival on Facebook for additional updates. Sponsors of the 2018 Essence Festival® include presenting sponsor Coca-Cola® and major sponsor State Farm. CHECK OUT SONYA JENKINS’ 2017 ESSENCE FEST EXPERIENCE BELOW:
Posted in In The Spotlight | Leave a commentKathryn Bigelow’s DETROIT held its World Premiere in Detroit, Michigan at the Fox Theatre, July 25th. This was the first premiere ever held at Fox Theatre with an estimated 2,200 people in attendance. DETROIT opens in select theaters this Friday, July 28th and everywhere August 4th! #DetroitMovie
Posted in Photos | Leave a commentFrom the Academy Award winning director of THE HURT LOCKER and ZERO DARK THIRTY, DETROIT tells the gripping story of one of the most terrifying moments during the civil unrest that rocked Detroit in the summer of ’67. Director: Kathryn Bigelow Writer: Mark Boal Producers: Megan Ellison, Kathryn Bigelow, Matthew Budman, Colin Wilson and Mark Boal Cast: John Boyega, Will Poulter, Algee Smith, Jacob Latimore, Jason Mitchell, Hannah Murray, Kaitlyn Dever, Jack Reynor, Ben O’Toole, Joseph David Jones, Ephraim Sykes, Leon Thomas III, Nathan Davis Jr., Peyton Alex Smith, Malcolm David Kelley, Gbenga Akinnabve, Chris Chalk, Jeremy Strong, Laz Alonzo, Austin Hebert, Miguel Pimentel, Kris Davis, with John Krasinski and Anthony Mackie World Premiere in Detroit, MI July 25th. Kathryn Bigelow’s DETROIT held its World Premiere in Detroit, Michigan at the Fox Theatre. This was the first premiere ever held at Fox Theatre with an estimated 2,200 people in attendance. WEBSITE: Detroit.Movie FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/DetroitMovie TWITTER: https://twitter.com/detroitmovie INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/detroitmovie #DetroitMovie
Posted in Cinema, In The Spotlight | Leave a comment7:58 PM PDT 7/12/2017 by Lauren Huff The former first lady presented the Arthur Ashe Courage Award to Kennedy’s son, Timothy Shriver, who chairs the Special Olympics. Former first lady Michelle Obama posthumously honored Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who founded the Special Olympics, at the 25th annual ESPY awards Wednesday night. Shriver died in 2009. Obama presented the Arthur Ashe Courage Award to Kennedy’s son, Timothy Shriver, who chairs the Special Olympics. The organization helps to empower those with intellectual disabilities through sports. “I am here tonight to honor a remarkable woman,” said Obama, who received a standing ovation from the audience as she walked onstage. She called Shriver a woman who believed “everyone deserves a chance to push themselves and find out what they’re made of.” Obama continued, “Through her passionate service, she made our world more inclusive and fair. … She honored the highest traditions of athletic history, using sports to break barriers and change hearts and minds.” Shriver’s “visionary idea” went on to become a “worldwide movement,” Obama said. Jon Stewart at the ESPY Awards READ MORE ESPY Awards: Jon Stewart Presents Air Force Master Sgt. Israel Del Toro With Pat Tillman Award Timothy, upon accepting the award on behalf of his mother, told Obama he was “deeply, deeply honored” to have her present. “Once a first lady, still a great first lady. Our mother would have loved you — your forthrightness, your honesty, your toughness.” He went on to say his mother “wanted to be known as a great hero of sports, and she got that tonight.” He added, “She’s here in the hearts and minds of millions of Special Olympics athletes. … This movement that she created almost 50 years ago is not done yet. We’ve got a lot of work to do for equality.” The …
Posted in On the Scene | Leave a comment7/12/2017 by THR Staff The awards were handed out Wednesday night in Los Angeles. The worlds of entertainment and sports collided on Wednesday night when the ESPY Awards were handed out in Los Angeles. Peyton Manning hosted the 25th annual event, which aired live at 8 p.m ET on ABC. The winners of the awards were chosen entirely through online voting. Bill Murray appeared on stage to accept the best moment award on behalf of the Chicago Cubs, who won for the team’s first World Series since 1908. Drinking champagne in honor of the Cubs, Murray joked that “108 years of waiting is hardly a ‘moment.’ This is the culmination of 108 years of momentum. Momentum by momentous men.” Also during the show, Michelle Obama presented the Arthur Ashe Courage Award to Special Olympics Founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Jon Stewart presented Master Sgt. Israel Del Toro with the Pat Tillman Award for Service, Bryan Cranston honored retired Los Angeles Dodgers announcer Vin Scully with the Icon Award, and New Orleans Saints superfan Jarrius “JJ” Robertson was honored with the Jimmy V Perseverance Award. See the ESPYs Red-Carpet Arrivals & List Of Winners Here: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/espy-awards-2017-complete-winners-list-1019813 Getty Images
Posted in 57th NAACP Image Awards, TV News | Leave a commentSHAYLA’S CATCH, a romance-sports novel by author Sonya Jenkins, caught the attention of avid readers around the country in the ESSENCE Bookstore during the ESSENCE Festival in New Orleans, June 30- July 2 . With a “Three-Peat” appearance at the ESSENCE Bookstore as an author, Jenkins was on hand each day – mixing and mingling and sharing the synopsis of SHAYLA’S CATCH with guests. “I enjoyed engaging in one-on-one conversations with Essence Fest attendees I met in the Essence Bookstore and sharing my novel, SHAYLA’S CATCH with them,” Jenkins said. “As a writer, it’s important for me to connect with my readers and learn from them. The Essence Bookstore was the ideal setting for book lovers to step away from the energy of the Festival crowd and get a good book – or at least get information about one.” Special Thanks to ESSENCE Festival & GARDEN DISTRICT BOOK SHOP. ENJOY the Pictorial!! DAY 1 ESSENCE BOOKSTORE DAY 2 ESSENCE BOOKSTORE DAY 3 ESSENCE BOOKSTORE Special Thanks to ESSENCE Festival & GARDEN DISTRICT BOOK SHOP!
Posted in JAZZ IN THE GARDENS 2026 | Leave a commentA typical afternoon in the park turns into a nightmare for single mom Karla Dyson (Academy Award winner Halle Berry) when her son suddenly disappears. Without a cell phone and knowing she has no time to wait for police help, Karla jumps in her own car and sets off in pursuit of the kidnappers. A relentless, edge-of-your seat chase ensues, where Karla must risk everything to not lose sight of her son. In this tense, action-fueled thriller, directed by Luis Prieto and from the producers of SALT and TRANSFORMERS, one mother’s heroic attempt to take back her son leads her to ask herself how far she will go to save her child. Starring: Halle Berry Directed By: Luis Prieto Produced By: Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Erik Howsam, Joey Tufaro, Gregory Chou, Halle Berry and Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas #Kidnap
Posted in Cinema, Movie News | Leave a commentEvent Captures a Record-Breaking 4 Billion Impressions Via Social Media Time Inc.’s (NYSE:TIME) 2017 ESSENCE Festival® presented by Coca-Cola® attracted more than 470,000 attendees to New Orleans this Fourth of July weekend for its annual cultural celebration featuring more than 200 performing artists and speakers—which included first-time appearances by Halle Berry, Diana Ross, Chance The Rapper and many more. Recognized as one of the country’s largest live events, the 2017 ESSENCE Festival extended its reach worldwide by generating a record-breaking 4 billion social media impressions. The annual 4-day Festival, which took place June 29-July 2, features entertainment, empowerment, and cultural experiences during the day and a state-of-the-art concert series with the world’s best performers each night. Highlights of the 2017 ESSENCE Festival include: · Over 100 performing artists across the Superdome and the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Many of the biggest names in the entertainment industry such as Diana Ross, John Legend, Mary J. Blige, Chaka Khan, Chance The Rapper, Master P. and Solange performed at the event’s nighttime concerts and dozens of others across ESSENCE’s Center Stage and All-Star Gospel Tribute honoring Cissy Houston. · More than 100 speakers, authors, leaders and celebrities participated in the Festival’s free daytime experience –including a first-ever appearance by Halle Berry. Other powerhouse speakers included Ava DuVernay, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon and the return of favorites Rev. Al Sharpton, Congresswoman Maxine Waters and Iyanla Vanzant, among others, drew packed crowds. · #EssenceFest social media posts driving more than 4 billion impressions with daily trending status on Twitter. · The launch of ESSENCE’s newly expanded ‘Path to Power’ business and entrepreneurship conference, as well as the return of consumer Expos focused on ‘Beauty & Style’ and ‘Entertainment All Access’ which drew crowds of thousands each day to …
Posted in Music, In The Spotlight | Leave a commentVICELAND PRESENTS THE TELEVISION PREMIERE OF THE THERAPIST: KATY PERRY – A ONE HOUR SPECIAL MONDAY, JUNE 19th at 10:00 PM ET / PT After captivating the world all weekend with her live-streamed life, VICELAND will broadcast global pop star Katy Perry’s intimate, in-depth session with “The Therapist,” Dr. Siri Sat Nam Singh. During the emotional and raw extended episode, Perry opens up to Dr. Siri about the struggles that arise from the split between her public persona and her private self. “The Therapist” features Los Angeles based licensed therapist Dr. Siri Sat Nam Singh as he sits down with some of today’s most influential musicians and artists to take a deeper look into their psyches, their pasts and their presents to discover what makes them tick. During each session, Dr. Siri leads each person through compelling discussions, inviting them to look at how they’ve faced some of the most formative, troubling or difficult experiences from throughout their lives. In addition to Katy Perry, Patients in session for this season of the series include: Hip Hop Artists Freddie Gibbs, Waka Flocka Flame, Young M.A., Dej Loaf, D.R.A.M., O.T. Genasis and rapper-turned-actor Joey Bada$$ (“Mr. Robot”) as well as rock musicians Corey Taylor (of Slipknot), Nathan Williams (of Waaves) and Damien Abraham (of F*cked Up) “The Therapist” regularly airs Mondays at 10:30 PM ET/PT _____________________________________________________________ BROWN SUGAR NOW AVAILABLE IN AMAZON APPSTORE FOR KINDLE FIRE TABLETS New Streaming Service for African Americans Features the Biggest Collection of the Baddest Movies of All-Time The Mack, Super Fly, Jackie Brown, Dolemite, Chicago, Cotton Comes to Harlem, Eve’s Bayou, Foxy Brown, Cooley High, Don’t Be a Menace to South Central, Pride, A Soldier’s Story, Black Caesar, Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip, Car Wash, Gone Baby Gone, The Original Gangstas Among the Titles Brown Sugar, the new subscription-video-on-demand service featuring the biggest collection of the baddest African-American movies of all-time, …
Posted in In The Spotlight, Sports & Inspiration | Leave a commentWarriors win second NBA championship in three seasons Went 15 wins for 1 loss in playoff to championship Tuesday, 13 Jun 2017 | 12:06 AM ETReuters The Golden State Warriors beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 129-120 on Monday to win their second NBA championship in three seasons and cap a near-perfect run through the playoffs. The Warriors, who beat Cleveland in the 2015 Finals only to lose to them last year after squandering a 3-1 series lead, went a record-setting 15-1 in the playoffs, their only loss coming in Game Four of the best-of-seven championship. Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors celebrates holding his daughter after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers 129-120 in Game 5 to win the 2017 NBA Finals at ORACLE Arena on June 12, 2017 in Oakland, California Kevin Durant led the way for the Warriors with 39 points but it took a team effort for the Warriors to overcome a determined Cavaliers’ squad, including contributions from 33-year-old veteran Andre Iguodala and 21-year-old Patrick McCaw. LeBron James had a game-high 41 points but defensive breakdowns by Cleveland led to easy baskets late in the game for the Warriors, igniting a deafening crowd. Source: http://www.cnbc.com/2017/06/13/nba-finals-golden-state-warriors-beat-cleveland-cavaliers.html
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