Entries by Staff Contributor

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The R&B Forever Tour: Tank on Tour with Newly Reunited TGT

Tank has cracked the code to creating an R&B universe and keeping that R&B Money flowing with back-to-back tours. On the heels of the now completed and successful “R&B Money Tour” with Keri Hilson and Carl Thomas, which launched in New Orleans on May 10 and hit 25 cities, Tank has announced yet another soulful […]

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Tyrese’s Album”Beautiful Pain”: A Soulful Cry After Divorce

Tyrese Gibson has never been one to shy away from wearing his heart on his sleeve, and his latest album, “Beautiful Pain,” is no exception.

 

Released independently on his own label, Voltron Recordz, in partnership with Create Music Group, this album offers 17 tracks that delve deep into the emotional turmoil Tyrese experienced during his 2020 divorce.

Tyrese didn’t embark on this  on this journey alone. “Beautiful Pain” features an impressive lineup of collaborations with notable artists such as Lenny Kravitz, Le’Andria Johnson, El DeBarge, October London, and Tamar Braxton. Together, they’ve created a soulful and introspective album that resonates with the heartache and hope that comes with life’s most challenging moments – like divorce, which Tyrese admits, affects men just as much as it does women.

During an interview with “The Breakfast Club” the “Shame” singer tearfully expressed his vulnerability.

“Black men cry,” he revealed according to Vibe.  “When divorce has happened, women aren’t the only one that are devastated. When a miscarriage happens, women are not the only ones that you should be checking on. When you can’t put food on the table because your career goes up and it goes down, stop calling and skipping over the man and just checking on the woman.”

This album grants permission for other men to express their hurt as well. One standout track is a poignant cover of Gladys Knight & The Pips’ classic, “Neither One of Us,” performed with Braxton, which adds a nostalgic yet fresh touch to the album.

The singles “Love Transaction,” “Don’t Think You Ever Loved,” and “Wildflower” have already garnered significant attention; with the latter debuting on Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart, showcasing its immediate impact and resonance with fans.

Tyrese’s Instagram tells you everything you need to know to get your hands on a copy – and yes, they ship worldwide.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by TYRESE (@tyrese)

Adding to the excitement, Tyrese will be hitting the road with Tank and Ginuwine as part of the supergroup TGT for the R&B Forever Tour. Maybe he’ll release some of that beautiful pain on stage while performing all of his hits – past and present.  Full track list below.

 Tracklist:
01 – Intro
02 – Love Transaction
03 – Wildflower
04 – Don’t Think You Ever Loved Me [[with Lenny Kravitz & Le’Andria Johnson)
05 – What Happened To Forever
06 – Runaway [[with El DeBarge)
07 – Impossible
08 – Rescue
09 – Willing
10 – Bedroom Bully [[with October London)
11 – This Man
12 – Neither One Of Us [[with Tamar Braxton)
13 – Unbelievable [[with Kenny G & Eric Dawkins)
14 – Poison
15 – When Was It Over
16 – Giving Up
17 – Beautiful Pain

 

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Jennifer Hudson Announces First Holiday Album “The Gift of Love”

Jennifer Hudson has already started spreading the holiday cheer with the announcement of her first ever Christmas album.

 

Get ready to deck the halls and fa-la-la-la-la  with holiday cheer  this  Christmas season because Jennifer Hudson is bringing us a musical gift wrapped in joy and love.

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Jennifer Hudson (@iamjhud)

The 42-year-old shared the exciting news with all her Instagram followers, on Friday, September 6, noting that it will be her first-ever Christmas album, aptly titled The Gift of Love,” set for release on October 18 under Interscope Records. The album promises to deliver 15 tracks of our favorites like “O Holy Night,” “Winter Wonderland,” and “The Christmas Song,” to original pieces like “Find the Love” and “Make It to Christmas.”

The best part is the very special collaboration. As reported by People, Hudson teamed up with Chicago native, also her boo – rapper Common, for the single “Almost Christmas.” There’s also an impressive roster of producers including David Foster, Greg Phillinganes, Kirk Franklin; and writers, J Kash and Michael Pollack.

Make sure you make that list, check it twice, then put it on the calendar for October 18, and prepare to unwrap this musical gift J-Hud will be gifting with the forthcoming – “The Gift of Love.” We’ll be adding it to our holiday playlist.

Here’s the full track list.

Hallelujah

Winter Wonderland

Carol of the Bells (ft. The Joy)

Find The Love

O Holy Night

Make It To Christmas

Santa to Someone

My Favorite Things

Little Drummer Boy

Go Tell It On The Mountain

Almost Christmas (ft. Common)

Jingle Bells (Prelude)

Jingle Bells

The Christmas Song

Auld Lang Syne

Chloe Bailey Shines in “Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist”

Multi-talented singer and actress, Chloe Bailey, is stepping into a new spotlight with her guest-starring role in the gripping limited drama series “Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist.”

The eight-episode series premiered on Peacock, Thursday September 5th, with the first three episodes; and already viewers are on the edge of their seats – anxiously awaiting episode four.

Yes! It’s that serious. The series is the perfect blend of high stakes, historical drama, and an all-star cast. Just as the title reveals, it’s set on the night of the iconic return to the ring of Muhammad Ali against Jerry Quarry.  While the world’s eyes were on this monumental sports event, another dramatic showdown was beginning to unfold, centered around the robbery of “the council of all the top black bosses across the nation,” aka – the black mafia.

Bailey takes on the role of Lena, the only female operative involved in an elaborate heist. During a TODAY with Hoda & Jenna interview the “Have Mercy” singer shared a few details about the character.

“I play Lena, “explained Bailey. “I am the only girl a part of the heist, so I get to hang with the boys. It was so much fun. She gets into some trouble, so…we’ll see.”

SPOILER ALERT

She’s right about that trouble. Lena, faces perilous circumstances by Episode 3, which ends on a nail-biting cliffhanger—will she reveal the names of her accomplices, or will she falsely name “Chicken Man” to save herself?  This pivotal moment, along with the remaining five episodes will release weekly every Thursday.

By now, if you haven’t watched the show you’re probably asking, “who is Chicken Man?” That would be the character played by Kevin Hart, who also served as one of the executive producers of the series.

Sharing the screen with the likes of Bailey and Hart are, Samuel L. Jackson, Taraji P. Henson, Don Cheadle, and Terrence Howard. With executive producers Hart and Will Packer at the helm, and Shaye Ogbonna steering as the creator, writer, showrunner, and executive producer, the series boasts a powerhouse team both in front of and behind the camera.

 When speaking with Hoda & Jenna, Chloe expressed her excitement and gratitude for working alongside legendary actors like Jackson, who encouraged her and Henson who imparted wisdom on set, advising Chloe to “Always find your light and don’t let anyone block your light.

Beyond her role in “Fight Night,” Chloe continues to make waves in the music industry with her second album, “Trouble in Paradise” which she describes as a “sonic summer fling.”

Usher’s ‘USHER: RENDEZVOUS IN PARIS’: Hits Theaters for Limited Time

Usher Raymond‘s “USHER: RENDEZVOUS IN PARIS,’ hits theaters worldwide this month for a limited time only!

 

What the hell was Ursher thinking when giving us only four days to see this film? By the time we figure out the answer the film would have come and gone from theaters, and we wouldn’t want to miss out so, let’s just focus on what we do know.

Thursday, September 12 through Sunday, September 15, Usher’s concert film will be in theaters. The film promises a sensational journey through Usher’s 30-year career. 

Now, if you asked yourself the question, “why such a short time in theaters” then you probably want to know “why Paris?”

I mean, it’s not like Raymond doesn’t have a slew of stellar performances to choose. He could’ve chosen that incredibleEmmy-nominated Super Bowl XLVIII halftime show. Or any other show from his wildly successful two-year Las Vegas residency. So why Paris?

The “Good Good” singer shared his reasons during a recent visit to Good Morning America.

“I chose Paris because for the years that I’ve gone there and enjoyed fashion week,” he revealed during the morning interview. “I wanted to do something that I felt like would kind of, you know, give us a place to go and a thing to celebrate that obviously represents my culture. But more than anything, it allowed me to partner with creatives, the designers that I worked with to create the wardrobe. “

Throughout his 30-year-career Raymond has never shied away from taking risks and raising the bar. He chose to mimic those same efforts with this project.

“It just elevated everything,” he continued. “I’d been in Vegas with a very successful residency so Rendezvous was like a very special version of my 10-show-residency.”

If you didn’t get the chance to see Usher in Vegas, maybe you can pop in to one of his Past, Present and Future Tour shows. That is if all tickets don’t sell out like the four Barclays Center shows in New York.

Just don’t wait to get tickets for the film. After all, it’s only in theaters for a limited time. Usherinparis.com

 

Tyrese’s ‘1992’: A Must-See Tale of Two Fathers

Tyrese’s “1992″ is the film that almost never happened, but turns out to be the must-see tale of two fathers that we, the urban ac community, didn’t even know we needed – until now.

 

When Tyrese Gibson, the multi-talented star we’ve come to adore, decided to take on the role of Mercer in “1992,” he wasn’t just stepping into another character. He was stepping back into history—a time fraught with tension, turmoil, and transformation. The new film, which hit theaters on August 30, dives deep into the heart of the L.A. riots, bringing both intensity and introspection to a pivotal moment in American history.

 The film, which also stars the late Ray Liotta, isn’t just another riot film; it’s a gripping narrative that connects the lives of two fathers. Tyrese, playing the role of Mercer, is a man on a mission to rebuild his life and forge a meaningful relationship with his son amidst the chaos. Liotta stars as another father who, along with his son, plans a dangerous heist at Mercer’s place of work. The film masterfully interweaves their stories, exploring the tension and eventual collision of their worlds against the backdrop of the Rodney King verdict that sparked chaos in the city.

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Official page of “1992” movie (@1992movie)

The film, described on IG as “the heist of the decade,” almost never happened. The ‘Baby Boy’ actor revealed the multitude of rejections he received when pitching the film.

“Nobody in Hollywood wanted to make this movie,” Gibson recalled at the film’s premier according to Black America Web.  “No studio in Hollywood was willing to make this movie because of that realization that growing up in this Black skin is a f–ked up reality, some studios couldn’t accept it. So it was made independent. I couldn’t accept that. Ray Liotta left us with his last piece of art in this film. That’s like doing a movie with  Paul Walker and they trying to go straight to DVD with it. I’m not doing that, bro.” 

Luckily, Snoop Dogg, who much like Tyrese, lived through the tumultuous times depicted in the movie, adding layers of authenticity and personal significance to the project, agreed to executive produce the film while Lionsgate signed on for distribution.

“1992” opened in 875 theaters on August 30, 2024 and grossed over $1M on its opening weekend, a significant achievement given its limited marketing and promotional support. 

Yes, it’s a reminder of a time that shaped the lives of not just the African American community, but the country as a whole. But, it’s also a testament to families, more specifically – fathers. It’s BOLD! It’s reflective. And, it’s a must-see!

So, if you haven’t yet, make sure to catch Tyrese’s heartfelt performance in “1992.” It’s a journey worth taking.

 

Freddie Jackson Reveals Kidney Disease Diagnosis

Family, friends and fans of R&B legend Freddie Jackson, are praying for the restoration of his health after he revealed his kidney failure diagnosis.

 

In a heartfelt revelation that tugged at the heartstrings of many, Freddie Jackson, the legendary voice behind the timeless hit “Rock Me Tonight,” recently shared some deeply personal news with his fans via Instagram.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Freddie Jackson (@mrfreddiejackson

 

“I thought I could just push through,” he admitted, “but I learned the hard way that you can’t put your health on the back burner.”

One of the most inspiring aspects of Jackson’s announcement is his decision to turn his personal challenge into a public mission. He has partnered with the National Kidney Foundation, aiming to raise awareness about kidney health and provide much-needed support for those affected by the disease. Jackson’s message is particularly resonant with the African American community, as kidney disease disproportionately affects this demographic. By sharing his story, Jackson hopes to encourage others, especially those in the working class who might neglect their health due to busy schedules, to prioritize regular medical check-ups and pay attention to their bodies’ signals.

 

In his video, Jackson expressed profound gratitude for the outpouring of support he has received from his close friends, manager, music family, and fans.

 

“Your love and prayers mean the world to me,” he said, his voice brimming with emotion. He emphasized that, while his music will always be a part of him, his health must come first. As such, he has decided to reduce his performance schedule to focus on his recovery and ongoing health management.

 

The partnership with the National Kidney Foundation is a natural extension of Jackson’s commitment to making a difference. Through this collaboration, he aims to educate others about the importance of kidney health, the risk factors, and the steps one can take to prevent or manage kidney disease.

 

As Jackson continues to navigate this new chapter of his life, we, his fans and music community at large, stand beside him, inspired by his resilience and dedication. His story is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the difference one person can make when they choose to turn their struggles into a source of hope and awareness for others. Keep rockin’ Freddie, for old time sake.

 

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Robin Thicke New Album in the Works

Singer-songwriter, producer and arguably our favorite panelist on ‘The Masked Singer’, Robin Thicke, released his new lead single, “I Know What to Do,” from his forthcoming ninth studio album.

The  “Look Easy” singer shared a snippet of the lead single and teased the  album on Instagram.

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Robin Thicke (@robinthicke)

Though the album is currently untitled we do have a release date. ThisisRnB reports the full album is set to release in February 2025 and the lead single, “I Know What to Do” is just a taste of what’s to come.

If his previous work is any indication, we can expect a mix of emotional depth and smooth melodies. His last album, On Earth, and in Heaven, released in 2021, was a heartfelt tribute to his late father, Alan Thicke.

Stay tuned for more updates,  and be sure to check out “I Know What to Do” and other R&B new music on our YouTube playlist.